No F1 thread?

[Rich B]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

I thought exactly the same!

[NotoriousREV]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

I thought exactly the same!

I haven’t read the article (and it sounds like it won’t help) but I don’t understand why a driver who has DNF’d 40% of his races this season due to the Renault parts of his car would go and voluntarily drive a car made entirely by Renault.

[Mito Man]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

I thought exactly the same!

I haven’t read the article (and it sounds like it won’t help) but I don’t understand why a driver who has DNF’d 40% of his races this season due to the Renault parts of his car would go and voluntarily drive a car made entirely by Renault.

I think a few failures were due to clutch/gearbox problems so not all Renault, but I reckon he realised he’d only ever be a no. 2 in Red Bull as Max is the golden boy there and he usually outqualifies Ricciardo. I remember at the time he signed up one of the reasons was that Renault were going on a 200 person hiring spree.

[NotoriousREV]

What a lap from Hamilton in Q2. Kimi in 3rd is closer in time to the elimination zone than he is to Hamilton’s time.

[NotoriousREV]

I reckon Merc have taken the decision to turn the engines up for the last race. Party Mode Plus, for sure.

[IanF]

Yeah, they’re running hybrid front wing so party plus now, sandbag at Barcelona and then rampant next year.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

I thought exactly the same!

I haven’t read the article (and it sounds like it won’t help) but I don’t understand why a driver who has DNF’d 40% of his races this season due to the Renault parts of his car would go and voluntarily drive a car made entirely by Renault.

To me it smacks of having snatched at the only available option. Baku set the path with MVs dick behaviour and the lack of support from RB. But I totally understand his decision still - bollocks to being in a team where you don't feel they're 100% behind you

[NotoriousREV]

Possibly the only option where he’s the number 1 driver.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I *really* hope that Renault find some form as I'd genuinely hate to see DRs talent go to waste. He's great for F1

[NotoriousREV]

Wouldn’t it be great to have Merc, Ferrari, RB, Renault, Williams and McLaren all on form?

[Rich B]

Have you noticed how often Lewis Hamilton is popping up in these stories offering (genuinely) wise words - no games, just good advice. He really is a proper champion.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Wouldn’t it be great to have Merc, Ferrari, RB, Renault, Williams and McLaren all on form?

I'd take even just 3 teams battling it out! Just some degree of uncertainty over who might prevail from one race to the next

[Mito Man]

It seems like whenever the teams start to get close together we get a major rule change and it’s back to a one horse race...

[Orange Cola]

I think DR’s move to Renault gives him two things;

1) He’s number two at RB, therefore get out now and go somewhere to be number one driver. Learn lots in the process. He’s not going to be competing for a championship where he is in the next couple of seasons
2) 2021 rule change also comes with a big driver market shake up, so if Renault doesn’t work out then he’s lost nothing and learned everything compared to being stuck at RB as a number two.

I think he’s created an opportunity, rather than hanging about for a few years waiting for the big changes in 2021 he’s decided to do something which may or may not pay off in the interim.

[Gavin]

Wouldn’t it be great to have Merc, Ferrari, RB, Renault, Williams and McLaren all on form?

I'd take even just 3 teams battling it out! Just some degree of uncertainty over who might prevail from one race to the next

So like this season then? On a fair few tracks RB joined the party at the front and from one track to the next nobody knew whether it would be Ferrari or Mercedes. If Vettel had not made so many mistakes it would have been closer and maybe even still undecided.

But yes, if we could have at least three teams competing for pole week in and week out that would be brilliant. So many good drivers on the grid and team battles for next year to look forward to.

[jamcg]

Although a nice read, that DR piece told us precisely nothing about why he’s going to Renault.

I thought exactly the same!

I haven’t read the article (and it sounds like it won’t help) but I don’t understand why a driver who has DNF’d 40% of his races this season due to the Renault parts of his car would go and voluntarily drive a car made entirely by Renault.

See McLaren Honda for how a customer team making massive demands of an engine manufacturer can right royally fuck up a half decent power unit and hamper development. The Renault spec c engine always felt to me like something rushed through to satisfy red bull as Renault themselves and McLaren didn’t use it. Without the demands of red bull they can go their own path, and McLaren hopefully will have learned to use what they are given, letting the manufacture tell them what to do rather than the other way around.

[Mito Man]

If that Renault went up in a big way in a more isolated part of the track we would have a cooked Hulkenburg for Thanksgiving weekend.

[integrale_evo]

How the hell did alonso get a penalty but bottas didn't?

[Mito Man]

Bottas slowed down to give back the time gained. Alonso didn’t and set the fastest middle sector of the race, then did the same the next lap too.