[M3WC]

Originally Posted by Bubbles

Russell got lucky but drove well. Merc is not too far of the pace.

Merc was still about a 1sec off Leclerc's race pace. That is a rather large gap. The Mercs did look more settled with a lot less porpoising.

Max looked to be about .3-.4 off Leclerc's race pace. RB tire deg didn't look good.

Ferrari honestly just looks unstoppable, even with the insane amount of porpoising they had. They are just going to get quicker.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Luckily it's easier to make a car more reliable than make a car faster.
Especially with the budget cuts and limited windtunnel time.

But the 2 DNF for VER gives LEC already such a lead in the WDC that it'll be very hard if not impossible to to surpass him this year sadly.

It depends on if it's a deep rooted problem, just like when Riccardo raced for redbull and suffered major reliability issues that were unfixable. It'll be even harder this year with the engine freeze.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by Artemis

I feared that HAM would openly solicit to give RUS a team order to let him pass. And then there was that radio message in lap 54/58: "You guys put me in a really difficult position". But no code language pitwall message followed for RUS (such as for example "engine temp high" or "manage tires to make it to the end") or openly (Silverstone 2021 lap 40/52: "OK Valtteri, we invert the cars into turn 15 in this lap").

After the race HAM "explained" his radio message:
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...DA8l1VKb2.html

Listen to what RUS says from 01:16 to 01:49. Sounds to me that he didn't want to get "Bottas'ed" today after his close combat battle with PER:

Good find. Merc is a decent race car, Russell held off Perez for several laps and didn’t put a foot wrong. Merc always backs the driver with the points lead —> Russell.

Hamilton is getting a crash course in humility and how it feels to be a #2.

Good old days are over.

[///M Power-Belgium]

• Aussie Marshall => Mate .You got a fire there !
• MAX => F@ck ! You have the fire extinguisher !
• Aussie Marshall => Mate .Thats right I have one..

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Merc was still about a 1sec off Leclerc's race pace. That is a rather large gap. The Mercs did look more settled with a lot less porpoising.

Max looked to be about .3-.4 off Leclerc's race pace. RB tire deg didn't look good.

Ferrari honestly just looks unstoppable, even with the insane amount of porpoising they had. They are just going to get quicker.

Agreed Ferrari looks so well sorted for a first year car. Incredible pace at every track. If Sainz is not careful he could resemble the bottas (2017-2021).

[F87source]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Watched the race 'twice ..

• The start => The Mercedes launch control was bullet fast !

• Lap 12 => Max's left front tyre was already completely gone by extreme graining and he locked up more than once !

• Lap 14 => Charlie pulled already a 5.5 sec. gap vs MAX .

• Lap 19 => Checo's tyres are also gone .

• Lap 22 => Charlie + HAM in pit

• Lap 23 => MAX pulled the fastest lap .

• Lap 24 => SEB crashed by going like crazy over the curbs (beginners mistake) followed by a SC situation.

• Lap 32 and 33 => Charlie pulled the fastest laps !

• Lap 37 => Great move from Checo while he overtook Russell for P3 .

• Lap 38 => Once again the fastest lap was for MAX.

• Lap 39 => MAX smelled something strange in the car like fuel .
Suddenly the HONDA PU was in smoke ,and quickly followed by his second 'DNF in just 3 races !
Bad luck , and once again he is losing crucial WDC points so early in this season .
Meanwhile It's confirmed by Red Bull => MAX got a big fuel leak !
IMO .The whole situation was actually dangerous !
Probably later more about MAX's DNF ...

• Lap 50 => Charlie pulled the fastest lap ...Again !
Few moments later Charlie's request was : Can I go for the fastest lap again ?
From the pit : No ! No ! Just keep your pace like this , you already have the fastest lap .
Charlie : Ohhh..That's OK. OK guys !
Imagine how fast the '22 Ferrari actually is !

• Lap 55 => HAM : You guys put me in a very difficult situation !?!?

• LAP 57 => Checo over the onboard radio : Hey guys ! Are you still awake ?

• My thoughts :

Mercedes has improved a lot ! Russell pulled a great race with P3 !
Checo was the best driver in this race with P2 ..

Looks like Sainz is driving with a second hand Ferrari PU ..
No doubt : Charlie's Ferrari PU is a lot stronger !

I think , the Ferrari superfast PU is "Untouchable" for the rest of this season !
MAX pulled one attempt to overtake Charlie . But this time it wasn't even close !
The Ferrari was even faster in this race . It's very clear : Ferrari build a '22 WDC car !
Actually they can't lose ..
Congrats for Ferrari and Charlie !!!

Launch control doesn't exist, what you watched was Lewis and George making the difference.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by F87source

Launch control doesn't exist, what you watched was Lewis and George making the difference.

I know : Modern F1 cars no longer use launch control as that is also considered a driver assist. As we know by now, any automated system that enhances the driver's ability to drive an F1 car is been banned.

But ...
You know as well , there's still (something) to aid and to hold the clutch in the best automated position ..
That's why the 'Launch control is the today's 'preloaded' start trick ...

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by Artemis

No, LEC considered the option that someone else would pit in the final laps to get fastest lap. Albon pitted on lap 57/58 because he had to (he was still sitting on his original set of hard tires since race start, so had no choice to avoid DSQ). He did not get fastest lap.

Gap between HAM and NOR was almost 25 sec, so HAM could have pitted for softs in the final laps. But that would have been a risk to lose track position (P4). And very likely to no avail for HAM as LEC bettered his fastest lap time in the final lap (58/58).

ALO got second fastest lap in 57/58.

I think he was honestly surprised about how slow the rest of the field was lapping. He is enjoyable to watch and the arrogance he exhibited in 2019 seems much more controlled now.

He could be another example of putting a top driver in a championship car = WDC.

Good education or reminder for F1 fans.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

• Aussie Marshall => Mate .You got a fire there !
• MAX => F@ck ! You have the fire extinguisher !
• Aussie Marshall => Mate .Thats right I have one..

Max telling the fire marshall in the second quick vid that it probably doesn't need any more extinguisher foam.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Max telling the fire marshall in the second quick vid that it probably doesn't need any more extinguisher foam.

Yeah . So it looks like . He said It's enough now !

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

• Aussie Marshall => Mate .You got a fire there !
• MAX => F@ck ! You have the fire extinguisher !
• Aussie Marshall => Mate .Thats right I have one..

Check the on-board from 09:08 to 09:41. VER is asked by his race engineer GPL to stop the car near a fire marshall. VER queried: "You want me to use a fire extinguisher or not ?"

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Check the on-board from 09:08 to 09:41. VER is asked by his race engineer GPL to stop the car near a fire marshall. VER queried: "You want me to use a fire extinguisher or not ?"

Too bad ...Snapshot of the day !

[///M Power-Belgium]

*****

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yeah . So it looks like . He said It's enough now !

All we can do is look forward to the Imola race with a trouble free car for Max who won there last year after the HAM wing crash saga.

[///M Power-Belgium]

More flags will follow !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

*****

So 2 wins,a second and 3 FL's for Lec. Unless Checo goes even quicker, (he said he couldn't today) it looks like only Max will be capable of tagging Lec again.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

More flags will follow !

The spaghetti bolognese and vinho verde must be flowing in there, but for how long

[Artemis]

On-board with LEC: he repeatedly inquired about fastest lap - determined to get it.
15:11 - 15:33 (lap 48/58)
16:05 - 16:21 (lap 53/58)
16:56 - 17:00 (lap 56/58)
17:26 - 17:43 (lap 58/58): "And [you got] fastest lap!" - "I wanted to do it" - "I know..."
(during the final lap he bettered his fastest lap with 0.7 second - impressive)

And the Ferrari engine is not using yet all its potential...

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

So 2 wins,a second and 3 FL's for Lec. Unless Checo goes even quicker, (he said he couldn't today) it looks like only Max will be capable of tagging Lec again.

Of course . If MAX has the car to do it . MAX can do it as well..

But from how the situation (currently) looks like : Ferrari is 'Unbeatable !
Charlie can win all the remaining races in this season !

And there's more going on ...
The RB18 is very bad in managing the new 18' tyres !
It's like this car is eating the new tyres in no time ...
Today : MAX his tyres were gone in just 12 laps and locked up !
IMHO. Red Bull needs a miracle ..

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Of course . If MAX has the car to do it . MAX can do it as well..

But from how the situation (currently) looks like : Ferrari is 'Unbeatable !
Charlie can win all the remaining races in this season !

And there's more going on ...
The RB18 is very bad in managing the new 18' tyres !
It's like this car is eating the new tyres in no time ...
Today : MAX his tyres were gone in just 12 laps and locked up !
IMHO. Red Bull needs a miracle ..

The Melbourne track is coarse and the hards suited the Ferrari here well. At Imola I expect the RB's to be closer to the bulbous Ferraris.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Max telling the fire marshall in the second quick vid that it probably doesn't need any more extinguisher foam.

"Max, how was your day in the office ?"

"Today I was on fire !"

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Artemis

"Max, how was your day in the office ?"

"Today I was on fire !"

All in a days work for Max but 'Smokey and the Bandit' didn't figure in the itenary for today