All they have to do is raise the ride height and run a slightly softer suspension.
They won't though as that decreases the ground effect hugely, and they'll lose a load of downforce, and therefore time.
The red bull barely bounces at all, so it's not a fundamental flaw in the aerodynamics that Toto is currently making it out to be, they just haven't worked out how to stop it yet
Anyway Perez won't be able to compete with Max this season, not just in raw speed but also in politics, so unless Ferrari sort out their reliability and strategy issues immediately, I think we all know where this season is heading
Another problem for Ferrari is that Leclerc is going to be hit with grid penalties at upcoming races whenever they change his engine.
Seriously messing it up though. "Three races into this season, Leclerc had scored two wins and a second place, and was leading title rival Max Verstappen by 46 points.
Five races later, Leclerc trails the Red Bull driver by 34 points - a remarkable 80-point turnaround, at an average of 16 points lost on average per race - despite being on pole position for the past four grands prix in a row."
If Ferrari and Mercedes don't sort out their car issues quickly this is rapidly going to turn into a snoozefest of a season. Still, at least Max will be able to say he won the title fair and square this time.
So all of Mercedes' whining and moaning about the porpoising being dangerous to drivers welfare and the safety in general, and the FIA have actually acted upon the problem.
The problem for Mercedes is the FIA have just turned around and said "oh your car bounces too much? Cool we're implementing a technical directive that limits that movement, so now you'll be nice and comfortable"
This means Mercedes and other severely porpoising cars will have to run higher ride heights, lessening the strength of the ground effect, giving them much less downforce and making them slower.
Isnt it Red Bull and possibly Aston Martin that benefit from this - Think the title is already over if so
Red Bull, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo seem to have the porpoising more under control than others, Ferrari and Mercedes bounce a lot more, though Ferrari have still been incredibly quick despite it.
I think Mercedes were hoping there would be a technical directive that forced all teams to run at a certain ride height, which would have brought them closer to Red Bull and Ferrari
I'd be amazed if we don't get another Red Bull 1-2 this weekend.
The only guy who can seemingly compete with them, Leclerc, has a 10 place grid penalty so will be way behind them.
Yeah, as much as I dislike them you’ve got to admire how they’ve gone about this season as a team. Have been spot on with pretty much all their tactical decisions and other than a coupon of early reliability issues are running away with it this year.
I'd be amazed if we don't get another Red Bull 1-2 this weekend.
The only guy who can seemingly compete with them, Leclerc, has a 10 place grid penalty so will be way behind them.
Yeah, as much as I dislike them you’ve got to admire how they’ve gone about this season as a team. Have been spot on with pretty much all their tactical decisions and other than a coupon of early reliability issues are running away with it this year.
Yeah, they’re a very good team and are threatening to dominate, possibly for years. Fair play to them for that.
But you know, as I’ve said here before, everyone who’s been slagging Hamilton and Mercedes off for years because they were so dominant may just get their wish - an even less likable driver and team dominating for a generation.
You tend to get this after a big rule change though, where one team cracks it better than the others. Brawn in 2009 for instance, and Renault in 2005. I'm sure if Ferrari sort out the engine reliability and Mercedes sort out the porpoising, combined with the new wind tunnel and spending cap regulations, everything is geared towards ensuring more than 1 team has a realistic chance at the championship
Yep. When the rule changes were first mooted they were needed desperately because Merc were too far ahead, but by the time they actually came around we had two of the most closely matched teams and lead drivers we’d had for ages. Hopefully these new regs settle down quicker than the old one, there’s less engine disparity for example than last major refs change, Quite aside from the safety concerns, the porpoising just looks kind of shit.
I do like Sky’s f1 coverage in general. It’s not perfect and they do say and do things that are annoying every so often, but in general I think it’s pretty good.
However, there’s one thing they do that is getting on my tits. I really do think they should stop spending so much time talking to Christian Horner every race. It’s been going on for some time now - they’re constantly talking to him - before and after track action, but also mid-practice, mid-quali, mid-race. Nobody else gets the screen time he gets and he’s demonstrably (understandably, to be fair) one-eyed and partisan in every opinion he shares. I really don’t want to hear from just Red Bull every race. The other bosses always get a small interview at some point, but Horner is almost like another member of the commentary team. Maybe the other team bosses aren’t willing to engage with sky like he is? I don’t know, but I’m sick of his opinion being the only opinion we get to hear regularly and in depth.
Its got to be because he's so prepared to talk to SKY over any of the other principals
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
Its got to be because he's so prepared to talk to SKY over any of the other principals
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
Yeah, I know. I just wish the other bosses would engage more.
The Mercedes’ decision today was risky and didn’t pay off, but I understand why they did it. It could’ve been an absolute master stroke, but in the end the track just wasn’t quite dry enough. It was a bit of a long shot though.
Its got to be because he's so prepared to talk to SKY over any of the other principals
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
I think they get access to a different team principal at every race, but on the whole the others are not willing to make much time.
Its got to be because he's so prepared to talk to SKY over any of the other principals
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
I think they get access to a different team principal at every race, but on the whole the others are not willing to make much time.
Yeah they try and rotate it around but I think Horner buys into it the most so they use him more often than the others. Guenther is usually pretty good though.
Its got to be because he's so prepared to talk to SKY over any of the other principals
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
I think they get access to a different team principal at every race, but on the whole the others are not willing to make much time.
Yeah they try and rotate it around but I think Horner buys into it the most so they use him more often than the others. Guenther is usually pretty good though.
I think you get more candid responses from Horner, he's often prepared to take a guess at something, many of the other bosses seem to be very taciturn or non committal and some you just plum cant understand.
Comments
They won't though as that decreases the ground effect hugely, and they'll lose a load of downforce, and therefore time.
The red bull barely bounces at all, so it's not a fundamental flaw in the aerodynamics that Toto is currently making it out to be, they just haven't worked out how to stop it yet
Seriously messing it up though. "Three races into this season, Leclerc had scored two wins and a second place, and was leading title rival Max Verstappen by 46 points.
Five races later, Leclerc trails the Red Bull driver by 34 points - a remarkable 80-point turnaround, at an average of 16 points lost on average per race - despite being on pole position for the past four grands prix in a row."
The problem for Mercedes is the FIA have just turned around and said "oh your car bounces too much? Cool we're implementing a technical directive that limits that movement, so now you'll be nice and comfortable"
This means Mercedes and other severely porpoising cars will have to run higher ride heights, lessening the strength of the ground effect, giving them much less downforce and making them slower.
Be careful what you wish for, Toto
I think Mercedes were hoping there would be a technical directive that forced all teams to run at a certain ride height, which would have brought them closer to Red Bull and Ferrari
The only guy who can seemingly compete with them, Leclerc, has a 10 place grid penalty so will be way behind them.
But you know, as I’ve said here before, everyone who’s been slagging Hamilton and Mercedes off for years because they were so dominant may just get their wish - an even less likable driver and team dominating for a generation.
However, there’s one thing they do that is getting on my tits. I really do think they should stop spending so much time talking to Christian Horner every race. It’s been going on for some time now - they’re constantly talking to him - before and after track action, but also mid-practice, mid-quali, mid-race. Nobody else gets the screen time he gets and he’s demonstrably (understandably, to be fair) one-eyed and partisan in every opinion he shares. I really don’t want to hear from just Red Bull every race. The other bosses always get a small interview at some point, but Horner is almost like another member of the commentary team. Maybe the other team bosses aren’t willing to engage with sky like he is? I don’t know, but I’m sick of his opinion being the only opinion we get to hear regularly and in depth.
He's basically working for a Drinks company so they need the coverage.
Great Quali session today though, Alonso rolling back the years to get on the front row - What the hell were Mercedes doing, they absolutely screwed Russell (who could have got 2nd or 3rd himself today) had they not stuck him on slicks.
Do feel for George , can understand the slicks gamble but the track just wasn't at the crossover.
Was it him or the team.
The only thing that stopped him Out-qualifying Lewis again.
Hmmmm.
The Mercedes’ decision today was risky and didn’t pay off, but I understand why they did it. It could’ve been an absolute master stroke, but in the end the track just wasn’t quite dry enough. It was a bit of a long shot though.
I think they get access to a different team principal at every race, but on the whole the others are not willing to make much time.
Yeah they try and rotate it around but I think Horner buys into it the most so they use him more often than the others. Guenther is usually pretty good though.
Sainz will win some bizarre race with a bunch of retirements like Hungary last season was for Ocon. Mick just seems to have absolutely no luck.
Silverstone will be very interesting! Personally I can't see Max being stopped there unless it's a reliability gremlin that strikes again.
Apart from the opening laps of the first race of the season that showed so much promise.