Official 2021 Portugal Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**

[TheDeuce]

JonChalk said:

TheDeuce said:

Still about 2 seconds off FP1 time from last season, and the track is supposedly in better condition now. The cars aren't that much slower than last season, any theories as to why so far from the pace?

Doesn't matter what the real reason is, everyone will say "tyres".

After all Mercedes and Bottas have both said his shoddy Imola performance was down to "100% tyres".........so 0% Bottas's fault he was so slow.

I feel for Bottas sometimes.. but the fact is that Lewis was able to go fast enough to switch his tyres on, at which point he was able to compete at the front. Bottas couldn't manage the same.. Not in the GP or qualifying.

Bit awkward. However if Merc get on top of the new tyres then it should have a dramatic effect for both Merc drivers - worth keeping in mind for RB..

[JonChalk]

Russell's 4th from a while ago is looking pretty solid, given the struggles others are having - was expecting him to plummet down the board in the last 10 minutes, but.....

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

[Sandpit Steve]

JonChalk said:

Russell's 4th from a while ago is looking pretty solid, given the struggles others are having - was expecting him to plummet down the board in the last 10 minutes, but.....

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Mazespin is a reminder of the ‘80s and ‘90s pay drivers, miles off the pace but the team can’t go racing without his cash.

[TheDeuce]

JonChalk said:

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Genuinely looks like F1 is just too much him. He's either 1-2 seconds off MS pace in a given session, or he pulls a bit closer and then spins or runs very wide trying. The guy just wasn't ready for F1, and may simply never be at that level - not all proficient FP2 drivers can make the leap. He wasn't even amongst the group of FP2 drivers that would normally be given an F1 opportunity.

[JonChalk]

TheDeuce said:

JonChalk said:

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Genuinely looks like F1 is just too much him. He's either 1-2 seconds off MS pace in a given session, or he pulls a bit closer and then spins or runs very wide trying. The guy just wasn't ready for F1, and may simply never be at that level - not all proficient FP2 drivers can make the leap. He wasn't even amongst the group of FP2 drivers that would normally be given an F1 opportunity.

Especially compared to Ilott, who has kept within 0.5s of Kimi, in his first ever session in an F1 car.

[carinaman]

State of the Art commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

[HurryUpAndWait]

TheDeuce said:

JonChalk said:

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Genuinely looks like F1 is just too much him. He's either 1-2 seconds off MS pace in a given session, or he pulls a bit closer and then spins or runs very wide trying. The guy just wasn't ready for F1, and may simply never be at that level - not all proficient FP2 drivers can make the leap. He wasn't even amongst the group of FP2 drivers that would normally be given an F1 opportunity.

He’s as far from his team mate as his team mate is from P1… blimey.

[TheDeuce]

HurryUpAndWait said:

TheDeuce said:

JonChalk said:

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Genuinely looks like F1 is just too much him. He's either 1-2 seconds off MS pace in a given session, or he pulls a bit closer and then spins or runs very wide trying. The guy just wasn't ready for F1, and may simply never be at that level - not all proficient FP2 drivers can make the leap. He wasn't even amongst the group of FP2 drivers that would normally be given an F1 opportunity.

He’s as far from his team mate as his team mate is from P1… blimey.

But no spin today (yet)

It's really a very simple equation, he either goes nearly as quickly as his team mate and spins off, or his team plead with him to bring the car back in one piece and he subsequently drives at a snails pace. Makes you wonder how much Steiner hates his job right now... It's all a bit depressing at team Haas.

[Jasandjules]

HustleRussell said:

Vettel parking outside the Ferrari garage and wondering why there’s nobody there for him- all in sight of about 20 men dressed in green a couple or garages further along

Amusing radio call to make up for it though

[Piginapoke]

Lap of the day from Russell I think. Great job.

[carinaman]

Can Haas hold on until 2022 without the Russian money?

[TheDeuce]

carinaman said:

Can Haas hold on until 2022 without the Russian money?

Gene can clearly afford to fully fund the team - that's not to say he would, and we can assume Mazepin is only there as Gene didn't want to fund it himself.. But regardless they have the Russian money until 2022 don't they..?

[carinaman]

I guess it's not so bad if they can replace Mazespin without losing the money.

[Sandpit Steve]

Ah, drains again. 10m delay to start of P2, while they fix one back in place.

[thegreenhell]

Didn't they have exactly that problem last year too?

[TheDeuce]

carinaman said:

I guess it's not so bad if they can replace Mazespin without losing the money.

They can't. The current money is coming from his dad so...

Although if mazepin (who just now fell off the track again) can't stop embarrassing himself I can't imagine his dad indefinitely paying his way. I'm sure his dad isn't a complete idiot.

[stemll]

Jasandjules said:

HustleRussell said:

Vettel parking outside the Ferrari garage and wondering why there’s nobody there for him- all in sight of about 20 men dressed in green a couple or garages further along

Amusing radio call to make up for it though

In his (limited) defence, there is someone stood there in Aston Martin gear. Yes, there were a lot more of them outside his own garage. Seem to recall Hamilton doing something similar when he moved to Mercedes and Bottas did it too when Haas were all in black in the brief Rich Energy days.

[HustleRussell]

JonChalk said:

TheDeuce said:

JonChalk said:

edit: ...oh, and Mazepin really is useless, 3 seconds off Schumacher.

Genuinely looks like F1 is just too much him. He's either 1-2 seconds off MS pace in a given session, or he pulls a bit closer and then spins or runs very wide trying. The guy just wasn't ready for F1, and may simply never be at that level - not all proficient FP2 drivers can make the leap. He wasn't even amongst the group of FP2 drivers that would normally be given an F1 opportunity.

Especially compared to Ilott, who has kept within 0.5s of Kimi, in his first ever session in an F1 car.

Don’t know how much F1 experience Ilott has but he did a full race weekend for Williams last year didn’t he?

[thegreenhell]

HustleRussell said:

Don’t know how much F1 experience Ilott has but he did a full race weekend for Williams last year didn’t he?

You're thinking of Jack Aitken there, I think.

Ilott has tested an F1 car before, but this is indeed the first ever race weekend session he has driven in. He was due to do an FP1 for Haas last year, but the session never happened due to adverse weather.

[HustleRussell]

Ah, thanks