Tire strategy was the weak point for Alonso, do I have that right?

 

Ferrari does everything they can to give HAM/Merc a nice cushion and all they can gain is 6 points. WDC of course, WCC is dusted.

WTF just happened?

 

I'm thinking HAM/Merc qualifying pace was due to low fuel or something. They had to know Redbull's race pace was epic, especially after the first two practice sessions. It really howed today as HAM was passed handily by VER and a 10 sec gap at the finish.

 

Man it looked to me in that replay that Stroll drifted out a bit just as VET was driving by. I need to see it again doe, 1 view isn't enough.

 

Yeah and RB will be on it in Suzuka. Get Ferrari back up front and they can take a lot of points off Merc next week.

 

Unless Seb gets hit with a 5 place GB penalty

Weather could be nasty Fri/Sat

 

Wow. Started last and still beat the second Merc.

 

would have been nuts to have RAI up front backing things up for VET. we really lost out on a lot, same as last race but for different reasons

 

Stupid inanimate carbon rod pipe


Your graph doesn't show (well it can't be seen) that Waffle has jumped Fred in the standings...

 

oh yah the orange line does cross. i toyed with a log y-axis to spread those guys apart but what's the point

 

Oh I agree, I just wanted to point that interesting fact out. Also find it interesting that VAN was able to pull away from the Williams. 2 of the 3 sectors on the track should favor Williams. I'm not certain the Honda PU hasn't made some nice gains. Of course now that Honda are leaving McLaren there won't be any coverage of this or it will be said to be entirely the chassis (which BTW ALO with upgraded chassis got beat by VAN without said upgrade)

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/i...so-return.html

 

I think the McLaren chassis is just that good now. There was a big difference between Alonso and VAN when Alonso was running the new floor and VAN wasn't.

 

I'm not saying their chassis isn't good, and I actually think it's great. In FP2 they were almost matching RB in S2. I just think if the Honda PU were as bad as it was a month or so ago VAN wouldn't have stayed ahead of the Williams. Honda still have a lot of ground to make up, but I think they are making strides.

I loved how NBCSN just happen to do an in race chat with Boulliar right after Sainz went out with a PU failure lol.

 

Also want to add I def am going to miss the track. I hope the hints that Buxton was dropping at the end of the race prove to be true and that Liberty gets Sepang back. It is a great track and I really enjoyed that race. I think it was one of the better races of this season. Def worth getting up at 0300 for.

 

 

Max Verstappen has juan every race where Kvyat has been demoted.

 

Seb left two races he should've juan with just 12 pts.

In sum, he fuct.

Someone tell me if we've ever had 4x world champs on track together? I think 2018 might be the first. 93' don't count since Herr Schumacher was still 0x WDC then.

 

Assuming Lew does pull 2017 off, yes it should be. I see no other opportunities for it to have happened.

 

Red Bull chief to visit Honda HQ after Malaysia

 

Yummy!




Another nice shot. The detail paid to managing the air flow is amazing.

 

Honda is going up because it spent 3 years looking like total idiots at the bottom. Good luck Red Bull.

Also I think this was the first proper battle between VER and HAM. Brazil last year they were the class of the field but never shared the same parts of the track. VER has been giving ROS, VET, RAI and RIC **** for a couple years now. HAM's finally getting his chance.

 

Australia last year IIRC had Ham battling Ver.

They've def been at the same place on track & similar strategy before.

Ver is fast af.

That said, the Merc was a 5th place car today. To get second was lucky af.

 

true. HAM didn't put up much of a fight knowing he was down by 0.5-0.8sec/lap

 

Honda is making strides...the cars finished! and with the budget increase, things are actually looking pretty good for Toro Rosso at this stage. I'm curious if the Alonso curse is going to continue.

And he finally broke his tie with Maldonado. Only winning in Spain.

Agree wasn't really a battle. VER "I took extreme risk to get there" HAM "Meh, I'm paying attention to the championship."

 

my guess is that since HAM is out of fresh engines and other components having ferrari handicapped meant he could run at reduced power, give up 8 points, and save his engine to ensure doesn't have reliability issues later in the season (which could end up costing him a lot more than 8 points like Sepang last year or starts incuring grid penalties)

just finding it hard to believe red bull won at a horsepower track "on merit"

still, suzuka gonna be lit.