Official 2021 French Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[dunc_sx]

If you were recently new to F1 you'd be asking why Gasley wasn't in one of the top teams.

Dunc.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Flooble said:

Your round?


Worth a try ...

[dh00065p]

Dry and 28 degrees tomorrow according to the French weather forecast.

[Nampahc Niloc]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

I totally agree; it has taken him WAY too long.

Few F1 drivers get given the length of opportunity that Max has been given. It's only his youth and obvious amazing raw talent that has kept him in the game this long.

That and his results. Despite his high profile mistakes, he’s still one of the most successful drivers of the Hybrid era. The reason he is still in the sport is because he has delivered, not because he is young. Yes he could have done better if he had been less volatile, but he’s still done far better than most of the grid.

For the record, I’m no Max fanboy, just saying it how I see it.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Nampahc Niloc said:

That and his results. Despite his high profile mistakes, he’s still one of the most successful drivers of the Hybrid era. The reason he is still in the sport is because he has delivered, not because he is young. Yes he could have done better if he had been less volatile, but he’s still done far better than most of the grid.

For the record, I’m no Max fanboy, just saying it how I see it.

I don't think we are necessary in disagreement.

I'm just saying that many decent drivers have been dropped sooner. But we can all see that Max is special and a rough diamond of potentially epic worth

[paulguitar]

Jasandjules said:

Perez is pretty much showing his quality isn't he?

Yet again, close to a half-second off Max. I think he's being thoroughly shown up.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

The thing that has been holding Max back the most so far has has been himself.

You really think max could have achieved better results without having a better car? Or to put it another way, you honestly think another world class driver could have had better results than max in those same cars?

[Flooble]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Nampahc Niloc said:

That and his results. Despite his high profile mistakes, he’s still one of the most successful drivers of the Hybrid era. The reason he is still in the sport is because he has delivered, not because he is young. Yes he could have done better if he had been less volatile, but he’s still done far better than most of the grid.

For the record, I’m no Max fanboy, just saying it how I see it.

I don't think we are necessary in disagreement.

I'm just saying that many decent drivers have been dropped sooner. But we can all see that Max is special and a rough diamond of potentially epic worth

I think it's important to note that none of us can really know how hard that Red Bull is to drive. Gasly and Albon both struggled; the gap between Verstappen and Ricciardo was smaller but Ricciardo had been at the team a lot longer and Verstappen was a lot less experienced then.

When most drivers only arrive in F1 at the age Max is now, I think it's fair for him to have had a bit more slack than drivers who have been dropped sooner, given that those drivers will have had their Formula Renault/F3/F2 years to mature so should already be "complete". How much of his "temper" or "mistakes" is down to the car (or engine, in the Renault years) being frustrating I don't think we can really determine. It's easy to be happy and polite when you're winning - look at how quickly the atmosphere soured at Mercedes during their Monaco travails this year.

[CoolHands]

I reckon merc are worried - last few races LH has stated how he’s been chasing the setup and it seems to be luck that they get it good enough to do reasonably well. But in previous years they understood the car & required setup I think.

[RemarkLima]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

RiseUp said:

This is the first year he's had a proper championship contending car, though.

Maybe

RiseUp said:

So it's the first time we're truly seeing how he copes with pressure.

No, I think this is the first time we're seeing him start to cope with pressure. Usually he punts himself (and others) off the track as he fails.

I personally think he usually has done that as it's a potential win of a race, but not in real contention for the WDC, so a bit of st or bust...

Now, there's a sniff of WDC I think he's looking really measured - interestingly I'd say Hamilton and Mercedes are looking more shakey under the pressure.

Time will tell, and I think Hamilton is an astonishing driver, so I'm surprised just how Verstappen is looking like he's enjoying the racing!

[DanielSan]

RemarkLima said:

I personally think he usually has done that as it's a potential win of a race, but not in real contention for the WDC, so a bit of st or bust...

Now, there's a sniff of WDC I think he's looking really measured - interestingly I'd say Hamilton and Mercedes are looking more shakey under the pressure.

Time will tell, and I think Hamilton is an astonishing driver, so I'm surprised just how Verstappen is looking like he's enjoying the racing!

This. People keep going on about Verstappen making mistakes, yet so far of the 2 championship contenders it's Hamilton whose been the one to make more mistakes so far.

Verstappen's only error of note when it's mattered was being a little too impatient to get a move done on Hamilton for the win in Bahrain and all that did was put him in 2nd place for the result.

Hamilton did well to get anything out of Imola after dropping it into the gravel and threw away the win in Baku. Baku especially could be one of those moments that has the potential to decide a title

[anonymous-user]

CoolHands said:

I reckon merc are worried - last few races LH has stated how he’s been chasing the setup and it seems to be luck that they get it good enough to do reasonably well. But in previous years they understood the car & required setup I think.

Luck? errrr, no, It's not luck.

[CoolHands]

He’s said they’ve gone up and down (my words) with regards to settings. It’s not luck, but they clearly don’t understand very well how to get it to behave as they want.

[Hungrymc]

jsf said:

CoolHands said:

I reckon merc are worried - last few races LH has stated how he’s been chasing the setup and it seems to be luck that they get it good enough to do reasonably well. But in previous years they understood the car & required setup I think.

Luck? errrr, no, It's not luck.

It seems to me they are having to make late decisions which they’re ultimately reluctant to make…. I’d guess that’s because the driver is asking for something that the data and engineers say is not the optimal direction (hence the very late substantial changes) ?

[Clockwork Cupcake]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

You really think max could have achieved better results without having a better car? Or to put it another way, you honestly think another world class driver could have had better results than max in those same cars?

Nope. But I never claimed that either. Please don't try to put things in my mouth.

[DanielSan]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Nope. But I never claimed that either. Please don't try to put things in my mouth.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

DanielSan said:

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Nope. But I never claimed that either. Please don't try to put things in my mouth.

My sexual innuendo was intended, which kind of diminishes you making out it wasn't.

[Catatafish]

CoolHands said:

I reckon merc are worried - last few races LH has stated how he’s been chasing the setup and it seems to be luck that they get it good enough to do reasonably well. But in previous years they understood the car & required setup I think.

I think they're 99% on 2022 and this year is semi-written off. Whatever Ham and Bot can pull off, they'll take of course.

RB and Max have a decent chance this year. It may be their only shot for the next few years.

[Catatafish]

DanielSan said:

RemarkLima said:

I personally think he usually has done that as it's a potential win of a race, but not in real contention for the WDC, so a bit of st or bust...

Now, there's a sniff of WDC I think he's looking really measured - interestingly I'd say Hamilton and Mercedes are looking more shakey under the pressure.

Time will tell, and I think Hamilton is an astonishing driver, so I'm surprised just how Verstappen is looking like he's enjoying the racing!

This. People keep going on about Verstappen making mistakes, yet so far of the 2 championship contenders it's Hamilton whose been the one to make more mistakes so far.

Verstappen's only error of note when it's mattered was being a little too impatient to get a move done on Hamilton for the win in Bahrain and all that did was put him in 2nd place for the result.

Hamilton did well to get anything out of Imola after dropping it into the gravel and threw away the win in Baku. Baku especially could be one of those moments that has the potential to decide a title

Max spun whilst following a safety car. Leclerc was within his rights to overtake but he hesitated, so Max got away with that error.

Max also lost a fastest lap exceeding track limits.

He also crashed into Hamilton, but Hamilton's quick evasive reduced it to a kiss.

They are more or less on par with each other for errors.

[dunc_sx]

RB have clearly gone for a very low drag setup compared to Merc. Vid here shows the merc is faster during braking and cornering but the RB is notably quicker on straights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcERq7GoMVw



Dunc.

Edited by dunc_sx on Sunday 20th June 08:05