Poll: Turkish Grand Prix 2021, Istanbul - Race 16

[Scam]

I gave it a 6 but want to change to a 7 because I think there was a fair amount of tension and drama at the end actually. I think Merc had the pit call right the first time, got tempted into staying out by Lewis... by which point they'd both done themselves a disservice as they pitted too late to make any gains. Staying out would have been too great a risk, I think everyone knows that.

On that note, I did chuckle when Max was being interviewed by Coultard after the race, when asked what the hardest part of the race was, said "Staying awake"

I'm sure his sponsors love comments like that. Shows yet another reason why/how he needs to grow up.

 

[englishpremier]

I'm sure his sponsors love comments like that. Shows yet another reason why/how he needs to grow up.

How is that? Even if no-one sponsors him he's still easily enough to get a seat and get paid for driving so it doesn't matter.

 

[Scam]

How is that? Even if no-one sponsors him he's still easily enough to get a seat and get paid for driving so it doesn't matter.

At the moment yes. But sponsors are inadvertently paying for TV time when they are on the shirt, hat, car etc. If Max goes on screen saying he was "bored" then for one the F1 bods will take a dislike to that, and for another the sponsor might not want to be associated with a driver who says the sport is boring, and lastly Red Bull might take a dislike to it because why would aforementioned sponsor want to pay them lots of money for their name on Max's shirt when he's standing there saying it's boring? Next year they'll look at putting their money somewhere else, into another team perhaps.

I don't need to find links for you, but it's pretty well-known that drivers need to come into the sport with some money. Try Latifi, Mazepin, Norris, Stroll... If they can't come in with their own money then they need to come in with sponsorship money.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Mercedes were clearly nursing their engines at the start of the season. 2 tracks favour Rb (I reckon it’ll be close), 2 mercs and 2 unknown. Mercs have a slight edge, I reckon Lewis can just about pull this off. Any DNFs from here though for max or Lewis will finish it. Mercedes engines must be a small worry. Although I’m not a huge fan of max (as a person, he’s an epic driver), I’d be happy with either winning, they both deserve it.

 

[JRS]

I'm sure his sponsors love comments like that. Shows yet another reason why/how he needs to grow up.

Meh, at least one of them is willing to admit on camera that it's all a bit crap.

 

[Scam]

Meh, at least one of them is willing to admit on camera that it's all a bit crap.

If you don't like it why are you in here? This has been one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. We're 6 races from the end and the championship could go either way. There's what 6 points in it? There's been great racing, championship contenders actually going toe-to-toe, shocking incidents, history could be made with Lewis's 8th title... I don't really know what else you could ask for in a F1 season to be honest...

 

[JRS]

If you don't like it why are you in here?

Oooh, exciting! Only need a couple more marks for my OcUK Motorsport Forum Bingo Card™!

To be fair, this race wasn't too bad - Tilke screwed up with Instanbul and built a half decent racetrack, the weather threw teams and drivers for a loop, and I particularly enjoyed the Perez-Hamilton battle partway through. But when the current formula managed to turn Monza - one of the fastest and most dangerous tracks in the history of Grand Prix racing - into a dull affair last month then you know something has gone seriously wrong.

I don't really know what else you could ask for in a F1 season to be honest...

Cars that don't have the wheelbase and static weight of a HGV? Technical rules that allow for rather more innovation than who can drill a hole in the floor that nets them an extra 0.0026% in downforce? Drivers who are willing to take responsibility when they delay a strategy call past the point at which it would be halfway useful? TV commentary that doesn't make me want to gnaw my own arm off to escape?

 

[Mr Jack]

Although I’m not a huge fan of max (as a person, he’s an epic driver), I’d be happy with either winning, they both deserve it.

Likewise. I'm certainly more of a Lewis fan, and Max and Red Bull are among my least favourites, but Max has performed exceptionally well and would be a deserving winner.

 

[KiNgPiN83]

Mercedes were clearly nursing their engines at the start of the season. 2 tracks favour Rb (I reckon it’ll be close), 2 mercs and 2 unknown. Mercs have a slight edge, I reckon Lewis can just about pull this off. Any DNFs from here though for max or Lewis will finish it. Mercedes engines must be a small worry. Although I’m not a huge fan of max (as a person, he’s an epic driver), I’d be happy with either winning, they both deserve it.

Hamilton is probably ruing that mistake in Baku, could've been a decent chunk of points clear now.

 

[jaybee]

Cars that don't have the wheelbase and static weight of a HGV? Technical rules that allow for rather more innovation than who can drill a hole in the floor that nets them an extra 0.0026% in downforce? Drivers who are willing to take responsibility when they delay a strategy call past the point at which it would be halfway useful? TV commentary that doesn't make me want to gnaw my own arm off to escape?

Lol
I mean the first point yeah I agree. We need more mechanical grip and smaller, more nimble cars.

 

[Entai]

Lol
I mean the first point yeah I agree. We need more mechanical grip and smaller, more nimble cars.

You will never get much smaller cars while safety is paramount.
Feet must be behind front axle line.
Fuel tanks of such a size to run the entire race.
Side impact protection.

Those three alone instantly lay out the minimum footprint of a car, which will not change.

 

[JRS]

You will never get much smaller cars while safety is paramount.

We-e-ell...

Feet must be behind front axle line.

True. But they were already back behind that axle line before the cars started getting wildly long, no?

(***edit*** yep. Feet went behind the front axle centreline in 1988)

Fuel tanks of such a size to run the entire race.

So bring back refuelling. Added bonus of the cars running with less weight at the start of the race.

Side impact protection.

True. And if you make teams fit wider bodywork rather than narrow everything up to fit the stretch limo wheelbase then you add even more protection, plus the cars punch larger holes in the air making the slipstream more effective without resorting to DRS. Combine that with getting the floor to do the majority of the downforce generation and you'll have cars that can actually follow each other on dry days.

 

[Mr Jack]

Those three alone instantly lay out the minimum footprint of a car, which will not change.

While this would rule out a return to cars as small as they were in the 70s, say, I don't see any reason to believe that these mandate cars as large as the ones we have. Most of the increase has come since 2007 which was well after we entered the modern era of car safety, in fact if you look at the development of car length over time:



Most of the increase in length has come from behind the driver, some of that is the larger fuel tank, some of it is the larger fuel tank, but a lot of it comes from packaging decisions. The cars are faster when they're longer but that comes at the cost of racing. It should be quite possible to shorten the cars without compromising safety and then the F1 mechanics can work their magic to claw the speed back. Another area where the cars have got longer is in the distance the wing extends past the front wheels. With the new aero regs the front wing is nearly optional in terms of downforce generation so why not massively reduce the amount it's allowed to extend past the front wheels? Finally note the difference between the widest point and the width of the car at the point the driver sits: the width isn't being defined by side impact protection, so why not shave a bit off it?

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Hamilton is probably ruing that mistake in Baku, could've been a decent chunk of points clear now.

Indeed, that was an easy win thrown away.

 

[GR63]

Likewise. I'm certainly more of a Lewis fan, and Max and Red Bull are among my least favourites, but Max has performed exceptionally well and would be a deserving winner.

I'd rather watch the more likable Lando win a WDC.... Max is a talent but a bit of a douche... then again, Lewis is a talent but also occasionally a douche...

I just hope when Lewis DOES retire that George, Lando and Charles grab the titles to come..

 

[englishpremier]

I'm not sure George is going to be all that likeable when he has a chance of wining week in week out. Seems like he might have a bit of a Wehrlein vibe to me.

Lando on the other-hand does seem very likeable despite his radio frustrations.

 

[Lakeland]

I'm not sure George is going to be all that likeable when he has a chance of wining week in week out. Seems like he might have a bit of a Wehrlein vibe to me.

Lando on the other-hand does seem very likeable despite his radio frustrations.

I’d agree. And it’s probably why merc kept him at Williams so long so he could build a thicker skin.

 

[GR63]

I recluse myself on account of my username

 

[stockhausen]

I see that Karen is hinting that Mercedes may have found a cunning way to circumvent the rules governing F1 development - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/58870237

Certainly not something of which anyone could ever accuse Red Bull or the ever-so-creatinve Adrian Newey

 

[JRS]

I see that Karen is hinting that Mercedes may have found a cunning way to circumvent the rules governing F1 development - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/58870237

Certainly not something of which anyone could ever accuse Red Bull or the ever-so-creatinve Adrian Newey

Better point that one out to Lewis:

Red Bull's claims echo similar ones Hamilton himself made about his rival's Honda engine earlier in the season.