The F1 thread

roundthebend

Can someone explain the tyre situation to me? I thought I read here that Lewis was on harder tyres for the start which made things interesting. But I've just caught up with the qualifying highlights and it seems most are an softs.

stickyfiddle

roundthebend said:

Can someone explain the tyre situation to me? I thought I read here that Lewis was on harder tyres for the start which made things interesting. But I've just caught up with the qualifying highlights and it seems most are an softs.

Merc were the only ones quick enough on the mediums to get safely through Q2. Max probably would have also been safe but stuffed up his only run on fresh mediums and didn't have another set left to use for a second go in Q2. The midfield is too tight so noone else could afford to run on mediums and risk missing Q3. 

RB will make noises that they're happy about it but it's theoretically a more compromised tyre - quicker off the line but will do a few laps less before falling apart, meaning extra laps on knackered hard tyres at the end. 

I actually wouldn't be surprised to see Max try a 1-stop (Soft-Hard) and Lewis try and be flexible between 1 and 2-stop (Med-Hard) with an option of a banzai attack on soft tyres in the last 10 laps if he's not already in front by then. 

TimmyO

roundthebend said:

Can someone explain the tyre situation to me? I thought I read here that Lewis was on harder tyres for the start which made things interesting. But I've just caught up with the qualifying highlights and it seems most are an softs.

Start tyre is your fastest Q2 tyre.

But yes - others around him are on Softs, Lewis on Medium 

roundthebend

@stickyfiddle cheers. The tactical elements of qualifying and how it impacts the race are fascinating but quite difficult to understand for a novice.

@TimmyO I'm not sure I follow. The drivers have to start with the tyre from their best Q2 lap? 

stickyfiddle

roundthebend said:

@stickyfiddle cheers. The tactical elements of qualifying and how it impacts the race are fascinating but quite difficult to understand for a novice.

@TimmyO I'm not sure I follow. The drivers have to start with the tyre from their best Q2 lap? 

Yeah, the "Q2 tyres for top 10 to start the race" thing is a rule they brought in to try and help the guys behind stay a little closer during the race, and stop the frontrunners from scampering off ahead. Of course it comes with its own foibles and arguably disadvantages those from 5-10 who are slower than the guys ahead of them and on worse tyres than those behind. 

I'm hopeful that the new cars coming in next year will level the playing field a little bit and let the drivers make the difference more than they are currently able to. If that works the next  step should be to tidy up all these legacy rules that were brought in over the years to stop this or that problem that no longer exists

poopot

Hahahahahahahahahahaahahaha..

I bet Karen Horner has just shit  the bed

YellowLedBetterMan

Max has started

mrkb

Cheating Germans 

GoldenEraGuitars

Just checked in.. Bottas in 8th? He’s been no chuffing good as back up!

stickyfiddle

mrkb said:

Cheating Germans 

I’m pretty sure Vettel and Schumacher are at the back

stickyfiddle

Horner - “total lack of consistency”

Yes mate, because it should’ve been a penalty for max in Brazil as well…

stickyfiddle

And I guess thats Jos going out the back to find someone to thump…

poopot

Bet max is wondering how he’s getting home now!…

skullfunkerry

Allt his talk about “Max stayed on the track”… everyone seems to have forgotten that the rules actually state that you’re supposed to leave a car’s width for your opponent.

poopot

Yeah he was never going to make that… onboard shot shows he didn’t even try to turn in…

stickyfiddle

What type did they put max onto?

brooom

Max seems to have an issue with making corners during the actual races...

poopot

stickyfiddle said:

What type did they put max onto?

Hards

stickyfiddle

Ok, so both on hard tyres and max not getting past Carlos. 

I’m guessing Perez’ plan b is driving Lewis off the road when he tries to come past

poopot

That’s plan A through to plan Z I suspect