don’t think Bottas was ever going to catch Lewis for that to happen.

Verstappen getting all upset that someone “Verstappened” him in the race.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/49988237

Have to agree with whats been said, Merc should of left Hamilton out, if Bottas managed to get within a couple of seconds of him then they could of swapped them around to make things fair for Bottas

Seemed stupid to pit Lewis so he would come out behind Vettel knowing that they haven’t passed Ferrari on track since the summer break and every time they have been behind a Ferrari even with DRS they just dont have the straight line speed to get the job done

So Renault under investigation after a complaint from Racing Point, 12 page dossier submitted means that they have had an idea of something going on for a while.

Have to agree with whats been said, Merc should of left Hamilton out, if Bottas managed to get within a couple of seconds of him then they could of swapped them around to make things fair for Bottas

His tyres wouldn’t have lasted – he was on Mediums which would have been about 30-35 laps old by the end of the race so Vettel on much newer tyres would have been able to get past him for 2nd place anyway.
He got fastest lap which is the extra point needed for Constructor Championship which he wouldn’t have got if he’d have stayed out so that’s a positive.

Still don’t understand why Hamilton wasn’t given a set of hard tyres at his first pit stop

15 second penalty for Le Crash.

Love listening Max moaning about being punted off with his track record.

Love listening Max moaning about being punted off with his track record.

Quite!

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/146558/renault-ecusteering-wheels-sealed-amid-protest

Still don’t understand why Hamilton wasn’t given a set of hard tyres at his first pit stop

There was a radio message where the team explained that the hard tyres were an unknown quantity but known to be considerably slower per lap. There were only a couple of the mid-runners using them, no other teams went near them.

rOcKeTdOg

Subscriber

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/146558/renault-ecusteering-wheels-sealed-amid-protest

Yeah that’s an odd one. 12 pages suggests they have considerable supporting evidence. Wouldn’t be like Renault to cheat though 🤔

I’m a bit slow on this but d oes this mean the Renaults were automatically adjusting brake balance as it went round the lap?

I’m a bit slow on this but d oes this mean the Renaults were automatically adjusting brake balance as it went round the lap?

That’s what it sounds like. The devil is in the details, obviously.

Does it mean automatically changing over a lap, or per lap, as in it knocks it 0.01% rearwards per lap to counter the weight change as fuel gets used?

Wonder if they really did see it in the onboards or whether somebody grassed

Does it mean automatically changing over a lap, or per lap

Nobody knows the details, but it would seem more likely to me to be changing over a lap to adjust for changes in front and rear downforce. Other question is whether they were adjusting left-right balance, which is what Mclaren did 20 years or so back. I assumed that was completely illegal.

I think the brake bias has to be driver controlled, although I think there was a additional rule back at the start of braking energy recovery systems that allows for the rears to be automatically controlled as part of the system. Perhaps Renault’s controls fronts as well?

Ah, yes, I forgot about the energy recovery side of things. I don’t see how the scrutineers can monitor brake bias if part of the rear braking is coming from ERS. However, it must be really tempting for teams to try and find creative ways to cheat by employing the ERS in sneaky ways.

Questions about the legality of Ferrari’s engine. Speculation that they have a system of controlled leaks of oil from the intercooler.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-engine-scrutiny-teams-fia/4559167/

That would explain a few things!

Oops!

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-disqualified-japanese-brakes-suzuka/4585059

Disqualification seems a bit harsh!

Bloody hell, I expected something would be afoot after their ECUs and steering wheels were impounded. How many times have Renault nee Benetton courted controversy with software “ambiguities”?

Whatever punishment meted out by the stewards would have to be sufficient enough to make a point but to not cause havoc in Renault’s board right now. As an engine supplier they’re hugely important to the sport, even if they’re currently only powering two teams for 2020 and one of those jumps ship for 2021.

Ooft! It seems a bit much. The engines operate to some sort of mapping: a couple of years ago or so Alonso’s Honda engine mapping in Spa qually went dud towards the end of the lap because he was faster than expected so the engine wasn’t in the correct state – seems like much the same idea to have the brake balance auto-adjust over a lap.

seems like much the same idea to have the brake balance auto-adjust over a lap.

Which is apparently illegal.

Ooft! It seems a bit much.

Not if they’ve deliberately raced an illegal car.

Unlikely that they’ve only used this in Japan but I assume that the protest only applies to the one event. Interesting that the system didn’t contravene the technical regs but fell foul of the sporting regs. Very unusual for the team based at Enstone to be up to something dodgy…

Very unusual for the team based at Enstone to be up to something dodgy…

“If you ain’t cheatin, you ain’t tryin” as the saying goes.  The challenge is always for another team to spot what they’re up to and make a complaint to the stewards.  I’m sure if you dismantled any of the top cars you’d find some interesting interpretations of the rules somewhere.

Agreed, so are the Enstone team just unlucky? Or just less ‘powerful’ than others? Possibly being made an example of.

It would be better for the sport if there were just fewer controls altogether. Stop, Go. Turn Left. Turn Right. Never mind engine modes, brake bias and all that nonsense. Same with radios. By all means have some sort of pit-to-driver notification system to replace pit boards but cut the rest and let the drivers race.

Max up in front of the stewards for not slowing after Bottas stuffed it.

Max’s hearing has been postponed as the steering wheel system didn’t show the yellows apparently. But stewards want to check video evidence, date etc.

He admitted he didn’t slow down in the press conference.

I used to like him but he’s turned into a bit of a dick.

3 place grid penalty and stripped of pole…what a bell end 😂
Should make for a good race though!

What a shame……..

An angry Max in a quick car, could make for a great few opening laps!

yeah watch out Vettel and Hamilton, expect a Verstappen sized torpedo in the side of your car.

It’s his own stupid fault. As usual.

He was in a right mood last year after just been beaten by his teammate. He’ll be fit to burst today.

He’s an absolute cock end. Just watched the interview. The way he just says “doesn’t seem like it does it” after being asked if he slowed then just giggled is infuriating. There was a car stuffed in the barrier and he could not have give less of a shit. Lucky to get just get a grid drop IMO.

I reckon over the coming years he has a few World Championships in him, but I just cant warm to Verstappen. Just don’t like his attitude and arrogance. I know there are plenty of arrogant drivers but he grates on me.

He has a very punchable face too.