Motorsports (NASCAR, F1, etc) Discussion Thread • Page 6

What an absolutely crazy last few laps. Bottas, Sainz, and Hamilton all get punctures. Hamilton manages to win with a puncture. Fucking hell.

Verstappen pit on the second last lap to get the fastest lap. Would have won if he didn’t pit.

 

Softer tyres next weekend should mean more pitstops, might make an exciting race.

 

How has Leclerc gotten another podium??

 

Watching it back, can’t understand how Albon got that penalty. Looked like it was Magnussen’s fault.

 

I was wondering this. Mag makes the mistake on the previous corner, runs wide and pulls back to the apex of the next corner, where Albon has stuck his nose. I don't really understand why Albon should have to back out there. Maybe there's some camera angle or data which shows he was at fault, but a bit confusing from the replays I saw.

 

Maybe? Albon was up beside Mag so it’s not like he dived in from behind. It was Mags mistake and Albon was just going for the obvious gap he left. Curious decision.

 

I saw it again today. it even looks like Albon backed off when he realised Mag was just going to dive back onto the apex. Really don't understand that one at all.

 

Yeah I thought Albon lifted as Mag started to come back in. I’m convinced it was just a pity penalty because Mag’s race was over.

I thought it was a great, great drive from Albon to get back up to 8th from there. He was way behind after the pit stop to take the penalty.

 

Albon was so fast too. I see people complaining that he tries to pass in places like this, but that's what an unexperienced driver does, and Albon has done the least racing of anyone of the grid throughout his career. He's got huge potential and will improve, the main thing is he needs to sort out his qualifying pace.

 

As a McLaren fan, this season and last season have been so great after years or mediocrity or just being pure bad. Sainz and Norris are fantastic, and I think Ricciardo is going to elevate the team even further.

 

I HATED McLaren when I was younger, but between Norris/Sainz, and them having my favourite looking car of the last two years I’m definitely feeling myself becoming a McLaren fan. Ricciardo joining should make that even better. I was delighted for Ricciardo yesterday getting 4th, shame it came at Norris’ expense.

 

I mainly just started supporting McLaren because I hated how Schumacher always won. I just tend to dislike anyone who wins too much.

Thank god I didn't choose Williams.

I do like that Mercedes and RP and to an extent Williams are based so near to me.

 

I think comparing him to Verstappen doesn’t help, Verstappen is an amazing driver with a lot of experience for his age. Albon has never looked as out of place at RB as Gasly (who is also a very good driver) did, but it’s clear he’s not close to Verstappen’s level yet. Verstappen is out driving the potential of that car due to his skill and experience. I wonder how different the conversation around him would be if the Brazil and Austria crashes/spins didn’t happen.

 

I supported Ferrari because red. Nothing too in depth there. Never really had a connection with them other than that.

 

Yeah I agree with this. I think the Red Bull car itself just isn't very good and it kind of shows. It has potential to be faster than any car other than Mercedes, but it seems hugely unpredictable and difficult to set up.

I'm really rooting for him for the rest of the season.

 

I hated McLaren too, definitely a fan of them these days now they've moved on from the Ron Dennis days. Next years team will be exciting.

I was a Ferrari fan back in the day, still am even with all the disappointment of the past 15 years.

 

I never liked Alonso. He’s why I started to not care about Ferrari. That’s also when I stopped watching.

 

I love Alonso. Mostly because I lived in Spain when he was clearly the best driver on the grid and his face was everywhere.

Interested to see how he shapes up next year in the Renault.

 

I think there is some merit in criticising his decision making. He does have a tendency to make moves which aren't against the rules or necessarily 'bad', but show a real lack of self preservation. I don't think that's true of the one yesterday, but I think the Hamilton one in Austria fell into that bracket.

But as you say, he is much less experienced. I think RB are doing a pretty naff job with him though, much like Gasly, who seemed so at odds with that team and immediately started picking up better results in a much worse car.

 

Yeah, I would agree. I'm not saying he is blameless, clearly there is a slightly decision making issue there, but I do think experience helps that.

And yes, I think at this point you look at Red Bull. Gasly and Albon both performed brilliantly in the Torro Rosso/Alpha Tauri car and when they brought them in to Red Bull, they look out of their depth. I don't think it's a coincidence. Bringing back Danny Ric's old race engineer is a start, but clearly there is something wrong when two very good young drivers struggle and look emotionally fragile after half a season in that team.

Alex's saving grace is that he is British and Thai, racing under a British team owned by a Thai company. Could see him being given more time due to this.

 

The team definitely seem more patient with Albon. They really didn't give the impression they had any time for Gasly at all, particularly if you watched Drive to Survive S2. Horner was a complete tool, but more generally it came across that Gasly was being treated as an in-joke. It's a bit like they've forgotten that Vettel, Ricciardo and Verstappen are and were not typical drivers.

 

15 point deduction and a 400k fine for RP it seems. Weird punishment.

 

Yeah, it seems such a strange halfway house...

On the plus side, I'm definitely rooting for Hulk again this week.

 

The way these tyres are going, we're gonna have a four stop race, which I am totally cool with. Adding in the weather here (I live very near Silverstone and it is hot here, predicted 30c on Sunday) and it means tyres will absolutely go off the cliff quickly.

More unpredictability please.

 

The soft tyre seems utterly useless, especially in sector 3. Strage that the two Renaults wasted a hard set on this practice session.

Vettel's car just gave up. Lots of oil leaking from the floor.