F1 2024 - Round 11 - Austrian - Red Bull Ring

Yeah their coverage is really pathetic. The reality is that it was a very small wheel to wheel tap, that unfortunately caused a puncture. 9 times out of 10 both drivers would have carried on like nothing happened. There was more major contact amongst the likes of Piastri, Leclerc and Perez near the start of the race but that gets nothing like the amount of screaming and hyperbolic nonsense.

The gaslighting has already begun where I see some of the motorsport sites keep talking about Verstappen "moving while braking" as if it was a fact, even though there is no evidence that he ever did this. Gary Andersen, as is so often the case, is one of the few voices of reason in the motorsport press and pointed out the reality of the situation which is that 1) DRS was very powerful creating high closing speeds so a legitimate defensive move before the braking zone for Verstappen looked much later to Norris, and 2) the new positioning of the kerbs and white lines that make it impossible to go outside of track limits at that corner unless you're in the gravel have perhaps muddied the "leave a car's width" rule. Did Max leave a car's width to the white line? No. Did he leave a car's width to the gravel, which is effectively the track limit now at that corner? Yes, and more besides, but Norris chose not to use that space.

The hyperbole is still ridiculous though. Max wasn't moving under braking or making any kind of big maneuver. He covered the inside and then angled the car so that it would gradually drift back towards the racing line to allow himself a decent turn in angle, which is the completely standard method of defending. It was a matter of millimeters between a complete non-issue and the slight contact with disastrous consequences that ended up happening.

It's hilarious to see the narrative too that "Verstappen will crash into anyone who tries to overtake" being pushed too despite all the evidence to the contrary. Did nobody see the sprint race where Norris overtook him completely cleanly? Or the prior failed divebombs from Norris where Max simply got out of the way and at one point had to jump off track to avoid Lando running into him? There was nothing wildly aggressive in the defending at Austria and it was just an unfortunate, and small, coming together which the media are now trying to milk for all its worth.

It's Mercedes AMG, though I always go with the proper name of the car company, Mercedes-Benz.

In my amateur opinion, neither driver is 100% guilty/innocent. I do think it's 70% Max's fault, but Norris did himself no favours there with his impatience.

You will be missed.

I'm only using it as Plural. No other reason.

Singular, i call it a "merc"

I don't know about this. I get that being the works team outs you in the best position, but the workings of the Mercedes team since 2021 seems to be one that is making mistakes. Be it on strategy, or the ongoing issues with their ground effect cars.

They're likely going to be the best Mercedes powered team in 2026, but I don't know if we can say they'll be so far ahead that McLaren won't be able to win.

it’s helped the ticket sales for Silverstone. I hope Max puts on a show for the plucky Brits to enjoy.

9 years ago. People change.

Ye, Buxton likes to think he’s some kind of celebrity. Worth ignoring,on pretty much anything he says

Have him blocked on twitter so I avoid all of his tripe