[Closed] F1 2021 - spoilers here

Both RB drivers are in the last of their engines before grid penalties. On a track where you probably can’t win, it makes sense to go for reliable settings and points rather than turning up the wick and going for the win and risk it letting go.

Both RB drivers are in the last of their engines before grid penalties.

Perez took a new engine at the last race. Max is still on an older engine. The speculation is he will probably take a new one in Russia because that's expected to be another track that favours Merc and it will give him a fresh engine when they get back to Red Bull friendly tracks.

Both RB drivers are in the last of their engines before grid penalties

Hamilton's in the same position as Verstappen isn't he? He might also change in Russia on the basis he might stand a better chance of moving further up to the points than Max.

I don't think Hamilton's situation is as bad. He still has two engines left, he ran the other one to its full mileage. I think that means they are still on their planned schedule, but rumours are they are thinking of taking one more fresh one as a precaution. I think that would put Verstappen on very old engines by the final races, with Hamilton on fairly fresh engines.

Here's the stats on pu component usage so far

https://www.f1-fansite.com/2021-f1-season/2021-used-f1-power-unit-elements/

I'm not aware of anywhere that tracks mileage per component but that'd be a proper chance to geek out if it's available. Interesting that Alpine are using more exhausts than others - looking for more performance? (sorry, more reliability... Honest)

Well, colour me surprised, VW must be serious after all. I can't see the other teams agreeing to this unless VW have made a pretty solid commitment to joining. Ditching the MGU-H and going to twin-turbo would mean the current ICEs would need to be scrapped and everyone starts from scratch. This would eliminate any problems Red Bull would have with Honda IP.

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-to-drop-mgu-h-setting-up-likely-red-bull-volkswagen-tie-up/

Well, colour me surprised, VW must be serious after all.

I know, right.

VW is keen to enter F1 and had originally planned to use it’s successful V4 engine as the basis of an F1 power unit, minus the MGU-H for 2025. Red Bull is also said to be keen to drop the MGU-H…

Apparently VW have said the delay to 26 isn't for engineering reasons, its so their lawyers have enough time to make a full list of stuff that Horner isn't allowed to moan about in public.

Apparently VW have said the delay to 26 isn’t for engineering reasons, its so their lawyers have enough time to make a full list of stuff that Horner isn’t allowed to moan about in public.

I had a chuckle at that!

VW is keen to enter F1 and had originally planned to use it’s successful V4 engine as the basis of an F1 power unit,

I think the bit in the rules about being required to run a V6 with specified bore and stroke might have made that tricky. On top of that, trying to adapt an existing engine for a different set of rules just won't work. They have to start with a clean-sheet design or they will always be behind the teams that do.

If they do drop the H it’ll mean they need to deal with turbo lag, and given that it’s already mostly an economy drive they can’t do it all popping-and-snorting like WRC do it.

Will be interesting to see how they do it.

Personally I think the H is fascinating it I get that it doesn’t add to “the show”.

But then the whole sprint race qualifying adds sod all and they’re pushing that sorry excuse pretty hard. Reverse grids will be next.

Will be great to see Verstappen and Ricciardo battling it out on the first lap. Ricciardo much less to lose than Verstappen, with Norris and Hamilton ready to pounce.

If they do drop the H it’ll mean they need to deal with turbo lag

I assume that's the reason for twin turbos. They'll be smaller and less laggy. Not needing to recover energy for the MGU-H will mean a much smaller impeller. I guess they will just use the electric motor to give some punch out of corners along with the usual anti-lag tricks.

Less standardisation please, it’s meant to be a constructors’ series not a drivers series.

They should relax the engine rules for a bit, let creativity rule, and relax the maximum fuel flow too, but then progressively restrict the total race fuel. Perhaps fuel per race km.

So go light and simple, or heavier with loads of energy recovery, see which is faster, more efficient, which suits which track.

I might even let them run different battery payloads on different tracks.

We’d see different cars relatively better or worse on different tracks, at different points in the race, into, through and out of corners.

https://twitter.com/MattSmith_44/status/1437041451964276736

Oops!

oh dear

Crazy incident. I was hoping Hamilton could reverse out from under the RB!

Verstappen at fault there for me. He has zero foresight beyond the end of the next corner

****ing hell - wheel on his head there?

you can't shove a wheel up there!

😂

Scary that replay of the wheel on his head. Hamilton’s corner that for me

Bloody hell... This season is like 1995 what with the two championship contenders colliding a lot.

Fingers crossed for a famous win today - go Daniel.

This is great fun

How come everyone else can race, overtake, give enough space, yet the two best drivers in the world can't?

They both need to wind their necks in a bit.

Verstappen over the radio “that’s what you get for leaving no room” then just ****s off leaving Hamilton under his car. Nice

How come everyone else can race, overtake, give enough space, yet the two best drivers in the world can’t?

They both need to wind their necks in a bit.

Is what the stewards should say to both of them

then just ****s off leaving Hamilton under his car.

Very disrespectful 😉

🤣 indeed

Perez has a five second penalty - unless he can get past both McLarens and build a comfortable gap, he's screwed.

And Mazepin has a five second penalty for punting Schumacher into a spin. That'll go down well in the team debrief.

Edit: Beaten by seconds.

Mazepin is out - looks like a PU issue? He won't be missed in the remainder of this race.

It's fantastic to see Ricciardo finally get to grips with that McLaren, he's led on merit.

Aye I’m absolutely delighted for Ricciardo and McLaren but I’m still bouncing about that incident with Hamilton and Verstappen. Been shouting at the telly like a lunatic

Time for a shoey

Get in!

Great stuff. Loving the slap on the arse for Zac! 😂
Forgot about shoeys it’s been that long

That was a good race once the willy wavers cleared off.

My cousin drives for McLaren, they'll be happy this evening.

(He's a HGV driver and he's one of the guys that transport everything from place to place for them)

If Max is a handful of points ahead going into the final race of the season, this feels like it might go a bit Senna/Prost...

Mega from McLaren today though.

Given RB were looking at this weekend as damage limitation they’ll be reasonably pleased with extending the lead in the drivers championship and probably accepting of the constructors situation.

Assuming the stewards aren’t still trying to work out how many penalties ought to be applied.

Interesting watching the interviews with Lewis/Toto and Max/Christian. RB coming across badly IMO. Max especially was not very consistent in his responses, was all over the place and talked for too long where Lewis put his point across concisely and that was it. Damon Hill was spot on, either a professional foul or error of judgment. He was probably still fuming after the slow stop. He’s hot headed at the best of times.

Assuming the stewards aren’t still trying to work out how many penalties ought to be applied.

Verstappen is probably going to take a new engine next race anyway so penalties won't really bother him.

Di Resta saying racing incident. Herbert and Hill both saying Max could have (and should have) avoided. Needless to say I’ve been calling Di Resta worse than a pick pocket

3 place grid penalty for Verstappen

https://www.racefans.net/2021/09/12/verstappen-given-three-place-grid-penalty-for-hamilton-crash/

Good. He deserves it. I’d like to think it’ll get him to wind his neck in but I doubt it..

As if.....It'll just fuel his belief that everyone's against him.