1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Grand Prix thread Not606 2016 European Grand Prix Chat and Predictions

Discussion in 'Formula 1' started by EternalMSC, Jun 13, 2016.

?

Who Will Not Be Racing At The Baku?

Poll closed Jun 18, 2016.
  1. Nico Rosberg 116

    5.3%
  2. Lewis Hamilton 107

    68.4%
  3. Sebastian Vettel 78

    21.1%
  4. Daniel Ricciardo 72

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. Kimi Raikkonen 69

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. Max Verstappen 50

    5.3%
  7. Valtteri Bottas 44

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  8. Felipe Massa 37

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. Sergio Perez 24

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. OTHER PLEASE STATE IN BOLD SO I SEE IT.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Sportista

    Sportista Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2011
    Messages:
    603
    Likes Received:
    394
    To be fair to Nico I think he's just happy to have won and is playing to the crowd. He may have the fastest car by miles, but we saw today and yesterday that it's perfectly possible to take that advantage and turn it into a fifth place. It's not like he bigged himself up or over exaggerated his achievements the way some might do in that situation.

    I doubt you are going to see McHonda close up significantly this year, in particular, the next two races are going to be tough for them I think.
     
    #161
  2. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2011
    Messages:
    9,613
    Likes Received:
    3,185
    The way Honda have chosen to operate it could be another two years minimum.

    Listen to some European engineers and move it forward at pace for goodness sake.

    Have they essentially stared looking at 2017 now??
     
    #162
  3. taeleon

    taeleon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    492
    Likes Received:
    330
    please log in to view this image
     
    #163
  4. Sportista

    Sportista Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2011
    Messages:
    603
    Likes Received:
    394
    I'd have thought all the engine development carries over. Wouldn't be surprised if McLaren and Renault are two of the first to switch to the 2017 car regs though.
     
    #164
  5. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    10,624
    Likes Received:
    747
    I think they already did before Australia. It isn't impossible.
     
    #165
  6. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    10,624
    Likes Received:
    747
  7. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    10,624
    Likes Received:
    747
    Just read a good point on twitter (yes there was something quite clever on there), that Ferrari should have used Vettel to hold Perez so that Raikkonen could have maintained 2nd with Seb 3rd. Rather than swapping Raikkonen and Seb and leaving Kimi to fight off Perez himself...
     
    #167
  8. cosicave

    cosicave Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2011
    Messages:
    5,277
    Likes Received:
    660
    An interesting race, although I admit to being distracted by dramatic events at Le Mans.

    Back to baffling Baku:
    The race had no Safety Car despite two drivers experiencing severe brake failures at Turn 1; and at the end of one of the fastest straights on the modern-day calendar, it was as well that it also had the circuit's biggest run off. Actually, it should come as no surprise that when people are more aware of danger, they are less likely to be its victim; nonetheless, I readily hold my hand up as one of the many who expected
    at least one SC!

    Congratulations to
    Rosberg. He stuck to his guns and did his own thing and cannot be faulted for being in the best car. Congratulations also to Vettel but especially to Perez who once again seems to have turned a few disbelieving heads – especially at Ferrari ;).

    Hamilton's clumsy Qualifying error seemed uncharacteristic and I do not agree with the suggestion that blinding sunlight might have been any excuse. I think he may have been over-driving the car in an effort to overcome a self-inflicted weakness. This needs an explanation so here's my shot in the dark. (It's a total guess)…
    I'm mystified as to why he appears to have allowed himself to be led by Rosberg's lower-downforce set-up despite being quicker in every session during practice, especially on longer-runs. Despite the obvious advantage his earlier set-up had given in terms of lap time, my belief is that he may have got a little bit greedy in wanting to hold all the aces for the race. I believe he may have upset the balance of his car by reducing downforce, fearing he may have been handing a top-speed advantage to others, especially Rosberg (difference of 10+kph). Perhaps he and his engineers had begun to doubt themselves and went for extra 'race insurance'. This is a guess but it is the only logical explanation I can find.

    What to say about
    McLaren? They are all at sea without sight of land. The reason(s)? A combination of rules which penalised Honda's re-entry to F1; Ron Dennis's uncompromising (perhaps misguided?) approach in striking a deal to be the only team supplied by the Japanese giant; Honda's single-mindedness to engineer its own solutions to everything; and the characteristically Japanese acceptance of rules without complaint, despite the obvious unfairness to Honda at the time.

    I also expected a better performance from
    Red Bull. Despite the change in temperature, I cannot work out why they had such a hard time getting to grips with tyres in the race after what had appeared to be very fruitful practice sessions. Very odd. Perhaps the chassis is over-sensitive to warmer and cooler parts of the track? One thing's for sure though: they'll be unlikey to have similar problems in Austria.
    Ferrari and Mercedes both suffered software difficulties and both teams' radio responses were correct and well-within the rule (regardless of whether one agrees with it); however, I found
    Räikkönen's frustration far more entertaining than Hamilton's efforts to get a clue. And although Rosberg experienced a similar problem, it was, according to the Mercedes management, "easier to fix". I do not know why this may have been the case, but it is what was said.

    Bit of a shame about the low attendance but this was expected. All that matters to Bernie is that he's getting his dosh – and if he can persuade governments to foot the bill, so much the better; after all, it increases his bargaining power elsewhere…
     
    #168
  9. DHCanary

    DHCanary Very Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2011
    Messages:
    16,836
    Likes Received:
    5,767
    Perhaps there was no safety car because there was no need for a desperate overtaking move? DRS into turn one was hugely overpowered, and then the now leading driver got a second activation on the back straight to pull away.

    We rarely saw overtaking into other corners because there was no point, no need for the desperate moves that characterise Monaco.
     
    #169
  10. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    10,624
    Likes Received:
    747
    Good point
     
    #170

  11. El_Bando

    El_Bando Can't remember, where was I?
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    14,374
    Likes Received:
    1,830
    I wonder if all the drivers were briefed before the race to keep it ultra clean at the start out of fear of bad publicity for the new track. (Bernie was also overseeing from race control)
     
    #171
  12. EternalMSC

    EternalMSC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    10,624
    Likes Received:
    747
    Never seen a more cautious start. You made a lot of sense then.
     
    #172
  13. DHCanary

    DHCanary Very Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2011
    Messages:
    16,836
    Likes Received:
    5,767
    I'd have thought the opposite, Bernie wanting a bit of drama to help sell the race. I don't think there was a single memorable moment from this race. The track didn't appear to be the challenge it was hyped up as, unless your name was Hamilton.

    Taking Formula E as an approximate example, I think half the reason it did as well as it did was Heidfeld's spectacular accident in the first race, that got the series coverage around the world.
     
    #173
  14. cosicave

    cosicave Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2011
    Messages:
    5,277
    Likes Received:
    660
    Did anyone see the GP2? Even before it, F1's drivers were already prepared for an incident filled race but 50% carnage in GP2 prior to F1 will have provoked greater risk-awareness than usual and contributed to the circumspect approach alluded to by EMSC.

    DHC makes an interesting point about "desperate overtaking" and I agree the DRS zone was too long. GP2 tends to see lower driving standards (essentially due to inexperience); but my expectation for at least one SC in F1 was not based on the potential consequences of overtaking. It was based on what I'd witnessed throughout F1 practice – with lots of contact with barriers and lengthy recovery times.

    Even so, I'm still surprised F1 didn't have any incident requiring a Virtual Safety Car – never mind the real thing!
     
    #174
  15. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2011
    Messages:
    23,534
    Likes Received:
    17,781
    isn;t it often the way of it? There was 1 real overtaking area, why risk it all overtaking elsewhere when you know you can get it done easily and safely into T1? It was it's first time out as an F1 track so I think adjustments will be made (the detection zone on the exit of T1 for example). I do find 8-11 a bit silly for an F1 track though, it's the perfect place for a 'Piquet Jr'
     
    #175
  16. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2011
    Messages:
    6,665
    Likes Received:
    1,008
    #176
  17. cosicave

    cosicave Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2011
    Messages:
    5,277
    Likes Received:
    660
    Spot on, Ern. As both you and DHC have said, when there is one part of a circuit far easier to overtake at, there is little point in doing it elsewhere.

    I also agree the almost certain adjustment in DRS for future events. Turns 8 - 11 will be a permanent fixture though; I think it will have been the first thing Tilke penned in as it was pre-requisite for the Azerbaijani government. I believe there was also some (momentary!) consideration in running in the opposite direction! Although this would have been spectacular on approach to and passing the castle, it would have meant a scary loss of traction in the braking zone (going over the crest) right before the narrowest part of any (please correct me if wrong) modern day circuit!!
     
    #177
  18. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2011
    Messages:
    8,233
    Likes Received:
    811
    #178
  19. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2011
    Messages:
    6,665
    Likes Received:
    1,008
    Lewis wasn't really in traffic after he fell so far back from Perez. I think it suggests that his head just wasn't in the right place this weekend.
     
    #179
  20. BrightLampShade

    BrightLampShade Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2011
    Messages:
    13,495
    Likes Received:
    2,568

Share This Page