Formula 1 - 2019 Season

[Pete]

Qualifying could be described as a series of unfortunate events.

So at this point am I just watching to see if Bottas takes the fight to Lewis for the drivers' championship? Because Ferrari have been questionable and I don't think Red Bull are quite there yet. I guess the varying fortunes of the midfield--both teams and drivers--is the real story, rather than another year of Mercedes winning and Ferrari underperforming and Red Bull hamstrung. Granted, it should tighten up at the top toward the end of the year, but Merc may have done enough in the first four races (calling it now) to claim another year of championships.

The slipstream is amazingly strong. Gasly was flying up to a Racing Point on the back straight even though the Racing Point also had its wing open.

 

[hoom]

Gasly missed a weigh-bridge call & got penalised -> starts from pit.
But apparently also has been found to breach the fuel flow limit -> disqualified from Qualifying.
Apparently has penalty that you start from pit...

Does that mean the other Hondas are also suspect?
Might they have done it intentionally to see how it copes with more power (substitute for some planned but legal changes?) on that car knowing the penalty of being caught is no worse than where he was starting anyway?

 

[hoom]

Apparently Gasly issue was due to a faulty sensor.

Merc 1-2 again.

Leclerc breezed through the field into top 10 in a few laps but wasn't able to get to the lead pack.

I don't get what happened to Kvyats tyres at the start?
Then he was back up to 10th when Ricciardo locked up forcing Kvyat off the track, then backed into him and both retired before any chance of a penalty being given.
Unlucky Kvyat again

Edit: Ricciardo got a 3 place grid penalty for next race & a mark on his permanent record which is more than a slap on the wrist.
But at least the reportage of it says its for the backing into Kvyat not for the losing control that would have taken out Kvyat.
Ricciardo suitably contrite in the after-race interviews & Kvyat “These things happen, it’s racing like I always say when I make a mistake"

 

[Arnold Beckenbauer]

Stolen from here: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/thre...n-grand-prix-2019.387016/page-6#post-12722281

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Another boring race. So far this season hasn't produced very good racing.

 

[hoom]

So Ferrari has new engines (but not the other Ferrari teams), Haas a big upgrade, Renault (& maybe McLaren) new engines, everyone more or less aero changes.
1st Practice in 5hrs.

 

[Bludd]

So Ferrari has new engines (but not the other Ferrari teams), Haas a big upgrade, Renault (& maybe McLaren) new engines, everyone more or less aero changes.
1st Practice in 5hrs.

Renault need more of everything, same with McLaren. Let's see if Ferrari can step it up and same with Red Bull.

Apparently this is the last year for the Spanish GP. Zandvoort next year and Vietnam coming leaves little room. I guess they still can test there but will they? Probably testing 2020 in Bahrain?

 

[hoom]

I feel like I'd like to see Redbull/Torro Rosso try out not doing the big 'rake' with the rear much higher than the front.
I understand it helps generate downforce & 'its their thing' but other teams do get by with a lot less -> less drag which is probably a pretty important thing when you've got an ongoing engine power deficit.

 

[Bludd]

I feel like I'd like to see Redbull/Torro Rosso try out not doing the big 'rake' with the rear much higher than the front.
I understand it helps generate downforce & 'its their thing' but other teams do get by with a lot less -> less drag which is probably a pretty important thing when you've got an ongoing engine power deficit.

If they change from a high-rake setup, they have to change a lot of other stuff too. Basically it means changing the whole philosophy of the car. Don't think that will happen, at least it probably won't be considered until the 2021 rules imho.

 

[Arnold Beckenbauer]

Another boring race. So far this season hasn't produced very good racing.

This weekend is Formula E guest in Monaco and I feel the Monaco E-Prix will be more electrifying than Formula 1 in Barcelona (and in Monaco later).

 

[AlphaWolf]

Pun intended?

 

[hoom]

So yet again Merc looked uncomfortable in the Practices but suddenly pull out a 1-2 in Qualifying...
Bottas pole again & nearly half a sec back to Hamilton.
Ferrari & Red Bull share 3rd-6th then the Haases

Kvyat again was getting 6th best time in early practices before tailing off in late practice and 9th place on the grid.
Can he actually manage to convert to points this time?

 

[Arnold Beckenbauer]

MGP after the race:

 

[DJ12]

So yet again Merc looked uncomfortable in the Practices but suddenly pull out a 1-2 in Qualifying...
Bottas pole again & nearly half a sec back to Hamilton.
Ferrari & Red Bull share 3rd-6th then the Haases

Kvyat again was getting 6th best time in early practices before tailing off in late practice and 9th place on the grid.
Can he actually manage to convert to points this time?

Uncomfortable? They were top in every session. They totally dominated the entire weekend.

 

[hoom]

Well Hamilton was 4th in practice 1 by 0.6 seconds, Bottas 3rd in practice 3 by 0.555.
Then qualifying they 1-2ed all 3 sessions with at least 0.2s margins.

As commentator said in the race "its like a concert sound check: Mercedes 1-2, 12... 12 1-2, Mercedes 12"

Verstappen pulled 3rd, Ferrari a bit sad at 4-5.

Kvyat had a decent race: managed to finish, no collisions, pulled some nice overtakes & retained 9th

 

[Deleted member 2197]

I feel like I'd like to see Redbull/Torro Rosso try out not doing the big 'rake' with the rear much higher than the front.
I understand it helps generate downforce & 'its their thing' but other teams do get by with a lot less -> less drag which is probably a pretty important thing when you've got an ongoing engine power deficit.

Funny you mention a change is needed because the aerodynamicist at Red Bull (Adrian Newey) is supposed to be "one of the greatest designers" in F1 history. All teams except Mercedes are using his rake designs ... Mercedes opted for a low rake design.

What's particularly interesting is that, in current F1, Mercedes employ one approach - low rake - while Red Bull, Ferrari, and to a large extent the rest of the grid, go for high.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/47838557

 

[entity279]

All teams except Mercedes are using his rake designs ... Mercedes opted for a low rake design.

No, the other teams are not using Adrian Newey's designs. Except RB & TR to some extent. Adrian is not involved as much in the 2019 's car designs as some may think

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

They said the same about the 2018 car, which wasn't off to a great start either. Then Newey had to be dropped in halfway through the season to get things back on track I believe.

 

[cjo]

No, the other teams are not using Adrian Newey's designs. Except RB & TR to some extent. Adrian is not involved as much in the 2019 's car designs as some may think

The implication was that Newey was a strong proponent of high-rake designs, and due to his success with RB during the early part of the decade a lot of the teams have followed that design philosophy as it worked so well. Only Mercedes currently run with a low-rake design, which bucks the trend of Newey-inspired designs.

 

[Bludd]

did I see Kimi as a Lannister guard on the wall in Game of Thrones just now?