The 2021 Formula One Thread

[harrybarracuda]

^ and the fact the knowledge is in the public domain just casts FIA in a bed light....again.

Now they've put themselves in a bit of a bind.

If it happens again and they don't act, they will rightly face accusations of favouritism.

If it happens the other way round and they act, they will rightly face accusations of favouritism.

And if they do nothing they're basically making it a fucking free for all.

I'm sure the driver's briefing was interesting this evening, once Valteri had finished bollocking them for putting track limits in play without telling the actual fucking drivers.

[harrybarracuda]

Whinger spice was at it again. He's saying if the Mercedes is faster than his shitty go kart, he's going to "protest the wing", and he released a picture of it to try and show there is something funny going on.

He's really getting desperate and frustrated, perhaps Ginger isn't putting out or something.

[harrybarracuda]

After observing what happened on track and following a discussion in the drivers’ briefing Masi has adjusted the list of corners that will be monitored from FP3 onwards.

On Thursday, in his regular notes issued to teams, Masi specified the exits of Turns 4, 12, 13, 14 and 16 as locations where he expected drivers to run wide and track limits would be monitored via timing loops in the track.

As is usually the case he stressed that any indiscretions would result in deleted lap times, and that in the race three offences would result in a black and white warning flag and a report to the stewards.

However during FP1 no drivers actually had their times deleted as Masi allowed them to learn their way around while the FIA studied where the real issues were.

Before the later FP2 session Masi issued revised notes that deleted all the specific references to corners that had previously been included.

Instead he included a more general explanation that stressed that the edge of the track was the kerb, rather than the white line, noting: “The track limit on the exit of each corner at this track is defined as when no part of a car remains in contact with the purple and white kerb.

“For the avoidance of doubt, drivers will be judged to have left the track on the exit of a corner if no part of the car remains in contact with the purple and white kerb.”

In effect that ruling covered the whole of the track rather than just the corners previously specified.

Subsequently in FP2 times were deleted at three corners that had not been singled out before, namely Turn 2 (George Russell, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris), Turn 7 (Valtteri Bottas twice, Fernando Alonso twice and Charles Leclerc), and Turn 8 (Leclerc). In addition Lance Stroll lost a time at Turn 16, which had been on the original list.

After the drivers’ briefing on Friday evening Masi sent out another revised set of notes, listing Turn 2, Turn 7 and Turn 16 as the specific areas of concern. Those corners will be monitored from FP3 onwards.

An FIA spokesperson told Motorsport.com: “With this being a new venue we were always going to take a learning approach with the free practice sessions.

“We came in with a view based on simulations and evaluated through FP1. Based on that we made some changes to the [race director’s] notes in FP2 which gave us more insights, which together with the discussions in the drivers' briefing have resulted in the updated notes that went out last night.

“We understand from the outside that it may be difficult to follow, but we firmly believe that this process gives us the best possible framework to effectively police track limits when it comes to qualifying and the race."

Bottas, who lost two laps times but was still fastest on Friday, admitted to some “confusion” as where the limits were defined.

“All the run-offs are tarmac, so it’s quite easy to go off and gain time,” he said. “Even some of my fastest laps, I had confusion, I didn’t know what was allowed and what wasn’t.

“I’m sure it’s going to be a talking point in the drivers’ meeting today. It’s just the nature of the track really, and that’s creating issues.”

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...imits/6801649/

[harrybarracuda]

Good old whinger spice. Thanks to him making an issue out of rear wings, Sky are concentrating on Mad Max's, which is the only one out of all 20 cars that when open, flaps around and almost certainly breaches regulations.

I'm sure the stewards will be keeping a careful eye on it once Parc Ferme conditions apply.

[harrybarracuda]

Quali starting on the hour.

[cyrille]

Quali starting on the hour.

Some sort of Indian wrestling?

Got any money on it?

[harrybarracuda]

Some sort of Indian wrestling?

Got any money on it?

Money on it... yes....

[harrybarracuda]

Something funny going on at Red Bull.

Perez, on soft tyres, knocked out in Q2. Should've given him a new engine.

[harrybarracuda]

1. Sir Lewis
2. Mad Max
3. Bottas
4. Gasly who got a puncture. Smashed his front wing on the sausage kerb. That will be something to watch for tomorrow.

[Backspin]

Douchmilton has his illegal engine again. Season is over. I'm not watching one more race

[harrybarracuda]

HAHAHAHA Oh Toto you fucking legend:

(On Red Bull): "They had a good straight line speed today with ze big wing".

[Backspin]

Good old whinger spice. Thanks to him making an issue out of rear wings, Sky are concentrating on Mad Max's, which is the only one out of all 20 cars that when open, flaps around and almost certainly breaches regulations.

I'm sure the stewards will be keeping a careful eye on it once Parc Ferme conditions apply.

The in house F1 media feed is supposed to be unbiased yet its a bunch of Hamilton super shills. What a joke

There was only one illegal wing and that was Mercedes. Funny how the Merc dbags managed to convince everyone that their wing was out of spec bc it broke. Dog ate homework level excuse for F1 and even you believe it

[Backspin]

Biggest qualifying delta from pole to 2nd of the year. Its over. I just hope Max wipes him out in the first corner.

[harrybarracuda]

Sainz on the naughty step for ignoring a yellow...

[harrybarracuda]

Oh dear, this will trigger whinger spice....

Max Verstappen has been summoned to see the stewards at Formula 1's Qatar Grand Prix after allegedly ignoring double-waved yellow flags on his final qualifying lap.

Looks like there might be some changes on the grid:

In what will be a busy pre-race for the stewards in Qatar, Verstappen's meeting is scheduled first at 10am, with Sainz next up at 10.30am and then Bottas at 10.45am (all times GMT).

Sainz and Bottas are both accused of ignoring yellows, which is a lesser offence.

[harrybarracuda]

Either they are taking a long time or they are going to release all three outcomes at the same time.

[harrybarracuda]

Possible strategies in Doha, although apparently tyre deg is minimal, so two tyres all round?

[harrybarracuda]

They're taking a long fucking time dishing out (or not dishing out) these penalties.

[harrybarracuda]

Now we have to wait for the whinger spice excuses.

Decision from the FIA - Max Verstappen - 5 place grid penalty for ignoring double waved yellow flags. Valtteri Bottas - 3 place grid penalty for ignoring single waved yellow flag. Carlos Sainz - no further action

[harrybarracuda]

Plenty of trouble for Sir Lewis there unless he shows a clean pair of heels into Turn One.

[Shutree]

Now we have to wait for the whinger spice excuses.

They made them already. It wasn't entirely clear cut:
(The stewards) said: "notwithstanding the fact the team argued that the turning off of the yellow sector on the FIA marshalling system some 34 second prior to the driver reaching the yellow flag, signified that it was 'play on', it was the driver’s responsibility to take the appropriate action when entering what was a double yellow flag area."The driver acknowledged his awareness of the presence of Car 10 on the right side of the track. Having seen a disabled car, it is reasonable to expect, as was the case of the driver of Car 55 [Carlos Sainz], that there was a potential danger and that a yellow flag situation probably existed and therefore to take the appropriate action (i.e. to reduce speed)."

[Shutree]

Plenty of trouble for Sir Lewis there unless he shows a clean pair of heels into Turn One.

Very true. Lewis now has Alonso behind him on the clean side of the track, getting a tow, on soft tyres. Alonso has a good chance of leading this race out of Turn 1.

[harrybarracuda]

No problems with the start.

The front two are already a pit stop ahead of the rest, and Hammy has an 8 second gap.

Now it's up to Bottas to do something about Perez.

[harrybarracuda]

I wonder if Max is going for a one stop?

If he's playing chicken with the tyres he'll lose anyway.

[Backspin]

Plenty of trouble for Sir Lewis there unless he shows a clean pair of heels into Turn One.