F1 2021 Round 7 : French GP (Paul Ricard)

Joeface · 17-06-2021 8:19am #1

SESSIONS
FP1 Fri, 18 Jun 10:30
FP2 Fri, 18 Jun 14:00
FP3 Sat, 19 Jun 11:00

QU Sat, 19 Jun 14:00

Race Sun, 20 Jun 14:00

Hopefully , maybe too much that this weekend can be good on what is a poor track for racing . As someone pointed out in the main thread the track has been resurfaced and some corners reprofiled to try help it .

lots to look out for this weekend . Can Mercedes find there way back after 2 poor weekends ( they were out played every where) . Perez after winning start to believe he could make himself into a contender.

Lurching · 17-06-2021 10:14am

I don't expect to see a Ferrari pole this weekend anyway.

Frank Bullitt · 17-06-2021 4:18pm

Would be great to see RB and Merc super close. I think that might be the case.

Merc should be much stronger here too.

Inquitus · 17-06-2021 4:36pm

Frank Bullitt wrote: »

Would be great to see RB and Merc super close. I think that might be the case.

Merc should be much stronger here too.

Should be a Merc track, if Red Bull can really bring it to Merc here then it will certainly bode well for them going forwards.

Frank Bullitt · 17-06-2021 4:47pm

Inquitus wrote: »

Should be a Merc track, if Red Bull can really bring it to Merc here then it will certainly bode well for them going forwards.

For the most part, the Merc is the more temperamental car, RB have generally been ok at most tracks. RB seem to be still adding parts and developing their car, haven't seen too many new parts on the Merc.

Lurching · 17-06-2021 5:09pm

Merc come across as nervous to me.
The rear wing changes have been knee-jerk.

This will be an interesting weekend. We have a long way to go to the next street circuit, so this race may be an indicator of how the track circuits will go over the next few months.

RunningFlyer · 17-06-2021 6:22pm

Have never seen a race at Paul Ricard as always clashed with plans so looking forward to tuning in this weekend.

Dont be at yourself · 17-06-2021 6:33pm

The track has been resurfaced apparently. That caused havoc in Turkey and Portimao recently, will.it throw a spanner in the works here too?

Faugheen · 17-06-2021 7:52pm

This is my favourite track on the calendar*

*said no-one, ever.

Three races back-to-back though, right? Every reason to be excited just for that alone.

flazio · 18-06-2021 9:45am

<Insert pondering emoji>

https://twitter.com/JennieGow/status/1405506335236669441?s=19

El_Duderino 09 · 18-06-2021 9:54am

flazio wrote: »

<Insert pondering emoji>

https://twitter.com/JennieGow/status/1405506335236669441?s=19

At the last race, BBC reported that Bottas felt there was a problem with his chassis wanted a new chassis but Toto told him he just needed to have more confidence in the car like Louis has. Interesting that they're making a change.

What do the #4 and #6 refer to?

flazio · 18-06-2021 10:08am

I would have thought 6 was the newer one and 4 is the older one.

In another bit of news nobody really cares about Jack Nicholls is unavailable for BBC Radio this weekend so they're bringing back ex BBC TV/ Channel 4 and by extension Setanta/Eir Sports commentator Ben Edwards.

Lurching · 18-06-2021 10:19am

That's more upset within Mercedes.
My money is on RB this weekend.
Or, at least that's what I'm hoping.

quokula · 18-06-2021 11:10am

Lurching wrote: »

That's more upset within Mercedes.
My money is on RB this weekend.
Or, at least that's what I'm hoping.

Back at a more normal circuit, without weather interfering, I'd expect Mercedes to dominate again tbh. They've consistently had the fastest car in regular conditions this season, there have just been a number of unusual circumstances that have cropped up.

Joeface · 18-06-2021 11:45am

Yeah the gap at front is back , Ocon is inside a second but 6th back is well behind .

I might be ok with Bottas winning . Been a tough start to the year .....Throw Perez second

donspeekinglesh · 18-06-2021 11:50am

flazio wrote: »

In another bit of news nobody really cares about Jack Nicholls is unavailable for BBC Radio this weekend so they're bringing back ex BBC TV/ Channel 4 and by extension Setanta/Eir Sports commentator Ben Edwards.

Eurosport too, showing my age.

Zookey123 · 18-06-2021 1:12pm

Joeface wrote: »

Yeah the gap at front is back , Ocon is inside a second but 6th back is well behind .

I might be ok with Bottas winning . Been a tough start to the year .....Throw Perez second

Yeah not a bad time for Perez considering he was on the harder compound. I expect a mercedes 1-2 in quali. Hopefully we see a close race any overtake would defo have to be earned here though even with the slight re profiled corners.

SureYWouldntYa · 18-06-2021 1:15pm

Have Red Bull fitted the new Honda engines yet? I think they were planned for the weekend but maybe they're saving them for Saturday idk

Anything to give hope of something other than a Merc 1-2 :pac:

Charlie-Bravo · 18-06-2021 2:30pm

Red soft tyres not up to the task today. Tyre choice for Q2/race start might be interesting.

And weather looks like possible Thunder Storms on Sunday at lunchtime. Will know more the nearer we get to then!

muckwarrior · 18-06-2021 2:43pm

RunningFlyer wrote: »

Have never seen a race at Paul Ricard as always clashed with plans so looking forward to tuning in this weekend.

You might want to temper your expectations.

eviltimeban · 18-06-2021 2:49pm

Alonso going well in FP2.

El_Duderino 09 · 18-06-2021 2:56pm

eviltimeban wrote: »

Alonso going well in FP2.

Alonso and Ocon in P4 and P6. They're doing great but it might be showboating as it's the Alpine home GP. It would be a big jump up if they're actually best of the rest after the Mercedes and Red Bull.

El_Duderino 09 · 18-06-2021 3:08pm

Hamilton complained on the radio that there's something wrong with the car. Given the chassis switch, maybe there was something wrong with Bottas' car. I wouldn't bet on it though.

Frank Bullitt · 18-06-2021 5:52pm

Looks close at the front. Merc don't really have an advantage but the gap of the last few races is gone. RB seem to have dialled in the car a bit better now.

Should be a close one.

Charlie-Bravo · 18-06-2021 8:07pm

Funny that Hamilton said that on the radio, then brushed it off during interviews saying it's a different track. Maybe he now doesn't want to let on he's had the better Merc!

Jordan 199 · 18-06-2021 10:58pm

McLaren paying tribute to Mansour Ojjeh:

McLaren-GP-Frankreich-Le-Castellet-Paul-Ricard-Circuit-18-Juni-2021-169Gallery-73a23df2-1806121.jpg

flazio · 19-06-2021 11:22am

Mazepin has half spun. Mark it on your bingo card.

Hijpo · 19-06-2021 11:27am

Can it be definitively said that merc cars are not the same?

19-06-2021 11:30am

It would be pretty funny if after swapping chassis Bottas suddenly destroyed Hamilton. Though Merc would probably make another new chassis from scratch if it looked like there might actually be an issue for Hamilton.

Hijpo · 19-06-2021 12:00pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It would be pretty funny if after swapping chassis Bottas suddenly destroyed Hamilton. Though Merc would probably make another new chassis from scratch if it looked like there might actually be an issue for Hamilton.

They said bottas was running a higher power mode than Hamilton. What's the point of that? They are restricting there potential championship winner with a lower power mode and a potentially worse chassis??

Then both had the same power mode there and bottas was still two tenths quicker apparently.

I have 13 minutes of FP3 left to watch.

muckwarrior · 19-06-2021 12:05pm

Verstappen shows his potential at the end of FP3!

F1 2021 Round 7 : French GP (Paul Ricard)

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