A good race & good to see Smiley back on form.
Crazy for both Ferraris to have tire issues when Bottas ran the Soft for over half the race without issue.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
A good race & good to see Smiley back on form.
Crazy for both Ferraris to have tire issues when Bottas ran the Soft for over half the race without issue.

Bottas started on the harder (soft) compound and ran those long into the first stint. Changed to supersofts on lap 32 of 51.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
A good race & good to see Smiley back on form.
Crazy for both Ferraris to have tire issues when Bottas ran the Soft for over half the race without issue.

Bottas started on the harder (soft) compound and ran those long into the first stint. Changed to supersofts on lap 32 of 51.

Right, but both VET/RAI ran the softs for fewer laps on less fuel & had issues.

quote:

Originally posted by HuskySig:
Off topic Formula E observation. The sound isn't great, but the racing is entertaining. In my opinion, much more compelling that F1.

Other observation: IndyCar is even more entertaining and more compelling than both F1 and Formula E. And next year, the cars will look even better and get most of their downforce from the undertray so they don't need wings/on/wings/on/wings/ styling. They race on everything from short ovals, street tracks, SuperSpeedways, and the best Road Courses.

Bottas started on the harder (soft) compound and ran those long into the first stint. Changed to supersofts on lap 32 of 51.[/QUOTE]

"Right, but both VET/RAI ran the softs for fewer laps on less fuel & had issues.[/QUOTE]

I suspect Ferrari is still down on horsepower to the Mercedes.
When you are short a few HP on a track that requires good straightline speed you often trim some downforce out. Maybe add a touch of camber to help the mechanical grip in the shorter term to offset the lack of grip from the aero.
Add all that up and run the car on the limit trying to catch the leader and you get increased tire wear. Even though the Ferrari's had the harder compound, driving them harder to get the same lap time overheats them resulting in blisters.
Bottas, in a Mercedes, had the extra few HP, aero grip due to higher downforce, etc. and was able to get better tire wear, even with the softest compound.
Hopefully Hungary will show the show the strong points of the chassis over the engine more.
The problem for Ferrari is that they don't just have to beat the Mercedes there but likely the much improved Red Bull too.

^ No debate here. Definitely glad for a stronger fight at the front this season.

Ferrari have been hamstrung lately, forced to stiffen chassis flex and some grey area they'd exploited with some heating of oil in the gas, adding up to a lower performing car.

And speaking of heating, the Mercs apparently solved early season tire eating by heating lube in their dampers. Performance obviously improved.

Hoping for a fight this season, looking less likely.

Hopefully many of the upcoming tracks won't be favoring the Mercedes power as much. Even on the slower tracks they are still a major contender if not always the favorite.
Bottas will be interesting to watch during the second half. Will he continue to improve and adapt to his new team enough to challenge Hamilton on his good days or will he just be a solid back up to Lewis?
The Red Bulls could be really tough in Hungary and didn't look too bad on the straights at Silverstone. Looks like Adrian Newey has been a lot more involved recently.
On a slightly different subject, how do Palmer and Kvyat still have a ride? Palmer has terrible reliability but is getting spanked by Hulkenburg everywhere and Kvyat seems to be driving way over his head and hiting everyone in sight. Maybe the Russians have hacked someone and have some unflattering info on somebody. I can't think of any other reason he's still there.

^ Aside from Spa & Monza being more horsepower tracks, I agree; moreso Monza for sure.

As a Bottas fan, I hope he keeps shoring up the gap to Lewis & Seb, hoping he gets a contract extension to 2018.

Not a bad payday.

http://autoweek.com/article/fo...38-million-extension

Poor Kimi, only being offered a little over $5 million a year to be his teammate.

Wish I could have seen the race in Hungary, but it sounded like an entertaining race to watch.

There wasn't a lot of on track action, but there was strategy and intrigue GALORE. Verstappen drilled Riccardo in his radiator in the first lap, and both McLarens scored points.

And hats off to Lewis for being a man. He badgered his team to let him by Bottas to pass the Ferraris, couldn't do it, and gave the position back on the last lap. I know he can be a good guy off the track, but he's usually a self-serving douche on track. Very impressed.

quote:

Originally posted by DanH:

And hats off to Lewis for being a man. He badgered his team to let him by Bottas to pass the Ferraris, couldn't do it, and gave the position back on the last lap. I know he can be a good guy off the track, but he's usually a self-serving douche on track. Very impressed.

A lot of people are giving Lew credit for that but I'm not. It was discussed during the race and post race by Matchett. I'd have to see the race again to hear exactly how SM phrased it but it's expected that if a driver lets a teammate by and that teammate does not gain a further position, they must switch positions back.

With about ten to go, Merc informed Bottas to get closer to Hammy, facilitating the switch back. Merc knew Lew wasn't getting by Kimi that early. Post race Matchett once again restated the "policy". Throughout Diffey and Hobbs ignored him.

Buxton interviewed LH, calling the move incredibly noble IIRC. Buxton continued gushing, trying to get LH to toot his own horn. Lew hemmed and hawed, looked sheepish and could only say he hoped the championship didn't come down to three points.

That was the deal but a lot of others would have found a reason to not give it back.
Lewis had pulled a gap to Bottas and Max was right behind so giving it back without having Max slip by wasn't that easy.
Lewis is a great driver although he whines to much for my taste at times. He showed some real character by doing that.

Yes, pulling the switch back at the finish with Max so close was masterful. For a race with no passing, it was a nail biter.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:
A lot of people are giving Lew credit for that but I'm not. It was discussed during the race and post race by Matchett. I'd have to see the race again to hear exactly how SM phrased it but it's expected that if a driver lets a teammate by and that teammate does not gain a further position, they must switch positions back.

I'm a die hard hater and I'll still give him credit. When that deal was made, Hamster and Bottas were about the same speed. By the last lap, Lewis had almost a 10 second gap. He didn't have to give that up. He could have kept it and said it was for the title, Bottas was too slow, I didn't want to risk Max jumping us, etc. At that point, he was justified in getting the podium, but he hit the brakes at the end of the race and fulfilled his part of the deal. Nobody else would have done that.

quote:

Originally posted by DanH:

I'm a die hard hater and I'll still give him credit...

FWIW It's not a regulation, more of an expectation or understanding. As one of the announce team said, wouldn't have happened if it was Rosberg instead of Bottas. It is odd they switched back, Merc signaled that intention early on. Yeah, LH gets some props and giving up those three points in this close season is, yeah, odd.

All kind of like team orders. You're under no obligation to follow them. I think of the recent race where Perez wouldn't let clearly faster Ocon by, both eventually losing that position to Vettel.

quote:

I'm a die hard hater and I'll still give him credit.

Finally got to watch this race over weekend, and I'll agree with this. That was a class move, one I'm surprised the team even supported at that point.

Is it 8/27 yet....

^^^^^^^
I always DVR and save the most current Monaco GP for times like this.