Official 2020 Austrian & Styrian Grand Prix Thread *Spoilers

[Horace Van Khute]

130R said:

Lando's full last lap and uncensored celebration (language warning): https://streamable.com/vq4qzb

Love that, much better reaction that what we get from the usual suspects!

[Oilchange]

Hope Lando does well this season, such a likeable lad

[Swampy1982]

Rat_Fink_67 said:

Has anyone seen anything from Mercedes regarding why they didn't pit at the end? Strategy isn't always their strong suit but it still seems a very needlessly risky move. Hamilton incident and then reliability aside, there was every chance that Albon could've caught and passed Bottas for the lead, and on a weekend where Mercedes were so obviously dominant, that seems almost inexcusable?! You can bet Max would've been there at the end too, and it could've been a very bad weekend for the Mercs.

I wonder whether its because they were so close on track, and they couldn't back lewis up as that'd put him at risk of position, giving VB an "unfair" advantage over lewis.

So if it doesn't work for both, then it shouldn't be done for either.

[Angpozzuto]

Swampy1982 said:

Rat_Fink_67 said:

Has anyone seen anything from Mercedes regarding why they didn't pit at the end? Strategy isn't always their strong suit but it still seems a very needlessly risky move. Hamilton incident and then reliability aside, there was every chance that Albon could've caught and passed Bottas for the lead, and on a weekend where Mercedes were so obviously dominant, that seems almost inexcusable?! You can bet Max would've been there at the end too, and it could've been a very bad weekend for the Mercs.

I wonder whether its because they were so close on track, and they couldn't back lewis up as that'd put him at risk of position, giving VB an "unfair" advantage over lewis.

So if it doesn't work for both, then it shouldn't be done for either.

If they couldn't stack the driver's without losing time I'd thought pitting one car to cover all bases would be the smarter move. Or maybe it came down to their position on the circuit when the safety car was called and they didn't have enough time to react

[Deesee]

Bottas was on for the Grand Chelem, can’t see him moving over.

[jimothyc]

Schermerhorn said:

jimothyc said:

Maybe Hamilton will drop the politics and concentrate on the racing next week?

Indeed.

He has had 13 years to raise these issues yet has failed to do so.

Does it really have to take a tragedy such as the George Floyd killing to make people aware of such social issues and systemic injustices?

Lol just had the same comment deleted off the BBC HYS for

"Are considered likely to disrupt, provoke, attack or offend others Are racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive or otherwise objectionable Contain swear words or other language likely to offend."

Talk about pushing your agenda.

[Fortitude]

BrettMRC said:

Fortitude said:

Derek Smith said:

Williams will continue to bring up the rear; just eleven cars at the death, and still they were unable to pick up a point.

...and they dispensed with the services of their driver, that delivered their 'lonely' one point last season... Just saying!!

Pure luck IMO, with better luck I think Russel would have picked up 2 points yesterday.

Not to undermine Roberts acheivement in getting back in the car, but he was never competitive.

"Pure luck", but of course that is what you need sometimes in Formula 1, please take time to read these first two paragraphs of an article by Charles Vallance;


"When Napoleon Bonaparte was criticised for winning battles simply because of luck, he famously retorted: “I’d rather have lucky generals than good ones.”

More than a hundred years later, Eisenhower reaffirmed this point by saying: “I’d rather have a lucky general than a smart general. They win battles.”


Business leaders who 'leave nothing to chance’ attract bad luck and missed opportunities

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that luck exists or, more precisely, that having an openness to chance correlates directly to being successful and lucky in life

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/107773...

[ch37]

130R said:

Lando's full last lap and uncensored celebration (language warning): https://streamable.com/vq4qzb

That's superb, well worth watching.

[ajprice]

Jack Aitken will be in Russell's car for FP1 on Friday https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-aitken...

[DanielSan]

Angpozzuto said:

If they couldn't stack the driver's without losing time I'd thought pitting one car to cover all bases would be the smarter move. Or maybe it came down to their position on the circuit when the safety car was called and they didn't have enough time to react

It wouldn't be the first time either that they've not made a decision fast enough when under pressure. Mercedes are always bob on with their strategy when they have a clear performance advantage, when there's been races and that advantage isn't there they have been found wanting on occasions.

[anonymous-user]

ash73 said:

ch37 said:

130R said:

Lando's full last lap and uncensored celebration (language warning): https://streamable.com/vq4qzb

That's superb, well worth watching.

Fantastic, what a lap!

Lewis finished 0.689s behind Bottas, so he was obviously pushing. Would be interesting to see that one, too.

That’s fantastic.

[TheDeuce]

My weather forecast showing 60% chance rain Friday, 90% Saturday, 60% Sunday...

Here's hoping again!

[Oilchange]

That’ll make it interesting!

[TheDeuce]

Disclaimer: the weather forecast was about the same last weekend too, but that didn't transpire in the end. Other than the earlier sessions on Friday.

[ettore]

DanielSan said:

It wouldn't be the first time either that they've not made a decision fast enough when under pressure. Mercedes are always bob on with their strategy when they have a clear performance advantage, when there's been races and that advantage isn't there they have been found wanting on occasions.

I think it’s more that you have less strategic options when (always) leading the race. You plot to go as fast as is necessary whilst everyone else throws whatever strategic wild cards they can at you. You’re always in the reactive seat..

[gshughes]

Rat_Fink_67 said:

Has anyone seen anything from Mercedes regarding why they didn't pit at the end?

I read in Motorsport Magazine's report that the Safety Car was deployed just after the two Mercs had passed the entrance to the pits.

[FourWheelDrift]

Last race laps for the top drivers.

Bottas
Lap 71 - 1m 08.412
Lap 70 - 1m 08.200
Lap 69 - 1m 10.046
Lap 68 - 1m 07.657 (his fastest race lap)
Lap 67 - 1m 08.023

Leclerc
Lap 71 - 1m 08.260
Lap 70 - 1m 07.935
Lap 69 - 1m 08.324
Lap 68 - 1m 08.127
Lap 67 - 1m 08.073

Norris
Lap 71 - 1m 07.475 (Fastest lap of the race)
Lap 70 - 1m 07.781
Lap 69 - 1m 09.102
Lap 68 - 1m 08.529
Lap 67 - 1m 08.574

Hamilton
Lap 71 - 1m 08.203
Lap 70 - 1m 08.419
Lap 69 - 1m 08.584
Lap 68 - 1m 07.916
Lap 67 - 1m 07.712 (his fastest race lap)


What happened to Bottas on lap 69, did Mercedes ask him to slow to let Hamilton use his tow to keep the 5 second gap maybe?

[kambites]

Or maybe he decided to slow down to back Hamilton into the others to drop him more places.

[TheDeuce]

ettore said:

I think it’s more that you have less strategic options when (always) leading the race. You plot to go as fast as is necessary whilst everyone else throws whatever strategic wild cards they can at you. You’re always in the reactive seat..

That's my take on it. Although it's probably also fair to say that after 6-7 years of barely having to rely on strategy, as a team perhaps they are not as sharp as the likes of red bull? Who knows. Not that it's going to affect their chances this season - their car looks safely ahead of the rest and probably will be most races. Obviously wounded yesterday... But still not exactly a walkover and still won the race!

[thegreenhell]

kambites said:

Or maybe he decided to slow down to back Hamilton into the others to drop him more places.

I'd love it if that was the case. Bottas needs to grow a bit of a nasty, selfish streak if he's going to be a champion.