Ze German Grand Prix Chat & Prediction

I just don't see him in the same league as Hamilton or Vettel, and I don't think the team do either. He's not a bad driver at all, just not sure he's champion material.

 

Ok .

 

Just an opinion.... You're more than allowed to think differently.

 

He replied “Kimi is staying out” and with Bottas’ long stop he would have been out of position, that was significant advantage regarding track position. That said, he would have won the race regardless.

 

Either way, Vettel has to be seriously kicking himself. Could be a costly error. He sounded absolutely gutted.

 

He was one of the inters runners who lost out bad. Probably following LeClerc. Not as bad as Gasly

 

Bottas just seems to lack a bit of killer instinct, and I'm not sure that's learned? Hamilton today, others previously. If Bottas has one chance to make a move, it doesn't happen as often as it does when Hamilton, Ricciardo or Verstappen get the same chance.

 

I wonder if Lewis just doesn't trust the strat team to get it right. He has been let down too many times by Mercs strat calls. So maybe he is just relying on his gut!!! If Merc can get the strat team to work well I wonder how they can get Lewis to trust them as they have all the data. They should know better than the driver what everyone else is doing stops, tyres, lap times etc....

 

a) bottas should have forced hamilton off track

b) hamiltons drive was absolutely perfect.

c) vettel is a moron

that bascially explains what went on yesterday.


the state of play was any top car at back sails through field within 6/7 laps unless track is absolutely the pits. (pun intended) to 5th or 6thand then requires luck to go further.

Hamilton played the waiting game on the rain and it

a) almost didn't pay off
b) rain was light enough that his pit stop choice was perfect tyre for conditions.
c) vettel absolutely moronically lost it and caused safety car allowing hamilton to take lead.

The passing of cars early and then really safe minding of tyres and eeking them out so long was brilliant driving to maximise return. The rain did come and it paid off but vettel turned 3rd for hamilton into 1st and threw away the race.

Hamilton then refused to give up to bottas who then apparently was told not to challenge and then hamilton pumped in fast laps and i think bottas somehwat even helped him get 6.5 seconds gap.

You'd wonder after race is bottas actually realised he was dupped there. he should actually have at least tried to win it but as no 2 driver I would have to otld him to hold station.

Hamilton brilliant. vettel has blown a huge chance to have a full race in his pocket and a home win. moron.

the rest meh.

ricciardo will be quite dissappointed with what he did.

verstappen will be really angry with pit call for inters.... merc clearly felt rain would not require them and were proved right as was ferrari... (barring vettel being a moron)

 

with respect.... hamilton had to trust his team on the rain didn't he?

 

Allowing the Ferraris to hold position was a tactical mistake and may have contributed to Vettels error, but credit to them anyway. I would have liked to see Ham and Botts fight it out at the end. An actual battle for the win. I think Lewis would have taken it but we'll never know.

 

Me neither, but Nico Rosberg.

As to the races major incidents:
Hamilton, should've been a penalty, if for no other reason than steward consistency (ROFL, as if that'll ever happen). The thing that I want to know is, why did they bother investigating if he wasn't guilty? Other than racing incident contact, I can't recall a race investigation for rule breaking that wasn't cut and dried the moment the decision to investigate was made, you don't wait to see if they're guilty, as that's a given the moment the decision to investigate is announced, you wait to see what the stewards will decide the punishment will be.

Team orders, Seb was on a different strategy to Kimi, it made no sense for Kimi to hold Seb up.I thought Bottas was screwed over, but it's a team sport.

Vettel, tsk tsk, could've thrown away the WDC there, 32 point swing.

If Vettel or Hamilton go out in Q1 you may as well start them from behind the red bulls, did anyone try to defend against Lewis at all? These guys are supposed to be racing drivers, make them fight, wear out his tyres and maybe you'll force another stop and get an extra point or 2, made it easier for him than Alonso does with Vettel when he's getting blue flags.

 

He should have trusted them on the rain but I had the feeling he is a little wary of the team strategy and balances that with his on track instincts at the moment.
I think he has lost trust in them after a few bad calls cost him points. I do wonder if that is why we the public apology over the radio on last bad strat call? To try and say sorry but we are human and if we make a mistake we will admit it. I am probably making too much of mercs strat calls but always fun to speculate

 

Ironic since it was Hamilton who really delivered yesterday. *gets coat*

 

Damned Hard Luck.

 

The worst bit of Vettels crash. This picture now exists

 

Oops .

 

I have to reply to this because this sort of actually happened. A jet skier was hijacked by a car just outside my home (i didn't live in a rough area, in the country with an MP as a neighbour...long long story). The car and Jet ski were stolen and the driver was left by the road outside my home, with a strawberry field opposite dressed in his wet suit!!
He needed to borrow the phone...true story.

On Vettel...Whoops!

 

Interesting snippet
If F1 had a B tier, no Merc Ferrari or RB: