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Post by pistnbroke on Apr 19, 2015 20:15:49 GMT
A race colin Chapman would of been proud of with The Merc's and Ricciardo limpin across the line.
I fell asleep so missed half the race. How did Vettel end up behind Bottas?
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Post by racechick on Apr 19, 2015 21:20:37 GMT
Went off, damaged his car and had to change his nose.
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Post by Wß on Apr 19, 2015 21:53:37 GMT
Bahrain delivers again, who'd have thunk it. Couple of observations though.
1) Vettel is a fast driver and an excellent qualifier (last year excluded) but he is a lousy racer, with an inability to more often than not suffer when he needs to overtake and more often than not chocking when he's under clear pressure from behind. He's done a lot of this in the past and it's his Achilles heel for sure, the feeble attempts at overtaking Bottas were painful to watch.
2) Ferrari are close but not close enough and their hope will be to continue to split their strategy hoping to force Mercedes into an error. Today's result was an example of just that. Kimi's position was a tire strategy gamble that paid off but it was never clear until Rosberg's brake issue that it would. So I think that we're going to see over and over again the same from Ferrari. In the end all the talk about better tire management, better strategy better "passion" whatever, it's no substitute for talent and a fast car. Ferrari are second best and in a way I like it like that. It's the most painful position to find yourself in.
3) McLaren is not as close as Alonso's 11th place would indicate. Both Toro Rosso DNF'd and Sauber struggled but they are still ahead IMO. I keep saying that Monaco is going to be the first place for McLaren to score because it's not a power dependent circuit, it is easy to defend a place and McLaren are actually pretty good handling wise so I think Monaco will flatter them.
4) Maldonado should not be in the sport next year. He's simply all over the place, just a cringe worthy performance today from him.
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Post by racechick on Apr 19, 2015 22:13:51 GMT
Maldonado made us laugh. Because we new something would happen. Vettel was indeed scrappy today. Rosberg comfortably outdrove him , as did Kimi. Although Rosberg was only third today , I think he did well. He showed he was prepared to fight it and he did three good overtakes. And despite being third he wasn't grumpy, because he wasn't defensive , because he knows he drove well. The grumpy crap the race before was because he knew he hadn't Done so well. But today. Nice one Nico!
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Post by pistnbroke on Apr 19, 2015 23:01:01 GMT
Agreed Nico showed he has some fire in his belly. Something that has been missing so far this year.
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Post by Hammer on Apr 20, 2015 5:56:38 GMT
Would he try those do or die overtakes on his teammate though? I doubt it. Not only because it's his teammate, but I have this feeling that Nico has a slight inferiority complex now when compared to Lewis in anyway and its showing in his driving. The fire comes out when he's racing anyone else but his teammate.
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Post by LRW on Apr 20, 2015 8:03:49 GMT
Very rarely do I get to watch the races live these days - So I rate the race on if I fast forward any part of it. And this race I only fast forwarded one lap - and that was the last lap! My heart couldn't even last one lap to see if Lewis' brakes held out.
It was a great race!
Rosberg - At long last we actually saw some fire in the belly of Nico. It wasn't the opponent we wanted to see him tussle with - but it was there none the less. Lets hope he still has it next time he comes up against Lewis.
Vettel showed his true worth as a racer yesterday (or lack of) - he doesn't have the skills in wheel to wheel combat. Too many mistakes, too much time off track - and too much time behind Bottas. The guy is a 4xWDC in the second fastest car on the grid, and he just sat behind him like a lame duck for 20 laps. I don't even remember an attempt at an overtake?
Lewis - again, just controlled the race, and the gap at the front - didn't really seem to be pushed too much. (I'll be honest though - I hope this isnt going to be his default position for the rest of the season. Yes - it'll win him the WDC - but I'd rather see 15 more wheel to wheel races and Lewis NOT win the WDC, than Lewis 'do a Vettel' and win the thing with half a season to go - because thats just a meaningless WDC imo).
Kimi - Still a douche.
Merc - Some old brake gremlins combing back - lets hope they get ontop of them before Canada... At least Lewis has a whole race win in the bag, in-case he gets a DNF...
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Post by Frontrunner on Apr 20, 2015 8:08:37 GMT
Another bloody Renault engine goes up in smoke and Dan Ricc has blown 3 out of his 4 ICE after just 4 rounds. At this rate he will be getting grid penalties by Monaco, Totally ruining this season for me personally. Serouisly Renault should just quit the sport now and stop embarrassing themselves, They are a complete and utter facking joke of a engine Manufacturer. Pathetic!
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Post by racechick on Apr 20, 2015 8:30:16 GMT
Frontrunner, you sound a tad pissed off. I can understand it, I would be if Lewis' engines kept popping. Renault do need to get their act together, but, I Don't think all the woes of that team can be laid at Renault's door. Red Bull have rushed Renault with the engine and asked them to do things they didn't want to do ( I think) also the car itself isn't great this year engine aside. LRW! That last lap!!!! Jesus! The poor guy next to me in the cinema! Mind you, he was as bad. When Nico was off, I screached "He's off! ". "Who?" the guy said, "Which one, which Merc is off?" In increasingly panicked tones. Then we heard brake by wire problems for Lewis and spent the last bit of the race peeping through fingers and muttering things like " OMYGOD, omygod, what's happenning, how much longer, I can't look. " LRW, wash your mouth out!! You'd rather see 15 wheel to wheel races and Lewis not win!!!! Come on, if there were fifteen wheel to wheel races Lewis would definately win!!
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Post by LRW on Apr 20, 2015 8:48:49 GMT
LRW, wash your mouth out!! You'd rather see 15 wheel to wheel races and Lewis not win!!!! Come on, if there were fifteen wheel to wheel races Lewis would definately win!! Hmmm - ok, you've got a point there. But the theroy still stands - Id rather see Hamilton fight for a WDC and lose, than him cruise to victory with no effort. Thats just not what I watch F1 for.
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Post by Wß on Apr 20, 2015 10:37:38 GMT
Frontrunner, I only partly agree with you. I know Renault screwed up, that's clear. Apparently though they went in a route that was not Renaults choice because of pressure from Red Bull. The inherent nature of the cylinder issues requiring a redesing now won't come for quite a bit. At least it can be fixed on the reliability reason clause without the need of tokens.
I do also think that Renault bears an equal part of the blame. Similarly to the fragile Pirelli tire issue a couple of years back, you have to take responsibility for your design and what you put out there when your logo is on it. No one else.
Whatever the issue, 3 out of 4 Renault engines "blewed up good" yesterday.
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Post by CookinFlat6 on Apr 20, 2015 10:57:55 GMT
Another bloody Renault engine goes up in smoke and Dan Ricc has blown 3 out of his 4 ICE after just 4 rounds. At this rate he will be getting grid penalties by Monaco, Totally ruining this season for me personally. Serouisly Renault should just quit the sport now and stop embarrassing themselves, They are a complete and utter facking joke of a engine Manufacturer. Pathetic! Lets not forget that Renault have always been honest about their F1 budget. They did not want the freeze lifted unless RBR funded the extra costs. They agreed to RBr interfering with the engine design, hiring their own people, ordering them to work with Illien etc. When the engine freeze was removed, we all said that one of the results could be an engine maker holding on to tokens for a late season big update at the cost of early season peformance. Another possible strategy was to have 4 updates for the 4 engines thru the year. If Renault and RBR (RBR have to take some share of executive decisions) called the wrong strategy - to use the least tokens at the start of the season then unless they are reliable then the chances are that they would need to bring out the new spec before its time - which is exactly what has happened If we could see this then theres no sympathy for RBR, the clue is in how Renault are almost gleefully doing the 'told you so' routine If Lotus could see the writing on the wall and swap engine maker then so could anyone else - so lets not spare a moment of worry for these proven cheats and liars Its tough cheese on Danny Ricc for sure but thats F1, Alonso would not be weeping for him in sympathy
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Post by Wß on Apr 20, 2015 11:01:16 GMT
They certainly weren't screaming when the Renault engine was one of the primary reasons they could deliver a blown diffuser second to none.
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Post by LRW on Apr 20, 2015 12:40:48 GMT
I was particularly enjoying the sparking this weekend....
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Post by RyRy on Apr 20, 2015 13:28:08 GMT
The sparking from the titanium skid blocks looked awesome, we should see even more of it at Singapore.
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Post by Wß on Apr 20, 2015 13:32:42 GMT
I must be the odd man out here, I think it looks completely contrived. Oh look it's sparkly. No one in their right mind would have said, I think I know what's wrong with F1, there's not enough sparks.
Can't wait for the comments from the TV talking heads the firth time the sparks are blamed for causing a car to catch fire.
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Post by Hammer on Apr 20, 2015 14:01:28 GMT
I think it adds a bit to the spectacle! Certainly doesn't hurt it.
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Post by racechick on Apr 20, 2015 14:29:26 GMT
I like them I must say. Made them look more fighty.
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Post by LRW on Apr 20, 2015 14:52:11 GMT
Yeah - Wß is just a party pooper grumpy old man.
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Post by Wß on Apr 20, 2015 14:58:01 GMT
Yeah - Wß is just a party pooper grumpy old man. I'd see it as more attuned to quality over quantity and substance over flash.
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