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Post by chrisb on Jul 5, 2020 9:20:10 GMT
that little clip says so much it is breathtaking, some great times some bloody awful times, that the world has never really gotten over, we talk of the modern era and the danger is still there, thankfully the circuits and the media have lessened the risk of fatality but you can never eliminate it and that is part of racing,
I did try to watch C4's programme last night, at least it had some seriousness involved and great to hear Lee's observations - she is one astute lady, try as i did to watch the qualifying i just felt it was like watching an online PC game that I cannot relate to, no criticism to anyone who does play these online games I am sure they are fun and exhilarating -just not for me, I thought Bottas drove well and the Renault engined McLaren's looked good, and it would be gratifying if McLaren did well with a Renault engine, but the red cars, what was / is happening there? that was not good, nice to see the Williams improve on last year but by comparison to previous years, groan
has anyone seen the Patrick Head podcast on MotorSport? it is seriously worth watching, makes a very astute observation of why Williams are not where they should be, in his day so to speak they would always want one experienced driver and one less so for the less experienced to learn how to work with the team and some very interesting observations on Thierry Boutsen and his car set-up and other matters and contrast that to Frank Dernie's interview, fascinating
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Post by René on Jul 5, 2020 10:43:57 GMT
Ouch, ouch, ouch, what is happening to Ferrari? Haven't seen them this bad since 1992 or 1980! It is not looking good for the Scuderia ever since they were forced to change their PU at the end of last year. They obviously chose a path that was first allowed by the FIA and then found illegal or at least too gray an area to continue. And now their engine lacks power because they lose most on the straights. I hope they will be better in the race as their race sims were not bad in Barcelona.
Mercedes has obviously build the best car by far, again. The Red Bull is still too far off to challenge for the title I'm afraid but I could be wrong of course.
Good to see Lando in the McLaren so near to the front of the grid. Keeping my fingers crossed for him.
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Post by charleselan on Jul 5, 2020 11:19:59 GMT
I think I am lost to F1 now. Having watched only the 3.5 minute highlights of FP1 & 2 on YouTube I am completely at a loss what to say. Other than the MB's having two different shades (   ) of colour from the traditional silver, it is the case of same old; same old. That is except from the terrible performance of the red cars and Alfa as well, dire times. Not certain whether I will tune in this afternoon to Swiss TV to watch live, but to be honest weather permitting I have better ways of spending an hour and half of my life. |
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Post by mikael on Jul 5, 2020 16:58:24 GMT
Interesting to notice how important the presence of the spectators/fans is to a race. "A thin cup of tea" ... I was about to say; but of course it can't be helped. In whatever way, great that the pinnacle of motor racing is back.
Watching the consequent use of the run-off sections of the corners, I came to think: perhaps it could happen that the planned 18'' wheels with low-profile tyres will not allow this kind of driving. One can hope that this will be the case ...
(I watched the race on the German RTL channel. That was a good experience - very nice, well-balanced commentary.)
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Post by René on Jul 5, 2020 17:07:47 GMT
Well, a very nice and interesting podium in the end! Who could have predicted that one!  Well deserved win for Valtteri and spectacular results for Charles and Lando. Bad day for Red Bull as Max was the only one who could (maybe) trouble the Mercs in a 'normal' race and Alex had a serious opportunity to score his first win. Troublesome remains the advantage of Mercedes though. Without the Indycar style safety car interventions they would both have disappeared on the horizon. And what a disappointing result and silly mistake again by Seb. I feel for the guy as he really wanted to continue at Ferrari in 2021 and believed they would too. It must be difficult now and having a race like this doesn't help. The car is not good but his teammate finished second and his mistake was like the mistakes he made before. I watched Nico Rosberg on German RTL tv after the race and he could not understand how Vettel makes mistakes like these, he just couldn't. |
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Post by robmarsh on Jul 5, 2020 20:08:18 GMT
Good to have racing again-I enjoyed it and felt sorry for Albon. Ferrari got lucky but they stayed the course and Charles made the best of what he had. I don't know what to make of Seb, he just keeps making the same types of mistakes. There is an article somewhere by Peter Windsor I think that explains Seb's problems with the current Ferrari and how he didn't choose to change his driving style to compensate for the problems in last year's Ferrari. Seems more of the same this year. I do think that Ferrari treated Seb very badly during the Covid break. A man of Seb's stature deserved better treatment. He never slammed Ferrari publicly like his predecessor Alonso did and this is the reward he gets. Also Matteo Binotto got very squirmy and evasive when asked by Simon Lazenby about Ferrari's lack of pace that appears to be down to the engine not having the same power as before. He and Ferrari management have gone down in my estimation because of the those two issues.
Felt great for Lando Norris and maybe LH should pay focus more on his driving as that is what he is paid for. I am not sure how many races we will get to have this year. I have a nasty feeling that the current upsurge in Covid-19 cases round the world is going to cause Govts to over-react and crack down again.
I will take each race as it comes and enjoy them when they do.
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Post by charleselan on Jul 6, 2020 13:04:47 GMT
My hands held high, I admit that I watched the race on a laptop alongside my computer.
Quite interesting at times, the uncertainty brought about by mechanical frailty certainly made for a more compelling event.
Good that V. Bottas won, and in very good style but in reality those Mercs need someone/others to really challenge them. Poor old Max sounded well p*ssed off but I doubt he could have challenged them in normal circumstances. Young Alexander Albon deserved far better as that was a stunning overtake, prematurely ended by the turf. I bet Lewis Hamilton would have been crying his eyes out had it been the other way around, racing incident my backside.
Lando Norris was hugely impressive as were both Mclaren's, hard to believe that this team are also in financial difficulties, but something I had picked up a few weeks ago.
Charles out drove that Ferrari by a big amount, very impressive performance considering what he had under him. Sebastian, what can one say............ a sabbatical might be the recipe.
Still feel very sorry for young George Russell, huge talent going to waste there, it must be galling for him to see his two amigos doing so well when he is touted as the best of the bunch.
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Post by robmarsh on Jul 6, 2020 13:14:33 GMT
I agree Charles- Williams is going nowhere except out under the current set-up. There are a few teams up the grid that would be better served to have George Russell driving for them than what they currently have.
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Post by Carl on Jul 6, 2020 16:44:17 GMT
My two cents may be devalued, not having had time yet to watch the final 20 laps: Anyone able to avoid the braying and giggling David Croft is damned lucky! Martin Brundle is excellent despite a blindspot toward Lewis Hamilton that's been mentioned before by others here. I had to smile when Brundle declared early in the race that Hamilton is never distracted. Only true if "never" excludes childishness, mindgames without and paranoia within! I think Sebastian Vettel has never been able to accept that he's no longer number one. He's been discrete in public, but I wonder how many at Ferrari were offended by his attitude in private. He's been trying too hard, and making mistakes, since being embarrassed by Daniel Ricciardo in 2014.
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Post by charleselan on Jul 6, 2020 17:34:54 GMT
One of the highlights of watching the S*YF1 coverage was Croft's more than obvious hilarious mistake during the race. Time and time again he stated that Charles Leclerc had just overtaken Carlos Sainz for third place when in fact it was plain to see that it was Lando Norris who had the position for more laps than I care to count. When finally, it dawned on the idiot there was a rather mumbled it was Lando and no obvious correction.
Another was Paul de Resta in the after race analysis where he was banging on about Alex Albon being unwise to overtake Lewis Hamilton around the outside especially as he was only alongside; whoops wait a moment the play back shows he was more than half a car ahead so better change the narrative a little, but still wishing to keep to his initial incorrect assumption. I really cannot take to PdR to be honest, and he is useless at analysis.
On the plus side I have to remark on how well they all seemed to act in the current climate, it was all done very well and a lesson to many outside of the F1 bubble in how one should go about everyday life in these challenging times. I was a little surprised that a few team personnel saw fit not to be wearing face masks and the social distancing went out the window for some post race, excitement of the occasion being no exception.
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) of colour from the traditional silver, it is the case of same old; same old. That is except from the terrible performance of the red cars and Alfa as well, dire times.
