Formula 1 VTB are-we-allowed-to-say-Russian? Grand Prix 2021Formula 1 

  • Thread starter Jimlaad43
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Tasty grid, shame it's going to be dry tomorrow and standard order will probably happen pretty quickly.

Really weird to see so many mistakes from HAM, but Merc also yet again with bad/slow calls, they should have been racing to get slicks on soon as RUS called for them while he was still on his inter lap, and it was clear everyone was going to follow. With everyone else on slicks there was no gamble, either everyone was going to be slower or everyone faster.

Sure HAM hitting the wall buggered it as well but they still should have been back in the pits with about 6 minute left, he finished his inter lap with just under 8 minutes left. I can only assume he did two further laps because he didn't hit the wall until there was only 4 minutes left.
 
Rain or no rain Hamilton is still easily winning this tomorrow. Bottas and Verstappen are too far back to get anywhere near him (as if Bottas would even be allowed to) and Perez is far too busy being useless to get in his way.
 
I like the grid order watching Max & Charles climb up it, should be really entertaining. Not sure what we will get from Lewis this weekend... he's been looking a bit butter fingers...
 
Rain or no rain Hamilton is still easily winning this tomorrow. Bottas and Verstappen are too far back to get anywhere near him (as if Bottas would even be allowed to) and Perez is far too busy being useless to get in his way.
Quoting this for future reference.
 
His not in a Mercedes yet so he does not need to play Wingman.

I'm not saying he needs to do it. In fact I think he needs to do the opposite.

Clue: He's in a Williams...

Indeed, and you can guess I knew that.

Russell can spice things up for next year by doing a fancy Verstappen.

Not sure what a fancy Verstappen is, I'm just hoping Russell fights Lewis out of the grid and for as long as he can so to make it clear he won't be Kovalainen'ed next year (or Bottas'ed, pick your favourite wingman finn)
 
I think Lewis needs to be more concerned with what Ricciardo will do. If he gets as good a launch as he did in Monza then Lewis is gonna be in trouble into T1.
 
I think Lewis needs to be more concerned with what Ricciardo will do. If he gets as good a launch as he did in Monza then Lewis is gonna be in trouble into T1.

True, but lewis rarely screws up.
Well except for this weekend.

I would laugh if he did a Max Start a'la Turkish GP 2020
 
Lost amongst the various highlights of qualifying was Mick Schumacher on the radio after Q1:

 
Bottas has now taken an engine penalty too and will start 17th.

Imagine thinking he'll actually be able to hold Verstappen up. Verstappen will have sailed past him by the time they reach 4th gear.
 
Was the engine change of Bottas'car necessary or is it a strategy to e.g. defend/block Max?

Already read several complot stories 😁: If Max (tries to) pass Bottas block him hard even it will cost it your car.


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Didn’t he just get a new unit at Monza? Wonder what they replaced bc the car looked pretty fast in Italy.
It'll be to have another fresh engine for the rest of the season, no extra penalties.

But yeah it's also to try and hold Max up which we all doubt will happen. But, to give Bottas credit he did carve through the pack convincingly in Monza against the wishes of many trolls in this thread.
 
Didn’t he just get a new unit at Monza? Wonder what they replaced bc the car looked pretty fast in Italy.
And now the replaced it with an already used PU. Therefor he can start from the grid instead of pitlane (that would be necessary if it was a new new unit).

Also Latifi and LecClerc changed to new PU's --> Bottas 2nd hand so can start from P17

Tactics, strategy
 
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I think perhaps Lewis might have been feeling some pressure with scoring his 100th win. Sometimes I see other athletes choke when they're about to hit a milestone and once they do they relax and get back to normal.

This is anecdotal evidence but I remember quite a few soccer baseball players that had trouble scoring when nearing a record and suffered long draughts.
 
F1 Fans: SoChI iS bOrInG

Also Sochi: Hold my Vodka

Call me crazy but that was the best qualifying session of the year.
I don't know what's happening, but it seems like the last 2 years, a lot of the 'boring' races actually turn out quite good
 
And now the replaced it with an already used PU. Therefor he can start from the grid instead of pitlane (that would be necessary if it was a new new unit).

Also Latifi and LecClerc changed to new PU's --> Bottas 2nd hand so can start from P17

Tactics, strategy
I thought teams were allowed to swap in PUs without penalties if the swap was a previously used one b/c it would be either one of the original 3, or a 4th unit that already had a penalty applied?

Or is the penalty applied b/c the team has swapped parts after parc ferme?

Edit* Merc's social media says it's a 5th unit. Odd strategy to apply just to keep Max back.
 
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Mercedes literally just looked at the Ferrari Master Plan and said "Hold my beer."
 
I want to see Hamilton continuing his error streak of the weekend. A small slide here and there. And have Max and Bottas overtake him.
 
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BBC F1
As mentioned by Andrew Benson earlier Valtteri Bottas will line up 17th of the grid because of a power unit change.

Could Bottas aid his team-mate Lewis Hamilton by slowing Max Verstappen's progress through the field?

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