Formula 1 2018

[Oldddudders]

I see it’s been another bad day at the office for some.

[EddieB]

Just when you thought it couldn't get any duller! At least Perez tried to liven things up

Lucky not to be disqualified and/or face a ban, IMHO.  After having appeared to have driven his "team-mate" off the road (but then, when has Perez ever been a team player?), he capped it by what looked to be a deliberate drive into Sirotkin out of sheer frustration at not being able to find a way past the Russian - who had every right to defend the position (and had done so gamely).  Not since Vettel on Hamilton in Baku last year has a driver deliberately driven into another so blatantly.  (Oh, yes Baku - a place where Force India drivers come together).

 

Well, Force India have made their choice for next season - two drivers who are chosen for their family and financial connections, whilst letting the better driver of the current pair go.

[steve1]

Who would bet against Lewis for the title now?

 

steve

[Hobby]

Long way to go yet...

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Just how much did Lewis have in hand there? That was so confident, backing Vettel into Verstappen over the first fifteen or thereabouts racing laps to put him at hazard from Verstappen, which duly occurred. Very notable too, the ability to swiftly pull out a near four second gap over Verstappen after the Grosjean/Sirotkin hold up. These are the kind of events that persuade me that Mercedes have 'lots more' in their power plant.

 

 Bottas didn't apparently shine, although he undoubtedly did a good safe job for the team. Were Merc on a long game strategy of preserving Bottas' engine life in a race where overtaking is difficult and a finish in a good starting grid position was 'good enough', in order to give him extra engine time with the wick turned up in a later race where harrying or containing Vettel may be a necessity?

 

Only six more races, and then Leclerc is in a Ferrari. See him grafting away in that Sauber and getting home in ninth. What's he going to be capable of in a racing car?

 

... At least Perez tried to liven things up

 If his 'didn't see them' response to both events is true, then the poor lad has definite loss of peripheral vision - and in both eyes - and one visit to the optometrist will see him out of motor sport...

[njee20]

Lewis's pole lap yesterday was utterly sensational, no idea whatsoever where he pulled that from!

 

Not a classic race today, but interesting enough. Could've done with a few more visits to the wall to liven it up! God knows what Perez was thinking in either incident, Ocon was as good as through on the first and I just can't begin to explain the Sirotkin one!

 

Braver man than I that would bet against Lewis now, another win for him with Vettel off the podium and he's got 2 clear race wins in hand!

[Hobby]

Lewis's pole lap yesterday was utterly sensational, no idea whatsoever where he pulled that from!

 

Listening to the interview I don't think even he knew either!

[Oldddudders]

We ought to acknowledge that McLaren were best of the rest. Legitimately, with 19 cars finishing. And at one point they were credited with fastest lap. A bit of an improvement, at least.

[njee20]

Yes it was great to see the fastest laps coming from teams other than the top 3, particularly heartening to see Alonso get it at one point!

[Andrew P]

A few points and obsevations.

 

Firstly, I don't think Kimi will do two seasons at Sauber.

 

Secondly, Lawrence Stroll needs a major re think of his driver line up for 2019.

 

Thirdly, Williams and Mercedes need to look at the Hass / Ferrari model and then put Ocon and George Russel into the Cars.

 

Lastly, and probably most controversialy I think Seb will take an early shower if he fails to win the Championship this year, he now has a wife and young Family, and HE looked the most deflated and defeated of all the drivers at the weekend, when Ferrair should have had a walk in the Park.

[RedgateModels]

Secondly, Lawrence Stroll needs a major re think of his driver line up for 2019.

 

Agreed, If I were Mr Stroll there's no way I'd have Perez risking my investment, can you imagine how he'd feel if Perez punted his son off like he did Ocon?

 

Stroll does not need Perez' money, get rid, end of

[Pete the Elaner]

Vettel & Ferrari must have taken a huge confidence blow at Singapore.

To go into a race as favourites & be beaten by a team who were looking just for damage limitation is a bitter pill to swallow. Is it any wonder that Vettel looked dissatisfied with 3rd?

I wonder if it means they will push through a few developments too quickly & suffer some mechanical failures as a result?

 

This season seems to be following the same pattern as last year with Vettel making errors & Hamilton being in the right place to take advantage.

 

This must have been one of Hamilton's best victories. He wasn't the quickest all weekend but was not really troubled by his rivals when it really mattered, even though they had no mechanical issues (Verstappen's engine issue was only a problem on part throttle).

I also wonder if his slow laps at the start were just tyre management or was the plan to keep Verstappen within reach of Vettel in the hope he could get past, just like he did?

[Hobby]

He wasn't the quickest all weekend

 

Except in qualifying!

[Gareth Collier]

With Alonso being the best of the rest on Sunday but still nearly a minute behind Ricciardo perhaps it is time F1 followed other formulas such as the BTCC with success ballast. Add a few kilos to the previous weeks winners would certainly even things up not that I can see Ferrari and Mercedes agreeing.

[njee20]

Except in qualifying!

Indeed, but yes, apart from now holding the all time lap record by a third of a second, and 3/4 of a second over the other identical car, he wasn't the fastest

Edited September 17, 2018 by njee20

[Pete the Elaner]

Except in qualifying!

That is just my point. He was only the quickest when it mattered: Q3 & away from the grid at the start of the race. It was not a weekend where he clearly had the quickest car, topping the time sheets in every session.

He did good things at the right times, even risking going out in Q1 by saving a set of Hypersoft tyres. Ferrari tried copying this in Q2 & failed miserably.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...Lastly, and probably most controversially I think Seb will take an early shower if he fails to win the Championship this year, he now has a wife and young family...

 I'd suggest you are a season early on that call. He's 'the other race winner' this year, and if this season maintains that pattern, then it only needs a season of slightly better teamwork at Ferrari, and some fumbles by Mercedes for the championship to be his (assuming there that no other team gains significant ground, a very unsafe assumption with championship capability drivers spread across at least four teams in 2019!). But if 2019 quickly reveals that Leclerc is his match - and I feel there's a good chance of that - then it could be 'thank you and farewell'.

 

...I also wonder if his slow laps at the start were just tyre management or was the plan to keep Verstappen within reach of Vettel in the hope he could get past, just like he did?

 The conclusion of the family gathering at which I saw the race was that Hamilton deliberately kept the pace slow in the first stint to make Vettel vulnerable to Verstappen. Look at what he did, lap after lap, just enough ahead to keep Vettel from getting into the DRS window, and then revealed a 2 second+ advantage over a lap to make the pit stop safe. And just to nail it home, much the same lap time advantage to get safely clear of Verstappen after Grosjean had held him up. That was very clinical, and revealed great confidence in the car's capability to go faster, but only when really required.

 

As I posted earlier, this is the kind of evidence that persuades me that Mercedes still have more in reserve in their power unit and are managing very skilfully to avoid fully revealing their hand.

[Hobby]

That is just my point. He was only the quickest when it mattered: Q3 & away from the grid at the start of the race. It was not a weekend where he clearly had the quickest car, topping the time sheets in every session.

He did good things at the right times, even risking going out in Q1 by saving a set of Hypersoft tyres. Ferrari tried copying this in Q2 & failed miserably.

 

Surely the sign of a driver at the top of his game, only pushing when needed and conserving the car when he didn't need to push. Did he have the quickest car but held back for most of the time, the results say it was a distinct possibility as 34 has just said... Only he and the team will know and they won't be letting on! I don't take any notice of practice, it's just a time for the teams to experiment and despite the commentators getting all carried away when one team or driver has super times I can't get at all bothered! As for qualifying only Q3 matters... That race is all about managing the car and controlling those behind you, something Hammy is rather good at...

[EddieB]

Meanwhile, there’s a race this weekend - live coverage on free to air.

 

From my reading of the situation, I think the result will be down to who works out the best tyre strategy. I’ll stick my neck out for a Red Bull win.

Ok, not a win, but a solid second place for Max.

 

My comment was posted during Q2 on Saturday, after it became clear that Ferrari's plan to start the race on the ultrasoft (mid-choice) tyres was untenable.  While Ferrari changed the tyres for Q2, they didn't learn their lesson and I suggest that it was the team's tactics that cost Vettel dearly, rather than Vettel himself or the car.

 

Basically, Vettel was pitted too early and put on the wrong tyres.  They had hoped to undercut Hamilton during the pit-stops, but hadn't learned the lesson that the ultrasoft tyres would take a while to come to peak performance.  Ferrari was going for a two-stop race - expecting Mercedes to do the same.  Going too early meant Vettel came out behind Perez(?) and couldn't utilise the fresh rubber to his advantage - even if the tyres were at their best.  There was an interesting radio message played out when Vettel realised he was way behind and on the wrong tyres.  As it was, he had the choice between making a second stop or driving cautiously to make the second set of tyres last the race - hoping for a second safety car.  (Unfortunately for Vettel, his team-mate didn't crash obligingly at turn 14!).  So it was damage limitation and we won't know if he would have had the pace to match or pass the front two had they been on similar strategies.

 

Before the race, I think Red Bull had decided their strategies - one-stop and tyre choice depending upon how far their drivers could keep the hypersofts going - as they did.  I think they also expected Mercedes to two-stop - had Mercedes done so, Red Bull might have proved my prediction right!

 

I'd say Mercedes pitted Hamilton a little early - Hamilton radio'ed the same - but it all came out right for him in the end.  

 

Incidentally, I was about to note how those who qualified outside the top ten finished the race placed higher than "the best of the rest" who started in positions seven to ten.  Tyre choice?  Probably, but with Perez's and Grosjean's antics/penalties, perhaps the true differential was obscured.

[Pete the Elaner]

Don't you think that it was less to do with race strategy & more to do with Hamilton's pole lap which put Ferrari on the back foot in the first place?

That & his great start gave him a chance to drive a little slow for the first stint, causing extra tyre wear for Vettel who was in turbulent air. Once he pitted, Hamilton had life left in his tyres to make a couple of quick laps possible, but could not stay out too long or the undercut would have been effective.

With following so difficult, even on the faster tyres, Ferrari were beaten. Vettel has the choice of pushing hard & requiring another tyre change or making the Ultras last by driving less aggressively.

The only problem was when the back markers held him up, allowing Verstappen to close. With them out of the way, following closely again became too difficult to be a threat.

[Hobby]

I'd say Mercedes pitted Hamilton a little early - Hamilton radio'ed the same - but it all came out right for him in the end.  

 

That statement rather contradicts itself, either they did or they didn't.

 

From what I saw the team got it spot on. Once Hamilton got in front at the beginning the team knew it was all about tyre conservation and his ability to be able to control the race as overtaking, especially between the top drivers was all but impossible just like Monaco. They know Hamilton is very good at controlling the race and conserving the rubber so timed it accordingly. As Pete said Ferrari were thrown by both Hamilton's lap and, to be fair, Max's front row lap just as much as their tyre choices...

[Andrew P]

Interesting, I wonder what they will find.

Governing body the FIA plans to inspect Ferrari's latest camera device in a bid to check that it has not been designed to block the onboard television view. (Motorsport.com)

[Andrew P]

This could be a good move for him, but I wish it was Ocon being released from his Mercedes Contract in stead.

Former Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein could be set to move to Toro Rosso after it was announced that his long-standing association with Mercedes will come to an end at the end of the season. (L'Equipe - in French)

[Sidecar Racer]

Some interesting comment about Perez's relationship with Force India and how it
could change with the new ownership .

 

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11501243/sergio-perezs-singapore-gp-battles-may-prove-costly

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Some interesting comment about Perez's relationship with Force India and how it could change with the new ownership .

 The relationship will change for a fact. But if Perez comfortably out qualifies Stroll, (anyone going to bet against that? Didn't think so) then he shouldn't find himself behind owner's boy too often. Then again if he genuinely 'didn't see' both Ocon's and Sirotkin's cars were fully alongside, he has much bigger problems than the effect of the change in team ownership. Repeats of such incidents will be looked at very closely by people with powers to suspend race licences.