The F1 thread

[Drarok]

On the plus side, people have stopped calling them Force India.

Now it's Tracing Point.

[Raid]

I still keep calling them Force India by mistake even after more than 18 months. "Racing Point" is just so unbelievably bland as to be entirely forgettable. At least they'll be Aston Martin next year.

I have to admit I at least partially agree with Renault on this, and this needs looking into. It just seems a little bizarre that you'd be allowed to wholesale copy another team's aero formula without that team protesting. Sure, it's all on display when the car is on track, but isn't it a bit odd that Mercedes don't seem to be saying anything on the matter? It feels like something odd is going on, and not just because Toto Wolff has a not insignificant amount invested in Aston Martin.

[Rossell]

Yeah I mean Aston Martin in particular have had ties to Mercedes in the past with the road car side of things. Considering that and what you've mentioned about Toto it wouldn't be a stretch to say Stroll picked up the phone one day and asked for some help.

It's quite easy it seems to get a manufacturer onboard if you're willing to bend over. Sauber were on the down and out about to go to Honda engines before management changed and poof, Ferrari B team.

One thing I will say is Renault also need a change of management, since they have retaken the Enstone team from Lotus, their attitude has just been "we cannot be fucked but we'll keep moaning about stuff". A kick up the ass is needed.

[Raid]

So Sergio Perez has tested positive for coronavirus, and has been temporarily replaced at Racing Point by Nico Hulkenberg. Perez will have to miss both this race and the second one at Silverstone as he comes under British quarantine rules. Meanwhile teammate Lance Stroll has lead a practice session, suggesting that for one of the first times in his career, Hulkenberg has a front-running car under him and could be going for that first, ever-elusive if unlikely podium. I did say this year was going to be interesting. I absolutely don't wish Perez any ill, he's consistently been one of my favourite drivers during the last few years, but I've always held Hulkenberg in high esteem too and I'd love to see him finally get the success I think he deserves.

Still, it sadly raises a point that I wasn't expecting to happen quite so soon; running an international sporting championship which is forcing in events almost every week, moving thousands of people between countries on a regular basis, in a time of a global pandemic is.... hazardous. Perez was I believe in Mexico for the several days between races, so it's possible he hasn't been in contact with team personnel since contracting the virus, but what if he has infected other people in his team? What happens to the F1 circus if there's an outbreak?

[Rossell]

Regarding today's race:

What. Was. THAT?!?

[Raid]

Further proof, if any were needed, of just how little can stop Lewis Hamilton from equalling Schumacher's titles record.

[DjchunKfunK]

I thought Mercedes got a bit lucky, they had the space to bring Lewis in and get the tyres changed after Verstappan took his stop. Interesting to see what Pirelli come back with as to why so many tyres failed. The fact that it was on three different cars and Horner said after the race that the front left on Verstappan's car had a nasty groove in it as well may mean that something is not right with the tyres. Or it could just be they all picked up damage on the track, we shall see.

[Raid]

My joking aside, yes, they got lucky with Hamilton, or more specifically they got lucky that Verstappen pitted. Still, it was an amazing way to end a Grand Prix, and I'm not sure we'll ever see that happen again.

It was Silverstone a few years back where there were a large number of tyre failures, so there's clearly some aspect of the track that damages them in a way that Pirelli's design can't withstand. I don't pretend to know much about tyre construction, but honestly it looks to me like there's a kerb somewhere that's cutting into them. Given that Pirelli are supposedly bringing softer tyres to next week's race at the same circuit (and it can't be easy to ship something that big and heavy in such a short time, assuming they have sufficient stock in the first place), it could be problematic.

[Maturin]

There was a corner with dirt/mud leading into the curb and almost all the drivers were kicking up the dust before hitting the edge of the curb - perhaps that was it? It looked a bit shoddy tbh, I wouldn't be surprised if they worked on it before the next race. Silverstone's a great circuit but I wonder if it's getting a bit of a reputation for track quality problems.

Exciting finish though. Very solid drive from Leclerc & ricciardo in there too.

[DjchunKfunK]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/53693249

[Rossell]

Someone opened the floodgates. The whole car will be ripped apart before years end. Hope stroll has some extra cash.

[Drarok]

Papa Stroll is literally a billionaire, he's not short of cash.

[Raid]

Boom. Hulkenberg gets his first race weekend in a good car that he's driven before, and he puts it in third behind Mercedes who are now so dominant that qualifying is just a question over their two drivers. He was two and a half tenths faster than his teammate who has probably been driving this car on the simulator for months. I make no secret of my not caring much for Lance Stroll, but I think this is further evidence if any were needed, that the team need to replace Stroll for their first year as Aston Martin.

As for the Racing Point copying controversy, I can't help but be a little glad of it. It just doesn't feel right that they're able to copy Mercedes to the extent that they have, and I still think that there's more to this story than has been made public yet. I really do like Racing Point as a team, but copying the front-running team isn't the way forward and it would have been a worrying precedent if it had been allowed.

[Drarok]

You reckon papa Stroll would fire his own son? That'd be pretty fuckin' brutal. Maybe he can spin it that he was out-voted.

[Raid]

It's unlikely, I know, but I'm hoping that Lawrence is just one voice on a board for next year, and that he could be overruled.