The F1 thread

thumpingrug

Mercedes have to use this opportunity to maximise their points.  They have to start Lewis as high up as possible and then just hope Max struggles to get back through the pack.  With a rain effected race it might shake things up a bit.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Yeah Mercedes need to maximise points this weekend, as more of the tracks in the run in would seem to favour the Red Bull (on paper at least).

Hope we get a wet quali tomorrow to mix up the grid a little, as the Sochi race is usually a bit of snooze-fest in normal circumstances. 

Nitefly

I don't suppose they are going to carry Verstappen's 3-place grid penalty over to the next race, are they?

Boromedic

Oh wow, I hope they do just to watch Horner explode.

Fretwired

Boromedic said:

Oh wow, I hope they do just to watch Horner explode.

Horner's leaping up and down with joy .. go Norris .. Hamilton in p4. Ham's making too many mistakes.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Wowser, what a session!!! Amazing by Lando!

Hamilton's gotta be kicking himself, proper rookie errors there. Although weirdly Bottas had zero pace in the Merc on those slick tyres, so maybe they had trouble getting heat into those tyres anyway?

Fretwired

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Wowser, what a session!!! Amazing by Lando!

Hamilton's gotta be kicking himself, proper rookie errors there. Although weirdly Bottas had zero pace in the Merc on those slick tyres, so maybe they had trouble getting heat into those tyres anyway?

Merc reacted too late so Bottas didn't have enough laps. Looks like the young British guns Norris and Russell are rising as Hamilton enters his swan song.

Boromedic

I'm so pleased for Norris, he's my fave young driver and I wish Mercedes had gone for him not Russell. I think if Lewis hadn't crashed on entry he'd have got pole as he'd have had another lap of heat in his tyres so it's not representative. He needs to keep his nose clean at the start, then he may possibly threaten the win. 

I'd be more than happy for Norris to win though, good laddddd!

sweepy

Pole is not always a massive benefit at Sochi, going to be an interesting race that’s for sure 

TimmyO

Ach - first quali I miss and it’s a doozy. 

So happy for McLaren and Lando 

thumpingrug

Bit of a mess by Lewis.  First the bump in to the pit wall then the spin.  I realise that he hadn't got his tyres up to temp but does this suggest that he's succumbing to the pressure a bit.  Great lap for Lando and I wish him well for the race but with Lewis trying to get to the front and Max trying to minimise the damage there could be lots of action

Cols

9th for Perez is somewhat less than Red Bull would have hoped for.  His season hasn’t been terribly impressive, but since he had his contract renewed he seems to have switched off completely.

fretmeister

New engine for Bottas. Now in 17th.

Thats not tactical at all…. 

Simonh

Leclerc and bottas working together to keep versatile-en behind them benefits both Mercedes and Ferrari.

Fretwired

Banter Steiner spoof ...

Cols

fretmeister said:

New engine for Bottas. Now in 17th.

Thats not tactical at all…. 

…and Giovinazzi treats himself to a new gearbox, but by twisted F1 penalty logic only drops from 15th to 16th.

Honestly, it’s like new bits Christmas out there for the drivers.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

fretmeister said:

New engine for Bottas. Now in 17th.

Thats not tactical at all…. 

Well that worked a charm. Managed to hold up Verstappen for all of about a quarter of a lap...

Great first phase of the GP, Hamilton got a bit of work to do here.

Norris!!! 

dazzajl

Meh

Fretwired

Oh Lando .. McLaren should have told him that the rain was going to get heavier (as Merc did with Lewis). Lewis gets his 100th win but advantage Red Bull in the championship.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Damn. Sick for Norris, poor kid's devastated.