2021 F1 and bikes discussion thread: Mexico, Brazil, Qatar

The past few GP’s have been great. F1 is delivering this season; at the front, the midfield and off the race track too!

I think the drive from Hamilton in Brazil was special. One only needs to see how Bottas and sometimes Perez both get mired in a midfield train of cars, unable to overtake. Hamilton and Verstappen don’t have that issue. As for the turn four incident, I agree with Ed, there is too much analysis these days. But I think it’s the FIA’s fault, for handing out penalties for pretty trivial stuff, but inconsistently. And stuff like “forcing a car off the track” isn’t helpful, it’s never been defined, seemingly up to the random stewards to decide each weekend. Too many precedents not followed.

I didn’t have an issue with Verstappen’s move. Hamilton knew what was coming, that’s why he didn’t try and swipe across Verstappen’s nose despite the over-speed from DRS, and Hamilton knew he wouldn’t have made it out of the corner pointing in the right direction. What I take issue with, actually for the past two years, are the penalties for Norris and Hamilton at Spielberg. Both drivers were at the limit of grip themselves, neither driver opened the steering, if you want to pass around the outside, it’s a risk, and the pursuing driver knows that. We keep hearing that the outcome of incidents don’t affect the decisions, maybe I’m mistaken, but I struggle to entirely believe that. So if Perez hadn’t lost all of those positions in Spielberg, would there have been a penalty? I’m doubtful. 

The vague statement was issued by the FIA doesn’t help, “let them race”. Bit rich, considering the level of penalties for quite minor incidents. I think there have been some improvements; the five or ten second penalties are preferable to drive-through penalties. Destroying someone’s race isn’t great for the show.

Unless it’s for something like Grosjean at Spa, I would end all penalties for supposed driving incidents. Nobody is trying to crash intentionally, the penalties that the FIA dish out are inconsistent, and create absurd over-analysis with team principals dialling up Masi to get someone penalised. It’s a never-ending problem.

Christian Horner does seem to have lost his marbles a tad. The claim about Mercedes’ straightline speed isn’t entirely backed up by evidence. He claims that since Hungary, they have noticed a significant increase in Merc’s top speed. At Austin the difference was 8 kp/h in the speed trap. Red Bull has historically run a draggy car, which obviously costs them on the straights. At Qatar, he was just talking nonsense. The reason why the Mercedes had a minimal top speed advantage is because the circuit layout was about downforce, not top speed, and obviously impacted the rear wing that Mercedes decided to use. Horner knows that, I suppose this is part of the fun and games that the big teams will play.

One area the FIA should hold firm on is policing of yellow flags. Far from being a rogue marshal, a double-waved yellow was entirely justified. Gasly was limping along the pit straight with debris flying off, Verstappen simply got caught out - as Bottas and Sainz did. Practically all drivers have been caught out by similar infringements over the years. What other marshal wouldn’t have waved a double-yellow flag in that situation? Red Bull didn’t help Verstappen in that respect, they almost fed Max’s belief that he did nothing wrong. The officiating of the circuit needs to be respected, and it won’t always advantage everybody, and neither should it.

There is tribalism between both groups of fans; Verstappen and Hamilton. But it does appear that Verstappen has got god-like status with many, where even the slightest criticism is met with a torrent of abuse on social media. You only need to look at Tiff Needell’s Twitter to see it, when he isn’t even criticising Max. Verstappen is unbelievably good, like Hamilton, from the first day he showed up, you knew he was special. Verstappen hates to lose in wheel-to-wheel combat; he has an uncompromising style that has become his trademark. However at Silverstone, I feel he simply got out-raced by Hamilton’s late dummy into Copse. The consequences were huge, but I think it won’t be last time he gets biffed off. If someone else goes up against Max V, they have to wise up and race him like he races others.