Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021Formula 1

[Jubby]

Interesting race. My 8 observations starting at the top:

1. Hamilton had a win there and he made the mistake that will cost him dearly.
2. Verstappen is just unlucky. Pirelli has some explaining to do for him and Stroll- they are the Donkey of the Day.
3. Vettel is back. Monaco 5th and Baku podium shows he still has it.
4. Good on Perez for stepping up, nice finishing that off for the win. The form RBR needed since the start of the season is there.
5. How can Bottas do so poorly? I guess a minor bonus for finishing ahead of Lewis.
6. Gasly and Alpha Tauri are starting to get on... can't wait to see what they do going forward.
7. Ferrari underwhelmed in both performances... shades of 2019 being fast sometimes.
8. Where were the McLaren boys? With the attrition, I would have expected a much better performance.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

Guys...

Haas are ahead of Williams in the constructor's.

 

[Samus]

I might be misremembering then. 👍

No worries, here is the reason why:

"The severity that we measured on telemetry is higher than the simulation," Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola told Motorsport.com. "So we had to react with a fine tuning of the pressure.

"Our system is not taking into account only the speed, it's the speed, the load, the camber, the corners, there are many parameters that are making the equation, so it's not just one.

"What we can see from the telemetry is that the teams are stressing the tyres more – we need the real data to judge the real stress on tyres, otherwise we have to rely only on the simulation."

 

[Dreadmed]

Amidst all that drama and excitement at the end, just a reminder that Bottas was only going in one direction all race. He's had an absolute stinker this weekend.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

Amidst all that drama and excitement at the end, just a reminder that Bottas was only going in one direction all race. He's had an absolute stinker this weekend.

He should've honestly stayed in Finland this weekend. Getting stuck at the airport was a sign

 

[Samus]

Amidst all that drama and excitement at the end, just a reminder that Bottas was only going in one direction all race. He's had an absolute stinker this weekend.

Not the first time either. He just doesn't seem to have that "cut through the field quickly" ability that the other top drivers have when they're mid way down the pack.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Amidst all that drama and excitement at the end, just a reminder that Bottas was only going in one direction all race. He's had an absolute stinker this weekend.

I'd say his confidence is shot.

 

[C-ZETA]

Amidst all that drama and excitement at the end, just a reminder that Bottas was only going in one direction all race. He's had an absolute stinker this weekend.

Bottas out, Norris/Russell (or both if Hamilton goes) in?

 

[Jimlaad43]

Mercedes finish where their Friday pace suggested they would be.

 

[BrainsBush]

Bottas finished the race three places ahead of his team mate

 

[Team THRT Drift]

I'd say his confidence is shot.

I'd be gutted too if Toto threw me under the bus.

Bottas out, Norris/Russell (or both if Hamilton goes) in?

I don't think Norris is leaving McLaren. Russel though, is definitely an option.

 

[Blitz24]

I'd be gutted too if Toto threw me under the bus.





I don't think Norris is leaving McLaren. Russel though, is definitely an option.

I would be stunned if any open seat occurs at Mercedes and it isn't filled by George.

 

[PorscheFan91]

Bottas out, Norris/Russell (or both if Hamilton goes) in?

Pretty sure McLaren have signed a multi-year deal with Lando - no doubt because they are worried about Mercedes snapping him up! If Bottas doesn't have a run of impressive races and/or Red Bull stay ahead in the constructors' championship then think it's a dead cert that Russell will replace him. Don't see Lewis going until he's got that eighth title. I do wonder if a Russell/Hamilton team will result in similar drama to Leclerc/Vettel at Ferrari if Russell can give Hamilton a run for his money.

 

[Samus]

Rumours are that Russell already signed and Bottas knows he's out but not really any substance to them that I can see.

 

[McLaren]

Pretty sure McLaren have signed a multi-year deal with Lando - no doubt because they are worried about Mercedes snapping him up! If Bottas doesn't have a run of impressive races and/or Red Bull stay ahead in the constructors then think it's a dead cert that Russell will replace him. Don't see Lewis going until he's got that eighth title. I do wonder if a Russell/Hamilton team will result in similar drama to Leclerc/Vettel at Ferrari if Russell can give Hamilton a run for his money.

I don't think Russell will initiate any drama, at least not in his first season. He'll be glad just to be there finally & will know off the start, Hamilton gets priority. He'll also know Hamilton won't be around that much longer and if Mercedes is still performing well, he'll have a potentially nice, long stint with them still being a youngster.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

Pretty sure McLaren have signed a multi-year deal with Lando - no doubt because they are worried about Mercedes snapping him up! If Bottas doesn't have a run of impressive races and/or Red Bull stay ahead in the constructors then think it's a dead cert that Russell will replace him. Don't see Lewis going until he's got that eighth title. I do wonder if a Russell/Hamilton team will result in similar drama to Leclerc/Vettel at Ferrari if Russell can give Hamilton a run for his money.

If there is drama, it will be team manufactured drama, not actual drama between the drivers.

Having had 7 WDC under his belt, I don't think Hamilton would be too threatened by Russell. I would wager he takes him under his wing and let's another English driver get a shot at the WDC.

Bottas was, and always will be, a lap dog for Mercedes. If he leaves it will be a good decision, hopefully there's an opening at another team though or he might just have to retire.

I would be stunned if any open seat occurs at Mercedes and it isn't filled by George.

 

[o000o]

Hamilton missed the first corner and finished P15. Verstappen had problems on his rear left tyre. At least both championship contenders equally didn't score a point today, balanced.

Both Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri winners on Monza on the podium.

 

[PorscheFan91]

I don't think Russell will initiate any drama, at least not in his first season. He'll be glad just to be there finally & will know off the start, Hamilton gets priority. He'll also know Hamilton won't be around that much longer and if Mercedes is still performing well, he'll have a potentially nice, long stint with them still being a youngster.

If there is drama, it will be team manufactured drama, not actual drama between the drivers.

Having had 7 WDC under his belt, I don't think Hamilton would be too threatened by Russell. I would wager he takes him under his wing and let's another English driver get a shot at the WDC.

Bottas was, and always will be, a lap dog for Mercedes. If he leaves it will be a good decision, hopefully there's an opening at another team though or he might just have to retire.

Good points!
Yeah, part of me thinks (especially after incurring Toto's wrath earlier in the season) that he'll just keep his head down and be a good second driver. I think Hamilton will probably stick around for a couple of years max and not any longer. I was listening to the Beyond the Grid podcast with him from a few years ago and he was very much saying that there's more to life than motorsport.

Re Bottas, I think the team lineups are pretty set at the moment. The obvious choice would be to do a Kimi and go to the empty Williams seat. If Jost Capito can turn them into a proper midfield team it wouldn't be a bad option. However, with more constructors entering the WEC for 2023, maybe he'll look outside F1. Formula E's always an option as well - it's worked out well for Vandoorne.

 

[andrea]

Hamilton missed the first corner and finished P15. Verstappen had problems on his rear left tyre. At least both championship contenders equally didn't score a point today, balanced.

 

[BrainsBush]

post race debrief: That was pretty close and 'crazy' move of Mazepin to hold off his team mate Schumacher...could have ended pretty bad.

 

[McLaren]

Good points!
Yeah, part of me thinks (especially after incurring Toto's wrath earlier in the season) that he'll just keep his head down and be a good second driver. I think Hamilton will probably stick around for a couple of years max and not any longer. I was listening to the Beyond the Grid podcast with him from a few years ago and he was very much saying that there's more to life than motorsport.

Hamilton post-career will be interesting. The guy already promotes his own sport bike (so I assume he rides when he can), snowboards, and sky dives whilst on a team.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

post race debrief: That was pretty close and 'crazy' move of Mazepin to hold off his team mate Schumacher...could have ended pretty bad.

As Leclerc said, he will never change. He brought his F2 antics into F1.

 

[PorscheFan91]

As Leclerc said, he will never change. He brought his F2 antics into F1.

I think it just goes to show how strapped for cash Haas were that they needed to bring him in in spite of his reputation. He appears to be happy carving out his own niche as the 'villain' of the grid. It's mad how much slower than Mick he is.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

I think it just goes to show how strapped for cash Haas were that they needed to bring him in in spite of his reputation. He appears to be happy carving out his own niche as the 'villain' of the grid. It's mad how much slower than Mick he is.

It was inevitable. They've been hemorrhaging money for years now.

Also there's no need for the quotations, Mazepin isn't playing a villain role; he is the villain.

 

[PorscheFan91]

It was inevitable. They've been hemorrhaging money for years now.

Also there's no need for the quotations, Mazepin isn't playing a villain role; he is the villain.

Yeah, I think Haas' exit from F1 is pretty inevitable due to finances - bringing Mazepin on board didn't work out in that regard and only delayed things rather than solved the issue - sure they got the money short-term but they'll need to drop him and this whole military service thing is probably a way to provide an exit.

I do wonder whether he's playing it up for the inevitable Drive to Survive coverage. What gets me though is that he was in F2 - he behaves like someone in their first iRacing race, not like someone who's had experience in motorsport and received a bunch of coaching.

 

[andrea]

Rumours are that Russell already signed and Bottas knows he's out but not really any substance to them that I can see.

His driving performance really reflects that and it feels like a big middle finger to the team right now.

 

[Samus]

Spoiler: Language warning

 

[GroupB]

If Mercedes stays with Bottas for the rest of the season, the constructors championship is going to be a difficult prospect.

 

[Simmpa]

Hamilton after the red flag restart

 

[andrea]