Formula 1 Pirelli Großer Preis Der Steiermark 2020Formula 1

[Jimlaad43]

It was a long wait, but Formula 1 finally returned last week with one of the best season-opening Grands Prix we've seen in a very long time. The first half of the race showed us that F1 was back to normal: Mercedes streaking ahead, Verstappen and Ricciardo having engine issues, Grosjean spinning out of nowhere, Haas having brake issues, Vettel spinning after hitting another car, "Valtteri, It's James". But a late Safety Car turned everything on its head and made the race go from 1-100 very quickly.

This season looks really close. The midfield have closed the gap to the top teams - in fact there were two midfield teams on the podium in Austria! Ferrari hope to exit the midfield with their new Hungary upgrade speedtracked in a week earlier.

For the first time ever, Formula 1 will race a second race at the same circuit in a season in its 70 years of history. Will the race be exactly the same as last time or completely different? Judging by the chaos we just had, I wouldn't complain about seeing the same thing again. It's time to enjoy ourselves as for probably the only time ever, we can get hyped for the STYRIAN GRAND PRIX!!!

First Grand Prix
1970

Number of Laps
71

Circuit Length
4.318km

Race Distance
306.452 km

Lap Record
1:06.957 Kimi Räikkönen (2018)​

 

[PeterJB]

Not that you could really top it, but unless it rains I predict this one to be a bit of a let-down over last week. Unless the cars are under lock and key the teams will have all been spending the week fixing the faulty sensors, alternators and power units on the cars, and the drivers know where they stand pace-wise and where the dodgy kerbs are.

 

[Silver_Wolf]

Well all set for round 2 here!

I don't think it will be as exciting as the first race but at least we have a better idea where the teams will be and I expect Mercedes will be much stronger this time round but will Hamilton be ahead this time or will it be Bottas, hopefully Bottas can keep the momentum after his win last week.

Expecting McLaren and Racing Point to be the wild cards again but interested to see if Ferrari bringing forward some of the Hungary parts will make them more competitive. Can't remember a season starting where the behind the scenes work may actually keep things interesting.

 

[Sureboss]

Not that you could really top it, but unless it rains I predict this one to be a bit of a let-down over last week. Unless the cars are under lock and key the teams will have all been spending the week fixing the faulty sensors, alternators and power units on the cars, and the drivers know where they stand pace-wise and where the dodgy kerbs are.

I think they'll still push it with the kerbs, kerbs were a known issue last year.

I'll get this in a few days before the race but, poor Haas.

 

[Liquid]

I'll get this in a few days before the race but

Poor Verstappen.

 

[Peter.]

Not that you could really top it, but unless it rains I predict this one to be a bit of a let-down over last week. Unless the cars are under lock and key the teams will have all been spending the week fixing the faulty sensors, alternators and power units on the cars, and the drivers know where they stand pace-wise and where the dodgy kerbs are.

Austria 2, Electric Boogaloo?

You're probably right, but there were certain aspects of this race that were inevitably going to make it more exciting that didn't materialize, notably Verstappen and Albon. There's also some talk about Ferrari bringing some, possibly all of their aero upgrades this weekend to fix their 'design flaw'. That at the very least should put them above the pink Mercs and in range of Red Bull.

Then again, it will probably still just be Mercedeswinslol

 

[Sureboss]

Poor Verstappen.

Poor Gros...I can't finish that.

 

[ShiftingGears]

Itll be a Mercedes 1-2

 

[PeterJB]

I'm a bit puzzled about how this "biosphere" is supposed to work, I thought you had to stay on-site the whole time. Most of the drivers have been hiking and cycling in the mountains, often with drivers from other teams, Bottas is in Monaco with his girlfriend, and Louis Deletraz has been attending WEC testing at Paul Ricard...

 

[Robin]

I'm a bit puzzled about how this "biosphere" is supposed to work, I thought you had to stay on-site the whole time. Most of the drivers have been hiking and cycling in the mountains, often with drivers from other teams, Bottas is in Monaco with his girlfriend, and Louis Deletraz has been attending WEC testing at Paul Ricard...

From what I can see social distancing and containment seems to have completely gone out the window right from the season opener. None of them appear to be taking it seriously.

 

[PeterJB]

From what I can see social distancing and containment seems to have completely gone out the window right from the season opener. None of them appear to be taking it seriously.

So far nobody has tested positive. I guess it's ok if you don't have any contact with anyone outside the biosphere?

 

[Robin]

So far nobody has tested positive. I guess it's ok if you don't have any contact with anyone outside the paddock?

Yeah but no one is staying just in the paddock, especially when we get to the next long break between races. I can well expect at some point someone will test positive again.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Always nice to see a brand new Grand Prix on the calendar.

I think we're in for a very different race this time round. Theres a bit more known now. As for the result its anyones guess. I can't see that Mercedes will sort their issues in 4 days without compromising the car. Leclerc will have a lot of confidence going into the weekend, Verstappen and Red Bull, much like Mercedes it all depends on if they can solve their problems too.

Qualifying prediction:
1. Hamilton
2. Bottas
3. Perez

Vettel out in Q2 again. Russell into Q2, Haas both out in Q1.

Race Prediction:
1. Leclerc
2. Perez
3. Hamilton

Bottas will retire with technical failure, Stroll, Norris and Sainz for the top 6. Albon won't make it past turn 3 after coming together with Vettel who will struggle to get into the points. Ricciardo fastest lap. Russell scores a point.

 

[MisterWaffles]

I'm really not buying any of Ferrari's recent statements on why their engine performance has gone from the best last year by a considerable margin to the absolute worst PU of the entire grid this year. According to Binotto, it's down to a drag issue that their new high-downforce design is causing and they've noticed it for quite some time and haven't been able to fix it due to COVID. Of course, that's simply put complete B.S.. There is no way drag is a satisfactory explanation for each Ferrari team becoming mysteriously slower than last year. It's pretty obvious to any outsider looking in that the drop in performance is due to the new fuel flow sensors this year preventing Ferrari from doing any fuel burning shenanigans that allowed them the straight line speeds of last year.

If this is indeed the case and Ferrari's lack of pace is not solved in Hungary with their new aero package, I think it's safe to say they're fudged for the rest of this year and next year at least.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

If this is indeed the case and Ferrari's lack of pace is not solved in Hungary with their new aero package, I think it's safe to say they're fudged for the rest of this year and next year at least.

That is probably the case.

IIRC from last week's F1 coverage, Binotto said that the drag issue is separate from the engine issue. So once they bring in the new aero, they still have to catch up on the engine power.

 

[NotThePrez]

I'm not the only one whose brain "corrects" the races name to "'Strayan Grand Prix," am I?

In any case, hoping for a good (or better) midfield battle. I'm still confident we'll see a Mercedes on the podium, despite the gearbox issues.

 

[MagpieRacer]

We're going to Mugello!

FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DELLA TOSCANA FERRARI 1000 2020 Mugello

 

[Jimlaad43]

The forecast for Saturday is wet, and supposedly there's a chance it'll be undrivably wet. As such, the FIA have said that if there isn't a possibility to do qualifying on Saturday or Sunday morning, they'll use the times from FP2 as the grid. So expect to see some aggressive lap times in that session.

 

[numbnuts70]

Norris 3 place grid penalty for Sunday, overtaking under yellows in Fp1.

 

[andrea]

That was bizarre. The car just went flying.

 

[numbnuts70]

He could be starting last come Sunday, lost the rear in T9.

Perez already faster than Bottas' pole lap last week on a 1.03.877.

 

[PeterJB]

He could be starting last come Sunday, lost the rear in T9.

Perez already faster than Bottas' pole lap last week on a 1.03.877.

He's matched his own time from Q3, Bottas did a 1.02.9.

 

[numbnuts70]

Oh yeah, my bad.

I was getting excited for a pink win.

Kravitz is adamant that quali will run on Sunday morning if it can't be run on Saturday.

Thats not what the captions were saying pre Fp2.

 

[McLaren]

I'm a bit puzzled about how this "biosphere" is supposed to work, I thought you had to stay on-site the whole time. Most of the drivers have been hiking and cycling in the mountains, often with drivers from other teams, Bottas is in Monaco with his girlfriend, and Louis Deletraz has been attending WEC testing at Paul Ricard...

Isn't Bottas & LeClerc being investigated for protocol breach?

 

[PeterJB]

Isn't Bottas & LeClerc being investigated for protocol breach?

Leclerc's in trouble for meeting friends but Bottas is ok cause he was travelling with his girlfriend.

 

[McLaren]

Leclerc's in trouble for meeting friends but Bottas is ok cause he was travelling with his girlfriend.

Yikes. As if Ferrari need anything else to go wrong like the FIA deciding to not let Charles race.

 

[Dennisch]

Is there any news on the wheel that flew away from Kimi's car? Do they know what happened?

 

[LeGeNd-1]

My totally pulled-from-thin-air predictions:
- Both Mercs retire with mechanical issues
- VER, ALB, PER podium (in no particular order)
- Ferrari still rubbish despite aero upgrades
- Vettel not binning it, but still finishes behind Charles
- Epic scrap between Stroll, McLaren and Renault for best of the rest
- A William in the point
- Another race to forget for Haas and Alfa

 

[Jimlaad43]

The F3 race was Red Flagged halfway through because of the weather, and the track doesn't look like it's going to dry up. FP3 is very unlikely at the moment.

Edit: Yes, FP3 has been delayed indefinitely.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Oh yeah, my bad.

I was getting excited for a pink win.

Kravitz is adamant that quali will run on Sunday morning if it can't be run on Saturday.

Thats not what the captions were saying pre Fp2.

Ted is just against FP2 beung used. He has no idea whats being planned. Interestingly when they went back to him he basically conceded that if qualifying doesn't get rescheduled it will be FP2 that decides it.

F1 official twitter also tweeted saying FP2 could decide the grid. Nothing confirming it but qualifying technically hasn't been cancelled yet.

The trouble with moving it to Sunday is theres a tight schedule with F2 and F3 both running races prior to the F1 so, not impossible bur would require some rejigging, potentially shortened races or cancellation to get there, its not like when this has happened recently in Japan and USA where there hasn't been the other 2 series to contend with.