Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021Formula 1

[Touring Mars]

I was about to say that giving back the race lead was both sporting and a smart move by RB/MV, but it turns out they were ordered to do it by race control Sounds like MV would never have given the place back voluntarily.

 

[Sum1s2pid]

Surprising race. The Merc had just enough pace

Nice 4th for Norris, points for Tsunoda, and recovery for Perez. Ferrari looked good.

Was hoping for a better result for Ricciardo and Gasly, but I guess that collision...

The white wheels on the Alpha Tauri are growing on me.

 

[NLxAROSA]

Sounds like MV would never have given the place back voluntarily.

He didn't. He said on the radio that he'd rather be second with a penalty than by giving back the place.

 

[McLaren]

Regarding the Turn 4, I've read the others say that the rules to stay within' track limits only applied to practice & qualifying, and in the race, it was fair game unless it gained an advantage. Hence why Lewis was doing it all race.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Really hate it when Hamilton gets lucky wins like this. Max just wrecked his tires after having to give the spot back.

 

[AshenGraey]

How does Hamilton keep doing this?? And Max had him covered too....that was a really great race and definitely what F1 needed. 2 of the best drivers going at it.....honestly, I don't think this will be another Mercedes domination cause Max will be right there for it

Side note, Tsunoda is definitely a driver to watch this season....as a rookie, I find him impressive!

 

[Demon Drone]

Really hate it when Hamilton gets lucky wins like this. Max just wrecked his tires after having to give the spot back.

If you think that was luck then you know nothing about racing. That was masterful defending by Hamilton.

 

[Touring Mars]

He didn't. He said on the radio that he'd rather be second with a penalty than by giving back the place.

Is there a standard penalty for passing beyond track limits in order to win the race?

Max seemed to suggest that he would have got a 5s penalty, but couldn't he have got more than that (like a grid drop for the next race too?)

 

[PzR Slim]

Really hate it when Hamilton gets lucky wins like this. Max just wrecked his tires after having to give the spot back.

If he hadn't gone off the track he wouldn't have had to do that. That's Max's fault, not Hamilton luck.

 

[evldave333]

Well that was worth the long winter wait epic! I wonder how max copes with this psychologically...

 

[Sum1s2pid]

Side note, Tsunoda is definitely a driver to watch this season....as a rookie, I find him impressive!

Yeah, he has tons of raw pace and it was fun to watch his overtakes. 👍

 

[andrea]

Hamilton man, ignoring limits the whole race and moans when someone else does it.

 

[Jimlaad43]

that was a pathetic celebration from the lot of them on the podium.

 

[pumaATTACK]

Lewis showing why he is the best driver. Just great defending from a car that had more pace. Well done Hamilton

 

[Scaff]

Really hate it when Hamilton gets lucky wins like this. Max just wrecked his tires after having to give the spot back.

Gets lucky?

Max got over eager at the end and was less consistent in the final laps, nothing to do with luck.

 

[mastergracie]

Wtf? Max passed first than left the track!

 

[McLaren]

Hamilton man, ignoring limits the whole race and moans when someone else does it.

Max was the one who got upset when he got warned about it & Lewis was immediately told himself afterwards because Max made a comment about it.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Both Lewis and Max were told by their engineers that the track limits rules were different to what they expected at the beginning. The drivers aren't the ones to blame here, it's Race Control's inconsistent rulings. It's bloody simple: over the white line is track limits from minute 1 of FP1 to the slow down lap after the GP. This needs enforcing and we saw last year with the pressure pads that it's super easy to monitor. Don't change the rules mid weekend unless they make it stricter, not more lenient because that causes these issues.

 

[-Fred-]

Max's "inexperience" (he's still only 23, don't forget) is what ultimately made the difference, I feel he was too eager to get in front of Lewis to prove a point. He could have easily waited another lap and pass Hamilton at T1 and then sail off in the distance. We've got a good battle on our hands, at least until Mercedes figures out the car.

 

[Sum1s2pid]

I was predicting an Aston Martin vs. McLaren for 3rd in the WCC, but now it looks like Ferrari vs. McLaren, because Vettel.

Still early though. Lots of races to go. How many we got? 50? Feels like 50.

22 more?! Nice. Nice...

 

[McLaren]

Max's "inexperience" (he's still only 23, don't forget) is what ultimately made the difference, I feel he was too eager to get in front of Lewis to prove a point. He could have easily waited another lap and pass Hamilton at T1 and then sail off in the distance. We've got a good battle on our hands, at least until Mercedes figures out the car.

This was running through my mind a bit as well, b/c iirc, one of the commentators made a comment about how Max has been in the sport for a while & doesn't still get ahead of himself at times.

 

[evldave333]

Its quite clear at turn 4 there would be clamping down if a driver gained an advantage with it in an overtake, as usual race control step in if its getting blatant. The team radio was interesting in sign posting this first by red bull saying mercedes were going over the line then by lewis when max overtook outside. Overall it was fair and it was as mostly policed by the teams over the radio grassing each other to race control. Max lost this race as much as Lewis won it...

 

[Samus]

Well, more of that for the rest of the season for me please. A typical lull in the middle but otherwise a pretty entertaining race with the battle for the win we so rarely see.

Except for the track limits nonsense. As has been said, just enforce it consistently at every corner of every track for every second of the event.

 

[-Fred-]

This was running through my mind a bit as well, b/c iirc, one of the commentators made a comment about how Max has been in the sport for a while & doesn't still get ahead of himself at times.

Keep in mind that Perez stopping on the track during formation robbed him of a further lap to make it stick, so really, it's RedBull's fault in the end.

 

[andrea]

If both teams keep the current pace the fight for the driver's championship will be close. But give the guys at race control fresh sets of glasses.

 

[Jimlaad43]

The Bahrain International Circuit has to be up there with Spa, Interlagos, Hockenheim and Silverstone as one of the best RACING circuits in the world. This race once again proved that.

 

[Samus]

If both teams keep the current pace the fight for the driver's championship will be close. But give the guys at race control fresh sets of glasses.

They don't need glasses, they could obviously see HAM and several others running wide at T4. They just chose not to enforce it until Red Bull told Max to start doing it as well. Which is obviously still a problem.

Nothing to do with Max's overtake though, you've never got away with passing off the track no matter what inconsistent ruling they're enforcing for general driving outside the track.

 

[Jubby]

Its quite clear at turn 4 there would be clamping down if a driver gained an advantage with it in an overtake, as usual race control step in if its getting blatant. The team radio was interesting in sign posting this first by red bull saying mercedes were going over the line then by lewis when max overtook outside. Overall it was fair and it was as mostly policed by the teams over the radio grassing each other to race control. Max lost this race as much as Lewis won it...

If you consider how many times Lewis violated track limits at T4, he gained a significant advantage for many laps, creating more distance between Lewis and Max.

I don't get it: It's okay to break track limits for 30 laps, giving an advantage to Lewis (even a second is too much), but when it's noticed by other teams and fans, FIA then clamp down. Then when Max gains an advantage, he rightly gives it back, but the prior damage was already done.

Is it Lewis's fault? Yes, partly. He did not respect track limits and lies over the radio disputing those limits. The other partial fault, as others have said, is the FIA. They didn't stick with their clear limits. Max could have overcome it, but he too made a couple mistakes.

Overall, I think we were robbed of an even more interesting ending than the anticlimactic "give it back" when Max's violation was not even close to some of the egregious overruns we saw Lewis perform. Either have track limits or don't. In this case, they should have let them race. Hitting each other in the side pods are okay, but a foot over the line? Pfft.

 

[PeterJB]

The Bahrain International Circuit has to be up there with Spa, Interlagos, Hockenheim and Silverstone as one of the best RACING circuits in the world. This race once again proved that.

It's only started getting good since it became a night race. Must be something to do with the lower temperatures.

 

[Samus]

lies over the radio

How did he lie? He said he thought they weren't enforcing the limits in the race, which is indeed what they were told. It was just completely contradictory.

The pre-event notes said for the race “the track limits at the exit of turn four will not be monitored with regard to setting a lap time, as the defining limits are the artificial grass and the gravel trap in that location.”

But in the next paragraph they were reminded of Article 27.3 which states "drivers must make every reasonable effort to use the track at all times and may not leave the track without a justifiable reason".

So which is/was it? Clearly even the FIA weren't sure, and they are the only people at fault here. Racing drivers will always be racing drivers.