[Official] Bahrain Grand Prix 2021: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 1 of 23

[chillibowl]

Agreed. To RB's credit they really did just accept it quickly.

If anything, Max was more questioning the timing of give back and or discussion about whether he should have taken the penalty amd not a woe is me rant.

I thought it very mature by RB and a clear sign their focus is on a long season and not on the often odd and evolving FIA rule book.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Agreed. To RB's credit they really did just accept it quickly.

If anything, Max was more questioning the timing of give back and or discussion about whether he should have taken the penalty amd not a woe is me rant.

I thought it very mature by RB and a clear sign their focus is on a long season and not on the often odd and evolving FIA rule book.

I noticed this too. They were very grown up about it. Really good to see from Max and the team.

[Taxi645]

This all could be avoided and self-solved by putting a 1-1.5m wide lower grip surface between the kerb and the outside tarmac. No one would go wide then because it is self-punishing. No need to discuss, check, change or punish before, during and after. In my view it would be a breath of fresh air.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

This all could be avoided and self-solved by putting a 1-1.5m wide lower grip surface between the kerb and the outside tarmac. No one would go wide then because it is self-punishing. No need to discuss, check, change or punish before, during and after. In my view it would be a breath of fresh air.

What I’ve been saying for ages. Cars will always go off track and these constant track limit investigations are very wearisome. Just have run offs where cars can’t gain an advantage

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by S griffin

What I’ve been saying for ages. Cars will always go off track and these constant track limit investigations are very wearisome. Just have run offs where cars can’t gain an advantage

This is why silverstone works particularly well. Kerb, 1.5m grass, tarmac, gravel

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

This all could be avoided and self-solved by putting a 1-1.5m wide lower grip surface between the kerb and the outside tarmac. No one would go wide then because it is self-punishing. No need to discuss, check, change or punish before, during and after. In my view it would be a breath of fresh air.

Gravel and tarmac run-off areas are a necessary evil. Kerbs aren't, at least not the sort of kerbs that have gradually grown up on race tracks everywhere. A kerb need only be a small strip of concrete to stop the edge of the tarmac crumbling. So now the only problem is how to stop drivers deliberately going off track.

Inside and outside of corners are different problems.

Inside: Remember those tyre bundles that caused so much havoc at Monza about 20 years ago. There wasn't much wrong with them except they needed to be tethered so they couldn't roll onto the track. Of course old tyres would be far too low-tech for F1 these days, so they would need to be made of carbon fibre for lightness, and then part filled with spent uranium to increase their weight. Just something perched on the apex that is hard enough and heavy enough to risk damage if you hit it.

Outside: Taxi's low friction strip is one worthy idea. Another would be a drop-down step so going off the road would be harmless, but getting back on would require a time-consuming route around some obstacles. Or maybe just a proper high kerb. Or a long string of tyre bundles (see hi-tech alternative above) fastened together but not fastened to the ground. They would safely decelerate a car hitting them, but would make getting back to the road a bit time-consuming and therefore not something to risk deliberately.

The mighty brains of F1 could surely come up with something if the incentive and motivation was there.

[Greem]

The specific bit they were running wide on is actually turn 5 on the outer circuit. Putting something slippery there would be... less than optimal.

Putting something big & heavy there would be perfect. A movable wall made from concrete blocks would do the job.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

The specific bit they were running wide on is actually turn 5 on the outer circuit. Putting something slippery there would be... less than optimal.

Putting something big & heavy there would be perfect. A movable wall made from concrete blocks would do the job.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by Greem

The specific bit they were running wide on is actually turn 5 on the outer circuit. Putting something slippery there would be... less than optimal.

Putting something big & heavy there would be perfect. A movable wall made from concrete blocks would do the job.

Something sticky like treacle could do the trick!

[Aysedasi]

My preferred option would be a moat.......

[Greem]

Hrm... that could be used if the outer circuit was used for rallies or rallycross... There's an idea!

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I noticed this too. They were very grown up about it. Really good to see from Max and the team.

It may very well be an act of maturity by everyone involved. I also sort of wondered if they are maybe just a bit giddy in that Mercedes maybe wasn't sandbagging in testing and that they are starting the season on a more equal position. Plus that the loss was more on them than a dominant Mercedes.

Richard

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

It may very well be an act of maturity by everyone involved. I also sort of wondered if they are maybe just a bit giddy in that Mercedes maybe wasn't sandbagging in testing and that they are starting the season on a more equal position. Plus that the loss was more on them than a dominant Mercedes.

Richard

meanwhile Otmar apparently spent the post race trying to tell the officials that the rules have very much negatively affected teams with a low rake set up.

i think RB have a lot to be hopeful for this season!

for sure Merc will remain the top Merc powered team but their advantage at almost every track looks to be waning. im hopeful that on outright pace, the Mclaren may even be able to beat the factory team at one or two venues!

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

It may very well be an act of maturity by everyone involved. I also sort of wondered if they are maybe just a bit giddy in that Mercedes maybe wasn't sandbagging in testing and that they are starting the season on a more equal position. Plus that the loss was more on them than a dominant Mercedes.

Richard

I’m sure on some level they are ****ed. It may well be an act, but realizing that they should act mature shows some level of maturity. I’ll give them credit for that.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

meanwhile Otmar apparently spent the post race trying to tell the officials that the rules have very much negatively affected teams with a low rake set up.

The problem of running a car someone else designed is that your team of engineers don’t understand it enough.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by peebee2

The problem of running a car someone else designed is that your team of engineers don’t understand it enough.

Well played!

[bathurst77]

Surely in 2021 we can put a sensor on every car, like lane keeping sensors on road car. Then the rule is simple, you cannot cross the line ANYWHERE.
If you cross the line, a light goes on your dash, your team and stewards are instantly notified. Except if you spin etc, theres a penalty. All corners and straights, all drivers, all the time.. fair.
In every other sport there is a outline to the field/court/playspace and you have to stay in it full time.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by peebee2

The problem of running a car someone else designed is that your team of engineers don’t understand it enough.

This is almost certainly a factor you would think.

I was amazed how well they did with it last year though, so no reason they can't figure it out again this season.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

This is almost certainly a factor you would think.

I was amazed how well they did with it last year though, so no reason they can't figure it out again this season.

Last year they had the 2019 set ups, now they need to come up with new ideas, when the whole concept of the car is the virtual opposite of their own which was developed over many years.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Surely in 2021 we can put a sensor on every car, like lane keeping sensors on road car. Then the rule is simple, you cannot cross the line ANYWHERE.
If you cross the line, a light goes on your dash, your team and stewards are instantly notified. Except if you spin etc, theres a penalty. All corners and straights, all drivers, all the time.. fair.
In every other sport there is a outline to the field/court/playspace and you have to stay in it full time.

One would like to believe that it is not beyond the wits of the FIA to properly monitor this, because the world's athletics' authorities have been disqualifying runners for straying outside of their lanes during sprint races for donkeys' years.

[Akrapovic]

They already do this with pressure pads at a lot of circuits.

[Aysedasi]

They've made a rod for their own backs by allowing it to happen for so long, sometimes penalising, sometimes not plus an unhealthy dose of apparent ambivalence about whether to apply the rule or not - even in the same meeting. It is totally ridiculous.

[Taxi645]

Why rely on tedious penalties when you can design the tracks to handle it instantly and automatically themselves?

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

Why rely on tedious penalties when you can design the tracks to handle it instantly and automatically themselves?

What would we talk about then?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

Why rely on tedious penalties when you can design the tracks to handle it instantly and automatically themselves?

That's too obvious a solution. This is Formula 1, if a way can be found to over complicate something, then it will.