2021 motor racing thread

[Vegeta]

This season is super exciting.
For me, Perez is the driver of the day.

 

[Vegeta]

Well done Max. Why didn't Mercedes pit Bottas to get the fastest lap after Perez passed him? I don't think it would have changed anything if Mercedes had pitted Bottas sooner as he would have been behind Perez anyway.

They (Bottas and Perez) where under investigation until the end of the race (5 seconds penalty).

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Good race. Almost thought Hamilton could keep the lead. Bottas needed to hold up max for another lap, but as usual was pretty terrible.
Max extends his lead to start off the first triple header of the season. Winning at Ricard is a big statement.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Lewis making the error of running over the kerbs cost him at least 1.5 seconds as well.

 

[supnmunm]

Surprisingly good race today. What happened with the Ferraris? They fell off big time today.

Rosberg in ultra shit stirring mode in the post race show lol. Calling Lewis and Valtteri's late defense on Max "soft" and "rubbish" respectively.

 

[ralphc1]

Surprisingly good race today. What happened with the Ferraris? They fell off big time today.

Rosberg in ultra shit stirring mode in the post race show lol. Calling Lewis and Valtteri's late defense on Max "soft" and "rubbish" respectively.

The Ferraris seem to be able to put in a few good laps but they seem to wear their tires out quickly.

Rosberg is always trying to stir the pot.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Surprisingly good race today. What happened with the Ferraris? They fell off big time today.

Rosberg in ultra shit stirring mode in the post race show lol. Calling Lewis and Valtteri's late defense on Max "soft" and "rubbish" respectively.

Rosberg isn’t far off. The tires were done, so max was getting by. But valteri only seems to put up a fight when lewis is passing him and no one else. They both made mistakes when getting passed, so it made it even easier.

 

[Foppa21]

I'm starting to believe that Max might be able to keep his stuff together to make a run for the title. Uncharacteristic of Mercedes to make a strategy error IMO. This one was different from the last 2 races and, IMO Red Bull are always favoured in the street circuits due to their historically better aero package

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Max absolutely flying in Q3 today takes pole. Bottas jn second but drops to p5 with a grid penalty for spinning in the pit lane yesterday. Kinda harsh, but necessary. Although I don’t think they drop Lewis or max for the same. Everyone else, yes. lewis moves to p2 from p3 and Norris pips Perez to start on second row. Should be a good race.

 

[ralphc1]

Max absolutely flying in Q3 today takes pole. Bottas jn second but drops to p5 with a grid penalty for spinning in the pit lane yesterday. Kinda harsh, but necessary. Although I don’t think they drop Lewis or max for the same. Everyone else, yes. lewis moves to p2 from p3 and Norris pips Perez to start on second row. Should be a good race.

Red Bull put Perez on softs for his first run in Q2 and I think he set his fastest time in Q2 on soft tires so he will be starting on soft tires. It seems strange that in practice and qualifying it looks like some of the other teams are gaining ground but in the end it is Red Bull and Mercedes at the top. In the last race, it was almost a minute down to the fourth place car. I doubt Bottas will pass anybody so he might stay in P5 this race. I don't know how much pit strategy Mercedes can use to try to improve Bottas' position because of his inability to pass. If they give him a two stop strategy he could end up even further back.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Red Bull put Perez on softs for his first run in Q2 and I think he set his fastest time in Q2 on soft tires so he will be starting on soft tires. It seems strange that in practice and qualifying it looks like some of the other teams are gaining ground but in the end it is Red Bull and Mercedes at the top. In the last race, it was almost a minute down to the fourth place car. I doubt Bottas will pass anybody so he might stay in P5 this race. I don't know how much pit strategy Mercedes can use to try to improve Bottas' position because of his inability to pass. If they give him a two stop strategy he could end up even further back.

Perez on softs at the start could be good team strategy for ride bull. He can get by lando and if he passes Lewis this race is over. He will hold up the pack like eddie Irvine and rubens did years ago for schumi.

 

[Vegeta]

George Russel fighting for p7.
Lets go George.

 

[ralphc1]

Pretty boring race. Only 4 cars not a lap down. Bottas has managed to get into third because of a slow Red Bull pit stop on Perez.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

Redbull managed that race pretty easily. I wonder how many of these team messages are code. I’m sure quite a few. Hamilton was lucky to get the fastest lap back and save a point.

 

[supnmunm]

What shit luck George has, hate to see it. Perez got shafted too on his first stop.

Boring race but I like the result. Should be 4 in a row for Max if not for the tyre failure.

Also lol at people voting Leclerc driver of the day after ruining Gasly's race on the first lap.

 

[ralphc1]

What shit luck George has, hate to see it. Perez got shafted too on his first stop.

Boring race but I like the result. Should be 4 in a row for Max if not for the tyre failure.

Also lol at people voting Leclerc driver of the day after ruining Gasly's race on the first lap.

Leclerc must have something going with the stewards. I suppose the fans voted that because it was about the only excitement all day.

 

[ralphc1]

Somehow, Mercedes found some pace in the second practice session today with Hamilton and Bottas having the first and second fastest times. In most cases this doesn't mean anything unless qualifying would be rained out. If that happens, they use the fastest times from the second practice.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Mercedes needs to figure it out or Max is going to start running away with it.

Max with pole
Norris will be joining him on the front row
Perez P3
Hamilton P4
Bottas P5

Russell had an incredible qualifying making it to Q3 on the mediums. He will be starting 8th.

Vettel gets a 3 place grid penalty after ruining Alonso's Q2. Alonso had great pace and would have probably qualified very well.

 

[ralphc1]

It looks like Mercedes is out of the running this season. Perez is having an interesting race. He tried the pass on Norris and got pushed off track back into 10th place. It seemed like a stupid move as Red Bull had the Mercedes covered. Norris got a penalty but Perez also got a penalty for doing the same thing to Leclerc. They have levied so many 5 second time penalties that it's difficult to keep track. Hamilton apparently damaged the car by driving over the curbs and might have difficulty finishing 4th. Perez has 10 seconds in penalties though so he might finish 6th.

 

[rearnakedchoke]

That was a crazy race. The stewards messed up giving Norris a penalty imo. If you look at it, Perez had room to stay out of the gravel. That forced the stewards to give Perez two penalties. He should have been dq’d after the second imo.