Entertaining yesterday. Always adds a little extra spice when the rain is that kind of “will it? won’t it?” and it tests the teams and their ability to change plan quickly. (The Mercedes garage’s slow reaction to Hamilton’s damage was astonishing.) Hamilton made an error that made him look human, albeit on the wrong tyres. His second mistake later on was more his own fault as he was desperately pushing too hard to try to get something out of the race. Verstappen drove well but remember he also made a mistake and spun off. His greatest boost was that he had the perfect combination of good luck and strategy in the pit stops, which was the difference between finishing first and nowhere. As much as I would rather not see Vettel do well, he grabbed the opportunity to steadily progress through the field with both hands and did a good job. Ok, he was helped by the safety cars stopping him being too far behind, but you can only race in the circumstances you find yourself in. It further reinforces that he is an excellent driver when there is little or no expectation on his shoulders.
Biggest successes of the day were the unsung drivers just behind him - Kvyat, Stroll, Sainz and Albon did nothing wrong and took their opportunity. Real shame that Stroll didn’t get a podium, but he’ll be made up with a fourth place.
it suits those that have less to lose though. If it is a marginal call that could win you the race if you take it, you take it. If you are leading, a marginal call is hard to take. But Mercedes who have been good in this respect of late had a bad day at the office yesterday. When the conditions are like yesterday and you have a driver like Hamilton, it is probably best to let him decide the strategy.
Another option is to decide who your main threat is and cover everything they do. The problem is when they take some massive risks as in the case of Verstappen. Putting mediums on the car instead of softs seemed crazy and could have been a bad call they got away with.
Always enjoyable when you call something - the brains in the garage then call it different - and you get proved right. Happened yesterday when Mercedes left Hamilton out during one of the safety car periods, arguing that 'you have a 5-second time penalty so you would lose track position'. I thought that was a bad call because you obviously lose far less time making a stop during a safety car than at full race speed, so as stop-go penalties go it's as near as you get to a free one. He also would have had more time on fresh tyres to make up the lost places. Lewis than pitted two laps later, after the SC period was over and everyone was back going full tilt, and he lost a shedload more places and emerged from the pits as the back marker. Made me smug for a nanosecond. Until it occurred to me that those engineers and strategists do what they do for a very good living from the sport and I don't.
Always enjoyable when you call something - the brains in the garage then call it different - and you get proved right. Happened yesterday when Mercedes left Hamilton out during one of the safety car periods, arguing that 'you have a 5-second time penalty so you would lose track position'. I thought that was a bad call because you obviously lose far less time making a stop during a safety car than at full race speed, so as stop-go penalties go it's as near as you get to a free one. He also would have had more time on fresh tyres to make up the lost places. Lewis than pitted two laps later, after the SC period was over and everyone was back going full tilt, and he lost a shedload more places and emerged from the pits as the back marker. Made me smug for a nanosecond. Until it occurred to me that those engineers and strategists do what they do for a very good living from the sport and I don't.
Its risk and reward though. It is harder to make that call from the front. Had they made some risky calls that backfired, they would have been even more heavily criticised. i think Hamilton - great driver that he is, is a little bit to blame here too. He is not slow to question strategy, sometimes with the benefit of hindsight. It probably makes the strategists more cautious.
Always enjoyable when you call something - the brains in the garage then call it different - and you get proved right. Happened yesterday when Mercedes left Hamilton out during one of the safety car periods, arguing that 'you have a 5-second time penalty so you would lose track position'. I thought that was a bad call because you obviously lose far less time making a stop during a safety car than at full race speed, so as stop-go penalties go it's as near as you get to a free one. He also would have had more time on fresh tyres to make up the lost places. Lewis than pitted two laps later, after the SC period was over and everyone was back going full tilt, and he lost a shedload more places and emerged from the pits as the back marker. Made me smug for a nanosecond. Until it occurred to me that those engineers and strategists do what they do for a very good living from the sport and I don't.
Its risk and reward though. It is harder to make that call from the front. Had they made some risky calls that backfired, they would have been even more heavily criticised. i think Hamilton - great driver that he is, is a little bit to blame here too. He is not slow to question strategy, sometimes with the benefit of hindsight. It probably makes the strategists more cautious.
Wasn't just with hindsight - he said on the radio when called in for the first set of slicks "Are you sure? It doesn't sound like the right tyre."
Incidentally, I think the time penalty he got was a harsh one. I guess the rule is the rule, but his alternative was to complete a full lap of the track, in the wet, on slicks, with highly compromised aerodynamics, all whilst potentially dropping debris on the track. If we accept that pit entry rule is solely a safety related one, then the only safe call Hamilton could make there was to dip into the pits on the wrong side of the bollard. I guess ultimately that 5 seconds was much less than he'd have lost if he'd had to do the full lap, although the pistop would've been quicker as the pit crew would have been prepared.
Yes, it was harsh but the rules are the rules in F1 at the moment and that has benefited him too in the past. It was a bad day at the office for Hamilton, but I can't see anybody coming close to stopping him winning the title. Bottas is probably his biggest rival in that respect and he didn't score any points either!
Yes, it was harsh but the rules are the rules in F1 at the moment and that has benefited him too in the past. It was a bad day at the office for Hamilton, but I can't see anybody coming close to stopping him winning the title. Bottas is probably his biggest rival in that respect and he didn't score any points either!
Hamilton got 2 points as the two Alfas were downgraded in the results, giving Lewis 9th place. So as it turned out, Hamilton’s worst performance and result of the season saw him extend his championship lead by 2 points!
Another brilliant race. What a strategy call by Mercedes and what unbelievable driving by Lewis to replicate what the computers were telling the strategists. Feel bad for Max but can see why RB didn’t pit him at the same time.
Great call from Mercedes & Lewis absolutely blistered those last dozen laps. The gap he and Max had on every other driver in this race was stunning. Blew them all away.
Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany.
I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.
The tables were turned completely from last week. Hamilton was in a clear second place which allowed a free roll of the dice. When you are leading, you don't roll the dice. Great race.
Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany.
I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.
I can’t stand Verstappen either. I think it’s as simple as me hating his face. Horner bothers me less, I think he’s pretty sensible/ honest.
Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany.
I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.
I can’t stand Verstappen either. I think it’s as simple as me hating his face. Horner bothers me less, I think he’s pretty sensible/ honest.
Horner is okay a lot of the time. He’s come out with some stupid stuff from time to time though. I think a lot of my dislike goes back to the days when Red Bull had the dominant car. Like you with Verstappen, I also just have an irrational dislike for his face.
Verstappen is undoubtedly talented, but he also comes across as an arrogant cocksure prick. To be fair, he’s 21 and if I met the 21 year old me now I’d probably think he was a dickhead too.
If Leclerc vs Verstappen is to be the next big rivalry in F1 though, I think I have already chosen my side.
Excellent race, for very different reasons to last week’s chaos. Magic final stint from Lewis and Merc’s strategists redeeming themselves from Germany.
I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.
I can’t stand Verstappen either. I think it’s as simple as me hating his face. Horner bothers me less, I think he’s pretty sensible/ honest.
If Leclerc vs Verstappen is to be the next big rivalry in F1 though, I think I have already chosen my side.
Leclerc has had 33 starts and 2 poles already. This was Verstappen's first pole in his 93rd GP.
Comments
Always adds a little extra spice when the rain is that kind of “will it? won’t it?” and it tests the teams and their ability to change plan quickly. (The Mercedes garage’s slow reaction to Hamilton’s damage was astonishing.)
Hamilton made an error that made him look human, albeit on the wrong tyres. His second mistake later on was more his own fault as he was desperately pushing too hard to try to get something out of the race.
Verstappen drove well but remember he also made a mistake and spun off.
His greatest boost was that he had the perfect combination of good luck and strategy in the pit stops, which was the difference between finishing first and nowhere.
As much as I would rather not see Vettel do well, he grabbed the opportunity to steadily progress through the field with both hands and did a good job. Ok, he was helped by the safety cars stopping him being too far behind, but you can only race in the circumstances you find yourself in. It further reinforces that he is an excellent driver when there is little or no expectation on his shoulders.
Biggest successes of the day were the unsung drivers just behind him - Kvyat, Stroll, Sainz and Albon did nothing wrong and took their opportunity. Real shame that Stroll didn’t get a podium, but he’ll be made up with a fourth place.
Another option is to decide who your main threat is and cover everything they do. The problem is when they take some massive risks as in the case of Verstappen. Putting mediums on the car instead of softs seemed crazy and could have been a bad call they got away with.
I still cant stand Verstappen, almost as much as I dislike Christian Horner’s smug face, so never sad to see Red Bull lose but it’s good to see a team with the combination of car, driver, and pit wall team capable of giving Merc and Hamilton a genuine test. Ferrari are quick but every weekend seem to be found lacking in one department or other.
Verstappen is undoubtedly talented, but he also comes across as an arrogant cocksure prick. To be fair, he’s 21 and if I met the 21 year old me now I’d probably think he was a dickhead too.
If Leclerc vs Verstappen is to be the next big rivalry in F1 though, I think I have already chosen my side.
was slightly surprised that the stewards didn’t even look at the coming together of Bottas and Leclerc