Grand Prix thread Not606 2016 European Grand Prix Chat and Predictions

No pitlane start, no penalty. Just handed a tyre thats 'safer'. I'm confused, does this happen regularly?

 

It didn't at Spa 2011 when Red Bill had blistering and wanted to change on safety grounds, they had to put early.

If this is down to cuts in the tyres from the kerbs, as was experienced in FP1, then fair enough. It's in the regulations for such a change. If its the massive flatspots that Hamilton put in the tyres, then this is ridiculous. He shouldn't get a free pass for that mistake. If he can't race on those tyres he should pit after lap 1 or start from the pits.

 

No it's down to the flatspots. If they were that dangerous, Merc would have pulled him in and put the softs on - he would still have been P2. Pretty shocking really.

 

Also what are the rules of reversing onto track again?

 

Strange rule. You'd think there would be some kind of time/grid drop penalty for this.

IIRC Vettel did a load of laps before setting his fastest Q2 time in Canada. With these rules he should have deliberately locked up after his fastest time, burnt a hole through them and he'd have got his next most worn set to start the race on instead.

That's assuming the FIA would have given him the same treatment of course...

 

Not aware that it has ever happened before because of flatspots, I guess it's down to the interpretation of what is considered dangerous i.e. if they were down to the canvas then that is dangerous. What would be good to know, is whether the above applies because of driver error? You'd think it would only be because of force majeure where the driver had no influence over the issue. Very strange.

I thought about that too. I presume it ties in with the rule about driving head on against the flow of traffic? Not sure how either can be applied In Baku because of the way the escape roads are set up. If no driver could drive (or reverse) back onto the track because they were facing traffic there would be a lot of retirements for people not being able to safely get out of an escape road.

I would think that there will be something in the driver briefing this morning about safely rejoining the track during the race.

 

A flat spot isn't a safety issue. If it is they should black and orange flag every driver who locks up. Whiting really is in Merc's pocket these days.

Edit: And yeah, I also noticed the convenient timing of the red flag. As if Mercedes didn't hold enough aces already.

 

So general consesus is theyve done Lewis a favour?

 

That Azerbaijani anthem is....quite something. Feels like it belongs in some dystopian opera .

 

Hamilton may struggle behind Bottas, fastest car in the speed trap.

 

When does the race start?

 

Redbull poor in the race.

 

Lets see how long Hamiltons new tyres last this stint

 

What a stupid ****ing rule.

 

Hamilton in dig at his team shock

 

Ern in dig at Hamilton shock

 

I can understand Hamilton's frustration. There is a technical issue which the team could tell him how to sort (or so it seems) and they are not allowed to.

It is the rules, but would piss you off none the less.

 

So, he's put his car in the wrong mode, and the team gets it in the neck.

what a person to be admired

 

He came on to say he hadn't changed anything.

sounds more like a problem has developed that could be managed with a setting change. Team aren't allowed to tell him.

 

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