[Official] Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend - Round 13 of 17

[bjohnsonsmith]

Mad Max is off in the gravel, with a right rear tyre failure. FCY.

[ascarracinguk]

Well that will mix things up. Racing gods giveth, racing gods taketh away!

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

It’s simple really. Leader has preference on strategy and tyre....more often than not its Lewis. That works if it’s 1-2....when you’re trying to get your second car ahead of a competitor you do everything you can to do so.

At the end of the day, as always both Mercedes are on the same tyres...it’s just that Hamilton can make them last longer which engineers him an advantage.

So they needed 26.5 seconds over Verstappen, and had 28, but waited until it was 27 over Bottas? Are they allowed to change strart, just not tyre? Doesn't seem that simple?

If I was Bottas I'd collect the pay cheque for a wee while and accept the reality of these decisions and go off elsewhere later lol.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

So they needed 26.5 seconds over Verstappen, and had 28, but waited until it was 27 over Bottas? Are they allowed to change strart, just not tyre? Doesn't seem that simple?

If I was Bottas I'd collect the pay cheque for a wee while and accept the reality of these decisions and go off elsewhere later lol.

Why would they risk it? As Mercedes they can either extend their faster car longer or risk trying to slot it in between 2 drivers less than a second apart on cold tyres.

Come on, take your tin foil hat off and think logically

[bjohnsonsmith]

Russell's has had a big off, bits of car all over the track.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Why would they risk it? As Mercedes they can either extend their faster car longer or risk trying to slot it in between 2 drivers less than a second apart on cold tyres.

Come on, take your tin foil hat off and think logically

I'm not wearing a tin foil hat. I don't even think Bottas is that good (or good enough for that seat). I'm just looking at the last 3 decision and thinking the justification for the previous decision seems to get another astrix when the next one comes along. Sorry, I'll not bother reading anything into anything...

[Akrapovic]

Stroll runs over his pit crew and Racing Point still manage a stop faster than Ferrari can.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Stroll runs over his pit crew and Racing Point still manage a stop faster than Ferrari can.

Lol

[Akrapovic]

Also I love George, but that was "Ericson hit me" level of stupid.

[chillibowl]

Can Bottas take it to his team mate here?

If he cant then surely the debate on whether or not Merc should treat Bottas as equal is over?

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I'm not wearing a tin foil hat. I don't even think Bottas is that good (or good enough for that seat). I'm just looking at the last 3 decision and thinking the justification for the previous decision seems to get another astrix when the next one comes along.

I think the interesting difference is that this time Hamilton was allowed to try a riskier alternative strategy whereas last time Bottas was not.

Caveat: it may well be that Hamilton going long today was less of a risk than Bottas going on to softer tires last time. So maybe not comparing like with like.

Another theory: Hamilton is so much better than Bottas that he is able to execute a wider range of alternative strategies and the team knows this and thus lets him try things they don't believe Bottas could pull off.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

I think the interesting difference is that this time Hamilton was allowed to try a riskier alternative strategy whereas last time Bottas was not.

Caveat: it may well be that Hamilton going long today was less of a risk than Bottas going on to softer tires last time. So maybe not comparing like with like.

Another theory: Hamilton is so much better than Bottas that he is able to execute a wider range of alternative strategies and the team knows this and thus lets him try.

The bottom theory is 100% true - Lewis is a FAR better driver than Bottas. But you could argue Bottas has been denied the chances to try these things, which doesn't help, etc. It's ok, we can explain it with another asterix and say that's not how we operate.

[bjohnsonsmith]

That was close. Perez nearly collected Albon.

[Akrapovic]

Albon finishes off Red Bull days,

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Lewis, yet another win and congrats to Mercedes on their 7th WCC. Good to see Danny Ric get another podium.

[chillibowl]

And another title for Merc...

Congrats.

[Akrapovic]

Fantastic winning record that. Deserved.

[chillibowl]

Ric...haha!

[Akrapovic]

A lot of daft stuff costing a lot of points today:

Albon spinning
Russell crashing
Gasly PU failure
Vettel asking Ferrari to change his tyres
Perez being pitted and giving up track position

Perez should be really questioning that one

[Adam43]

Yet again Mercedes favor Hamilton. This time by letting him drive fast. When will they let Bottas drive as fast Hamilton?

Albon, nooooooooo. Russell, NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not good there. Location checks out.

[Akrapovic]

The debris removed from Bottas car was Vettels front end endplate.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

The debris removed from Bottas car was Vettels front end endplate.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Yet again Mercedes favor Hamilton. This time by letting him drive fast. When will they let Bottas drive as fast Hamilton?

Albon, nooooooooo. Russell, NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not good there. Location checks out.

More like the location didn't check out for either Albon or Russell.

[ascarracinguk]

.

[Akrapovic]

Adam is being sarcastic. Although I don't full disagree with his statements