The Official 2016 German Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**

[Dr Z]

Flooble said:

Thanks for another awesome analysis DrZ. It's fascinating (well, to me) to see how they balance speed and tyre wear like that. Raikkonen's trace is interesting as in stint 3 he start off matching the pace of Hamilton and then just ends up nowhere!

Glad you found it interesting.

Yeah, Raikkonen could not maintain that pace, even taking more out of the tyres than Hamilton. He ends up averaging two tenths slower per lap in that stint than Hamilton. Raikkonen was on scrubbed Super Softs vs Hamilton on brand new ones though.

[Dr Z]

This argument (sex?) needs badly overlaid screen shots of the incident:



Technically Nico ran Max off the track on corner exit, but his approach was the same as in Austria. If it wasn't for Max turning in to take the corner making Nico to change trajectory, I think he would have done exactly same as he did in Austria.

I don't believe Max moved under braking; the pic doesn't show clearly as the camera zoomed out in the shot but his turn in point would have placed him to take the apex perfectly...he's entitled to do that because he didn't expect Nico to divebomb him. Thankfully he bails out as he sees Nico coming.

I was prepared to give Nico the benefit of the doubt in Austria as I thought maybe it was an act of desperation to keep the win from slipping away, but now I'm not sure. I get the feeling that Nico really doesn't like to engage in prolonged wheel-to-wheel battles and so prefers to get the move done in one corner and be done with it. Whilst his trajectory into the corner placed him to hit the apex perfectly and run wide on exit, Max was already positioning to take a tight exit--to take the battle to the next corner. The only way Nico's move makes sense is if he intended to cut Max off from his intended line. The way he did it looks so blatant that, I suspect the Stewards didn't have a choice in considering it a racing incident.

[Dr Z]

VladD said:

I think Max did make a little move in the braking zone, and not for the first time. This would force Nico onto a tighter line and give him to opportunity of the cut back. I think Nico knew that and took the opportunity away. Nice idea, very badly executed.

You're right, I see it now. The turn-in points on the qualifying lap and also the turn-in points in the race by a few others, is just past the third (50m) marker in the braking zone. Verstappen starts to turn/move just past the 2nd one.

ETA: Fixed to Non-drum brake marker distance

Edited by Dr Z on Thursday 4th August 14:58

[Dr Z]

VladD said:

Dr Z said:

You're right, I see it now. The turn-in points on the qualifying lap and also the turn-in points in the race by a few others, is just past the third (500m) marker in the braking zone. Verstappen starts to turn/move just past the 2nd one.

It was the same little jink that had Kimi riled in the previous race.

Oh, and I think it's the 50m board, not 500m, unless they've gone back to drum brakes.

Fixed.

DC picked up on it last race, commenting that he reacts once the attacker makes the move. It looks like it here too. Questionable race craft.

[Dr Z]

hairyben said:

A defensive move then taking the line for the corner? Isn't one "defend" allowed? He waited for kimi to feign right before blocking once (thats okay right?), kimi tried left only for max to retake the line for the corner (still okay?), kimi then tried a second switch back behind him, misjudged the dive too close and pretty much did his own front wing IMO. It was borderline and ugly, but I'm struggling to see a clear rule breach.

There were two seperate incidents with Kimi though. I thought the first one was right on the limit, and I think you're referring to that one. The other incident was in to T1, when Verstappen moved as he was braking, once he saw Kimi was going for the inside. That looks more like the incident with Nico.

It's here under Part 3:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2016/7...

[Dr Z]

hairyben said:

Dr Z said:

There were two seperate incidents with Kimi though. I thought the first one was right on the limit, and I think you're referring to that one. The other incident was in to T1, when Verstappen moved as he was braking, once he saw Kimi was going for the inside. That looks more like the incident with Nico.

It's here under Part 3:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2016/7...

Ah okay I'd forgotten about that one aftrer the fun of the other incident

TBF I can see why it'd annoy but the kid does play well with exactly how much keeps it arguable/ambiguous doesn't he?

He does seem to have a Schumacher-esque knack of testing the rules, at least in defending. In my view, moves that require the other guy to take avoiding action are not very clever...at some point will likely end in tears as he is less in control of the outcome of the move than he thinks. This is what makes his overtakes exciting, but here too, he is at the mercy of the defender to comply to a certain extent. Still a fan though.