What have the Russians done to deserve special treatment

You play by their rules or it’s the gulag for you.

Simple, and effective.

I was wondering if Lewis was going to shake Putins hand too. Not sure I could bring myself to. Paddy Lowe put his hand on Putins shoulder after the ceremony which had me thinking he’s not going to like that and the russian interviewer was someone I thought would be at home on something like Running Man or Battle Royale.

I like that Claire Williams, Christian Horner and Toto Wolfe give so much time to being interviewed by the BBC.

Hamilton was the only one who kept his hat on during the Bianchi tribute. Bad manners from the Stevenage gangsta.

Hamilton was the only one who kept his hat on during the Bianchi tribute. Bad manners from the Stevenage gangsta.

That tractor saved marshalls* from being killed. Note how Lewis anchored on when the double yellows came on? Someone was doing 150mph+ into the Marshal/section.

*Two in recent times but people only care about F1 driver deaths.

Hamilton was the only one who kept his hat on during the Bianchi tribute

He’s not dead.

Just watched it on iplayer. Boring boring race apart from a few overtakes. Nico seemed annoyed that he’d locked up but I don’t think he’d have managed to outpace Lewis over the race distance anyway.

I like that Claire Williams, Christian Horner and Toto Wolfe give so much time to being interviewed by the BBC.

Good PR from these 3 and unless they are needed to make an urgent decision they have the time to chat.

Didnt like that move Rossberg made on Bottas. Really showing his colours there, so childish, he clearly had the pace to pass him with ease, loads of laps left to make the move, no danger from behind and no chance of catching Lewis.

If Bottas hadn’t been 110% on the ball that woulda been both their races over right there. Stoopid! Could see Bottas chatting to Lewis about it as they were getting their caps, in my mind the coneversation went (“Dude your team mates a nutter!” *Lewis looks over grudgingly at Rossberg* “You see the shit i gotta deal with!?!”)

*Two in recent times but people only care about F1 driver deaths.

The last marshall killed was in 2013 at the Canadian GP. It wasn’t really an F1 incident other than it occured during an F1 GP. The poor guy fell behind a tractor and got run over. It’s very sad and as I remember the drivers all paid tribute to the marshall but as an indicator of the saftey of F1 as a sport it’s about as relevant as someone getting run over in the car park.

The last one before that was 2001 in Austrailia when a wheel became detached from a car and went though an access whole in the safety fence. A marshal also died at the 2000 Monza race after being hit by a wheel after an accident. This had some fairly wide reaching impacts on F1 and lots of things changed based on this, wheel tethers for example.

The last death of a non driver at F1 before that was in 1981.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/03/04/f1-ten-years-fatality/

Nice bit of Daniel Ricardo riding his bike at Woburn

Note that in all the shots with wheels of the ground you didn’t see Danny Ric!

Was a fairly dull race, really over by the second corner.

I’d say that Hamilton a stick on for the championship now though. Rosberg’s bottle has well and truly crashed

Nico seemed annoyed that he’d locked up but I don’t think he’d have managed to outpace Lewis over the race distance anyway.

I’m sure he knew that, which is probably why he locked up in an attempt to go for the tiniest of opportunities. Now he is behind, I think we’re seeing the real difference between LH and NR – not so much in the genuine difference in pace, as in how they handle stress.

^^^ yeah, it was one of those moves that basically says outta my way or we both go off (EDIT – Rosberg’s move on Bottas, I meant).

Rosberg definitely looks like he is on the back foot now. He seems to have no answer to Hamilton’s pace in qualifying or in the race, and doesn’t seem to cope with the pressure too well, either.
Short of mechanical gremlins, I struggle to see Rosberg clawing it back (although the ridiculous double points in the last race thing could cause a few headaches).

Loving Bottas in the Williams giving the Mercedes’ boys at least a little something to think about.

I’m hoping that Button stays at McLaren for next yr (but can’t see it happening to be honest – he seems in the wrong place mentally to carry on raving) and Honda bring a proper engine to the team so they can be closer to the action.

(although the ridiculous double points in the last race thing could cause a few headaches).

The problem with the double points in the last race isn’t the difference between 1st and 2nd. That maybe creates some jeapody and keeps the title race alive for longer (which is a good thing unless the guy you support is in the lead!)

The issue is the penalty for a DNF could be a 50 point swing. That is huge and LH could lose the title despite him being the best driver by far which would seem unjust.

If I were LH I’d avoid leaving it to chance and emulate his hero Senna by taking them both off at the first corner.

The issue is the penalty for a DNF could be a 50 point swing. That is huge and LH could lose the title despite him being the best driver by far which would seem unjust.

If I were LH I’d avoid leaving it to chance and emulate his hero Senna by taking them both off at the first corner.

If it goes to current form LH will be 31 points ahead by the time they get to Abu Dhabi. So a DNF could still wipe out LH’s advantage. That would be desperately unfair

and Honda bring a proper engine to the team so they can be closer to the action.

They’ve got the best engine now. The engine isn’t why they’re struggling!

If I were LH I’d avoid leaving it to chance and emulate his hero Senna by taking them both off at the first corner.

Good point but I’m guess whoever is in the lead by then Merc will ensure the other has a gearbox issue to split them apart at least on the grid.

I’m hoping that Button stays at McLaren for next yr

Nah he has to go ( as well as Magnussen) to make way for Vettel and Alonso

They’ve got the best engine now.

They’ve got the best “customer version” engine now… Otherwise why change to Honda?

Good point but I’m guess whoever is in the lead by then Merc will ensure the other has a gearbox issue to split them apart at least on the grid.

Why, it’s win win for Merc. They’ve already won the constructors and one of their drivers will deffinately win the drivers champ. The worst thing they can be seen to do is interfeer to prevent a fair fight.

They’ve got the best “customer version” engine now… Otherwise why change to Honda?

Exactly. Merc engines will always cost Mclaren money and always be slightly constrained as they are built to suit the Merc car and the Merc drivers. Honda may not be as good now but at least Mclaren have the ability to improve things rather than being hostages to fortune.

Pook – Member
Hamilton was the only one who kept his hat on during the Bianchi tribute
He’s not dead.

No he’s not but it is customary (and good manners) to remove headgear during the playing of a national anthem. All the other drivers did, Hamo did not.

He then pissed about with his hair instead of greeting Putin and his entourage of grandees. If this was a protest, it was a bit lame. Perhaps not racing in Russia at all would have shown a bit more spunk.

They’ve got the best engine now

But they’ll have a better one next year.

He then pissed about with his hair instead of greeting Putin and his entourage of grandees. If this was a protest, it was a bit lame. Perhaps not racing in Russia at all would have shown a bit more spunk.

I imagine with the politics behind F1 Hamilton (knows) he’d have been focused on or lost his seat for some reason. So he’d have known its dodgy territory.

The slight was seen and delivered. You do realise not everyone has to do a Pussy Riot to have their insult driven home?

I was watching Lewis and noted the other drivers, everyone. Putin was literally in the centre of the room. Hamilton mucked about for longer than usual (and he does muck around taking his time of late). He seemed to be thinking(?) or lost in thought.

The delay (from the winner)- I was thinking ****, is he going to acknowledge Putin?! He did but was the last to IMO. That is what you call a slight.

Definition:

an insult caused by a failure to show someone proper respect or attention.

Senna complained about the politics. Imagine a brand new/big new customer and market for everyones wares and one of the upstart drivers is rude to the new customer?

The issue is the penalty for a DNF could be a 50 point swing. That is huge and LH could lose the title despite him being the best driver by far which would seem unjust.

This. Can’t say I am rooting for Hamilton but 50 point swing for a breakdown is too much.

The double points thing is so daft that Hammie could win the next two races thus giving him 11 wins for the season and if he had a DNF in Abu Dubai Rosberg only need finish second to clinch the title.

In other words Rosberg could win the title with 4 wins against Hammie’a 11 – that just ain’t right.

He seemed to be thinking

He’s probably thinking “WTF do I have to do to nail this championship!?”

Rosberg has got to be the luckiest driver on the grid – to end up dead last in the only race I can think of where it’s possible to run a entire race at a decent speed on one set of tyres. In any other race top 5 would have been a good comeback.

He’ll end up a lucky F1 champion just like his dad.

In other words Rosberg could win the title with 4 wins against Hammie’a 11 – that just ain’t right.

That could happen in any season.

Imagine if they were on different teams and HAM had built up a huge lead early on. But then ROS came back through consistency in the early rounds and better work by the team to provide a reliable car late in the season with ROS winning it at the death. That would be rightly seen as a very deserving victory by an underdog.

My point is that it isn’t the fact that someone with very few wins can beat someone with lots that feels off about the situation. It’s that one DNF can cause such a huge swing in the points.

Back in the days of points to 6th the difference between 1st and 2nd was 4 points and a so you could claw back a DNF in a max of 3 races. Now it’s a 7 point difference so it takes up to 4 races to get back on even terms if your rival gains 25 points on you.

But in the final race 7 races worth of beating your rival into second place can be wiped out by a single DNF. Thats more than a 3rd of the season. It’s just not right.

In other words Rosberg could win the title with 4 wins against Hammie’a 11

Rosbergs dad won the championship with 1 win in the season.

There is merit in consistently bagging points.

Nah he has to go ( as well as Magnussen) to make way for Vettel and Alonso

Vettel and Alonso going to Mclaren!

Do we have a source

I thought Vettel was off to Ferrari

It’s the silly season. It’s just as likely to be Bruno Senna and Damon Hill

My prediction:

Vettel > Ferrari
Alonso > McLaren
Button > retirement, possibly the BBC
Magnussen > mid-grid team somewhere
Grosjean > Mclaren

I thought Vettel was off to Ferrari

Christian Horner has said he’s off to Ferrari – Vettel and Ferrari haven’t said a thing!

Silliest Silly Season I’ve ever known.

if you were Vettel, after the season you’ve had and looking down the pit lane at the season Ferrari have had…would you be in a massive rush to join them?

The Honda motor is supposed to be pretty bloody impressive already, and remember Maclaren would have feeding them info all season from what’s regarded as the best engine on the grid, and that’s not going to be Ferrrari or Renault

The Honda motor is supposed to be pretty bloody impressive already

I thought it was a bag of crap. Down on power and too high fuel consumption.

Things may have changed since I heard that though.

I have it on pretty good authority that both Vettel and Alonso have been flown into Farnborough, which by coincidence isn’t that far from Woking.

Dunno, they’re both in the market for a new team, they’d be foolish not to talk to Maclaren. Are they going to drive for them? dunno, Alonso maybe, both? seems remote doesn’t it?

Is Mclaren a dream ticket?

On current form I think they’ll want Claire’s number…

It’ll be a good bet for 2016. Maybe the second half of 2015 too.

I reckon Alonso is looking for a WDC in 2016 then retiring.

Not looking great, but then we weren’t really expecting any good news, and as he says it’s a miracle he’s alive

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/29610752

On current form I think they’ll want Claire’s number…

They’re not the only ones 😉

Given the roll hoop being ripped off, I think it’s fair to say that there must have been a massive deceleration which obviously ties in with the stated injury. I sincerely hope that it works out ok but reading up on the injury, it doesn’t look very hopeful 🙁

Ted Kravitz on Sky had a great bit on Alonso’s future. He bluntly said that Alonso had left every team on bad terms, except Renault. Now they’ve rebranded as Lotus, with the Merc engine next year, he could be off there.
To be the big cheese at Alonso-Lotus with lots of Santander stickers on the sides.

Eek.

Comedy joke of the year. Funny, thank you. Its called ‘silly season’ not stupid season.