Austrian Grand Prix Race thread

Reck

Reck

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Well at least it’s very cloudy and dark this week.
 
Look at that, rain. Err showers in the last 20 minutes of FP2.
 
Lewis Hamilton just locked down two more years in that Merc’s seat.

Good news/bad news there for Bottas. Lol
 
Ocon has been a mess since signing his extension. Hopefully he re-gains his early season form because Alonso has adjusted to this Alpine.
 
Wow. Really pleased to see Lando run so well. Hopefully Mclaren can keep this going.

Meanwhile, Mercedes needed to get this pole and barely made the second row.

I read on another thread that Hamilton signed for another two years. He's going to have enough to deal with the rest of the year, and then you can bet Newey's ground effect car will be better than the Merc. Hamilton could very well end his career with three consecutive championship losses, and who would have even dreamed that when the year started?

When Hamilton led the second session, it looked like maybe they had righted the ship, but in Q3 they fell even further back. After seven years of absolute dominance, it's hard to process Mercedes falling from their position at the top, and yet, here we are. What the hell is happening?

Having said that, no one is better with their back to the wall than Hamilton and we can probably expect some magic tomorrow. I don't know if it will be enough, but you know Lewis is going to give it his best.

But, how did McLaren find so much speed in just last seven days? Did they get an upgrade or is this a freak result? That and what the hell happened to Ricciardo in 13th? Danni is so deep into his Mclaren career now that it can't be simply adjusting. It's time to deliver, but his teammate is on the front row and Danni is on the seventh. I'de like to see him get more competitive, but something is clearly missing.

I think the big surprise could come from Checo. I believe this is a career high Q for him, and for the first time Red Bull gas both it's cars ahead of the Mercs. Now Chico can get in there and screw up opposition strategy, something they have really never had since the Webber days. Red Bull truly has Merc on their back foot, but never forget how they suffered with bad Renault and Hondas. They clawed their way back to the front from virtually nowhere,. and while not my favorite team, I freely admit they deserve their recent success. Very well done, RB.

Sort of the same thing with Mclaren too. Remember how bad they were with the Honda? Now though, they one of the two top motors and the car is obviously very good. The Ricciardo acquisition is not working like they planned and they need to sort that out and give Lando some support.

Gasly and Tsunodo are 6/7, which is not where you usually expect the Alpha Tauri. They have done a superb job with that car and I can easily see them developing into a more consistent winner. They had a solid car last year, so if they can find a little more they should be in there.

Ferraris 11 and 12? They go forward and they go backward and this week it's backward. Weren't they good last week?

Holy cow...... Russel in 9th? Poor Botas has got to be feeling that heat.
 
Doc Austin said:
Meanwhile, Mercedes needed to get this pole and barely made the second row.
Click to expand...

LOL they were never in contention to get anywhere near pole. Best they could hope is second at half a second off the pace.

They need that upgrade and they need it now. Perez outqualifying both Mercedes is pretty much the deathnell. Now you even have a McLaren in the way. Mercedes have done fallen off.
 
The W12 is a dog of a car. The thing can’t even warm tires.

But to be honest, starting 4th will provide Hamilton with something to have fun with. He can pass those guys and end up second. I don’t think he ever had anything for Max in qualifying or the race.
 
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Doc Austin said:
Wow. Really pleased to see Lando run so well. Hopefully Mclaren can keep this going.

Meanwhile, Mercedes needed to get this pole and barely made the second row.

I read on another thread that Hamilton signed for another two years. He's going to have enough to deal with the rest of the year, and then you can bet Newey's ground effect car will be better than the Merc. Hamilton could very well end his career with three consecutive championship losses, and who would have even dreamed that when the year started?

When Hamilton led the second session, it looked like maybe they had righted the ship, but in Q3 they fell even further back. After seven years of absolute dominance, it's hard to process Mercedes falling from their position at the top, and yet, here we are. What the hell is happening?

Having said that, no one is better with their back to the wall than Hamilton and we can probably expect some magic tomorrow. I don't know if it will be enough, but you know Lewis is going to give it his best.

But, how did McLaren find so much speed in just last seven days? Did they get an upgrade or is this a freak result? That and what the hell happened to Ricciardo in 13th? Danni is so deep into his Mclaren career now that it can't be simply adjusting. It's time to deliver, but his teammate is on the front row and Danni is on the seventh. I'de like to see him get more competitive, but something is clearly missing.

I think the big surprise could come from Checo. I believe this is a career high Q for him, and for the first time Red Bull gas both it's cars ahead of the Mercs. Now Chico can get in there and screw up opposition strategy, something they have really never had since the Webber days. Red Bull truly has Merc on their back foot, but never forget how they suffered with bad Renault and Hondas. They clawed their way back to the front from virtually nowhere,. and while not my favorite team, I freely admit they deserve their recent success. Very well done, RB.

Sort of the same thing with Mclaren too. Remember how bad they were with the Honda? Now though, they one of the two top motors and the car is obviously very good. The Ricciardo acquisition is not working like they planned and they need to sort that out and give Lando some support.

Gasly and Tsunodo are 6/7, which is not where you usually expect the Alpha Tauri. They have done a superb job with that car and I can easily see them developing into a more consistent winner. They had a solid car last year, so if they can find a little more they should be in there.

Ferraris 11 and 12? They go forward and they go backward and this week it's backward. Weren't they good last week?

Holy cow...... Russel in 9th? Poor Botas has got to be feeling that heat.
Click to expand...
Danny Ric is a trail-braker.

He's done it throughout the entirety of his F1 career. Lando has been with the same team for all three years of his career, the team continues to improve with time. If you look at the graphs, Lando knows how to carry momentum in the McLaren using the minimum amount of brake as possible. Something Lando has adjusted to and McLaren has built around for him. Now, Daniel with 10+ years of experience doing the same thing has to adjust.

It's the reason why Daniel was quick in France, not a lot of low-speed corners with a lot more medium and high speed corners. Bahrain and Spain as well. He struggled going to Renault, but that was adjusting to braking. I feel as of he will adjust, its just going to take him more time.

With Vettel and Alonso adjusting well, Danny is the only one still not fully comfortable. He said he felt as if the laps were good after qualifying, so we'll see. 8 races compared to 3 years of being in the same car makes a world of difference.
 
Is the Williams getting better, or is Russel getting better? Either way, I like it.
 
This is kind of what we've been waiting for the last seven years. We've got two future champions on the front row, and two of the most experienced drivers on the second row. I'm not saying it's a changing of the guard, but it seems we are moving that way. At least now anyone who wins is going to have to fight for it, and we haven't seen much of that in the hybrid era. I think it's going to be like this every week.

Anyone seen the weather forecast? I read somewhere its going to be nasty, so we've got that shaking things up too.
 
Doc Austin said:
This is kind of what we've been waiting for the last seven years. We've got two future champions on the front row, and two of the most experienced drivers on the second row. I'm not saying it's a changing of the guard, but it seems we are moving that way. At least now anyone who wins is going to have to fight for it, and we haven't seen much of that in the hybrid era. I think it's going to be like this every week.

Anyone seen the weather forecast? I read somewhere its going to be nasty, so we've got that shaking things up too.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't read too much into it just yet.

Race pace is where the game is at. It'd be great if Lando can keep Max busy for a handful of laps while Hamilton gets through otherwise the beating Red Bull will put on the rest of the field will be worse than last week.
 
At best Lando will jump him at the start, but Max will get around him. I wasn't expecting Lando to outrun Max and Lewis, but at least he is in the fight. This is the best position he's ever been in, so I'm trying to be optimistic.

But, you are right holding up Max would benefit Hamilton. Throw Checo in the mix and you've got a crazy mess. Everyone is in good position and it's going to be the race pace that matters. That, or there's going to be some almighty argy bargey ..... in the rain, of course. This is starting to look like a good time rock and roll F1 race like we haven't seen in years.

When was the last time both Red Bulls started ahead of the Mercs? Have we all gone nuts?
 
Masi is a bum. Somehow Vettel is the only one to get a grid drop for slowing down between turns 9 and 10 even though he was at the back of the queue and held up by a bunch other guys. Bottas was worst of all. A bunch of tossers in race control since Charlie Whiting passed away.

 
Doc Austin said:
This is kind of what we've been waiting for the last seven years. We've got two future champions on the front row, and two of the most experienced drivers on the second row. I'm not saying it's a changing of the guard, but it seems we are moving that way. At least now anyone who wins is going to have to fight for it, and we haven't seen much of that in the hybrid era. I think it's going to be like this every week.

Anyone seen the weather forecast? I read somewhere its going to be nasty, so we've got that shaking things up too.
Click to expand...
I saw cloudy and cool but only a 15% chance of rain right now. But regardless, Lando can make it interesting because the McLaren is very good on the straights and can be a thorn to get around. And in general over the last couple of years this has been one of their top tracks, even with the Renault. They have a strong setup here.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Masi is a bum. Somehow Vettel is the only one to get a grid drop for slowing down between turns 9 and 10 even though he was at the back of the queue and held up by a bunch other guys. Bottas was worst of all. A bunch of tossers in race control since Charlie Whiting passed away.

Click to expand...

That was a pretty egregious impediment of Alonso though.
 
Checo should get a penalty now also.

Edited to add, that I don't think either should be a penalty, but the FIA has opened the door to the ticky tack penalties so they need to be consistent.
 
Man, Yuki made the same mistake twice.

Marko and Tost will have a conversation with their young driver.
 
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Pain.
 
Starting to look good for Max.

Sergio and leclerc seem to have some hostility going.

A few more like this and Hamilton will be wishing he had simply retired at the end of last year. Now, it looks possible he could end his career losing this title and the next two as well. He could go out as irrelevantly as Schumacher did. Not great for the legacy.
 
Doc Austin said:
Starting to look good for Max.

Sergio and leclerc seem to have some hostility going.

A few more like this and Hamilton will be wishing he had simply retired at the end of last year. Now, it looks possible he could end his career losing this title and the next two as well. He could go out as irrelevantly as Schumacher did. Not great for the legacy.
Click to expand...
What?
 
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