Official Belgium GP thread 2019
Discussion
ajprice said:
Andy S15 said:
So allegedly Kimi has pulled a leg muscle over the summer break. He will drive FP1 to see how he copes. Ericsson on the bench as a backup if Kimi isn't up to snuff.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/raikkonen-pulle...motorsport.com said:
Raikkonen did not elaborate on how he had sustained the injury: "Sport. It is dangerous. I always said it is more dangerous – drinking is probably safer. Usually you don't get injured, you just get a hangover."
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rBMRsY_UI4E
TheDeuce said:
Will be very interesting to see the new 'more performance' Merc PU in action here - on a track where they need more speed, so will be likely be inclined to use the new PU to it's fullest. Last year Ferrari won but over the course of the race the Mercedes were really not that far off the pace. This year with a bhp increase and the very fine Mercedes car, it could be knife edge close between the two. Or... Ferrari could somehow f**k it all up and hand Mercedes the win. I'm hoping for close though.
Apparently they have also improved reliability... Seemed pretty reliable already tbh! I guess if it can be improved, it may as well be though
Also very keen to see the new Honda unit when it's fitted to a Red Bull. I think here they will just see how it goes in the RBTR as a field test, may not even fully open the taps so we might not directly see whatever improvements they have found just yet. My guess however is that after Max running almost half a race, twice, with the former spec "turned up to 11" without problems, that this new spec has a lump more power available as standard, and in quali mode could be very potent.
Wasn't it last year Vettel drove past Hamilton as if the Mercedes was standing still? As you say, Honda may well be happy to widen the tolerances on their engine so given the comparative sizes of those rear wings we could see Mercedes down in 5th and 6th...Apparently they have also improved reliability... Seemed pretty reliable already tbh! I guess if it can be improved, it may as well be though
Also very keen to see the new Honda unit when it's fitted to a Red Bull. I think here they will just see how it goes in the RBTR as a field test, may not even fully open the taps so we might not directly see whatever improvements they have found just yet. My guess however is that after Max running almost half a race, twice, with the former spec "turned up to 11" without problems, that this new spec has a lump more power available as standard, and in quali mode could be very potent.
Flooble said:
Wasn't it last year Vettel drove past Hamilton as if the Mercedes was standing still? As you say, Honda may well be happy to widen the tolerances on their engine so given the comparative sizes of those rear wings we could see Mercedes down in 5th and 6th...
Both Force India's were come up and alongside Vettel and Hamilton like they were standing still.I don't think pole matters so much at Spa. 2nd or 3rd could be an advantaged head up the camel straight.
Flooble said:
TheDeuce said:
Will be very interesting to see the new 'more performance' Merc PU in action here - on a track where they need more speed, so will be likely be inclined to use the new PU to it's fullest. Last year Ferrari won but over the course of the race the Mercedes were really not that far off the pace. This year with a bhp increase and the very fine Mercedes car, it could be knife edge close between the two. Or... Ferrari could somehow f**k it all up and hand Mercedes the win. I'm hoping for close though.
Apparently they have also improved reliability... Seemed pretty reliable already tbh! I guess if it can be improved, it may as well be though
Also very keen to see the new Honda unit when it's fitted to a Red Bull. I think here they will just see how it goes in the RBTR as a field test, may not even fully open the taps so we might not directly see whatever improvements they have found just yet. My guess however is that after Max running almost half a race, twice, with the former spec "turned up to 11" without problems, that this new spec has a lump more power available as standard, and in quali mode could be very potent.
Wasn't it last year Vettel drove past Hamilton as if the Mercedes was standing still? As you say, Honda may well be happy to widen the tolerances on their engine so given the comparative sizes of those rear wings we could see Mercedes down in 5th and 6th...Apparently they have also improved reliability... Seemed pretty reliable already tbh! I guess if it can be improved, it may as well be though
Also very keen to see the new Honda unit when it's fitted to a Red Bull. I think here they will just see how it goes in the RBTR as a field test, may not even fully open the taps so we might not directly see whatever improvements they have found just yet. My guess however is that after Max running almost half a race, twice, with the former spec "turned up to 11" without problems, that this new spec has a lump more power available as standard, and in quali mode could be very potent.
I think Ferrari do have a real chance here, and i many ways on paper Red Bull are more likely to be battling Mercedes than either battling Ferrari. In reality though, we have said the same about 'on paper' so many times this season and Ferrari have made mistakes whilst Mercedes have planned perfectly for every eventuality and take the strategic route to victory.
Let's just say that I'm confident Red Bull (Max) will be upsetting at least one of the other top cars, and that I'm at least wise enough to not place any bets on this race!! It really is an unknown imo. I also won't take anything from quali results. I assume Ferrari will qualify ahead, but I think race pace will tell a very different story.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Flooble said:
Wasn't it last year Vettel drove past Hamilton as if the Mercedes was standing still? As you say, Honda may well be happy to widen the tolerances on their engine so given the comparative sizes of those rear wings we could see Mercedes down in 5th and 6th...
Both Force India's were come up and alongside Vettel and Hamilton like they were standing still.I don't think pole matters so much at Spa. 2nd or 3rd could be an advantaged head up the camel straight.
TheDeuce said:
But Mercedes also have a power upgrade, and already have the ability to exceed normal race modes for extended periods without melting anything (unless it's too sunny - which it won't be..). And in race pace terms, they can handle the tyres better than the rest - which is pretty much determines actual race pace these days.
I think Ferrari do have a real chance here, and i many ways on paper Red Bull are more likely to be battling Mercedes than either battling Ferrari. In reality though, we have said the same about 'on paper' so many times this season and Ferrari have made mistakes whilst Mercedes have planned perfectly for every eventuality and take the strategic route to victory.
Let's just say that I'm confident Red Bull (Max) will be upsetting at least one of the other top cars, and that I'm at least wise enough to not place any bets on this race!! It really is an unknown imo. I also won't take anything from quali results. I assume Ferrari will qualify ahead, but I think race pace will tell a very different story.
We have also seen Mercedes as usual fluff their strategy several times but mostly get away with it (Germany where yet again they didn't pit under VSC; Monaco where only Hamilton's skill saved their dodgy tyre choice; Britain where Hamilton overruled them and made the tyres go to the end). Basically as usual we overlook Mercedes strategy errors as their driver or car has covered for them everywhere except Germany where they completely unravelled. I think Ferrari do have a real chance here, and i many ways on paper Red Bull are more likely to be battling Mercedes than either battling Ferrari. In reality though, we have said the same about 'on paper' so many times this season and Ferrari have made mistakes whilst Mercedes have planned perfectly for every eventuality and take the strategic route to victory.
Let's just say that I'm confident Red Bull (Max) will be upsetting at least one of the other top cars, and that I'm at least wise enough to not place any bets on this race!! It really is an unknown imo. I also won't take anything from quali results. I assume Ferrari will qualify ahead, but I think race pace will tell a very different story.
You are right, it's the first time in a very long while that we can genuinely wonder which of 3 different cars (and 4/5 different drivers) is going come out on top on the day. And with the divergent philosophies and car strengths, we also have the marvelous prospect that the race won't be decided by the end of the second lap. We've had several races already where you had to keep watching right to the end ... it's great.
Flooble said:
We have also seen Mercedes as usual fluff their strategy several times but mostly get away with it (Germany where yet again they didn't pit under VSC; Monaco where only Hamilton's skill saved their dodgy tyre choice; Britain where Hamilton overruled them and made the tyres go to the end). Basically as usual we overlook Mercedes strategy errors as their driver or car has covered for them everywhere except Germany where they completely unravelled.
You are right, it's the first time in a very long while that we can genuinely wonder which of 3 different cars (and 4/5 different drivers) is going come out on top on the day. And with the divergent philosophies and car strengths, we also have the marvelous prospect that the race won't be decided by the end of the second lap. We've had several races already where you had to keep watching right to the end ... it's great.
It is indeed great! And next year Red Bull should be all over Ferrari and that I think will be the story of 2020 You are right, it's the first time in a very long while that we can genuinely wonder which of 3 different cars (and 4/5 different drivers) is going come out on top on the day. And with the divergent philosophies and car strengths, we also have the marvelous prospect that the race won't be decided by the end of the second lap. We've had several races already where you had to keep watching right to the end ... it's great.
And yes, Mercedes make cock-ups too. But lets be fair... Nothing in life is perfect but overall they generally get as close as anyone could expect or any other team will manage. I won't accept Britain as an example of bad strategy though - Lewis did overrule the team, but he is also part of the team. In the end, the 'team' got it right - albeit due to one members insistence as to what was correct
To be fair, the guy with 3 times the normal heartbeat, super-charged with adrenaline and physically connected to the tyres in question probably should get the casting vote once in a while..thegreenhell said:
Hamilton said afterwards that he'd made a mistake in Eau Rouge on that first lap (I can't remember exactly, possibly in the wrong gear) and that cost him a few km/h all the way up the hill. Vettel didn't make the same mistake, and also got a slipstream tow from Hamilton, which explains the speed differential at that point. There was only ~1-2 km/h difference in top speed between Mercedes and Ferrari at the same point when they were running in free air.
If I remember correctly it looked like Hamilton cut the curb at the top of Eau Rouge which actually slowed him down.Will have to check Youtube later and see if this was the case.
But if he said that clearly something happened.
I still feel even without a mistake you are a bit of a sitting duck when others have a slipstream.
Just caught the end of GP2 practice, Ralph Boschung pulled his car off to the inside at Stavelot where there is a break in the barriers (all gravel on the outside of the corner) and standing there was a fire extinguisher, but there was no one around. He was all by himself, no marshals, no fire marshal no one. I would always expect there to be marshals at or near these areas and certainly if it's a fire marshal station.
BaronVonVaderham said:
This never gets old 
It's only FP1 but looks like an interesting weekend ahead ... hard to tell yet but looks like front will be closer and the midfield shaken up a bit ... hopefully
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