Formula One

[pete]

Spa next week should be interesting

[C8RKH]

Verstappen has form for crashing into people there too. Same corner, two races, two consecutive years.

After the way he drove Hamilton off the track in Brazil, got no penalty, he really has no right to complain like he did today....

He really is a spoilt child 

[EldonZ]

I think Hamilton was a little sneaky on the contact with Verstappen. If you watch video, you see Lewis on a slight arc into the corner. Verstappen locks up then you see Lewis put a little more wheel into the car. This places his front right in front of Verstappen's rear left. If he hadn't done this, he had two choices; 1) turn back to the left and be taken completely off the track or 2) watch his front wing get cleaned out by the left rear tire. He's been racing long enough to know where the strength in the suspension is and isn't. Better to let Verstappen climb his tire which it will readily do.

Just my two cents.

Later,
Eldon

 

[mg4lotus]

Verstappen was never making that corner, he came in way too hot. Hamilton did start turning into the corner a bit early but even so, he didn't make the apex. The Williams that they both had just lapped did make the apex and un-lapped himself in the corner.

[mg4lotus]

If I was Norris, I think I would be having dinner dates with Toto Wolff.

[DanR]

Piastri seemed quite subdued post race. His analytical self probably knew he blew it when he ran off the track at turn 11. Just grateful team orders prevailed. Had he not run off his leading margin was enough to pit and re-enter still leading.

His nature is being very self-critical and to learn for next time.

[exeterjeep]

3 hours ago, DanR said:

Piastri seemed quite subdued post race

even his getting out of the car moment or the radio chat, was not a real celebration etc

The McLarens boss' interview with DC and co was a bit odd, it was to indicate to both drivers and team about learning together about winning. Liked DC's comments about him getting his win bonus when he ended up 2nd having let his 'team leader' past to win..

 

Norris/Lewis in cool down room.. Lando still upset.

LH: “Phew! You guys are fast"

LN: : “You had a fast car 7 years ago...”

LH: : “7 years ago? long time. Were you here seven years ago?”

LN: “You had a quick car, and now it’s us.”

LH: “I wasn't complaining, I was complimenting your car.”

[C8RKH]

10 hours ago, EldonZ said:

I think Hamilton was a little sneaky on the contact with Verstappen

And yet the stewards said he was on the same trajectory/turning as previous laps!

You may be correct, but then to me that just shows Hamilton is calmer, more controlled, and has a better temperament and more brain power,or, he's just a tad more sneaky than Max 😜🤣

Either way Max has shown again his true self and what a nasty little shit he, in my humblest of opinions, can be. Basically telling his engineer, team and critics to fook off is not a great look. The petulance is strong in this child.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

We were incensed by Verstappen’s first corner antics. It was clear as day that he overtook Norris off the track and his team knew that like everyone else watching, yet he held position for far too long until they finally told him to yield when a penalty was imminent. Meanwhile Piastri had romped ahead whilst MV was holding up Norris and the others. Had MV yielded immediately, LN would have had a chance to fight Piastri for the lead early on.

[Chillidoggy]

Disgraceful behaviour by Max. How he avoided a penalty is beyond me. He was never gonna make the corner. Even worse though, was the absolutely astonishing McLaren sitcom. I’d like to think that Piastri didn’t want to be handed his first victory in such a fashion.

[C8RKH]

Piastri made his point quietly but eloquently on the radio. I suspect his under key celebration was influenced a little by embarrassment.

However from a team perspective I think McLaren have by far the strongest driver line up and the fact Norris did yield (in the end) will ensure they are stronger team mates.

17 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

Disgraceful behaviour by Max. How he avoided a penalty is beyond me.

All through his F1 career Max has been given lenient, special dispensation to be a shit. Yet despite that, he, Horner and Marko moan, complain, bitch etc. They really are a shower of malcontents who deserve each other. A toxic dump of humanity, in my inconsequential opinion.

[Techyd]

McLaren have a really strong car now and could challenge for a good share of the spoils this year.  Piastri is good enough, fast enough and mature enough to be fighting at the front with said car, alongside Lando (who is equally strong).  Lando taking his sweet time to switch back was IMO two fold: 1) See if the Team back down, which is to say, are the team more behind me than Piastri and 2) A message for Piastri to say you won, because I let you.

That the team upheld their team orders is a great sign of integrity and actually, both drivers can now move on a drive with that reassurance behind them.

Lando, will, I suspect be feeling threatened in the team by Piastri's ability, and rightly so.  The competitiveness in him at wanting to win himself and coming out on top within the team matters - of course it does, he's an F1 driver!  I have to say like MV, Lando can quite quickly get a touch immature (can't they all) - but nonetheless, he needs to work on that - throwing his P2 hat on the ground for example and being a bit rude to LH as examples; both not necessary.  Piastri stands out from this as quite the exception - he's so level headed.  He's still feeling the pressure though, that little trip through the gravel showed that but I think we'll not see much of that sort of mistake from him again.

[PaulCP]

[yeller77]

I must say, the "team orders" thing was baffling. WTH difference does it make who makes the first corner with regard to the team or the "right" to be in the lead at the end of the race? Oscar clearly had initial pace but made mistakes. You earn wins by making fewer mistakes and knowing your tires and strategy for replacing them. Lando may have gotten the undercut but clearly had the pace at the end with a 6 sec lead before capitulating. The one-two would have still meant the same to the team and bolstered his fight for WC. I'm betting the situation won't come up again. If he's a few points short at the end of the season, it will haunt.

Max let his hot head get the best of him, obviously. True champs win in an inferior car with cunning and skill. The team clearly sold tire strategy for the end of the race and were correct based on his late-race pace that, in my view, would have allowed him to take Lewis if he's just been patient. But, no. He owes Lewis a pint for, among other things, continuing to refer to it as a "racing incident" both with DC post-race and with the stewards, apparently.

Did someone say they didn't want another boring season?  

[C8RKH]

So, Helmet has issued a full apology TO Max, from the team. Is it the Head of the drivers development role to do that?

Unbelievable.

How is Max ever going to learn when everyone just licks his toes all the time?

[tim_marra]

3 hours ago, C8RKH said:

How is Max ever going to learn when everyone just licks his toes all the time?

They could lick worse 

[EldonZ]

I think it is interesting that Max says that Lewis isn't that great because he was in the best car for so many years. He claims that Alonso is a better driver. I will agree that Alonso is a great driver but I think Max forgets that Lewis beat Alonso in his rookie year on the same team. In fact Lewis lost the championship in his rookie year by just a couple of points. (If I remembered my facts wrong, I'm sorry).

I really think that Max has a Lewis problem!

Later,
Eldon

 

[Chillidoggy]

It’ll be interesting to see how the year pans out. It looks like the Mac Lads have got a real shot at a WDC, and I wonder whether either of them are going to regret those team orders. Every point counts.

i think RB will redouble its efforts; it’s currently heading down the pan. Perhaps Newey has engaged cruise control ready for his departure.

[C8RKH]

6 hours ago, EldonZ said:

Max has a Lewis problem!

FTFY.

The irony is that in his own comments he is devaluing his own WDC wins of the last 2 years.

He's behaving and speaking like a disrespectful brat and there is just no need for it.

[pete]

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-fires-stern-warning-to-norris-and-piastri-after-team-orders-spat

 

Think McLaren have a lot to learn about being one of the top teams. Threatening their drivers with the the sack if they disobey team orders is ridiculous. Both drivers would be sought after bh other teams and probably lawyers would be involved 

[Chillidoggy]

To a certain extent, I disagree.  The Team is their employer, and their loyalty to the Team is to be expected, in order to pursue the world constructor’s championship. Otherwise, the tail is wagging the dog.

The long-winded drama that played out over the radio was an embarrassment to the Sport. There should have been one short message from the Team, and that should have been all it took. Any playground arguments should have been confined to post-race, behind closed doors.

That said, the fact that Norris and Piastri are now genuine contenders for wins is great news, and that’s what I’m focussing on.

[C8RKH]

2 hours ago, pete said:

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-fires-stern-warning-to-norris-and-piastri-after-team-orders-spat

 

Think McLaren have a lot to learn about being one of the top teams. Threatening their drivers with the the sack if they disobey team orders is ridiculous. Both drivers would be sought after bh other teams and probably lawyers would be involved 

On the contrary, think it is nice to see the Team have the balls to mark the drivers cars. Red Bull should take note.

No team. No drivers. No F1.

The drivers drive for the Team, not the other away around.

[pete]

The teams might think that but the average fan is surely only interested in the drivers championship 

[C8RKH]

But that's a bit like saying in Football, or any other team sport, that the players are bigger than the team. 

I'm not really a driver fan. I follow Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari, though granted the first one has more to do with Hamilton being there and will likely be dropped for 25 by me 

[pete]

Don't think Ronaldo would agree with you😜