Official 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[entropy]

Piginapoke said:

suffolk009 said:

My two thoughts are:
1. What lap will Verstappen crash out after failing to execute another wildly optimistic overtake?
2. Will Aston Martin actually finish the race before pitting the car to repaint it a colour that actually looks like green on the telly?

I don't think Max has put a foot wrong recently, last year he was outstanding, but he still has this reputation.

I think the only major fault was the Turkish GP; his emotions got the better of him thinking that race was his to lose and not giving much respect to Checo.

He was caught up and an innocent bystander in a couple of first lap melees eg. Sakhir & Mugello.

[Finlandese]

Leithen said:

Finlandese said:

If the rule change regarding the floors affects the low rake cars, such as MB more than the high rake ones (RB), then we might have an interesting season ahead of us.

Nail on the head.

I saw this going the other way completely, thinking that higher rake cars would be more vulnerable to the reduced floor area and would find sealing the underfloor area harder and would therefore lose more downforce.

I'd still like to fully understand why this appears to be wrong - underfloor volume?

So does Gary Anderson. It doesn´t seem to have an easy explanation, but Gary thinks the high rake cars got the better deal out of this rule change.
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-have-...

[honda_exige]

Finlandese said:

Leithen said:

Finlandese said:

If the rule change regarding the floors affects the low rake cars, such as MB more than the high rake ones (RB), then we might have an interesting season ahead of us.

Nail on the head.

I saw this going the other way completely, thinking that higher rake cars would be more vulnerable to the reduced floor area and would find sealing the underfloor area harder and would therefore lose more downforce.

I'd still like to fully understand why this appears to be wrong - underfloor volume?

So does Gary Anderson. It doesn´t seem to have an easy explanation, but Gary thinks the high rake cars got the better deal out of this rule change.
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-have-...

Also with the Merc being the longest car, in terms of physical surface area, they've lost the most floor apparently.

[SpudLink]

honda_exige said:

Finlandese said:

Leithen said:

Finlandese said:

If the rule change regarding the floors affects the low rake cars, such as MB more than the high rake ones (RB), then we might have an interesting season ahead of us.

Nail on the head.

I saw this going the other way completely, thinking that higher rake cars would be more vulnerable to the reduced floor area and would find sealing the underfloor area harder and would therefore lose more downforce.

I'd still like to fully understand why this appears to be wrong - underfloor volume?

So does Gary Anderson. It doesn´t seem to have an easy explanation, but Gary thinks the high rake cars got the better deal out of this rule change.
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-have-...

Also with the Merc being the longest car, in terms of physical surface area, they've lost the most floor apparently.

So, the rule change that wasn’t just to slow down Merc, honest, has had the effect of slowing down the Merc.
Hmm, perhaps Ross Brawn knows what he’s doing.

[Fundoreen]

All tracks are different. Davidson Anthony said the high rake traditionally works at bahrain and abu dhabi.
He sounds like he knows what he's talking about though he does work for mercedes.

[HustleRussell]

Finlandese said:

Leithen said:

Finlandese said:

If the rule change regarding the floors affects the low rake cars, such as MB more than the high rake ones (RB), then we might have an interesting season ahead of us.

Nail on the head.

I saw this going the other way completely, thinking that higher rake cars would be more vulnerable to the reduced floor area and would find sealing the underfloor area harder and would therefore lose more downforce.

I'd still like to fully understand why this appears to be wrong - underfloor volume?

So does Gary Anderson. It doesn´t seem to have an easy explanation, but Gary thinks the high rake cars got the better deal out of this rule change.
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-have-...

Gary Anderson predicted the opposite in the run up to pre-season testing, and still nobody really knows until we’re into the competitive season.

[95 fiesta si]

M5-911 said:

Battle between Redbull and McLaren for the first couple of races I reckon. Mercedes not far behind.

Verstapen World champion by the end of the year.

Hope your right

[rallycross]

A real shame to start the series at such a dull circuit for lack of action.

[HustleRussell]

rallycross said:

A real shame to start the series at such a dull circuit for lack of action.

Bahrain is much better than Albert Park for racing.

[JVCraddock]

If we are lucky enough to see Red Bull and Mercedes competing for the win I’m really interested to see how Hamilton deals with the pressure.

[honda_exige]

HustleRussell said:

Bahrain is much better than Albert Park for racing.

+1, one of the few new circuits with at least some elevation change. Though I did prefer the outer loop used in the second race, that down hill left turning bumpy braking zone was epic.

[DanielSan]

HustleRussell said:

Gary Anderson predicted the opposite in the run up to pre-season testing, and still nobody really knows until we’re into the competitive season.

Glad you've said that, I've been thinking I'm losing my mind for the last few days because I was sure he'd said that but couldn't find where.

[HustleRussell]

DanielSan said:

HustleRussell said:

Gary Anderson predicted the opposite in the run up to pre-season testing, and still nobody really knows until we’re into the competitive season.

Glad you've said that, I've been thinking I'm losing my mind for the last few days because I was sure he'd said that but couldn't find where.

It would’ve been on ‘The Race’ podcast. It’s a few weeks ago now but I think he initially predicted that the high rake teams would have greater difficulty sealing the floor. On the same podcast after testing he said that high rake teams actually have a greater volume under the floor ahead of the rear tyres in which to manage tyre squirt. It’s still possible that both statements are true...

[Piginapoke]

HustleRussell said:

DanielSan said:

HustleRussell said:

Gary Anderson predicted the opposite in the run up to pre-season testing, and still nobody really knows until we’re into the competitive season.

Glad you've said that, I've been thinking I'm losing my mind for the last few days because I was sure he'd said that but couldn't find where.

It would’ve been on ‘The Race’ podcast. It’s a few weeks ago now but I think he initially predicted that the high rake teams would have greater difficulty sealing the floor. On the same podcast after testing he said that high rake teams actually have a greater volume under the floor ahead of the rear tyres in which to manage tyre squirt. It’s still possible that both statements are true...

On that note, The Race podcast and website really is excellent quality stuff, a lot better than Autosport.

[Leithen]

Heartfelt writing from Pierre Gasly.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/pierre-gas...

[HTP99]

Leithen said:

Heartfelt writing from Pierre Gasly.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/pierre-gas...

Brought a tear to my eye.

[HighwayToHull]

Fantastic piece of writing.

[TheDeuce]

Just 3 more days of none F1 until we finally get a worthwhile chance to see how the teams stack up this season - I can't remember the last time I was so uncertain of the order at the top...

Friday FP2, everyone has to show at least most of what they have and it should all start to unveil

I still think Mercedes are the likely team to beat, but have zero doubt that at the very least RB will be far closer this season than last. I'd love to wrap up this era of F1 with a genuine two team championship battle!

[BrettMRC]

Whilst I'd love to see a closer battle, I also really like seeing Horners face when Mercedes beat Redbull like a ginger step child.

Conflciting times!

[SpudLink]

I want to see a close fight between Red Bull and Mercedes. Hopefully the first few races will see RB with an advantage, forcing Mercedes to play catch-up. I want to see Verstappen push Hamilton all the way.
But I also want the season to end with the Merc/Wolff/Hamilton machine victorious again, establishing a set of records that will stand for a generation.