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The 2021 F1 Season.

Copperjacket said:
I wish they had the tyres to enable them to really go at it hammer and tong
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The trouble with that is then you get a pure meritocracy with the fastest car disappearing off down the road just like MSC in his Ferrari did so many times.

We had a race in 2008 I think where the tyres were terrible and mixed up the grid and we got an exciting race with new faces at the front so the powers that be said lets make the tyres rubbish so this happens more.

Weak tyres do give some variability and the chance for different strategies to help a slower car beat a faster one, like yesterday.
 
Bob McC said:
How on earth did they manage in the days when tyres weren’t a monopoly?
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We had tyre wars. Part of Ferrari's monopoly was down to a bespoke Bridgestone tyre designed specifically for them. When Michelin got close with the Renoo and all the rest of the teams they protested the tyre and made them change it thanks to the special relationship Ferrari had with Bernie and Max (no not him, the BDSM one).

Tyres make more difference to performance than any single bit of aero or driver ability. A single vendor was an attempt to make a more level playing field and for the most part it works.
 
Nearing the end of Ch4 commentary, Dc suggested Merc using higher power engine modes to defend at the cost of races in the future.
Do they still have an 'overtake 'button and its duration is limited through the season, or was using it risking reliability for later races?
 
Getgaff said:
Did HAM deliberately place his car in that position and lift off ever-so slightly to force VER to go around him outside of track limits?? That was my first reaction to the overtake but TBH it all happened in the blink of an eye.

A master stroke from a 7-times WC or just simply luck and timing?
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What a good thought... Most probably!
 
cutting42 said:
We had tyre wars. Part of Ferrari's monopoly was down to a bespoke Bridgestone tyre designed specifically for them. When Michelin got close with the Renoo and all the rest of the teams they protested the tyre and made them change it thanks to the special relationship Ferrari had with Bernie and Max (no not him, the BDSM one).

Tyres make more difference to performance than any single bit of aero or driver ability. A single vendor was an attempt to make a more level playing field and for the most part it works.
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And then there was the 2005 US GP...
 
So 3 weeks till the next race. That'll give Mercesdes some time to try and work on the balance of the car. I was surprised at how well Lewis hung on to Max in that first stint but maybe Max was only going as fast as he needed to so he was able to run longer before the first round of pit stops? I noticed Lewis was having a good look at Max's tyres after he jumped out of his car - information he can take back to HQ. I think deep down he's wanted this challenge to prove to any remaining doubters that he really is one the best F1 racers ever.

I can also see team orders coming into play quite early on as it's no longer a straight up between Lewis and Bottas, as it's plain for everyone to see, it's Max v Lewis.
 
Rack Kit said:
So 3 weeks till the next race. That'll give Mercesdes some time to try and work on the balance of the car. I was surprised at how well Lewis hung on to Max in that first stint but maybe Max was only going as fast as he needed to so he was able to run longer before the first round of pit stops? I noticed Lewis was having a good look at Max's tyres after he jumped out of his car - information he can take back to HQ. I think deep down he's wanted this challenge to prove to any remaining doubters that he really is one the best F1 racers ever.

I can also see team orders coming into play quite early on as it's no longer a straight up between Lewis and Bottas, as it's plain for everyone to see, it's Max v Lewis.
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I seriously can't wait, I think we will see some big track variations in performance with Merc. Bahrain was always a kind of OK track for them historically which I think helped not to mention VER and RB claiming he had a diff problem. Maybe he did but it's not the first time that VER claimed an issue but still was very quick. Imola will be a good test for them, very different track style. HAM led a Merc 1 2 last year but it was BOT and VER that lost out to a safety car pit stop for HAM with VER getting a puncture and not finishing ultimately. Will be another tough fight for Merc
 
cutting42 said:
I seriously can't wait, I think we will see some big track variations in performance with Merc. Bahrain was always a kind of OK track for them historically which I think helped not to mention VER and RB claiming he had a diff problem. Maybe he did but it's not the first time that VER claimed an issue but still was very quick. Imola will be a good test for them, very different track style. HAM led a Merc 1 2 last year but it was BOT and VER that lost out to a safety car pit stop for HAM with VER getting a puncture and not finishing ultimately. Will be another tough fight for Merc
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Ah yes, I’d forget about Max’s problem diff. Seems like he was able to work around it so there could be even more speed in that RB. Mercedes really do have a fight on their hands to recover the stability they and all the other low rake cars have lost since the rule changes. Does anyone have pictures or graphics that show how much of the rear under tray/floor of the cars has been lost? I’m guessing the Merc’s whole design is based around that low rake and just raising the rear of the car isn’t going to do the trick? Was it someone on here who mentioned McLaren’s trick rear diffuser and how teams would be copying it. I guess copying is one thing but understanding it is another. Surely you can’t just bolt on other cars trick bits to yours and hope it will just work?
 
windhoek said:
It worked for Racing Point :D
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It only worked for (T)racing point because they have pretty much the whole Merc car they copied and know some of the principles involved which involved copying the low rake concept. Now they are screwed because they are trapped by the reg changes designed to hobble Merc and do not have the deep knowledge, budget or tokens to make the requisite changes to make up the difference.
 
Rack Kit said:
Ah yes, I’d forget about Max’s problem diff. Seems like he was able to work around it so there could be even more speed in that RB. Mercedes really do have a fight on their hands to recover the stability they and all the other low rake cars have lost since the rule changes. Does anyone have pictures or graphics that show how much of the rear under tray/floor of the cars has been lost? I’m guessing the Merc’s whole design is based around that low rake and just raising the rear of the car isn’t going to do the trick? Was it someone on here who mentioned McLaren’s trick rear diffuser and how teams would be copying it. I guess copying is one thing but understanding it is another. Surely you can’t just bolt on other cars trick bits to yours and hope it will just work?
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Not quite what you asked for but the pictures here by the estimable Giorgio Piola give some detail to what the teams have done

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/how-f1-teams-have-responded-to-2021-floor-challenge/5990199/
 
Rack Kit said:
Ah yes, I’d forget about Max’s problem diff. Seems like he was able to work around it so there could be even more speed in that RB. Mercedes really do have a fight on their hands to recover the stability they and all the other low rake cars have lost since the rule changes. Does anyone have pictures or graphics that show how much of the rear under tray/floor of the cars has been lost? I’m guessing the Merc’s whole design is based around that low rake and just raising the rear of the car isn’t going to do the trick? Was it someone on here who mentioned McLaren’s trick rear diffuser and how teams would be copying it. I guess copying is one thing but understanding it is another. Surely you can’t just bolt on other cars trick bits to yours and hope it will just work?
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With all their expertise available and a previous record of fast change, I doubt it would take long for them to catch up if they have lost some ground in terms of aerodynamics. The suggestion Sunday was around a significantly improved Honda engine. I would have thought it might take longer to match an improved engine, but would like anyone well versed in these things to explain what might be concerning Mercedes most.
 
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