I'd like to add to this in case anyone is interested.
Since the tires for the start of the race (for the top 10 qualifiers) are dictated by those tires used to set the fastest lap in Q2 they are some strategic decisions that get made - generally by the driver. This may seem a little strange when a driver has set a really good Q2 and is pretty much guaranteed to get through to Q3 with the time set. However they decide to go for another timed lap.
Generally they do this for a couple of reasons:
1 - they believe they could set a "just" quicker time without damaging the tires as much as they did the first lap - flat spot - over wear due to bad warm up on the out lap etc.
2 - they may have set their quick lap on a tire that they don't want to start the race on and the track has evolved (rubbered in etc) so that they believe they can go out and set a quicker lap on a different compound. This doesn't happen often.
1 - happens pretty often with about a 50% chance of the driver not doing better or not doing his out lap to his plans (backmarkers - having to let off to make space to the guy in front - yellow flags - etc) but he takes the chance because having a good (non-flat spotted) set of tires for the start is really beneficial.
Another thing viewers should check for (sky hides this pretty obviously) but if Lewis sets a quick time in Q2 but flat spots (on his in lap) or wears a tire this is when Merc stand up. They will petition the FIA and say that at least 1 tire is dangerous. This has merit and in the last 3 years the FIA has said OKAY. Thus allowing Lewis a "similarly" worn - by laps used - set of tires instead of the flat spotted set he would have had to use. However, the similarly worn (by number of laps) is a lightly used set of tires.
Anyways, it's one of the many many ways the teams use to gain an advantage. Last year I think the FIA was wise to these shenanigans and therefore only allowed it once. But, it's racing
Since we're talking about Q2/Q3 tires there's another piece of info you should know:
Each driver making it through to Q3 gets 1 free set of "option" (the softest compound tire decided for this race) tires for Q3. Only 1 set though. This is to ensure that anyone who makes it through to Q3 can actually fight for pole without diminishing their tire sets for the race while actually being able to fight (at least for 1 quick lap) for pole.
Absolutely: Bottas did nothing wrong in turn 1, where was he supposed to teleport? He was on the inside line, on the kerbs, he couldn't go any further to the right! Kimi made the mistake there, he turned in too sharp.
You're right about the Vettel - Bottas pass too: just an absolutely brilliant pass from Vettel, Bottas did nothing wrong at all.
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I'm disappointed in Ferrari screwing up their strategy just enough to lose the win to Lulu. Understandable small mistakes, but disappointing all the same because on what they resulted in. So close to easily keeping the lead.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
Proof of the first corner Bottas vs. Kimi contact not being Bottas' fault (that's the moment when their wheels touched):
Screen Shot 2017-05-15 at 22.48.04.jpg
Easy to see that Bottas was as far to the right on the curb as possible. Kimi seemed to have misjudged the space he left for Valtteri.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
^Yep. It couldn't have been Max's fault either b/c he can't be expected to be aware of how much room the driver beside him is leaving the next driver over. Like I said: Racing incident. Glad the stewards didn't penalize anyone; it would have been unjustified.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
on a side note, any one noticed the Williams is a tank? took hit after hit, and it kept going, not even a blemish.....
e30 325i, the mighty 4 door granma mobile....Gone
e39 528i, 4 door sports tank
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
okay, was the mustard a reference i don't get or is that just a classic honeybadger bit of randomness?
Y'know, I really do want to like Hamilton. He's got a truckload of talent. One of the best ever for sure. And he seems like a pretty decent guy overall. But I have two major issues:
- The false humility. He always goes out of his way to thank the team, the factory, the fans, etc etc, whenever he wins a race of clinches pole. But it ALWAYS feels insincere. Maybe it's his delivery? It sounds forced.
- Things like the recent Men's Health cover. Stop acting like a celebrity already. Could you imagine Vettel or Alonso or Max doing something like that? I sure couldn't.
Thoughts?
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
Best fans ever!
At every race. It's a running joke between my wife and I now when he's on the podium.
Glad he's driving but man, he needs a better life coach.
Yeah, but when approaching the apex the guy on the inside can't do anything anymore, just hope. You can't tighten your line past the inside line unless you're going way too slow to be competitive. And you can't tighten your line over the curbs and go off the track to the inside.
The guy in the middle has to do what he needs to do to avoid hitting the guy on the inside and then he can only hope that the guy on the outside reacts to that or otherwise leaves enough room. Basically the less sudden his movements are and the better he communicates his intended line the safer he is relative to the outside guy.
The guy on the outside is the one with all the options...just make sure he doesn't hit the middle guy (or whoever is on his inside, no matter how many more there are after that guy). And hope the guys on the inside don't collide and smash into him without warning (or someone Kvyat-bomb the corner without braking). The outside guy just has to actually see what's going on, basically he has to take all his cues from the middle guy or whoever is to his inside, and if he feels pessimistic he has to draw back or bail out off the track. Physics means he is the only one with a way out when it gets overcrowded.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
Agree. I cringe every time he starts pandering to his fans.
Everything he does is like he's learned everything he knows by watching Will.i.am on TV/Youtube but thinks he's Jay-Z.
I don't think he seems like such a 'decent guy overall' considering no-one normal around him can stand him. Everything seems to be about him and his Instagram-fake-image he tries to build for himself. He's seriously unintelligent and childish.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
The thing that irks me the most about him is the pre-GP driver's press conferences. We (as fans) don't have much access to the drivers so I actually look forward to the conferences. Not that much unique is said but sometimes one of the drivers will drop a tid-bit of info that's unique.
Anyways, he brings his phone in and starts filming, taking pics of everyone using filters - it's suddenly about him again. Bringing his dog into the interviews - it's again about him but he won't show his dog when a journalist asks. Dude, I understand these things are boring for you but you are getting paid huge bucks for sitting there too. It's not about lewis' fans nor any other fans... it's about him.
Also, there's a difference between genuine smiling (the corner of your eyes move up due to involuntary muscles being used when emotion is generated together with your mouth). However when he smiles his eyes never smile and therefore I take it as being disingenuous and fake.
This is very noticeable in other people too but since Lewis has spent a lot of time on the podium so we see more of him than other drivers' it's what I've seen that makes him appear fake to me. He used to revel in being on the podium but not anymore. It seems like a chore to him even though he says all the PC things.
Also, since we're talking drivers:
Palmer, goodness gracious. Hulk is killing him. Zero points and gets beaten by a sauber (overall the worst car on the grid -barring honda) driving a works renault
Stroll, boy but he's really junk. Massa is driving circles around him. But Claire defends him because williams need the 45+ MM he's brought to the team so far. 20 million in simulator upgrades and 25 million for the seat this year. This doesn't include the money he/his dad shelled out to lug the old williams cars around various circuits last year and early this year. For a guy with so much mileage under his belt he really is atrocious.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
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