F1 2021 – spoilers here

Fair play to Max on that. I can do 1988 onwards (when I was 10) but struggle before that.

This popped up on my youtube feed this morning.

Yep, apparently his car ran out of petrol so he had to bike his way home from the race.

Wow, brown trousers moment for Marcus Ericsson.

Marcus Ericsson gets airborne!

Ericsson gets into the back of Bourdais, and the caution later comes out. TV: NBCSN

Stream: https://t.co/T78I3Vpd2f pic.twitter.com/24jLNEwUfo

— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) August 8, 2021

Air Bud: A 1997 sports comedy film about a cross-bred Golden Retriever, who shoots basketball hoops.

Air-icsson: A 2021 sports drama film about a Swedish @IndyCar driver, who goes airborne in the race but still wins it anyway.

— Chip Ganassi Racing (@CGRTeams) August 9, 2021

“Ericsson hit me” 😁

bet it was twitching like a rabbits nose after that.

Jesus!

Nathalie Maillet, Boss Of Spa-Francorchamps, Murdered By Husband

That’s a horrifically written article.

Formula 1 Statement on the 2021 Japanese Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/KzhQxLTBzA

— F1 Media (@F1Media) August 18, 2021

It was expected – article on Racefans yesterday about end of season uncertainty…

https://www.racefans.net/2021/08/17/f1-tight-title-fight-calendar-conundrum/

Back when Christian Horner was a racing driver, he appeared – in more ways than others – in Cosmo Magazine. pic.twitter.com/nEK7kpB1LQ

— Leigh M O'Gorman (@LeighOGorman) August 23, 2021

I’ve read a few things this morning about Toto and Stroll being investigated for insider trading of Aston Martin shares but can’t find any official source. Anybody heard similar?

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/91930/team-boss-mercedes-suspected-of-insider-trading.html

in more ways than others – in Cosmo Magazine…

Didn’t Gee Atherton do something similar?

I think if that was the best I could do I’d have left my clothes on.

the combination of driving, running the team and managing sponsorship deals was too much. So I stopped driving

Loosely translates to ‘I was too slow for F1’.

He makes me want to wash my eyes out every time I clap eyes on him.

View post on imgur.com

Weren’t Merc going to give Bottas the boot confirm their second driver for 22 over the summer break? Not long left folks!

Toto hinted at a delay to that the other day, apparently

Spa this weekend, apparently the weather forecast is cool, foggy and damp.

Bottas will have a five place grid penalty, so it’s an opportunity for Red Bull to lock out the front row. Ferrari reportedly have a power unit upgrade and McLaren have further upgrades to bring to the circuit. Could be tasty this one…

Fun fact – Lance Stroll, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris all have mothers that hail from Belgium.

Fernando Alonso has reportedly been retained for 2022 to noone’s surprise given his season so far.

it’s an opportunity for Red Bull to lock out the front row.

Any race is an opportunity to lock out the front row. Normally, they have to beat two Mercs. This time, they only have to beat one Merc (plus two Ferraris, two McLarens, etc.)

It will make strategy easier for Red Bull if they can get two cars up front to keep Hamilton under pressure. Not sure how the cooler weather will suit the different cars. Another race with mixed conditions would be good.

I can’t see Perez getting the better or Hamilton round Spa in qualifying so my guess would be Max and Lewis on the front row. No idea what order though.

Last years RB could only manage a 1:41.7 last year, when the Mercedes set the all time record and half a second quicker. Be interesting to see where they are this year. Could be circuit that the McLaren does well at as well, it’s been one of the fastest (and certainly quicker than the Ferraris). If I was a betting man (I’m not because I’m always wrong) I’m going to say 1. Max 2 Lewis 3 Lando on the grid.

If I was a betting man (I’m not because I’m always wrong) I’m going to say 1. Max 2 Lewis 3 Lando on the grid.

Nice tight first corner though so if Pinball Bottas can get a good run up who knows who leads down to Eau Rouge on lap 1 – and we’ve seen before that the tow down to Les Combes can mean that being 2nd isn’t so bad.

Not sure how the cooler weather will suit the different cars.

Me neither – we’d probably know more had Bottas and Stroll not wiped out a chunk of the grid on the first lap. I don’t think that we’re going to have another 1998 on the cards, but we may well see some upsets on Sunday.

At the risk of sounding a little biased, I really, really want to see both McLarens in the mix. Ricciardo has apparently been spending his summer break in the simulator so he could come to Spa with a better understanding of the car.

Any race is an opportunity to lock out the front row. Normally, they have to beat two Mercs. This time, they only have to beat one Merc (plus two Ferraris, two McLarens, etc.)

Could you be any more patronising?! 😂

Could you be any more patronising?!

I’ll do my best and put in a special effort this week.

Toto hinted at a delay to that the other day, apparently

Reading between the lines[/url] it seems like it’s the announcement that’s been delayed rather than the decision. My guess is they won’t announce it in Holland coz Max, so before Italy?

Honda have confirmed that both Perez and Verstappen have lost the second of their three engines for the year through irreparable damage. Verstappen’s from the Hamilton crash and Perez from first corner in Hungary.

That’ll probably mean grid penalties coming soon.

With Bottas on a grid penalty he has the opportunity to make strategy tricky for Redbull as he could be in the way after they put stops if he stops after the red bulls

Not sure how the cooler weather will suit the different cars.

The Mercedes likes the cooler weather and the circuit suits low rake cars. Moisture makes it interesting, as will the Stewards view on that very bad crash their a few weeks ago – could be fair few safety cars. I’m Lewis, Leclerc, Max. Young Charles likes the damp sometimes.

Young Charles likes the damp sometimes.

Quite. Well, most of us do.

Young Charles likes the damp sometimes.

Another ? RED FLAG ?

Verstappen into the barriers coming out of Turn 7 #BelgianGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/42oZFa50Kw

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 27, 2021

Sounds like yet another big crash at Spa in the W Series – barriers bouncing cars back then being run into. Thankfully everyone walked away, but even though “motor racing is dangerous” I expect we’ll see some changes around eau rouge

Pèrez staying at RBR next year
.
https://wtf1.com/post/sergio-perez-announces-contract-extension-with-red-bull-racing/?fbclid=IwAR3cWNpJV8fLvzj06Gh7IXRMXzLpQ0xHK600f8AAril6h6Mrg074Ylobh2M

Landooooo !!!!!

Fair play to Vettel for pulling over.
Tricky call, is it too dangerous? Feel f1 is safer than WEC due to more down force.
Public want excitement (danger?) Drivers will never back off as they need to take every advantage they can get to win.

Absolutely gutted for Lando, he was on course for an historic result. Am glad that he walked away from that one, a nasty, nasty accident. That’s been a costly corner this weekend what with the horrific stack in the W Series yesterday.

Props to Vettel for stopping to check on Norris.

Actually listening to Brundel talk quite eloquently on the subject is interesting.
Racing on that track, watching former team mate die in there in a crash, watching his son race…

Go Russell

Get in George!