F1 2021 - Covid 2: Viral Boogaloo

[Gray Fox]

Toto adamant they made the right call after the race there and I suspect this is why:


If they pit when everyone else does, they're waiting for the field to stream past so they don't get an unsafe release.

They'd have been out pretty much last regardless.

Even with all that, Lewis really only needed a lap or two more for the race win.

[Shindig]

Yep. Take the hit on the first lap and it gives you some clean air and it gives the field a chance to spread out. Otherwise you're the back of a train.

[niko_cee]

Toto adamant they made the right call after the race there and I suspect this is why:



They'd have been out pretty much last regardless.

Even with all that, Lewis really only needed a lap or two more for the race win.

How did everyone else [bar Russell] hold position then [or didn't they]? I sort of get the logic, but it didn't seem to actually happen, and had Hamilton been in first, then he'd have been ready to be released first as well, which would have at least put him ahead of Verstappen as presumably he'd have been waiting/last in anyway and his pit box is next.

[Disco]

They would have lost some positions because theirs is the first pitbox but they wouldn't have been last.

[Gray Fox]

He'd still have ended in a DRS train which likely would have lost him more time than he did in the end.


It's amazing how quickly this has changed too. While not quite running away with it, Max was starting to disappear into the distance. We've now hit halfway and despite having the better car for 10 of the 11 races, he finds himself behind. It's obviously not a big gap but you'd expect Mercedes will go well at the upcoming power tracks.

Add in that Horner will be SEETHING about the expense of another wrecked car. Perez said in his interview the engine is dead from that car, so he'll be onto his 3rd at Spa. They also found a big crack in Maxs' engine just before the race, after another whack today you'd imagine that's in the bin as well. Both will be taking 10 place penalties somewhere down the line.

[Gray Fox]

Word is Vettels car couldn’t cough up enough fuel for a sample. DSQ likely.

[Giggles]

Word is Vettels car couldn’t cough up enough fuel for a sample. DSQ likely.

Russell too.

[Shindig]

Man, so if Ocon did carry on to the next lap, Hammer Time would've been given the win. That would've .... made some people on the internet even more angry. :D

https://www.racefans.net/2021/08/01/top-two-finishers-ocon-and-vettel-under-investigation-after-hungarian-grand-prix/

Ooooooh. He is being looked at for failing to follow procedures.

[thommo]

Ocon's fine, only got a reprimand for not driving it into parc ferme. They only managed to get 0.3L out of Vettel's car and apparently Aston Martin have been with the FIA for nearly two hours trying to get more fuel out for a sample.

Supposedly Williams are fine too, only Vettel is in trouble with the FIA scrutineering team.

1421919116697477125

[Shindig]

I just imagine Lawrence Stroll locking the doors and telling them to check again. :D

[thommo]

Seems to be official now according to all the journalists.
1421924997942190084

Hamilton up to P2 and Sainz up to P3. Latifi and Russell go up a spot each, so Williams now have 10 constructor points.

[7om]

Looks like AM have appealed and Vettel’s car has been impounded and shipped to the FIA. For now he’s still 2nd.

[Disco]

If it's a technical infringement they're done, there's no appealing those.

[niko_cee]

I'm sure they'll be able to find the 1.44l that is definitely in the car somewhere, and an entirely unrelated $1.44m in a rogue bank account elsewhere.

[Shindig]

Followed by a "Stroll's crash cost us $2.8m." news story. It's a rule that's always been there. You can't sidestep it unless you've got a super secret reserve tank. Even that would be more illegal.

[Luke Emia]

Maybe they should get the same lawyers in that Ferrari used for their issues with fuel. Not quite having enough for a sample and just cheating the system are basically the same thing.

[Giggles]

Was Norris done for nearly causing the crash in the pits or did retiring straight after get him off?

[Disco]

They never said, if the car is out they sometimes fine the team for an unsafe release.

[thommo]

Kimi's release on the restart was extremely dangerous, even taking Mazepin out of the race, and he only got a 10 second time penalty served at his next pit stop. Doubt anything will happen to McLaren, it wasn't nearly as egregious as the Alfa Romeo release.

[niko_cee]

As someone else said, I'd be amazed if changes didn't come in to stop that mass pit stop one man on the grid fiasco, not least because having that many cars basically racing through the pits is insanely dangerous and it was a minor miracle there wasn't a serious accident with some of the releases.

[Giggles]

As someone else said, I'd be amazed if changes didn't come in to stop that mass pit stop one man on the grid fiasco, not least because having that many cars basically racing through the pits is insanely dangerous and it was a minor miracle there wasn't a serious accident with some of the releases.

It was only Russel that did any racing in the pits at the restart wasn’t it? I don’t think anyone else had to hand places back.

[niko_cee]

By racing I mean trying to get in and out as fast as possible, which led to some seriously sketchy pit releases. What did Russell actually do? Did he overtake people as they queued to get out?

[Giggles]

By racing I mean trying to get in and out as fast as possible, which led to some seriously sketchy pit releases. What did Russell actually do? Did he overtake people as they queued to get out?

He did. Naturally it was followed by lots of ‘oh lol wily George’ on commentary rather than some virtuous crying that would have occurred had it been a Latifi or Ricciardo.

[niko_cee]

He didn't actually get a penalty for it did he (other than having to hand places back)?

I missed so much of the chaos from the second start as the coverage seemed to be exclusively Hamilton pootling around wondering where all the other cars were whilst on the radio to 'Bono'.

Are we last?

:D

[Giggles]

Yeah he handed them back straight away which would avoid any penalty. He was well past any team personnel too.
Hamilton sort of blamed the team after but by all accounts it was the drivers call to make.

[Disco]

The Williams pit is the last one so he was released into the front of the queue ahead of people who were waiting for the restart. As overtaking is still allowed in the pitlane he chanced it and went to the front. The stewards allowed him to give the places back rather than penalise him I suspect because it's a bit of a grey area.

[Disco]

I also read somewhere that the radio silence only applies to the first formation lap, which I'm sure makes sense to someone.

[thommo]

It wasn't a formation lap before the 2nd restart, it's a lap under the safety car and comes off of the race distance. Therefore, radio communication is fine, and I think pretty much all of the drivers took advantage of that.

[Gray Fox]

If anyone follows F2, Dan Ticktum, who was development driver at Williams and by definition, had a toe in the door at Mercedes has been dumped by the team.

He apparently made the very smart choice of being disrespectful to both Latifi and Rosberg while on his Twitch streams. Unless he's got a boat load of money somewhere to pay driver his way in, he's likely done in F1 before he ever got there.

[Disco]

Known tosser Dan Ticktum is once again a tosser, dumped from at least two driver programs now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Shouldn't even be racing after his previous misdemeanours.

[Disco]

Ironic that he was burying Latifi, a more successful driver in pretty much every respect.

[Gray Fox]

1423289318668345353

[Shindig]

Sunrise, sunset. :(

[Disco]

Il Dottore.

Best I've ever seen, in the category of riders who could do things that seemed impossible. They need to restore the final turn at Barcelona so he can utterly don Lorenzo again.

[Shindig]

It took me years to accept him after he did that to Gibernau. I need to find a full replay of Laguna Seca 2008. There's no greater sight than two riders dogfighting for 25 laps.

https://www.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/motogp-classic-laguna-seca-2008/709872492732263/

Facebook. I wasn't expecting that platform to deliver. I want the Eurosport feed, though. Toby Moody and Julian Ryder on commentary took it a step further.

[Disco]

Didn't they stop taking family holidays together after that, or is that bullshit? I wonder if they ever did a Hamilton/Rosberg and made up later.

[Shindig]

The Gibernau curse is something of a myth. Rossi did say at a team dinner, "Sete will not win another race." but he was only referring to 2004 as a season. It just turns out it was forever.

He's had some scrapes, hasn't he? I tend to forget he kicked Marquez off.

[Pepe]

Rossi > Any F1 driver ever. Legend of a man.

[Giggles]

Rossi > Any F1 driver ever. Legend of a man.

The aforementioned Dan Ticktum is more relevant.

[Gray Fox]

I'm still amazed that not only did he not die here, there wasn't a scratch on him.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGPrHj1nPt0

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/58190691

The lad's cursed. This time last year his brakes failed and he had to hop off the thing into turn 1. Yamaha just sound like they're looking for a way to ditch him.

In further developments, they're bang on.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP3n-M6B_hs

Okay, fuck him. That's intentional. :D Signed for Aprilla in 2022.

[Disco]

Japanese GP is off again, and the Dutchies are down to 2/3 capacity.

[Shindig]

It's Le Mans weekend. There's a Maldonado on the grid. Turns out Pastor has a cousin. Jan and Kevin Magnussen are sharing a car. Just a reminder, if Montoya takes a class win (because he never seems to bother with LMP1's), I'm counting him as a Triple Crown winner.

LMP1 (I mean HYPERCAR!): Toyota strolled it again. Conway / Kobiyashi and Lopez winning.
LMP2: Team WRT but unfortunately not the car with Kubica in it. Frijns / Habsberg (the overbite aristocracy?) / Milesi. Dragonspeed were the fastest of the Pro-Ams which means erm ... Montoya is sorta-kinda-not a Triple Crowner.
LM GTE Pro: Pier Guidi / Calado / Ledogar
LM GTE Am: Perrodo / Nielsen / Rovera
CDNT (a class of one): Two blokes in wheelchairs and a Frenchman.

Manuel Maldonado retired early. A family tradition.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Weather forecast for Malmedy over the weekend looks... fun.

[Shindig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReD-oukZmO4

This is mad. All going off in the same manner because of a damp track. Another instance of the halo really, really saving lives.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That would have been about 2-3 deaths in the 70s (although also wouldn't have happened in 70s due to no runoff).

[Gray Fox]

Luckily no one collected them coming through at full speed, like what happened with Hubert. His number was just up that day. He may very likely have survived the first impact, but lying in the pieces of a car and being smashed into from the side from another car going well over 100mph, he was doomed.

Even 5 years ago you'd have likely at least 1, maybe 2 deaths there if not severe injuries.

[SincereTheRebel]

Delayed because of a little drizzle.

[Shindig]

This grid is looking well shook up.

[Gray Fox]

George in Q3 again. Come on Toto.

[Giggles]

Charlie or Finidi?

[Shindig]

Eau Rouge strikes again.

[Gray Fox]

Scarier looking than it likely was, but I'll be surprised if he's not broken his arm or close to it there.

Always hate to see when other drivers stop by to check it out. Always fear the worst.

[Gray Fox]

Looking more like a Sunday Q3 to me.

[John Arne]

What a drive from Russell.

[Shindig]

Russell to punt Max in the first corner.

[Gray Fox]

"George, it's James."

[John Arne]

2.4 seconds ahead of Bottas. In a Williams.

[phonics]

Post Ferrari Seb is such a good bloke. I thought he was a bit of a knob before, I don't know if it's age or he just doesn't care as much anymore but he's grown on me.

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[Gray Fox]

I think he has entered the same stage Kimi got to a few years earlier. He's doing it now more for fun than the winning. Young Seb was obsessed with winning and having Dr Marko on his shoulder only made that worse. Since he left Red Bull he's only got better.

I think he knows now he's likely to be finishing on 4 world titles, which is still great. Though I'd suggest he cares more now than ever. I could see him taking up a role in F1 management after his racing days are done.

[Shindig]

He does seem like he's become a proper elder statesman for the sport. Mentoring Schumacher and then there's stuff like this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Russell being on the front row is like something from the 90s. What a driver.

[Foe]

Could be a bit tasty this one. Nice and moist.

[Gray Fox]

Absolutely pissing it down all day in Stavelot so far.

Should be a very tasty race.

[Giggles]

Jeff George into Tim Lewis at the first corner please :)

[Gray Fox]

Checo into a wall on the set up lap.

Could see a safety car start.

[Disco]

Russell should 100% chuck it up the inside at turn 1.

[Gray Fox]

Red Bull absolutely do not want Hamilton and Russell behind Max on a standing start. Asking for trouble.

[Giggles]

A safety car start is about the worst way of fucking up a Grand Prix.

[Gray Fox]

Expect Horner on the radio demanding it in about 5 mins or so.

[Pepe]

Wait, Perez already out? :face:

[SincereTheRebel]

Wait, Perez already out? :face:


Comedy.

[Gray Fox]

1431959625113407492

[Pepe]

:harold:

[Disco]

Worse than Albon at this point.

[Pepe]

Some of those downhill braking points at Spa must be sketchy af when wet.

[Pepe]

Worse than Albon at this point.

My fervent nationalism made me think that he would be able to challenge Verstappen at least once in a while. Now I long for those times when he would get decent finishes in not that good cars.

[Gray Fox]

He’s there to finish the car in 2nd behind Max. Or in 3rd when Max is 2nd.

The same reason Bottas likely gets the 2022 Mercedes drive.

[Disco]

Bottas was 8th yesterday and his competition was 2nd in a shopping trolley.

[niko_cee]

Why can't F1 cars be driven in the rain anymore?

[Giggles]

Same reason you have things like halos and speed limits, and can’t refuel any more.

[Gray Fox]

Checo may be given a lifeline here.

[SincereTheRebel]

These man are paid millions upon millions and are supposed to be fearless.

[Pepe]

They should race in those wagons.

[7om]

This isn’t going to happen is it? The weather forecast is showing non stop rain.

There’s only so much of Crofty’s filler I can listen to.

[Pepe]

I chose a good day to finally watch a race. :moop:

[niko_cee]

I can see why Russell is arguing for it (and am amazed Horner hasn't been vocal on the subject) but lol at the idea of having a classified result, even at half points, on the back of two laps behind the safety car.

[SincereTheRebel]

They should settle this on the PlayStation.

[niko_cee]

Same reason you have things like halos and speed limits, and can’t refuel any more.

I was just wondering if there was more too it than basic safety, like the technical regs making the cars less able to function in the wet. Just seems that every time it rains everyone shits the bed and the conditions are 'undriveable'.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah this isn’t going.

[Giggles]

I don’t think I can listen to any more of this.

[7om]

Fuck this I’m watching Burnley-Leeds.

[Gray Fox]

To my understanding we’ve got to 5pm our time to get it underway or we get nothing.

[Gray Fox]

Oh no I’m wrong. The timer means the race finishes at 5pm our time regardless of anything. We’re getting half points here if they get going at all.

[7om]

This is wank. When it’s dry it’s mostly predictable and the one time we actually get something interesting with a bloody Williams on the front row we aren’t even going to get a race.

[Shindig]

The Russell curse. A plague upon all your houses.

[niko_cee]

This is an absolute farce.

[Giggles]

What’s taken place after?

[Disco]

Russell podium :cool:

[Shindig]

Williams finishing the year ahead of Alfa Romeo would be mad.

[niko_cee]

What’s taken place after?

Not a lot really. The rolled back out behind the safety car for a few laps in worse conditions before red flagging it again. They should have just packed up hours ago.

[Giggles]

Glad I mowed the lawn instead.

[Gray Fox]

Williams finishing the year ahead of Alfa Romeo would be mad.

Haas too.

Though seriously no points should be handed out for this. No actual racing happened as no one could overtake.

[7om]

Incredibly disappointing. Wet conditions and a mental starting grid. We’ve been robbed of a potentially brilliant race.

[Shindig]

Yeah, nobody should get any points from this. This might be the first time a race has been cancelled on the day in the history of the sport. This is worse than Indy 2005.

[Gray Fox]

https://i.gyazo.com/c9803cbaa25350137916da3e3dd9e0f8.jpg

[John Arne]

"In the end with their two laps done F1, the FIA and the promoter can declare that technically the race had taken place and therefore have met obligations to broadcasters, and ticket holders."

[Gray Fox]

I've only twigged when Lewis said that afterwards. They've sent them out for two laps so they don't have to issue refunds haven't they.

[Pepe]

That's fantastic. :D

[niko_cee]

That's disgraceful and should see the entire weekend boycotted next year.

[7om]

Oh that’s exactly what Masi has done. He knew they needed three laps minimum and they only completed two on the first run. Send ‘em out again for a couple of laps and job’s a good’un.

[phonics]

But he fucked up because a technicality means that there's only been 1 lap...

[Gray Fox]

Kimi has announced this is to be his last season.

That should kick start the game of musical chairs. It's expected that Bottas goes to Haas, with Russell into the Mercedes and then Nick de Vreis into the vacant Williams seat.

[Disco]

Or Russell to Mercedes, Bottas to Alfa, and Albon to Williams.

[Shindig]

Bottas to Haas? I err ... wonder who loses their seat in that scenario?

[Disco]

Nobody is going to Haas, they'll be the same as this year.

[Shindig]

I dunno. They could really do with an experienced driver in one of the seats. That input counts, assuming the engineers know what to do with it.

[Disco]

Well Marzipan isn't going anywhere and Schumacher has at least another year left of making their engines a lot cheaper. Haas wants out so the last thing he's going to do is bung a ton of money at Bottas when they could be putting that towards not being a complete embarrassment next year.

[Gray Fox]

When I said Haas I actually meant Alfa. No idea why I had Haas on the brain.

[Shindig]

"Guys, we don't want to be embarrassing next year. Let's not get a more experienced driver (and his commercial sponsors / support crew) and stick with the spinny kid and his identical dad."

If they have hopes for 2022, why did they design a boat for 2021?

And now that I think of it, Williams have gone from back of the grid stalwarts to having actual top 10 pace. If anyone's stepping up for 2022, it's them.

[Disco]

This years car was never supposed to exist so it's barely any different from last year, if they demonstrate they can build a decent car next year then it raises the value of the team as well as literally earning them more money. An increasingly disinterested Finn would be less effective I think.

[SincereTheRebel]

Mclaren Kimi was my favourite driver of all time. He got me into the sport.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kimi was never the same after slicks came back. Fine driver in his twenties, though.

[Disco]

He very kindly decided not to bankrupt Lotus too.

[SincereTheRebel]

Albon almost confirmed in with Williams

[Shindig]

That's not what Mercedes are saying. He has just wandered into DTM and immediately started winning.

[Disco]

This track looks fun to drive but it's going to be a bit of a procession, no runoff though so that may make up for it.

[phonics]

Kimi out with covid.

[Shindig]

This track looks fun to drive but it's going to be a bit of a procession, no runoff though so that may make up for it.

Yeah, playing it in the F1 games made me realise how tight and narrow the track is. I love me a banked corner but you need Tilke wide lanes to make that place racey.

At least we're probably guaranteed some safety cars or red flags. And Lewis wasn't far off the pole.

[phonics]

As someone who came back from the shops sweating my tits off. I feel so bad for all these engineers in the full outfit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I really hope Max slides off at T1 and there's a riot.

[Gray Fox]

I can't see someone not going off in turn one.

[Disco]

I really hope Max slides off at T1 and there's a riot.

This would be most amusing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Also, I don't give a fuck if there isn't a pass all day, this venue is cool as fuck.

[Gray Fox]

May well get your wish from here.

[phonics]

Max being 23 still is absolutely insane. An absolute F1 veteran and he’s got a decade on all the other veterans on the grid.

[Gray Fox]

Add this to the great venue, shite watch list.

[phonics]

This is the first Button commentary I’ve heard. He’s great. Thought Nico was good on the track walk too. Including the revelation that he pissed himself for years at Williams because he couldn’t be arsed going into the crowd.

[Shindig]

If I was Mercedes, I'd keep Bottas out front for as long as possible to bring Verstappen to them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I would be well up for a bit of Bottas blockathon here. Proper Toto shithousing. Come on.

[Gray Fox]

I don’t think Bottas can stop him for long at all.
He needs a red flag situation

[7om]

It’ll be like at France where as soon as Max gets close he’ll lock up.

[Shindig]

Like clockwork. :(

[Gray Fox]

George in the car til the end of the season please.

[Disco]

This race should every off camber corner at any circuit ripped up first thing Monday morning.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They should pit him now, take him out of the car and straight into a taxi to the airport.

[Gray Fox]

Mercedes bottling those pit stops big time.

[phonics]

Feel sorry for Gasly, proven that year as Red Bull was a joke but they’ll never forgive him for it. Ferrari are sorted for years so the only option to move up is hope McLaren actually get good or be the 2nd driver behind Russell.

[Disco]

He'll end up at Alpine sooner or later.

[Gray Fox]

Front 2 just hit the traffic at a bad time for Lewis. That's it for today folks.

[Shindig]

Fucking hell, Bottas is in full sabotage mode.

[phonics]

He'll end up at Alpine sooner or later.

That’s just cruel.

[7om]

Something has got to happen with Gasly. He’s done at Red Bull but wouldn’t be surprised to see him join Lando at McLaren. The dream would be to see him alongside Leclerc.

[Disco]

Bottas to Sauber Romeo is now official, presumably the other dominos may now fall into place. By my reckoning that leaves a seat at Williams and one at Alfa left to be confirmed.

[thommo]

Albon and de Vries look to be the most likely drivers to get those seats.

Fair play to Bottas this weekend then, he knew he was out the door and he still let Lewis through and (half) aborted that fastest lap attempt, despite being told to pit again to allow Lewis the pit stop.

[Disco]

That would be my guess, Williams want Albon but Mercedes want more of their drivers on the grid and that is De Vries rather than Vandoorne and they would prefer he sit in front of a Mercedes engine. The second seat at Alfa would do though, either that or he does a year as Williams reserve and then replaces Latifi for 2023.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mick to Alfa seems to be the word on the street, so I can only assume that I'll be driving the second Haas.

[Shindig]

I can’t really wrap my mind around it. Everyone has so many development drivers.

[Disco]

If Mick ends up at Alfa then it will be another Ferrari child at Haas.

[Shindig]

Yeah, Robert Schwartzmann's sitting third in GP2 at the minute. Zhou and Piastri are ahead of him but they're both Renault drivers.

[thommo]

Russell to Merc FINALLY confirmed this morning.

[Disco]

NASCAR was fun this weekend. Kyle Busch basically rage quit a real motor race and gave gloriously few shits about it afterwards, then the racist Kyle Larson attempted a last corner overtake by doing a legit wall ride like it was Forza or something.

[Gray Fox]

Albon into the Williams is confirmed.

[phonics]

Well thats the end of Williams good qualifying positions if so.

[Disco]

He's about the best replacement available, at least as good as Gasly and ran Russell and Norris close in F2.

[Gray Fox]

He’ll be a lot better in that Williams now he’s clear of Dr Marko.

[Shindig]

I dunno. He spent his last year complaining about faster drivers.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pressure largely off at Williams, especially if he's up against Latifi in the first year who he will beat by a lot. I think he'll do fine.

[Disco]

I dunno. He spent his last year complaining about faster drivers.

That wasn't a good look but to play devils advocate, since then Alpha Tauri drivers have leapt out of the way of anything with a Red Bull logo anywhere near it.

[phonics]

I quote "Ugh, this guy is racing me SO HARD."

Why won't the other guy stop trying he cries as he gets overtaken before spinning off the track of coming 18th in the 2nd best car. Again.

[Disco]

Weren't you pulling for Gasly in here the other day? Someone who sank without a trace within half a season in exactly the same seat.

[phonics]

Yeah but I like Gasly and don't like Albon.

[7om]

I’m sure lots of drivers have said stupid things while driving 200mph but that Albon quote gets rammed down our throats because it fit the narrative of him struggling at RB. The bloke deserves another chance and I hope he proves a lot of people wrong.

[Shindig]

I mean, so do I. Not least because that Williams has stepped up in pace.

"He's such a sore loser!" is another one of his that narks me.

[thommo]

I mean he's not wrong with either quote really. He was on for the win at Austria in that first race until he got clipped by Lewis, and it was very similar to the Brazil collision just two races prior. Plus I don't know any driver who doesn't say something wild when the adrenaline is pumping during a race.

I really like Albon, I'm glad he's back in F1. Been teammates with Latifi before too, in F2 with DAMS.

[John Arne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FOm8GAyd7I

[niko_cee]

Bottas turning it on once he's been shown the door.

:cool:

Be quite funny if he trolled Hamilton out of a title by being good all of a sudden, but I doubt it'll last.

Valteri, this is James . . .

[Shindig]

If Bottas found himself in a position to win the title, James would keep his mouth shut. Mercedes will get the constructors title but I'd struggle to see anyone beat Verstappen on pace.

[niko_cee]

Well, clearly Bottas isn't going to win the title, but if he were to take points off Hamilton by winning races that would help Verstappen greatly [that's what I was getting at]. Hence it won't happen.

[Disco]

He did everything they asked last weekend, which was already a while after he would have known what the decision was.

[Giggles]

Is the other little twat going to do what Hamilton wants as easily though? They’d have been better with fresher patsy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It'll be up to Hamilton to keep beating him. At 36 or whatever he will be, he has to keep proving he's still worth being number one, and Merc know that means bringing in someone who is better/hungrier than Bottas. When Hamilton was 33 they could kind of take for granted that he'd be on top for the next few years.

[Gray Fox]

Mercedes needed their next star in. Next year could very well be Hamiltons last before he goes off on BLM crusades.

Every other top team has their "franchise driver" in and ready to go and Russell beat them all in the junior formulas, so you can't let him think about going to another team.

[phonics]

Not to be political but this sprint race thing is the most neoliberal thing ever. We’re acknowledging that 90% of the field can’t compete with teams with more money so 1 in every 9 races we’ll change the format so that if one of the less rich teams had a good qualifying they’ll get an opportunity at earning half the points and if they don’t take advantage of that than they return to the back of the grid where they belong.

Makes sense.

[Shindig]

It'll be up to Hamilton to keep beating him. At 36 or whatever he will be, he has to keep proving he's still worth being number one, and Merc know that means bringing in someone who is better/hungrier than Bottas. When Hamilton was 33 they could kind of take for granted that he'd be on top for the next few years.

Although Alpeen appear to have too many kids on their hands. Piastri is having some rise through the ranks and he's still probably missing out.

[Disco]

Zero sum game for Mercedes, the worst possible outcome of taking Russell is that in two years they don't have a replacement for Lewis Hamilton.

[Foe]

Surely they’d just turf ocon in at that point if Russell looks the driver he could become.

If you don’t have a junior star, they’d just grab one of the middlers off the open market to do a bottas. Sainz, ocon, Danny ric, gasly…

[Shindig]

Lando's got to be a contender for it.

That sprint race was turgid. A terrible idea for terrible people.

[Gray Fox]

Sprint was dire. They managed to get themselves into probably the worst possible order for the Sprint and then also tomorrows race almost immediately and then nothing happened at all.

[SincereTheRebel]

any chance of reverse grids?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Sprint race, reverse grids etc are all bullshit ideas for spec formulas. This is big boy stuff.

[Giggles]

This F2 race is entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever really watched one before.

The commentator sounds like he’s doing an impression of Martin Brundle.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's his son, Alex Brundle.

[Shindig]

Alright, this is already starting hot.

[Gray Fox]

Those McLarens are a nightmare for the Max and Lewis to be behind.

[Giggles]

Hamilton surely wins from here being on the hard and Verstappen being so badly off it.

[Gray Fox]

Both of them could go a second a lap faster or so if not behind a McLaren.

The Red Bull pit crew will have Max out in front and he’ll drive off.

[Shindig]

And they'll probably lose time on the pitstops. Ric's in, Verstappen's out so he'll smash it, take the quickest pitstop and come out in front.

I've Don'd him :D

[Giggles]

Well they’ve fucked that.

[Giggles]

Both of them could go a second a lap faster or so if not behind a McLaren.

The Red Bull pit crew will have Max out in front and he’ll drive off.

Alright Taz.

[Disco]

You love to see it.

[Gray Fox]

Okay now the race is on.

[Giggles]

Shiiiiiiiiiiiii

[Waffdon]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Mon Lando

[Shindig]

Lewis has made an absolute tit of that.

[Gray Fox]

Okay now it’s going to get heated.

[Gray Fox]

Max is obviously very good, but this is where his aggression gets him in trouble.

[Giggles]

More on Hamilton that one after seeing the replays.

[SincereTheRebel]

The radio from Verstappen didn’t exactly make it sound like it was an accident.

Verstappen clearly had sand in his pussy from the bad pit stop

[Waffdon]

That halo saved Hamilton from being paralysed

[Disco]

I don't think anyone is too much to blame for that, another case of neither of them wanting to give up the corner. The only slight thing you could say is that Verstappen gets airborne off the inside curb which is technically off the track but where else was he supposed to go?

[Pepe]

Racing into a chicane never ends well.

[Shindig]

Lewis could've went longer with those tires as well. He should've taken a couple of more laps so had something to defend with.

[Serj]

It's not an obvious one but I do think Verstappen went into that one extremely gung-ho, slightly more on him.

[Giggles]

The Sky squirming is something to behold now. Brundle will get the knuckles rapped later for not toeing the line.

[Gray Fox]

For both guys that’s one they would have likely pulled out if it was anyone else. Bad pit stops for both forced that into action.

[Shindig]

Norris is going to wind up being penalised for track limits. He's got one more warning.

[Disco]

Top drive so far from Norris, I wonder if they'll let him have a go at winning it.

[Shindig]

Just looked at the Hamilton / Verstappen crash. Lewis has track position all through that corner. He can't do anything else and Max spends that corner with two wheels outside track limits. Reckless.

[Giggles]

This is pathetic from Hill.

[Gray Fox]

Damons been on the receiving end of exactly that though.

There's no way Max makes that chicane in any reasonable manner from where he entered that.

[Giggles]

I suppose I’d be the same was it one of my own too.

[Shindig]

He gets it slowed down for the corner but either expects more space than he's given (It's Monza, there's barely enough space as it is) or he doesn't expect the kerb to pitch him like he did. Personally, he's outside of track limits, he knows those kerbs are there to stop people taking the piss and he was very much taking the piss.

[Giggles]

2 feet says Britain’s Johnny Herbert before calling for a penalty he doesn’t really want :D

[Disco]

I don't even need to hear what Johnny Herbert says to know it was rubbish.

[niko_cee]

Be quite funny if they just keep taking each other out and Bottas sneaks up and takes the title.

Verstappen knew his goose was cooked if Hamilton got out in front of him, so them both going out was a less bad outcome than ceding the position. Hamilton maybe could have lived to fight another day, but given the angle he came into the corner (due to the pit line) I'm not sure his line could really have been any different. He's also clearly not in the mood to yield to Verstappen's hyper-aggressive tactics. Verstappen would have probably run him off the road on the exit anyway if they hadn't collided at the apex so maybe he hoped he'd just wreck his front suspension in the contact and dance off into the sunset.

I see Toto has come out and said some of this.

[Gray Fox]

https://i.gyazo.com/22e0fde25d83bcbb065d7828e307a39b.jpg

From here Max has zero chance of making the corner without a crash. There just isn't the room.

He's good enough to know this as well.

[Giggles]

1437065198121242625

[Gray Fox]

3 place grid penalty for Max.

[Giggles]

When you’ve that big a voice you can make anything happen it seems.

[Disco]

Lol, that's a bit much.

[Giggles]

Did you not hear Hill after the race? Some home network bias is all well and good for any sport but he was so pathetic he should have been sacked on the spot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Max knew exactly what he was doing. It was a bit like Senna at Suzuka 1990, either you let me through or we both crash.

[Disco]

I revise my position after seeing that Christian Horner thought it was a racing incident, that must mean Verstappen should probably only be let out on parole.

[Shindig]

I think him putting the team on blast for the pitstop said something as well. Just full on Mad Max.

[John Arne]

Anybody watched the Schumacher thing on Netflix yet?

I've just tuned in.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Looks like a bit of a puff piece to me (as time goes by I think the same about 'Senna', although stylistically that remains wonderful).

[John Arne]

Ok, first impression.... Whoever was in charge of the subtitles needs a bullet in the head. Rather than always being on the bottom on the screen, or the top - they appear randomly all over fucking place.

Oh, and Mika Hakkinen looks the same now as he did when he was 13.

[John Arne]

Yeah, that was pretty dull.

[Shindig]

I was going to sign back up for it but none of this sounds worth watching. Like, Schumacher's got a mystique and whilst it's not at Senna levels, he knew the right people and always brought them along. Do we get much of Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Jean Todt in this?

[John Arne]

Fair amount of Jean Todt (friend), Ross Brawn (friend) and Eddie Irvine (ex-teammate).

[thommo]

It was ok. Not amazing but a decent watch.

Didn't change my opinion on him too much, despite all the lovely family pictures and memories, he was still a dickhead on track and that resonates when you're watching F1 as a child.

[Shindig]

Yeah but I still find it amazing how Ferrari came to be built around him like he was a force of personality. I guess the thing I really want is something in his own words. So that's not happening.

It's already on youtube so I'll check it out with what sounds like a foreign dub. I thought I saw a ghost when Rolf Schumacher's face popped up.

[John Arne]

Verstappen to start at the back of the grid :drool:.

Leclerc likely to be right ahead of him, which may make it a little harder, but probably not.

[John Arne]

In all seriousness, the rules need to be looked at a little bit. If you sustain damage after another car hits you (and it's completely not your fault) you really shouldn't be punished for having to replace those parts.

Currently, you essentially lose 2 races if someone smashes into you; you are out of that race, and you start the next race at the back.

[Disco]

Slippery slope and too many grey areas for that to ever work.

[Shindig]

The current system should promote self-preservation across the grid. Max just happened to twat someone with a Suzuka ‘89.

[Disco]

It's part of racing, sometimes things happen that aren't your fault, that's just how it goes.

[John Arne]

For some reason I thought Austria was the previous race. Completely forgot about Monza happening.