The Official Formula One Thread!

[Rock]

The real problem with "boring" is and always has been when one Constructor is dominant for an extended period. We know how to fix this but we don't want to as it "wouldn't be F1" if all the cars were the same spec. F1 has always been about constant improvement and innovation but that route is always going to throw up "dominant constructors" and a company that spends $500M a year is usually going to beat a company that spends $200M. Trying to limit the budget might be a better way to go but I don't know how that could be made to work.

[sillo]

Congrats to Max on the pole. Well deserved!

Ferraris just aren't suited for the track. Fast in the first sector and then just fall and fall as the lap progresses.

[SpeakWithMichael]

Here's the F1 qualifying highlights from today. Tomorrow could be a very interesting race as well with Red Bull and Ferrari in the mix up front.

[SpeakWithMichael]

10 minutes from the start

[texasmade]

Another good race today. Great strategy call by Mercedes and excellent drive by Hamilton.

[77T]

Originally Posted by texasmade

Another good race today. Great strategy call by Mercedes and excellent drive by Hamilton.

It was a chess-like move where you could watch the Red Bull options dissolve in front of your eyes by watching the traffic and pace after the Mercedes pit stop. Not only is the Mercedes power/chassis package superior, it seems their strategists have better AI in their systems too.

I thought Rob Smedley’s post-Race explanation was the best description of how Max could only hope for a lucky VSC where he was just upstream of pit-in to change tires (a full Safety Car FCY would not have worked).

ROB SMEDLEY SAID...

If Red Bull had pitted the lap after he would have come out behind Hamilton due to what we call the undercut. Lewis entered the pits on the lap of his pit stop just over one second behind.

At that point we can say that Lewis’s car was around 0.5s/lap faster judging by how fast he caught Max after their first pit stops. We need to note that immediately after the pit stop in question Max has now got tyres that are more than 20 laps old compared to the new ones that Lewis had just fitted and this will have been equivalent to another 1.0s of lap time.

If we add the raw pace to the tyre delta then it means that in the out-lap alone Lewis would have made up too much time for Max to have come in the following lap and still be in front.

Red Bull therefore did exactly the right thing by staying out, otherwise they were committing themselves to second place rather than playing the only cards they had and staying out in the lead for as long as possible.

You have to remember that Lewis was a little bit faster on the hard tyre and in addition he had a 'free' pit stop (meaning he could stop and not lose position.

This means that he held all the cards in this situation, making it very difficult for Red Bull to do anything other than exactly what they did.


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[Zakalwe]

It was a good strategy call, though somewhat of a no-brainer. Lewis’ fighting talk that he could’ve overtaken Max without the stop aside, the Hungaroring is second only to Monaco as the hardest circuit to pass on, so they had to roll the dice.

That being said, you could argue that just as crucial as the strategy call in getting the win was Hamilton’s stellar first stint. He kept within 2 seconds of Verstappen and pushed him to wear his tyres out and have to stop early. Hamilton, despite 30 laps in Verstappen’s turbulent air, managed to preserve life in his own tyres and stop several laps later. Had Hamilton not forced Verstappen to cook his medium tyres in the first stint, Max’s hard tyres wouldn’t have fallen off the cliff at the end of the race and he’d more than likely have been able to hold Hamilton at bay.

[sillo]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

It was a good strategy call, though somewhat of a no-brainer. Lewis’ fighting talk that he could’ve overtaken Max without the stop aside, the Hungaroring is second only to Monaco as the hardest circuit to pass on, so they had to roll the dice.

Agreed. I don't think it was this 3D chess 200 IQ strategy call or the huge risk people made it out to be. I don't think he would've passed Max if he stayed on that 2nd set of tires so it was a no brainer to pit him again and try the 2 stop move. They had a free pit stop to Leclerc who was in no man's land and if it didn't work out Lewis still finished in second.

Great driving by Lewis though, the way he came out of the pits after that first stop (a poor pit stop as well) and closed the gap to Max was unbelievable.

[jatco]

It was a great Race by all means.. One of the better ones so far. Great strategies played well for Hamilton...

[sillo]

Albon has officially been promoted to the Red Bull seat.

[Rolex Essex]

Originally Posted by sillo38

Albon has officially been promoted to the Red Bull seat.

About time!
Now RB can challenge Ferrari for the constructors 2nd place.

[sillo]

Originally Posted by Rolex Essex

About time!
Now RB can challenge Ferrari for the constructors 2nd place.

Excited to see what he can do, but I'm a little surprised they didn't let him finish the season in the TR and gain some more experience. I for sure thought it would be Kvyat back in the RB.

[Rolex Essex]

They would need to replace Gasly ASAP if they want to fight Ferrari for the constructors.
I think RB are experimenting with Albon as they already know how Kvyat performs in RB.

If Albon is mediocre then they might have Kvyat back in RB with Verstappen for 2020 but both drivers are better than Gasly anyway.

[Zakalwe]

Harsh on Gasly. I know he’s been rubbish but Max is so fast and is so clearly the team’s number one driver, with resources favouring him above his team-mate that I’m not convinced any driver they can realistically get won’t look equally...well...gash, by comparison.

I’d love to see Sainz in the other RB. He’d still probably get smashed but him and Max hate each other, so it’d be funny. Alas Max would throw his toys out of the pram if it were even suggested.

[Rolex Essex]

Obviously Albon or Kvyat won’t get no1 status in RB but they’ll be playing important part of helping Verstappen and fighting the Ferraris and even Bottas in Mercedes.
Gasly is so far back that he was fighting against the mid field teams and back markers and at the same time getting lapped by Verstappen.

BTW Gasly’s 4th place finish at Silverstone was pure luck.

[texasmade]

If RB was saying they promoted Gasly a year early after 1 season in F1 then I don’t see how promoting Albon after 1/2 a season is a better idea. Unless he’s a super talent like Max or Lewis was, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to promote Albon this early. I would’ve promoted Kyvat first and then let Albon and Gasly fight it out for this year and next in STR with the better driver getting the 2021 RB seat alongside Max.

[Zakalwe]

Originally Posted by texasmade

If RB was saying they promoted Gasly a year early after 1 season in F1 then I don’t see how promoting Albon after 1/2 a season is a better idea. Unless he’s a super talent like Max or Lewis was, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to promote Albon this early. I would’ve promoted Kyvat first and then let Albon and Gasly fight it out for this year and next in STR with the better driver getting the 2021 RB seat alongside Max.

I see what you're saying, but you could also say that Kvyat has already proved himself to be not good enough in the hot seat of a race-winning car. I am genuinely struggling to think of any driver who got promoted to a top team, sacked off back to a smaller team before being re-promoted and being successful second time around.

Personally I think Red Bull's young driver programme has dried up a little bit - they just don't have the depth of talent coming through - yet they insist on only appointing drivers from within their programme, hence the results of the likes of Hartley, Kvyat and Gasly, versus the form of the most talented young drivers on the grid Norris, Russell and Le Clerc.

Having said all that, I am quite interested to see how Albon goes. He looks like he's talented and pretty mature for a young driver.

[OmegaJJH]

I feel sorry for George Russel.

Albon & Norris find themselves in top teams (yes I know McLaren isn’t at the front but they are still a powerhouse of F1 and on the up) but let’s not forget Russel beat both these guys last year in F2 to win the title and finds himself at the back of the grid. Even with Merc backing!

Must admit, I thought Kvyat would of got the call. He seems a much more mature well rounded driver 2nd time around. Would of given Albon another years experience too.


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[sillo]

Originally Posted by OmegaJJH

Must admit, I thought Kvyat would of got the call. He seems a much more mature well rounded driver 2nd time around. Would of given Albon another years experience too.

Agreed. I guess once the doctor makes up his mind there's no changing it.

[texasmade]

Russell and Ocon should square off at Williams next year and whoever proves to be better gets Bottas’s seat in 2021.

[77T]

The Gasly/Albon switch has a financial impact too. Red Bull gets a ton more money if they can displace Ferrari.

Neither driver was going to rob any limelight from Verstappen since he has propelled the RB team again to 3rd.

Won’t weigh-in on who the best GP2 driver was in the past. Because the difference between the two series is big enough to say success in GP2 wont guarantee anything in F1. Of course, if one can’t cut it in GP2 then they won’t see an F1 offer anyway.


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[joeychitwood]

Any idea which watch Hamilton is wearing here?

[Rolex Essex]

Looks like IWC big pilot perpetual calendar.
I think IWC made one for Hamilton with champagne dial



There’re some really hot pieces by IWC.

[DTap]

Can’t wait till Spa!


I think poor Pierre is gonna get crushed by Danny K and Albon will be within 2 tenths of max.

[offrdmania]

Looking forward to the next follow the leader parade

[RobearH]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

Looking forward to the next follow the leader parade

That won’t be this weekend at Spa which IMO is the best judge of a fearless driver the circuit has all year!

For proof see Kimi passing Schumacher on the left at Au Rouge.

[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Originally Posted by joeychitwood

Any idea which watch Hamilton is wearing here?

If only the Mercedes team were sponsored by Hamilton. Then Lewis could endorse Hamilton.

[huncho]

he was seen wearing a patek at a fashion show recently, wonder how that works if you're endorsed by another brand

[texasmade]

I think there are restrictions only during certain times like whenever he’s involved in F1 he has to wear IWC. I remember when Blackberry used to be a sponsor of Mercedes, no one in the garage was allowed to have their iPhone or Android phone out.

[Rolex Essex]

Bottas keeps seat for 2020
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/49509017

So all the rumours about Ocon getting his seat can get lost lol