FORMULA 1 VTB RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX 2021 - Sochi...RACE...▄▀▄▀▄▀ SPOILERS▄▀▄▀▄▀

FIA changed rules based on Safety grounds. First victim claimed. RBR previously the safest pit crew.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

He practiced it on the warm up lap. Brilliant, avoid the carnage on Lap 1 and gain position.

 

Recently, new rules around pit stops were introduced by the FIA, but the problem was not related to that, according to Horner. "It wasn't because of that technical directive. There was a slight delay in the wheel coming off and the clutch was released when it was in place. So that exacerbated the problem, that's what cost Sergio his race." The pit stop ended up taking almost nine seconds.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/95130/horner-on-perez-s-failed-pit-stop-wasn-t-because-of-that-technical-directive.html

 

In the f2 race it became painfully obvious how much an advantage can be had. Last year the bollards where tighter together, making going wide slower.

 

Shame.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I don't understand how he got away with it. I watched the race and thought for sure he would give the places back or get penalized. It didn't happen.

 

It's OK, by Alonso's standards this doesn't even come close to "cheating". We're talking about the Crashgate champion after all.

 

Mercedes so bad in traffic. The real test for new cars next season - Traffic and dirty air situation!

Why Bottas faced impossible task to come through field in Sochi
By: Adam Cooper
Sep 29, 2021, 6:05 AM
The Mercedes Formula 1 team says that cooler conditions on race day in Russia made it harder for Valtteri Bottas to come through the field after taking a grid penalty.

Bottas took a new power unit for Sunday’s race, and moved back to 16th on the grid, ahead only of other drivers who had taken penalties – including Max Verstappen in 20th.

While the change was necessary after the Finn suffered an issue with his newest engine on Friday, it also opened up a tactical opportunity for him to cover and possible compromise Verstappen’s expected progress through the field.

However Bottas was overtaken by Verstappen after just six laps. While the Dutchman continued to gain positions, Bottas found himself stuck, and unable to repeat the charge to third place that he made in Monza.

Before the rain hit in the closing stages of the race Verstappen was running seventh, while Bottas was languishing in 14th. However an early change to intermediates saw him jump up to fifth at the flag.

“It was lot more difficult for me than I thought it would be, just to come through the field. I thought it was going to be like in Monza, but it was a lot more difficult,” he said.

“Like Max for example, he was able to progress much better than me. I don't know. Mainly what I struggled with was big understeer, and this was when I got close and I couldn't get to overtaking distance.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who was heard giving Bottas a hurry up on the radio, admitted that the team could have done more,

“I think we need to provide Valtteri with a car and power unit that can make him overtake,” he said. “You've seen that he's not lacking the ability because Monza was spectacular.

“It's just here for whatever reason, you have seen with Lewis at the beginning that our car was struggling with understeer, if you struggle with understeer, you're not getting close enough.

“And Lewis couldn't overtake the guys in front of him and the same happened to Valtteri. So I think we just need to know really understand why the car lacked competitiveness in traffic, and felt good in free air.”

Asked if he could have done more to hold back Verstappen he said: “He was just able to really come through the field.

“I need to have a look if there was more I could have done but I think he passed me pretty easily. I think he then overtook the cars ahead of me, and I had no chance.”

Mercedes trackside engineer director Andrew Shovlin explained that the understeer was encouraged by lower temperatures on race day, and that compromised Bottas’s chances of staying close to rivals ahead.

“Principally that the cooler conditions the front tyres were having a tough time,” he explained. “We were understeering a bit. Whereas on Friday, the rears were really the axle that was suffering the most, here it was the front.

“And when you can't follow in those last four corners, then you can't get close enough to overtake, but it was really down to car balance. I think the cooler conditions are actually making it more difficult, rather than easier.”

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/why-bottas-faced-impossible-task-to-come-through-field-in-sochi/6677871/

 

Lol, this article is written as if Mercedes is the only team affected by aerodynamics! All cars are affected about as bad as the next one when following a car. Small margin here and there of course...

 

FIA dug their own grave on this one. By letter of the law, they didn't have a leg to stand on: Go wide, go around the bollards. Alonso did as asked...If they adjusted it after the first F2 race, Alonso would've lost places.

 

Let’s not forget all the overtakes Charles had in the Ferrari as well

 

My take when I watched it was that the passes were completed prior to leaving the track even though it was obvious he was not trying to make the corner. I don’t think he gained positions while off the track and if he did he gave them back, however he did gain an advantage by leaving the track by overtaking prior to leaving the track. Who knows what the stewards think…

 

Funny enough, just watched this

 

I have no complaints about Alonzo. He's driving with a fire in his belly...he is giving the car and his team 100% effort. And he is proving (to me) that he is still a driver to be reckoned with. If the car gets better, he will get that much more out of it. I'm glad he is back.

 

It would be fascinating to see how he would perform with a top tier car.

 

It's his first season back. I think he is happy where he is right now, and would like to make Alpine move up the grid and fight for 3rd. I don't think he is interested in the politics and games of driving for RB or Mercedes or Ferrari. If his results at Alpine get a nod from a team like McLaren as they are about to fight for number 2, he might take it. But I don't think he's out to prove anything...he just wants to drive as well as he can in a team that has real fight in it.

 

Michael Masi is seriously weak and useless.

 

I have always said that Fred is the best since MS. No one else. He's an all rounder. He has that ability to finish races in places the cars have no business being in. Besides MS, I've never seen anyone else do this.

However, attitude is the most important thing in life. He has huge attitude problems, and only Renault/Benetton was able to suck up to him. He burnt bridges with Mclaren, Honda, Mercedes, and made Red Bull fear him for that. Unfortunately, he will retire in Alpine. I doubt anyone wants to deal with a problem child, when things don't go his way.

A huge waste, should have been at least a 5x WDC.

 

Who knows...maybe he's made some changes because he knows he is no longer a star. I think he wants some podiums and a strong standing in the drivers' points before he retires from F1. We've all seen more than a few "lucky" winners this year. But I think he wants to fight for what he gets.

 

+1 agree

 

I'd add Verstappen to that list as best since MS, perhaps more an allrounder than Alonso is as he doesn't seem to have quite the clout of alienating teams (despite some comments...).

Agree, Alonso should/could have been a 5x WDC.

2007, had the politics within Mclaren not blown up and he had no support after Hungary, he still only lost it by 1 point. Had it not happened, he'd have been at Mclaren for 2008 as well. Would it have been another title? Perhaps not actually. Lewis and Alonso battling with Massa may just have edged it to Massa instead. 2010 and 2012 are both years that where very close and one small change could've changed history.

Had he won 2012 would he have left Ferrari in 2015 still to go Mclaren-Honda? Who knows. Impossible speculate on that one.

 

I really like Alonso’s spirit behind the wheel. Totally agree he should have had MUCH more success in his career. And he knows it too. Which must be quite gutting for him, but only himself to blame really.

Maybe he’s mellowed a bit with age. He seems pretty grounded in interviews and such when he knows he hasn’t a real chance of winning, but when he has a sniff of being competitive and things don’t go his way, his toys come flying out of the pram quicker than an F1 car. Don’t think that aspect of his character would really have changed?

Latino temperaments and all that! It’s in his nature. Fantastic driver though. I’d rate him in a “top 10 of all time” table for pure skill I guess.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat