Motorsports (NASCAR, F1, etc) Discussion Thread • Page 27

That Red Bull seat is cursed.

 

Hamilton’s last few laps is a tad damning towards Bottas.

 

Tad might be a bit generous. Hamilton is making this look easy where Bottas struggled all race.

 

Lando is about to tumble down

 

Crossing everything for Norris although I suspect it will be fifth place in the end.

 

The whole unlapping thing with red flags is the worst. Lewis made a mistake and basically got his punishment taken away which is kind of bullshit.

 

Cracking result for Lando. Bit of a mess of a race though.

That Bottas move on Russell won't likely get punished, but moving over that late on such a narrow track is asking for trouble. Russell would have been in the points on merit at that point as well I think.

Bottas was having a pretty appalling day before that too. Lewis was going to lap him before that slip trying to get around Russell.

Perez having an absolute stinker after being so good yesterday as well. That's a real shame.

 

Delighted for Norris. As I said Hamilton’s performance is damning to Bottas. Hamilton made moving through the grid look easy while Bottas struggled.

 

Wish I could have watched that race, was a busy morning but every time I checked in the order was radically different and it seemed fun!

Heads up for anyone even a little interested, IndyCar season opener is today at 3:30est on NBC. Grosjean and Jimmy Johnson making their debuts, should be fun!

 

The post race interviews don't look great either. Russell gives a pretty good explanation of his issue with the move and the crash (and finishes with a pretty snotty line about whether Bottas would do that to any other driver). Bottas flatly refuses to take any responsibility, says it was a dangerous place to pass and that it was entirely Russell's fault.

 

Dangerous place to pass? In a DRS zone?

 

Bottas is in full give no fucks mode after two races

he knows the pressure is on and he’s probably out of that seat after this season.

 

Low-key think the Red Bull situation is quite interesting.

They get rid of Albon just as he starts to show some performance and demote him to test driver, and according to every source he had a huge role in improving the Red Bull car and making it as fast as it is.

Then you bring in Perez who is a brilliant driver and he starts making uncharacteristic mistakes and is generally lacking pace.

Normally you’d think they will just promote Yuki, but he hasn’t exactly been very good so far this season and has shown he has a long way still to go in terms of performance and maturity. He looks less ready than Albon and Gasly ever did.

Kind of leaves them in a tough situation if Perez decides the pressure cooker RB atmosphere isn’t for him. Gasly burnt his bridges and they aren’t going to put Alex back in that seat so...

 

Kinda shocked Perez hasn’t kicked on. Seems he’s making bad mistakes every time it matters. They better not make the same mistake they did with Gasly and Albon with Yuki. Yuki needs a couple of seasons with AT. I’ve also been shocked at how poor he’s been and his interview after getting knocked out of Q1 yesterday was all kinds of odd

 

Said to one of my friends that he's turning out pretty much as I expected. Watched a bit of GP2 last year and he's definitely talented, but he seems far too raw at the minute. Feels like they've promoted him a bit too early. Would another year settling him down in GP2 and letting him mature more have been a huge loss? Would have let them reassess Albon too, who they seem to have broken entirely.

Perez looks decent today. Worked his way up on a track where overtaking is a nightmare. Apparently he was unwell during quali yesterday. He just needs a few neat Saturdays to make his races easier.

 

Yeah I think it was just too early for him.

 

So, is Max just way better than the RB car actually is or is it just 3 years of constant coincidental bad luck?

Perez is a good driver and has done well to come back and earn his points so far this season, but he hasn’t been close enough to matter when it comes to Max vs Mercedes. We’ve seen how much better Gasly is in a car that fits him, would the same be said for Albon?

 

Well the last two years they had a fast but unstable car that I think caused Gasly and Albon to drive under their limit out of fear.

Now I think the car is fast and stable but just not as fast as Mercedes, and Perez is just struggling for form. I do expect Perez will improve.

There has been a sense of inescapable reality about the last two races I think...

Cba with two more years of “get in there Lewis”

 

Perez has had poor qualifying which hasn't helped.

I have come to realise that as much as I hate Mercedes dominance, I hate Red Bull and Verstappen more. Tough season for me.

 

Max is probably a better than the RB car, but remember he's had 5 years bedding in and developing that car around himself. The three most recent second drivers have just been thrown in the mix and expected to handle that car, which has often looked pretty unsteady even in Max's hands during testing.

Perez just needs a bit of time. He's been nestled in the Force India/RP for years, driving a car with a totally different design philosophy and engine. It's going to take him a bit of time to be at his best in the RB (particularly as testing was halved this year). I think Danny Riciardo has mentioned somewhere that he's finding the switch to Mclaren kind of tough because the engine characteristics between the Renault and the Merc are so different, which is the same thing Perez (and Sainz tbf) have to get used to.

I don't have a huge issue with the current brand of Mercedes dominance. It at least feels like they're having to work hard and outsmart RB to take the victories. It's not like the Lewis/Nico years where nobody else was even close.

Also, we're seeing something incredible in the sport at the moment. The Mercedes team itself is a monster and Lewis is driving at an incredible level. When he retires, the sport is going to feel very different. I don't really get what's going on with Bottas though. He seems to be qualifying pretty strongly and giving Lewis something to think about, but then in the races he's just nowhere near the level Lewis and Max are finding.

 

It begins.

Red Bull "desperately need" Perez to put pressure on Mercedes - Horner · RaceFans

 

Big brain moment by Leclerc there. Bins it and guarantees pole by ruining Verstappen’s last lap hahaha

 

Chance of Verstappen pushing Leclerc into the wall in turn 1?

 

0%.

Leclerc’s car breaks down and it won’t make it to the grid

 

Huge bummer for Leclerc