Great pass by Russell, coming off the virtual safety car. That was brilliant. I'm surprised he could snooker a veteran like Checo, by sandbagging under virtual yellow.

And I also loved Alonso's response when he was told by his engineer that the car behind had just turned a 39.whatever and was catching up. Fernando said something to the effect of: "Great. I want him closer so he'll ruin his tires."

Just some really wily racing by both those guys.

I wonder if Ferrari suffer from paralysis by analysis ? Maybe they have too many engineers/experts performing so much data analysis that they can't make quick decisions . Or react quickly to a track changing event . Attempting to call Sainz into the pit lane as he is performing a pass and is within feet of pit entrance is comical .

Was there a penalty assessed for the pit lane cut off? I don't get F1 live only highlights.

If I remember correctly Sainz/Ferrari were given a 5 second penalty .

Had they pitted him 5-10 laps earlier he would have been even further back in the field with a lot more passes to make. I think regardless of when they pitted he was going to end up in fifth. Running to the end might have gotten him third, the risk of DNF or a late late pit to the back would have been too high.

For starting 19th, not too bad!

They mentioned the 5 second penalty as a factor in deciding to pit.

They could use that release video as a textbook unsafe release. When the other car had to lock up the tires to avoid a collision, and the pit worker was missed by inches. I hope the FIA also fines Ferrari some major bucks for that classic cluster fudge of a release. It just should not happen like that. It could easily been a total catastrophic event.

Ran over the air hose with the rear tire:

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I'm not sure Ferrari can get out of their own way long enough to win the constructors championship this year.

I was good with Russell until yesterday. His assessment of the contact with Checo was way off, but it was his continued crying that made me think Hammy is coaching him up (as they say in american football) and was just over the top. Glad to hear Toto tell him to calm down.

Once again though the SC or VSC really F'ed up some races. Totally screwed over the Haas boys that had just pitted. They really need to just close the pits under SC or VSC. It is too great of an advantage and isn't sporting in the slightest.

Russell was saying something about the position of his car being on the inside in the turn, and the relationship of his front tire to Checo’s rear tire. So, he was implying that even though Checo’s car was ahead, that the position of his car on the inside of the turn meant that he had a right to the space (which he quickly took to the right curb, basically running Checo off the track). He kept indicating that he was correct, according to the passing rules.

Not sure where to see this rule to know who was correct. But given that no penalty was issued, was Russell correct?

If anyone would know the rules to a T, I'm thinking it is him. But it doesn't sound right though. What he is saying is... I got alongside to a point therefore it's my corner. Well crap, then just lung at any corner and say that...

Plus it didn't seem like the left was the problem, it was him being out of line for the right that caused the contact. His line was straight thru each apex, which won't work if there are 2 cars and one is 3/4 car length behind.

Terrific, another whiny mercedes driver. And ham managed to top himself by claiming he lost 3 kilos of weight because his "drinks" bottle was broken. Not only did he drive harder than any other person ever in the history of driving, he also suffered.
He suffered!!!!

Oh, clearly he did not suffer as much as our Nige.

Nope.

Yeah, the laying on the floor of the driver cool down room was a bit over the top. Just a bit.

But TBH, he has caused the rise in temps with his private jet trips and driving a race car. ;)

As soon as the VSC light went on I thought, great, more Hamilton luck.

Louis sold his private jet three years ago…

:eek:

Will the sufferfest never end?


Stand aside, Job, you've got company!!!

Nooooo!! Hamilton sold his private jet? And STILL he rises?

Russell was known as difficult and demanding when he was at Williams. An F1 driver, in other words.

That was my thinking! How could that possibly be right? I cannot see how that was his corner.

Red Bull have now protested that last restart after VSC. Russell was not sandbagging as it appeared to all of us, Checo had resumed race pace prior to the light on his steering wheel going out to indicate he could do that. As a result, his sector time would have been too fast, and he would have been penalized, so he had to slow way, way down and wait for his light to go off.

Red Bull's protest is that the Sporting Regulations specify a precise time from declaration of the end of the VSC period to the resumption of racing. Checo resumed race pace at that time, not waiting for the light, which he either assumed was malfunctioning or possibly didn't even see. He then slowed, trying to avoid a penalty. Essentially, the doofus with his thumb on the button for the light - either an FIA or more likely a local race control official - cost him, and Red Bull, the position. Nothing the least bit "savvy" in any way about what Russell did. It was handed to him.

Oh, and it actually was Russell's corner under the new Sporting Regulations. His front tire only has to be past the other car's rear tire, and it was. But, well, that is only part of the Sporting Regulations. The other part that applies in that situation is that even if it is his corner, he is obliged to leave the other car "racing room". Russell did not do that, and forced Checo off on the outside. If he is going to invoke the Sporting Regulations, he better adhere to all of them... Hence, no penalty for Checo for leaving the track to avoid a collision. Or a worse collision, actually. Russell still tagged him pretty good.