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

Not even the "car is designed for his teammate" shtick. That was a big one last year when vettel needed a dig-out.

Suppose it depends on the popularity the driver. More popular drivers get more excuses. The usual story.

I'd agree with that assessment re the car design. But I think the fact that it suited Russell doesn't meannit suits Bottas. Last year we got entirely bais based assertions that the Ferrari was built for Leclerc (even before he drove for the team. Not joking, some posters went as far as saying that).

I think bottas is just good and not great, so he's outshone his top tier teammate. But like you said, people found it hard to accept the same reasoning when Vettel was beaten by a faster teammate.

Leclerc has gone on to prove pretty conclusively, over the last 3 years since he joined Ferrari, that he's just better than Vettel is. And instead of applying the same logic to both, the excuses are roled out for one and not even considered for the other. Likeability is a big difference in the calculation.

Red Bull have lodged a petition to review the penalty given to Hamilton. As required for the petition, it is based off new evidence that wasn't available to the stewards at the time. After the flexing wings, pit stops and now this, I personally hope both teams are given a firm shoe up the arse and told to grow up.

Is there any topic you can't shoehorn a bit of Vettel hate into?

As for Bottas, he's doing everything Mercedes ask of him so I would be very surprised if they replaced him.

They're not even pretending that he's there to do anything other than support Hamilton these days. He spends qualifying acting as a tow truck rather than optimising his own performance, his race strategy is always built entirely around disrupting Red Bull rather than maximising his own result, and in the event he overcomes those hurdles and ends up ahead of Hamilton without other cars between them then they just tell him to invert the cars anyway.

He's had this role since he joined Mercedes, he's one of the slower drivers on the grid but also the most compliant. Toto Wolff has never hidden the fact he doesn't want a repeat of Rosberg, he's stated as much publicly. Put an above average driver in the second Mercedes and if and when they beat Hamilton regularly, Lewis will start throwing toys out of the pram, putting conspiracy theories against his own team out into the media, making private telemetry available to competitors, and all the other things he's done in the past when he's had to race another driver on fair terms.

Hamilton donated 20m of his own money to it, hardly a few quid nor a 'virtue signal'

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I know, doesn't mean they shouldn't be called out on their idiotic stance, and one can just look at their post history to see the foundations of their objections

The criticism of hamilton has become parodic. If he lends support to a cause, its virtue signalling. If he sets up an organisation to advance the cause, its virtue signalling. If he donates a huge chunk of money to advance the cause (literally putting his money where his mouth is), its virtue signalling.

I don't like the guy with the shite he talks about racing, but I can't fault his activism or his driving ability.

How many programs were set up and money put forward by Lewis and Merc to be inclusive, promote diversity and encourage minorities before?

Out of interest.

The only thing I can find about "mission 44" before 11 hours ago were to do with levels in computer games.

I donate to various charities via contributions through work, might stick an announcement in the local paper.

Seems now that its the "in" thing they need to jump on it and broadcast it.

Cool, was that before his BLM stunt?

Out of more interest.

Autosport: Has Formula 1 ever increased a penalty after an appeal?.

Autosport article on previous penalty appeals and how they worked out. There is precedent for having a penalty overturned but no penalty for having a penalty increased by another team.

It's not clear what RB is playing at, probably just making fuss to pit pressure on to gibe Hamilton a harsher penalty if the opportunity arises

Has there ever even been retrospective action on anything regarding penalties in F1?

I've just booked tickets to Spa at the end of August. Admittedly Gen DTS and it'll be my first F1 experience. We have tickets for Gold 2 on Sunday so here's hoping we get a good view out of the hairpin and up over the hill.

Can anyone recommend a good town to stay in for the night? As we're so late booking, Maastricht looks like a good bet with shuttle buses available but open to recommendations.

Also, any tips for visiting the track would be appreciated!

We just have the ticket for race day but the more I read up on the circuit the more I'm inclined to spend the extra €100 for a weekend pass. Is it feasible to walk around the track in the morning and then move p to the stand for the F1 at 2pm?

RB will use the engine from silverstone during FP1

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-to-run-verstappens-crashed-honda-engine-in-hungary/