F1 2021 – spoilers here

Thanks.

Bluearsed – while you are here, have you got anything to add about hoses not being pulled in the pit lane

🙂

actually they’d both be on 8 wins I think

No, it would be 9-8 to Max.

But in addition, there’s virtually no chance of the race winner getting fastest lap anyway. That’s going to either be the second placed driver (if the first two are Hamilton and Verstappen and they’ve got a 25s or so gap over the next car from a different team) or one of their teammates. So if Hamilton wins in Saudi, chances are he’ll be either 1 or 2 points behind Max, but almost certainly not level.

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But in addition, there’s virtually no chance of the race winner getting fastest lap anyway. That’s going to either be the second placed driver (if the first two are Hamilton and Verstappen and they’ve got a 25s or so gap over the next car from a different team) or one of their teammates. So if Hamilton wins in Saudi, chances are he’ll be either 1 or 2 points behind Max, but almost certainly not level.

Can anyone imagine a scenario where LH, MV, VB & Checo are running line astern on the last lap of the AD GP and it all hinges on who gets fastest lap? And it flips as each driver gets fastest lap as they cross the line flip-flopping the WDC?

…and maybe George Russell running way down the field puts in a storming lap and takes previous fastest lap off Checo?

Max can nerf them both at turn one and win the WDC on number of wins

The opponent nerfing thing has been known to work, it did for Senna, 50/50 for Schumacher.
I was listening to an interview with Villeneurve ages ago, he was saying that going into that last race at Jerez he and his team were making a big fuss in the media about how Schumacher had hit Hill in 94 and taken the title to try to ensure that he would be far too well scrutinised to attempt it again with all eyes on him. Didn’t work at all🤣 But then Schumacher was excluded from second. Would either of the current ones try it? If they got away with it, great, if they don’t and lose second would they care, worth a try? Personally I think Verstappen would be more likely to try it, he seems desperate enough and of course has the points advantage.
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FWIW I think the Schumacher/Hill thing did look like an accident, the Schumacher/Villeneurve one clearly wasn’t.

Can anyone imagine a scenario where LH, MV, VB & Checo are running line astern on the last lap of the AD GP and it all hinges on who gets fastest lap? And it flips as each driver gets fastest lap as they cross the line flip-flopping the WDC?

No. If LH must have the FL to win that would have to put him one point ahead of MV (equal points MV wins on countback)
If MV then takes the FL that puts MV 1 ahead (1 less for LH and 1 more for MV) If VB then takes the FL thats 1 less for MV so equal on points and MV still wins. It doesn’t matter what Checo does, or indeed a last ditch effort from Russell, LH and MV are still equal and MV still has it.
It could work for the constructors though.

Yeah, that’s straight forward, but I’m curious as to whether VB can do what he’s paid to do and take some points from MV, and MV only finishes third (in either race, I guess).

based on his performances so far this season I would assume that will be a no. If merc are lucky he will score a free constructors points

Ah now I’ve always thought Schumacher/Hill was deliberate.

Bluearsed – while you are here, have you got anything to add about hoses not being pulled in the pit lane

Nothing to add other than it’s getting that petty between RB and Merc, it wouldn’t surprise me if they left their respective hoses in the way of each other.

Next step is Red Bull are going to paint some black and white stripes across pitlane and employ a mechanic with a baby stroller to wander back and forth across pitlane when one of the Mercs tries to leave the pitstop

Just put Les Nessman on the job.

Can I just repeat that I love the “Karen” Horner nickname. It’s just perfection.

Can I just repeat that I love the “Karen” Horner nickname. It’s just perfection.

I’m not normally a fan of that particular epithet but it does rather suit him.

The irony of the whole situation is that Red Bull’s antics mean that most people are rooting for the Corporate Motorsport Giant over the independent.

Rooting for the Corporate Motorsport Giant over the Corporate Marketing Giant you mean?

Mercedes (the whole company) net income was around €4bn
RedBull (the whole company) net income was around €1.2-1.4bn

Neither is exactly a small going concern, now are they? But whereas Mercedes actually make very nice and useful things for a variety of markets, Redbull sold 7bn energy drinks that taste like cough medicine…

mean that most people are rooting for the Corporate Motorsport Giant over the independent.

Perhaps in the UK, in other parts of Europe it’s not.

I think it’s a shame. It distracts from Max’s clear talent. I’d imagine that anywhere he goes, the faint odour of his dad will follow him, but the relentless victimhood status of RB must be pretty wearisome after a while.

the faint odour of his dad will follow him

Can’t help but think there’s a “Jos sticks” pun to be found somewhere.

The irony of the whole situation is that Red Bull’s antics mean that most people are rooting for the Corporate Motorsport Giant over the independent

This has got to be one of Red Bulls biggest own goals- they’ve somehow managed to make Mercedes, the winner of every single world championship since 2014 and with one of the biggest budgets in the paddock, look like the plucky underdogs. Whuuut?!? Literally just a few months ago everyone was groaning at the thought of Merc and Hamilton winning yet another season, and now it feels like we’ve all been given persmission to root for them again. Perfect! 🙂

the Schumacher/Hill thing did look like an accident

the Schumacher/Hill thing looked nothing like an accident if you ask me!

Great battle this year, becomes quite clear the whole “sport” is run as entertainment. But I am entertained.

And try as I might to like VES, he keeps doing things that make it impossible. And is in a team that does the same.

“Mercedes actually make very nice and useful things for a variety of markets”

Umm. Really?

They make some really naff ugly cars.

They’re no Ferrari, or Lotus, or Skoda even.

Neither beautiful nor particularly practical.

Don’t like Red Bull either to be honest.

But at least they aren’t as bad as Ineos.

Sorry? Secondary sponsor you say? Oh.

The AMG GT is lovely, the Unimog is practical as are their trucks, busses and vans – there are a whole host of other things in between.

I think Red Bull’s issue stems from trying to look like the cool kids whilst competing seriously at the highest level. They’ve now had a sense of humour failure.

I read earlier today that the Mercedes’ rear wing has been tested officially under a significant load, and found to not flex. RB are now saying Mercedes swapped it for a different wing…

#rollseyes

I read earlier today that the Mercedes’ rear wing has been tested officially under a significant load, and found to not flex. RB are now saying Mercedes swapped it for a different wing…

Is that the one they took away in Brazil? Not much chance for swapping there!

and where did you read this, without a bona fide source I’m not believing a word of that

This article raises the question of why the Red Bull wing only started oscillating recently – after the revised loads tests to detect flexy wings, in fact. Plausible that Red Bull changed the carbon layup to modify the flexy properties and that set up a resonance that caused the oscillations. Obviously, Merc would have protested if Red Bull kept running the flappy wing so Red Bull had to change it to avoid the risk of a DSQ for a non-compliant wing or being sent to the back of the grid if they had to repair it again after qualifying.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-tuesday-what-was-going-on-with-red-bulls-oscillating-rear-wing-in-qatar.2kXstBbrgiwMX23Su4NfrU.html

bruneep

and where did you read this, without a bona fide source I’m not believing a word of that

It might have been here as I read the same thing yesterday.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-rear-wing-test-rock-solid/

Does anyone subscribe to F1’s official streaming service?

https://www.formula1.com/en/subscribe-to-f1-tv.html#en-CA

Just wondering (a) who provides the commentary & analysis (and whether it’s as good as/better than C4) and (b) whether there are adverts during the coverage?

I’m trying to figure whether to get a one month subscription so I can watch the last two races live (for $9.99) versus 2x 24hr passes for TSN here in Canada versus a self imposed news blackout then watch the highlights late in the day on C4 via a vpn

Answering my own question!

https://support.f1.tv/s/article/Who-are-the-F1-TV-live-commentators?language=en_US

Seems it’s Crofty and Martin Brundle…

I guess that’ll be the same coverage as on Sky then?

Looks like Lawrence is spending $$$$

Formula 1: Aston Martin sign Mercedes’ chief aerodynamicist Eric Blandin – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59402630

I guess that’ll be the coverage as on Sky then?

Maybe, I’ve never had Sky. Does Sky insert advert breaks into the coverage?

(Only watched one Sky race)

No adverts during the race, several before and after.

I watch the Sky coverage at my parent’s house. The pre and post shows are littered with ad breaks, promotion of all their other channels or sporting events and trying to flog their Sky Glass TV’s. The actual commentary is ruined by Croft being a shouty moron and his constant plugs for Sky Q and Glass. With C4 seemingly giving up on making the highlights show as good as they can (guessing contractual constraints have worn them down) I only watch the Sky coverage as it’s quality time with my dad and means I don’t have to risk catching the results before seeing the highlights.

I quite like the Sky coverage, Martin Brundle and David Croft make a good team I reckon

Nope, no adverts during the race

With C4 seemingly giving up on making the highlights show as good as they can (guessing contractual constraints have worn them down)

When the C4 coverage is done properly its actually very good, obviously allowing for the fact its a highlights show. But they seem to chop and change the line up every week.

I think the C4 team has improved a lot, Alex Jaques drove me mad for his first few races, sounded like a local radio DJ, but he seems to have got the hang of it now. Billy Monger spent his first few months just stating the bleeding obvious all the time but he’s been really good this season, just takes folks a while to get good at a new job I guess, and I do quite like Steve Jones.
And where would we be without DC’s ‘overrotation/underrotation’ drinking game?
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Just a shame their website is so flakey

Alex Jacques still annoys me…his habit of making single words into two ….”main-tain”, “Pi-erre”.

I forked out for a NowTV pass for a month so I could watch the last 3 races (well, two, cos I’ll be away for the Saudi one). I quite like the Sky coverage so far (apart from Crofty, who is indeed a shouty moron). I won’t be forking out for it for next season tho

With NowTV can you going a live stream late and get it to return to the start? One of the annoying things C4 app doesn’t do

This is one of the reasons I kept my Humax freeview recorder. I know there are tons of streaming options out there, but a lot of them are a bit shit.
With the Humax, I can record the F1 on C4 and then watch it later easily skipping the Coulthard-Red Bull-ocks as well as the adverts.