View Full Version : 2021 Race 4 - Spain
No long delay - yeah! F1 carries right into race 4 with Aramco Gran Premio De España 2021.
Usually a Mercedes stronghold and given the Black Arrows' straightline speed at Portimao, I would be surprised to see that changing this week-end.
Fortitude
5th May 2021, 12:45
Usually a Mercedes stronghold and given the Black Arrows' straightline speed at Portimao, I would be surprised to see that changing this week-end.
You MAY be right, BUT sometimes things don't work out as planned or projected... :beer:
Sometimes engines disintegrate... :spanner:
You MAY be right, BUT sometimes things don't work out as planned or projected... :beer:
Sometimes engines disintegrate... :spanner:
Or if Bottas has mental meltdown...
Fortitude
6th May 2021, 06:15
Or if Bottas has mental meltdown...
...yet MAYBE the car Bottas is driving, doesn't always get the same upgrades as his team mate... :bigcry:
It has happened before with other drivers, within other teams, so it wouldn't be a surprise to be told or find this out with Bottas at Mercedes! :wave: :smash: :hot:
Bottas responds to rumors he might lose seat before the end of the season
Valtteri Bottas described reports he could lose his seat at Mercedes before the end of the season as “bullshit”.
FWIW, I think it is BS rumor also. Bottas is doing exactly what they need him to do. They don't need him challenging Hamilton (only the media wants that for race/off track drama).
“I know that I’m not going to be replaced in the middle of the season,” said Bottas. “As a team, we don’t do that.
“I have a contract for this year and I believe there’s only one team that does that kind of things in F1 and we’re not that.”
Bottas’ remark is likely to be a reference to Red Bull, who have replaced drivers mid-season twice in the past five years.
Looks like Bottas just burnt a bridge in case he is looking for new team in 2022.
https://www.racefans.net/2021/05/06/bottas-rubbishes-claim-he-may-lose-seat-before-end-of-season-only-one-team-does-that/
The Black Knight
7th May 2021, 10:36
I find it hard to understand the benefit of running Kubica in FP1 - he crashes then and ruins everyones short FP1 session - let it go -p*ss off and retire mate.
pantealex
7th May 2021, 16:50
I find it hard to understand the benefit of running Kubica in FP1 - he crashes then and ruins everyones short FP1 session - let it go -p*ss off and retire mate.
Mazepin ?
Last year times
P1 - Bottas 1:16.785
P2 - Hamilton 1:16.883
P3 - Hamilton 1:17.222
Q1 - Hamiliton 1:16.828
Q2 - Bottas 1:16.466
Q3
1. Hamiliton 1:16.003
2. Bottas 1:16.152
3. Verstappen 1:16.518
4. Stroll 1:16.800
5. Gasly 1:16.800
6. Sainz 1:16.876
7. Perez 1:16.936
8. Leclerc 1:16.953
9. Albon 1:17.163
10. Norris 1:17.166
Today results
P1 - Bottas 1:18.504
P2 - Hamilton 1:18.170
Maybe Red Bull is sand bagging, but Perez numbers don't look racy. In FB1 it looked like Max was closer to Mercedes from last year.
Renault and Ferrari are looking competitive.
P3
1. Verstappen 1:17.835
2. Hamilton 1:18.070
3. Leclerc 1:18.308
Qualifying should be real interesting with the mix of team. It would be especially interesting if Bottas qualifies around 5 or 6.
Yuki train is slowing down. Out of in Q3.
Gasly and Stroll out in Q2.
Final Qualifying
1. Hamilton 1:16.741
2. Verstappen 1:16.777
3. Bottas 1:16.873
4. Leclerc 1:17.570
5. Ocon 1:17.580
6. Sainz 1:17.620
7. Ricardo 1:17.622
8. Perez 1:17.701
9. Norris 1:18.01
10. Alonso 1:18.147
Hamilton takes poll, but Max was in the discussion which shows how RB has closed the gap when last year they were off by half a second.
Ricardo rebounds from last week to get to Q3 and out-qualify Norris.
Perez continue to disappoint. Red Bull really needed him to be fighting with Bottas and he failed again. He is not been the upgrade from Albon, and the thing is it is likely that Albon would have made a performance jump from last year to this year just from the experience he had gained.
Would Red Bull consider Russell for next year if Mercedes sticks with Bottas?
Fortitude
8th May 2021, 15:19
Esteban Ocon has done well in qualifying...
https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2021/races/1086/spain/qualifying.html
Then again, he has a good record, considering the teams that he has been driving for...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esteban_Ocon
Fortitude
8th May 2021, 15:27
Final Qualifying
1. Hamilton 1:16.741
2. Verstappen 1:16.777
3. Bottas 1:16.873
4. Leclerc 1:17.570
5. Ocon 1:17.580
6. Sainz 1:17.620
7. Ricardo 1:17.622
8. Perez 1:17.701
9. Norris 1:18.01
10. Alonso 1:18.147
Hamilton takes poll, but Max was in the discussion which shows how RB has closed the gap when last year they were off by half a second.
Ricardo rebounds from last week to get to Q3 and out-qualify Norris.
Perez continue to disappoint. Red Bull really needed him to be fighting with Bottas and he failed again. He is not been the upgrade from Albon, and the thing is it is likely that Albon would have made a performance jump from last year to this year just from the experience he had gained.
Would Red Bull consider Russell for next year if Mercedes sticks with Bottas?
Looking at the results, something went wrong with the third qualifying session for Sergio Perez;
https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2021/races/1086/spain/qualifying.html
Q1: 1:18.203
Q2: 1:17.669
Q3: 1:17.701
NOTICE, he went slower in the third session.
HOWEVER, Sergio didn't improve as well as expected in the second session, so MAYBE the pressure could have got the better of him in the third qualifying outing?
Fortitude
8th May 2021, 15:32
Bottas responds to rumors he might lose seat before the end of the season
FWIW, I think it is BS rumor also. Bottas is doing exactly what they need him to do. They don't need him challenging Hamilton (only the media wants that for race/off track drama).
Looks like Bottas just burnt a bridge in case he is looking for new team in 2022.
https://www.racefans.net/2021/05/06/bottas-rubbishes-claim-he-may-lose-seat-before-end-of-season-only-one-team-does-that/
Perhaps Valterri Bottas is claiming his seat at Mercedes, BY using the terminology ["...we’re not that."] as he did, he is siding with Mercedes, 'signalling' his intent to stay. ;) :spinhead:
Looking at the results, something went wrong with the third qualifying session for Sergio Perez;
https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2021/races/1086/spain/qualifying.html
Q1: 1:18.203
Q2: 1:17.669
Q3: 1:17.701
NOTICE, he went slower in the third session.
HOWEVER, Sergio didn't improve as well as expected in the second session, so MAYBE the pressure could have got the better of him in the third qualifying outing?
In Q3 Perez made a rookie mistake in his first run and spun out. That probably hurt his confidence.
Mercedes out-strategizes Red Bull because Perez, well he just sucks. He was brought in for one thing - be there so Verstappen is not hung out to dry.
The Black Knight
9th May 2021, 14:40
Mercedes out-strategizes Red Bull because Perez, well he just sucks. He was brought in for one thing - be there so Verstappen is not hung out to dry.
RBR only have themselves to blame- if they would have been a little more patient with their drivers they would not be in this position and Perez needs time to get up to speed.
If I were Toto I'd fire Bottas - disobeying a direct team order and once again 30 seconds behind his teammate - he's absolutely useless.
Fortitude
9th May 2021, 16:11
RBR only have themselves to blame- if they would have been a little more patient with their drivers they would not be in this position and Perez needs time to get up to speed.
If I were Toto I'd fire Bottas - disobeying a direct team order and once again 30 seconds behind his teammate - he's absolutely useless.
09 May 2021
2021 Spanish Grand Prix: Bottas resists team orders to force Hamilton overtake
Lewis Hamilton is forced to overtake his Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas with a racing move at the 2021 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, despite Mercedes ordering the Finn to let the world champion through at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2021/5/2021_Spanish_Grand_Prix__Bottas_resists_team_order s_to_force_Hamilton_overtake_.html
Fortitude
9th May 2021, 16:24
The radio commentary mentioned the slow tyre change for Max and apparently one of the tyre changing crew was not ready 'on station', properly. :mad:
Lost a few seconds, which then had a 'knock on' effect, later on in the race, as you may understand. :burnout:
During the commentary that Red Bull had changed their pit crew. It seems some are there 'just for the beers'. :crazy:
I doubt whether Guenther Steiner, who once worked for Red Bull, would have been very happy, if he had been in charge. Guenther would probably have kicked the individual 'up the @$e'... :arrows:
Apparently, Max came in too early for his pit-stop after a radio miscommunication, which was why the left front tire changer wasn't ready.
RBR only have themselves to blame- if they would have been a little more patient with their drivers they would not be in this position and Perez needs time to get up to speed.
There is something else going on with Perez besides getting up to speed with the car. It almost like he went out on the town with Kimi the night before Qualifying.
I agree about the "patience". I suspect that had they shown patience with either Gasly or Albon they would be in a better position than with Perez.
If I were Toto I'd fire Bottas - disobeying a direct team order and once again 30 seconds behind his teammate - he's absolutely useless.
My reading behind the line means Bottas know that the decision about his future has already been made. Or maybe he trying to make the rumor of mid-year change a self fullfilling prophecy. :D
Apparently, Max came in too early for his pit-stop after a radio miscommunication, which was why the left front tire changer wasn't ready.
Max Mistakeppen make to many mistakes. He definitely doesn't have the mental toughness of Hamilton.
When they were trying to tell him where he was losing time, he didn't even want to try a different strategy.
airshifter
10th May 2021, 00:50
Overall I thought this was one of the better Spanish GP's in a long time. Some very strong drives at the front, with Lewis, Max, and Charles all making the most of the race. Though Bottas and Checo weren't the best tail gunners overall, they both recovered somewhat during the race.
Another blinder of a start from Max, and I think it was too close for Lewis to think about covering at that point. A hard but fair pass into the first corner. It seemed that Max was in fairly good shape until the tires started to go. He could keep the gap to Lewis small enough to not allow the pass. It also seemed that one of them (or both) were using charging tactics to attack/defend the DRS move, as several times Lewis would have DRS every second lap on the main straight.
Though Max's dive late into the pits put RB on the back foot, it was probably the only thing at that point that gave him a chance to retain the lead through that stop. Good recovery by the RB crew, and the Merc strategy move had to wait until later in the race.
Bottas was somewhat in the same boat.... with Leclerc getting by him there was no way to get back up into the front fight and be the good #2. Good thing for Merc that Perez had the bad qually, as the #2 drivers really didn't come into the picture much. Well except when Bottas 3.7 decided the time to race was when Lewis was fighting to take the race back at Max. Probably not the best career decision, but it's not like it hasn't been done by other drivers either.
Perez did at least make some positions up, but the poor qualification performance hurt the team in the same way. I will say that overall that pass on Ricciardo was brilliant, and really I think the maturity both of them showed on that was great. It's hard to pass the "last of the late brakers" on the outside going into a turn, but it worked. Good stuff, more like a move that would happen at the pointy end of the field.
I still think Merc have the slight upper hand in pace, but it's close enough to bring drivers into the picture now. Lewis is having to work harder than in years past, and I think he has proven his maturity and racecraft well. Though one of them was not legal, Max has passed Lewis in all 4 races this year. Granted starts are always an opportunity, but a pass is a pass. Even with a growing gap in WDC points, I don't see Max giving up easily, at least I hope not.
If Perez can come to grips with the RB sooner rather than later, I still think him and Bottas will have a big impact on the constructors title. Both have shown that the respective team leaders are monsters of pace, but both have the potential to challenge at times. It might be fighting for #3 in the end, but the hardware is close enough to let them fight this year.
As for the midfield, hard to keep up. The strategy and car differences made for a lot of overtaking on track. It seemed like half the midfield was fighting for that final 10th place point.
Lord Flasheart
23rd June 2021, 09:25
Any idea when tickets (https://www.grandprixgrandtours.com/spanish-grand-prix-package/) get released for barcelona 2022? asked around and everyones telling me not until sep at the earliest. seems late given the race is in april. Surely they know by then?
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