The Portuguese Grand Prix @ Interlagos

[kals]

Bottom post of the previous page:

René Arnoux also became a driving chicane in his final seasons.

Bring back Olivier Grouillard.

[Picci]

Well I can sort of understand why Max did that. I would have been just as pissed off as he was. I felt Max should have been a bit more circumspect as soon as he saw he passed Ocon into turn 1 like that, he should have known Ocon was still beside him - and having come so hot down the straight he should have known Ocon wasn't going to let up. But obviously that in no way justifies what Ocon did there. He was being a total fool.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Max should have worked out that he was not racing Ocon and to let him go. Why use your tyres up dicing with a bloke you are not racing and who was obviously much quicker than Max. If he had let him go past then Max would have won the race, particularly given Lewis had to turn his engine down to survive. Most of the blame was obviously with Ocon, but as Lewis said it would not have happened if he was in Max's position. But then that shows Lewis's brain works better than Max and he is more experienced than Max. It does not really matter whose fault it was in the real wash up of things.

[Antonov]

I watched the onboard from Ocon - from his pitstop to the incident. The blame rests solely with Ocon. Dumb move.

[kals]

I watched the onboard from Ocon - from his pitstop to the incident. The blame rests solely with Ocon. Dumb move.

Care to explain why?

[myownalias]

My views of the Brazilian Grand Prix 2018.

Mercedes AMG F1 claimed their fifth constructors championship at Interlagos after Ferrari failed to outscore the German team, just two weeks after Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth world title at the Mexican Grand Prix. While, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was denied a certain victory by Mercedes junior, and Force India driver, Esteban Ocon, tipping him into a spin, while attempting to unlap himself.

It started going wrong for Ferrari from the very start with Sebastian Vettel, not being able to initially engage first gear off the line on the installation lap, then lost out to Valtteri Bottas off the race start going into turn 1, dropping back to third place. Then, Ferrari teammate, Kimi Raikkonen briefly lost out to Max Verstappen through the Senna S, but regained fourth place going into turn 4, Descida do Lago.

The next few laps were the Red Bull show, Verstappen, overtook Raikkonen for fourth place around the outside of turn 1 on lap 3, then down the inside of Vettel, again, at turn 1 for third place on lap 4. Red Bull stablemate, Daniel Ricciardo was not to be outdone, making up five places to sixth in just five laps, negating his five-place grid penalty for replacing a seized turbocharger after his retirement in Mexico.

Verstappen, on lap 10, continued his rise up the field with a pass on Bottas down the inside of turn 1 to move into 2nd place. And when Hamilton pitted for tires on lap 20, Verstappen stayed out for 16 more laps, when he pitted for soft tires, whereas Hamilton was on the slower medium tire. And that tire advantage paid off, with Verstappen breezing past Hamilton on the main straight for the lead on lap 40.

On lap 44, which coincidentally is Hamilton’s car number, a Mercedes junior driver, Esteban Ocon, attempted to unlap himself through the Senna S and collided with Verstappen, resulting in both drivers spinning, while Hamilton slipped between them for the lead. Verstappen did get to within 1.5 seconds of Hamilton by the chequered flag but was being hampered by a damaged floor from the collision.

For the record, I’m not claiming conspiracy, more poking fun at the theorists that do.

Daniel Ricciardo in the sister Red Bull came close to claiming a podium finish, as close as 1/2 second near the end of the Grand Prix, but his Renault R.E.18 power unit couldn’t quite keep up with the Ferrari 062 EVO power unit in the back of Raikkonen’s Ferrari in the full throttle run from Juncao to the Senna S.

Post-race, Verstappen, physically attacked Ocon, pushing the Frenchman a number of times, in a heated exchange. I certainly don’t condone physical violence, but it’s certainly understandable, as I believe that Ocon was at fault, he was a backmarker, and not fighting for position. The FIA agreed, handing Ocon a 10-second stop/go penalty, the most severe in race penalty, and that should have been the end of it.

The FIA punished Verstappen with two days of public service, whatever that may be, for ‘shoving or hitting Ocon forcibly several times in the chest’, which you have to believe is correct, drivers cannot get into a physical confrontation with another driver without penalty, Verstappen is lucky it’s not a criminal charge.

With Mercedes wrapping up the constructors championship in Brazil and the drivers title sealed two weeks ago, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in two weeks really holds very little interest apart from the shiny lights of Yas Marina, unless something spectacular, like Fernando Alonso winning his final F1 race (in this term) for McLaren, this will more than likely be my final write-up of the year in regard to Grand Prix.

Source: http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/formula-1 ... 18-review/

[SBan83]

Senna, after having been given a number of large vodkas by Berger took his anger out on Irvine who had dared overtake him.

But I thought he went to Irvine right after the race?

[Everso Biggyballies]

Senna, after having been given a number of large vodkas by Berger took his anger out on Irvine who had dared overtake him.

But I thought he went to Irvine right after the race?

Apparently it was after all the multilingual post race interviews before it took place. I just looked to try and find more re the vodka tale I do remember reading a long time ago, but could not find any reference beyond Berger suggesting he should go and have a stern chat with Irvine, who was on his F1 debut, finishing 6th. Im quite prepared to accept the vodka story as paddock myth.

However, apparently Irvine was changed out of his race suit and having a couple of celebratory beers himself in the Jordan container with a couple of his crew (they did not have motorhomes outside Europe in those days) when Senna stormed in to the Jordan area..... Senna wasnt happy, Eddie was winding him up even more saying if he (Senna) was that good he would have passed him easily, and the answer was Ayrton should have gone faster if he didnt want to be passed by an F1 rookie (albeit one who had more laps of Suzuka and track knowledge than Senna had from Eddie's Japanese F3000 years)

I had forgotten that Irvine unlapped himself not once but twice.

[SBan83]

Irvine should've punched the arrogant twat back, but those few beers would've likely affected his aim a bit.

[kals]

Senna, after having been given a number of large vodkas by Berger took his anger out on Irvine who had dared overtake him.

But I thought he went to Irvine right after the race?

Apparently it was after all the multilingual post race interviews before it took place. I just looked to try and find more re the vodka tale I do remember reading a long time ago, but could not find any reference beyond Berger suggesting he should go and have a stern chat with Irvine, who was on his F1 debut, finishing 6th. Im quite prepared to accept the vodka story as paddock myth.

However, apparently Irvine was changed out of his race suit and having a couple of celebratory beers himself in the Jordan container with a couple of his crew (they did not have motorhomes outside Europe in those days) when Senna stormed in to the Jordan area..... Senna wasnt happy, Eddie was winding him up even more saying if he (Senna) was that good he would have passed him easily, and the answer was Ayrton should have gone faster if he didnt want to be passed by an F1 rookie (albeit one who had more laps of Suzuka and track knowledge than Senna had from Eddie's Japanese F3000 years)

I had forgotten that Irvine unlapped himself not once but twice.

This is almost all right. Senna was with Berger (and a few others) post race and Berger, seeing how aggitated Senna was about the Irvine incident, gave Senna some schnapps (not vodka), egged him on some more and told him he should go speak to Irvine. That’s when Senna walked out and went to find the Irishmen.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Thanks @Kals for the clarification..... I knew I had read of Berger plying Senna with alcohol (I thought it was vodka but you get that).

[Vassago]

Max has been exposed like a little child throwing a hissy fit.

Just like Senna, Hunt, Piquet, Schumacher.

Right. Let's crown his ass before he actually wins something!

Call me Dennis!

[erwin greven]

Max has been exposed like a little child throwing a hissy fit.

Just like Senna, Hunt, Piquet, Schumacher.

Right. Let's crown his ass before he actually wins something!

Call me Dennis!

He will...

[Everso Biggyballies]

René Arnoux also became a driving chicane in his final seasons.

Bring back Olivier Grouillard.

Surprised that Trulli did not crack a mention with his Trulli train reputation.

[erwin greven]

He was not a backmarker.

Arnoux takes out Berger at Adelaide 1988


Classic Hunt remark on Arnoux.