[Official] Portuguese Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 12 of 17

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Mugello. Bottas led. He choose opposite tyres to Lewis. Bottas pitted first. Lewis pitted second. Team switched Lewis to the same tyres as Bottas.

B.

Again, listen to Mercedes, they put the drivers on the same tyres so its fair. as soon as the first driver pits and goes onto the tyre, the second driver gets the same.

IIRC Bottas was second at that point anyway? couldnt make his tyres last as long as hamilton so had to pit first, losing any advantage he may have gained

This was covered in mercedes interviews at the time and was reinforced today.

[Adam43]

Or you could describe as

Leader chooses to pit first, and as leader, was allowed to change strategy, its only fair that the second can.

This topic has got as ridiculous and gone down such a short cut de sac as it did with Hakkinen and Coulthard days.

[Greem]

Vettel was very, very nearly in a gravel trap just now. I'm sure he'd have appreciated the difference between tarmac and gravel at the time.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Again, listen to Mercedes, they put the drivers on the same tyres so its fair. as soon as the first driver pits and goes onto the tyre, the second driver gets the same.

This was covered in mercedes interviews at the time and was reinforced today.

I don't see how it is "fair" to allow 1 car to dictate the strategy of the car behind. It also doesn't stack up with Mugello - Bottas made a decision based on Lewis side of the walls decision. How can Lewis and Bono even make a decision if that was going to be dictated by Bottas anyway? How can Bottas choose "the opposite" when Lewis can't decide because that's the rules?

The Mercedes decision making on tyre choices would not stand up to much scrutiny.

Not that it matters - you could give Bottas the best tyres and Lewis the worst and the result would be the same. Lewis has so much in reserve that he can turn it up to 11 on demand.

[Adam43]

But then as with a lot of things nowadays we are missing the main point. Hamilton pummelled poor Bottas.

[Adam43]

Perez Gasly. Not very pretty racing.

Edit: nicely done the following lap by Gasly.

[chillibowl]

Here we go...LH about to break a once thought unbreakable record and the conversation already about how Merc dont keep it fair.

[Akrapovic]

I'd be slapping Perez for that one. That wasn't ok.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I don't see how it is "fair" to allow 1 car to dictate the strategy of the car behind.

It seems perfectly fair for the lead car to have preferential treatment on choice of pitstop and tyre choice.

Flip it around. would you think it was fair if hamilton sat behind bottas for the whole race, waited for bottas to pit, choose his tyres and then be given a better tyre to win the race???

At the end of the day, both drivers have equal equipment, equal fuel loads, equal tyres....and its down to driver skill, i dont see whats fairer than that.

[Greem]

I never thought I'd see this happen. Bravo, Mr Hamilton, bravo indeed.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Adam43

But then as with a lot of things nowadays we are missing the main point. Hamilton pummelled poor Bottas.

And has now won more world championships GP races than any other driver in history. Well done sir.

But cue conversations about unfair pit stops.

[chillibowl]

With style! Bravo indeed!

[ascarracinguk]

Astonishing.

Broken a record i never thought would be possible.....and did it by destroying the field.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

It seems perfectly fair for the lead car to have preferential treatment on choice of pitstop and tyre choice.

Flip it around. would you think it was fair if hamilton sat behind bottas for the whole race, waited for bottas to pit, choose his tyres and then be given a better tyre to win the race???

At the end of the day, both drivers have equal equipment, equal fuel loads, equal tyres....and its down to driver skill, i dont see whats fairer than that.

Sounds all good until you realise Lewis side of the pit wall was making decisions despite being second. Doesn't sound like those rules were being upheld at that point.

Lewis would be utterly dominating these events regardless. I'll leave it at that before I get lumped in with the anti-Lewis anti-BLM crew, because I'm not. I just think Mercedes are trying awfully hard to bend over backwards and make rules fit situations.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Gasly finally gets the better of Perez.

[Akrapovic]

Will be surprised if Perez isn't spoken to regarding that block.

[Knowlesy]

THAT is how you break a record.

Well done Lewis. An amazing achievement.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Lewis on breaking Schumi's record.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

SIGH! Poor Russell and just when his seat may be underthreat.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Again, listen to Mercedes, they put the drivers on the same tyres so its fair. as soon as the first driver pits and goes onto the tyre, the second driver gets the same.

I don't see how its fair at all. It prevents each car from running a strategy that is optimal for them.

The real question is who comes out the looser on the team because of this? Probably Bottas. Even then, if each side of the garage was allowed to operate independently and optimally, Lewis would still be on top.

Richard

[GT6]

Well as usual the race behind the Mercedes was interesting but ridiculous that most of the field was lapped, the domination of F1 by the silver cars is not making the racing interesting, i know the other cars should be better but what can they do?

[Adam43]

It’s like most of the history of F1!

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by GT6

i know the other cars should be better but what can they do?

Be better? It's not like Mercedes have some magic sauce. They work to the same rules. They're just better at every single aspect of making and running an F1 car. I think it's awesome, a privilege to watch,

[bjohnsonsmith]

Rossi's out, bringing out the 4th caution of the race. Lost it at Turn 3 and into the wall and then shot across the track.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Rossi's out, bringing out the 4th caution of the race. Lost it at Turn 3 and into the wall and then shot across the track.

I think this might be in the wrong thread?