F1 Aramco Gran Premio De España 2021 etc.

[Circuitmaster]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Thoughts: Mercedes had the pace here, but the terrible nature of the circuit actually made the race a lot more interesting.

Spain and Portugal were anticipated to be two difficult races for Red Bull, so two second places for Max aren't a disaster. If he can wrangle a win at Monaco or Azerbaijan, it could make things interesting.

What we really need is a Hamilton DNF. From a neutral perspective, he needs to be delivered a few races bad luck. Unfortunately it was Latifi breaking mirrors this weekend..

I must say, credit to Lewis, he drove excellently, especially in T1 when he could have easily been punted off. It's been much less of a chore watching him win this year, as he's really been made to work for it.

[DoubleFart]

Lewis isn't having to work for it, don't believe the bollocks.

He came out of the pits 5 seconds behind Max. In 4-5 laps he was right behind him again.

He's sitting there toying with Red Bull because be knows he can do a stop like today, or undercut.

He was doing the same in Imola, but cocked up. He spent the whole time sitting close enough, and once he'd had his off etc you saw just how much faster that Merc really is.

It's 0.5-1s a lap faster, and I will not accept anybody saying he's having to work hard for victories other than round 1.

[White six]

Pretty depressing today, Monaco has to be better for Max.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Well, if Red Bull cant win Monaco they are toast this year. Merc are just playing with them at this stage. They always have that little bit in reserve it seems.

[White six]

Really need Perez up there too. Not looking capable at the moment

Puts a new light on all the other 'failed' RB drivers

[XcraigX]

It's 0.5-1s a lap faster, and I will not accept anybody saying he's having to work hard for victories other than round 1.

If that is the case that the Mercedes is 0.5 - 1 second faster than the RedBull, why isn't Bottas beating Max on a regular basis?

[DoubleFart]

It's 0.5-1s a lap faster, and I will not accept anybody saying he's having to work hard for victories other than round 1.

If that is the case that the Mercedes is 0.5 - 1 second faster than the RedBull, why isn't Bottas beating Max on a regular basis?

Explain how Lewis gained those 5 seconds in 5 laps when they were both on mediums? Explain how he was able to drop back .5, cool the tyres, then instantly gain it back.

The Merc is consistently faster - they just don't need to be.

They weren't faster at Imola because of track position. They were easily much faster at Optimal. They weren't faster at Catalunya due to track position, then with clear air Lewis instantly pulled back that 5 seconds he lost after the pitstop.

Onus isn't on me to justify this though - it's clear.

Also, Bottas is just struggling AGAIN. There's no way that Lewis is a second a lap faster than Bottas when they're both comfortable nun the car. that doesn't make Lewis good, in the same way that Stroll isn't good because he's beating Vettel who is struggling with the car.

[XcraigX]

It's 0.5-1s a lap faster, and I will not accept anybody saying he's having to work hard for victories other than round 1.

If that is the case that the Mercedes is 0.5 - 1 second faster than the RedBull, why isn't Bottas beating Max on a regular basis?

Explain how Lewis gained those 5 seconds in 5 laps when they were both on mediums? Explain how he was able to drop back .5, cool the tyres, then instantly gain it back.

The Merc is consistently faster - they just don't need to be.

Sorry, I think Max was conserving his tires and waiting for Lewis to get behind him before he started pushing. Lewis only got by Max when the tire balance was uneven. The Merc may be faster than the RedBull but it's fractionally, not 1/2 to a full second. Otherwise they would claim every pole and every fast lap.

Also, Bottas is just struggling AGAIN. There's no way that Lewis is a second a lap faster than Bottas when they're both comfortable nun the car. that doesn't make Lewis good, in the same way that Stroll isn't good because he's beating Vettel who is struggling with the car.

Bottas does not seem to be struggling in qualifying and yet Max has been beating him on Saturday on a regular basis. Like I said, it's much more evenly matched than the times you are quoting. I can believe they are a few hundredths, but not almost a full second. That's ridiculous and we would see something more akin to a 2014 performance (where Merc took a 1-2 in almost every session they finished).

[Everso Biggyballies]

It's 0.5-1s a lap faster, and I will not accept anybody saying he's having to work hard for victories other than round 1.

If that is the case that the Mercedes is 0.5 - 1 second faster than the RedBull, why isn't Bottas beating Max on a regular basis?

Bottas seems to be capable over one lap , but he has a problem with keeping up and putting a race together to the degree or anywhere near that of Lewis. For example yesterday the Mercedes was quick, particularly quick in Lewis' hands. But Bottas finished over 30 seconds behind Lewis. Thats half a second per lap. As he did in Portugal. And Bahrain.

We all know what happened at Imola. Valtteri lost the plot defending against an eager wannabee Mercedes driver and his trying to make it difficult for a faster DRS assisted Russell, trying to save face against an over ambitious and cocksure Russell ended in tears all round.

In a nutshell Lewis is capable of extracting everything out of the Merc. Bottas over more than a lap isnt. In the same vein, Max can extract everything there is to extract form the Red Bull over a race distance. That is why Max habitually beats Bottas despite being in a slightly inferior car to Bottas.

Bottas as a driver is not on the same page as Max. And in a different chapter to Lewis. IMO

[P. Cornelius Scipio]

so was it a a good race? I only watched up to lap 7 then I went to the seaside.

I have seen some of the comments above and I agree that for those first 7 laps Hamilton's car looked faster than the Red Bull.

[DoubleFart]

As above. Drivers can and can't do certain things with their cars. Bottas seems to be there or thereabouts in Qualifying, but is nowhere in race pace. I've seen it theorised that it's a tyre life issue, and Lewis is getting more out of it.

Again, doesn't make Lewis the greatest ever. Just means he's better than Bottas, which we've known and seen since 2017.

Honestly we've learnt fuck all about Lewis as a driver since 2017.

[Ruslan]

so was it a a good race? I only watched up to lap 7 then I went to the seaside.

I have seen some of the comments above and I agree that for those first 7 laps Hamilton's car looked faster than the Red Bull.

It was not a great race, but interesting strategically and for comparison between Hamilton/Verstappen and Mercedes/Red Bull. I do think Mercedes had the edge over Red Bull. Both Hamilton and Verstappen drove without any major mistakes.

[Ruslan]

Hamilton vs Verstappen driving comparison from Peter Windsor: https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/83888/wi ... appen.html

The comments to the article are interesting.

[PTRACER]

Really need Perez up there too. Not looking capable at the moment

Puts a new light on all the other 'failed' RB drivers

He's getting better, but I still feel like he was signed up to RBR based on ONE good performance (them being so desperate to get rid of Albon they would have taken anyone at that point).

[DoubleFart]

Really need Perez up there too. Not looking capable at the moment

Puts a new light on all the other 'failed' RB drivers

He's getting better, but I still feel like he was signed up to RBR based on ONE good performance (them being so desperate to get rid of Albon they would have taken anyone at that point).

Which one was that? Russia? Turkey? Nurburging? Bahrain 1, Bahrain 2?

[PTRACER]

Really need Perez up there too. Not looking capable at the moment

Puts a new light on all the other 'failed' RB drivers

He's getting better, but I still feel like he was signed up to RBR based on ONE good performance (them being so desperate to get rid of Albon they would have taken anyone at that point).

Which one was that? Russia? Turkey? Nurburging? Bahrain 1, Bahrain 2?

Bahrain 2. Were those others really that good?