[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

and I think Ferrari took a step back

I don't know if Ferrari took a step back.
At one point LEC came very close to NOR.
So I think Ferrari also took a step, but not as big as the step McLaren took.
For sure I think both Ferrari as McLaren are now more close to RB than last year.

RB just now seems to have trouble getting the car into the 'zone' as Wolff once described it (having now very much experience with not getting cars into the zone )

Biggest disappointment this weekend was AMR I think.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

The McLaren tyre deg improved a lot by the McLaren 'Miami upgrades .

McLaren did a great job

2 or 3 laps more and Lando won the race today . MAX's tyres and battery were gone !
In the last lap the gap was 0.7 sec. !
That's why MAX said : This win wasn't easy today...

The new driver standings

Checo slides to third with NOR threatening so as you say Horner not happy at that and its down to Checo to get it together at Monaco next weekend like maybe a 1-2 for RBR to clear out the hard tire excuse.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I don't know if Ferrari took a step back.
At one point LEC came very close to NOR.
So I think Ferrari also took a step, but not as big as the step McLaren took.
For sure I think both Ferrari as McLaren are now more close to RB than last year.

RB just now seems to have trouble getting the car into the 'zone' as Wolff once described it (having now very much experience with not getting cars into the zone )

Maybe so re: Fer upgrades...

It seems like with RB, Mcl, and Fer, one driver had a good race and the other did not. Sai after all the hype after AUS has looked almost nonexistent in the last few races. I also think while he waits for a good seat, his results will only put more questions on him.
I think RB def need to get on top of their setup. It's crazy because in China they were 1-1.2 sec per lap ahead, and here on the M tire in the first stint about 3-4 tenths. I think you'll see some varying delta but pole and a win in a car that was slower all weekend is something only Max could pull off.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Checo slides to third with NOR threatening so as you say Horner not happy at that and its down to Checo to get it together at Monaco next weekend like maybe a 1-2 for RBR to clear out the hard tire excuse.

The last lap 0.7 sec. gap !

[Artemis]

Welcoming that McLaren showed very good pace today, more competitive.

I wouldn't have minded Norris winning a second race in a row. He only needed 1 or 2 more laps.

• F1 Bahrain 2021 (highlights here):
  Hamilton managed to stay ahead of Verstappen: 0.745s at the chequered flag; 1 or 2 more laps and Verstappen would have very likely gotten the race win.
  "Wouldn't mind some more races like that! 23 races to come in 2021. This is a time to look back and then look ahead for what will be a brilliant, we hope, season in 2021 for Formula 1."
• F1 Imola 2024:
  Verstappen managed to stay ahead of Norris: 0.725s at the chequered flag; 1 or 2 more laps and Norris would have very likely gotten the race win.

[M5Rick]

''Just one more lap'' says the nearly man again here but lets look at quali again and how MAX always had the upper hand, Lando had his chance in quali as well as the race and gave it all to no avail.
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/he...13755778364198

[OG Shark]

Well that was fun (finally)! Awesome watching a driver on the very ragged edge trying to make it happen like Norris was! Hopefully these last two races mean game on for the rest of the season. Not convinced yet as I feel like it was more RBR being out of their typical form than McLaren making a jump. Not saying MCL didn't make a jump - just that I don't think they closed the gap as much as it appears and a lot can be attributed to RBR not being at their peak. But RBR could also very much be slowing their progression down as well too so who knows and hopefully means lots of fun racing upcoming. If RBR has to start sacrificing some of their tire wear advantage to maintain a pace lead this could be very interesting!

We saw our first difficult race situation of the season for PER this weekend and it went a lot like last year. Looks like RBR really had to ramp the car up towards Max's preference over the weekend to find the pace they needed. Like last year in the difficult situations it appears to push the car past the reasonable limit of PER's talent. It's a tough track to nail a perfect lap in qualy - and combined with a tough car to drive he just can't get that pace out of it like VER can. Saw it in Q2 - the car is just more than what he can handle at times. He is immensely talented just tough position in the 2nd seat behind one of the GOATs in the making. Hope this doesn't get in his head like it did last year and he spirals a bit again.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by OG Shark

Well that was fun (finally)! Awesome watching a driver on the very ragged edge trying to make it happen like Norris was! Hopefully these last two races mean game on for the rest of the season. Not convinced yet as I feel like it was more RBR being out of their typical form than McLaren making a jump. Not saying MCL didn't make a jump - just that I don't think they closed the gap as much as it appears and a lot can be attributed to RBR not being at their peak. But RBR could also very much be slowing their progression down as well too so who knows and hopefully means lots of fun racing upcoming. If RBR has to start sacrificing some of their tire wear advantage to maintain a pace lead this could be very interesting!

We saw our first difficult race situation of the season for PER this weekend and it went a lot like last year. Looks like RBR really had to ramp the car up towards Max's preference over the weekend to find the pace they needed. Like last year in the difficult situations it appears to push the car past the reasonable limit of PER's talent. It's a tough track to nail a perfect lap in qualy - and combined with a tough car to drive he just can't get that pace out of it like VER can. Saw it in Q2 - the car is just more than what he can handle at times. He is immensely talented just tough position in the 2nd seat behind one of the GOATs in the making. Hope this doesn't get in his head like it did last year and he spirals a bit again.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I think this is more RBR not at peak performance bringing down their pace rather than Mcl actually that close to them. If we look back at the last race RBR was at their peak (and still holding back pace) they were about a second or more per lap faster than Mcl. And, it's moments like these where the driver makes the difference and in those last 5 or so laps today, you saw Max in a car that had no grip, and was slower than the Mcl, yet it was Nor pushing beyond his limits (which are lower than Max's) and not really getting it done. Max was able to push out the gap when and where he needed it.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Welcoming that McLaren showed very good pace today, more competitive.

I wouldn't have minded Norris winning a second race in a row. He only needed 1 or 2 more laps.

• F1 Bahrain 2021 (highlights here):
  Hamilton managed to stay ahead of Verstappen: 0.745s at the chequered flag; 1 or 2 more laps and Verstappen would have very likely gotten the race win.
  "Wouldn't mind some more races like that! 23 races to come in 2021. This is a time to look back and then look ahead for what will be a brilliant, we hope, season in 2021 for Formula 1."
• F1 Imola 2024:
  Verstappen managed to stay ahead of Norris: 0.725s at the chequered flag; 1 or 2 more laps and Norris would have very likely gotten the race win.

Attachment 3460941

I recall that race Ham should have also gotten a penalty for going off track too many times - overlooked by the stewards.

Sure, you could caveat (just as we could caveat Mia and say no way Nor wins with about engine turned down, damage, and SC) and say one or two more laps, but who knows if the older tires on Nor's car would have lasted as he was complaining and they were losing it at the end. What we saw was Nor pushing and really only losing time with small mistakes as the pressure built.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

I think you hit the nail on the head here. I think this is more RBR not at peak performance bringing down their pace rather than Mcl actually that close to them. If we look back at the last race RBR was at their peak (and still holding back pace) they were about a second or more per lap faster than Mcl. And, it's moments like these where the driver makes the difference and in those last 5 or so laps today, you saw Max in a car that had no grip, and was slower than the Mcl, yet it was Nor pushing beyond his limits (which are lower than Max's) and not really getting it done. Max was able to push out the gap when and where he needed it.

Yes , the RB20 has still setup issues..

Marko after the race : We had to change MAX's setup in the QF to get more temp. and grip in the softs.
This setup didn't worked for MAX with the hards in the race , and that's why MAX didn't had grip with the hards.
Only MAX can win a race with a lack of grip ..

[Killed by Death]

So much for Ferrari's big upgrade package

#1 Red Bull
#2 McLaren
#3 Ferrari

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yes , the RB20 has still setup issues..

Marko after the race : We had to change MAX's setup in the QF to get more temp. and grip in the softs.
This setup didn't worked for MAX with the hards in the race , and that's why MAX didn't had grip with the hards.
Only MAX can win a race with a lack of grip ..

How is it looking for Monaco for MAX, I guess the softs and max deflection wings should be more stress free for him and Checo there..

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

So much for Ferrari's big upgrade package

#1 Red Bull
#2 McLaren
#3 Ferrari

Charlie got a new Ferrari PU ,Turbo ,floor, rear suspension, diffuser.
And the Red Bull sidepods ..

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Charlie got a new Ferrari PU ,Turbo ,floor, rear suspension, diffuser.
And the Red Bull sidepods ..

So RBR spent a few £ only on sidepod edge frizz lol, Ferrari are lacking something there after spending a huge chunk of budget on that huge lot of upgrades.
If they would keep Carlos on he could well advise them more on tech but why should he now, his dad 'The Matador' is an expert at setting up the Paris-Dakar buggies and the rally cars of before.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

So RBR spent a few £ only on sidepod edge frizz lol, Ferrari are lacking something there after spending a huge chunk of budget on that huge lot of upgrades.
If they would keep Carlos on he could well advise them more on tech but why should he now, his dad 'The Matador' is an expert at setting up the Paris-Dakar buggies and the rally cars of before.

Pic of the day !

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Charlie got a new Ferrari PU ,Turbo ,floor, rear suspension, diffuser.
And the Red Bull sidepods ..

Told ya Ferrari's PU doesn't have enough grunt. Also still need to switch up suspension to match RB.

[Artemis]

During the Imola race of today, Verstappen received a B&W flag because of 3 track limits violations during the first 30 minutes of the race. So Verstappen had to ensure respecting track limits for the rest of the race (almost an hour) in order to avoid a time penalty that could have cost him the race victory.

Reported track limits violations today: Verstappen, Perez, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Norris and Bottas.

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

I recall that race Ham should have also gotten a penalty for going off track too many times - overlooked by the stewards.

29 times gaining an advantage at Turn 4 during that F1 Bahrain 2021 race: improved exit speed - improved lap time (explanation: here):

No complaints from the Hamilton/Mercedes fanbase about race director Michael Masi back then.



Post-race, Michael Masi was referring to Hamilton with his phrase "pretty much every car, bar one, was doing the right thing within what we expected in a general sequence":

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Pic of the day !

Lando won the DOTD having the many younger fans voting for him whatever happens , MAX keeps winning though..strange world.

[M5Rick]

Extended highlights of the Imola race showing the main things.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Told ya Ferrari's PU doesn't have enough grunt. Also still need to switch up suspension to match RB.

Currently the McLaren is the best car of the grid .

[Rcasa20]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Lando won the DOTD having the many younger fans voting for him whatever happens , MAX keeps winning though..strange world.

What exactly do they get for DOTD or is that just a TV thing?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Rcasa20

What exactly do they get for DOTD or is that just a TV thing?

Eternal glory.

Driver Of The Day was introduced in 2016.

First time a driver got both the race win and DOTD: Spain 2016 GP.

Only once no DOTD was awarded: the Belgian 2021 GP plagued by rainstorms.

Ranking 2016 till today: