F1: 2020 Round 6 Spanish GP (See Mod note at Post4)

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

It was a similar story last year; it took a few races last year for the team to understand the car and setup -- Gasly and Max were both complaining about its nervousness in the early races. Now on race pace it seems a match for the Mercs.

If the ban on quali modes comes into force, that might help close the gap further. And then if Mercs are struggling with tyres in hotter temperatures, they can't be looking forward to Italy and Portugal too much.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

At this point I'd say they'd just let them race. If it was close in the championship between max and Lewis then they'd let Lewis ahead and if it was close between Lewis and bottas they'd let them race.

They were good at letting them race back when it was Hamilton vs rosberg. There's mush have been much better coverage of Mercedes back then too. We saw very little of merc during the races they win comfortably.

I wonder how the higher-ups in Daimler see it. Do they see utter dominance as the best outcome or do they want close racing and a few controversies where they squeek victory in the end?

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

True butthey've always let them race early in the season. They might pull team orders but it would be a big departure from what they've done in the past.

Bottas signed a new contract recently. There could be a new clause that makes him an explicit no.2. But in all honesty I'd expect them to let them race at this stage of the season. Particularly given how dominant they are this year soft tyres and hot weather notwithstanding.

I'd bet Mercedes is lobbying full force for the hardest tyre compounds in all the races where compounds haven't been decided yet.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Hot with hard tyres is no bother to merc. In Spain in August with hard tyres Bottas in second was over 6 tenths clear of verstappen. depends on how the race pace goes but I'd back Mercedes all day long over the season.

I back them to influence the tyre selection for the remaining to make them harder for the rest of the races

Inquitus wrote: »

Spain has the hardest selection available

Cool_CM wrote: »

Why are they are putting a huge sticker onto the track moments before the race starts?

afatbollix wrote: »

Anyone know what the temp is?

For all the talk about how hot it is no one has said actually how hot it is.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Thanks. I thought there were 5 compounds last year. Have they gotten rid of one compound this year?

antodeco wrote: »

I have to say, I'm actually enjoying Rosberg. Just keeps to the point, and explains alot on this.

2011 wrote: »

So far Max can match Hamilton. This is great. It’s a pity the track is not more suited to overtaking.

2011 wrote: »

Hopefully hard compound will work better for Red Bull