Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020Formula 1

[PeterJB]

In full qualifying trim it could probably do around a 1:40.

 

[-Fred-]

In full qualifying trim it could probably do around a 1:40.

So about as fast as last year's Williams?

 

[Liquid]

Alonso wasn't kidding around in his R25 this morning:


Onboard:


Looks like a 1:42-ish, which isn't too shabby for a 15 year old car...

1) V10s still sound amazing

2) The car looks amazing with slicks

3) The super close up camera angles and more FPS used today make the car look unbelievably fast.

 

[Dennisch]

 

[Jimlaad43]

The Red Bull

 

[NotThePrez]

I would 100% wear Lewis' outfit for a day, just to mess with my friends and family.

 

[Liquid]

The only thing Hamilton can successfully wear is fans' patience and enthusiasm.

 

[PeterJB]

It would be good for evading predators. Breaks up your outline.

 

[Dennisch]

It is camouflaging next year's outfit.

 

[ShiftingGears]

Ferrari never had a budget cap or development limits thrown at them. Mercedes' success is going to throttle them for 2022 and beyond. Schumacher's Ferrari always had the option to outspend everyone, and had almost 24/7 use of a Private Test Track which was never regulated to stop them doing that.

A drastic change eight years after they started dominating is a bit...late.

Mercedes have never had drastic changes thrown at them because they keep winning fair and square, a penalty for them will be a penalty for everyone.

To claim Ferrari didnt win fair and square is fanciful. When you make drastic changes you create the opportunity to upset the pecking order, like with any regulation change. It makes no sense for the FIA not to have thrown a major spanner in the works given that Mercedes have been more dominant for a longer period of time than Ferrari.

 

[mustafur]

1) V10s still sound amazing

2) The car looks amazing with slicks

3) The super close up camera angles and more FPS used today make the car look unbelievably fast.

With the really short wheelbase the car looks lively as hell in the slow corners, modern limo F1 makes it look boring.

 

[MagpieRacer]

1) V10s still sound amazing

2) The car looks amazing with slicks

3) The super close up camera angles and more FPS used today make the car look unbelievably fast.

Slightly wider FOV on the onboard made it look very fast too.

 

[Roo]

To claim Ferrari didnt win fair and square is fanciful. When you make drastic changes you create the opportunity to upset the pecking order, like with any regulation change. It makes no sense for the FIA not to have thrown a major spanner in the works given that Mercedes have been more dominant for a longer period of time than Ferrari.

There was a major regulation change 3 years in to Mercedes' period of dominance, and whilst the gap between the Mercs and the rest of the field decreased for a while, the best team in F1 did what they do - be the best. If it wasn't for covid we'd be on the verge of another change, now postponed for a year. It's not for want of trying by the FIA, but Mercedes are just really, really good.

The only regulation change I can think of that would harm Mercedes is to make the tyres rock hard. It's a car (being driven most successfully by a driver) that can look after tyres better than anyone by preventing them overheating, but the trade off is in cold conditions they can't get the temperature into the tyres (see: the first half of the race in Turkey, or Bottas post-pitstop in Sakhir). The trouble with really hard tyres is it kills off tyre strategy and everyone complains the racing is boring. *shrug*

 

[Jimlaad43]

Name a more iconic duo than Albon and "Lap Deleted due to track limits".

 

[McLaren]

1) V10s still sound amazing

2) The car looks amazing with slicks

3) The super close up camera angles and more FPS used today make the car look unbelievably fast.

My thought was, "Damn, it looks so much faster than the current cars, 'cept maybe in some of the slower corners. Wonder what times he's putting down".

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Bottas 2.0

 

[PaMu1337]

Mercedes engines don't get their perfect pole record this year!

 

[Jimlaad43]

Max on pole


Aaaaand Albon has been outqualified by a McLaren...

 

[BrainsBush]

Well done Max!

 

[evldave333]

Mouth watering Max vs Lewis battle 2moro in prospect

 

[PaMu1337]

Did Coulthard just say it's Max' first ever pole?

I know it isn't, but it sounded like he said that

 

[BrainsBush]

Did Coulthard just say it's Max' first ever pole?

I know it isn't, but it sounded like he said that

I heard it also. Could be our ears?

 

[Famine]

Did Coulthard just say it's Max' first ever pole?

I know it isn't, but it sounded like he said that

I heard it also. Cuuld be our ears?

I also heard that. And no, it's not.

 

[Dotini]

I notice Lewis seems to have a residual cough from his bout with Covid.

 

[evldave333]

I also heard that. And no, it's not.

its just his first at this track as its been all mercedes since 2014

 

[PaMu1337]

its just his first at this track as its been all mercedes since 2014

But that's really not what Coulthard said, he said something like "your first pole position in formula 1"

 

[PeterJB]

It's only taken until the last bloody race for someone to topple Mercedes on outright pace!

 

[Milouse]

its just his first at this track as its been all mercedes since 2014

Didn't he mean his first pole this year instead?

 

[PaMu1337]

Didn't he mean his first pole this year instead?

He specifically said "in Formula 1", doesn't sound like he meant just this year.

Either he misspoke, or he really thinks Max has never been on pole before

 

[Famine]

its just his first at this track as its been all mercedes since 2014

Didn't he mean his first pole this year instead?

As @PaMu1337 notes, what Coulthard actually said was "Well done Max, that's your first ever pole position in Formula 1; put us in the cockpit."