2017 FORMULA 1 PIRELLI BELGIAN GRAND PRIX: RACE *** SPOILERS ***

LOL

 

Mansell about sums it up doesn't it!

I switched TV off after he crossed the line. First time I didn't watch podiums in a long time...

indeed.

It was getting too much to remember!

 

He was just f*****g with Seb's head.

 

yup....did you see Vettels face after he said that......a bewildered look.

 

Keep dreaming!

Mercedes do not want to upset Lewis, which is exactly what would happen if they chose Max over Bottas to partner him!

Bottas is very similar to Kimi at Ferrari. He can run his team mate close on a good day, but over the course of a season, he will naturally be the number 2 driver without the team having to step in. That situation works nicely for both Mercedes and Ferrari, saving both teams a lot of headaches!

Red Bull have an air-tight contract with Max for both 2018 & 2019, and as a company, they can easily afford to tell both Mercedes and Ferrari to go swivel, when it comes to snatching Max away from them early.

Max could break his Red Bull contract? - A court of Law would enforce the contract and stop him driving for any other team, and Red bull would happily leave him sat on his arse for two seasons just to prove a point!

Yes Max is the future, and he's come to the attention of both Mercedes and Ferrari.

Max to Mercedes? - There's no guarantee of that happening, especially if Ferrari come out with the better car in 2018 &2019. Should that happen, then Max will make an immediate B-line for the Scuderia.

The major hitch in that plan could be Charles Leclerc. Should he get a 2018 F1 drive with Sauber and do as well as he has done in Formula 2, then Ferrari may well ditch any idea of getting Max and concentrate on Leclerc instead.

So, Max to partner Hamilton at Mercedes in 2018? - Yeah, and I'll be in the second Ferrari alongside Seb!

 

Totally

It looked to me like he was toying with Seb all race long: just keeping him close but not close enough for DRS

 

If Mercedes does not lock him up he ends up at Ferrari, that is negligence on Toto and Niki if they allow that to happen if Mercedes is truly staying in F1 like they say. If Lewis is as great as he says he is than he should not have a problem with Max joining the team, but Toto and Niki know he is not and need to plan for the future. Senna had an airtight contract with Toleman, Schumacher had an airtight contract with Jordan, Alonso had an airtight contract with McLaren in 2007, Horner always said Seb would never leave Red Bull, Luca was always going to run Ferrari after saving them from bankruptcy and F1 failure. F1 is a cruel tough business where contracts are broken frequently, it is called the piranha club for a reason. It is time for Mercedes to look forward or suffer the consequences.

 

+1

I thought that whilst watching the race.

Hamilton gave me the impression he was playing with Vettel, and could pull away at any time, but in still he kept him hoping all race long.

 

2 ways to look at it

Perez is obstructive and doesn't want to let his team mate through.

or

Ocon try to go through gaps that don't exist.


The incident in the first lap reminded me of the accident that cost Stephan Bellof's likfe; he tried to pass Jacky Ickx at the same place in similar circumstances.

 

Nope, both Vettel and Hamilton were pushing hard. Hamilton even said the last 10 laps was like qualifying for him. Both drivers did an amazing job today. I think Mercedes is still a little better on the high speed tracks. Ferrar definitely improved from Silverstone.

 

With all the talk of Max having reliability issues with 6 DNFs, Ric has the same car and only had 3 DNFs. The same situation for Alonso and VanD. Are Ric and VanD easier on the car?

 

Perez already said he was "protecting his line" -- aka he moved over.


Seems to me there's no need to protect a line that isn't there....

 

I'd say Max , Alonso and LH have never heard of mechanical sympathy ......... as Jack Brabham use to say "to finish first, first you have to finish"

You thrash your car to within an inch of it's life and some cars can take it and some can't

 

Not much to talk about. Hamilton dominated.

On to Monza and hope, there is some kind of home-track advantage.

 

+1

 

I think Mercedes is better and has the stronger engine, Ferrari is better on tighter circuits. Hamilton and Vettel drove to level of their cars capability, Bottas and Kimi under performed, nothing more, nothing less.

 

F A T C H A N C E

Mercs do better on high speed tracks like Silverstone and Monza.

Watch for Hamilton to be leading the WDC after next weeks race.

At the beginning of the season I predicted Ferrari would win 7 races. After today, I'm beginning to think I was overly optimistic.

 

Were you saying the same when Ferrari had the opportunity to sign Max for the future and replace a tired Kimi? How about Leclerec or Hulkenberg for the 2nd Ferrari seat?
If Ferrari is convinced that Kimi still has the speed why not give him a 2 or 3 year contract?

In my opinion, Lewis should pull a page out of Seb's/Michael's book and put a Bottas clause in his new contract. Why disrupt the team harmony and have a fast young gun as a teammate? He would just be stealing poles/wins and making any WDC challenge against Ferrari/Redbull even harder.
Do you really think Lewis has something to prove to people like you?
He will never convince people like you. If he were to beat Max at Mercedes you would say that Max needs more time to settle into the team or that
Mercedes is favoring Lewis. Lewis could win a championship in a Williams against Max and you would still be in denial. It never ends.
He has nothing to prove at this stage of his career and should be looking at his own interests. How many more poles, wins, championships would he
have today if he had slower teammates and clear #1 status at Mclaren and Mercedes like Michael and Seb?

Lewis went against WC Alonso (one of the best ever) in his rookie year and beat him
Went against WC Button and beat him 2:1
Went against WC Rosberg and beat him 3:1

One Rosberg has accomplished more in F1 than all of Michael's teammates COMBINED and the same for Seb's teammates.

But according to you, Lewis isn't good enough. He is just an average driver in a very fast car.

 

Ferrari just need 20 extra hp

 

Nope he is a great driver in the most dominant team in the history of F1 (not his fault) for the last 4 years, he is not Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Clark or Fangio, sorry, he is more like Mansell.

The situation with Max and Red Bull was salvageable until today, Ferrari could not have got him until today. If they can get him because Mercedes makes a huge mistake and do not take him now, they have to get rid of Kimi next year and take him. A talent like Max does not come around often, he is the next Hamilton or Vettel, only younger and more marketable.

Correcting your stats:

Button outscored Lewis while they were teammates (and until then many said Button only won his WDC because of the blown diffuser) and he tied Alonso in points the one year they were teammates and that was the same year McLaren was in trouble and lost $100 million because of Alonso.

Sorry I am just not a fanboy of any of the drivers, just have been following F1 since 1974.

 

Mercedes always seem to be able to find 20 extra HP when they need it.

 

Looks to me like Ferrari were running a little bit too much downforce on Vettels car,which gives you more drag down those long straights.

If Max was in that Ferrari does anyone believe he would just sit there following Lewis for so many laps? No way.

Vettel did not want to take any risks.

 

Ferrari will see today as a good result, maybe not the one they wanted, but still a good result. On the evidence of previous fast tracks, ferrari would be reasonably distant third and fourth This race, they were right on the pace, able to lap as well, and sometimes better, than. Mercedes. Qualifying was the difference. Polesitter was the winner, and would have been whichever of the four had been there (aside from any tactics that might have switched Seb/Kimi or Elton/bottles).

Ferrari will be the happiest, their car development has gone the exact right way, and with the new package, hopefully giving them extra, maybe now a true challenge for the championships is on, whereas before the break, the reality was that it was an optimistic challenge at best

 

I think Max would've taken Elton on the restart into the Busstop, round the outside on the first bit then force him wide upon exit. But it's risky.

Vettel took max points available today, next week will be even tougher.

+1 After Monza it should swing our way again...Especially singapore (though Red Bull could surprise there). We need Sepang also really.

 

Belgian GP: Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari have best 2017 car | F1 News

Bahahahahaha. What a deluded ****ing idiot. Ooh and how his fans will eat this **** up!