While I'm enjoying the various points of view but Leclerc turned into Verstapen. It's visible in the above pictures that Leclerc has more steering wound in the Verstapen.
I've been a Ferrari F1 fan since 1976 and would have loved to see Leclerc win but it was not to be. I was looking forward to seeing the Ferarri mechanics belting out the Italian nation anthem but alas it wasn't to be. Again there wasn't any disappointment because this was a a barn burner.
Verstapen has pulled off more than his share bone head maneuvers (taking himself and Grojan out at Monaco is top of the list) but this wasn't one of them.
A friend and I were just laughing about this exact situation a few weeks ago; we were having a grand old dice and I passed him around the outside, next lap he did as Verstapen did leaving me with the choice of holding my line and going in the dirt, turning into the side of his car or backing off and falling in behind naturally I chose to back off.
My point is that it would be naieve/stupid to think drivers are going to behave the way an amateur vintage racer such as myself would. Verstapen committed 100% to a block pass and Leclerc committed 100% to not backing off so there really was no other outcome possible.
Furthermore neither driver should be vilified for their actions in this incident. While I deplore the rubbing is racing this was a pretty clean scrap as both cars continued on unscathed.
Given the performance of Ferrari and Red Bull in Austria and France how do we stack up the teams going to Silverstun?
I wonder if Red Bull have finally tuned the car to be a Max spec racer. All setup is to his style. With the Honda Motor going ok maybe they can take a win?
I hope Hamilton can take another win at home. But MB definitely have a lesser car this year. Just been getting setup right and better reliability over Ferrari. If Ferrari can get behind Leclerc they might win there.
I wish McLaren to have a good race maybe even trouble the top teams.
I don't think we have had rain yet. Maybe it is time for that!!
I think Mercedes has decided to concentrate on corner speed versus straight line speed - the opposite of the strategy that Williams was using of late. So I'm not sure their car is "lesser", just not as dominant as it has been in the past and it suits some tracks better than others. Red Bull has the Red Bull Ring dialed and it really seems to suit Max, so I don't know if the performance there will translate to other tracks.
Rain would be great. Even better would be highly variable conditions. That always mixes things up and brings the strategists into play. We know Lewis is good in the rain. Vettel is a little spinny. We don't know a lot about LeClerc in those conditions from what I recall and I don't recall Max being a standout either way in the wet.
BTW, if you haven't seen Letterman's long-form interview of Hamilton on Netflix ("My next guest needs no introduction"), it's worth a watch. It was filmed over the winter break and includes some time with his dad. There are some interesting comments along the lines of "everyone is good, how do we set ourselves apart?" that are food for thought. It lines up well with Will Bruxton's story of the 2006 Instanbul GP2 race (scroll down a bit). If you're stuck, do something lateral.
Keith Tanner said:
I think Mercedes has decided to concentrate on corner speed versus straight line speed - the opposite of the strategy that Williams was using of late. So I'm not sure their car is "lesser", just not as dominant as it has been in the past and it suits some tracks better than others. Red Bull has the Red Bull Ring dialed and it really seems to suit Max, so I don't know if the performance there will translate to other tracks.
Rain would be great. Even better would be highly variable conditions. That always mixes things up and brings the strategists into play. We know Lewis is good in the rain. Vettel is a little spinny. We don't know a lot about LeClerc in those conditions from what I recall and I don't recall Max being a standout either way in the wet.
BTW, if you haven't seen Letterman's long-form interview of Hamilton on Netflix ("My next guest needs no introduction"), it's worth a watch. It was filmed over the winter break and includes some time with his dad. There are some interesting comments along the lines of "everyone is good, how do we set ourselves apart?" that are food for thought. It lines up well with Will Bruxton's story of the 2006 Instanbul GP2 race (scroll down a bit). If you're stuck, do something lateral.
Yep, it was a really good interview. I've been a Hameeeeeelton fan since he came into F1.
Keith Tanner said:
I don't recall Max being a standout either way in the wet.
Have you forgotten Brazil 2016?
Well, I did say "I can't recall" :)
In reply to Advan046 :
Lesser car? Pole every race but two, wins every race but one, usually a one two. Lap records on most quali laps, with a lesser aero package. Lewis could stay home for the next three races and the only driver that could pass him in points is his team mates.
Not sure how you get lesser out of that.
red_stapler said:
Keith Tanner said:
I don't recall Max being a standout either way in the wet.
Have you forgotten Brazil 2016?
Have you forgotten that a one-off performance isn't a trend?
Remember Vettel winning in the wet with Toro Rosso, but then also slamming into the back of Webber in the wet in I believe Japan?
Hell, Hamilton threw away the Championship in his rookie year over the pit lane entrance in China when wet? And now he's considered one of the great drivers in wet/inclement/changing conditions.
Have you forgotten that his rain tires were totally shagged out and as a rookie in dealing with an F1 team he was reluctant to defy the team and come in a couple of laps earlier.
Hamilton is indeed quite good in the rain.
The other Silverstone question is going to be will a contract deal get done.
Hey I didn't say the Mercedes is a Williams of F1...wait...
I meant that I think Ferrari has a better car but just haven't figured out how to use it. Maybe that does mean it isn't as great a car as the Mercedes because it IS too hard to tune.
Ferrari aren't runaway faster but unlike last year, where I didn't fully buy into the Ferrari is faster talk, this year I think it is being honest to say that. The key is the Ferrari team keeping it dialed in to each track. Or keeping engine from blowing. Or not boxing Leclerc at the wrong time.
I will definitely watch the letterman interview. I definitely remember Lewis Hamilton in Formula 3 and GP2.
Who didn't see this coming?
https://jalopnik.com/haas-f1-sponsor-rich-energy-claims-to-have-terminated-c-1836250021
So while it's not 100% sure that Rich Energy has jumped ship, the idea that they are totally a fake thing is still there.
(some news suggests that RE is trying to restore the deal)
wae
SuperDork
7/11/19 11:11 a.m.
In reply to alfadriver :
I saw that. That whole deal just doesn't get un-strange...
The Rich Energy saga has been...odd. Jalopnik's obsession with it has been very entertaining. If I were Hass, I'd be trying to get loose of them if possible just due to the random bad publicity. That tweeter account is a liability.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
There's a heavy correlation between RE's sponsorship and HAAS' downfall in performance...
Possibly causation?
Javelin said:
In reply to Keith Tanner :
There's a heavy correlation between RE's sponsorship and HAAS' downfall in performance...
Possibly causation?
It would be nice to blame Haas' problems on the concept that Ferrari is using for their car (which Haas has to accept, given they buy suspension parts from them). But I very much worry that it's related to RE's influence. Like someone in RE is trying to run the show without any knowledge of how cars work.
I can't see Hass allowing someone at RE telling them how to run the show. But it has to be a distraction. The same way that McLaren was distracted last year. It's bad for a race team.
The soap opera is getting crazier. Jalopnik is on it.
The shareholders are keen to protect their investment in the brand, and that includes saving the relationship with Haas.
One source told Motorsport.com: “The deal is not terminated and William has no authority to do so. The investors are trying to clear up the PR mess, but it’s business as usual.”
The shareholders listed alongside Storey for Rich Energy UK are Brandsellers Holdings Ltd, Robert Lee, Charlie Simpson, Neville Weston and Lloyd Tunicliffe.
But wait! William Storey!
I am the CEO and founder of Rich Energy and control the board of directors and all assets.
I also control more than 51% of the shares
There has been an attempted coup of my position by a handful of shareholders who have a cosy relationship with Red Bull and Whyte bikes.
These shareholders led by Neville Weston and Charlie Simpson have failed in their efforts.
All key stakeholders support the current strategy of the UK’s premium energy drink Rich Energy
His writing style reminds me of a sitting politician. Whyte Bikes, if you're not aware, the company that designed the Rich Energy logo but thought they had done it for themselves. Why they're teaming up with Red Bull for this conspiracy is a mystery, but it's by far the most entertaining thing going on in F1 today.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I need a shake your head emogi.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
It's hard to believe that the story got even crazier after your post, but it did. I can't imagine that all of this chassis doesn't effect HAAS in some way!
For those who haven't seen so the news, a random tweet from Rich Energy stated that they were discontinuing sponsorship effective immediately due to poor performance and a OC attitude. Then HAAS started that they had a contract and no official statements from Rich to the contrary. Then Rich releases a statement saying that a single rogue employee made the tweet and that it was false. Then the CEO came out saying that there's a coup attempt at the company trying to force him out and that there is no sponsorship at all.
Meanwhile it's the British Grand Prix (Rich is a British company) and Whyte Bikes (also British, who Rich stole the logo and design from) won every court case against Rich and expect payment in a week or so (I can't remember the exact date) and if Whyte aren't paid they get to shut Rich down and seize assets.
It's like a trashy novel!
I believe the payment is (was, given the time zone) due today. Which means a small bicycle manufacturer may become the title sponsor of the HAAS F1 team. At least they can use the logo :)
In reply to Keith Tanner :
That would be a pretty epic one race sponsorship deal though. They should do it anyway!
Very interesting times put in at Silverstun practice.
I am excited for Qualifying. Will it be Leclerc, Bottas, or Hamilton?
Curious if McLaren can run closer to redbull.
Grojean! Ha!
I was having a fanboy moments watching the stuff related to the Brawn GP BGP001 being out yesterday.
In reply to spacecadet :
Look at how simple those wings were a decade ago...
alfadriver said:
In reply to spacecadet :
Look at how simple those wings were a decade ago...
That's a regulatory thing. Here's what they looked like the year before!
