F1: 2019 thread

[astrochex]

Mercedes trying radical aero concepts at Barcelona.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by chapo

Indycar race was a lot of fun, lots of passing and strategy with the rain coming. Recorded the F1 race but see no reason to watch it.

Me too. It may be spec, but the youngunz are hella fun to watch

[chapo]

Yes , the young IndyCar guys respect their elders but give them no quarter on the track!

[David]

That indycar race was awesome! Waiting for the rain, then waiting for them to decide when to change to rain tires and finally watching Pagenaud lay waste to everyone in front of him in the rain.

[yellowperil]

At Barcelona, the pole position seemed not to be an advantage for an up-coming right hander as it gave Ham the inside line, didn't it? I may be looking at it a$$ backwards, but that's the way I saw it.

[oldE]

Just when one gets tired of Mercedes' dominance of the season, you get to read of an acct like this.

Harry Shaw: Lewis Hamilton fan's video prompts donations

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-surrey-48282143

They sent aF1 car and Lewis' trophy to the kid.

Best
Les

[Jims5543]

Bottas best Qualifying lap in Spain was 1:15:406

Mazepin turned a 1:15.775 in 2nd practice which would have put him on the front row.


Anyone can win in that car, hell put Kubika in it.

[Jims5543]

...

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[Jims5543]

Marko is a windbag, this is one of those moments when I agree with him 100%, I posted above, as soon as I saw the time sheets from Day 2 of testing, I was convinced the Silver Arrow can be driven to a championship by anyone on the grid.

https://www.grandprix247.com/2019/05/17/marko-a-second-class-f2-driver-showed-how-good-mercedes-is/

The Russian driver did a solid job in the cockpit, racking up 128 laps – more than any other driver on the day -with a best lap time of 1:15.775 which compares to Valtteri Bottas’ best effort of 1:15.551 set a day earlier, in similar conditions.

This, of course, did not go unnoticed by sharp-tongued Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko who told Auto Bild, “The fact that a second-class Formula 2 driver can immediately fastest in the Mercedes show how more superior it is. More superior than ever.”

Mazepin, who finished second in the 2018 GP3 Series, has not had the best of starts to his rookie F2 campaign but it still early days.

In another case of ‘billionaire-funds-drive-for-son’ scheme, which is trending in the top flight, Mazepin is on the Mercedes radar most probably because his father is funding a full private testing programme in a 2016 car with the World Champions.

A similar strategy used by billionaire Lawrence Stroll with his son and Williams.

Mazepin senior has gone one (or two) better by enlisting Mercedes to mentor his son and groom him for F1. He is scheduled to have five test sessions at a reported cost of €10-million.

On the subject, Marko wasn’t finished, “What surprised me was that Mercedes did not even try to hide it and didn’t prevent Mazepin from setting the best time of the day, so the superiority is very clear now.”

The same thing happened in Bahrain during in-season testing, early last month, when George Russell also topped the timing screens after his day-long stint in the W10, having spent the race weekend at the same venue, four seconds off the pace in the woeful Williams.

Remember everyone screaming Vettel was winning because of the car and it wasn't the driver, I have not heard that much this year. Is it because the #2 driver is right there fighting with Hamilton? Whereas Webber was no where to be found most seasons?

[ZAMIRZ]

Probably.

Red Bull also hampers their number 2 driver.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by ZAMIRZ

Probably.

Red Bull also hampers their number 2 driver.

In what regard?

Like giving #2 a bad car? Would that be why Webber was not able to out qualify him?

[cairns]

I have no doubt the guy would be faster than Gasly given the chance to lap in a Red Bull. Marko should STFU.

[legion]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

In what regard?

Like giving #2 a bad car? Would that be why Webber was not able to out qualify him?

The took parts off of Webber's car and put them on Vettel's car when Vettel wanted them. They consistently put the #2 driver in a position of holding up the pack for the #1 driver. Their #2 driver is regularly put on an "off" strategy in the off chance it pays off.

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

In what regard?

Like giving #2 a bad car? Would that be why Webber was not able to out qualify him?

Just look at the performance of 2 supposedly equal cars. over the years.

When Vettel is winning, Mark Webber and later, Daniel Ricciardo is hardly ever able to challenge.

Vettel announces he's going to Ferrari. All of a sudden the performance of his car plummets and Ricciardo is top dog.

Max comes in the team, car is ok, but not better than Daniel. Max has a couple of pretty awesome drives, Daniel's results are suddenly worst than Max's (on average).

Daniel has stated publicly that he started to feel alienated when the new came out about him moving to Renault.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by legion

The took parts off of Webber's car and put them on Vettel's car when Vettel wanted them. They consistently put the #2 driver in a position of holding up the pack for the #1 driver. Their #2 driver is regularly put on an "off" strategy in the off chance it pays off.

We may be confusing Ferrari with Red Bull here.

The "parts off Webbers car" was one incident and Webber said he did not like the new wing and preferred the old one then lost it when they gave it to Vettel. It was one incident not a regular multiple season long occurrence.

#2 Webber was never up front enough to give support to #1 so that is a fallacy at best. Webber may have been holding up the P5 on back. He was not up in the P2 position much at all to offer any support, like Ferrari did with Barrichello and Massa, at least they could get up in the front and help.

Splitting strategies is now hobbling a driver.

I do not believe for a minute Red Bull, or ANY team on the grid will hobble one driver just so the other can get an advantage. Mercedes and Ferrari included, they try to get the best performance out of both cars. Not slow one down in favor on the other.


So is Hamilton WDC earned this year? Or is it the car? I think the article above says it all, anyone can be a WDC in that car. I do not think Bottas is that good of a driver, I think the car makes him look much better than he is and the fact he is giving Hamilton such a run say something that makes Hamilton fans angry.

The split between Webber and Vettel was not a team hobbling a driver, I will never believe that. They do not spend all the money to lose WCC money so a driver can win a WDC. Just does not make any sense at all.

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I do not believe for a minute Red Bull, or ANY team on the grid will hobble one driver just so the other can get an advantage. Mercedes and Ferrari included, they try to get the best performance out of both cars. Not slow one down in favor on the other.

Tell that to Kimi.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by ZAMIRZ

Just look at the performance of 2 supposedly equal cars. over the years.

When Vettel is winning, Mark Webber and later, Daniel Ricciardo is hardly ever able to challenge.

Vettel announces he's going to Ferrari. All of a sudden the performance of his car plummets and Ricciardo is top dog.

Max comes in the team, car is ok, but not better than Daniel. Max has a couple of pretty awesome drives, Daniel's results are suddenly worst than Max's (on average).

Daniel has stated publicly that he started to feel alienated when the new came out about him moving to Renault.

New rules new car Vettel could not adapt to it. That was the first year of the Hybrid turbo cars. Seb was used to the blown diffuser on the V8 and was struggling to adapt to the lack of rear bite. He admitted as much.

Do you think in any of the instances above, RBR was hobbling one drivers car in favor of another?


FYI - Dan never drove against Vettel in the v8 era cars he came to RBR right as they got the Turbo motors. Dan was beating Seb the season he got there.

[Jims5543]

This has been more exciting than the entire 2019 season so far.


Not sure how Ferrari hurt Kimi while or again, why any team would hobble any car they campaign, I cannot understand that reasoning.


I gotta run crazy afternoon and evening ahead.

[cairns]

Ferrari pulled Kimi over for Vettel so many times his neck was sprained....

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by cairns

Ferrari pulled Kimi over for Vettel so many times his neck was sprained....

How many times did Bottas move over last season?

I honestly think Nico's WDC was rigged. He was gifted it to leave. Now they are dealing with Bottas thinking he can win one. At least they are fighting clean... so far.

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