Poll: Spanish Grand Prix 2021, Catalunya - Race 4/23

[Deleted member 651465]

Poll added. I’ll rate it a 7 purely for the epic Mercedes strategy and the tension with Max/RB.

I don’t like how Max gets on the radio swearing whenever things aren’t going his way. Comes across as very arrogant and childish.. I hope he learns to control that, or god help him when he loses more than a race win (thinking how he’d react if he was Massa in Brazil circa 2008)

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Poll added. I’ll rate it a 7 purely for the epic Mercedes strategy and the tension with Max/RB.

I don’t like how Max gets on the radio swearing whenever things aren’t going his way. Comes across as very arrogant and childish.. I hope he learns to control that, or god help him when he loses more than a race win (thinking how he’d react if he was Massa in Brazil circa 2008)

I’ve also rated it a 7. Terrible track on the whole - to need a 2s lap advantage to pass and even then to need DRS is pretty poor. Mercedes strategy did indeed spice up what was appearing to be a pretty boring race.

 

[Mr Jack]

Yeah, surprisingly interesting race due to different strategies but that couldn't lift this dull track above a 7.

 

[Ninco!]

Hamilton seems to be calculating and anticipating Verstappen's wild moves. At the start, almost like he was expecting a dive bomb, surprised he did not close the door into the first turn but left it open. When repassing later Verstappen on the outside, left space.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Voted a 5, probably a bit harsh though. Maybe worthy of a 6. Interesting race for Barcelona, but pretty dull. Pretty much all the passes were DRS assisted moves where the car behind was on significantly newer tyres.
That chicane at the end of the lap needs demolishing for any chance of close racing in F1 cars here.

 

[413x]

Alpine, poor strategy. Went massively backwards. Thought alonso coming back was a bad idea. Now I'm fairly sure it is!

Bottas, can you imagine if that cost Hamilton the win? That may be him out of the door for sure! In fact it looked like a 'bitter' move. Lol ke he knows he's gone.

Mercedes and Hamilton did it today.
Can't take it away. They are being tested a bit this year. And Hamilton particularly is A good as ever

Wasn't very interested really in this one
I pressed the wrong vote. Meant a 5.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Hamilton seems to be calculating and anticipating Verstappen's wild moves. At the start, almost like he was expecting a dive bomb, surprised he did not close the door into the first turn but left it open. When repassing later Verstappen on the outside, left space.

He knows max is reckless and knows he could get taken out. It’s not worth the risk. Better to survive and win the race. Max has a lot to learn. That said, I’m sure Hamilton will do the same when he knows he has the upper hand.

 

[this_is_gav]

Hamilton seems to be calculating and anticipating Verstappen's wild moves. At the start, almost like he was expecting a dive bomb, surprised he did not close the door into the first turn but left it open. When repassing later Verstappen on the outside, left space.

I think it's more a case of Hamilton knows he has the best race car, so has more to lose over Verstappen, who has seen his early pre-season favourite tag been swiped away from under him quicker than the old table-cloth trick so has to take risks to try to out-score Hamilton.

Voted a 5, probably a bit harsh though. Maybe worthy of a 6. Interesting race for Barcelona, but pretty dull. Pretty much all the passes were DRS assisted moves where the car behind was on significantly newer tyres.
That chicane at the end of the lap needs demolishing for any chance of close racing in F1 cars here.

5 here too. It turned into a half decent race strategy wise, but it was still pretty dull in terms of action, and the first third of the race was dire.

 

[Mr Jack]

He knows max is reckless and knows he could get taken out. It’s not worth the risk. Better to survive and win the race. Max has a lot to learn. That said, I’m sure Hamilton will do the same when he knows he has the upper hand.

Yeah, this. Lewis is schooling Max hard this season.

I guess when you've won 98 races it doesn't bother you much to come 2nd and play the long game but that mentality is what let's him win so hard.

 

[413x]

Also. Perez isn't doing great.

 

[lego]

I gave it an 8, probably a 6-7 F1 race, but it was an interesting Barcelona race, so it gets a higher score

 

[Psycho Ned]

Longer the season goes on the wider berth I think he'll give Max at the start! As the moves will get more and more wild as the points lead extends.

Any DNFs this season could be fatal so Ham will want to keep finishing as priority number 1. Just went digging back through his record on Wiki and it's mad, last DNF was 2018, last DNF due to a crash was him and Rosberg crashing Spain 2016!

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Yeah, this. Lewis is schooling Max hard this season.

I guess when you've won 98 races it doesn't bother you much to come 2nd and play the long game but that mentality is what let's him win so hard.

Especially now that he’s shown he can pass Max when needed and that the Mercedes has the pace to do it. Hamilton won’t bother risking a crash.

Interesting comments from Hamilton this evening that he learnt more by following max in this race than he has from the previous 3.

 

[CSMonkeh]

I think it’s telling Hamilton has passed Max TWICE to pick up a win
No under/over cut to pass in the pitlane, actually passing on course
That’s gotta hurt

 

[BuffetSlayer]

Gave it a 7 for the epic mercedes drive.

Feels like the challenge is bringing out the best in Lewis and further showing his class over Bottas (although having said that the front 2 never really got away from Bottas and he broadly kept their pace but couldn't claw back the time). Also merc outclassed rbr in the strategy big time. Max has raw talent but he struggles with attitude and discipline. He is trying hard to present a more mature character but I wonder if that's just a PR thing and his true self is constantly trying to come to the surface. That said, he is still a brilliant driver and I really want him to become the full package. I'd love to see him and Hamilton fight for the WDC in Mercedes - god the sport needs that, but it will probably never happen. One can dream though!

 

[Steampunk]

I think it’s telling Hamilton has passed Max TWICE to pick up a win
No under/over cut to pass in the pitlane, actually passing on course
That’s gotta hurt

There's an interesting theory that the Mercedes can follow the RB much better than the RB can follow the Mercedes due to this year's rule changes and the differences between the aerodynamics on a high/low rake car. It could be that the RB has a design peculiarity that the Mercedes can uniquely exploit on race day. Give that to a driver of Hamilton's calibre and he can get the car up there and gain advantage as we saw today, even on the days he doesn't simply lead from pole.

 

[Quartz]

I reckon this will be Hamilton's last year in F1 so he'll want to go out on a high. Mind you, I said that last year too.

But Mercedes really need Russell in Bottas' seat so he can maximise what he learns from Hamilton.

 

[Ninco!]

Steve Jones did say to Christian Horner, RB are poaching MB staff; Why not got all in and go for Lewis...

 

[this_is_gav]

I reckon this will be Hamilton's last year in F1 so he'll want to go out on a high. Mind you, I said that last year too.

But Mercedes really need Russell in Bottas' seat so he can maximise what he learns from Hamilton.

He's already said he wants to be in F1 next year. He stated that after he (unusually for him) did a 2022 Pirelli test.

 

[Ninco!]

I think Hamilton will be racing next year, I don't see a 3 year deal, more year by year...

Whilst I do believe Hamilton's comments of learning whilst following Verstappen are true, wasn't it the other day Hamilton said that racing Verstappen was not the same as Vettel; all little psychological quips to dent the Verstappen ego.