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

[geeks]

TheDeuce said:

TheInternet said:

There's some sense in that, most drivers have only a split-second to avoid an incident in front of them and often get caught up in it, whereas the Williams duo are blessed with ample time to thread their way through the debris.

Yep. They simply have to pick their way through the carnage of the 8 wrecked cars to the front of the pack. Then having unlapped themselves, repeat it and unlap themselves again. Then catch up the remaining 10 cars once more and overtake 2 of them.

Well when you put it like that!

[kambites]

Realistically that bet is the same as betting that no more than 10 cars will complete the race, and that the Williams will be amongst them.

[Gad-Westy]

Mentioning no names, and purely hypothetical of course but if a car is more than one lap down and there is a safety car, do they get to unlap themselves twice before the race resumes?

[MissChief]

Gad-Westy said:

Mentioning no names, and purely hypothetical of course but if a car is more than one lap down and there is a safety car, do they get to unlap themselves twice before the race resumes?

AFAIK no, they only get to pass once, but then I'm not 100% sure on the actual regulations. I believe if they're more than 1 lap down then they won't be allowed to pass under the SC and may even be sent to the back of the field.

[Deesee]

Go Lando..

[Deesee]

New Rear (skinny) wings running for most of the teams this weekend, Red Bull may split the aero package as they did in China with max running more wing than Gasly..

Renault in particular have a side plate redesign.

1st Penalty of the year, 10 place for Giovinazzi, 3rd set of control electronics. No Williams back row lock out this race...

[TheDeuce]

Deesee said:

1st Penalty of the year, 10 place for Giovinazzi, 3rd set of control electronics. No Williams back row lock out this race...

They may not start last, but with a solid, head down driving effort and no mistakes, they will secure last place. I have faith.

[Craigyp79]

janesmith1950 said:

Craigyp79 said:

Looking forward to this one I think the race is going to be interesting, especially if it's windy as the 2019 cars are apparently very sensitive to cross winds....

Being between buildings and enclosed within barriers, I'd be surprised if there was much opportunity for cross winds.

The main straight is very susceptible to crosswinds, it's been mentioned every year so far....

[Gad-Westy]

MissChief said:

AFAIK no, they only get to pass once, but then I'm not 100% sure on the actual regulations. I believe if they're more than 1 lap down then they won't be allowed to pass under the SC and may even be sent to the back of the field.

Cheers

[thegreenhell]

MissChief said:

Gad-Westy said:

Mentioning no names, and purely hypothetical of course but if a car is more than one lap down and there is a safety car, do they get to unlap themselves twice before the race resumes?

AFAIK no, they only get to pass once, but then I'm not 100% sure on the actual regulations. I believe if they're more than 1 lap down then they won't be allowed to pass under the SC and may even be sent to the back of the field.

The purpose of allowing lapped cars to overtake and unlap themselves is only to get them out of the way of the leaders in the snake of cars, and onto the back of the pack so that there is nobody out of position in the line of cars at the restart. They only get to unlap themselves once, no matter how many laps in arrears they are, and only if it is deemed safe for them to do so. I don't believe they ever force them to the back of the pack without allowing them to unlap themselves.

[Evangelion]

On the subject of questions, I have one on the daft 'point for fastest lap but only if you're in the top ten' rule:

If a driver outside the top ten gets the fastest lap, does that mean the point goes to the fastest lap in the top ten, or is it just not awarded at all?

[thegreenhell]

Evangelion said:

On the subject of questions, I have one on the daft 'point for fastest lap but only if you're in the top ten' rule:

If a driver outside the top ten gets the fastest lap, does that mean the point goes to the fastest lap in the top ten, or is it just not awarded at all?

I believe that nobody would get an extra point in that case.

[Evangelion]

thegreenhell said:

Evangelion said:

On the subject of questions, I have one on the daft 'point for fastest lap but only if you're in the top ten' rule:

If a driver outside the top ten gets the fastest lap, does that mean the point goes to the fastest lap in the top ten, or is it just not awarded at all?

I believe that nobody would get an extra point in that case.

Which means that if you finish 11th or lower, you won't get a point, but might be able to stop someone else scoring one!

[MissChief]

So the first race here wasn't that exciting but subsequent races have been brilliant. Can this years race live up to the hype and history?

[Derek Smith]

MissChief said:

So the first race here wasn't that exciting but subsequent races have been brilliant. Can this years race live up to the hype and history?

I wasn't over the moon about the last one, merely grading it quite good. That might have been in response to the more than memorable one that preceded it. Azerbaijan last year - even if this one doesn't live up to last seasons race, it could still be very good. I felt gutted for Botas, more so than for Ocon, probably because the boy has got many more races to come. I thought Merc might have dropped Bottas.

[confucuis]

Whats the bets LeClerc will be ordered to let Vettel by/not overtake him at some stage? As a Ferrari supporter I was not happy about China.

[MissChief]

confucuis said:

Whats the bets LeClerc will be ordered to let Vettel by/not overtake him at some stage? As a Ferrari supporter I was not happy about China.

Reckon Vettel won't be signed again after his contract ends at the end of 2020. Charles may want to ignore team orders but he needs to play the long game and play along at the moment. There's every chance he'll be at Ferrari for five years or even longer and Vettel won't be. If anything Vettel will make Ferrari's decision for them by crashing or making mistakes. Leclerc should sit tight and play their game just now, he'll get his chance and will win a race this season without Vettel's help, as he would have done in Bahrain.

[Vaud]

I think it’s more likely that Vettel will retire for 2021.

[HTP99]

Vaud said:

I think it’s more likely that Vettel will retire for 2021.

Yep, he'll go, there will be nowhere competetive for him to go to as he's shown himself up since Red Bull and there is now a new wave of top drivers.

Edited by HTP99 on Friday 26th April 09:17

[Teddy Lop]

MissChief said:

confucuis said:

Whats the bets LeClerc will be ordered to let Vettel by/not overtake him at some stage? As a Ferrari supporter I was not happy about China.

Reckon Vettel won't be signed again after his contract ends at the end of 2020. Charles may want to ignore team orders but he needs to play the long game and play along at the moment. There's every chance he'll be at Ferrari for five years or even longer and Vettel won't be. If anything Vettel will make Ferrari's decision for them by crashing or making mistakes. Leclerc should sit tight and play their game just now, he'll get his chance and will win a race this season without Vettel's help, as he would have done in Bahrain.

with Mercedes looking as strong as they are at the mo I wonder if this plays into leclercs hands, as if ferrari think the titles are unlikely and race wins their best prize, with vettel having failed to set the world alight for ferrari they might just want to see what the rising star can do. Like leclerc needs the encouragement anyway...

And don't forget if it gets problematic they have a quick but compliant and mature driver parked safely should he be required to step in.