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Post by René on Oct 21, 2020 15:38:16 GMT
The first Grand Prix in Portugal since 1996 and the first on the Portimão circuit. Those drivers who know the track are very positive and it looks great with sweeping corners and elevations. Mercedes will be the team to beat as always but Red Bull seems to get closer step by step, race by race. Will that be enough to challenge the Mercs this time? Let’s hope so. The fight for third best will be fierce again with several teams very close in qualy and race pace. The original plan was to welcome fans this weekend in Portugal but with infection numbers rising again throughout Europe and more restrictions also in Portugal it remains to be seen how many people will be allowed in. Whatever will be, let’s hope for a good race!
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Post by chrisb on Oct 21, 2020 16:18:00 GMT
Rene it does remind me somewhat of a scalextric circuit, please forgive but as I no longer get Autosport and don't get the levels of information I once had why are we here and not Estoril?
looking at the circuit and the news around stroll, will the Hulk be around again? i am going to go for Ricardio again, for no other reason than why not, the Renault seems to be getting better whilst the McLarens are they slipping? Ferrari seem to picking up a bit but I warrant not enough and we are unlikley to see them on the top step, the reality is the MB steamroller will crush the other teams but this is motor racing who knows who will grasp the mantle
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Post by robmarsh on Oct 21, 2020 17:04:05 GMT
I have gone for all someone else ie Leclerc, because I am betting with my heart. The Mercedes and Hamilton dominance has done my head in long time ago.
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Post by René on Oct 21, 2020 19:00:28 GMT
I have gone for all someone else ie Leclerc, because I am betting with my heart. The Mercedes and Hamilton dominance has done my head in long time ago. Me too Rob. My rational mind says one of the Merc boys or maybe Max but my heart says Charles.  |
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Post by Carl on Oct 21, 2020 19:05:20 GMT
Three very slow turns should allow Daniel Ricciardo more demon-late braking opportunities, so with the promise that he keeps his shoes on, my choice once again.
Purely for the good of the sport and my amusement, I would enjoy Lewis Hamilton being punted into the boondocks so he can utilize his push button recording, "He hit me! He hit me!!"
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Post by robmarsh on Oct 21, 2020 20:23:56 GMT
Three very slow turns should allow Daniel Ricciardo more demon-late braking opportunities, so with the promise that he keeps his shoes on, my choice once again. Purely for the good of the sport and my amusement, I would enjoy Lewis Hamilton being punted into the boondocks so he can utilize his push button recording, "He hit me! He hit me!!" There are two scenarios that could play out before the end of the season in order to spice things up because even the most ardent LH fans are keeping quiet now. One is exactly as you say, the second will be LH getting a one race ban for penalty points. Even if the two don't happen the anticipation that they could may just add a frisson of excitement to proceedings. For me the best part of the race weekend, on TV anyway, is the half an hour or so before the start, when the cars are on the grid, the mechanics are swarming over them, and the sound of the generators keeping the right things cool and the right things hot, adds an air of excitement, tension and potential to the scene. Of course once the lights go out all that fades away. |
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Post by robmarsh on Oct 21, 2020 20:26:20 GMT
I have gone for all someone else ie Leclerc, because I am betting with my heart. The Mercedes and Hamilton dominance has done my head in long time ago. Me too Rob. My rational mind says one of the Merc boys or maybe Max but my heart says Charles. His likeness to Gilles is uncanny. I watched some pics of GV on a Sky programme called Race to Perfection. Some of Charles' mannerisms and expressions are so like GV. |
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Post by mikael on Oct 22, 2020 18:55:25 GMT
In the spotlight by Denmark's oldest Newspaper, "Berlingske" (Machine-translated by Google):
Well, the writing has been on the wall a long time, I think; but still, I find it a bit sad ... It's not wrong to say that Kevin "stormed" onto the scene of Formula One - an amazing debut it was ...
As the text says, by the end of this season, it will be 120 Grand Prix starts for him. That quite something. (I can't help comparing with how many Formula One starts Jim Clark and Jackie Steward had. They had 72 and 99, respectively. Of course, it was different times ...)
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Post by robmarsh on Oct 23, 2020 8:30:06 GMT
Yep Mikael it is sad. I always liked KMag but sadly for him he was probably 25 years too late to have a fair shot at winning the title or even a GP.
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Post by René on Oct 23, 2020 12:53:34 GMT
In the spotlight by Denmark's oldest Newspaper, "Berlingske" (Machine-translated by Google):
Well, the writing has been on the wall a long time, I think; but still, I find it a bit sad ... It's not wrong to say that Kevin "stormed" onto the scene of Formula One - an amazing debut it was ... As the text says, by the end of this season, it will be 120 Grand Prix starts for him. That quite something. (I can't help comparing with how many Formula One starts Jim Clark and Jackie Steward had. They had 72 and 99, respectively. Of course, it was different times ...)
Yes, it’s a shame for both Kevin and Romain. And especially for you Mikael when there will be no Danish driver on the grid next year. Kevin is talented and had a podium and strong races and there were moments when he seemed destined for more success in Formula One. But you need to be in the right place at the right moment and somehow that didn’t work out for him. I hope both Kevin and Romain find a good seat in another top level racing class. Can’t see Kevin going to FE, he doesn’t seem the type. Indycar could indeed be more his style I feel. Romain might go to FE or maybe sports cars. But that’s just speculation, I’ve no idea. |
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Post by chrisb on Oct 23, 2020 15:20:08 GMT
Great article Mikael, and F1 will be poorer without Kevin, someone I always liked and thought had the speed and ability to succeed, it really was a case of not being in the right time at the right place, although I would wonder how much McLaren regret dropping Kevin for teflonso, but I do think his ability is worthy of an F1 drive, if not then he would really grace Indycars and be a big success there, but as you say Mikael 120 starts, Jimmy 72 and Fangio 51 - and achieved so much
Romain could be so quick at times it was astonishing but for me he has had a good run and is more suited to sports cars with a top team who are prepared to put their arms around him, lovely bloke great sense of humour I have watched documentaries on both sometime ago and both come across very well.
I haven't seen the cars around the circuit yet but the dull duo are or were running 1/2- and Charles was 4th in the 1st session
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Post by Carl on Oct 23, 2020 16:26:22 GMT
Yep Mikael it is sad. I always liked KMag but sadly for him he was probably 25 years too late to have a fair shot at winning the title or even a GP. Jan Magnussen was stunningly quick but often reckless, and finally settled down in Grand Touring Corvette Racing. His son was almost as fast and more consistent, but seldom in a competitive car, as others have said, in the wrong place at the wrong time. |
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Post by René on Oct 24, 2020 15:07:02 GMT
The usual 1-2-3 but it was still quite an entertaining qualifying. The track is really great for watching I must say with all the elevations and you can see the drivers trying to find the limit. And Hamilton always seems to find that little bit extra in the end (to Bottas's frustration). And what about Charles Leclerc? What an excellent performance again from the young Mongasque! The Ferrari is definitely improving and Charles knows how get the most out of the car, fantastic. The only guy in the top 10 besides the Mercs on medium tyres! Unfortunately not so good for Vettel (again) who seems lost. Sad to see. Could be an exciting race with a possible surprise result....  |
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Post by Carl on Oct 24, 2020 20:23:19 GMT
Portimão is a really wonderful circuit, which explains why only in desperation has Formula One found it. I've settled on a routine last year and this, watching only FP2 and qualifying leading up to the race, and fast-forwarding after the first few minutes of FP2 to focus on Martin Brundle's trackside analyses. Ten minutes of Brundle is ten times more informative than an entire weekend of the dislocated minds of croft and his band of lost boys.
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Post by mikael on Oct 25, 2020 11:17:43 GMT
Yes, really a great track to watch racing, with all the "undulations". The run-off areas are also well made, it seems - run-off's are punished, but not too much.
Just a thought (and maybe an obvious one ...) about the continuing "pecking order" among the engine builders. I don't think the problem with the complexity (of the "power plants") lies with the hybrid arrangement and the energy harvesting systems; I believe all the makers master that to perfection, and have done so for a long time. I think what separates the wheat from the chaff, so to say (maybe a too rough expression), is the handling of the fuel flow rate limitation rule (100kg/hour). It is here that Mercedes have shown their mastery in getting much more out of this limited amount of fuel than the others.
I think the fuel flow rate limitation is the most sensible rule that has been introduced in a very long time, and it would be a real shame to drop it again, in these environmentally conscious times. But again, as I understand it, it is really this rule that has made the engines so complex and so costly (ref. the diesel engine-like technology) - it's not the electric motor and the energy-harvesting stuff (which is really just electric motor/generator units - although they have been given fancy names). This might be a real dilemma, because even if, at some time, it were decided to go back to pure combustion engine power, if the (excellent) fuel flow rate limitation rule is kept, the engines probably wont become that much simpler and that much cheaper ...
Addendum: a great race, a pleasure to watch, in spite of the non-surprising 1-2-3. A shame Sainz couldn't keep up that start-pace.
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