The F1 thread

Fretwired

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Boromedic

Vettel driving like a newbie, Lewis tends to lose titles due to a combo of bad luck and team errors, Vettel loses them through his own poor driving at times. Luck favoured the bold today and for once Mercedes got their strategy (nearly!) right, lucky he only got a reprimand. I think Ferrari should've let Vettel by in the mid part of the race, but Seb only has himself to blame for that crash. He isn't as good a driver in those conditions as Lewis and Max, even if he hadn't crashed Lewis was on course to take the lead off him anyway. As for the nay sayers saying team orders, Lewis defended robustly and fairly and Bottas didn't have the same confidence as Lewis in the last part of the lap anyway, Lewis would've stayed ahead either way.

Enjoyed the race, and the title takes another twist again, quite a good season so far

Cols

Fretwired said:

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Frankly, anything more than a reprimand would have been harsh.

Fretwired

Cols said:

Fretwired said:

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Frankly, anything more than a reprimand would have been harsh.

I'm a Lewis fan but I strongly disagree with this. There's a rule which is in black and white. Kimi was given a penalty but Lewis wasn't. Probably as the result of the fact Lewis had won, given an interview to the world, was on the podium and to then take away the win would have been bad for business.

Fans are critical of the arbitrary decision making.  I think had they given Hamilton a penalty for the next race it would have been fair. Coming up with mitigating circumstances makes a farce out of the rule book. If I drive at 40 mph in a 30 mph zone and get caught there are no mitigating circumstances. A rule is a rule.

Heartfeltdawn

Cols said:

Fretwired said:

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Frankly, anything more than a reprimand would have been harsh.

""The stewards reviewed video and audio evidence, heard from the driver of car 44 (Lewis Hamilton) and the team representative. It was clear that there was an infringement of the above mentioned rule - the driver clearly crossed the line separating the pit entry from the track.

"In deciding on the penalty for the infringement, we took into account the following mitigating factors.

"i) The driver and the team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion within the team as to whether to stay out or to enter the pits and that led to the infringement.

"ii) The fact that the infringement took place during a safety car period

"iii) At no time was there any danger to any other competitor and the change in direction was executed in a safe way.""

So:

1. You're allowed to drive over restricted areas if your team sound confused and admit they fucked up and a mistake was made. Grey area as to whether he entered the pits but he clearly left the track. 

2. I hope in future everyone crosses the line on pit exit separating track and exit the next time there is a safety car period as clearly it becomes less of a broken rule if you're pootling around behind Bernd Maylander. 

3. If you cross the line at pit exit during normal racing conditions, you don't shouldn't get a smaller penalty if there's nobody near you. 

Still, Hammy can now forget about that chicane incident at Spa all those years ago. Balances out in the end... 

PC_Dave

Well I nearly cried at that. Shit. 

Fretwired

Heartfeltdawn said:

Cols said:

Fretwired said:

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Frankly, anything more than a reprimand would have been harsh.

""The stewards reviewed video and audio evidence, heard from the driver of car 44 (Lewis Hamilton) and the team representative. It was clear that there was an infringement of the above mentioned rule - the driver clearly crossed the line separating the pit entry from the track.

"In deciding on the penalty for the infringement, we took into account the following mitigating factors.

"i) The driver and the team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion within the team as to whether to stay out or to enter the pits and that led to the infringement.

"ii) The fact that the infringement took place during a safety car period

"iii) At no time was there any danger to any other competitor and the change in direction was executed in a safe way.""

So:

1. You're allowed to drive over restricted areas if your team sound confused and admit they fucked up and a mistake was made. Grey area as to whether he entered the pits but he clearly left the track. 

2. I hope in future everyone crosses the line on pit exit separating track and exit the next time there is a safety car period as clearly it becomes less of a broken rule if you're pootling around behind Bernd Maylander. 

3. If you cross the line at pit exit during normal racing conditions, you don't shouldn't get a smaller penalty if there's nobody near you. 

Still, Hammy can now forget about that chicane incident at Spa all those years ago. Balances out in the end... 

Very good .. if people understood the rules Mercedes could have reacted. Bottas could have backed up Kimi to create a 5 second gap, Hamilton gets a 5 second penalty and still wins. Or the rules could be that penalties are served during pitstops. If there are none left in the race in which the offence takes place they are carried forward into the next race unless it is the last race of the season.

This is bad for F1.

Garthy

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

Has Hamilton cracked? Anyone read his four page Instagram post? He's not in a good place ...

I thought it was a pretty measured response from a guy who is behind in the championship and had a shit qualifying through no fault of his own. 

I'm looking forward to him and DannyRic carving through the field today. 50% chance of rain too?

Hamilton's car breakdown was his fault .. riding the kerbs. Toto didn't look happy and contradicted Hamilton in his interview on Sky.

He rode the kerb in T1 because of PAS failure due to the hydraulic leak. 

Garthy

Fretwired said:

Heartfeltdawn said:

Cols said:

Fretwired said:

Hamilton gets a reprimand .... bit unfair given the fact Kimi got a 5 second penalty for the same thing last year in Baku.

Frankly, anything more than a reprimand would have been harsh.

""The stewards reviewed video and audio evidence, heard from the driver of car 44 (Lewis Hamilton) and the team representative. It was clear that there was an infringement of the above mentioned rule - the driver clearly crossed the line separating the pit entry from the track.

"In deciding on the penalty for the infringement, we took into account the following mitigating factors.

"i) The driver and the team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion within the team as to whether to stay out or to enter the pits and that led to the infringement.

"ii) The fact that the infringement took place during a safety car period

"iii) At no time was there any danger to any other competitor and the change in direction was executed in a safe way.""

So:

1. You're allowed to drive over restricted areas if your team sound confused and admit they fucked up and a mistake was made. Grey area as to whether he entered the pits but he clearly left the track. 

2. I hope in future everyone crosses the line on pit exit separating track and exit the next time there is a safety car period as clearly it becomes less of a broken rule if you're pootling around behind Bernd Maylander. 

3. If you cross the line at pit exit during normal racing conditions, you don't shouldn't get a smaller penalty if there's nobody near you. 

Still, Hammy can now forget about that chicane incident at Spa all those years ago. Balances out in the end... 

Very good .. if people understood the rules Mercedes could have reacted. Bottas could have backed up Kimi to create a 5 second gap, Hamilton gets a 5 second penalty and still wins. Or the rules could be that penalties are served during pitstops. If there are none left in the race in which the offence takes place they are carried forward into the next race unless it is the last race of the season.

This is bad for F1.

Taking another win away would have been even worse. 

Don’t forget the stewards in Baku 2017 didn’t want to interfere with the championship when they didn’t black flag Vettel. 

Fretwired

Garthy said:

Fretwired said:

stickyfiddle said:

Fretwired said:

Has Hamilton cracked? Anyone read his four page Instagram post? He's not in a good place ...

I thought it was a pretty measured response from a guy who is behind in the championship and had a shit qualifying through no fault of his own. 

I'm looking forward to him and DannyRic carving through the field today. 50% chance of rain too?

Hamilton's car breakdown was his fault .. riding the kerbs. Toto didn't look happy and contradicted Hamilton in his interview on Sky.

He rode the kerb in T1 because of PAS failure due to the hydraulic leak. 

He broke his car by riding the kerbs and then a lap later did exactly the same thing resulting in terminal failure. Two laps - hitting the kerbs at the same point .. the second time he lost power steering hence the excessive bouncing around the kerb.

stickyfiddle

This is gold...

Heartfeltdawn

McLaren should really push to get sponsored by MyHermes. 

stickyfiddle

Lots of rumours in the news today - Sergio Marchionne possibly in a coma and Lance Stroll apparently buying Force India

With Marchionne apparently the main guy who didn't like Alonso, does that leave him as a wildcard for next year? Would they ever get that past Seb? I hope so. 2 years of proper fighting then get LeClerc in.

As for FIndia, it'll finally put the discussion of whether Stroll is any good to bed. I don't think he's at all bad but can't see him beating Perez or Ocon. But I would be very happy to see what the team can do with a bit more money.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

Lots of rumours in the news today - Sergio Marchionne possibly in a coma and Lance Stroll apparently buying Force India

With Marchionne apparently the main guy who didn't like Alonso, does that leave him as a wildcard for next year? Would they ever get that past Seb? I hope so. 2 years of proper fighting then get LeClerc in.

As for FIndia, it'll finally put the discussion of whether Stroll is any good to bed. I don't think he's at all bad but can't see him beating Perez or Ocon. But I would be very happy to see what the team can do with a bit more money.

I can't see Alonso going back to Ferrari. It makes no sense. Pretty sure he'll stay with McLaren who can give him the sweetener of an Indy drive while he weighs up a switch from F1 to Indy Car.

Vettel and Arrivabene apparently favour keeping Kimi - they want stability. LeClerc could be a Vestappen-like loose cannon. Arrivabene would like LeClerc to have another season's worth of experience.

Heartfeltdawn

stickyfiddle said:

Lots of rumours in the news today - Sergio Marchionne possibly in a coma and Lance Stroll apparently buying Force India

With Marchionne apparently the main guy who didn't like Alonso, does that leave him as a wildcard for next year? Would they ever get that past Seb? I hope so. 2 years of proper fighting then get LeClerc in.

As for FIndia, it'll finally put the discussion of whether Stroll is any good to bed. I don't think he's at all bad but can't see him beating Perez or Ocon. But I would be very happy to see what the team can do with a bit more money.

Alonso in a Ferrari next year is less likely than Paddy Ashdown returning as Lib Dem leader. It's clear Ferrari have the engine advantage for the first time in ages and a garage team that for the most part works well (far fewer strategy errors than previous years). They have a driver pairing that on paper is working (although the constructors position and Kimi's position has been helped by the shit luck Averagebot has had this year). When so much looks together in Ferrariland, why risk it with Alonso? 

If Papa Stroll is going to buy Force India and Baby Stroll is leaving Williams, then I hope Williams get Kubica in ahead of Sirotkin for a few sessions. Put him on the same tyres and fuel as Stroll and let the times speak for themselves. 

stickyfiddle

Heartfeltdawn said:

 

...why risk it with Alonso? 

Because it would be GLORIOUS for the headlines...   

Fretwired

And remember Abu Dhabi 2015 - Alonso was a lap down and held up Vettel ... words were had over the radio as Vettel threw his toys out of the cot saying Alonso must hate him. Alonso said nothing. I see Alonso always lets Hamilton by him when blue flagged but is no so accommodating with people like Vettel.

And then there's this ...

Garthy

Well that’s Williams completely fucked then. 

Cols

stickyfiddle said:

Lots of rumours in the news today - Sergio Marchionne possibly in a coma and Lance Stroll apparently buying Force India

With Marchionne apparently the main guy who didn't like Alonso, does that leave him as a wildcard for next year? Would they ever get that past Seb? I hope so. 2 years of proper fighting then get LeClerc in.

As for FIndia, it'll finally put the discussion of whether Stroll is any good to bed. I don't think he's at all bad but can't see him beating Perez or Ocon. But I would be very happy to see what the team can do with a bit more money.

More likely that Kimi will keep his seat for one more season.  Marchionne was very much in favour of LeClerc stepping up to the top team, while Arrivebene is pro-Raikkonen.

Pop Stroll has evidently realised that he could buy an entire F1 team for a couple of season’s worth of the funding he’s throwing at Williams.  Both Stroll and Sirotkin have taken an unfair amount of criticism for Williams’ plight this year; yes, they’re inexperienced, but the car is virtually undriveable.  According to Kubica at the Barcelona test it required a huge amount of concentration just to keep it on the track.

stickyfiddle

Cols said:

stickyfiddle said:

Lots of rumours in the news today - Sergio Marchionne possibly in a coma and Lance Stroll apparently buying Force India

With Marchionne apparently the main guy who didn't like Alonso, does that leave him as a wildcard for next year? Would they ever get that past Seb? I hope so. 2 years of proper fighting then get LeClerc in.

As for FIndia, it'll finally put the discussion of whether Stroll is any good to bed. I don't think he's at all bad but can't see him beating Perez or Ocon. But I would be very happy to see what the team can do with a bit more money.

More likely that Kimi will keep his seat for one more season.  Marchionne was very much in favour of LeClerc stepping up to the top team, while Arrivebene is pro-Raikkonen.

Pop Stroll has evidently realised that he could buy an entire F1 team for a couple of season’s worth of the funding he’s throwing at Williams.  Both Stroll and Sirotkin have taken an unfair amount of criticism for Williams’ plight this year; yes, they’re inexperienced, but the car is virtually undriveable.  According to Kubica at the Barcelona test it required a huge amount of concentration just to keep it on the track.

Yeah, I know Kimi is the likeliest option. It's just dull

As for Stroll, I can't blame him. Between staying out of the carnage at Baku last year and his quali lap in the rain at Monza he's clearly not complete shit, but hasn't had a car that lets him actually show what he can do so far. I don't think Sirotkin's as bad as many say either