Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread (Read 1st post rules)

Frank Bullitt

recyclebin

New Shoes!

Must be all testing them now.

https://twitter.com/pirellisport/status/1376899944867586051?s=21

El_Duderino 09

Do we know why took part on the test and who didn’t? Or were all teams equal involved? That’s a big advantage to anyone who gets do that test this early in the season. That’s over a race distance of testing. Granted they don’t know what compound of tyres they’re on, but they can use it as a test for everything else.

El_Duderino 09

After the brilliant Bahrain race to open the season, does anyone else hope they scrap Australia as the first race? It’s such a bore with so little chance of a good race. And it’s such a terrible first race of the season.

They release DTS, get lots of people potentially interested in f1, and then give them Albert Park as an introduction to F1. I think they should scrap Melbourne or else shuffle it into the pack like Paul Ricard. It’s only exciting because it’s the first race and fans are glad to have f1 back. Without that excitement it would be up there with Paul Ricard and Monaco, for worst track of the year.

AMKC

Monaco is not a bad track it is just the cars have gotten too big. It used to be just like any other track untill that. It is about the skill of the driver and how hard they can push on such a tight track. Next year the cars get smaller again so that should solve some of the problems there a bit.

kksaints

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

After the brilliant Bahrain race to open the season, does anyone else hope they scrap Australia as the first race? It’s such a bore with so little chance of a good race. And it’s such a terrible first race of the season.

They release DTS, get lots of people potentially interested in f1, and then give them Albert Park as an introduction to F1. I think they should scrap Melbourne or else shuffle it into the pack like Paul Ricard. It’s only exciting because it’s the first race and fans are glad to have f1 back. Without that excitement it would be up there with Paul Ricard and Monaco, for worst track of the year.

I remember in 2010 they swapped the opening races so that Bahrain was first and Melbourne was second. Guess, what happened? The Bahrain race was an awful borefest and the Melbourne race was great.

I'd disagree to an extent that Australia is always a bore, there's definitely been some good races there. But I will say the early start for us and Europe for the first race of the season isn't a good thing and the more suitable time for Bahrain was a big advantage for interest.

Debub

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/63338/australian-grand-prix-circuit-changes-first-look/

small changes on the track layout for Australia

AMKC

So I was thinking last night about if Red Bull and Max had not given the position back to Hamilton after Max had passed him. Do you think Mercedes would have protested about it and if Red Bull would have countered by saying Max had passed Lewis before going off the track?
I also think the communication between Red Bull and Max could and should have been better. They should have said give Lewis the position back but do not make it easy for him to get away. Like maybe at the turn he could have let Lewis by and then on the straight Max might have caught him and passed him again.
I am sure they will have learned a lot from this anyway. I understand the Red Bulls thinking was that maybe if the stewards did decide against them after the race that they could lose more positions and more points so better to be 2nd than 6th or who knows even further down.

Charlie-Bravo

We know that race control said to give back the position. Anthony Davidson said that he spoke with people in race control afterwards, and said it would have been a 10 sec time penalty, not the 5 secs that Max thought it might have been. There was no risk of Max losing third with Bottas a good bit back, but certainly it would have been very difficult to try get 10 seconds down the road ahead of Lewis if he retained the 1st position on track.

Inquitus

Charlie-Bravo wrote: »

We know that race control said to give back the position. Anthony Davidson said that he spoke with people in race control afterwards, and said it would have been a 10 sec time penalty, not the 5 secs that Max thought it might have been. There was no risk of Max losing third with Bottas a good bit back, but certainly it would have been very difficult to try get 10 seconds down the road ahead of Lewis if he retained the 1st position on track.

Agreed, I think the penalty would have been enough to put Max into 2nd regardless of the gap, if he had just carried on for the next 4 laps or so.

El_Duderino 09

I’m sure red bull believed Max was highly likely to pass Lewis again anyway before the end of the race. I certainly thought it was very likely. They just thought they had all the advantages so they could win the race straight out.

If the way had tried to brazen it out by ignoring race control and taking the penalty, then the narrative would have been asking why he didn’t just give the place back as he would have passed Lewis easily on the next lap.

flazio

Debub wrote: »

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/63338/australian-grand-prix-circuit-changes-first-look/

small changes on the track layout for Australia

Promo video on the F1 twitter

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1377587798903980032?s=19

El_Duderino 09

I’d certainly give Albert park a second chance with the revised corners. It’s essentially a street track and I think street tracks are generally a total bags. Monaco being the case in point.

But then they also have Baku and Montreal which can have very good races because they have decent straights as well as stupidly tight corners for F1 cars.

I’d scrap Albert park but will give it another go with the new changes.

SureYWouldntYa

Its the same thing with all street tracks, fantastic to knock up a lap on by yourself but for wheel to wheel racing and following cars in a race its often not great

Zandvoort will be the same later this year since it has few straights and is very narrow in place, the onboards for qualifying will be fantastic but the actual racing won't be more than likely, you'd be hoping for rain and surprises in the upper positions for a race you'd be happy with

Debub

Debub wrote: »

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/63338/australian-grand-prix-circuit-changes-first-look/

small changes on the track layout for Australia

Fairly big changes in laptimes. Could be looking at full throttle from the current turn 4 to 11 guessing from a low-res image.

barryribs

flazio wrote: »

Anyone familiar with this dilemma?
I like it, I'm just not sure if I €100 like it.
https://www.mclarenstore.com/en/mclaren-f1-2021-team-hoodie/701206580-antracit.html

I know I'm a month late, but fuelforfans.com are doing 20% off your first order. I'd preordered an Alpha Tauri jacket and arrived today.

AMKC

Just breaking,

https://www.facebook.com/100001767218996/posts/4046184412068456/?substory_index=29&sfnsn=mo

Frank Bullitt

AMKC wrote: »

Just breaking,

https://www.facebook.com/100001767218996/posts/4046184412068456/?substory_index=29&sfnsn=mo

Poor effort.

AMKC

Frank Bullitt wrote: »

Poor effort.

A sure it was worth a try. It is that day.

I mentioned in the Bahrain track that a simple solution to track limits would be sausage kerbs perpendicular to the track on exit. If teams want to take the chance they can make design decisions as well.
It reminded me of the really irritating baby-ing that the FIA does with drivers and teams. We see it with drivers taking ridiculous risks and the fault never being put on them. Then they bring in silly rules that make not a whole lot of sense but lead to penalty points for someone not slowing down when they've already passed an incident.
Build the track, there are already walls in places on some tracks, put the ramps in, and whatever happens, **** it. Keep it simple.

Wanderer78

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1416402/michael-schumacher-health-update-schumacher-documentary-release-skiing-accident-F1-latest

Lip Out

Deleted User wrote: »

I mentioned in the Bahrain track that a simple solution to track limits would be sausage kerbs perpendicular to the track on exit. If teams want to take the chance they can make design decisions as well.
It reminded me of the really irritating baby-ing that the FIA does with drivers and teams. We see it with drivers taking ridiculous risks and the fault never being put on them. Then they bring in silly rules that make not a whole lot of sense but lead to penalty points for someone not slowing down when they've already passed an incident.
Build the track, there are already walls in places on some tracks, put the ramps in, and whatever happens, **** it. Keep it simple.

Didn't the sausage kerbs promote ramping at some track a few years ago? Might not be the safest if a driver was to lose the back end mid corner and slide into them.

Agree though, a simple solution is needed. Perhaps a surface that will promote loss of traction would work.

Debub

Deleted User wrote: »

Fairly big changes in laptimes. Could be looking at full throttle from the current turn 4 to 11 guessing from a low-res image.

apparently almost 5 seconds faster per lap - and another DRS zone added, we might have overtakes :-)

Harika

Inquitus wrote: »

Agreed, I think the penalty would have been enough to put Max into 2nd regardless of the gap, if he had just carried on for the next 4 laps or so.

As race control was so quick to order Verstappen back , ignoring it would be just in the best case promote him via penalty to second, in worst case black flag. He still had four laps to overtake Hamilton, so better option

muckwarrior

flazio wrote: »

Promo video on the F1 twitter

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1377587798903980032?s=19

Holy sh*t, 25 years :eek:
I still think of it as the 'new' Australian track.

Glico Man

muckwarrior wrote: »

Holy sh*t, 25 years :eek:
I still think of it as the 'new' Australian track.

Ditto. I still have Hakkinen almost dying seared into my early f1 memories at the 'old' track of Adelaide in '95.

Adamocovic

Lord I wish there was a race this weekend.

Biggest compliment to the competition in my mind, and shows moves in right direction. Always watch but feeling really excited about this season.

Seems like the middle of the pack are squeezed even closer and now that Lewis has some legitimate competition (or so we think) it adds some excitement up front.

Last week was very entertaining. Jumped out of my seat a few times good. Mazepin had be laughing by turn 2.

Really hope this is a precursor for next season. Keep hearing about how the 2022 regulations will begin to level the playing field more. Will be great if that happens.

Adamocovic

I really hope Max stuns Lewis this year too.

Have a fear that if Lewis wins he’ll pack his things and move on. Who could blame him?

But would love to see him next year in a season where there should be more battling going on. If he didn’t win it this year maybe he’d look at it as unfinished business and come back for another one.

SureYWouldntYa

The last few laps were fairly edge of your seat stuff with the race going down to the line, Lewis tyres were quite bad and a bit of oversteer or bad grip on the final corner could have opened the door for Max

There's a good few double and triple headers later in the year to look forward to at least