Poll: Official 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Race Thread - Shanghai International Circuit - Race 5/24

[Jono8]

Let’s not go down this path in this thread please.

I wasn't meaning to kick it off about that. I just thought it was unfair on Max to think that all his titles are tainted, just because of 21. He's clearly an exceptional driver/talent.

I'd perhaps not definitively call him the best on the grid at the moment as it's always tricky with car performance etc, but he's absolutely one of the best easily.

 

[413x]

Perez was very average, but finished in front of both Ferraris, so RBR will be happy enough.

I guess it's the other teams giving us these dull races

While RBR are so dominant they can have perez. Still an easy WCC and WDC and no drama and cheap to have perez too.

If ferrari for example were constantly grabbing p2 + p3 they'd have to get a good second driver.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

I guess it's the other teams giving us these dull races

While RBR are so dominant they can have perez. Still an easy WCC and WDC and no drama and cheap to have perez too.

If ferrari for example were constantly grabbing p2 + p3 they'd have to get a good second driver.

Exactly. If Verstappen was being challenged and chased on a Sunday, RBR would want a better, more aggressive #2 to be his wingman.

 

[Jono8]

I guess it's the other teams giving us these dull races

While RBR are so dominant they can have perez. Still an easy WCC and WDC and no drama and cheap to have perez too.

If ferrari for example were constantly grabbing p2 + p3 they'd have to get a good second driver.

Yeh, that's made RBs life much easier as there isn't really a clear 2nd fastest car.

As you say, if the 2nd fastest car was easily clear of the field, Perez could become a liability.

 

[Jono8]

This made me laugh a lot

https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank/s/GyiyKpII0O

 

[iamdjdz]

I thought the auto generated overhead name markers were really annoying, I've watched since 1996 and never felt a need to have fake labels above the cars.. especially annoying flicking on and off during safety car weaving and when they came on during overtakes. I also agree the cameras are too zoomed in, who cares if it makes the cars appear quicker you may as well be at the same track every week.

Rant over.. I gave the race a 7 out of 10 because Lando and also it was relatively enjoyable. Not sure what I think about Rosberg in commentary, at the start it was oh no but he grew on me a bit over the race. Crofty is still garbage though and Rosberg did nothing really to calm him down with technical details like Brundle does.

 

[Bug One]

This made me laugh a lot

https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank/s/GyiyKpII0O

I do wonder if he'd be better if he could confirm what he means in French or Italian.

Is it a hard rule that all radio communication must be done in English?

 

[AlphariusOmegan]

no it's not mandatory that comms must be in English, however, i think, as most in F1 speak english and a lot of the viewers are english speakers it becomes the unofficial default, there are times when they will speak in either the drivers or pit engineer's native language (mostly Ferrari) but not often

 

[Sparky]

I know RB have little incentive to change but I wish more than anything that they put someone better in that other RB seat. Max still might win the title potentially, but I think any of Hamilton, Alonso, Norris, Leclerc or Russell could at least make him work for it!

I offered but apparently too fat these days to get past the halo

 

[jonneymendoza]

Perez was very average, but finished in front of both Ferraris, so RBR will be happy enough.

Would you rate bottas (when he was at Merc) better than Perez?

 

[sidimmu]

Does anyone think Daddy Stroll has had a serious chat with Little Baby Stroll about it?
The lack of everything was horrendous. could have just said, I really mucked up and wasn't focusing where I should have been and most would have moved on outside of the usual calling for him to be sacked.

 

[Jono8]

Would you rate bottas (when he was at Merc) better than Perez?

I think he's a bit better than Perez, certainly at qualifying.

 

[Mr Jack]

Would you rate bottas (when he was at Merc) better than Perez?

Comfortably. Bottas was able to outqualify and outrace Lewis occasionally.

 

[Scam]

Comfortably. Bottas was able to outqualify and outrace Lewis occasionally.

Exactly what I was going to say. Just because Bottas didn't win a WDC people forget he was damn close to Lewis a lot of the time. Bottas qualifying on pole a lot of the time also made it far less straightforward for Lewis, than today's P1 and P2 setup.

It was unfortunate that he lost his mojo towards the end, especially in 2021 where it really badly affected Lewis's championship.

 

[jaybee]

Why was Norris driver of the day? He made a single DRS over take on Alonso and the VSC / SC worked out favourably for him to keep second? Unless I missed something? I thought Alonso, Leclerc, Hamilton were more exciting to watch and more involved in battles. I feel like the driver of the day vote is more of a "good result chap" nod of the head to Norris, which is not really what it should be about imo. Otherwise Max would win it every week. Meh.

 

[Mr Jack]

Why was Norris driver of the day? He made a single DRS over take on Alonso and the VSC / SC worked out favourably for him to keep second? Unless I missed something? I thought Alonso, Leclerc, Hamilton were more exciting to watch and more involved in battles. I feel like the driver of the day vote is more of a "good result chap" nod of the head to Norris, which is not really what it should be about imo.

Lando did a fantastic job keeping his tyres going, in a car that isn't all that good at doing so, and managing his pace to keep ahead of a much faster car. It's not just about overtakes. I agree Alonso, Leclerc, and Lewis provided more entertainment.

 

[Mesai]

I think he's a bit better than Perez, certainly at qualifying.

I'd also put him ahead of Perez but difficult to say by how much as it's all relative to how good Max is vs Lewis. Bottas definitely had some wins on merit vs Perez where it's mostly just Max having an engine failure, although Bottas did seem to drop off massively in 2021.

Why was Norris driver of the day? He made a single DRS over take on Alonso and the VSC / SC worked out favourably for him to keep second? Unless I missed something? I thought Alonso, Leclerc, Hamilton were more exciting to watch and more involved in battles. I feel like the driver of the day vote is more of a "good result chap" nod of the head to Norris, which is not really what it should be about imo. Otherwise Max would win it every week. Meh.

I'm happy with Norris being DotD given that he was comfortably 2nd and very consistent. Alonso and Charles would be good candidates, with Alonso mainly being let down by the tyre strat.

I mean, in reality, Max is DotD, he won - the voting is mostly a popularity thing/perceived performance. Lewis was 2nd in the poll and barely overtook anyone on track.

 

[Eddie99]

I mean, in reality, Max is DotD, he won

It's driver of the day not car of the day

 

[Mr Jack]

Lewis was 2nd in the poll and barely overtook anyone on track.

Huh? Lewis pulled actual, non-DRS, overtakes.

 

[Mesai]

It's driver of the day not car of the day

I love the selective logic. Should write in to the FIA and ask that they revoke Lewis's titles