Formula 1 2018 - No Women Edition

[Shindig]

Nah, Nascar has that stupid playoff thing which rewards latecomers.

[Pepe]

Forgot about the playoff thing. :D

[bruhnaldo]

Ya they fucked up NASCAR big time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Force India has lost all its constructors points and been reconstituted as Racing Point Force India, or RPFI.

That makes zero sense, but it kind of reminds me of this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Pune_Supergiant) so maybe it's the same investors?

[niko_cee]

PFI you say?

[Disco]

It's so they can avoid taking on all the debt associated with the old team. I think they've registered as a new entry and just 'bought' all of Force India assets, this way they avoid the debt and can still score points during the rest of the season and get the prize money.

[Shindig]

Sevco on four wheels.

[Shindig]

Fake India taking an opportunist qualifying, there. :D

[Disco]

Continuity Force India.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm just looking at the qualifying timesheet and nothing makes sense. Was it pissing down harder at one point than at others?

[Disco]

It rained hard right at the start of the session then steadily dried out. When pole was set it was something like a three seconds improvement.

[Shindig]

Yeah, the huge gap between Hamilton and the Strollmobiles tells you they just landed in the right window.

[Gray Fox]

The 3rd place came at the perfect time for Ocon too. Puts his name right in the spotlight when he's just about to lose his seat.

After Daddy Stroll bought Force India, he's expected to give Ocon the boot and put Stroll Jr in the seat. Ocon was expected to fill the Renault seat but Ricciardo has taken that. Almost all other seats have been filled too, unless Ferrari fancy taking him on.

It probably wont end up making a difference, but it can't hurt.

[SincereTheRebel]

Rain?

[SincereTheRebel]

Kimi hasn't won a race since his Ferrari return (5 seasons). I didn't think it was that bad.

[Gray Fox]

Kimi hasn't won a race since his Ferrari return (5 seasons). I didn't think it was that bad.

He also hasn't gained a single place on the opening lap in about 2 seasons.

[Disco]

The 3rd place came at the perfect time for Ocon too. Puts his name right in the spotlight when he's just about to lose his seat.

After Daddy Stroll bought Force India, he's expected to give Ocon the boot and put Stroll Jr in the seat. Ocon was expected to fill the Renault seat but Ricciardo has taken that. Almost all other seats have been filled too, unless Ferrari fancy taking him on.

It probably wont end up making a difference, but it can't hurt.

He's a Mercedes driver so he may well end up at Williams, McLaren may also still be an option for him next season. He's certainly good enough to warrant a spot on the grid even if he ends up taking a year away.

[Shindig]

Sounds like a decent swap from Williams' point of view.

[SincereTheRebel]

He also hasn't gained a single place on the opening lap in about 2 seasons.

Oh shit :D

They have to cut him loose. Is he ferrari for next year?

[Gray Fox]

They're on about retaining him(Kimi) for 1 more year to serve as rear gunner.

LeClerc lucky not to have a car land on his head there.

[SincereTheRebel]

He has been a rear gunner for rhe past few years already.

[John Arne]

yeah, Halo looks to have done LeClerc is big favour, there.

All caused by Hulkenburg by the looks of things.

[John Arne]

Ocon looked like he might of bottled that potential overtake on Vettel. Broke very, very early.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ocon looked like he might of bottled that potential overtake on Vettel. Broke very, very early.

Yeah, he could have committed but decided not too.

[Gray Fox]

Looks like the top 2 decided unless someone fucks up Vettels pit stop.

He's gradually eeking out a couple of tenths per lap.

[SincereTheRebel]

Need another vettel win at Monza for the championship. It's better if Vettel and Ferrari win the title from here IMO.

[SincereTheRebel]

Qualifting was actuallyy good. Ferrari one-two with Kimi on pole.

[SincereTheRebel]

About time the Finn made himself useful. The talk is putting Charles le Clare in his seat. I don't even know if this Charles is racing in F1 right now but get it done.

[Shindig]

Vettel objecting to Kimi's pole and moaning to the team. Classy.

[Disco]

Afraid not, the shake up at the top of Ferrari means Raikkonen will likely get another year.

[Gray Fox]

About time the Finn made himself useful. The talk is putting Charles le Clare in his seat. I don't even know if this Charles is racing in F1 right now but get it done.

He's at Sauber and giving a good account of himself.

I'm sure Seb would rather the submissive 2nd driver rather than bringing in the up and coming youngster with a point to prove.

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol at Vettel, absolutely done up there.

[Shindig]

Excellent. Unsafe release as well. :D

[Boom-Boom-18]

It's going to be interesting to see if Hamilton can get Kimi now.

[Gray Fox]

I can see some serious seethe if Vettel finishes below Hamilton now.

[SincereTheRebel]

Kimi isnt going to put up much fight. He is food.

[SincereTheRebel]

Vettel is stupid for that. He should have just kept to the outside.

[Gray Fox]

Unless it rains now Merc have chucked away the win, but then again maybe that's not all so important here.

[John Arne]

Lap 33/53: Räikkönen can’t get close enough to Bottas who is doing some fine MOR driving here. “You’re doing a really good job, Valtteri. Kimi has blistered his left rear,” says the team radio. Bottas still not pitting.


What does MOR mean in this context?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Middle of road, presumably.

This will be a great win by Hamilton if he finishes it off. Sit down, tifosi, sit down.

[Gray Fox]

Middle of the road.

[Boom-Boom-18]

This has not been a good season for Vettel, making too many mistakes.

[John Arne]

Ta, and ta.

[SincereTheRebel]

They need to bring Kimi up on charges.

[Disco]

Only just got home but this seems to have been an interesting race, I only read qualifying results and assumed it would be a stroll for Ferrari what with their new engine 'tricks'.

[Jimmy Floyd]

lol at all the mongs in the stands giving thumbs down. Go home and play with your toy red cars.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ive turned this off now. I feel the same way I did when wolves ended up in league one.

[Gray Fox]

"Formation lap all the way home for our Italian colleagues" :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only just got home but this seems to have been an interesting race, I only read qualifying results and assumed it would be a stroll for Ferrari what with their new engine 'tricks'.

It should have been a stroll for Ferrari, but Vettel was an absolute twat in the first three corners (yet again) and Raikkonen murdered his tyres.

[Gray Fox]

Only just got home but this seems to have been an interesting race, I only read qualifying results and assumed it would be a stroll for Ferrari what with their new engine 'tricks'.

Vettel did his usual trick of demanding someone move out of his way, Hamilton didn't oblige and he spun himself despite there being plenty of track over to the left.

After that Mercedes used MIND GAMES on Ferrari and it worked perfectly. Hamilton was a second or so behind Kimi for all eternity going into the pit stop, then they left Hamilton and Bottas out. Ferrari did as they do and put their foot to the floor to try and be fastest and Kimi did gain a lot of time, but then came up on the back of Bottas.
The used him as a rolling road block to allow Hamilton to pit and then catch up. Combine the above thrashing of the car with being stuck behind Bottas for and age and Kimi fried his tyres. Hamilton then just played the patient game and picked him off at the end.

[Gray Fox]

1036243323030331393


Vettel thinking he can still make the apex there with another car along side him. Taking the car wider would have lost him a second maybe, as opposed to half a minute.

[Shindig]

50-50. Each was expecting the other to slot back.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All Vettel had to do was stay left and at worst, he's looking at a run with DRS in a couple of laps' time.

The mistake he made was being too tight in the first place and moving around too much on the way in.

[Shindig]

It does make me wonder what his place in history will be. He started like a proper bright, young thing at BMW and Torro Rosso, won consecutive titles at Red Bull but all the fireworks and drama was from the likes of Webber and Alonso trying to topple him.

[Gray Fox]

I was going to bring this up. Barring a dramatic 7 race win streak from Kimi or Bottas, we're looking at a 5-time world champion being crowned either way. This will move either one into equal 2nd with Fangio and only Schumacher ahead.

Would we stack either up against the best of the best?

Vettel will be 31 and Hamilton 34 at the start of next season too. You could maybe see Vettel matching the 7, but I think the two Championships Hamilton has lost/thrown away in the past have cost him that chance.

The feather in Hamiltons cap is that he's won with 2 different manufacturers with good foresight on the move to Mercedes too. Wheras Vettel hasn't come anywhere near yet without being in an Adrian Newey car.

[Shindig]

I'd have Hamilton down as an all-time great. He's ridden some of the best and worst McLaren's had to offer. I think he's the type to push 40 if he's anywhere near Schumacher's stats, as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I would have Vettel in a box with Piquet as drivers who have probably won more championships than their talents commanded. Piquet at least was a lovable pantomime villain to go with it, Vettel has always just seemed like a petulant twat to me.

Hamilton is the greatest of this era (sorry Fernando) and stands up to anyone bar Senna, Clark and Fangio who I think are out on their own.

[SincereTheRebel]

So where does Schu fit into this? He won multiple titles with more than one team too

[Shindig]

Schumi gets special credit for moulding Ferrari into what it is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Schumacher and Prost I have below the aforementioned three, and I think Hamilton is pretty much in their category.

[Lewis]

If he waits until he's forty to retire nobody will take his rap album seriously, so you have to imagine it will be sooner rather than later.

[Shindig]

But now he's found God. All bets are off.

[SincereTheRebel]

I cant put any legend not from my time, above any legend from my time.

This was an interesting read.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-6126667/Sebastian-Vettel-lost-125-points-Lewis-Hamilton-two-years.html

[Jimmy Floyd]

In F1 you definitely can, largely because it used to be dangerous to drive. Imola is the dividing marker.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah it used to be if you went off at a certain corner you could be dead. Now it's just 5 or so seconds of lap time.

[Disco]

I would have Vettel in a box with Piquet as drivers who have probably won more championships than their talents commanded. Piquet at least was a lovable pantomime villain to go with it, Vettel has always just seemed like a petulant twat to me.

Hamilton is the greatest of this era (sorry Fernando) and stands up to anyone bar Senna, Clark and Fangio who I think are out on their own.

I think I'm broadly in agreement with that, Jackie Stewart winning three titles in an era when you raced on Sunday then went to a funeral on Tuesday merits him a spot if not in the top group then very close to it. In the eras that I've watched 'live' Senna stands out as the most talented. Prost had the better temperament and made the most of his opportunities but even in unequal machinery you'd bet on Senna everytime. Schumacher feels like a mix of the two, he had the uncompromising 'fuck you I'm coming past' attitude of Senna but he had some of the nous that Prost had out of the car. Once he had the team around him at Ferrari he was totally unstoppable, and that's coming from someone who without fail wanted other drivers (be it Hill, Hakkinen or whoever) to win every race. Vettel is a odd one, the question over him has always been his close racing ability and he hasn't done a lot to dispel that over the last year or two. Undeniably quick though, and he filled his boots when he had the car under him at Red Bull which is about all you can really ask of a driver.

[Disco]

Just watching the end of the race, lol at the small timers jeering and booing. Get a grip lads.

[phonics]

My Grandad, probably amongst a host of other reasons, hated me for liking Schumacher more than Hill/Mansell. He had a painting of Nigel Mansell as the literal entrance piece to his house the entire time he and I shared this planet so that put me in the bad books. I was also the only one that would watch it with him so I was still the favourite. I would read the teletext previews to him when his eyes started to go and had therefore earned the right to get more sweets than everyone else.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Prost bottled about five more titles because he was a pathetic French twat - he had the machinery to dump on Fangio's record. In Schumacher's case, I just can't divorce his legacy from all the cheating. He cheated when he came into the sport, cheated throughout his peak, and was still cheating to the bitter end in his Merc comeback.

[Disco]

The trouble is, even if you take away three titles for cheating (one Benetton and, cumulatively, a couple of Ferrari ones) then you end up giving probably two back when you take into account everyone elses cheating. Lets not forget who ran Renault when Fandango won his two titles. The truly shitty stuff (parking it at Monaco, putting Rubens into the wall in Hungary) was ultimately pointless or he got penalised for it at the time.

[Shindig]

It's interesting when you look at Vettel and Hamilton's rise through the lower formulas. Hamilton hit the ground running. On his way to the F3 Euro Series title, he finished off the podium three times. One retirement, one DQ, one 12th. Took the GP2 title the following year.

Meanwhile, Vettel won a Formula BMW thing (18 wins out of 20 ... sheesh.) Finished second behind Paul di Resta in Formula 3 in 2005 (four wins to di Resta's five) and then was doing decent in the Renault 3.5 scene (four podiums in seven races) until Torro Rosso brought him in mid-season.

When you put their histories side by side, there's no contest. Hamilton's used to racing for wins, Vettel's been bred for a race seat. Also, Lewis is a legitimately special talent. One that does not come around often.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hamilton's drive on Sunday is a good example of why he's the better driver. Had to drive a balanced race, sometimes pushing, sometimes being patient, and he had to nail the manoeuvres at the key moments.

The most spectacular thing I can remember Vettel doing is driving two seconds a lap clear off the safety car in Singapore once, which, whilst impressive, kind of sums him up as a driver.

[Shindig]

I'm starting to wonder if Red Bull's system takes talent out of the feeder series too early. The only person I can see as a multiple champion in the current crop is Verstappen. If he'd been given a few years at GP2/3 or Formula 3, he'd have some proper wheel to wheel experience.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Speaking of which Vandoorne has been given the tin tack and Lando Norris is in. Barely old enough to have pubes.

[Disco]

I'm starting to wonder if Red Bull's system takes talent out of the feeder series too early. The only person I can see as a multiple champion in the current crop is Verstappen. If he'd been given a few years at GP2/3 or Formula 3, he'd have some proper wheel to wheel experience.

They were forever dead to me the day they binned JEV.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I did lol at the weekend when somebody big time (can't remember who) did a pointed tweet about Vettel and Verstappen, they of the failed moves, having the same mentor.

[Gray Fox]

Somehow I missed that Grosjean had been disqualified from his 6th place finish at Monza.

[Shindig]

I think there was a mention of his passing someone under yellows. Had a look at Lando's record earlier. It's not wonderkid levels. Maybe I'm incorrectly looking at Vettel and Hamilton as comparisons but they fiddle with the feeder series too much. Even Verstappen's record doesn't look too hot when you consider six of his ten wins in his breakthrough season came at two weekends.

It's a graveyard. The old drivers hold on to the top drives with the youngsters consigned to a couple of years at the stragglers. And then retire at 25 or go into sportscars.

[-james-]

The guy that got black flagged in the Moto GP today has to be the stupidest man on the planet.

https://twitter.com/btsportmotogp/status/1038745017383301120

[SincereTheRebel]

Wtf. :D

[Pepe]

Genius.

[SincereTheRebel]

There should charges for that rider. Attempted murder. No idea how he can explain that one.

[Shindig]

I'm not surprised it's Fenati, to be fair. Points on his license and maybe a further DQ.

[SincereTheRebel]

I can't stop watching it. You have to ve a psycho to behave like that.

[Disco]

I liked Fenati when he first broke into Moto3 (as much as you can 'like' someone from just watching them ride a bike) but he's demonstrated at every opportunity that he's a total dickhead.

[Disco]

It's a graveyard. The old drivers hold on to the top drives with the youngsters consigned to a couple of years at the stragglers. And then retire at 25 or go into sportscars.

It's always been this way though, the best make it and the rest have to make do as well as they can. Same with pay drivers and blatant favouritism in the face of terrible results (good evening Mr Ericsson), it's no worse now than in any era you care to mention.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The difference is there are only 20 cars now and not 26+.

[Disco]

I'm more optimistic than I've ever been about the grid going back to a decent size, our new hamburger overlords seem to be taking things in the right direction. Or in other words the teams are complaining so much about roughly the same things that they must be doing something right.

[Shindig]

Caterham's gaffe is probably still in decent shape.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLMCyf6W2bw

Oh, Fenati's punishment is in. 2 race ban and immediate sacking from his ride. I assume he'll serve that ban if anyone's daft enough to hire him again. Like Joe Kinnear. When the BT Sport guys mentioned he had previous, I had to catch-up.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7fep8y0X2w

What a proper, proper cunt.

[Giggles]

http://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/24640383/kimi-raikkonen-leave-ferrari-season-end

[Gray Fox]

He'll go on forever. Surely LeClerc to Ferrari now then?

[SincereTheRebel]

Kimi in the young Mclaren days was a pre beast. He was one of the better drivers. But Ferrari should have sold him a while ago. He hasnt been good since he returned to the team. I dont know anything at all about LeClerc, but having a youngster wasteman it up over Kimi is better in my opinion.

[Gray Fox]

If Ferrari let them race, I expect LeClerc to do to Vettel what Danny Ricciardo did to him at Red Bull. They wont, though.

[Shindig]

Remember when everyone thought Perez was in line for a Ferrari seat? It'll be Mick Schumacher.

[Gray Fox]

Perez is in the Hulkenberg zone of reasonably outdriving his car, but just not quite good enough to make it to the top.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leclerc is confirmed, or at least I hope he is as I saw him gassing about it on twitter earlier.

I really like Leclerc as a driver, so it'll be interesting to see how quickly I start to hate him once behind the wheel of a red car.

[Shindig]

Nah, you'll love him as soon as Vettel complains on team radio about him.

[niko_cee]

I liked the narrative that Kimi had 'defended' against Vettel at Monza and caused him to spaz it into Hamilton, and that this was the final straw for the suits.

[Disco]

If it were me the rest of the race would have made up my mind. If the roles had been reversed I think Vettel would have won it from that position.

I'm slightly more surprised that Raikkonen is going to schlub about in a Sauber, I know that's where he started (in the best looking Red Bull sponsored car to date) but I thought it more likely that he'd go back to rallying or turn up in jet ski racing or lawnmowers or something equally potty.

[Shindig]

Yeah, I'm surprised he's still here. He must be getting something out of it. I'll agree on that Sauber although I preferred the 1999 one Diniz and Salo pottered around in. Kimi's year had a weird white nose which looked out of place.

[SincereTheRebel]

Since ive been watching the sport. I dont think ive ever seen a young driver in the Ferrari seat full time who is under the age of 30 and never won an F1 race before he got there.

[Shindig]

Felipe Massa and Jean Alesi are the only ones I can think of. Ah, Barrichello.

[Clunge]

I think we’re being a tad unfair on Sauber atm - they have been largely excellent this season with the new Ferrari partnership. Even carthorse extraordinaire Ericsson’s got a point or two. I think that car with be up there with Haas next year if the strength of the Ferrari link endures. Can see Kimi having some epic upper-midfield battles. Plus, what he’ll bring by way of expertise is hard to put a value on, especially as that expertise will continue to feed into Ferrari via Sauber.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think Kimi secretly really loves it. Remember he had that mini-retirement before and he's been back almost ten years.

[Shindig]

I can't imagine Kimi having a long chat with his engineers about oversteer.

[Disco]

He also doesn't seem particularly fast these days but if he has Ericsson as a team mate I don't suppose it will really matter.

[bruhnaldo]

Didn't he literally just break the F1 track record at Monza?

[Disco]

Someone had to.

[Disco]

The other wrinkle is how keen he'll be to compromise his performance in the remaining races should the team need him to help Vettel. What can they do if he says no, phone up Luca Badoer again?

[Shindig]

They have Mika Salo behind a glass case for emergencies.

[Gray Fox]

I did not see that coming.

[Shindig]

Oooh. Verstappen on the front row since ... his pole?

[Disco]

How has that even happened? I've been following the times from practice and Ferrari have been about half a second ahead all weekend.

[Gray Fox]

He'll be slower to the first corner too, so could slow down Vettel behind. If only the Red Bull could find a decent engine.

[Disco]

At the risk of Giggles calling me a fanboy again, that was a ridiculous lap from Hamilton. Proper title winning stuff over the last three races, he's making Vettel look seriously second rate at places where the Ferrari has been the stronger car.

[John Arne]

Yeah, that was a triffic lap.

[Serj]

Ferrari's strategy here. :D

[Disco]

He needed to be past Perez instantly for that to have worked, he'd have been chasing Hamilton in a faster car with faster tyres.

[Gray Fox]

Perez can get fucked for that.

[Disco]

Perez is such a nob.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Slightly surprised the lesser spotted drapeau noir didn't come out for him earlier.

[Disco]

That was shit.

[Lewis]

It's pretty impressive how 'Lewis' seems to have found another level once he had to (unless he has simply not shat the bed like Ferrari), although it begs the question how he let that pleb have one of the titles at Mercedes.

[Gray Fox]

It's pretty impressive how 'Lewis' seems to have found another level once he had to (unless he has simply not shat the bed like Ferrari), although it begs the question how he let that pleb have one of the titles at Mercedes.

That season came down to Hamilton having an extra DNF on Rosberg. He was better when they were both on track.

[Disco]

Rosberg mindgamed him perfectly that year and had better reliability. The one he lobbed away in 2007 was worse even if was his first season.

[Lewis]

Yeah, but didn't his CHARACTER come into question that year? I don't know. I barely keep an eye on it. But I was under the impression that he has always been regarded as having a bit of a petulant tosser streak (like 'Seb' does when things aren't going his way).

[Gray Fox]

There was a point during the season when things started going wrong on his car a few times, but Rosbergs was fine, he started to suggest conspiracy, but aside from that and his insufferable love-in with Alonso over that period, he's largely got rid of that. The end of the last race of the season was pathetic though.

He seems to have left it at McLaren. The one he will regret is when he binned it in the gravel at China. He'd already be a 5 timer with that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There was a period between about 2010-12 when he didn't have the machinery, his plastic missus was getting tetchy and he turned into a bit of a wanker. Post-Scherzinger he has been world class throughout. The Rosberg year was just a case of Nico drove a great season and had a bit of luck, you can't win them all.

[Gray Fox]

Ditching her has been his best career move by far.

Rosbergs ultimate troll of insta-retiring after was also brilliant.

[Shindig]

Yep, 2007 will the one that sticks the most. Even with the China binning, he bottled Interlagos and started clambering at the dash. You can't do owt if reliability starts going. All you can do is drive.

[Lewis]

There was a period between about 2010-12 when he didn't have the machinery, his plastic missus was getting tetchy and he turned into a bit of a wanker. Post-Scherzinger he has been world class throughout. The Rosberg year was just a case of Nico drove a great season and had a bit of luck, you can't win them all.

'Seb' won them all when he had the car didn't he?

[Disco]

Debatable for 2011/12, that McLaren was pretty close to the Red Bull.

[Shindig]

So was the Ferrari, though. And Renault won a race with Kimi. Alonso was only 3 points behind Vettel, in spite of Seb winning four races on the bounce at one stage. That was the season we had six different winners in six races.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Debatable for 2011/12, that McLaren was pretty close to the Red Bull.

Newey always had the blown floor in his pocket. McLaren probably had the best engines all the way through, but it wasn't really an engine formula then like it is now.

[Disco]

True, but that fourth title wasn't won from the dominant position the first two were.

In other news, aren't Williams a disgrace these days. Miles off the pace and have been all year. They should swallow whatever teutonic sausage Toto might be offering in exchange for a wheelbarrow full of parts and a soon to be unemployed Frenchman. It couldn't possibly be any worse than it already is after all.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sirotkin in that last race drove like one of those no-hope privateers from mid-90s BTCC. At least we can delete Paddy Lowe's node from the F1 success matrix, albeit if you keep going with that logic you end up with all roads leading to Niki Lauda and no one wants that.

[Gray Fox]

Half a second difference over the lap between the Mercs and Ferraris.

Vettel is really going to need a DNF from Hamilton tomorrow.

[Gray Fox]

Where's Martin Brundle? Not sure I can stand much more talk of Mershedes.

[John Arne]

Looked like a double movement from Vettel then.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Vettel is a beaten man I'm afraid. Hamilton has absolutely roasted him these last few races in a slower car and he knows it.

[John Arne]

Force India really are terrible at team orders. If you having them - use them. The constantly let the slower driver hold up the quicker one.

[Disco]

Perez isn't any faster, he's been a whinging asshole everywhere he's been.

[SincereTheRebel]

Vettel is a beaten man I'm afraid. Hamilton has absolutely roasted him these last few races in a slower car and he knows it.

Hamilton really is a beast.

[John Arne]

I thought Red Bull would have risked the Hypers then.

[Disco]

The KGB director keeps cutting away to pointless shots, it's very annoying.

[Disco]

I'd like to have seen them switch Bottas back into first.

[Gray Fox]

That's harsh on Bottas but understandable. Hamilton now holds 2 get out of jail free cards.

[Gray Fox]

Interested to see if Hamilton will give Bottas a win back if the title is secured before the end.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a long tradition of number 2s winning the last 2 races in championships. Gerhard Berger probably got most of his wins that way.

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/45699381

Awesome.

[SincereTheRebel]

That's brilliant.

[Disco]

You would think that with women being generally lighter/slighter they'd be ideally suited to the smaller formulae. There have been a few in Moto3 (Carrasco among them, jesus christ how is she only 21!) but it would be cool to see someone get a full time ride at a decent team.

[Shindig]

Nah, I think a 15 year old girl is probably bigger than a 15 year old boy. I always figure the age the girls get involved in it plays a key role. Plus they probably face stiffer obstacles with family maybe not wanting them to get into motorsport. Still, I remember Jutta Kleinschmidt winning the Dakar Rally in 2001 so anything's possible. There's that British lass in Formula Somethings who won her first race a couple of months back, too.

[Disco]

Science disagrees, men have higher bone density and generally greater muscle mass which by the time you get to your late teens will be making a difference. I agree on the rest though, pre-conceptions are a bigger barrier than anything physical, especially in cars where there's more emphasis on endurance rather than strength these days.

[Shindig]

At least we're seeing younger girls filter through. There's a teenage German lass in Formula 3 and, if all else fails, there's plenty of female team principals and engineers springing up. I might suggest that's where the 'no girl of mine is getting behind a wheel' types might divert. Oh and Danika Patrick. She won a thing and managed to piss off just about everyone in the NASCAR paddock by crashing into them.

[phonics]

Nah, I think a 15 year old girl is probably bigger than a 15 year old boy. I always figure the age the girls get involved in it plays a key role. Plus they probably face stiffer obstacles with family maybe not wanting them to get into motorsport. Still, I remember Jutta Kleinschmidt winning the Dakar Rally in 2001 so anything's possible. There's that British lass in Formula Somethings who won her first race a couple of months back, too.

Chinese Gymnasts would tend to disagree.

[Shindig]

Hamilton pole, Vettel 9th. :D

[Disco]

At least we know they don't spend that £100m on a weatherman.

[Jimmy Floyd]

:face:

Nevertheless, I think Hamilton's driving in the second half of this season is the highest level I've seen achieved in the time I've been watching motor racing. He is just sensational.

[SincereTheRebel]

Vettel and Ferrari are all over the place like bird shit.

[SincereTheRebel]

Hamilton has gone up another level now while Vettel and Ferrari have gone down.

[Giggles]

There needs to be an unmerciful clear out at Ferrari.

[Gray Fox]

To be fair to Ferrari, they themselves haven't done too much wrong.

The problem this season has been the twit in the car still expecting people to just move out of his way like they did when his car was blue.

67 points now with 4 races to go. You wonder if Hamilton will hand over a win to Bottas in the remaining races.

[Giggles]

To be fair to Ferrari, they themselves haven't done too much wrong.

The problem this season has been the twit in the car still expecting people to just move out of his way like they did when his car was blue.

67 points now with 4 races to go. You wonder if Hamilton will hand over a win to Bottas in the remaining races.

They've fucked up every time it's came to a bit of strategical thinking. Though Vettel hasn't helped, hot headed twat.

[Shindig]

Vettel doesn't give me the impression he can drive his way out of trouble like Hamilton could.

[Giggles]

Vettel doesn't give me the impression he can drive his way out of trouble like Hamilton could.

He's proven this year he hasn't the temperament for it. For all Hamilton's issues as a person, when he's in a car he's a clinical machine.

[Disco]

The move on Verstappen was doubly thick, not only completely the wrong decision but he managed to fuck it up as well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Really enjoyed watching that qualifying session, partly for a superb onboard lap with Bottas in Q2, but also because it's fantastic to watch Hamilton chuck a demonstrably slower car through certain corners in a way that gets him out in front of a clearly faster Ferrari.

He really is an absolute maestro.

[Gray Fox]

I think this title, barring any severe fuck ups from here of course, is his finest work.

His other 3 at Mercedes have seen his team-mate be his only competition. And you can argue he didn't deserve the one he won at McLaren, but this one he has faced a better car than his and is comfortably out-driving his own to boot.

He's also facing a fellow 4-time champion in said faster car. The real question now is can he add to his 5 titles?

[Disco]

Trust F1 to bork the championship decider with a stupid penalty, in America too which I think is customary now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There are a lot of things he could go for if he can be bothered for long enough. 100 poles is very doable, and would be ridiculous. Schumacher's race win tally (which I thought unbeatable) is only another 20 odd away as well.

[Shindig]

There's going to come a point where we ask if he's better than Senna.

[Gray Fox]

He'll be 34 by the start of next season, so if we say 40 is probably the latest he stays in F1 and his car stays competitive we could well see both of those go. I think the 100 pole mark is almost definite and he'll be knocking right on the door of the wins record in 2 or so years time.

Assuming the Mercedes is as competitive as it is now over the coming years of course.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's not better than Senna. I've never seen Hamilton dive into Mirabeau like his kid's drowning on the exit.

[Gray Fox]

Senna also did his thing in an era with Alain Prost. Hamilton doesn't have a nemesis like this, nor anyone of the same kind of ilk on the grid.

Take either of Prost or Senna out of their era and the other is a 7 time champion at least. You can't really say the same of Hamilton.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Take Prost being a stupid French twat out of Prost's era and he would have won about 9 and Senna only '91. He still wouldn't have been better though. Senna and Jim Clark are the best ever.

[Magic]

There's going to come a point where we ask if he's better than Senna.

:lol:

[SincereTheRebel]

Hamilton is better than them all. I will always stand for the era I am in. You old men can support your era if you have seen them all.

[Giggles]

There's going to come a point where we ask if he's better than Senna.

Maybe if he dies too.

:yn:

[Shindig]

Senna also did his thing in an era with Alain Prost. Hamilton doesn't have a nemesis like this, nor anyone of the same kind of ilk on the grid.

That's one of the reasons I wish Alonso stuck to him like glue. None of this, "I can't work with this man." bullshit. He needed whatever car Hamilton was in to give us a decade of championship shenanigans. I'd dare say Rosberg might've done something if he hadn't retired at the top.

[Magic]

Take Prost being a stupid French twat out of Prost's era and he would have won about 9 and Senna only '91. He still wouldn't have been better though. Senna and Jim Clark are the best ever.

John Surtees and Fangio as well surely.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fangio maybe, but he got the benefit of inheriting other people's cars mid-race and just jumping teams mid season to get in a quicker car. Surtees I don't care about bikes, so no.

[Magic]

But his achievement is so cool and unique and absolutely impossible to replicate now.

[Lewis]

I don't know a lot about the Prost/Senna rivalry. How did being a stupid French twat stop him cleaning up? Did he BOTTLE IT throwing wobblers over engines and that sort of thing?

[Disco]

He spent about three years sulking/wasting his time at Ferrari because he thought Ron Dennis was turning his engine down.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Prost was a ridiculous winning machine whose fatal flaw was believing everything was a conspiracy against him when if anything, he was doing most of the conspiring (there are more than a few parallels to Mourinho). He should have won somewhere between 7 and 10. Niki Lauda absolutely mugged him off in 1984 and the Piquet/Bernie duo mugged him off in '83 in the Renault. '90 was probably his peak as a driver but he'd whinged himself into the wrong car, and by '91 it was just a Fiat Punto with wings.

The only year in the whole span of '82-'93 when he didn't have a legitimate title shot was 1987 when the Williams was just better. I bet he could have got into Patrese's Williams for '92 if he'd wanted as well, but I think he and Nigel had talked themselves out of working together in 1990.

[Shindig]

I'm trying to remember the year he ran to the FIA for Senna taking an exit road to circumvent an accident.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The fucking idiot's only binned it on the first lap again.

[Serj]

Really enjoyed watching that qualifying session, partly for a superb onboard lap with Bottas in Q2, but also because it's fantastic to watch Hamilton chuck a demonstrably slower car through certain corners in a way that gets him out in front of a clearly faster Ferrari.

He really is an absolute maestro.

How can you tell?

[Jimmy Floyd]

1. The speed traps
2. Kimi kept nailing purples at various points in the lap and then blowing it in other sectors. Valtteri (who is as fast as the current iteration of Kimi, for my money) wasn't getting near it.

I think the Merc holds it together well in certain types of corner, but the Ferrari recycles power better and they've clearly had some clever trick since mid-season which has been allowing them to do so.

[SincereTheRebel]

The fucking idiot's only binned it on the first lap again.

He really has been folding under pressure. It's embarrassing.

[Serj]

Thanks, I haven't watched any of the sessions this weekend and only saw end results, seemed quite even from that.

I thought overall this year the cars seemed quite evenly matched with different strengths coming out at different circuits. It probably proves how good Hamilton is that he's winning the championship so clearly. He seems to be cruising to victory today as well.

[Serj]

Well, I was clearly wrong. If only Ricciardo's car wasn't made of driftwood, we could have four drivers fighting for the win. :drool:

[Shindig]

Hammer time. Maybe not. :moop:

[Clunge]

That was mega.

[Disco]

Red Bull should be disqualified for those god awful overalls.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Amazing to think Kimi has only won 21 times.

[SincereTheRebel]

Amazing to think Kimi has only won 21 times.

Damm its that few

[Jimmy Floyd]

Damon Hill had 22 wins and he only had about 70 GPs in podium cars. Kimi's had 200+.

[Gray Fox]

I've seen some Ferrari fans celebrating this as some kind of big victory. But that this is Kimis first win since 2013 is quite off to hear.

[Shindig]

Yeah, he's had some annoying statistics. Like not making a position up from the grid in two years.

[Disco]

This feels like a much better grid than we had last time he won a race. Only two of the World Championships won since 2004 have left the grid (I think), which is a silly way of looking at it but it does demonstrate how much experience there is knocking around at the moment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was thinking earlier that if/when Hamilton wins the title this year, that will equal what I believe to be Schumacher's record for the biggest span between first and last titles.

Schumacher 94-04 (10)
Hamilton 08-17 (9)
Lauda 75-84 (9)
Prost 85-93 (8)

[Gray Fox]

I'd never given that a thought before. It'd be even larger a gap had he not binned it in China 07.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It must be frustrating being a home fan in this race waiting for 'Checo' to actually be able to pull off an overtake. He should really go and race sports cars.

[Disco]

He's the Mexican Tim Henman.

[Boom-Boom-18]

It's going to be a bit anti-climatic seeing Hamilton win the title without being on the podium.

[Gray Fox]

If he gave it the Booker-T "5 time" and then hit a spinaroonie, I wouldn't blame it. Though I'm guessing we'll see more of a pandering speech thanking god or some awful shit, to give people a reason not to like him.

[Shindig]

I'll give him a 6th if he slaps Will Smith for that.

[John Arne]

Hanoi to host a race in 2020.

Bonkers.

[SincereTheRebel]

2022, they will be racing around the slums of Uganda.

[Shindig]

I take it the Tilkeman is first in the queue to build it?

[Gray Fox]

He would be, but he's stuck on an eternally long straight before he gets there.

[Disco]

Rather fallen out of the narrative has our Herman, he was all the rage back when people thought he'd abolished overtaking.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tilke is capable of building a beaut (Sepang and Istanbul both personal favourites), he was probably penned in on most occasions by the need for massive Newey-proof braking zones and 8 billion acres of hospitality tents.

[Shindig]

And streets. Although, in the case of Sotchi, they made some streets up.

[bruhnaldo]

Hanoi to host a race in 2020.

Bonkers.

what the fuck give me my miami race you cunts @Formula1

[SincereTheRebel]

Bring back Imola.

[Pepe]

what the fuck give me my miami race you cunts @Formula1

Don't you get Formula E over there?

[bruhnaldo]

Apparently it only ran once, but tbh I didn't really have much interest either.

[Disco]

Miami is dead in the water last I heard. Vietnam, South Africa, Netherlands, possibly Copenhagen all at various stages of trying to get onto the calendar.

[Pepe]

Kyalami. :drool:

[bruhnaldo]

Ya it doesn't look good but I'm still hopeful they figure it out before 2020 (they won't, everything in Miami is a shitshow)

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should drive through Marlins Park in the same way they do the baseball stadium in Mexico, except at Marlins Park a game could be on at the time and no one would be disturbed.

[Disco]

F1 fans will put up with some boring shit but I think baseball might be a step too far.

[bruhnaldo]

They should drive through Marlins Park in the same way they do the baseball stadium in Mexico, except at Marlins Park a game could be on at the time and no one would be disturbed.

When I get DONNED by Marlins bantz on this website it's even more painful than just being a fan of the Marlins in general.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hey it could be worse, you could be a Rays fan.

[Shindig]

I can't imagine Miami being good. That place is flat. I'd take Sebring but I suspect F1 suspensions wouldn't like to deal with the slabs. If Netherlands is up for one, I wouldn't mind seeing Zolder (nevermind, that's in Belgium) or Assen. Zandvoort. That's the one I was thinking about.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They're talking about Assen but isn't it tiny? They'd have to completely redo it.

Zandvoort is a great place but you can't get anyone there.

[Pepe]

Yes, Zandvoort is a cool track. But F1's requirements put most cool tracks out of contention, unfortunately.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Modern F1 you basically have to have long straights and massive braking zones, and apparently utterly shit bits of street circuit like the middle sector in Singapore, the end section at the Hermanos Rodriguez, and the whole track in Baku. Anything as fun as Tarzan corner or whatever that opposite camber right hander is at Zandvoort would just be more cars following each other in dirty air.

[John Arne]

Rumored layout of the Hanoi circuit.

https://gyazo.com/5ad76e58e45b27fd7427f1d5c7761819.jpg

Looks like a crop circle.

[Lewis]

They took Floyd literally then.

[SincereTheRebel]

The top parts looks like suzuka and then it is long straights followed by long hairpin corners. Sounds cool.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They took Floyd literally then.

They did. Those roundabout corners would be the worst ones on the calendar. Absolute dogshit.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, Suzuka, meets Monza, with a bit of Nurburgring chucked in (moreso if they bank the roundabouts).

[Jimmy Floyd]

More reminiscent to me, at least in spirit if not the literal corner types, of the '91 Phoenix layout, aka the worst track ever created.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0QjCaqBBjc

[Disco]

Something tells me they don't have a lot of faith in the new aero rules.

[Disco]

More reminiscent to me, at least in spirit if not the literal corner types, of the '91 Phoenix layout, aka the worst track ever created.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0QjCaqBBjc

The Germans have done some reprehensible things over the years but talking over that must be right up there.

[Gray Fox]

The important question is, in what way have they fucked up either/or the pit entry and exit?

[John Arne]

1060079659365220353

:drool:

[Shindig]

Circuit and funding pending.

[John Arne]

Circuit and funding pending.

With VinGroup behind it, money won't be an issue. Building everything in a short space of time, and having functioning infrastructure in the city... That's another thing.

[Shindig]

Also, as the first new build of Liberty Media's tenure, I can't imagine they want a short term race like Korea or India.

[Clunge]

I just want Sepang back :(.

[Shindig]

I hadn't realised it left the calendar. :|

[Clunge]

Indeed it has. This season was the first without it since it came in, iirc. Maybe it was missed off in 2016 or something like that for contractual/Bernie reasons.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leclerc with a banging lap just then, chucking it through the middle sector of Interlagos on a dampening track. One of those laps when you can visbily see the driver throwing it sideways through corners, wonderful to watch. I hope he doesn't make Ferrari likeable for me, no one has managed it yet.

[Disco]

U wot?

https://i.imgur.com/4yMBu90.png

[Disco]

Hamilton on holiday mode here. Leclerc vs Vettel might the most fun thing next season.