Max could have a chance too. On the right tires as long as he doesn't loose positions at the start.
Ricciardo is running good this weekend too. Ocon is struggling against Daniel like Albon vs Max.
Hopefully next years McLaren with the Mercedes shoehorned into it will be strong too.
I still wouldn't bet against Hamilton. Haven't seen the weather forecast but a little rain would spice things up.

I'll dump these here, reading them lends little further insight.

Hamilton: F1 stewards "trying to stop me" with penalties

Maybe F1 would target Merc then, jackass.

Bottas' "f**k you" comment response to critics telling him to "give up"

Embarrassing from a guy just gifted with a win.

I guess he was expecting to get the walk on water pass.
Too much rubber build up in the area designated for cleaning your tires. Why? because that's where the rules require you to clean your tires. That's why all the others clean their tires in that one area.
That applies to everyone else, not me. Even his team didn't want to tell him no.
I do think the points would have been a bit harsh, given this wasn't something that happened in the race itself and since he had the ten second penalty anyway.

It's soooo good to hear him whine!

Meanwhile, Ricciardo gets a 5 sec penalty, responds with "I'll drive faster" and didn't lose a place by the end, after the 5 sec was added.

quote:

“That’s my bad, I’ll make up for it.”

Difference in class and a whiny bitch.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

“That’s my bad, I’ll make up for it.”

Difference in class and a whiny bitch.

Been a DR fan since I started watching again in 2014.
Really excited for him to be in a McMerc next year.

So nice to watch a race where chinstrap gets penalized and loses.

Almost made my day

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Really excited for him to be in a McMerc next year.

He's all Class...well, maybe with the exception of the Shooie.

I'm hopping he'll really usher Mac into the upper tier next year. What I'd really like to see is Checo given another shot in the papaya car...and watching them crush the new Aston Martin

I have to make a remark about the number of people in the stands present for the race; did my heart good. Otherwise, it was not a very entertaining race and Sochi might be my least favorite track, both for its configuration and the absence of pretty scenery. It’s unfortunate that the race course is so unattractive, given that Sochi is a “resort city” and a site of the Olympics. Just a case of its specific location, I guess, because there must be some nice views around there.

Looking forward to the German GP at the Nürburgring. Beautiful

Agreed,
Sochi is my least favorite track of the 'normal' schedule.

Really bummed Suzuka got cut, probably in my top 3.

So now ... someone must have snitched on us.

quote:

Originally posted by senza nome:
So now ... someone must have snitched on us.

Easy fix. Ban practice starts. These guys are top tier drivers in top tier machinery. They ought to be able to figure out how to start on the grid without doing a lot of practice starts.

Well, i wonder if Red Bull will have to crawl back to Renault after this bit of news:

https://www.formula1.com/en/la...aokaze5Sjc4V6s0.html

Honda to leave F1 at the end of 2021 | Formula 1®

Red Bull and AlphaTauri are on the search for a new power unit supplier after the shock announcement that Honda will withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of 2021.

The Japanese engine manufacturer returned to the championship in 2015 with McLaren, having been inspired by the new breed of power units that focused on hybrid and energy recovery technology.

They suffered a difficult and unsuccessful partnership, culminating in them splitting up and Honda joining forces with Toro Rosso for 2018, before taking on Red Bull as a works team the following year.

Across the two teams, they have clinched five race victories to date in their two-and-a-half-year partnership with the Red Bull family.

However, Honda have decided not to continue beyond their current arrangement with Red Bull and AlphaTauri, which exists until the end of next year.

Honda said the decision had been made because the automobile industry was going through a "once-in-one-hundred-years period of great transformation" and that they'll leave having been "able to attain its goal of earning victories".

"Honda will work together with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri to continue competing with its utmost effort and strive for more victories all the way to the end of the 2021 season," the Japanese company added in a statement.

The decision will leave Formula 1 with three power unit suppliers – Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault. Under the current rules, Renault would be obliged to supply Red Bull and AlphaTauri with engines as they currently have the fewest customers, unless the teams can convince Mercedes or Ferrari to provide a supply.

Red Bull – on behalf of both their works team and AlphaTauri – have recently committed to the new Concorde Agreement, which binds them to the championship until the end of 2025.

"We look forward to embarking on a new era of innovation, development and success," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who said he understood and respected Honda's decision.

"As a group, we will now take the time afforded to us to further evaluate and find the most competitive power unit solution for 2022 and beyond.”

There could be a chance that Ferrari might sell them an engine lease, but they've beaten Ferrari for about the last 10 years.

It’s probably crawling back to Renault. Mercedes will never sell them an engine. No one wants a Ferrari engine right now, and it’s unlikely that Ferrari would sell them one anyway since they would beat Ferrari with the same engine. I suspect that they’ll be making large noises about leaving F1 in an attempt to leverage a Mercedes deal, which won’t happen. I’m giving a 60-40 chance that they’ll leave F1 instead of going back to Renault.

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:
It’s probably crawling back to Renault. Mercedes will never sell them an engine. No one wants a Ferrari engine right now, and it’s unlikely that Ferrari would sell them one anyway since they would beat Ferrari with the same engine. I suspect that they’ll be making large noises about leaving F1 in an attempt to leverage a Mercedes deal, which won’t happen. I’m giving a 60-40 chance that they’ll leave F1 instead of going back to Renault.

These things go in cycles and I expect most of the manufacturers will leave at some point. Ferrari is the only one that has always been there.
A quality independent supplier like Cosworth once was, is a good solution. Keep the corporate politics out and make this back into motor sport, without the corporate politics.

quote:

The decision will leave Formula 1 with three power unit suppliers – Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault. Under the current rules, Renault would be obliged to supply Red Bull and AlphaTauri with engines as they currently have the fewest customers, unless the teams can convince Mercedes or Ferrari to provide a supply.

Wasn't aware of this rule, that the supplier with the fewest customer is obligated to provide to a new/needed team.

With how much RBR 'Alonso'd' the Renault PU in their last year with them, I'm sure Renault is not looking forward to the partnership.

With McLaren going to Mercedes PU for '21, that leave the works Renault team as the only ones running Renault PU for '21.

Curious how Mercedes will be with 4 teams to supply, unless Williams makes a switch (can't imagine Aston dropping MBZ power).

Sure wish Porsche had not abandoned their interest in building a F1 engine. I guess the idea is not completely dead, and maybe Honda’s announcement will spur further conversation in the racing program’s boardroom. The idea was that Porsche would get back into the LMP1 class with essentially the same engine; I’d like to see that too.

If they have to go back to Renault, I’m sure they will try to leverage it in their favor against the threat of leaving F1. At the very least, dump Cyril and have full control over how Renault designs and builds their engine so that it works best in their car.

Looking at the Renault & McLaren teams, the Renault PU seems to have made decent gains.

We'll see what the '22 regulations do to shake up the order.

Saw an interesting stat. Honda is the only PU mfg to win since 2014 with 2 teams. Which would make RBR the only team to win with 2 PU mfgs.
Hadn't really thought about it, but the AT win at Monza only makes the 4th constructor to win since 2014