[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

THE 1 IS MAX !!!

25 wins

[M5Rick]

Can't see all of the posts,no time. I'll catch up more when I get back, see y'all later.

[F87source]

Pretty crazy gp, didn't expect a double DNF from Ferrari, and somehow Mercedes got 3&4 (good job George). Max got the W and Perez got p2 good job redbull.

[GuidoK]

Quite a lot of us had the top3 at least correctly predicted:

Originally Posted by GuidoK

My prediction:
1. VER
2. PER
3. RUS
...

Originally Posted by M5Rick

That's about the sum up of my prediction too.

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

That long straight is a Ferrari killer.

1. VER
2. PER
3. RUS

I think GAS and VET in the top10 were the big surprises.

[M3WC]

So which Merc reserve driver gets Lewis's seat when he quits? Nyck de Vries or Stoffel Vandoorne? Or do they go outside the team and pick up someone else. Stoffel does have GP experience.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Feel for LEC. From the day he started at Ferrari and took over for VET until today, he's grown to a very competent driver and is doing everything right (all the pole positions this year) but the team/engineers have really let him down. What looked like a promising season is now getting out of reach.

Seems like just yesterday everyone was saying RB was in trouble with early season car issues. The tide has turned.

Really a shame though, I was looking forward to seeing how Ferrari's early change to hard tires was going to work out.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by M3WC

So which Merc reserve driver gets Lewis's seat when he quits? Nyck de Vries or Stoffel Vandoorne? Or do they go outside the team and pick up someone else. Stoffel does have GP experience.

They gotta give it to a Merc junior driver otherwise the Merc drivers program is a joke.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Seems like just yesterday everyone was saying RB was in trouble with early season car issues. The tide has turned.

Really a shame though, I was looking forward to seeing how Ferrari's early change to hard tires was going to work out.

That was today Ferrari's first mistake to pit Charlie so early .
Charlie wouldn't make it in the remaining 33 laps ...

But...
Probably they had to call him in so early , because Charlie locked up completely in T1 and lost his P1 in the fight with Checo
I'm pretty sure that Charlie's front left tire was flat spotted by locking up badly and that's why they had to call him in too early...

MAX managed his tires the whole race outstanding , that's why he was almost 1 sec. faster than Checo was .
At the end the gap from MAX vs Checo was 20 + sec. while they called MAX to slow down ..

Again : Too bad for Ferrari !
That's NOT how we want to see it ..

[E92inNC]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

These Italian MTHRFKRs are killing me

You and me both, these DNFs and strategy F ups are ruining my Sundays before it even starts. At least in a month I’ll be in Raleigh and have three less hours to fume when the inevitable happens

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by E92inPHX

You and me both, these DNFs and strategy F ups are ruining my Sundays before it even starts. At least in a month I’ll be in Raleigh and have three less hours to fume when the inevitable happens

I really hope Ferrari get things sorted out. We could have an epic Ferrari/RB season on hands. Constructors might be out of reach for Ferrari, with Sainz poor luck. But Leclerc definitely has what it takes to race Max.

[E92inNC]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Feel for LEC. From the day he started at Ferrari and took over for VET until today, he's grown to a very competent driver and is doing everything right (all the pole positions this year) but the team/engineers have really let him down. What looked like a promising season is now getting out of reach.

To me Charles has had an eerily similar start to his F1 career as Max. Massive talent but ultra aggressive and made lots of mistakes early on, some here still call him LeCrash just like Max was called Crashtappen. Now he’s learning to calm down and take less risks. Like Max, the car has evolved around him along with Charles’ racing demeanor has improved and it’s now gotten to the point where on a normal weekend it’s a surprise if he’s not on the podium. The major difference is RB and Merc has had steady leadership and strategic competence while Ferrari has been a roller coaster this past decade+. I actually think he has to overcome them if he is to win the WDC

[Killed by Death]

[Autobacs]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Not one bit surprised. Called "a future WDC" by some old, washed up Driver who incidentally got fed up by Ferrari's propensity to screw things up.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Merc probably happy they didn't retain bottas over him. Literally the only reason why merc is some what close to the top 2 teams.

[NickyC]

Damn, hated to see the Ferraris go out so soon. With them out, we all knew what should have been a fantastic race would turn into a bit of a snooze. That's the first Azerbaijan race which didn't wow me, but it's still fun to watch as it's a beautiful track.

I'm really surprised how quickly Max turned around a big deficit to a big advantage. Ferrari needs to get their act together or we'll be robbed of a competitive year of F1.

[F87source]

Interesting new things I just read:

1) Ferraris low downforce rear wing gave them an extra 7kph of top speed.

2) Lewis ran experimental parts on his car including a new rear suspension, this could be why his car bounced alot more than George's car.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

George is the real deal.

37 points up on his teammate.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

Nah. He's a total actor. IMO

As someone with 2 herniated discs and spinal stenosis - he's 100% a massive actor just like he is with everything he does. It's why 9 year olds love him.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I think this will be a RB track. Also with how strong and durable the RB engine block seems to be (Max is still on this first engine)
It will be interesting to see how MERC will be performing. They have a fast car (with that I mean top speed), very important with the long straigths but is porpoising really gone and can their very stiff suspension that they seem to have to run handle a street circuit with such high speeds?

My prediction:
1. VER
2. PER
3. RUS
4. LEC
5. HAM
6. SAI
7. NOR
8. BOT
9. OCO
10. KMAG

Baku is an awesome track through a beautiful city. Some parts remind me a bit of Paris.

Well done!!!

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by NYG

As someone with 2 herniated discs and spinal stenosis - he's 100% a massive actor just like he is with everything he does. It's why 9 year olds love him.

Jeeze, sorry to hear that. Hope you get some relief eventually!

[NYG]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Jeeze, sorry to hear that. Hope you get some relief eventually!

Doesn't bother me too often. Still squat and dlift. Once in a while the pain gets pretty brutal but you push through it. Thanks brotha.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

I was just thinking that George didn't get the acting lessons.

Glad to see GR on the podium even if it was by luck.

Missed the live race because of 24 Heures du Mans.

Interesting to see Max’s onboard during the first stint of the race. His steering inputs were unusually smooth and measured. Normally, he is incredibly razor sharp with micro adjustments to extract the most speed but today he was measured and strategic adapting to the race position.

Max leveled up today with his racecraft.

Russell podiums and was greeted by three Merc team members in parc fermé. Disappointed for him and the lack of respect he receives his team despite consistently performing. Russell got a taste of Bottas “traditions”.

Yuki DRS wing split in half!

LEC was running the Barcelona PU with a new turbo. Why? Keep it in the pool for practice not a race with massive straights and high temps. Ferrari is failing.

Sainz seemed relieved with a hydraulic failure and retirement. Claims he was just about to start pushing to close the 4 second gap he lost with overall lack of pace. Sainz is now an afterthought this season. He is driving scared. He should ring Zac Brown. He did avoid contact with Max in T1, well done.


Hamilton’s acting lessons have started, he needs a few more lessons to appear more authentic with physical ailments — maybe a new prop for Montreal — a back brace for his valet’s bag.