Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread (Read 1st post rules)

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276484#Comment_118276484

No contact?

I want Max to win but no point trying to rewrite history.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276148#Comment_118276148

Yeah but Hamilton has the speed to win next week at a canter unless things go mad. He won that race 3 times over at the weekend. He would have won in the first instance when he had Max in hand. Then when max got ahead due to the first red flag, he overtook max again. Then he was faster than max even when on the harder tyre and just waited for Max to use his tyre and passed him to win at a canter.

The Mercedes is just miles faster in race pace and Hamilton is doing a great job in spite of Max best efforts within and outwith the rules. Hamilton should win handily next week. It's a shame that it will be the exact same end result as every other year since 2014 (except 2016) but i can't begrudge Hamilton this win. He's been very good and is the best car driver package this year again.

barryribs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276484#Comment_118276484

Massive coup for boards.ie to get Christian Horner on here.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276516#Comment_118276516

I've similar thoughts. I want Max to win but can't deny that whoever comes out on top next weekend deserves the championship. We might have the same winner again, but this was a much more exciting championship than I expected.

[Deleted User]

Hamilton and Verstappen take each other out with 5 laps to go, debris everywhere. Hamilton has the fastest lap and is champion. But the race restarts with 2 laps to go, can Perez take the fastest lap and win the title for his team mate? Oh no he runs with at turn 1 on the final lap! It's Hamilton's title. Everyone finished the final lap, maybe someone like Norris is out front. Everyone's happy. Wait... Bottas got the fastest lap over line!!?

Constructors is pretty much done, best thing for Perez next week is start at the end of the pitlane and just hang out waiting for fastest lap at the end. :P

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276730#Comment_118276730

In that scenario Hamilton would have to finish in the top 10 to get the fastest lap point. You don't get the point for DNF/not finishing in Top 10.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276749#Comment_118276749

Well, if the fastest lap is done by someone outside the top 10 the nobody gets the point. So in the scenario above they would go back to level points and and Max would win by having more race wins than Hamilton.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276829#Comment_118276829

That's what I said - no FL point if you finish outside the Top 10.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276838#Comment_118276838

Oh yes. Hamilton is out in the scenario above. I get you.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276849#Comment_118276849

Either way the changes to Abu Dhabi favour Mercedes. Can't see anything other than Hamilton scampering off to a handy win.

Dont be at yourself

Jeddah was supposed to have favoured Mercedes too, but had Max stuck it on pole, the race could have been an entirely different story.

Bookies make Hamilton favourite in Abu Dhabi and I think that's right, but it's not done and dusted by any means. Hamilton's engine reliability worries, and the fact that a double DNF wins it for Max, will certainly add intrigue. Max dominated the same race last year too -- albeit prior to the track alterations. I just really hope it's decided on track.

And I reeeeally hope next year's Merc and Red Bull are of similar performance levels...

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276993#Comment_118276993

I don't think it would have been any different if max started on pole. He got the lead twice and was overtaken twice by Hamilton because Hamilton was much faster in race pace.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276993#Comment_118276993

I hope 2 teams come out of nowhere and completely tear it up in cars that have nailed the new regs! Bottas v Albon for the title while Russell is still celebrated for getting his car into Q3 next year. I'm sure it would all normalise eventually but it would be great craic before it does :D

Harika

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Abu_Dhabi_Grand_Prix

Final will be on the edge if we look at last years performance. Either can win it.

I hope, unlike me you won't have family commitments to watch it live

recyclebin

12 years of Mercedes and Red Bull is enough. Its time for Ferrari, Mclaren, Alpine to come good again or one of the others to do a Brawn on it.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118277268#Comment_118277268

The track has been changed quite a bit to remove slower corners and braking zones and is very much a Mercedes power circuit now. Merc won each race there from 2014-2019 and also remember last year the Championship was over and Hamilton was still recovering from having Covid at that race.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118277280#Comment_118277280

Next year's regulations will be interesting - still hoping that Ferrari or McLaren or someone ill spring a surprise with the new cars. But probably will be Mercedes at the front again!

RoryMac

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118277337#Comment_118277337

Max had plenty of pace through the fast corners yesterday and pulled out a decent gap on Hamilton to protect him on the straight, Abu Dhabi could be similar

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118278120#Comment_118278120

When he did that he was on softer tyres. Hardly a basis for comparison. Lewis was just significantly faster in race trim even if max could have pipped him to pole, Lewis was still significantly faster.

mickdw

Is there any scenario where fastest lap actually matters next week?

Killinator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118278516#Comment_118278516

If Hamilton came 9th but Max came 10th with fastest lap they would both get 2 points and Max would win on total race victories.

Other than that I cant think of any

muckwarrior

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276556#Comment_118276556

Don't be silly. Horner wouldn't be half as biased.

Killinator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118278694#Comment_118278694

I thought it might be Jos but then Jos would probably be criticising Max!

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118277107#Comment_118277107

That is a bit misleading though, he got him at the restarts but then Max got him on one of them too. They were on different tires as well so there was that too. Granted, I don't think anyone can make a prediction on what the result would have been had Max not binned it in Qualy etc.

Just makes the last race all the more interesting and exciting (not for my blood pressure though).

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118276484#Comment_118276484

Max has already taken Hamilton out on one occasion this season.

And only for Hamilton having a bit of smarts about him, it would have been a lot more times than that too.

I don't think Max is intentionally trying to take Hamilton out, but he's driving like a maniac, and has nobody to blame for his shortcomings but himself.

Hijpo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118279256#Comment_118279256

Short comings? Are you actually saying Verstappen losing significant points to Hamilton is his own fault?

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118279256#Comment_118279256

Driving like a maniac? 🤣 They've both been at it this season however Hamilton's manoeuvre at Silverstone is certainly the most egregious of the lot as it had a massive impact on the championship - absolutely critical. For all the talk of Verstappen (and he definitely drives at and sometimes beyond the limit) his incidents with Hamilton had little or no impact on the championship. In Monza they both got 0 points in the race, in Brazil and Saudi Hamilton won anyway. But Silverstone was a massive swing in the championship. Throw in the Hungarian GP in the race following Silverstone when Max was taken out by Bottas' bowling Norris and Max out of the it at Turn 1, and that's the championship swing.

Out of those 2 races (Britain and Hungary) Max got 5 points while Hamilton got 45 - a 40 point swing. That's the championship right there. And those 40 points came from horrendous, even maniacal, Mercedes driving.

flazio

How do I ask the mods to make S*l***st**e into a swear word around here. 🙄

Itssoeasy

If nothing else hopefully the mess that was yesterdays race on the race directors side will lead to them not making that again. I can’t remember who it was but they said the Saudi Grand Prix is back in march next year as the second race of the season and while they won’t make wholesale changes, I think they’ll have to make some changes.

also, when the communication cluster was going on before max and Lewis came together, Micheal masi was saying he could only push so many button at a time, which in 2021 is a bit nuts. Surely in a sport as fast and potentially dangerous as F1, there should be a way to rapidly informing teams of issues.

Faugheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118279375#Comment_118279375

Hamilton probably would have won at Monza if Max, who was struggling, didn't take him out after trying one of the most stupid attempts at an overtake I've ever seen.

Hamilton would be leading the Championship now if not for that.

Who benefitted from that clash at Monza? Max.

Max has used up his rope from Silverstone. It was an accident that was absolutely Hamilton's fault but f*ck me people don't have bitch and moan about it. It's racing. It happens. Maybe if Max had a bit of smarts about him he'd have backed out like Hamilton has at most of Max's attempts to crash into him and then he wouldn't have lost out on so many points.

Instead Max and Horner cried about it for the entire time and then when asked a question about at the next race he swore at a journalist.

Stop crying about it. Max got his revenge at Monza. He's used up all of his rope from Silverstone and Hungary now.

Fact of the matter is, Max has been driving like a rookie. His two moves into turn one yesterday were completely bonkers and an example of someone who thinks the rules don't apply to him. Not to mention the madness on the back straight.

Stop acting like Max is a wonderful saint and Hamilton is evil personified. It's baffling watching grown men and women have such a hatred for a sportsman.