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

Wouldn't be surprised either. However, there was a period of time where Haas were handy enough n the midfield, but I think their inexperience really showed once their car had baked in imbalances.

I would like to see them do well, and for Schumacher to shine a bit more.

Yes me too. I wonder how there method of doing things is going to work for next year as it really needed Ferrari to have some experience and designs of an old car that they could use. That's why they done OK in the beginning when they came in but next year will be different because they can not copy this years car and there is no previous car for next year. You would have to think they might be at a big disadvantage now but I hope to see them get back in the midfield somehow next year too as well as Alfa and Williams.

That noise...

Verstappen is taking the new engine so him and Leclerc will be starting from the back. Might make it interesting. How do they decide who starts dead last? Will it depend on quali? Leclerc's Ferrari looks quick in practice.

Edit: I meant to put this in the race thread :(

I think it's based on whoever takes their penalty first, as in goes to FIA and says we're putting in a new engine

That's why these things often aren't confirmed until the last minute

Here's some stats homework for you, since Gasly broke a long Mercedes-Benz/Ferrari/Red Bull hold on the top step, Alpha Tauri, Racing Point, Alpine and now McLaren have all had a taste of victory. Which of those teams has had the longest gap between victories? And just to be clear we are talking about Aston Martin>Racing Point>....>Jordan and Alpine>Renault >Lotus>...>Benetton and Alpha Tauri>Toro Rosso>Minardi and of course McLaren throughout.

Multiple teams with pitstop problems again at Sochi. Probably not all down to the ridiculous new regulations but there’s definitely been a very clear uptick in issues since they introduced the rule.

It was introduced under the spurious justification of “safety”, but the amount of pitstops going awry and putting cars out of position and more likely to get into incidents is surely a sign they need to revisit this if safety was actually the true intention.

Gasly won last season at Monza with AT, who were Toro Rossi before the rebrand.

Nearly 20 years of technology advancement, billions of dollars spent, and we’ve ended up with cars that look and sound far less spectacular, are much bigger and therefore less suited to wheel to wheel action, and are only barely faster around a lap which is mainly thanks to ultra wide tyres and the qualifying format.

Ah sorry, I missed that… thought you meant the last win in general! Yeah it prob would have been then yeah

I was only thinking yesterday, with the minor regulation changes at the start of this year, I think everyone expected another repeat of 2019, 2020 but this has been the best season since 2012 in my opinion. The midfield have closed the gap to the front two and there's nothing between the top two teams. I had Hamilton nailed on as world champion but his habit of making unforced errors (pit lane Q3, restart in Baku, Tosa in Imola) when he is under pressure has resurfaced again.

I am a little worried that Red Bull are putting everything into this year (and rightly so) to win the championship and have too much on their plate between the Honda withdrawal and reg changes for next year, but if you'd have offered me a season like this in March, I would have taken your hand off for it.

Agreed this season has been the best in years….! How many races have come down to the last few laps?!? It’s been brilliant to see and regardless of who wins out in the end it has been the best I can remember in a long time! Full disclosure I’m a big Vettel fan and am rooting for Max for the WC, But no matter what happens from here it’s been unreal!

If Ric was matching Norris, McLaren would be having an amazing season.

I think it's telling that nobody really described this race as a breakout event for Norris. I think he's shown all season that he has the skill and the balls to compete at the front. I think people are seeing that Sainz was probably better than he got credit for by matching Leclerc at ferrari and norris pretty much matched him last year. And now he's comprehensively beating Ric this season.

I think he's already acknowledged as part of the group of top drivers and given the car, would probably have all it takes to compete for the championship

Looks like we're going to Qatar in November.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12421832/qatar-gp-joins-formula-1-2021-calendar-twilight-race-confirmed-for-november-to-complete-schedule