Soldato
Also lives in LA, so this leg of the calendar is "local".
Poll: United States Grand Prix 2021, Austin - Race 17
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
Also lives in LA, so this leg of the calendar is "local".
Soldato
Don't think it made any difference at all, he was stuck in dirty air for couple of corners behind Mick so probably just got the time back he lost in those corners. Mick not getting out of the way sooner did make it a little bit more "exciting" but either way I think Max had it covered. The few times Lewis got within ~0.7sec he started losing time in dirty air and dropped out of DRS range before detection zone.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 46,139
As usual, ‘it’ll all happen in the final 5 laps’, yet nothing happened. It’s sad that the most we can get excited about these days is *if* a car can even get into DRS range. Let’s hope the rule change fixes the problem next year, although I’m not holding my breath.
Soldato
I'm a massive F1 fan, but I'm sure less over taking is happening
Caporegime
Yikes!
8/10 for me. Really enjoyed that one.
8/10 for me. Really enjoyed that one.
I'm not it's because alpine didn't do well (ugh Ocon) or because highlights were on so late or because it was a dull race but I kind of mentally switched off on this one. Don't really remember any highlights.
Reports are that it was an amazing race but I didn't think so. Mediocre.
I don't think I have any comments on it at all!
I'm definitely less intein f1 as time goes on over the years. DRS required overtakes juts don't cut it
Reports are that it was an amazing race but I didn't think so. Mediocre.
I don't think I have any comments on it at all!
I'm definitely less intein f1 as time goes on over the years. DRS required overtakes juts don't cut it
Soldato
Most of the excitement came from the potential for what might come, and I was one of many who expected Hamilton to cruise up to Verstappen and that we'd have at least one battle of sorts (like in 2018), but it just didn't happen.
I don't mind that. A race doesn't need a ton of overtakes and wheel-to-wheel action for it to be good, but I think after it was tantalisingly set up after qualifying the race just didn't quite live up to expectations, despite their close pace (perhaps too close in the end). It was OK and I enjoyed it, but it was certainly closer to average than great.
Edit: On that basis I'd have given it a 6.5 but I'll be kind and round it up to 7*.
Last edited:
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 46,139
It would be great for it to be actually possible though. It’s worse than ever, cars can barely get into the DRS window now.
Yes. It's bad. Just not enough even with DRS. It's a sorry state and needs fixing ASAP
Soldato
I am sure the aerodynamicists could easily improve the cars handling when following another, and the Mercedes particularly has issues with this so Hamilton's inability to overtake the red bull came of no surprise. However they choose not too as the loss in other areas is greater...
Soldato
I think you've got a short memory after an anti-climactic end. We've had some all-time classics this season and last (and I started watching F1 in the 80s), including one just 3 races ago on the most unlikely of tracks.
Verstappen was able to stay within DRS much of the first stint, but didn't have enough to overtake. Whatever they do with the cars you're not going to have 60s and 70s Monza slipstreaming battles, with the lead changing every lap. I wouldn't want it either - they'd be great once or twice a year, but races like that should be special, not the norm.
We'll see what 2022 brings in terms of cars being able to follow one another, but don't expect a sea change - the blueprint for F1 and indeed all track-based four-wheeled motorsport isn't going to change now. Everything is micro-managed to the nth degree to avoid surprises and once you've got that you're not getting rid of it. For example if you brought back rock hard Bridgestones they'd still be managed just as much to get the most out of them, just perhaps in a slightly different way, and you'd likely have more races without any overtaking at all now - there wasn't much back then anyway.
I think the best thing they could do in the shortish term is get rid of tyre warmers, as in Indycar. That provides an extra variable when trying to under or overcut other cars, but after a few races they'd likely all fall into line and follow the same strategies.
Verstappen was able to stay within DRS much of the first stint, but didn't have enough to overtake. Whatever they do with the cars you're not going to have 60s and 70s Monza slipstreaming battles, with the lead changing every lap. I wouldn't want it either - they'd be great once or twice a year, but races like that should be special, not the norm.
We'll see what 2022 brings in terms of cars being able to follow one another, but don't expect a sea change - the blueprint for F1 and indeed all track-based four-wheeled motorsport isn't going to change now. Everything is micro-managed to the nth degree to avoid surprises and once you've got that you're not getting rid of it. For example if you brought back rock hard Bridgestones they'd still be managed just as much to get the most out of them, just perhaps in a slightly different way, and you'd likely have more races without any overtaking at all now - there wasn't much back then anyway.
I think the best thing they could do in the shortish term is get rid of tyre warmers, as in Indycar. That provides an extra variable when trying to under or overcut other cars, but after a few races they'd likely all fall into line and follow the same strategies.
I found the biggest issue with the race was the commentators hyping up the potential battle at the end of the race when it seemed fairly clear from earlier in the race that nothing was going to happen...
I do hope the '22 cars are better but it's not going be a massive improvement, but also not like it can get much worse
Still, I voted 6, it was a solid if not exciting race, I'm quite glad we got a 'normal' race and even the T1 interaction was clean between the two (if you count forcing the other car off track as clean, but seems the powers that be do these days)
I do hope the '22 cars are better but it's not going be a massive improvement, but also not like it can get much worse
Still, I voted 6, it was a solid if not exciting race, I'm quite glad we got a 'normal' race and even the T1 interaction was clean between the two (if you count forcing the other car off track as clean, but seems the powers that be do these days)
Soldato
What's people's thoughts on Mick Schumacher? Has he shown anything special that justifies his seat? Apparently he's confirmed to continue with Haas next season.
Solidly better than Marzipan but nothing to say "move to a Ferrari seat now" like with Charles LeClerc
Caporegime
Impossible to say, he's driving a complete potato against the least talented driver to enter F1 in years. He's had some good qualifying sessions, and a few good moments in the races, but most of the time he pootles around on his own with little to do. He's generally been quite aware of other drivers when being past, and while he's dropped it a few times I think that's expected of a rookie in any car, and that Haas seems one of the least drivable cars. Hopefully, next year Haas can give him a car that actually lets us assess him better.
As to justifies a seat: yeah, clearly. He's an F2 and F3 champion, and he's thrashed his teammate.
This basically
Given what he had to work with I think he's done a great job, but it's completely meaningless given the car/teammate he has...
I was kinda hoping he'd get the Alfa Romeo seat as I think that's likely to be a better car, definitely a better teammate, next year but I think he has been confirmed at Haas now?
Had Pre-qualifying when I started watching. That whittled the field down to 30, then qualifying got rid of another 4. Was an interesting weekend routine.
I think that 26 is a good number for the grid, as long as they're not Mazepin level talents at the rear of the grid.
Soldato
I too would like a few more drivers, but you're not going to get another three teams - not competitive ones anyway. There's a $200m entry fee on top of needing all the infrastructure needed to design and build solid F1 cars and while that entry fee could be waived at F1's discretion (probably only for full manufacturer entries) the cost involved would still be massive, and probably prohibitive given the long-term uncertainty with an on-going pandemic.
New entries are much more likely to take over an existing team as they have the personnel, equipment and experience already to at least make a start (eg Aston Martin and Williams recently).
We had the three new entries in 2010 - how many of those are still around?
Ignoring the organ recipient (Haas) the last ground up Formula 1 team still around is Stewart (starting in 1997). After being sold and despite massive investment from Ford and Red Bull it still took them 10 years to regularly challenge for race wins (even with Adrian Newey for four years).
Andretti's proposed stake in Sauber/Alfa looks to have collapsed yesterday too, or is certainly on the rocks. When possibly the biggest name currently in motorsport desperately wants on the grid but can't it doesn't bode well for new teams in the future.
The days of pre-qualifying were littered with teams barely deserving of being in the paddock, let alone on track (Andrea Moda, Life, Coloni, EuroBrun and so on - after that the 107% rule was brought in because of teams like Pacific, Simtek, Forti and Lola). I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I hope we don't get those standards again - although to be fair Simtek were looking promising under extremely difficult circumstances briefly in 1995 (Verstappen running as high as 6th in Buenos Aires) before collapsing under financial pressure after a few races.
New entries are much more likely to take over an existing team as they have the personnel, equipment and experience already to at least make a start (eg Aston Martin and Williams recently).
We had the three new entries in 2010 - how many of those are still around?
Ignoring the organ recipient (Haas) the last ground up Formula 1 team still around is Stewart (starting in 1997). After being sold and despite massive investment from Ford and Red Bull it still took them 10 years to regularly challenge for race wins (even with Adrian Newey for four years).
Andretti's proposed stake in Sauber/Alfa looks to have collapsed yesterday too, or is certainly on the rocks. When possibly the biggest name currently in motorsport desperately wants on the grid but can't it doesn't bode well for new teams in the future.
The days of pre-qualifying were littered with teams barely deserving of being in the paddock, let alone on track (Andrea Moda, Life, Coloni, EuroBrun and so on - after that the 107% rule was brought in because of teams like Pacific, Simtek, Forti and Lola). I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I hope we don't get those standards again - although to be fair Simtek were looking promising under extremely difficult circumstances briefly in 1995 (Verstappen running as high as 6th in Buenos Aires) before collapsing under financial pressure after a few races.