The 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix Chat and Predictions

Disappointed with RB negative strategy for Ricardo, instead of going after Lewis they covered Seb. That should have been a RB 1-2.




Great result for Max and Lewis maximised what was available. Feel for Kimi and Ferrari, everything seems to be against them at the moment, but who knows what’s to come.

Noticed the British press haven’t comented on the sacrificial lamb Bottas, considering the sh1t they throw at Ferrari. Lewis was 28 points ahead (and increasing his advantage) plus a pit stop in hand, there was no need to leave him out to blatantly block. That’s twice they have used Bottas aggressively now.

 

Some pretty long stints there.

 

Merc wanted RB to be involved to take points off Ferrari, but if the last two GPs (pace wise) are anything to go by.. then RB getting involved is likely to take points off Vettel...
Hopefully the damage at the end of the race for Vettel won't effect his GearBox, Suzuka is a great track but not the easiest to overtake, qualify pole he's down in 5/6th position.. he needs to start taking points off Hamilton and soon! They walk away from Japan with Hamilton's current lead intact then barring a DNF for Hamilton, its likely to be game over!
Pace of Ferrari was superb and RB.. had the Ferrari's not tripped over themselves, it would have been a comfortable 1-2..
Wouldn't be surprised if Suzuka works better for Ferrari and RB, unless Merc can unlock their new Areo package!
The race itself, superb mature performance from Max, great comeback drive by Vettel, Hamilton did the best he could given the Car, but my drive of the day was Stoffel, slowly proving that given a decent car he can compete!

 

Didn't Ferarri do that a couple times when Vettel was in the points lead too? Remember when Vettel had the problem with the street wheel and Kimi had to stay behind him to save him being overtaken by Lewis? And then another race where Kimi was crying out for tyres and the pitted Vettel and left Kimi out to slow down a charging Lewis? But if Bottas was such a sacrificial lamb, then why would it be necessary for Hamilton to give back the third place a few races ago even though he had pulled out several seconds on him in a couple laps? Mercedes knew their cars weren't performing and that Lewis was getting far more out of it than Bottas, so why not hold back Vettel a little then pit Bottas once Vettel got ahead? Makes racing sense.

 

Blind irony.

Every pundit and Hamilton fan has cried fowl that Ferrari have sacrificed Kimi from day 1. Merc have used Bottas aggressively has an actual blocker in at least 2 races, Kimi has never blocked Lewis in race strategy this season. There is also a massive difference between a driver left long to force a strategy on a car/team ahead than there is to block a driver 25 seconds behind on the road.

It may make racing sense, depending on your view of the need for it, but we can all agree then that Merc and Ferrari go about their racing in an exactly the same manner? As opposed to the usual one sided fan based punditry that merits Vettels success solely on his No1 status and the sabotaging of Kimi.

You have missed the point I was making, in that we scream blue murder when Ferrari do something, yet when Merc do it we applaud them.

 

Although in fairness Bottas only stayed out 1 extra lap than needed. 1 less than Ricciardo, so what does that make him?

(Not serious post)

 

Every big team does it, I never and will never get worked up by at as it is a suitable tactic. Bottas didn’t particularly hold up Vettel too much and probably made little difference to his race. He may have caught Ric that one lap earlier and maybe got a second attack out, but he would have never caught Hamilton.

 

I know they do, that's my point, hence why I said it was ironic and was mocking how the press reporting flits from one point of view to another, depending on whether it's a Ferrari or a Merc.

 

I agree in part, but not totally. Even if it were Mercedes intention to hold up Vettel with Bottas, while it would make sense championship wise, in this case Bottas had no real chance....Ferarri was way too quick for that to work anyway. I could understand why Ferarri does it, but they have had a history, that's why some fans scream blue murder that much I guess. Lol

 

Like I said in my original post, they ballsed up Riccardo's strategy and IMO lost a 1-2. They would have kept Bottas out longer if Vettel hadn't of pitted and they did what they set out to do, move him off his optimal stint length - so it worked a treat. Hope Lewis rembers that next time he drops a sly comment in rekarption to Ferrari and how "Merc don't race like that" and the Sky punditry whinging about it.

 

100% agree that historically Ferrari have not raced in the spirit of sportsmanship, but they have had a lot of unfair press this year IMO.

 

Vettel did well anyway, nobody could dispute that. It was a lot better than damage limitation, especially starting from the back of the grid. Yes, Ferarri was really quick and for all those who think the drivers championship is done and dusted...well think again. Mercedes has to get its act together. Even though Lewis is performing well, he still has to win a couple more races and make sure Red Bull doesn't take points off him if Ferarri wins. Mercedes has to work harder because Ferarri has overtaken them in the development race for sure. They also need get Bottas back up there to take points off both Ferrari and Red Bull, but he doesn't look like it at the moment.

 

I agree , the title is far from decided .

 

It only takes one bit of misfortune for Lewis or if Mercedes doesn't get the car working and Vettel is back up there...

 

Don't mess with Ferrari

 

He looks like wolverine

 

was it a good race? I tried to watch it live online, but after turn 1 it started playing the cache, so i tried the 'watch from start' option, got to lap 10, and it started doing it again, then again, then again. I got to see up to lap 37, then it died again and I couldn't be bothered to restart it all as you can't choose where to restart it, you gotta watch it from the beginning. Each. ****ing. Time!!! It took about 4 hours to get as far a I did, and the best bits were probably still to come, although Ocon had already managed to hit 3 people (how the hell has he finished so many races?)

 

For the second time in his career Alonso is being beaten by a rookie team-mate at McLaren.

 

It was pretty good. Really thought Vettel might be able to reel Hamilton in for a bit of a showdown, but alas we missed out on the scrap. Pretty entertaining mostly.

 

Great drive from Max, could he have gone quicker if he needed to and Vettel started closer to the front?

Vamdoorne also deserves credit for an excellent weekend, a Mclaren starting and finishing in the same position (which isn't last!).

but Seb, what the hell happened there!? Weekend to forget again. I know it was another 'racing incident', but how many more is he going to have? I'd be surprised if the gearbox is fine, can't believe the way the suspension was ripped from it will mean it's okay. Another avoidable incident that may cost him points. No point saying you're blameless all the time when a bit more space would have meant neither incident would have happened. He's the championship challenger after all so has more to lose from these. Currently he is gifting Hamilton the crown.