Poll: Official 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix Thread - The Strip, Las Vegas - Round 22

[Jono8]

After today, if you were to half Verstappens championship points in the drivers championship. He would still be in the lead

Really hope one of the teams with a real top driver (Ferrari, Merc, Mclaren or Aston) can make a car that rivals the Red Bull next year, or we are in for another absolute snoozefest considering it looks like Perez will be there for 2024.

I think Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris or Alonso could give Max a run for his money, but they need to be given the machinery to do it in.

 

[Scam]

I accidentally saw a news pic and it had a guy in red holding a trophy

I don’t know why they put Perez in a red suit. Surely white yes, for elvis, but the second choice could be blue for RB no?

I think Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris or Alonso could give Max a run for his money, but they need to be given the machinery to do it in.

If Leclerc was in that McLaren with the McLaren team behind him he would have beaten Max twice at least this year I reckon. At a guess. Jury is still out on Norris, he’s had plenty of opportunity to have a battle with Max but has just waved him through every time.

Judging by the first corner today being so reminiscent of 2021 I’m still not convinced Max can race wheel to wheel fairly with anyone. It’s certainly going to be interesting if anyone can get in that position. But also judging by today it seems RB still have the stewards in their back pocket..

 

[chrismscotland]

I hope another team can challenge next year, would probably prefer it to be McLaren because they seem to be pretty good on strategy generally as well, Ferrari may have a quick car but ultimately they seem unable to mount any kind of decent challenge and seem to just throw results away due to their race team being unable to function properly.

Would love Aston (well Alonso) to be up there but honestly happy to see Merc struggling, they've had plenty of success in the last decade, although would love to see the top drivers in Max, Lewis, Leclerc, Alonso and Norris all fighting it out.

I do wonder though if next year Mercedes remain nowhere at what point the Merc management back in Stuttgart decide they've had enough and sell their 1/3 stake in the team, I'd imagine they may well be happy enough to keep the badge in F1 via the engine supply, especially if other manufacturers (Audi) decide not to enter as is being much speculated.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

Judging by the first corner today being so reminiscent of 2021 I’m still not convinced Max can race wheel to wheel fairly with anyone. It’s certainly going to be interesting if anyone can get in that position. But also judging by today it seems RB still have the stewards in their back pocket..

Didn't Max start on the oily side of the track? I really thought a few of the drivers going wide or spinning at T1 had ran over the **** poor side.
As far as judging racing ability on that incident, there are some other world champions on the grid who've looked like they aren't great at wheel-to-wheel racing this year. I think judging things on singular incidents, especially when you have known-bias, is not the best.

 

[Jono8]

I hope another team can challenge next year, would probably prefer it to be McLaren because they seem to be pretty good on strategy generally as well, Ferrari may have a quick car but ultimately they seem unable to mount any kind of decent challenge and seem to just throw results away due to their race team being unable to function properly.

Would love Aston (well Alonso) to be up there but honestly happy to see Merc struggling, they've had plenty of success in the last decade, although would love to see the top drivers in Max, Lewis, Leclerc, Alonso and Norris all fighting it out.

I do wonder though if next year Mercedes remain nowhere at what point the Merc management back in Stuttgart decide they've had enough and sell their 1/3 stake in the team, I'd imagine they may well be happy enough to keep the badge in F1 via the engine supply, especially if other manufacturers (Audi) decide not to enter as is being much speculated.

I'd be surprised if Mercedes throw the towel in just because they aren't no.1. They have still been competitive with the others (bar red bull), might get 2nd in the constructors, and almost got 2nd in the driver's championship.

I wouldn't say they are "nowhere". If they did fall to a proper midfield team or lower for a few years then, yes they may think about it.

Whilst they still get podiums regularly, it would seem silly for Merc to give up.

 

[mushtafa]

I've just watched the Martin's grid walk - how busy was that!? You can tell at least half of those celebrities don't care at all about F1 and it's just about the selfie with a car/team.
The teams and drivers must surely hate it the way things have changed.

 

[Mesai]

Didn't Max start on the oily side of the track? I really thought a few of the drivers going wide or spinning at T1 had ran over the **** poor side.
As far as judging racing ability on that incident, there are some other world champions on the grid who've looked like they aren't great at wheel-to-wheel racing this year. I think judging things on singular incidents, especially when you have known-bias, is not the best.

How dare you use your brain

The first corner was chaos all the way down the grid - looked very slippery. Wasn’t the last set of braking incidents at that corner either.

 

[cuke2u]

How dare you use your brain

The first corner was chaos all the way down the grid - looked very slippery. Wasn’t the last set of braking incidents at that corner either.

Agreed, it was predicted that the cold ambient temperature would play havoc with cold tyres and indeed it did, as you state, Max was not the only one to fall victim but both the RB and the Ferrari went in too fast for the grip as did other drivers who spun there cars. Just a routine 1st corner incident and I'm sure if it had been any other driver then 'opinions' would have been different.

 

[Mesai]

Agreed, it was predicted that the cold ambient temperature would play havoc with cold tyres and indeed it did, as you state, Max was not the only one to fall victim but both the RB and the Ferrari went in too fast for the grip as did other drivers who spun there cars. Just a routine 1st corner incident and I'm sure if it had been any other driver then 'opinions' would have been different.

100%

The surface and temp differences is likely what helped make Ferrari competitive (they usually burn tyres). Still a shame that Carlos got screwed by that drain cover; could've had more fights up front.

 

[SoliD]

Shame about the second safety car as it ruined what seemed to be a very varied strategy set. I actually thought that the shots of Vegas didn't really show it off that much compared to Singapore and the hotel at Abu Dhabi.

 

[Concrete]

Concerned that some of you may have watched a different race?

Race Highlights | 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Five lights go out in Las Vegas! Catch up on all the action from a sensational street race.For more F1® videos, visit https://www.Formula1.comFollow F1®:http...

www.youtube.com

Verstappen was miles further off the track than another other car going into the first corner except those that had to take evasive action, and all of those took it having already turned in.

 

[413x]

Maybe we need more slippery surfaces in f1.

We all know driving in the rain makes the most exciting races. Maybe more should be cold, poor surfaces. Certainly made Las Vegas a great watch.

 

[img]

Concerned that some of you may have watched a different race?

Race Highlights | 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Five lights go out in Las Vegas! Catch up on all the action from a sensational street race.For more F1® videos, visit https://www.Formula1.comFollow F1®:http...

www.youtube.com

Verstappen was miles further off the track than another other car going into the first corner except those that had to take evasive action, and all of those took it having already turned in.

Pretty sure Alonso was worst there Lets give him second worst.

 

[Mesai]

Pretty sure Alonso was worst there Lets give him second worst.

I think Lewis taking out Piastri wins that one.

 

[Goksly]

4 points between Ferrari and Mercedes going into the last weekend. That's a lot of money on the line for them.

With teams like this, I always wonder do they want 2nd place? With the budget cap in place they're saving a load of money... would they prefer 3rd and more wind tunnel time?

 

[bayo000]

Insert Max Verstappen joke here.....

Lets joke about a driver with no penalty points for causing collision this season, ignore another one with 4 points and who fairly recently crossed a live track wearing dark overalls in the middle of the night

 

[AlphariusOmegan]

With teams like this, I always wonder do they want 2nd place? With the budget cap in place they're saving a load of money... would they prefer 3rd and more wind tunnel time?

i would suspect the answer from all teams would be no they want the higher position because it's more valuable to the sponsor deals

 

[Jono8]

Concerned that some of you may have watched a different race?

Race Highlights | 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Five lights go out in Las Vegas! Catch up on all the action from a sensational street race.For more F1® videos, visit https://www.Formula1.comFollow F1®:http...

www.youtube.com

Verstappen was miles further off the track than another other car going into the first corner except those that had to take evasive action, and all of those took it having already turned in.

This. It was quite obviously just another Max overtake special. It is what he did through all of 2021 (and before). The supposed best driver on the grid is the one that **** the first corner up and outbrakes himself more than anyone else on the grid? lol, no. It was simply a cynical attempt at stealing the place from Charles.

He will just drive you off the track, and he doesnt seem to care all that much judging by his commenst to the stewards on the radio. Probably because they let him get away with it too much in his earlier years.

 

[Jono8]

Didn't Max start on the oily side of the track? I really thought a few of the drivers going wide or spinning at T1 had ran over the **** poor side.
As far as judging racing ability on that incident, there are some other world champions on the grid who've looked like they aren't great at wheel-to-wheel racing this year. I think judging things on singular incidents, especially when you have known-bias, is not the best.

I don't think many would be making much comment on it, if it were not for the fact that what Max did was essentially his signitaure "overtaking" move.

 

[BuffetSlayer]

Didn't Max start on the oily side of the track? I really thought a few of the drivers going wide or spinning at T1 had ran over the **** poor side.
As far as judging racing ability on that incident, there are some other world champions on the grid who've looked like they aren't great at wheel-to-wheel racing this year. I think judging things on singular incidents, especially when you have known-bias, is not the best.

Just talking about T1, Max knew the likely grip levels would be lower on that line and doubly so with a full fuel load.

He decided he would stuff it up the inside anyway (without giving the racing room required). It’s only because Leclerc took some self preserving action that there wasn’t a big shunt there.

That’s the thing with Max, he drives like other people should just move out of the way. He has always struggled to make clean passes, and the only reason it isn’t always obvious just lately is he has had the fastest car by a country mile. In similar performing cars he is the bumper car master and has demonstrated this time and time again.

Max needs to get the message that it’s not OK to pull silly up the inside moves and use the other car for his brakes (or completely fail to pass cleanly and leave racing room). It’s childish to then say “but I was ahead at the apex”. He didn’t have a cat in hells chance of passing George with that move and actually Max created an accident by stuffing it up the inside again and just expecting a car that was already committed to just move out of the way. Of course George didn’t expect Max to be there because he knew there was not a legitimate overtake space and only an idiot would try. What was the point of that move anyway? Max had a much faster car and so stuffing it up the inside was just idiotic when he could have just sailed by with DRS.

Max loves to talk about respect and yet he shows none. He is petulant and disrespectful and not a good sportsman. Case in point is how bad he whines if anyone else treats him like he treats them. Lol.

Not saying for a minute that he is the only one, but two wrongs do not make a right.