F1 2021 – spoilers here

From that press conference its pretty obvious that Lewis appears to be living rent free in Max’s head.

It’s the new Monaco.

Rent free in his head, what a topper! 😂

I am also hoping for a VERY boring race where Hamilton leads from lights out to chequered flag and well and truly hands Verstappen his arse on a silver platter. I said that about the last race too mind and we all know how that worked out!

Be nice to have a boring procession, Hamilton handing Verstappen his arse on a plate all weekend, Bottas in 2nd and the rest I don’t care about. Mayne fastest lap for Hamilton on the last lap just to rub salt in the wounds of RB.

It’s amazing that for all Hamilton’s virtue signalling BS he was happy to drive in Qatar on a track which has been built by slave labour. What a detestable hypocrite!

Tired hater nonsense.

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a38393689/human-rights-f1-lewis-hamilton-uncomfortable-saudi-arabia/

@burner

I assume you feel the same way about all the footballers that will be playing there next year?

Damn I was enjoying this thread now we have a troll – Well done burner.

Personally, I would like to see Verstappen run wide again to push Hamilton off and both break their front wings, then have them fight their way back through the field, but with Verstappen having a five second penalty. Verstappen would have to decide whether to go for it and try and get clear of Hamilton through the traffic, or to try and block him so that neither got back to a points paying position.

thols2

Free Member

Personally, I would like to see Verstappen run wide again to push Hamilton off and both break their front wings, then have them fight their way back through the field, but with Verstappen having a five second penalty. Verstappen would have to decide whether to go for it and try and get clear of Hamilton through the traffic, or to try and block him so that neither got back to a points paying position.

You’ve given this a lot more thought than me, but yeah, that scenario would work for me though I’d prefer if it was REALLY OBVIOUSLY Max’s fault so I didn’t have to listen to Karen moaning. Thankfully, I’ll be watching the official F1 steam so I don’t get to listen to DC…

I think the C4 live stream will have the Sky commentary, so no DC. Win.

See MV now complaining about being treated differently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59593834

No Max, you exceed track limits so you can’t be overtaken, Muppet.

As earlier a Perez win by a large margin, showing the car was capable, LH anywhere in the points. MV in the garage having blatantly nerfed LH breaking his own suspension by returning to track at a ridiculously steep angle.

That link above goes to formula1.com, not BBC. Here’s the correct link.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/59593834

I mean, he’s right….he didn’t get punished in Brazil for running Hamilton off the road, but Lando got punished for a less severe defence in….er….somewhere.

I wish one of the journalists had pointed that out.

None of the journalists I’ve seen have come close to asking the blatantly obvious questions to Max on driving standards or even stated the position that it’s absolutely ludicrous to be behaving like this at the pinnacle of motorsport. They all appear to be shit scared.

The closest any of them came was Martin Brundle during the Saudi race itself.

It’s amazing that for all Hamilton’s virtue signalling BS he was happy to drive in Qatar on a track which has been built by slave labour. What a detestable hypocrite

So it would be better if he made no effort at all?
Our of interest does it bother you when they take the knee?

I think the C4 live stream will have the Sky commentary, so no DC. Win

I quite like the C4 commentary, especially when it’s Webber and Coulthard. I think Webber is a good antidote for DC’s nerdiness.
Under Rotation Vs stick some new bags on.
Obviously you have to try and look past the bias.

Can’t remember who, but I recall a story about someone working with Robert Redford – someone asked them what he was like, and they replied “imagine what anyone would be like if, for sixty years, no-one had ever said no to them”. That’s how I think of Max.

Me, I would love it if they end up going wheel-to-wheel, Max does his take-no-prisoners “driving himself off the track to take/defend a position” spiel, and Lewis just gently (and accidently, officer!) turns him into the kittie litter. 🙂

As earlier a Perez win by a large margin, showing the car was capable, LH anywhere in the points. MV in the garage having blatantly nerfed LH breaking his own suspension by returning to track at a ridiculously steep angle.

Almost that, but a huge race-long battle between Checo and LH where they swap places fifteen times, cleanly, showing how it should be done, and checo just edges it on the line.
LH would never risk it though, if MV is out he would just cruise around being as safe as safe.
Which race was it where LH and Checo were side by side for about three corners? They did alright in Brazil too

Lewis just gently (and accidently, officer!) turns him into the kittie litter.

Not much of that at Yas Marina – just acres of tarmac runoff so you can leave the track and keep your foot down without losing much. Me, I’d like Merc to take a 1-2 but for Bottas to get the win while Lewis takes the title.

FWIW I think Max will nerf Lewis off in some way and will take the championship.

But, what about the other players? Lots of screentime and reputation to be made at the start by crowding Max? Who else could get involved in a first lap punt up the inside? The grid is going to be fascinating.

But, what about the other players? Lots of screentime and reputation to be made at the start by crowding Max? Who else could get involved in a first lap punt up the inside?

Also there effectively four RBs out there, and I expect Alonso would defend like a lion if LH was behind him. Who have Merc got to help, maybe Russell but there’s only so much you can legally do when being lapped and I don’t think he’ll be anywhere near the front otherwise

Alonso was quoted the other day as saying he’d prefer to see Verstappen get the championship.

Yeah, I think he’d defend position against Hamilton.

Similarly, I think Norris, Russell, Bottas, Ocon and maybe Leclerc could/will make life difficult for Verstappen.

There are Merc Engines in 10 of the cars. I am not for one minute suggesting theres any instruction etc, as I am sure there isnt. But if your going to buy an engine from someone in 2022, wouldnt you like that team to be the World Champions?

(This also disregards the important fact that the Drivers world championship is different from the Constructors Championship, and its the Constructors Championship that gets the big buck prizes…)

Russell is the only one really outside of the Factory Merc team that you’d say has a real obvious stake in this and hes already said this week he wants LH to win.

(Because maybe he thinks if LH wins then he hands in his notice on Monday and Russell ends up Merc #1 sat next to Ocon or a test driver….:D )

Norris, Leclerc, and Sainz are very close on points. Those three will be racing as hard as they can for fifth place in the driver’s championship. If they think it’s worth defending against Hamilton or Verstappen, they will. If they think they’re better to conserve their tyres and let them past, that’s what they’ll do.

there’s only so much you can legally do when being lapped

When you’re letting someone pass you can slam on the brakes and swerve towards them, apparently.

Horner really is an arse. He just asked Karun Chandhok, who was part of the team redesigning the circuit, “which car you’re driving nowadays, as you seem to have taken out all the corners that Mercedes didn’t like”

Horner really is an arse. He just asked Karun Chandhok, who was part of the team redesigning the circuit, “which car you’re driving nowadays, as you seem to have taken out all the corners that Mercedes didn’t like”

I’d love it if the measured response was “All? Not yet – but we have a few hours…” 🙂

I wonder how much of MV’s “They treat me differently” is taken from the Trump playbook. Being blind re his own faults he’s laying the groundwork so that if/when he drives aggressively or punts someone off the road and gets a penalty he can then cry “SEE, SEE! I said they’d treat me this way”.

Horner really is an arse. He just asked Karun Chandhok, who was part of the team redesigning the circuit, “which car you’re driving nowadays, as you seem to have taken out all the corners that Mercedes didn’t like”

“Stop moaning. I’M the one called Karun, not you.”

Me, I would love it if they end up going wheel-to-wheel, Max does his take-no-prisoners “driving himself off the track to take/defend a position” spiel, and Lewis just gently (and accidently, officer!) turns him into the kittie litter. 🙂

No, that way lies weeks of acrimony, accusations, appeals and so on. Plus a big split in the fan base who’ll all be arguing that the other driver deserved the win.

If Max ended up in the barriers of his own accord (or in trying to pass any other driver) then that’d be different but the only way this works out cleanly is if neither driver comes within a second of the other for the whole race.

Completely agree crazy-legs, I’d rather not see anything that’s even remotely debateable.
If Max did something like, stay out too long on worn tyres and suffered a puncture Karen would still somehow blame Merc for carrying on the race…
A dominant Lewis victory will be the only way to keep the conspiracy lot quiet.

for me though I’d prefer if it was REALLY OBVIOUSLY Max’s fault so I didn’t have to listen to Karen moaning

I admire your optimism thinking that this would stop Karen moaning.

No, that way lies weeks of acrimony, accusations, appeals and so on. Plus a big split in the fan base who’ll all be arguing that the other driver deserved the win.

No-one wants acrimony, I’m thinking in terms of them being alongside each other into a braking zone, Max moving over and Lewis not giving way, turning Max off the island – no lawsuits, no post-race shenanigans, stewards call a racing incident and Red Bull’ll just have to suck it up. 🙂 Ain’t gonna happen, I don’t think – and I don’t think Max will go out with the intention of trying to take Lewis out – but, a la Adelaide 94, if he’s put in a situation where he has to make a snap judgement with the title at risk, I could see him making the wrong call and doing a Schumacher. I’m inclined to think it’s going to be a dull race, one way or another.

How about a Renault engine failure just in front of Max so he goes off and punctures his Pirelli tyres. That’d keep Horner in orbit for weeks.

if he’s put in a situation where he has to make a snap judgement with the title at risk, I could see him making the wrong call

Agreed – imagine he qualifies fastest and is ahead in the race but with worn tyres with five laps to go, Hamilton chasing him down and about to take him in a high-speed corner, MV trying desperately to defend…

I couldn’t see that scenario ending well.

“you seem to have taken out all the corners that Mercedes didn’t like”

Surely the obvious response is, “well, Max takes out all the ones he doesn’t like…”

Mercedes have backed the decision to highlight the potential consequences of dirty driving before the Formula 1 title decider in Abu Dhabi.
BBC link here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59612265

Wolff said: “I think with all the controversies we had in the last few races, it is very good that Michael and the FIA have come out with a reminder of what the ISC [international sporting code] stands for.”

He welcomed the decision to remind the drivers “what is on and what is not on, in terms of driving standards”.

Horner said: “I can see why Toto and Lewis with the disadvantages of race wins would be pushing for that, but nobody’s going into the race saying it’s going to end in a crash.

Erm, sorry Karen, plenty of folk are saying that it’s going to end in a crash 😂