Grand Prix thread ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2022 - SPA

I wouldn’t panic just yet as I remember Jenson Button winning this race in a stroll one year as he just got set up perfect and Max reminded me of that here. However, he is now the double world champion in waiting even if Ferrari can fight them at some tracks.

 

After the summer break, I'm feeling really quite bummed about the rest of the season.. RBR seem to have upped their game further. Merc still seem to be scratching their backsides, and Ferrari have managed to learn absolutely nothing in the month they've have to consider their decision making. It's done.

At least there's still a couple of IndyCar races left with like still 7 drivers in contention for the title.

Oh Ferrari....

 

I read an article with Andrew Shovlin that said that this year, the E10 fuel has changed where they mapped the engine to get power and that it was one of the bigger challenges.

Merc have quite obviously got something terribly wrong here in this regard. They have lost the grunt that made them a match for anyone on straight line speed. ALL of their customers and the works team just look slower.

I’m going to sound like a whack job with my next comment, but it reminds me heavily of Ferraris engine after they got their engine tricks banned and Mika Salo dropped a comment that the FIA hd mandated some secret fuel rules to hinder them which were relaxed over the two years. Of course he later denied it but we all know why he was forced to do that. https://www.motorlat.com/notas/f1/19001/f1-to-use-less-fuel-mika-salo-has-revealed-details-about-the-fia-ferrari-secret-pact/amp/

I wonder if with all the Hoo ha about Michael Masi if there’s something gone on with Merc and the FIA. The FIA don’t take kindly to people taking the piss out of them and dictating.

Whatever the truth, Mercedes engine is the joint worst on the grid and Honda, who were already good last year, have kept that high level of performance in the new E10 fuel era. (I believe they have a possible advantage in the ERS elements but not certain)

 

Must admit I thought the engineer was being sarcastic .

 

'It's my fault. I am sorry to the team'

Lewis Hamilton who was out of the race after a collision with Alpine's Fernando Alonso:"Looking back at the footage he was in my blind spot and I didn't leave enough space. It's my fault. I am sorry to the team"

On Alonso's comment: "It doesn't really matter what he says. I don't really care."

On looking ahead to Zandvoort: "I just need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill."

 

The problem is Mercedes weren’t taking the piss. the FIA brought it all on themselves and if Mercedes’ had any balls they would taken it all the was to CAS.

 

A bit more here:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/h...n-gp-clash-after-alonso-rant/10359613/?nrt=54

 

Has to own that one and glad he does. Totally get Alonso's frustration and outburst too.

Only thing I'm lost on is why Hamilton assumed he'd just vanish. If he's in the blind spot you've got to assume he's still there.

 

There's blindspots and there awareness of the car you just went side by side with

 

I do think it was Lewis's fault but can anyone remind me of the overtaking rules these days? How far alongside does the 'attacking' car need to be for the other car to then have to leave a car's space?
Lewis didn't leave Alonso anywhere to go so 100% his fault.

 

No way Alonso was going to be able to vanish there at all. He didn't crowd Hamilton, there was ample room for both to come out unscathed and Hamilton ahead. Huge mistake from Hamilton there.

 

Biggest question left for Max this season is whether he can take Vettel's record for the most dominant WDC win (2013). 397 points and a 153 point winning margin feels very achievable from his current position.

 

With the current state of Ferrari... It's very likely

 

Just looked at it on Twitter. Dillon threading the needle there.

 

Interestingly the stewards decided not to punish for two reasons: firstly because it was a first lap incident and secondly because they deemed that Lewis had his wheels in front and Fernando did have room to move right without completely leaving the track so could have given more room. A bit generous to Lewis really. As has been said Lewis gets into too many first lap incidents when his experience should tell him to be cooler and wait for his chance.

 

I really don't think the attempt at the move was ill-timed or reckless, but the execution was just rubbish. I don't quite understand it. Historically he's been able to pull of some incredible passes, but that was amateurish at best.

 

Where people were passing successfully at Les Combes they tended to have had the move done by the end of the Kemmel Straight rather than carrying it on into the chicane so I think it was a riskier move. But you are right, had he given Alonso more room it could still have stuck as long as he didn't understeer into him.

 

It's all kicking off in social media land.

 

How did I reply to completely the wrong thing? Lol

 

lol, I was going to reply to it, bt decided it was the wrong thread for yeehaa. did you see the finish?