FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX...2021...RACE...... ▄▀▄▀▄▀ SPOILERS ▀▄▀▄▀▄

This may need to become its own thread, and I apologize if it was already covered here, but given Botas’ performance today and Russel at one point threatening to pass Botas, does Mercedes have to make the driver switch now? Especially given Perez’s ability to gel with the Red Bull team, and the larger gap in constructors points?

 

Kind of agree with you. Much as I prefer politically incorrect behaviour (ie Kimi refusing to speak during the “We race as one” eye-roller), besmirching the ONLY tire supplier seems counterproductive when you might need their assistance during an attempt to capture your first WDC. Can’t imagine Le Lightning saying something negative under similar circumstances, he’s a little too savvy to let an outburst ruin his chances.

 

Summer the contracts will be decided for LH and Bottas and most likely others as the press keeps saying. Bottas was hardly the problem today. HIs package was different than LH all weekend and he had no advantage in pace ever, and was used to tow LH as the agreement in the team was LH had choice of when to go out for qualy.

Russell will face the same things. HIs one race is not at all a certain performance with Mercedes. Given his accident cost 1.5mil$ with Bottas he needs another year at Williams LOL. LH will have much to say about this team mate. If LH signs a 2 year deal then Bottas stays for 1 and then George moves up for the last year with LH to gain experience in the team and with the new cars. Given how little Mercedes are in terms of consistency with this new car for just this year, George wont be solving very technical issues with the set up this car is showing them. They do not , Mercedes, seem to understand it well yet.

The RedBull is well sorted. 2 or 3 more bad weekends, no matter which RedBull driver wins and Mercedes will be very on the back-foot and almost out of the title hunt. They seem weaker not stronger.

 

Let Pirelli investigate is Max' concern. Not be in the press. For all his talk of my driving does the talking, he opens his mouth anyway about things HE CANNOT CONTROL LOL. Shut up, drive and win. Thats the job. Let his so called Management look silly.

 

Michelin had many failures? Apart from Indy one year, I don't recall others. Bridgestone was OK.

It's Bernie who wanted to make the races more exciting and asked for tyres with high degradation, to keep compulsory pit stops.

Pirelli had some spectacular series of failure at some tracks, like Silverstone. It's easy to blame carbon fiber debris to pass the buck...

 

Yep the Pirelli tyres have proved to be far too fragile on too many occasions.

 

Amazing photos! What a strong machine the Can is. Confidence inspiring.

 

You have to consider their respective contracts. Breaking Bottas' contract could cost Mercedes a lot.

Also, there is no certainly that Williams would accept the swap.

 

I think it would be best if the media didn't entice people to say something in the heat of the moment.

They love to do that, and obtain emotional outbursts in time of stress, which they take great delight to print or broadcast.

The relation between Sport and media, it's another thorny subject for me !

 

Hilarious that the "greatest driver of all time" turns into Vettel-in-a-Ferrari the minute he doesn't have a dominant car. The team really should have berated him on the radio.

 

Pirelli Formula 1 boss Mario Isola believes that the left rear tyre failures experienced by Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll in the Azerbaijan GP could have been caused by debris.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/pirelli-believes-baku-tyre-blowouts-caused-by-debris/6541845/

Stroll and Verstappen both suffered huge accidents on the straight after experiencing what appeared to be similar failures while running Pirelli's C3 tyre, which was the hard compound in Baku.

Isola said a cut found on the left rear that came off Lewis Hamilton's car after the red flag indicated that a similar issue may have affected the other drivers, but in the world champion's case it had not compromised the construction.


Isola said that sudden deflations can often point to punctures caused by debris, as a structural failure would give more advanced warning.


However, Isola stressed that Pirelli hasn't ruled out anything yet, and that an investigation is already under way.

"Obviously we need to make an investigation, that is clear," Isola told Autosport. "What I have collected so far are just preliminary indications. It was sudden deflation both for Lance and for Max, without any warning.

"It was on the rear left tyre, that is not the most stressed here, because it's the rear right. And the other point if we talk about wear, the most worn tyre is the front right. So it is not a matter of wear.

"Another element that is important is that we found on the rear left tyre of Lewis Hamilton, another cut, quite a big one. This was at the red flag, so in the same stint where Max crashed.

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"The cars came, they dismounted the tyres to fit a new set, we checked the used tyres, and we found a cut on the rear left.

"Luckily, this cut was not cutting the construction. And that's why he didn't lose pressure. So we have evidence of another tyre with a cut.

"The other tyres that have been used during the same thing for 30, 32, 33 laps are not showing any evidence of a potential problem. This is what I know at the moment.

"The other step is that obviously we are air freighting the tyres to Milan tomorrow to analyse them as soon as possible. And find the real motivation that can be debris, or can be anything else."

Isola said he understood why Verstappen, Stroll and other drivers had expressed obvious concerns about the failures.

"It is almost impossible to design a tyre that is able to resist to any type of debris, if it is debris. If it is not debris, we have to consider our counter actions.

"But I fully understand that drivers crashing at that speed are worried, that is clear. I'm worried aware as well.

 

Is this the first race you've watched this year? The Merc has not been dominant and Lewis has more wins than Max.

 

Oh please . . .

 

Lance impact was more powerful yes?? FIA does get the standards strong.

 

That's indeed pretty much the case, Lewis (Mercedes) was (were) pretty untouchable these past 7 years.

The majority of those races Mercedes just went off into the distance. Up front, in free air nothing could touch them.

This year however things are looking a bit different.

 

Elton Hamdashian has never been naturally more mentally strong then Sebastian Vettel. He has simply had the best emotional support. That’s where Ferrari failed Sebastian and themselves.

 

True possibly but Seb carries own baggage of over emotional reaction blocking a better action in many cases. It is not all Ferrari.

 

I know some of you are excited that Hamilton is not leading the championship. But don't embarrass yourselves by making comments like this.

 

Seb seems really impacted by his spirits as a driver. I thought he was done. His last 2 races Some talent is still there


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The talent is still there, but I have doubts about his motivation.

 

No matter what is said, it’ll never ever get as embarrassing as this...

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