[Official] Eifel Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 11 of 17

[justracing]

Is it just me or does the sight of Bonito with a mask and steamed up glasses conjure up similar images of a mad professor from a kids cartoon?

[Lancsbreaker]

Losing both practice sessions can't be good for the teams at a venue they haven't visited for a while.



And I see that Merc now have two team members testing positive, plus four in self-isolation........With apparently some 10 positive tests throughout the paddock. Are people getting careless / blase (Acute accent needed!)

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Losing both practice sessions can't be good for the teams at a venue they haven't visited for a while.



And I see that Merc now have two team members testing positive, plus four in self-isolation........With apparently some 10 positive tests throughout the paddock. Are people getting careless / blase (Acute accent needed!)

Hopefully that will shake things up a bit.

If team members are testing positive and Covid-19 has an incubation period of 2 weeks, then they've brought it with them.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Losing both practice sessions can't be good for the teams at a venue they haven't visited for a while.

Potentially good for the fans however?

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

And I see that Merc now have two team members testing positive, plus four in self-isolation........With apparently some 10 positive tests throughout the paddock. Are people getting careless / blase (Acute accent needed!)

Maybe. But in the end, they can't have zero risk of infection inside the bubbles. As we have seen the "bubbles" are not hard walls, but have some level of permeability. Especially if they require even restricted contact with people or items that are outside of the bubble. Its sort of like saying a watch is really not "water proof" but "water resistant". At some point they all leak. The deeper we get into the season the more likely bubbles will be penetrated. Maybe it's an entropy thing.

Richard

[S griffin]

No running today due to the conditions. This will be good practice for Imola

[Aysedasi]

Interesting though. My son is spannering at Monza in the MLMC and ELMS, and as I understand it, you didn't get to go unless you'd had a negative test. Surely everyone involved in F1 is tested before they go to the circuit/country? 10 positive tests within the paddock? Something not right there.....

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Interesting though. My son is spannering at Monza in the MLMC and ELMS, and as I understand it, you didn't get to go unless you'd had a negative test. Surely everyone involved in F1 is tested before they go to the circuit/country? 10 positive tests within the paddock? Something not right there.....

With regards to entering a bubble, I don't know if they do a combination of testing + a specific quarantine procedure or just testing alone. But testing alone can't be 100% effective. Between a combination of how the tests work, errors in testing procedures, etc. you will likely have people who actually have Covid-19 test negative. I think this is why they do repeat testing, bubbles within bubbles, wear masks within bubbles. It is defense in depth.

Richard

[Aysedasi]

Defence in depth? 10 cases in the paddock still suggests that something has gone fairly wrong somewhere along the line....

[bjohnsonsmith]

With FP1 and 2 cancelled because of the weather, here's a link to the Met Office with the forecast for tomorrow and Sunday, with 40% rain predicted at 14:00 for race day.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather...ate=2020-10-11

[Adam43]

It's been a waste of them being there today, but hey ho.

[Lancsbreaker]

Fast and furious today in FP, with the added complication of much speculation about Stroll who is "unwell" and who didn't get in the car. Hamilton would probably have got fastest but for Latifi spinning, but well done Bottas, and surprising performances at the last gasp for the Ferraris.....

[E.B]

Hulkenberg confirmed in for Lance Stroll for the rest of the weekend.

Nico was given a Covid test during P3 , with a negative result.... then allowed into the F1 paddock and into the RP hospitality where he reappeared in a RP race suit, ready to take part in qualy and the race.

No news of what Stroll's mystery ailment is .

[tux]

Weird, you’d have thought they’d have Hulk on standby the minute they learn of Strolls Illness. So that he could do P3 just incase. I do wonder if it’s something to do with concussion like symptoms after his accident at Mugello, sometimes these things linger for ages and aren’t always immediately apparent.

[E.B]

Sadly Hulk out in Q1. Big ask to step in and be up to speed in 18 mins of Q1.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Bottas on pole with a very impressive lap, fastest in all three purple sectors. He's followed by Lulu, Mad Max and It is I.

[Adam43]

Super lap by Bottas.

[S griffin]

Managed to keep out of the loop since before FP3, so Hulk replacing Stroll was news to me when I watched the C4 coverage. Considering he was put in the car just like that, I guess coming last wasn’t a total surprise, but at least he wasn’t miles off the pace like Badoer was in the Ferrari and he had more prep!

Good lap from Bottas, complete lockout of the front two rows by the big four

Disaster for Vettel on his home GP, only 11th whilst his team mate is fourth and shame for Kimi on his record breaking weekend

Nice of C4 to mention Murray’s 97th Birthday

[GT6]

Another lock out by mercs, lets hope the race is not just between those two.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

and surprising performances at the last gasp for the Ferrari.....

Edited that for you.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by tux

I do wonder if it’s something to do with concussion like symptoms after his accident at Mugello, sometimes these things linger for ages and aren’t always immediately apparent.

The team have now said that he's afflicted with a gastric ailment (weird as they can normally hold those off with the right medication) but very good point you're making - concussion takes a lot more getting over than is expected in most cases and can manifest itself in all sorts of ways - including nausea, vomiting and maybe even gastric symptoms too.

Best wishes to him and if that is indeed what is happening, the team would be better to lock the Hulk in for a couple of races to let Stroll Jnr get attention and recover without any deadlines looming.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by GT6

Another lock out by mercs, lets hope the race is not just between those two.

Agree but I'm told the forecast for Sunday is changeable so might be a topsy-turvy kind of race. On Q pace alone, Max is very close to the Benzes on pace, Charlie pretty close too. Few opportunities for a young bloke to throw it up next to a rival and "send it" at the 'ring so we might be up for a better race, particularly with the lack of long runs, colder conditions for the round black things.

[chunterer]

Leclerc did a stunning job to plant his car in 4th. I know Ferrari aren't bothered about Vettel anymore but still, that is a huge gulf between them.

Albon should have locked down 4th. The general qualy pace gap to Max of 3 tenths has grown to half a second.

[tux]

Checking the weather it seems the chance of rain is gone. Amazing how F1 can always avoid it when it matters.

[jimclark]

Originally Posted by tux

Checking the weather it seems the chance of rain is gone. Amazing how F1 can always avoid it when it matters.

'Wouldn't be so hasty with "gone". Things can change.....

[Akrapovic]

Grosjean with a brand new entry into the racing driver book of excuses.