All according the way the weekend so far went, both McLaren & Toro Rosso through to Q1, all top teams on mediums.
By Spengo Go To PostThat's a banger from Max.Albon out 1st and hard in wall redflag, be good teammate
MAXICO
Full session:
he did improve under yellow I think, 2nd run, but 1st was fast enough anyway. Ferrari 2nd row and Vettel due to Bottas yellow could not improve, same for Lewis. Max with two Ferrari's run in to 1st corner, is going to be tough/messy. McLaren beats Toro Rosso for best of the rest, lets hope two stops for all, so they do not loose to all teams that start on mediums.
Bottas:
Full session:
he did improve under yellow I think, 2nd run, but 1st was fast enough anyway. Ferrari 2nd row and Vettel due to Bottas yellow could not improve, same for Lewis. Max with two Ferrari's run in to 1st corner, is going to be tough/messy. McLaren beats Toro Rosso for best of the rest, lets hope two stops for all, so they do not loose to all teams that start on mediums.
Bottas:
Deserved penalty, people should not ignore flags.
Problem with it all is that he should have kept his mouth shut and not be honest in the presser or pulled a Charles and he would have walked away without one, but that's FIA rules for you
Problem with it all is that he should have kept his mouth shut and not be honest in the presser or pulled a Charles and he would have walked away without one, but that's FIA rules for you
Yeah learning point for Max. Should have not ignored it in the first place of course. But then to talk about it during the press conference is really silly.
Start could be amazing with the two Ferrari's pulling 4 others in to the 1st corner and that could easily be 6 with both McLarens good at starts and the softer compound, hard to see them all go through the first 5 corners in one piece. Luckily start isn't as important as with this track and hotter conditions, controlling tire wear will be key and different strategies possible, so I still expect some action during the race.
Let's hope they don't go bowling in the 1st corner :P
Let's hope they don't go bowling in the 1st corner :P
By Lunatic Go To PostMax is an idiotwhy, lewis has moment oversteer because he takes bit to much speed in to corner?
Lewis finally with podium result in Mexico, but still no world champ podium celebrations. Even though I understand Ferrari thinking, you just do not hand over track position. Bottas good recovery drive, shame he was a sleep with Max (flat tire) would have made the race more interresting.
Charles did not have a good weekend and Alex just lacks a bit of pace.
Charles did not have a good weekend and Alex just lacks a bit of pace.
By Spengo Go To PostHow did Ferrari throw that away?To save.
When Lewis pitted, they did not trust the hards to last for them. Should have taken tha gamble, because they already had Charles on alternative strategy.
full results, with Kvyatt penalty
Go Seb:
And F1 twitter account gringe:
They really planned on him being him WDC here. Ham is the best driver in the field, without a doubt, but his luck and mismanagement by Ferrari (and Red Bull sometimes) nearly at every single race is just ridiculous.
Was a frustrating race yesterday. First Hamilton with the minor clash. And then Bottas to finish it with a flat tire. Feels bad if you know the race is done after maybe 7 laps. Happy Albon at least did the minimum requirement as opposed to Gasly. He seems to adapt well.
2021 rules proposal, I'm still in the lets wait and see, intentions are good but not quit sure if they push a bit to far (less engineering freedom). If you implement a good working budget cap, you should not be talking about standard parts etc. and cars again heavier :(
By Spengo Go To PostHow many staff do you think will teams need to lay off as a result of simplified cars?The budget cap will do that (for top 3), not the simplified rules.
Never underestimate the ability of F1 teams to spend milions on marginal gains and providing jobs for engineers ;)
Back to back, to a cold Austin Texas in the USA on the circuit of the Americas. Always liked the track, not visually but from a racing perspective. Wide first corner after hard braking zone, in to fast esses before two straights at the back of the track, followed by a slow/fast corner mix in S3. Ferrari will gain there usual 8/9 tenths on the 3 longer straights, question will be if Merc/RBR can win enough back on the twisty bits. Cold temp might create problems (tire temp/graining) and the Ferrari car did not seem to like that a lot in Winter testing, so that might play a role.
Unless something silly happens to Lewis, this will be the race he wins his 6th WC title, can see why he would want to achieve that with a win, after few years of Mexico drama so expect Lewis on top.
Track:
Tire selection:
Last Year:
FP1 - Hamilton - 1.47.502
FP2 - Hamilton - 1.48.716
FP3 - Vettel - 1.33.797
Qualify - Hamilton - 1.32.237
Race - Raikkonen - 1u34min18.643
Fastest Lap - Hamilton - 1.37.392
Unless something silly happens to Lewis, this will be the race he wins his 6th WC title, can see why he would want to achieve that with a win, after few years of Mexico drama so expect Lewis on top.
Track:
Tire selection:
Last Year:
FP1 - Hamilton - 1.47.502
FP2 - Hamilton - 1.48.716
FP3 - Vettel - 1.33.797
Qualify - Hamilton - 1.32.237
Race - Raikkonen - 1u34min18.643
Fastest Lap - Hamilton - 1.37.392
Times even more useless as normal, due to Pirelli bringing 2020 test tires and times being deleted for running wide (T19), but Both RBR/Fer ran at a similar time on track. Ground below the track sank even more and track is extremely bumpy, so expect lot of drivers/teams complaining.
Moment Charles:
Jump not bump Kevin:
Carlos test tire high speed spin:
Lewis had a mega tow on the long back straight (fastest sector by 4 tenths), so corrected top 3 really close on a single lap. Long runs, Lewis 1/2 tenths ahead of Max, Charles 0.5 slower (all on reds), others started on mediums, so no comparable data from Vettel/Bottas. But as always and specially at the end of the season, tomorrow they will turn up the engines and we get better idea.
Surprised Gasly was up there again after Mexico, McLaren is there as it has been last few races.
Grosjean crash:
Stroll almost hits Sainz:
Few other spins:
FP3:
Max looked little faster than Vettel in most runs, so will be close in Q between them when Ferrari ups engine. Lewis was slower than yesterday curious if some teams are looking at one stop (Merc) and the others are going for two stop (RBR/Fer) or that some teams have to wait to turn up their engine until Q3 (older engines for Merc). Also no news if Charles can use an older engine out of the pool, or that they will need a new one and penalties.
Don't think McLaren will be real thread for top 6, but definitely best of rest.
Max looked little faster than Vettel in most runs, so will be close in Q between them when Ferrari ups engine. Lewis was slower than yesterday curious if some teams are looking at one stop (Merc) and the others are going for two stop (RBR/Fer) or that some teams have to wait to turn up their engine until Q3 (older engines for Merc). Also no news if Charles can use an older engine out of the pool, or that they will need a new one and penalties.
Don't think McLaren will be real thread for top 6, but definitely best of rest.
Right, let’s do this.
Have Ferrari been found out by RBR with that fuel cable shenanigans? Time will tell.
Have Ferrari been found out by RBR with that fuel cable shenanigans? Time will tell.
By Spengo Go To PostRight, let’s do this.There are some different stories about it, so let's wait first which one is right, but still feeel other teams are guessing or better deducting what it is not.
Have Ferrari been found out by RBR with that fuel cable shenanigans? Time will tell.
Both Alfa's added two the usual suspects (Perez penalty starts last).
Both McLarens, DannyRic and Gasly through to Q3, top teams other than Albon will start on the mediums.
Max not happy with Lewis.
Hamilton deserves a carreer-wipe for that. Delete everything he has ever done.
Also take away his fishing licence.
Also take away his fishing licence.
So close, 4 cars in a tenth order stays same as first run, just closer.
Bottas on pole, Vettel 0.012 and Max 0.069 behind for P3
Lewis disappointing p5 behind Charles
Charles shame such good lap only brings you p7
Full session
Bottas on pole, Vettel 0.012 and Max 0.069 behind for P3
Lewis disappointing p5 behind Charles
Charles shame such good lap only brings you p7
Full session
By markao Go To Post[Nice to see Shanks out there supporting the team
????
By Shanks D Zoro Go To Post????it was a joke m8, ah i get it image gone..........just a Ferrari fan with some Mexican clown costume on ;)
goseb