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Rumours from Spain and France are intensifying. Apparently Abiteboul informed his most experienced and long-running mechanics that the soon-to-be-announced Renault driver already worked with them. An announcement is expected to be issued on Wednesday
Yes, agreed. Having two races at the same circuit on successive weekends we need something to shake things up. Otherwise why bother with the Fri/Sat am setup sessions at all?
Time for the FIA and the circuit to make some rule changes as noted in the link https://www.autosport.com/f1/feature/10391/tim-wright-safety-cars-saved-a-boring-austrian-gp --Let's talk about track limits. In the UK, the rule is that you can have two wheels over the white line: any more than that and you will be penalised. In Austria, they have a white line, but there is also an area of red and white stripes that apparently you're allowed to use. It seems that this area is a ripple kerb, designed as such to discourage drivers spending too much time on them. In practice some teams, notably McLaren and Red Bull, found that they were breaking front wing components by using the red and white kerbs. In the race both Mercedes drivers were warned not to use them as they were in danger of breaking their gearboxes. There may well have been consequences for other teams as well, so why don't the stewards enforce a rule to say only two wheels are allowed? The laptimes may be slower, but isn't that better than having a depleted field?--
2015 (1 Mistake): GP: Mexico Session: Race Event: Touches Ricciardo at the start, closing the door. Vettel gets a puncture. After his tyre change, he spins in turn 7. Trying to claw back positions, outbreaks himself, then crashes - also in turn 7. After the race, Ricciardo will say Vettel deserved the puncture, as he left him no space at all. Result: DNF 2016 (2 Mistakes): GP: Malaysia Session: Race Event: Outbreaks himself in turn 1, crashes into Rosberg (sends him spinning). Retires on the spot with a broken front suspension. Result: DNF GP: Brazil Session: Race Event: Spins in the wet, thrashing the tyres as a result, and is thus forced to pit. Finishes behind Perez’s Force India. Result: P5, +26,3s 2017 (3 Mistakes): GP: Azerbaijan Session: Race Event: Intentionally hits Hamilton under safety car to intimidate him, earning a 10s stop and go penalty. Result: P4, +6s GP: Singapore Session: Race Event: Crash involving Raikkonen and Verstappen at the start. Vettel is the chief culprit, for trying to unnecessarily close the door in the middle of the straight, and with the position of the surrounding cars uncertain due to limited visibility. Vettel, Alonso, Verstappen, Raikkonen are all forced to retire. Result: DNF GP: Mexico Session: Race Event: Something between a racing incident and Vettel’s mistake. Vettel touches Verstappen, then hits Hamilton with considerable force, damaging his front wing (which is changed in the pits). While this is mainly a racing incident, it was surely avoidable for someone involved in a championship fight. Result: P4, +1.10m 2018 (7 Mistakes): GP: Azerbaijan Session: Race Event: Safety car restart, Vettel tries to outbrake Bottas, going deep and flatspotting tyres. Perez overtakes him as well the following lap. Result: P4, +5,3s GP: France Session: Race Event: Crashes into Bottas at the start, sending him into a spin and damaging both cars. Result: P5, + 1.01m GP: Austria Session: Q2 Event: Impeding Carlos Sainz in Q2 earns him a 3 spots penalty. Given the tiny margin from victory, he could’ve probably won the race, had he started from his original qualifying position. Result: P3, +3s GP: Germany Session: Race Event: Crashes while leading the race, under pressure from Hamilton, who was gaining several seconds per lap in the wet and then went on to win the race. In this race Vettel could’ve extended his championship lead, with Hamilton starting P14, but the end result was very different. Result: DNF GP: Italy Session: Race Event: Spins while trying to defend from Hamilton at Variante Della Roggia. With a cooler head, he could’ve passed Hamilton the following lap, using Ferrari’s superior top speed. Result: P4, +16,1s GP: Japan Session: Race Event: Tries to overtake Verstappen at Spoon, pushing both cars off the track. Vettel spins and has to wait for the whole group to go through before rejoining. Result: P6, +1.10m GP: USA Session: Race Event: Spins during a fight Ricciardo, while team mate Raikkonen wins the race. (Edited, as I was made aware there was contact in that occasion) Result: P4, +18,2s 2019 (4 Mistakes): GP: Bahrain Session: Race Event:Under pressure from Hamilton, spins while trying to defend, without contact. Tyres are flat spotted and vibrations cause his front wing to collapse, forcing him to pit. Meanwhile, team mate Charles Leclerc is in a commanding race lead, before his engine lets him down. Result: P5, +36s GP: Canada Session: Race Event: Under pressure from Hamilton, goes wide and cuts a corner, rejoining in a dangerous way and getting a 5s penalty. While he could’ve at least tried to keep pushing to get the 5s lead he needed to still win the race, spends the rest of the race screaming in the radio, ultimately handing Hamilton the win. Result: P2, +3,6s GP: Great Britain Session: Race Event: After an overtake from Verstappen, misses his braking point, hitting Ves hard and sending both cars into the gravel. Result: P16, +1L GP: Italy Session: Race Event: Spins on his own at the second apex of Variante Ascari, while chasing Bottas. Rejoins dangerously, hitting Stroll and making him spin. Breaks his front wing, and then gets a 10s stop and go penalty. Meanwhile, team mate Leclerc gets his second win in a row. Result: P13, +1L
Good news on the F1 website, the “new Hungary car” is coming to Spielberg https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.we-have-to-respond-immediately-ferrari-aiming-to-bring-big-update-to-austria.44WBmZABalMXfvWjy9Z3Wu.html
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing personal against Vettel. I don't know the man obviously, for all I know he's an amazing and beautiful person. Keep in mind all my criticism is purely based on his performance on track, outside the track he could be the best person in the world - I definitely don't know. Just fun ribbing and bar room banter from me.
