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

Those static load tests are not fit for purpose.

Surely with the great minds of F1, they are building in structures into wing supports that are effected by airflow, for example wing support being twisted slightly by airflow and therefore performing slightly differently to the static case to allow deflection.

There has already been a precedent about flexing wings. Teams were given loads of time to fix it and not penalised.

Surely in this day and age, the FIA can calculate the real world loads and apply these during static testing.

Now that it’s becoming very clear from the photos how Mercedes cheated to gain that unprecedented level of top speed advantage, something has to be done to preserve the integrity of the sport surely. How can that result stand, when you look at something like Hungary where Vettel was completely disqualified for a small issue with fuel measurement that wasn’t intentional and conferred no benefit.

Personally, I think the prescribed tests should be announced with any design changes pre season and no changes be allowed to those tests until next reg change.

A team that then designs a wing to stand up to the test yet moves at opportune times should then be applauded.

What we have now is a political mess. Some designs resulting in new tests being brought in mid season to outlaw them. Other being declared legal. It's a mess and open to question from fans and teams alike.

I fir one do not want to see Lewis win an 8th WDC this year. I think Max and Red Bull have been great and really stepped up to the plate they have really upped there game and I hope they win the QDC and even the WCC as well. Would be delighted. I also do not want to see this hyprid era having only Mercedes as the sole winner.

So what if George had to play second fiddle or back marker next year. He is young. He has got plenty of time to become a WDC especially in a team with Mercedes resources. Lewis will get bored eventually and leave. If George puts it up to him next year even better but I really hope that Alpine, Ferrari, Mclaren and more can all be really competitive next year and we get a great season one even better than 2012 with at least 10 different winners maybe more next year. I hope it works out for Haas because if they not they may pack up there bags and leave.

My post explains the intricate difference between both issues. If you didn’t bother reading it then that’s fine.

I know it's not in the rules at the moment but I wonder would it be beneficial to the FIA if they had the power to pick a random team a half hour before FP1 so they don't have time to cheat, make them install those aerodynamic rake things and run a shakedown lap with the data going to the stewards instead of the team. A sort of advanced weigh bridge so to speak.

Ah ye but I think he has done as much as he can do and spent enough time at Williams besides who would refuse on opportunity to go to a team like Mercedes even if there is a 7 time WDC champion there.

Mercedes and Hamilton look strong but Verstappen must be slight favourite going into last two races. Verstappen could still be crowned champion with a race to go wheareas Hamilton has still to make up that gap. If Hamilton wins the next race then he will be favourite going into last race. Lots could still happen.

He must have had at least one since Malaysia 2016 right?

He doesn't need to DNF -- he fucked up in Baku this season, Hockenheim a couple of years ago. Saved by a red flag in Imola this year.

If this season has taught us anything, the form book is not reliable.

On Ted's notebook yesterday he mentioned that the talk in the paddock is that the development of the new cars for next year shows they will be at least as fast as this years ones despite the simplified aero and initial talk that they'd be a good bit slower. Seemingly the engineers have found flexibility in the new rules.

Anything could happen right up to the chequered flag. A bodged pitstop could even decide the title.

I hope it goes to the final race and its a clean fight with no controversy.

If by recent history you mean recent races, it is 2-2 in the last 4. Barring Hungry where he was torpedoed, he has finished 1st or 2nd this year. But I am with you in not putting a bet on anything. Only reliability question mark is over Merc with all the new lines they have taken, but sounds like they at least have the reliability sorted, their performance drop off is rumoured to still be the same though.

My blood pressure isn't liking this season, but I am. Still rooting for Max as well, I have a feeling he will use clinch it.

They don’t even slightly deserve it. RB have worked their arses off to massively reduce the performance gap between the cars. Max has had a near perfect season and his team have nailed the pit stops and strategy 99% of the time or at least more than Mercedes have. If it wasn’t for Bottas destroying Max’s car in Hungary, Hamilton sending Max to the wall at Silverstone and also the cheeky engine swap for which they received effectively no penalty Max would be out of sight in the drivers championship. Lewis has had a poor season by his standards but he has all the luck as usual.

talk about having a one sided opinion.

sour grapes much.

hope Hamilton wins

Yeah, exploiting engine rules that were designed to stop rich teams taking multiple fresh engines, but didn't account for the bonus of the fresh engine outweighing the weakness of the penalty. Running a trick illegal rear wing to further add to the advantage. Lewis taking Max out and nearly killing him at Silverstone, worth a 32 point swing on the day and more points at Russia when Max took a penalty because of the engine damage. Bottas taking out both Red Bulls at Hungary. Mercedes successfully lobbying to get the rules changed to trip up Red Bull on pitstops which led directly to a pit problem that put Max from being comfortably ahead of Lewis to right in his path at Monza.

Not to mention Max's tyre explosion when comfortably leading at Baku and the extremely spurious penalty for a rogue martial sticking a flag out as he passed while there was no official yellow flag zone at Qatar robbing him of a chance of fighting for victory. The Mercedes is far faster than the Red Bull but Max has been on a different planet to Lewis, if he'd started on the front row at Qatar he had a chance of taking the lead into turn 1 and holding it like he did against faster Mercs who locked out pole at Mexico and Austin, but once he was starting further back the result was inevitable.

It's hard to think of a single mistake Max has made this season, while Lewis has put it in the wall at Imola, thrown away a gifted win by going off at Baku, thrown away a gifted win by being the only driver on the grid who couldn't read the weather at Hungary. Max hasn't finished behind Lewis in a race without being taken out or penalties and engine changes being involved since round four of the championship and the only reason Lewis is not 50+ points behind in the standings right now is a combination of his dirty driving, Bottas lending a hand creating pile ups of his own, Mercedes using exploits and completely ignoring the spirit of the engine regulations, and their aerodynamicists playing dirty tricks with their rear wing.

Top quality response there, 10/10 (apologies if you’re under 12)

one under 12 post deserves another.

There is so much wrong with this that it defies belief!

How you can possibly claim to be neutral is astoundingly unbelievable!

Love the claim that RB f**ked up a pitstop at Monza and then Max in typical Max fashion decided he'd rather crash than back out of a corner to continue the fight after coming out behind Lewis, and this was all a diabolical scheme by Mercedes.That's a level of bias towards Max that even Jos Verstappen would struggle to reach!

I think RB have been great this year, and the points dropped were out of their control (Silverstone and Hungry). ax was only 6 points ahead after Turkey and I thought that was it, but he nailed Austin which should have been a Merc track all over.

These last 2 races should be great for the spectacle alone. SA sounds like the paint will still be wet on the walls when the teams arrive, and Abu Dhabi will be a tad unknown with the new layout, and all teams will be pushing the limits on performance and reliability.

Overall, I think Max deserves it and I am rooting hard for him.