Formula 1 2018

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

To put it in context, the last race at Monza and this one were the tracks where Ferrari were predicted to dominate and make inroads into Mercedes leads.

[IronworksDave]

It's a shame that a strategy involving using the slower tyre and then driving two seconds slower than you can ... is the way to win ... beautifully executed by Lewis, but it's hardly 'racing' .....

[Clacton-ammer]

It's a shame that a strategy involving using the slower tyre and then driving two seconds slower than you can ... is the way to win ... beautifully executed by Lewis, but it's hardly 'racing' .....

Yep, sucks.

Fair play to Hamilton though. Big shout to Alonso as well, he will be missed next season.

[sicknote]

you have to blame F1 and the cars they advised for set up this year " meters wide creating issues when following on slower circuits, (on fast curcuits it was great as seen in quali for monza) and the tyres they choose for these races, if they want races and not processions they have to either get perelli on board to give tyres that are going to help, or better still allow teams to choose tyre manufacturers and get the teams choosing tyres that compete with each other the old style and way it was,

peope will hark back though to the ferrari bridgestone doination, so the FIA need to impose rules on that to stop that happening, the best way is have say michelin and perreli and bridgestone all allowed to supply race tyres, but if theres 21 races say, you have 7 races for each companies tyre, so every team uses all 3 tyre manufacturer, and you choose privately in blocks of four races, so the options are already in place and teams cant change to react to competing team choices

innevetibly in season 2 all teams will know the best tyres for each track and you'll see every team running the same tyres, unless they gamble, but it adds a bit of variety and hopefully full speed racing



fuel stops is a whole different kettle of fish, but i prefered it as that did mean more top speed racing

and longer pit stops, which differed depending on fuel, these days barring a stuck wheel or crossed thread, its 2 to 3 seconds for every pit stop,


vettel however needs divine intervension , a team who give him a fighting chance and a change in mindset on the sunday

but im happy for Lewis to carry on as he is

[sicknote]

back on the Force India , perez thing

its dissapointing that Ocon has effectively, within the team now been told to not race perez again, and by doing that, Force India have again , just politically bowed to the money they get from the mexican billionaires money to give perez a drive, and ignore Ocons ability,

i hope Ocon has another drive at a competitive team to Force India sorted for next season and gets proper stuck into Perez in that car and shows everyone who should have been backed by Force India in the 2 years they backed perez over him

[westham,eggyandchips]

Lewis. Just the master.

Ferrari and Vettel must be crushed. He is dominating them.

And When SV does have a speed advantage either him or the team strategy blow it. It should be closer than it is, but Ferrari or Vettel seem to nause it up. :shock:

[view from the shires]

Pirelli make the tyres they are instructed to. This is an attempt to make the racing closer, as, if the tyres weren't a factor, Lewis would clear off into the distance with a couple of Ferrari's in his wake.


Limiting the number of engines to keep the costs down is a load of rubbish too. The manufacturers are making more engines now than they did when you fitted a new one every day. The problem is that most of them are failing reliability tests and are scrapped. The design is also much more expensive than a v10 or V12 normally aspirated engine. The sound is still rubbish too. At Silverstone this year a Red Bull from before the hybris era was screaming around the track reminding everyone how the cars should sound. Stoddie's old 2 seaters sound better than the modern cars.


PS. Anyone interested in 3 tickets for next years British GP. They are top seats in Club Corner opposite the podium. You can see the end of the Hangar Straight / Stowe corner, pit entrance & exit, Vale & Club corners, start straight and pits, and into Abbey. My sister has decided to get married on British GP weekend next year in Scotland and we can't return them.

[wolf359]

Good race in Russia right now, Ferrari actually get the strategy right but Vettel ****'s it up (as well as Hamilton being rather good) Verstappen on a flyer, starting last and currently leading (not pitted though)

[wolf359]

Lewis extends his lead to 50 points. A bit sour due to 'team orders'. But it is that old argument again. We see F1 as an individual sport, the teams think otherwise.

[aaronhammer]

It puts Lewis in a tough position because he has to follow that direction else Vettel could end up profiting. Whether it’s just for show, he didn’t look happy to win that way, and even told Bottas to go on the number 1 podium - and even tried swapping trophies with him!

Anyway, what an opening few laps by Max!

[dave_l]

I'm no fan of team orders generally but it's understandable in this scenario IMHO. If Bottas was even in the same postcode points wise it would have stunk but on this occasion with Vettel still having half a chance, Mercedes made the right decision for them as a team.

[westham,eggyandchips]

When Bottas joined Mercedes, he knew what he was signing up for. If he didn't he's extremely naive.

[k-r-c]

Team orders happened for years so don’t know why so many on social media are up in arms, especially with so many seeming to be Ferrari fans who have a long history of it. It’s a shame Hamilton didn’t just give the place back himself after the team said keep as you are. However easy for me to say when I’m not in that position.

Don’t think he needs the extra points he gained today but who knows what can happen.

[DasNutNock]

Highly amusing to see the Ferrari mob screeching with rage at Mercedes. They’re up there with Indian cricket team supporters and Liverpool fans.

[sicknote]

Ferrari used to do it when it was not allowed in F1 and used coded messages, they also had other teams crash or break down conveniently when they needed a yellow flag, oddly those teams had Ferrari engines

They never got pulled up by the FIA but the chances of that are remote given its better known full name.....



Ferrari Crying wolf punn intended

[Clacton-ammer]

When Bottas joined Mercedes, he knew what he was signing up for. If he didn't he's extremely naive.

Exactamundo.

Lewis is a bit of a **** in general, but he is our ****, but thought he handled the win very well with Bottas, showed some humility, which is rare for him.

Max was certainly on fire!

I got repetitive strain injury from swapping the channels so much between the golf...

[westham,eggyandchips]

My only gripe about Mercedes claiming the decision was made for the good of the team.

Try again Toto. A 1-2 with Bottas winning would of given them the same amount of points.

[sicknote]

Didn’t they say it was for the good of both championships,

The worry of Lewis following Valtteri and being pressured by Vettel from behind , could have caused more wear on Lewis’s tyres as following does hurt tyres, put him ahead on clear track and let Valtteri manage that gap to him and Vettel as he was always the weekends quickest driver, was wise, not ideal though, to me that swap was forced by that, the swap back should have happened but toto refused it, both drivers wanted the swap back but going against the team order for lewis would have been mad, as he couldn’t talk to Valtteri and didn’t know where exactly Vettel was, if he lets Valtteri through and Vettel goes past too , Toto is going to go mad legitimately, and Lewis loses out, he had to follow the teams order as much as he clearly didn’t like it

The thought process and their explanation of if being right for both championships does stack up


I don’t think they need to do it again now this season unless Lewis has an engine issue he only has 2 engines left, that’s in their thinking too

[view from the shires]

I think Lewis will want to pay back the win as soon as the championship is secure. Mind you he has never won a race once he has won the championship anyway.


On Leclerc, I think he is ultimately Vettel's replacement not Kimi's. Seb has been a bit vocal about what he perceives as team errors, and this is what Ferrari booted out Alonso for.

[York Ham(mer)]

Hamilton takes pole in Japan as Mercedes lock out the front row. Verstappen in third. Vettel in 9th as Ferrari cock up their tyre selection.