F1 2021
- Thread starter 1%er
- Start date
Ax^
Silly Rabbit
indeed
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
I love this - every time I think I know the form for the weekend, quali goes a different way. We will miss this close racing next year I bet.
Now how do Merc and Red Bull race pace compare? I reckon this grid sets us up for a great race and is more promising than if Max were on pole.
Odds on Max and Lewis having contact before the end of the first lap…?
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
With each other? One in 10. Making contact with others in the mix? One in three. That long, free-tow haul down to the first.Odds on Max and Lewis having contact before the end of the first lap…?
I can see Max trying to win the race on the first lap, because for all his undeniable skill, he's still a big, goofy kid that truly believes he's entitled to any piece of tarmac he likes the look of. Other drivers are just "idiots", which I believe was the word he used when cars went off in front of him.
(Funny how Max whinged on about "respect" earlier in the season, when he felt Hammy should have abandoned a race and brought him grapes and porn mags in hospital...)
If, as he said in the post-qualy sour-grapes interview, and he's in his preferred place in 3rd rather than second, and he gets the launch on Botty, I can see him trying the heavy shoulder tactics he's tried repeatedly on Hammy, and I can see Botty giving even less, um, respect.
Of course, the dream start would be Perez, desperate to please the local crowd, taking out Max at the first corner because the gods have a sense of humour.
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
I see whinger has been getting his hooks into Tsunoda but surely it was Perez who made the mistake? Yuki had driven off the track to be fully out the way, but maybe blame pointing outside his team is easier for Horner than telling the truth?
The Japanese driver has Franz Tost on his side, so should be ok. He was showing some sparkling pace in Q2, so I hope he can have a clean race and recover from this back row start.
The Japanese driver has Franz Tost on his side, so should be ok. He was showing some sparkling pace in Q2, so I hope he can have a clean race and recover from this back row start.
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beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
I’m not convinced pole (or even the front row) is the best place to be at this track. It’s a long drag down to that first corner…
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
So the smart thing to do would be let Verstappen past and then drag behind him!
4D Cluedo
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1%er
Well-Known Member
After all the penalties, this is the starting grid
Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes |
2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull |
5 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri |
6 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari |
7 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren |
8 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
9 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin |
10 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo |
11 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo |
12 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine |
13 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams |
14 | Mick Schumacher | Haas |
15 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas |
16 | George Russell | Williams |
17 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri |
18 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
19 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine |
20 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
Mexico City GP Speed Trap
1%er
Well-Known Member
Pirelli estimates that the hard tyre will run for at least 50 laps in Mexico City, and that provides a wide window to make a pit stop to fit hards and run to the end of the Grand Prix, with a one-stop strategy the clear and obvious choice for all teams. The optimal pit window is between lap 22 and lap 27, but the ability for the hard tyre to do so many laps means teams could even pit a little bit earlier in order to find clear air, which is particularly crucial in Mexico where cooling issues are an area of concern for a following car. Similarly the medium tyre should allow them to run to lap 30 if required before making a stop. On paper, a two-stop strategy appears quick enough to be considered switching back to the mediums late in the race or even the soft tyre but that would give up track position that increases the chances of overheating issues.
At the start, if I were Lewis I'd pull over as close to Bottas as possible and box Max in behind Bottas, if Max wants to go around both of them he will have to push Perez out of the way as he will be charging up behind Lewis.
At the start, if I were Lewis I'd pull over as close to Bottas as possible and box Max in behind Bottas, if Max wants to go around both of them he will have to push Perez out of the way as he will be charging up behind Lewis.
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1%er
Well-Known Member
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits team orders are on the table ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix after a shock front-row lockout for Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. Red Bull looked the ones to beat at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after setting the pace on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying in the final practice session of the weekend.
Though the team were elated with a surprise front-row lock-out, boss Wolff admitted he now has a tough situation on his hands as Hamilton needs to close the 12-point gap to Verstappen in the driver standings. “A front-row lock-out feels really good as it was somehow unexpected,” said the Mercedes boss. "But it’s all about catching up on these valuable points. That’s clear. Most important is to stay ahead at the start, then from there it is easier to manage the race.”
Though the team were elated with a surprise front-row lock-out, boss Wolff admitted he now has a tough situation on his hands as Hamilton needs to close the 12-point gap to Verstappen in the driver standings. “A front-row lock-out feels really good as it was somehow unexpected,” said the Mercedes boss. "But it’s all about catching up on these valuable points. That’s clear. Most important is to stay ahead at the start, then from there it is easier to manage the race.”
Apparently:
Sergio Perez was given Max Verstappen's damaged rear wing for qualifying
Why don't Red Bull apply to run one car, instead of inexplicably running three more drivers they don't actually want?
Sergio Perez was given Max Verstappen's damaged rear wing for qualifying
Why don't Red Bull apply to run one car, instead of inexplicably running three more drivers they don't actually want?
