The F1 drivers book of excuses must be getting a bit thin... especially for those on the front row.

 

Both RBR and Racing Point have announced that problems with the front wing caused their grid-leading drivers to be completely rubbish on Sunday.

 

I can understand RP trying to soften the blow with the bosses boy Lance - because he must be gutted at throwing away his big chance,

but Verstappen's tone talking about his wing seemed to be blaming the team for losing the race...a race that I feel he should have dominated from the front row.

 

I bet Marko still thinks he's got the best driver in F1 mind you, despite this weeks glaring evidence to the contrary.

I think Max tried to start in 1st gear because he was just spinning the rear tyres on the grid going nowhere when Lewis probably used his experience with his excellent engineer Bono to start in 2nd gear reduced wheel spin to a minimum and got a great start gaining 3 places by the first corner and then running wide and losing 2 places later on the lap but not panicking for his only real mistake of the race. Compare Bottas in the same car as the winner and he had a complete nightmare and Toto will not want him in the 2nd car beyond 2021.

 

I'd say no... Its impossible to rate anyone as all time best.

 

Each era was different and so difficult to compare. Even picking the best of each era is difficult... but here's my best drivers

 

30's Carraciola, Rosemeyer, Lang, Nuvolari - could you pick just one?

 

50's Fangio, Ascari, Moss - who's the best?

 

60's Brabham, Clark, Hill, Gurney?

 

70's Stewart, Fittipaldi, Lauda?

 

80's Prost, Senna, Piquet, Mansell?

 

90's Schumacher, Hakkinen?

 

00's Schumacher, Alonso?

 

10's Vettel, Hamilton

 

Therefore, Hamilton is in my top 23

 

My best of the best: Ascari, Clark, Stewart, Senna, Schumacher, Hamilton.

 

But I cant pick one out because of the different eras they raced in.

 

As for a knighthood, why?  No F1 driver has ever been knighted just for being a success in F1.

Brabham, Stewart, Moss, were all long retired before their awards. 29 years for Stewart, 38 for Moss, 8 for Brabham

 

Of course a quicker way to a knighthood for racers used to be to break the LSR (Segrave / Campbell). Maybe Lewis would be up for a go in Bloodhound?

 

So, Honda are quitting at the end of 2021.

 

RedBull's best (only?) option is to buy the Honda engine project and run it themselves from 2022.

 

In order for this to work Red Bull have been pushing for an F1 engine freeze from 2022.

 

After initial No's, Mercedes and now Ferrari are coming round to supporting this...

 

However today from Horner: "Important F1 engine freeze doesn’t lock in disadvantages"

 

Redbull are now seemingly proposing a freeze on the fastest engines but not any other... I can see Mercedes support for the scheme evaporating already 

Bahrain FP3 times suggest the usual RBR and Mercedes shoot out for Pole at 2pm (GMT).

Becoming a theme in 2020 Russell makes it into Q2 and Ferrari drivers fail to get into Q3........again. Sainz suffers a mechanical. Hope Ricciardo has a sense of humour when he moves to McLaren next year......he might need it if Sainz bad luck stays with his car.

Cometh the hour......cometh the main man.......again......with Lewis claiming his 98th career Pole Position with an outright new lap record time of 1:27.264. His team mate joins him on the front row and Max and Albon make up the 2nd row. Perez best of the rest again. Someone must sign the Mexican driver soon surely.

Renault against Engine freeze for 22. 

 

Wolff says plan (from RB & Ferrari) for engine convergence would be an insult.

 

So Horner has pushed too far and Mercedes wont support him (but who knows what is his real agenda?).

 

 

5 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Cometh the hour......cometh the main man.......again......with Lewis claiming his 98th career Pole Position with an outright new lap record time of 1:27.264. His team mate joins him on the front row and Max and Albon make up the 2nd row. Perez best of the rest again. Someone must sign the Mexican driver soon surely.

 

There is only one seat Perez is waiting for...at RBR.

 

The other seats are all gone, and I believe he rejected Haas.

Can't see the proposed $30 million drivers cap per team from 2023 being popular unless the best drivers agree to a significant pay cut.

Drivers all hate the 2021 tyres they tested Friday. 

 

These tyres are stronger and slower and Pirelli say they are more robust to cope with rising downforce levels.

 

FFS, downforce is being substantially reduced next year - so F1 will just be left with a set of too stiff tyres again.

Hamilton said they weigh 3 kg more than the 2019 tyre and wondered what development Pirelli had been doing in the last 24 months when they are according to him 1 second a lap slower as well.

Channel 4 making me wait till 9PM for the highlights show! The race is on at 2.

19 minutes ago, camelspyyder said:

Channel 4 making me wait till 9PM for the highlights show! The race is on at 2.

Have 2 close friends coming over at 7pm for a meal to celebrate my Birthday today (21 again) with the wife as lockdown means everywhere is closed and will watch the highlights afterwards whether they like F1 or not. My house, my rules (remote TV).

2 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Have 2 close friends coming over at 7pm for a meal to celebrate my Birthday today (21 again) with the wife as lockdown means everywhere is closed and will watch the highlights afterwards whether they like F1 or not. My house, my rules (remote TV).

Shy - we're still in National Lockdown until December 2nd, which according to gov.uk means:

Quote

In general, you must not meet with another person socially or undertake any activities with another person.

 

However, you can exercise or meet in a public, outdoors space with people you live with, your support bubble, your childcare bubble, or with one other person.

So enjoy your birthday celebration but admitting on a public forum that you're breaking the lockdown restrictions isn't a particularly bright thing to do?

Grosjean must be the luckiest man alive today ,unbelievable crash glad he walked away 

1 minute ago, Mickvrs220 said:

Grosjean must be the luckiest man alive today ,unbelievable crash glad he walked away 

Perhaps God gives folk a second chance on my Birthday as 36 years ago today I had major surgery to remove cancer in a saliva gland removed from my neck. Every day is now a good day having been given a second chance.

Will a podium save Albon's job? Or will anybody notice Perez had him covered the whole race ( in a slower car) ?

Speaking of poor drives, what has happened to Bottas lately? Has Hamilton finally crushed his spirit?

Agree with you on both of your points.

Weekend off for Hamilton who has tested positive. Mercedes seat up for grabs.

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 December, 20205 yr by camelspyyder

35 minutes ago, camelspyyder said:

Weekend off for Hamilton who has tested positive. Mercedes seat up for grabs.

Conspiracy alert! Has Hamilton really tested positive or is he just making a point about not wanting to drive in a country that he has said has a bad civil rights issue?

Think it is Lewis being Santa Claus and handing a race victory to one of the other driver's a present before Xmas. Will George Russell jump from Williams as a former Mercedes driver for a one off drive?

Vandoorne and Gutierrez are official reserves. Hulk is probably available and has raced the Mercedes engine already this year. 

 

Pietro Fittipaldi is racing for Haas by the way. Is he the first grandson of a F1 Champion to do so?

 

 

19 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Conspiracy alert! Has Hamilton really tested positive or is he just making a point about not wanting to drive in a country that he has said has a bad civil rights issue?

 

No mate. He's actually retiring after that crash.

 

 

Edited 1 December, 20205 yr by camelspyyder