The Official 2017 Russian Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**
Discussion
Circuit is often a dull race but I'm looking forward to this. Glad to see Kimi back and interesting that Bottas has again out qualified his team mate. The threat of team orders probably means Bottas will have to push from the beginning. He had some good scraps with Kimi in fairly equal machinery before, hopefully we get more of that here!
Didn't Bottas have a big crash here in 2014?
Didn't Bottas have a big crash here in 2014?
London424 said:
g4ry13 said:
Hamilton looking rather unhappy.
How on earth can you tell? He's in the car or on the weigh scales with a helmet on?! 2fast748 said:
suffolk009 said:
...more likely Merc (and RB) are slower now because they've had to take their trick suspension off the car.
A million times this.Ferrari have done the classic trick of dragging everyone back down to their level.
g4ry13 said:
London424 said:
g4ry13 said:
Hamilton looking rather unhappy.
How on earth can you tell? He's in the car or on the weigh scales with a helmet on?! Hamilton was his normal self when interviewed by Lee McKenzie.
He's not going to be happy being 4th, who would? But he's not angry/defeated/mentally broken - those are just terms used by those that have a vested/biased interest.
He knows that in qualifying, Ferrari were better.
I the race? We're all excited to see!
He's not going to be happy being 4th, who would? But he's not angry/defeated/mentally broken - those are just terms used by those that have a vested/biased interest.
He knows that in qualifying, Ferrari were better.
I the race? We're all excited to see!
Bottas' best sectors would've been good enough for pole. Merc cars are still the fastest in S1. Hamilton is generally very fast in the high speed corners, and it wouldn't surprise me if turn 3 is where he pulled out a tenth on Bottas (would love to see the GPS data). There's not much in it between Raikkonen and Bottas in S3 and this suggests that Merc aren't particularly weak there. It's just that Hamilton had a poor S3, and it could be related to how his car is setup.
ZX10R NIN said:
London424 said:
Sylvaforever said:
London424 said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Going by the long run graph earlier I wonder if Mercedes have sacrificed qualifying for better race pace, jumping the Ferraris at the pit stops or even doing 1 stop less?
It's only a 1 stop race so the second part won't work. They can try an undercut but the slower compound tyres are at least second slower so will be tough to pull off unless they can work around any traffic. g4ry13 said:
London424 said:
g4ry13 said:
Hamilton looking rather unhappy.
How on earth can you tell? He's in the car or on the weigh scales with a helmet on?! I think Hamilton will be forced to walk end of season. "There's nothing for you here " Lewis. Bottas and Alonso..or Bottas and VerStrapon or Bottas and Hulk.
So yep, Hamilton has reason to look unhappy.
Finally we have at least a 2 way championship, at least for now. Vettel/Hamilton is shaping up well with their rear gunners to add some spice to the races.
Hamilton being out-qualified will only add to his hunger to win IMHO. It does look like Mercedes made a good choice, Bottas is genuinely quick... not that there should have been doubt - Frank Williams knows a fast driver when he sees one.
Hamilton being out-qualified will only add to his hunger to win IMHO. It does look like Mercedes made a good choice, Bottas is genuinely quick... not that there should have been doubt - Frank Williams knows a fast driver when he sees one.
2fast748 said:
suffolk009 said:
...more likely Merc (and RB) are slower now because they've had to take their trick suspension off the car.
A million times this.Ferrari have done the classic trick of dragging everyone back down to their level.
I don't believe its the wheelbase either.
The problem the Merc has is tyre temperature, when it gets to the slow stuff at the end of the lap the front tyres lose temperature, that causes them to be a bit gentle, which then loses rear tyre temp.
The tyre compounds this year are roughly one grade harder (e.g. ultra soft is roughly the same as last years super soft, this years super soft is roughly the same as last year's soft and so on). This track surface isn't very abrasive, so low friction, low deg but doesn't help when trying to build heat in to the tyres.
You may remember from previous seasons that the Ferrari was very quick when it got tyres in the window, but they had a problem with overheating tyres. The situation this weekend has basically played right in to their hands.
Merc have work to do - Ferrari have made a big leap with their car, Merc haven't. Whats worse is the Ferrari is looking more flexible.
Red Bull just weren't very good anywhere, if you listen to Danny Ric's interviews it would appear clear that (despite Horner's whinging) the car is lacking both chassis and aero wise. They can't blame engine for 6th and 10th in the last sector.
another 3 points said:
Or is he beginning to realise he's lost his Mojo and Toto won't help him find it cause Toto is more interested in pushing Bottas? Oh and who does Toto manage?
I think Hamilton will be forced to walk end of season. "There's nothing for you here " Lewis. Bottas and Alonso..or Bottas and VerStrapon or Bottas and Hulk.
So yep, Hamilton has reason to look unhappy.
dear god, where do you people get this tripe from ? Last year Merc was sabotaging Lewis, in China they were apparently screwing Bottas by telling him to let Lewis pass and now they want Lewis out the team because (according to you) Toto manages Bottas ? (he doesn't by the way, http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18487942/toto-...I think Hamilton will be forced to walk end of season. "There's nothing for you here " Lewis. Bottas and Alonso..or Bottas and VerStrapon or Bottas and Hulk.
So yep, Hamilton has reason to look unhappy.
Its very simple - Lewis, for whatever reason hasn't been able to get the car to a point where he could drive it quickly. Bottas did a better job of it.
Crafty_ said:
dear god, where do you people get this tripe from ? Last year Merc was sabotaging Lewis, in China they were apparently screwing Bottas by telling him to let Lewis pass and now they want Lewis out the team because (according to you) Toto manages Bottas ? (he doesn't by the way, http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/18487942/toto-...
Its very simple - Lewis, for whatever reason hasn't been able to get the car to a point where he could drive it quickly. Bottas did a better job of it.
Has LH set the car up differently to Bottas? His rears seemed to suffer more and his fronts seemed more planted. Its very simple - Lewis, for whatever reason hasn't been able to get the car to a point where he could drive it quickly. Bottas did a better job of it.
My wife reckoned that LH has his car set up for the race, ie a longer first stint. She does, rather irritatingly, get proved right now and again. So just between ourselves, is she somewhere on the money?
I'm more of the feeling that LH hasn't yet cracked the new regulations whereas Bottas feels a lot more comfortable.
I suppose its possible, but I don't think you'd sacrifice that much speed (to the Ferraris), neither Merc looks very good, Di Resta showed Lewis riding kerbs and you could see the car didn't handle them as well as the Ferrari that seemingly just glided over them. Looks like Merc have gone with a stiff set up. Hamilton was apparently fiddling with rollbars up until Q1 - as I said I don't think he found a setup.
Bottas's car looked a bit better, but was still sliding around.
I'm not sure about about Bottas, but (IIRC) Lewis likes front grip, lets him throw the car in to a corner and sort out the rear with throttle mid corner. If he can't get the front end to stick he's compromised. Maybe Bottas has a different style ?
With the race being a 1 stopper, barring idiocy I can't see how Ferrari can lose this, the car just looks better all round. I haven't checked the weather but higher temps will aid Merc to get the tyres working, its still quite a gap though.
Maybe Merc's best chance is to jump them at the start, get one car to hold the Ferrari's up a bit, let the front one run & hide and just hope its enough through the stops. As things stand its a tall order.
Bottas's car looked a bit better, but was still sliding around.
I'm not sure about about Bottas, but (IIRC) Lewis likes front grip, lets him throw the car in to a corner and sort out the rear with throttle mid corner. If he can't get the front end to stick he's compromised. Maybe Bottas has a different style ?
With the race being a 1 stopper, barring idiocy I can't see how Ferrari can lose this, the car just looks better all round. I haven't checked the weather but higher temps will aid Merc to get the tyres working, its still quite a gap though.
Maybe Merc's best chance is to jump them at the start, get one car to hold the Ferrari's up a bit, let the front one run & hide and just hope its enough through the stops. As things stand its a tall order.
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