The Official USA GP 2018 thread *spoilers*

[Wills2]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Hartley drives the first sector like miss daisy.

He really didn't...Miss Daisy was the one who crashed, hence it's a story about a chauffeur "Driving Miss Daisy"

[HustleRussell]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Ok I disagree 100%

Hartley drives the first sector like miss daisy. You could give him the benifit of the doubt and say he was letting others knock them selves out but if no one else crashed he’d have been last by at least a second by the end of sector 2.

The first McLaren gets shunted out the way and the second gets hit coming onto the back straight compromising his exit.

Hartley made up a lot of places that lap but if no one had crashed on the first lap he wouldn’t have been within a second of The man in second last. I know, you make your own luck and all that but I can’t help theinking he’s not cut out for F1.

Hartley gets a hard time but on this occasion I think the result (^8 places in one lap) speaks for itself. That looked like an intelligent and measured first lap to me. His start wasn't great but he squared the first corner off and made all of the time lost up again going into turn two. The move around the outside of Ericsson was a beauty. Having passed Vandoorne he arrived at the end of the back straight with filthy tyres and just about managed not to get suckered in to Grosjean out-braking himself.

Hartley may lack that final tenth or two but there's little to criticise in that lap, I'd say it shows the hallmarks of the very experienced driver he is.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...

[Deesee]

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

[Jbliss]

those are Redbull rims on the right.

[Deesee]

Jbliss said:

those are Redbull rims on the right.

If so I have been led astray, and duped.

[NRS]

HustleRussell said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Ok I disagree 100%

Hartley drives the first sector like miss daisy. You could give him the benifit of the doubt and say he was letting others knock them selves out but if no one else crashed he’d have been last by at least a second by the end of sector 2.

The first McLaren gets shunted out the way and the second gets hit coming onto the back straight compromising his exit.

Hartley made up a lot of places that lap but if no one had crashed on the first lap he wouldn’t have been within a second of The man in second last. I know, you make your own luck and all that but I can’t help theinking he’s not cut out for F1.

Hartley gets a hard time but on this occasion I think the result (^8 places in one lap) speaks for itself. That looked like an intelligent and measured first lap to me. His start wasn't great but he squared the first corner off and made all of the time lost up again going into turn two. The move around the outside of Ericsson was a beauty. Having passed Vandoorne he arrived at the end of the back straight with filthy tyres and just about managed not to get suckered in to Grosjean out-braking himself.

Hartley may lack that final tenth or two but there's little to criticise in that lap, I'd say it shows the hallmarks of the very experienced driver he is.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...

I'm another to say it was a decent enough lap, but nothing special. As mentioned a slightly slow start, and he also almost went into one of the Williams and went off the track to avoid doing so, and then drove off the track again later on where it wasn't needed for avoiding anyone.

[Jabbah]

Deesee said:

If so I have been led astray, and duped.

Not entirely:

http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/13...

[anonymous-user]

Deesee said:

Breezed pass, 1st lap so no DRS just pure grunt
.

Shows how draggy the cars are.

That was an intelligent use of slipstreaming if you watch it, with him popping out and back into the slipstream of his team mate and the McLaren.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

NRS said:

HustleRussell said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Ok I disagree 100%

Hartley drives the first sector like miss daisy. You could give him the benifit of the doubt and say he was letting others knock them selves out but if no one else crashed he’d have been last by at least a second by the end of sector 2.

The first McLaren gets shunted out the way and the second gets hit coming onto the back straight compromising his exit.

Hartley made up a lot of places that lap but if no one had crashed on the first lap he wouldn’t have been within a second of The man in second last. I know, you make your own luck and all that but I can’t help theinking he’s not cut out for F1.

Hartley gets a hard time but on this occasion I think the result (^8 places in one lap) speaks for itself. That looked like an intelligent and measured first lap to me. His start wasn't great but he squared the first corner off and made all of the time lost up again going into turn two. The move around the outside of Ericsson was a beauty. Having passed Vandoorne he arrived at the end of the back straight with filthy tyres and just about managed not to get suckered in to Grosjean out-braking himself.

Hartley may lack that final tenth or two but there's little to criticise in that lap, I'd say it shows the hallmarks of the very experienced driver he is.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...

I'm another to say it was a decent enough lap, but nothing special. As mentioned a slightly slow start, and he also almost went into one of the Williams and went off the track to avoid doing so, and then drove off the track again later on where it wasn't needed for avoiding anyone.

Enjoy the debate with you guys so don't want to look like a troll but just watched it back and I haven't changed my mind-only thing I'd add is that blind luck meant he didn't hit the Haas at the end of the back straight as he was totally out of control.

So a lucky lap then eh?

[Polite M135 driver]

this is a pretty amusing video interview/debrief with the mercedes pit wall about last weekend,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bxvocElfJA

[sparta6]

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

So as a moving aero device are these extra vents legal or illegal ?

[Deesee]

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

So as a moving aero device are these extra vents legal or illegal ?

Williams and Red Bull have both had designs banned in previous seasons.

FIA say they are fine, but Merc don’t want Ferrari to be able to lodge a protest post race and risk a DQ.

clarification will surely be given this weekend.

[sparta6]

Deesee said:

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

So as a moving aero device are these extra vents legal or illegal ?

Williams and Red Bull have both had designs banned in previous seasons.

FIA say they are fine, but Merc don’t want Ferrari to be able to lodge a protest post race and risk a DQ.

clarification will surely be given this weekend.

You gotta love these never ending FIA grey areas

[HTP99]

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

So as a moving aero device are these extra vents legal or illegal ?

Williams and Red Bull have both had designs banned in previous seasons.

FIA say they are fine, but Merc don’t want Ferrari to be able to lodge a protest post race and risk a DQ.

clarification will surely be given this weekend.

You gotta love these never ending FIA grey areas

I do think it's odd that the FIA can inspect and say its fine but the stewards at any given race can have the final say, if a complait is lodged.

[Deesee]

HTP99 said:

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

sparta6 said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Deesee said:

waynecyclist said:

Not sure if true but rumours flying around that Mercedes were forced to change rear wheel design at the 11th hour after Ferrari complained to the FIA.

If true it might explain Mercedes's struggles.

Heard that too Merc & would not have taken any chances, but the wheels would have been in the UK so like you unsure of the truth in that..

Unless they had to block them up somehow

Silicone eh!

Did not think that would withstand those temps see below

So as a moving aero device are these extra vents legal or illegal ?

Williams and Red Bull have both had designs banned in previous seasons.

FIA say they are fine, but Merc don’t want Ferrari to be able to lodge a protest post race and risk a DQ.

clarification will surely be given this weekend.

You gotta love these never ending FIA grey areas

I do think it's odd that the FIA can inspect and say its fine but the stewards at any given race can have the final say, if a complait is lodged.

My personal favourite (grey area) is the width of floor, so get around it they put those gaps/slots in. Outrageous bending of the rules.

The FIA will have access to wind tunnel and specifications and also rational as to why a team is doing something, however sometimes a modification can have ‘other’ benefits..

Mark Hughes has confirmed in his race report that Merc has a balance problem after changing the water pumps.

Edited

Edited by Deesee on Wednesday 24th October 10:17

[anonymous-user]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

NRS said:

HustleRussell said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Ok I disagree 100%

Hartley drives the first sector like miss daisy. You could give him the benifit of the doubt and say he was letting others knock them selves out but if no one else crashed he’d have been last by at least a second by the end of sector 2.

The first McLaren gets shunted out the way and the second gets hit coming onto the back straight compromising his exit.

Hartley made up a lot of places that lap but if no one had crashed on the first lap he wouldn’t have been within a second of The man in second last. I know, you make your own luck and all that but I can’t help theinking he’s not cut out for F1.

Hartley gets a hard time but on this occasion I think the result (^8 places in one lap) speaks for itself. That looked like an intelligent and measured first lap to me. His start wasn't great but he squared the first corner off and made all of the time lost up again going into turn two. The move around the outside of Ericsson was a beauty. Having passed Vandoorne he arrived at the end of the back straight with filthy tyres and just about managed not to get suckered in to Grosjean out-braking himself.

Hartley may lack that final tenth or two but there's little to criticise in that lap, I'd say it shows the hallmarks of the very experienced driver he is.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...

I'm another to say it was a decent enough lap, but nothing special. As mentioned a slightly slow start, and he also almost went into one of the Williams and went off the track to avoid doing so, and then drove off the track again later on where it wasn't needed for avoiding anyone.

Enjoy the debate with you guys so don't want to look like a troll but just watched it back and I haven't changed my mind-only thing I'd add is that blind luck meant he didn't hit the Haas at the end of the back straight as he was totally out of control.

So a lucky lap then eh?

Didn’t look that good to me. Falling behind coming up to the hairpin then passed a McLaren, that’s been off the track twice and In a collision, with the help of a double tow.

As you imply he looked barely in control for the rest of that lap.

He seems better suited to sports cars; doesn’t look comfortable in F1, to say the least.

Gasley hasn’t had a good year but he’s way ahead of Hartley.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th October 11:16

[shirt]

HTP99 said:

I do think it's odd that the FIA can inspect and say its fine but the stewards at any given race can have the final say, if a complait is lodged.

Not true. Local scrutineers are there to observe and report, marshals to control course safety and flagging. Both report into the FIA who are the only ones who have any authority (and ability) to investigate and judge

[HTP99]

shirt said:

HTP99 said:

I do think it's odd that the FIA can inspect and say its fine but the stewards at any given race can have the final say, if a complait is lodged.

Not true. Local scrutineers are there to observe and report, marshals to control course safety and flagging. Both report into the FIA who are the only ones who have any authority (and ability) to investigate and judge

OK maybe I misunderstood, so why, if the wheels had been approved by the FIA, can they be run and then questioned by another team, which may led to disqualification, if its the FIA who approved their legality in the first place?

If last week the FIA said they are good to go, what could be the problem this week?

[davidd]

shirt said:

HTP99 said:

I do think it's odd that the FIA can inspect and say its fine but the stewards at any given race can have the final say, if a complait is lodged.

Not true. Local scrutineers are there to observe and report, marshals to control course safety and flagging. Both report into the FIA who are the only ones who have any authority (and ability) to investigate and judge

Stewards and Scrutineers are very different.

[shirt]

‘Stewards’ is a broad term covering all race marshals, scrutineers and officials.

Races are staffed by the local motorsport authority or organisation. They have very little say on anything and are really event management/facilitators. The FIA is the technical authority. Charlie is the law.