Official 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[thegreenhell]

Honda are bringing updated ICE for all four cars. This means that both Toro Rossos are already on their final ICE unit before penalties start being applied.

[TheDeuce]

thegreenhell said:

Honda are bringing updated ICE for all four cars. This means that both Toro Rossos are already on their final ICE unit before penalties start being applied.

That's fine, they're just a testing ground for Red Bull anyway... Harsh, but...

[parabolica]

thegreenhell said:

Honda are bringing updated ICE for all four cars. This means that both Toro Rossos are already on their final ICE unit before penalties start being applied.

Assuming the previous ICE's aren't borked, they'll have the option of refitting them at a future date so to mitigate any penalties, although it'll be in lieu of performance I guess.

[thegreenhell]

parabolica said:

Assuming the previous ICE's aren't borked, they'll have the option of refitting them at a future date so to mitigate any penalties, although it'll be in lieu of performance I guess.

Apparently they are changing earlier than planned because they have found 'quality control issues' in the first batch of engines. Both STR drivers have borked an additional engine - Kvyat engine failure, Albon crash damage. They say that the new 'Spec 2' engine is primarily a reliability upgrade, but also a small performance upgrade.

[DaveTheRave87]

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

[Deesee]

DaveTheRave87 said:

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

Well the preparations are going well, I need one of those jumpers!

https://t.co/5Bk5kOb6uk

[PHuzzy]

Deesee said:

Well the preparations are going well, I need one of those jumpers!

https://t.co/5Bk5kOb6uk

https://en.shop.renaultsport.com/Formula1/sweat-renault-formula-onetm-team-fan-2019-noir-pour-homme.html

£65

[Deesee]

PHuzzy said:

Deesee said:

Well the preparations are going well, I need one of those jumpers!

https://t.co/5Bk5kOb6uk

https://en.shop.renaultsport.com/Formula1/sweat-renault-formula-onetm-team-fan-2019-noir-pour-homme.html

£65

Definitely being tracked, this dropped into my email, as I clicked on the link!

https://f1store.formula1.com/stores/F1/EN?portal=Q...

[slipstream 1985]

DaveTheRave87 said:

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

No chance, that Renault engine is the weakest of the field.

[thegreenhell]

slipstream 1985 said:

DaveTheRave87 said:

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

No chance, that Renault engine is the weakest of the field.

I'd love to see a Renault or McLaren on the podium. This race has to be the best chance of a non Mercedes/Ferrari/RBR win, or at least podium, of the whole season, going on past races at this venue. Saying that has now probably jinxed it into being another predictable borefest

[TheDeuce]

slipstream 1985 said:

DaveTheRave87 said:

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

No chance, that Renault engine is the weakest of the field.

He is indeed a front row driver in car that's at best middle of the midfield this year. Does anyone recall which site puts out the corner vs straight line speeds for each car? I recall seeing them linked on another thread and something stuck out about the Renault performance.. Can't remember where they were weak.

But even beyond simply not being very competitive this year, the reliability woes mean that over a season their race stats will be dragged down further, especially when penalties start to add up too. I would say that relative to this years general pace increase across the grid, if anything they have actually slipped back a little.

Goes to show that throwing money at the sport isn't quite enough to win.

[TheDeuce]

thegreenhell said:

I'd love to see a Renault or McLaren on the podium. This race has to be the best chance of a non Mercedes/Ferrari/RBR win, or at least podium, of the whole season, going on past races at this venue. Saying that has now probably jinxed it into being another predictable borefest

That's the thing though... Even at this crazy track, the case remains that 4 of the top cars need to be taken out of podium contention in some way or another for any other driver to see a podium finish.

I suppose we could say that Gasly seems so out at sea in his RB, that only 3 of the top cars need to vanish somehow in order to open up the podium to someone else... Still a mighty big ask though!

I doubt it'll be entirely predictable though. I think at least one Ferrari will find themselves having to either battle a merc, or a Max in a RB at some point - that seems to be a theme for this season. On a track like this, that's sort of racing is bound to lead to something unexpected happening. I think the highest winning margin in Azerbaijan is only something like 8 seconds, so it's going to be close enough for some tension and incidents along the way

[Deesee]

TheDeuce said:

slipstream 1985 said:

DaveTheRave87 said:

I fancy Daniel Ricciardo for an outside chance.

He always goes well here and pretty much anything can happen.

No chance, that Renault engine is the weakest of the field.

He is indeed a front row driver in car that's at best middle of the midfield this year. Does anyone recall which site puts out the corner vs straight line speeds for each car? I recall seeing them linked on another thread and something stuck out about the Renault performance..

Based on Bahrain Q



McLaren &Renault should go well..

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

Based on Bahrain Q



McLaren &Renault should go well..

Thank you. Ar those times based on both cars in quali, or the best? I ask because if both, the RB time is a little unrepresentative as Gasly isn't exactly nipping at his team mates heels...

Either way, Renault and McLaren do look very respectable in quali at Bahrain. Can I ask which site you get these charts from? They're very useful. Do they show the same for race pace, or is that data not shared?

[Deesee]

TheDeuce said:

Deesee said:

Based on Bahrain Q



McLaren &Renault should go well..

Thank you. Ar those times based on both cars in quali, or the best? I ask because if both, the RB time is a little unrepresentative as Gasly isn't exactly nipping at his team mates heels...

Either way, Renault and McLaren do look very respectable in quali at Bahrain. Can I ask which site you get these charts from? They're very useful. Do they show the same for race pace, or is that data not shared?

F1.com

Based off Ferrari

(Gasley is struggling with the lack of downforce, max has worked around it).

I’ll post race pace in 5, (there you go)..

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

F1.com

Based off Ferrari

(Gasley is struggling with the lack of downforce, max has worked around it).

I’ll post race pace in 5, (there you go)..

I didn't realise it was F1.com, the obvious place

The race pace tells a very different story to qualifying. 1.8 seconds per lap off the pace & slower than HAAS and RBTR.. Fascinating to see a tie between Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of pace on that track, and it was of course evident during the race itself. It's just not much use to RB if they only have one driver who can be that competitive.

As for a Renault/McLaren podium, yes quali pace is very good. But the fact their race pace is so far off suggests they can't go the distance without managing something on the car. The fact they both use the same PU and have had 'issues' suggests it's the PU they are able to turn up far higher in quali than they would dare in race. It might be wise to wait until summer break before declaring it the 'worst PU on the grid', as we don't know what issues others might yet face. But on the face of it, it looks like they both have good overall cars, but can't run the power needed to do anything much with them. In Renault's case - that seems to have made them less competitive than they were last year so far, and certainly less competitive than RB were last year, using the same engine.

[Deesee]

TheDeuce said:

Deesee said:

F1.com

Based off Ferrari

(Gasley is struggling with the lack of downforce, max has worked around it).

I’ll post race pace in 5, (there you go)..

I didn't realise it was F1.com, the obvious place

The race pace tells a very different story to qualifying. 1.8 seconds per lap off the pace & slower than HAAS and RBTR.. Fascinating to see a tie between Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of pace on that track, and it was of course evident during the race itself. It's just not much use to RB if they only have one driver who can be that competitive.

As for a Renault/McLaren podium, yes quali pace is very good. But the fact their race pace is so far off suggests they can't go the distance without managing something on the car. The fact they both use the same PU and have had 'issues' suggests it's the PU they are able to turn up far higher in quali than they would dare in race. It might be wise to wait until summer break before declaring it the 'worst PU on the grid', as we don't know what issues others might yet face. But on the face of it, it looks like they both have good overall cars, but can't run the power needed to do anything much with them. In Renault's case - that seems to have made them less competitive than they were last year so far, and certainly less competitive than RB were last year, using the same engine.

Short reply

But dirty air, following in traffic...

RedBull v Ferrari is closer than it should be.

Red Bull bringing new PU, will Ferrari react?

Safety car negates race pace...

Expect to see Renault and McLaren skinny and aero led, Red Bull need the downforce..

(The Achilles heel of the Renault is the mgu k)

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

Short reply

But dirty air, following in traffic...

RedBull v Ferrari is closer than it should be.

Red Bull bringing new PU, will Ferrari react?

Safety car negates race pace...

Expect to see Renault and McLaren skinny and aero led, Red Bull need the downforce..

(The Achilles heel of the Renault is the mgu k)

Hmmm... 3 races on this track so far, and 6 safety cars

Pretty much my original point going back a few pages- it Azerbaijan, all bets are off.

But nonetheless, even after a last minute safety car, and some of the top cars strategies being destroyed as a result of multiple safety cars, and a Renault or McLaren going hell for leather on the right tyres, there will still be enough top cars ahead of them to fill up the podium before they get there.

I'll make you deal though, if a Renault or McLaren sees the podium on Sunday, I'll change my name on here to TheDeuce_WasWrong until the following race. You only have to do the same if both them fails to see the podium

Edited by TheDeuce on Wednesday 24th April 16:52

[Deesee]

TheDeuce said:

Deesee said:

Short reply

But dirty air, following in traffic...

RedBull v Ferrari is closer than it should be.

Red Bull bringing new PU, will Ferrari react?

Safety car negates race pace...

Expect to see Renault and McLaren skinny and aero led, Red Bull need the downforce..

(The Achilles heel of the Renault is the mgu k)

Hmmm... 3 races on this track so far, and 6 safety cars

Pretty much my original point going back a few pages- it Azerbaijan, all bets are off.

But nonetheless, even after a last minute safety car, and some of the top cars strategies being destroyed as a result of multiple safety cars, and a Renault or McLaren going hell for leather on the right tyres, there will still be enough top cars ahead of them to fill up the podium before they get there.

I'll make you deal though, if a Renault or McLaren sees the podium on Sunday, I'll change my name on here to TheDeuce_WasWrong until the following race. You only have to do the same if at least one of them fails to see the podium

Where’s the shaky hand emoji!

Your on, non top 5 car on the poduim.

Some how I might have the wrong side of the bet here, but not like like guy on reddit how had to shoey a boot of his own urine...

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

TheDeuce said:

Deesee said:

Short reply

But dirty air, following in traffic...

RedBull v Ferrari is closer than it should be.

Red Bull bringing new PU, will Ferrari react?

Safety car negates race pace...

Expect to see Renault and McLaren skinny and aero led, Red Bull need the downforce..

(The Achilles heel of the Renault is the mgu k)

Hmmm... 3 races on this track so far, and 6 safety cars

Pretty much my original point going back a few pages- it Azerbaijan, all bets are off.

But nonetheless, even after a last minute safety car, and some of the top cars strategies being destroyed as a result of multiple safety cars, and a Renault or McLaren going hell for leather on the right tyres, there will still be enough top cars ahead of them to fill up the podium before they get there.

I'll make you deal though, if a Renault or McLaren sees the podium on Sunday, I'll change my name on here to TheDeuce_WasWrong until the following race. You only have to do the same if at least one of them fails to see the podium

Where’s the shaky hand emoji!

Your on, non top 5 car on the poduim.

Some how I might have the wrong side of the bet here, but not like like guy on reddit how had to shoey a boot of his own urine...

I had said specifically a Renault or a Williams... But you're being very brave to take the bet at all, so fine, any non RB, Ferrari or Merc (top 6) car on the podium is the deal. If anyone else gets there, you win. If they don't.. I win.


It's going to make the race even more exciting than I thought