2019 Formula One Japanese Grand Prix

[snyperal]

Please remind me when Louis had not the best car because either I've been in another planet or Mercedes is smashing the competitors since 2014 (1.6 V6T hybrid)

Last year, it was only Sebs weak mind that torpedoed the championship.

 

[RobertGracie]

I shudder to think whats gonna happen on Sunday now what ever happens with this Super Typhoon if its a direct hit on the circuit, all bets are off.....I just hope they can race, if they ever race in Typhoon weather again someone is gonna have to be fired, the last time this happened was 5 years ago and we lost Jules Bianchi 9 months later it was that bad....I never want to see a race like that again

 

[Scottt]

Please remind me when Louis had not the best car because either I've been in another planet or Mercedes is smashing the competitors since 2014 (1.6 V6T hybrid)

The last time I can remember was 12 days ago in Russia.

 

[Scottt]

Last year, it was only Sebs weak mind that torpedoed the championship.

That seems to be a tough argument to make considering Vettel finished 80+ points behind Hamilton, so it wasn't particularly close. And he still finished 70 points ahead of his teammate.

In addition, Hamilton won 11 poles to Vettel's 5. Hamilton won the championship because he was far faster, not because of anything to do with Seb's mind.

 

[Scottt]

I'm not the biggest Verstappen fan, no never. But for the first time ever since he started in F1, I'm rooting for him for this race! C'mon! Let Japan celebrate a little! Albon P3 or top 5? Let 'em have a go at it! Just delay the Merc championship for a few more races. Everyone knows it's coming, just extend the party a little more! Red Bull and Ferrari P1-2-3-4!

What he's been doing with what is clearly the 3rd best car (by a good margin) on the grid is extremely impressive.

 

[Sasha Jednak]

It gets soooo old. "So and So has the best car on the grid, he should win". Listen, I don't care if it's a rocket, you still have to DRIVE the fricken car. Don't even try the best car argument. If best car was all it took to win races and championships, any of you chuckleheads would be champion.

That answer is great for those who say "it is all about car", I guess you are writing it only for them. Because if not, we have 20 drivers that are very close in skill. And between them on this level, car performance makes a difference, wanted we to admit or not. But of course it is not ALL of it, although it is very big part (in F1 today). IMO, if someone has clearly best car he is expected to win. If he doesn't win because of pure pace, and not because of SC/DNF/etc it is his failure. In this case, I expect it from Lewis, in Sochi I was expecting it from pole-man Vettel (yes 3rd start position is pole in Sochi), in Monza I was expecting it from Leclerc...

Last year, it was only Sebs weak mind that torpedoed the championship.

That is very strong word there if you are really following F1.

 

[tigermilk]

I shudder to think whats gonna happen on Sunday now what ever happens with this Super Typhoon if its a direct hit on the circuit, all bets are off.....I just hope they can race, if they ever race in Typhoon weather again someone is gonna have to be fired, the last time this happened was 5 years ago and we lost Jules Bianchi 9 months later it was that bad....I never want to see a race like that again

Forecast track is nowhere near Suzuka, so no worries. All the spaghetti models have similar tracks. Tokyo will get drenched, but even there, it will be a much degraded storm.

Race on!

 

[Appie Kuipers]

Easy this time, dry HAM, rain MAX

 

[RobertGracie]

Forecast track is nowhere near Suzuka, so no worries. All the spaghetti models have similar tracks. Tokyo will get drenched, but even there, it will be a much degraded storm.

Race on!

Thats good for the Race but not so good for the Japan vs Scotland Rugby game that should go ahead because either way it will be a hollow victory for Japan and it would be the Rugby World Cup Board screwing Scotland over there!

 

[Qazdar Karim]

Easy this time, dry HAM, rain MAX

Especially when you see that most of the latest rain-affected races were won by Lewis.

 

[Atticvs]

I'm not sure why people are disagreeing with you, seems like quite a fair assessment to me. Ferrari as a team should really be taking a hard look in the mirror. For good chunks of 2018 and 2019, Ferrari has been even and sometimes even a little quicker than Merc, but they've consistently blown it on strategy. It's a pattern. As an F1 fan who has heard all the "get in there Lewis!!!" he can handle for one lifetime, I sincerely wish Ferrari would get their act together.

Thanks. I'm not too fussed about it. Where it seems I'm going to be wrong, for now, is Suzuka pace, Mercedes seems really quick. Ferrari have almost 48 hours to analyse their setup and we have seen big turnarounds in pace from Friday to Saturday, eh.... Sunday morning... so we'll see.

Ferrari is clearly banking on a dry Sunday btw with those spoon rear wings, essentially a medium-high downforce one. Whereas Mercedes is just one element of a T-wing away from their maximum downforce configuration, so it's clear that both teams are trying to play onto their strengths - except Ferrari, running the same wing in Russia could make the high full throttle % count in their favour whereas here they seem to hurt themselves too much by the double whammy of an inherently lower downforce car plus only medium-high downforce wings in the high-speed corners. Mercedes is putting all their eggs on getting as fast as possible in those high-speed corners.

 

[M-Bimmer]

If there’s no qualy on Sunday morning (3am here)
when is Parc fermé?

 

[davehenrie]

Last year, it was only Sebs weak mind that torpedoed the championship.

From mid season on, the Merced with Lewis driving(and often Botas too) was clearly faster than the SEB Ferrari. Many of the errors that came in the 2nd half of the season were due to Seb trying to overcome his lack of pace. (NOT ALL BUT MANY) For much of the last 4 years, both of the Mercs were faster than the Ferrari. Mercedes and Lewis earned all those championships. Seb just contributed to the size of the points gaps.

 

[muzikant]

Especially when you see that most of the latest rain-affected races were won by Lewis.

Mercedes or Lewis?

 

[Thang Nguyen]

50 second pitstop

 

[Thang Nguyen]

If it wouldn't be for the typhoon, I'd say Leclec (sic in the poll, check please) or Vettel.

But as it stands, Ferrari is going to lose another one, because if it's wet they're going nowhere compared to Hamilton.

It is now that all these lost opportunities hurt, because now they finally got the pace (in the dry).

Hamilton has won the 2018 world championship from a similar pace disadvantage. Heck, even in 2017, Mercedes was barely, if at all, quicker than Ferrari.

And it's the margin by which they're losing that is astounding - Hamilton is not simply beating them in a slower or matching car, but beating them 2-3 rounds before the end of the season.

Ridiculous underachievement.

 

[Thang Nguyen]

 

[Enagee]

What's with the pictures of Lewis ?? Let's wait till after the race

 

[Qazdar Karim]

Mercedes or Lewis?

Not Bottas.

 

[Hitman65]

I always look forward to Suzuka. As far as I'm concerned, the most difficult track on the calendar. Too bad the race is at 1:00 AM where I live...

Get "Kayo". You can watch any sport including F1, anytime you like. Whatever hour suits you....