I think Max winning the Championship would be the best thing that could happen for F1. Mercedes and Hamilton have been so dominant for so long, to have a genuine challenge is what’s needed to bring fans back (I’m far more invested in this season than I have been for years)
Was pretty clear that Max was nursing things along, and the Merc is crap in traffic. Bottas took an age to get past Sainz. Wasn't gonna happen.
Tsunoda inadvertently making tomorrow's race more interesting there (whilst also screwing up Charles' lap too, but still).
Suspect Max would have been quicker on the Tsunoda lap. Can't tell, but I'd have put money on him being there or thereabouts (as his first lap was pretty bad by his standards). Even the Tsunoda lap was pretty much on a par with that one, so he'd actually probably have got pole as he dropped at least 0.3 there. Still, makes for a more fun race tomorrow.
We'll never know, but he was a tenth down on VB's lap after the first sector. Would have to have nailed the final 2 sectors (which he may well have done). But he was up against it.
Yeah, but he was pretty consistently quicker in those two. As you say, we'll never know. Sets it up nicely though - far rather this than him getting pole by 0.6 and walking away with it tomorrow, as it looked like might happen at one point.
What will the Mercedes game plan be? Let Lewis through at the first opportunity and Bottas play interference with Max?
Possibly. Or play that hand later. Depends a lot what happens at the first corner - it’s a long old straight, and there’ll be a bunch of slipstreaming going on.
It'll depend on his launch - if Bottas gets away quickest he may well do, whilst trying to get into Valterri's slipstream. If Max gets away quick, well anything can happen. Really looking forward to it - Max and Charles are out of position, then you've got a bunch of quick cars starting toward the back too. The surface looks tricky as well, so I'd be surprised if we get through without a safety car.