F1 2021 Round 14: Monza

I think the sprint race is just an extended version of a normal race, but like a red flag had happened. It just adds extra laps of racing over a weekend. If there is any benefit of having a sprint race, it will be to fix a damaged car after a Sprint and get it back into the race on the Sunday.

Red Bull seem to be able to skim their rear wing down a lot which should give them some advantage

Expect Bottas to have a snow plough rear wing to give Hamilton a massive tow in Quali.

Forgot about the sprint format...arse anyway.

Whatever about 2019 when Ferrari had a trick engine, wasn't Hamilton winning last years race relatively handy until all the pit lane shenanigans and the penalty?

Nobody is seriously suggesting Gasley had the fastest car in Monza last year. He was just extremely lucky to find himself at the front of the field with a few laps to hold on for the win.

I expect McLaren to go well with the Mercedes power and their especially efficient DRS.

The way the weekend is set up is all wrong. If they want to do this then the Sprint race should be on Friday and that would decide who goes out when qualifying on Saturday. Its stupid that qualifying decides where they start in the sprint race but not the main race. 

I think they are having it like that next year?

Sorry, not the same order. The Sprint race would be on the Saturday - but doesn't count for qualification for the main race Sunday, it is standalone. I've not read into it too much, just trying to remember what I heard.

Either ways they want it on a Saturday for TV reasons.

Ah i think i get you. So they Qualify and start both the sprint race and the full race in Quali order?

I heard (this year) they wanted 3 distinct competitive events spread across 3 days to get more people watching on 3 days. With the logic being that more people will watch Friday Quali than Friday practice. Maybe they're thinking of a different format for next year.

Qualy on now at 5pm. Should be interesting with the slipstreaming shenanigans. Who'll be the lucky driver in each of the sessions?!

Not sounding good for Charles already...

Loads of slow traffic out there.

Russell makes it through after Tsunoda has his lap deleted.

Wow, Mercedes are crazy quick

This is mental, some of those releases and some of those mechanics taking risks.

Giovinazzi into Q3 again. Very good performance from him.

Giovinazzi looks like he's driving to save his seat.

Bottas taking a new engine and penalty will apply for the main race.

So Valtarri got pole. Well good for him I hope he wins this race and every other race that Max does not get to win as a big FU finger to Mercedes.

Not really. The penalty applies to the race. The sprint race is part of the qualifying process.

They were discussing this on BBC before they clarified the rules. They wondered if Max could take a new engine and take the penalty in the sprint which would give him extra laps to make up places. But it makes sense that the penalty is applied to the race and not the sprint.

Seems like Mercs race to drop really. This practise session should be interesting.

Way too many of these kinds of mistakes by Sainz.

I'd be amazed if bottas isn't told to let Hamilton past him ASAP and then to hold up max as long as he can.