F1 2021 Season

Leg-End

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Good grief Mercedes have fecked this one up haven’t they? Taking Bottas’s engine penalty here has just handed Max a win if he gets away at the start.

If Hamilton is not ahead of a McLaren at the end of lap 1 it’s game over.
 

MTF

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Sucks for my fantasy team. I subbed in Hamilton for Verstappen while keeping Bottas in my lineup. :(
 

ZIDANE

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It is rubbish because there is no natural overtaking and too short for strategy to come in to play.

The lack of overtaking doesn’t say much about tomorrow.
 

Adam-Utd

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This is not the sprint race I expected.
I cant believe that Lewis is waiting for the softs off Norris to fall off to catch him.
Looking like P4 for the race, not where he would have expect to start.
Max looks like Pole.
:lol: I did tell you it would be trash.

I think there was 2 overtakes that were genuine? what a waste of time.

why is anybody going to take a risk when it means you lose out come the actual race on sunday. it needs a huge rethink
 

RoadTrip

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That was super lame. That start by Lewis too was awful. This was the chance for him to not only take points in the sprint but also be in prime position for the race to take the lead in the championship but just poor.
 

pauldyson1uk

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:lol: I did tell you it would be trash.

I think there was 2 overtakes that were genuine? what a waste of time.

why is anybody going to take a risk when it means you lose out come the actual race on sunday. it needs a huge rethink
Yeap, I bow to your greater knowledge.
It was utter shit.
Lewis fecked it up, handed Max the easiest Pole he will ever get.
Norris was excellent holding off Lewis.
 

dinostar77

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That was super lame. That start by Lewis too was awful. This was the chance for him to not only take points in the sprint but also be in prime position for the race to take the lead in the championship but just poor.
Yep lewis has pretty much screwed his chances of winning on sunday.
 

Luke1995

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Maybe it's too early to ask, but ultimately, will Max get his first title or will Hamilton find a way to get the job done ?

Lewis toughest challenge since 2016 Rosberg but I think it's still possible he does it.
 

RoadTrip

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Maybe it's too early to ask, but ultimately, will Max get his first title or will Hamilton find a way to get the job done ?

Lewis toughest challenge since 2016 Rosberg but I think it's still possible he does it.
I think Max has been really phenomenal this year, and he’s got an underlying faster car. Hamilton can’t afford mistakes like today and hopefully he can make it up in the race, but I just think that the way things are falling it’ll be Max’s year.
 

ChaddyP

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Also you people complaining about sprint race really need to get a grip. Its basically replaced FP3 . Theres still q1,q2,q3 quali, if thats what gets you off. Sprint racing over 1hr of FP3 is miles better
 

dinostar77

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Also you people complaining about sprint race really need to get a grip. Its basically replaced FP3 . Theres still q1,q2,q3 quali, if thats what gets you off. Sprint racing over 1hr of FP3 is miles better
It really isnt
 

hobbers

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Sprint racing is a better spectacle but it's just so pointless and unfair on 6-7 of the teams.

Great, you fight it out on track for a grid position, but if you crash your budget is fecked. And even if they improve position they still get no points from it.
 

dinostar77

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Maybe it's too early to ask, but ultimately, will Max get his first title or will Hamilton find a way to get the job done ?

Lewis toughest challenge since 2016 Rosberg but I think it's still possible he does it.
Its Max's title to lose. RB are still bringing updates every race and Mercedes arent. I think RB are going to compromise next years car more than Mercedes are.

Monza and Sochi are two tracks that normally favour Mercedes we really need hamilton wins at both before we get to the next set of tracks that suit the RB. That way the title challenge can go down to the wire. I think Max will have the title wrapped up in 4-5 races time. Deserving so as RB has been the best car this season. Whether RB win the constructors depends on how much more Perez cocks up between now and end of season.
 

Fluctuation0161

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Just an absolute nonsense argument. He's been "professional" for 6 years, helped Lewis to 4 world titles and Merc to 4 constructors titles in a row, and they've still dumped him. Trying to be the fastest driver on the track every week when in the fastest car is what I would call being professional.

Even if we pretend that Alfa's team boss is a total weirdo who cares about his behaviour in the last 8 races in a Merc. Bottas is 32 and the contract is signed. So "looking unprofessional" :lol: by trying to go out with a bang wouldn't affect the rest of his F1 career at all.
I think you underestimate the value teams, and team managers, place on bring a professional team player.
 

Fluctuation0161

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:lol: I did tell you it would be trash.

I think there was 2 overtakes that were genuine? what a waste of time.

why is anybody going to take a risk when it means you lose out come the actual race on sunday. it needs a huge rethink
I dislike this whole sprint race concept.
 

hobbers

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I think you underestimate the value teams, and team managers, place on bring a professional team player.
I don't. It's just common sense that any team looking at Bottas will see a whipping boy immense team player and consummate professional based on his last 5 years in F1 and the 4 consecutive constructors titles Mercedes have him to thank for. And what he does in the final few races for a team he no longer has any connection to would obviously not undo any of that reputation.

And he's 32 and the contract is signed so what they think doesn't even matter anyway.
 

senorgregster

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Top 10 grid for Saturday's F1 Sprint
1) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
2) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
4) Lando Norris, McLaren
5) Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren
6) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri
7) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
9) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
10) Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo
These sprints are awful. I think I missed the qualifying for the sprint? Did bottas actually drive faster than Hamilton and verstappen at some point to get the 1st place on the sprint grid?

Assuming that was an error at the start, Hamilton appears to be feeling the pressure.
 

dinostar77

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These sprints are awful. I think I missed the qualifying for the sprint? Did bottas actually drive faster than Hamilton and verstappen at some point to get the 1st place on the sprint grid?

Assuming that was an error at the start, Hamilton appears to be feeling the pressure.
Qually was better than the sprint. Max got a good tow from gasly on his first run in q3 and couldnt better it on his 2nd run. Bottas has a whole new engine/drivetrain so that have him the edge over lewis. Both max and lewis did their best times in q3 on first run and bottas on 2nd run. Lando made a mistake on his fastest lap that if he hadnt of made, would have put him ahead of max in the sprint grid order.
 

Lightbringer

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Looking forward to 2025 when Merc engines for the first time in 10+ years does not decide the championship, the hybrid era has been terrible for Formula 1.
 

Luke1995

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I think Max has been really phenomenal this year, and he’s got an underlying faster car. Hamilton can’t afford mistakes like today and hopefully he can make it up in the race, but I just think that the way things are falling it’ll be Max’s year.
Yeah pretty much. I'm just not ready to count a seven time champion out. Max's confidence is his biggest asset. Hamilton needs to put the pressure on him.

Although next year could be even tougher for Lewis if Russel is as good as I think he is.
 

Luke1995

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Its Max's title to lose. RB are still bringing updates every race and Mercedes arent. I think RB are going to compromise next years car more than Mercedes are.

Monza and Sochi are two tracks that normally favour Mercedes we really need hamilton wins at both before we get to the next set of tracks that suit the RB. That way the title challenge can go down to the wire. I think Max will have the title wrapped up in 4-5 races time. Deserving so as RB has been the best car this season. Whether RB win the constructors depends on how much more Perez cocks up between now and end of season.
Perez seems to be driving better than Bottas this year. You'd expect Bottas to be unnmotivated right now, knowing he will go from a Mercedes to a much worse car.

Also, Perez is already guaranteed the same seat next year. Although you get the feeling that next year he will need to really up his level if he is to stay longer.
 

Adam-Utd

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Also you people complaining about sprint race really need to get a grip. Its basically replaced FP3 . Theres still q1,q2,q3 quali, if thats what gets you off. Sprint racing over 1hr of FP3 is miles better
it’s not that black and white.

Obviously we are happy with more track action, but they could have done something much better to make it more exciting.

Reverse qualy grid? reverse championship order? random positions out of a draw?

the fact that it’s linked to sunday’s race is also ridiculous. if you’re ricciardo in that position you probably send 1 around the outside of verstappen and suddenly it’s a close sprint race, instead he has to be cautious.

Gasly gets unlucky and now his sunday is completely ruined, how is that fair? might as well have not bothered with qualifying.

I have no issue with less practice sessions but the way they’ve tried to do it means the rich get richer.

Let’s see Mazepin start at the front with Latifi and Tsunoda and Schumacher. Give them a chance to grab a win and soak up the pressure, or try to fight off the charging hamilton or verstappen with 2 laps left etc.

I’m sure they’ll figure out eventually people aren’t happy, i’ve seen a lot more groaning this time than at silverstone where it’s fresh or new.
 

Jippy

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I don't. It's just common sense that any team looking at Bottas will see a whipping boy immense team player and consummate professional based on his last 5 years in F1 and the 4 consecutive constructors titles Mercedes have him to thank for. And what he does in the final few races for a team he no longer has any connection to would obviously not undo any of that reputation.

And he's 32 and the contract is signed so what they think doesn't even matter anyway.
Do you mean his employer which is paying him over $10m a year?

You think him going rogue, defying team orders and potentially costing his team and teammate the driver's championship would have no impact on his reputation?
It might be funny, but few team managers value unreliable, unprofessional and untrustworthy staff.
 

dinostar77

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So you're saying..... there's a chance?

Yes definitely. Dont forget ferrari have taken a massive gamble with the direction of next years engine. Basically a different design approach than Honda, Mercedes and Renault. If it comes off we could be looking at a sainz/leclerc title battle.
 
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Jippy

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No end to these vapid arguments I see.

No. I don't think him trying to win a maximum amount of points from his side of the garage in the next 7 races, potentially at Hamilton's expense, will change any other team principle's opinion of him one iota. Because 7 races for a team that's cutting you loose does not undo 5 seasons of you being their obedient gofer. And it would only enhance his reputation generally if he tried to show Mercedes what they're losing by ending his career at the top end of formula one with a win or two.

This is all fecking moot because we've already established that he's not going to rock the boat because he lacks the right mentality, whereas any and all top f1 drivers would be doing exactly what I'm saying.
Yes I'm sure all other drivers would take career advice from Hobbers from the internet.