Alright when was that again.....?

[lukas Kutz]

He wasn't finished with F1, he was still too good when he left.
So excited to see him back

 

[paracletus]

Not really the topic, but was it ever revealed exactly how Ferrari got so much speed from the engine before they were told it was against rules? Last I heard they refused to say what it was, and the difference after it was removed was huge.

 

[Kindly]

Regarding Hamilton vs. Albon, watching it first time in real time I knew Hamilton had left his front left wheel in very intentionally. One can argue Albon should factor in that Hamilton isn't going to give him space on the outside to pass, i.e. it is Albon's responsibility to factor in that Hamilton is an idiot and a dirty driver and there is no run off. However, it is Hamilton's responsibility to not get frustrated at losing pace and positions and ruin other races and pick up penalties.

 

[Cristian Luis]

I'm very happy about this news...I believe Alonso still has lots of pace left in him, plus youth does not mean a better or faster driver and that has been proven so many times in both vintage (H-pattern) and modern F1 (semi-automatic). Also, people give him a lot of flak but I think he's hilarious, so that's a bonus. If Renault is at all serious about making a comeback, they need a fast, experienced driver to guide that renovation.



Slight correction: everybody seems to forget that a rookie Lewis Hamilton tied the 2 time reigning WDC Alonso (in arguably his prime) in points in 2007 and beat him on countback. Not hating, I'm an Alonso fan as well, I think he's one of the best to ever do it...but the Hamilton fan inside me couldn't let that statement slide

Maybe because a tie is a draw in the book of most people. And because in that year Alonso was almost as disfavored as Reutemann in 1981, to the point there was a website in favor of Alonso dedicated to recollect signs (collected more than 130.000) about the FIA decisions against Hamilton, who was NEVER penalized.

Denuncia de las irregularidades de la FIA y McLaren que perjudican a Fernando Alonso Petition

Denuncia de las irregularidades de la FIA y McLaren que perjudican a Fernando Alonso Petition, hosted at PetitionOnline.com

web.archive.org

In 2008, FIA replaced two of their three main members in that area (both of them from UK) and in terms of penalties that year... well... "Hamilton's fault" meme originated.

Only Button beat Alonso in the same conditions. In 2015.

 

[Knoxstar]

Mr. Brundle tweeted earlier that he had thought he'd never get the chance to interview him again on his gridwalk. For me that's confirmed.

I like guys that are not cookie cutter plug and play F1 drivers. Alonzo fits that bill. But Renault better get their shyte together because he will push them and that can only be good news.

 

[Ronaldoz87]

It's just super sad for the sport if you ask me. Now he have done that 2nd time. Like the man and Mercedes do not have enough trophies lately.

 

[ianthem]

Says you.

I say he will be a bit rusty in the first race or three until his physique relearns the speed and force with which things happen in F1.

I think one underestimates Fernando Alonso's sheer hunger, drive and ability at their own peril. He's one tough cookie.

I think LMP1 cars are being underestimated here.

 

[Flip-Flop Driver]

Do you really think Schumacher returned from retirement, to drive for a "new" team, hoping that he would win another title? Come on man.
What he was doing with Mercedes was developing a dominating TEAM. Not just a car, an entire team. He put his heart and soul into it and you see the results since then. That's why i never give any credit to Hamilton. Schumacher and Rosberg built this team.
I have the feeling that they're trying to do the same thing now with Alonso. He's will bring his "expertise" and help them develop a championship winning car, not chase another title. Not in his age.

Nico with the mic about drivers "building the team":

 

[morsify]

Maybe... but still the team did make a LOT of mistakes. Interesting read about the debacle.

I can't remember exactly what happened, but basically it was not a case of being unable to setup the car, it was incompetence, they knew how to set it up, but theycaused him to miss out by mistakenly sending him out with a completely wrong setup. By the time they realised the error it was too late.
They owned up to it after.
Amongst other things they were too busy messing around trying to get the car repainted after the wrong orange was used. The whole thing was an embarrassing shambles, nothing to do with the driver.

 

[ermo]

While the Ferrari trails both Merc, RB, RP and McL in qualifying, I have my doubts whether the Ferrari really is slower than the McLarens in race trim. It's clear that they have more drag now than last year, so they're relatively slow on the straights (if a ~750kg car producing ~1000bhp could ever be called "slow").

EDIT: Forgot to add "in qualifying" when I first wrote the post. Weird.

I don't know about that. I saw a graphic comparing the current Ferrari to last years after the qualifying session. It was losing massive chunks of time on the straights, and that's comparing it to last years Ferrari, not the Merc. They weren't making it back in the corners either.

It's very slow in a straight line which makes it a sitting duck for any car with a Mercedes engine in the back. It will be interesting to see how it does at a track like Silverstone.

I think Charles is very talented, and that talent enabled him to take advantage of the situation when an opportunity arose, but luck played a very large part in he's final position. Once they get to tracks with long straights it looks like the Ferrari will be in a lot of trouble.

I'm not ruling out the engine being changed to satisfy the FIA having an impact on Ferrari's top speed.

Last year, Ferrari simply didn't have enough downforce at the start of the season. When they put on more downforce in the latter part of the year, their top speed diminished (though this also coincided with the FIA engine clampdown).

This year, Binotto claims that the car has more downforce but that the correlation between simulation and track isn't great. More downforce typically implies more drag.

We'll see how it evolves I guess. Binotto could of course be lying through his teeth about the aero (and not the engine) being the cause of the low top speed.

 

[ermo]

I think LMP1 cars are being underestimated here.

That might be.

Do you know how hard LMP1 cars can corner and brake? In F1, just getting off the fast pedal at high speed apparently equals the deceleration of an emergency stop in a road car (~1g).

F1 cars can pull 5 Gs in fast corners and presumably the same under heavy braking (as long as the aero is still effective). I haven't the faintest idea what an LMP1 can do, but I'm assuming it is not quite on the same level and that the LMP1 cars are also heavier (so slower change of direction)?

 

[ianthem]

That might be.

Do you know how hard LMP1 cars can corner and brake? In F1, just getting off the fast pedal at high speed apparently equals the deceleration of an emergency stop in a road car (~1g).

F1 cars can pull 5 Gs in fast corners and presumably the same under heavy braking (as long as the aero is still effective). I haven't the faintest idea what an LMP1 can do, but I'm assuming it is not quite on the same level and that the LMP1 cars are also heavier (so slower change of direction)?

LMP1 is much closer to an F1 car than a road car. Look at all the lap records the 919 shattered with a couple modifications.

 

[Nick Hill]

Post bookmarked for future reference!

Lol, me and my big mouth

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Lol, me and my big mouth

I think you are safe though

 

[davehenrie]

I almost feel that 2020 should be skipped entirely for motorsport.
24h of Le Mans in September? Not the same
25h of Spa in October? They'll be lucky not to get snow and red flags.

It just seems like a waste (of money).

Why red-flag the race just because of snow? Grab some of those studded Rallye tires and press on!

 

[davehenrie]

The Sky TV via ESPN announcers did not mention how Bottas slowed the pace near the end. Good for him I say. I remember Sir Lewis pushing his team mate Rosberg back by a similar slowing of pace to try and give Vettel a chance to pass Nico for second place. Might have changed the championship if it had happened.

 

[Antony Snook]

It is hard to pin blame on these things. It is like Peter Windsor said Liberty Media is trying to sanitize the sport. OK in the 50's they where gentlemen racers. But you can not make them that today. Athletes in the modern eara are fierce like UFC fighters. Let them race. So what if they drift wide so what if they crash that is the consequence of the toughest Motorsport series in the world. And being part of it.

Take the Officials put them in a F1 car and make them race see how many penalty's they can get. After being out of the car for so long, If they ever drove one in the first place.

 

[Samuel Fuller]

I'm pretty sure Hamilton was annoyed that Albon ran him out of road at that corner on lap 1 or 2. He wanted to do the same back, but underestimated that Albon would get that far ahead. By then it was too late for Hamilton to back out of it. I think Hamilton's ego caused a momentary lack of judgement, something that doesn't happen often, possibly because Hamilton feels threatened by the younger British/Thai. Hamilton isn't ready to pass the baton just yet.

 

[Antony Snook]

Why not giving penalties after warnings? I don't think it's that nice to tighten up the circuits. Also the material next to the curb might influence. Or having material that slow them down.. I'm not fan of that, but I could be fan of having more sand next to tracks.

According to Brundel in BTCC if you get a penalty. You get called down pit road made to stop at the end with a giant clock counting down time. And told not to do it verbally by official. To many and they can send you home early before race is over. Or DSQ you from results. But then there will be lawyers and appeals and claims that the official is ganging up on a driver or team. Or even defending another driver or team.

 

[Turk]

I'm not ruling out the engine being changed to satisfy the FIA having an impact on Ferrari's top speed.

Hopefully it's just an issue at this track. The graphic I saw on Channel 4 (UK) comparing Leclercs qualifying to last year was pretty alarming. As soon as he accelerated out of a corner he was losing a car length to last years car.

His car was very twitchy under braking too, I think he was having similar issues to Vettel he just had reactions fast enough to control it. I want to see Leclerc do well but I'm beginning to think he really doesn't have the car to challenge red bull, never mind Mercedes. McLaren is in better shape than Ferrari from the looks of things.