2020 Sakhir GP

[ELVA164]

That qualifying was so fun to watch!

[burninator]

Thrilled for Checo, devastated for George. Great race.

[Vªmp]

Good race. Great recovery for Checo for his first win. Sucks that the thug takes his seat next year.

Merc pit crew were just clowns. Russell was set for the win, but weird late puncture. At least he got some points, if he keeps them, tire penalty pending. Bottas just sucked.

Good first podium for Ocon.

[ELVA164]

That was an unbelievable race. The most exciting since Brazil last year, at least. Russell deserved it, Bottas was making a case after the pit stops, and Mercedes ruined it for both of them. Perez definitely earned that win though. Good racing all over the field

- - - Updated - - -

Good race. Great recovery for Checo for his first win. Sucks that the thug takes his seat next year.

Merc pit crew were just clowns. Russell was set for the win, but weird late puncture. At least he got some points, if he keeps them, tire penalty pending. Bottas just sucked.

Good first podium for Ocon.

Puncture was likely from the Latifi wing at the final corner, and Bottas was off the pace initially but was coming back. Far from sucking. Everything after the final pit stop had nothing to do with him.

[Vªmp]

Well, he went wide in that corner and Russell overtook him before the series of curves. He was attempting to come back, but i doubt he wouldve taken the lead. Russell was just maintaining at that point.

---edit---

Youre right though, they fitted the old tyres back and he handicapped. I guess i was just expecting more from him, especially on that first stint

[mateo8]

The race today proves the following:


- They need this track layout to alternate with the normal one, fantastic race every other year
- Mercedes f1 car is the benchmark, any driver can win the championship with that car
- Bottas is not a top 10 driver right now (yes I know he has had terrible luck but don't think he is top 10)
- Lewis is top 10 driver in f1 right now, very strong case for top 5 driver, but not the best
- It looked like Merc may have screwed Russell over on purpose (can't have a young inexperienced driver beating a full time driver)
- Clear inter-team politics play with fitting the wrong tires to Russell to make him pit again and give Bottas the lead over Russell, and subsequent tires for Russell developing a puncture within a couple of laps (guaranteeing Bottas to finish higher than Russell)
- Perez deserved that win especially after last weekend
- With the pace of the RP shown today, Seb may be back to 2nd in championship and may win it next year
- Seb and Ferrari divorce is getting uglier and uglier
- if they all had the same car I think the order would go like this:
1) Max
2) Riccardo
3) Leclerc
4) Russell
5) Lewis
6) Seb (I am a Seb fan so this may be a little biased, but I think with a higher downforce car like his former Red Bulls he would excel)
7) Perez
8) Sainz
9) Norris
10) Stroll
11) Hulkenburg (yes I know he isn't driving full time rn, but he would have the pace to justify this standing)
12) Bottas
13) Ocon
The rest) --> crapshoot for the rest of the grid

[ELVA164]

Well, he went wide in that corner and Russell overtook him before the series of curves. He was attempting to come back, but i doubt he wouldve taken the lead. Russell was just maintaining at that point.

---edit---

Youre right though, they fitted the old tyres back and he handicapped. I guess i was just expecting more from him, especially on that first stint

How awesome was that move Russell made? Very impressive stuff. I also would have expected more in the first stint from Bottas. Maybe a tire compound thing, who knows.

- - - Updated - - -

The race today proves the following:


- They need this track layout to alternate with the normal one, fantastic race every other year
- Mercedes f1 car is the benchmark, any driver can win the championship with that car
- Bottas is not a top 10 driver right now (yes I know he has had terrible luck but don't think he is top 10)
- Lewis is top 10 driver in f1 right now, very strong case for top 5 driver, but not the best
- It looked like Merc may have screwed Russell over on purpose (can't have a young inexperienced driver beating a full time driver)
- Clear inter-team politics play with fitting the wrong tires to Russell to make him pit again and give Bottas the lead over Russell, and subsequent tires for Russell developing a puncture within a couple of laps (guaranteeing Bottas to finish higher than Russell)
- Perez deserved that win especially after last weekend
- With the pace of the RP shown today, Seb may be back to 2nd in championship and may win it next year
- Seb and Ferrari divorce is getting uglier and uglier
- if they all had the same car I think the order would go like this:
1) Max
2) Riccardo
3) Leclerc
4) Russell
5) Lewis
6) Seb (I am a Seb fan so this may be a little biased, but I think with a higher downforce car like his former Red Bulls he would excel)
7) Perez
8) Sainz
9) Norris
10) Stroll
11) Hulkenburg (yes I know he isn't driving full time rn, but he would have the pace to justify this standing)
12) Bottas
13) Ocon
The rest) --> crapshoot for the rest of the grid

The Merc pit stop stuff is super tin foil territory. Since when did Mercedes try to help Bottas?

[mgambini]

You can't be serious about Lewis being #5! He is super fast and almost never makes a mistake. Drives like Schumacher in his prime, like a machine. If they were all in equal cars, he would still prevail over the season but it would be much closer. Max and Ricciardo are very close. LeClerc is very fast but still makes too many mistakes. Vettel used to be up there with the best but makes horrendous mistakes.

[bawareca]

You can't be serious about Lewis being #5! He is super fast and almost never makes a mistake. Drives like Schumacher in his prime, like a machine. If they were all in equal cars, he would still prevail over the season but it would be much closer. Max and Ricciardo are very close. LeClerc is very fast but still makes too many mistakes. Vettel used to be up there with the best but makes horrendous mistakes.

People/drivers tend to make more mistakes under pressure. You can't know until they are under real pressure.
I believe the Merc team mistake was caused by complacency (both championships won, we have the best car, blah, blah).

[burninator]

The race today proves the following:


- They need this track layout to alternate with the normal one, fantastic race every other year
- Mercedes f1 car is the benchmark, any driver can win the championship with that car
- Bottas is not a top 10 driver right now (yes I know he has had terrible luck but don't think he is top 10)
- Lewis is top 10 driver in f1 right now, very strong case for top 5 driver, but not the best
- It looked like Merc may have screwed Russell over on purpose (can't have a young inexperienced driver beating a full time driver)
- Clear inter-team politics play with fitting the wrong tires to Russell to make him pit again and give Bottas the lead over Russell, and subsequent tires for Russell developing a puncture within a couple of laps (guaranteeing Bottas to finish higher than Russell)
- Perez deserved that win especially after last weekend
- With the pace of the RP shown today, Seb may be back to 2nd in championship and may win it next year
- Seb and Ferrari divorce is getting uglier and uglier
- if they all had the same car I think the order would go like this:
1) Max
2) Riccardo
3) Leclerc
4) Russell
5) Lewis
6) Seb (I am a Seb fan so this may be a little biased, but I think with a higher downforce car like his former Red Bulls he would excel)
7) Perez
8) Sainz
9) Norris
10) Stroll
11) Hulkenburg (yes I know he isn't driving full time rn, but he would have the pace to justify this standing)
12) Bottas
13) Ocon
The rest) --> crapshoot for the rest of the grid

Saying Merc threw Russell's race to help Bottas/preserve Hamilton's image is a very serious allegation, and it makes little sense. Russell doing well in the car actually strengthens Merc's position as they negotiate Lewis' contract for 2021 and beyond.

[AJe31]

Great race...tire screw up was tough to watch for Russell..If Lewis is still sick we could get another exciting one in Abu Dhabi..maybe Max can challenge Mercedes...if he can hold it together!

[ELVA164]

Great race...tire screw up was tough to watch for Russell..If Lewis is still sick we could get another exciting one in Abu Dhabi..maybe Max can challenge Mercedes...if he can hold it together!

I felt so bad for Max last race. Complete victim (for once, heh)

[AJe31]

I felt so bad for Max last race. Complete victim (for once, heh)

HA,,,Yea it looked like he was thinking he had plenty of time...but ran out of track.

Just read that Lewis may have difficulty leaving "strict" quarantine...if he does escape he can take a private Jet...but then has to be cleared to race/get back in the car...

[ELVA164]

HA,,,Yea it looked like he was thinking he had plenty of time...but ran out of track.

Just read that Lewis may have difficulty leaving "strict" quarantine...if he does escape he can take a private Jet...but then has to be cleared to race/get back in the car...

I'm so confused by this. They said he has to test negative, but I thought nobody who's had the virus can test negative for a while afterward. Maybe I misheard.

[AJLM34A]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...des-instagram/

[ELVA164]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...des-instagram/

I don't know why Mercedes would want Russell over Bottas. Right now they have a safe 1-2 setup and a number 2 driver who has gotten really good at eating crap for the "good of the team." Getting someone who may challenge Lewis more often would just set up a Hamilton/Alonso situation, and you know how that went

[workhurts]

I don't know why Mercedes would want Russell over Bottas. Right now they have a safe 1-2 setup and a number 2 driver who has gotten really good at eating crap for the "good of the team." Getting someone who may challenge Lewis more often would just set up a Hamilton/Alonso situation, and you know how that went

Why not? With the car they have, they’re guaranteed a constructor title next year. One of the two drivers will likely win the driver’s championship and they have a long term replacement to Lewis who isn’t going to drive forever.

Even if there is similar friction to Alonso/Hamilton ..... Hamilton is a lot older now than Alonso was at the time.

Bottas is a mess.

[ELVA164]

Why not? With the car they have, they’re guaranteed a constructor title next year. One of the two drivers will likely win the driver’s championship and they have a long term replacement to Lewis who isn’t going to drive forever.

Even if there is similar friction to Alonso/Hamilton ..... Hamilton is a lot older now than Alonso was at the time.

Bottas is a mess.

The potential reason world be increased competition between drivers may lead to more incidents which hurt the team

[workhurts]

The potential reason world be increased competition between drivers may lead to more incidents which hurt the team

I just don’t think they’ll crash into each other enough to even come close to jeopardizing the constructors title. I also think Hamster is still faster.

[ELVA164]

I just don’t think they’ll crash into each other enough to even come close to jeopardizing the constructors title. I also think Hamster is still faster.

I was thinking more about how mistakes increase when there's pressure, which is something Hamilton has barely experienced in years.

[mgambini]

I just don’t think they’ll crash into each other enough to even come close to jeopardizing the constructors title. I also think Hamster is still faster.

Incidents happened regularly when Rosberg was racing Hamilton. Bottas is very fast but always defers when they are head to head. He is really a perfect team mate for Hamilton, always in the points and close. Russel would have to accept that role until Hamilton retires or it would be too risky.

[workhurts]

Incidents happened regularly when Rosberg was racing Hamilton. Bottas is very fast but always defers when they are head to head. He is really a perfect team mate for Hamilton, always in the points and close. Russel would have to accept that role until Hamilton retires or it would be too risky.

Ham/Ros vs Ham/Bot in how many races left when they clinched the constructors is pretty even. Average of 3+ races left.

[mateo8]

When I did my list above, I forgot to add they would all be in the same machinery, with no prior experience of chassis or power unit. But over a 25 lap (10 hot lap) qualy session, that would be the order. 1-5 would be swapping around with literally no time discrepancies between them per lap, but would end up that way with their top 3 laps averaged. Then you have 6-Bottas who would be the same, just a little slower than the first group, presumably .1-.3 seconds behind on average, then the rest of the field would come after them. Controversial list I know, but the bug thing to take away is Hamilton has the best car on the grid for nearly all his championships, what if he had to jump into this year's Ferrari... I think Charles would outperform him as Charles has no previous expectations/preconceived notions from previous generation F1 cars (in short, make Hamilton struggle, something he hasn't done in a while, and see where he would come out)