OV9

Orange Cola wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 11:23 am

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:29 am

Orange Cola wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:40 pm Not sure how there’s a Ferrari on Pole!

Mainly because LeClerc drove the wheels off that thing. Absolute stunner of a lap.

I do actually get why, but it’s a surprise to see such a turn around. I wonder if this is a ‘Singapore’ spec or if they’ll remain competitive over the next races.

When I was in Italy the local radio said that the favourites for Singapore are Ferrari and I was thinking yeah right
Maybe they knew something we didn’t or more probably I imagine that’s what they say every race.

Everyone else seemed to be expecting Mercedes to dominate as Ferrari are supposedly more suited to faster tracks.

Maybe they went a bit too safe on the setup.

I don’t have an issue with the safety cars (although they were late to call them), but the amount of time under the safety cars. I think I counted thirteen laps lost in the second half, more if you add on the yellow flags. It’s just killed what chances there were of any position changes and potential excitement.

Think I need a double espresso after that race! Glad for Seb though, he needed that.

Mercedes fucking up Hamilton’s strategy on tyres yet again. They should’ve undercut, as he suggested.

Mito Man wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 3:28 pm Think I need a double espresso after that race! Glad for Seb though, he needed that.

Why? Why do we want someone who fucks up, majorly enough to put points on his license on average every third race, to still be competing? Even Grosjean hasn’t managed that...!

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 3:29 pm Mercedes fucking up Hamilton’s strategy on tyres yet again. They should’ve undercut, as he suggested.

He called it at the right time too. Hindsight is great but he’s have at least been on the podium with that, with a fighting chance of first and second.

Orange Cola wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 3:21 pm I don’t have an issue with the safety cars (although they were late to call them), but the amount of time under the safety cars. I think I counted thirteen laps lost in the second half, more if you add on the yellow flags. It’s just killed what chances there were of any position changes and potential excitement.

What race were you watching? There were a ton of overtakes after the safety car periods due to tyre age. It made little difference to the cars at the front as even having 8 lap younger tyres, no way was Hamilton catching the red cars.

See giovanazzi has been issued with a 10 second post race penalty- doesn’t change his final position though.

He got it for driving too close to the crane and marshalls during the safety car period to recover Russell’s Williams, despite every driver being told over the radio to keep right at that point

The tv coverage has been pretty awful over the last few years - always cutting to crowd reactions half way through moves is the worst offence imo.

Rich B wrote: ↑Tue Sep 24, 2019 12:26 pm

The tv coverage has been pretty awful over the last few years - always cutting to crowd reactions half way through moves is the worst offence imo.

Yeah, as pretty as Lance Stroll’s mum is, I’d rather watch the racing.

I think F1 is the only sport on tv where it switches to the family/friend reaction cam right as the good bit is happening. They seemed pretty fond of Gasley’s girlfriend last time. Half the race is showing Kimi’s wife, then Jos Verstappen and co, then Horner tapping his foot, then Binotto looking confused...

Russia practice is so exciting. Not really.

Mclaren to return to Mercedes engines in 2021. Odds on Renault to produce best engine in 2021?

Mito Man wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2019 9:23 am Mclaren to return to Mercedes engines in 2021. Odds on Renault to produce best engine in 2021?

Nil.

Ferrari looking quick again in practise. Given there are no rule changes for next year is this the end of the road for Merc dominance?

I reckon Mercedes focused on the 2020 car after the summer break. Red Bull were the strongest team towards the end of last year and started off poorly as usual.

That said this years Merc has been made to look better by Ferrari constantly screwing themselves over, and Mercedes were lucky that none of the other teams understood the tyres for the first half of the season/had Pirelli make the tyres thinner which only suited their car.

You really think they’ve started on next years car already?

They do need to make big improvements in their aerodynamic efficiency and engine performance, surely this years car is the best development bed for next years given the stability in the rules.

Certainly, Binotto said their 2020 car was well underway back in June, can’t imagine Mercedes or Red Bull to be any different. I think the big point is how much of the current resources they divert to the next car.
I think one problem is any 2020 updates you run on the current car will give other teams an insight unless they’re minor.