Some of their road cars also are largely Mercedes ;-) (engine)

But WTF indeed. This is why the current row between Renault and Force india is interesting. The FIA will have to rule on how far they car go...
Take the engine, gearbox, and therefore rear end like HAAS with ferrari, be almost a satellite team like Alfa, or a full copy like Pink panther...
and...I forget who said this...but if it goes into appeal, it leaves the FIA and goes to a public tribunal, where the judge might be less F1-aware and rule that this is a BS copy pure and simple...
It might be fun... I personally wish it stopped at the engine, not a step further... it's F1, not Indycar (which is cool also, just not the same idea)

I remember back when I used to get excited about watching an f1 race, really looked forward to it. Now notsomuch.

F1 has become less interesting in the past 20 years as one team dominates for seasons at a time. The outcome of the race is so predictable there seems to be little reason to bother running it.
The back markers are not much more than moving chicanes despite the rising costs that threaten the existence of the series.

I'm no fan of spec series racing, but how do they fix F1?
One way is to allow teams to copy the cars of the big boys. that would reduce costs, or at least even them out, and would result in closer, more exiting racing and get more teams involved in the actual racing.

So I say make it OK to sell last year's designs to the lower teams, at least they'd have a shot of getting in the game and it would make it harder for one team to win every stinking race.

Bottas confirmed till end of 2021. Big whoop...

Also Kvyat wasn't at fault: mechanical issue overheated the rear rim which in turn damaged the tire and led to deflation.

Any word on whether Verstappen's Red Bull was having tire wear problems at the end of the race? Not that it matters now, but I wasn't so sure he should have taken that last pit stop (after Bottas' tire failure). I understand why he did it, from a precautionary standpoint. But had Verstappen not taken that last pit stop, he likely would have won due to Hamilton's tire failure on the last lap. Then again, I don't have the telemetry in front of me to tell me if Red Bull was worried about that left front tire in the closing laps.

"Any word on whether Verstappen's Red Bull was having tire wear problems at the end of the race?"

Yes: https://racer.com/2020/08/03/verstappens-tire-had-50-cuts-at-final-stop/

And on that same web site you can learn about what Pirelli has had to say:

https://racer.com/2020/08/04/pirelli-says-british-gp-tire-failures-wear-related/

Interesting reads. I wonder if Red Bull had any inkling of those cut tires prior to actually seeing them--off Verstappen's car--in the pits.

Perez's quarantine for Covid has ended but he tested positive again , Hulkenberg announced as fill in driver for this weekend . I hope he at least gets to start the race . He has stated he is in talks with several F1 teams for a full time position for next year , I can only hope one of those teams is Haas .

So RP has to pay a fine and lose some points but can continue to use the brake ducts for the rest of the year :rolleyes: , F1 rules are interesting :D

Brake ducts are incredibly complicated and time consuming things to design/manufacture

I'd have made them redesign them just on principle, would cost them more money and more importantly resource

Maybe even enough resource to make them lose an aero update which would cost them performance

Wouldn't surprise me if Renault appeal for a harsher penalty

The fine is likely far less than the money tracing point saved on not having to design the brake ducts.

Pretty clever move RP.

"Yup.. Gotcha, but we kinda need ya to stay in the championship, so...."

Kinda like Ferrari's engine fuel flow sensor bypass slap on the wrist... illegal but we can't lose you, so now your engine will suckk for 2 seasons... Great isn't it ? Still, good to see Renault won on principle for all the true independants out there (just williams, mclaren and them).
I agree with the captain, would be nice to make them redesign them but I suppose all they'd have to do is modify them slightly, the genie is out of the box.

Now can Renault keep that up with another part each week ? for fun !

"Tracing point" - funny !!!

I watched the second session of practice this morning Mercedes is in another time zone ! Racing Point were 5th and 6th so they have pace . Vettels car went kablamo puking oil on the track . Alfa is still lost along with Haas . McLaren looked decent fighting with Renault for mid pack .

Looks like Vettel ran over curbs pretty hard before the failure. May have been driver induced.

F1's 70th Bday is not at peaceful as they'd want...

Reading that apparently a lot of teams are annoyed with the FIA's clemency towards the pink cars. Renault is considering an appeal, they have 24 hours to think about it and 96 hours to file, instead of the usual 1 hour.. They plan to appeal the punishment level, not the result. SAid that teams spend 20% of their time on aero development of such elements, and the punishment is nothing compared to the time and $ spent to gain such an advantage... Zak Brown was apparently particularly pissed off as well and Maclaren could appeal as well "they've been found guilty but can continue to use the parts. They always said they copied based on pictures, the ruling proves that was BS, the entire car is suspicious at this point". Even Williams who decided to bite their tongue until now is considering appealing. Binotto has the same thoughts re: level of punishment (ironic given their secret agreement) ..

Also Mercedes is nowhere near signing the new Concorde agreements - apparently even Ferrari is OK now (they must have kept some concessions like their vetos or some $$), but Mercedes is supposedly very dissatisfied about how their contribution to F1 is perceived and want more $ too... Toto says they're not ready to sign (they got the best car, the most famous driver) - F1 is saying "we talked to everyone, we're moving forward and won't be delayed in signing"... The mood is frosty ;-)

Another WTF is Aston Martin on the side of the Red Bull car, with a Honda powered car.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1596832126.JPG

OK, brake duct done...
moving on to the front wing... then the mirror, then.... I mean it's a carbon copy ;-)

Renault, McLaren and Ferrari all intend to appeal against Tracing Point's penalty

https://www.racefans.net/2020/08/07/racing-point-appeal/

Side air intakes look totally different though.

Side air intakes. The tracing paper slipped?

Hulk is keeping it interesting, big time!

Nico is about the only thing interesting about F1 right now and he’s only temporary. When you can get a flat front tire starting the last lap and still win on a track where you’re full throttle 80% of a lap it shows how incredibly uncompetitive F1 has become.

I thought front wings were spec now.

Haas needs to fire both of their current drivers. If Hulk is available hire him. And then Perez.

^^^^^^^ this, plus lose the Ferrari engine.

Yep. This season is boring doing boring. Hamilton will win this year’s title and next years, and will probably walk away on top with 8 titles and every meaningful record.

That last lap proves how good a driver Hamilton is. Driving that car on 3 wheels only about 10 seconds per three quarters of a lap slower than Verstappen on 4 new tyres. I very much doubt that anyone on this forum could drive that car with 4 good tyres at that speed.

A not-entirely-boring race today. Congrats to the winners.

Albon drove like a man on a mission good for him . RP had a good finish for both cars I am glad for Hulkenberg . Vettel and his car/team are totally lost .

LeClerc is not lost by any means. But Vettel is not driving well nor playing nice in public with Ferrari.

Why did RP bring in Hulk with only 7 laps remaining? Was there a pro lem with his tires? How many laps did he have on the existing set?

Great drive by P1. Phenomenal.

Another solid drive by LeClerc.

Edit: F1 website says Hulk pitted on laps 15, 30, and 44. But doesn't tell which tires were mounted when. But I think he started on the medium compound, and I'm guessing he switched to hards. And I know he finished on softs. Too bad he couldn't make that 2nd set work for 7 more laps, as that 3rd stop dropped him from P5 to P7.

And Hamilton whines about his tires.

Sad to say I just fast forwarded and don't care anymore. We see the best funded drivers, not the best drivers and the rules choke any innovative advantage. I think I watch much like I watch Nascar, because I always have since year one for me. But I do not love the cars anymore and the drivers do not appear larger than life anymore . I have not watched the last four or five Nascar races either. Have to turn down the volume on F! for the screeching whiny Engilshmen announcing it. Road racing I one of the few series that keeps me interested. The arguments and whining about racing point has bored me to tears, back in the day everyone copied anything and so what?

I felt bad for Bottas, it’s like his team hung him out to dry in favour of Hamilton

Hulkenberg stated after the race that both rear tires blistered and he had a bad vibration . He and the team didn't think that set of tires would make it to the end of the race .

Williams and McLaren withdraw their appeal of Racing point punishment... Ferrari and Renault persist. How odd ? ;-) Williams uses a Mercedes engine and Wolff still has shares of the team I think, McLaren gets Mercedes powerplants next year... Coincidence ? I betcha Mercedes is pulling string of their puppets there, as they are afraid a rethink of the penalty might apply to those who supplied the drawings of the brake ducts (them).

From what the announcers on Sky Sports said in 2019 the brake ducts were not a listed part in 2019 and legal for Mercedes to sell or supply the CAD drawings. Only in 2020 did the rear ducts become a listed part. Evidently is is just the rear ducts that is at issue, and Tracing Point was using the same front ducts as last year.

Was the Torro Rosso team essentially not running the previous year RBR car for years?

Hulkenberg has admitted he is in talks with at least two teams for a ride for next year . If Kimi retires I can see an opening with Alfa . I think Grosean's contract expires the end of this season so is Haas the other team in play ?

Dang, I hope HAAS will hire a good driver. Their car is crap, and they need a driver to tell them how and what to fix.