[Official] Spanish Grand Prix 2021: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 4 of 23

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Lewis needs to set himself these kind of challenges more often instead of just leading from the front

Judging by how buzzing Hamilton was in his post-race interview, I think he'd agree with you. Not seem him that enervated for a while.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Anyopenroad

Judging by how buzzing Hamilton was in his post-race interview, I think he'd agree with you. Not seem him that enervated for a while.

He said he was ready to go again.

[steve_r]

Track position is important, but Mercedes 2 stop strategy seemed to catch out Red Bull. I guess that as soon as Hamilton pitted for the 2nd time, copying that the next lap would have just given Hamilton the undercut, so RBR went from being in control of the race one minute to being completely out of control the next, and forced to run the Mediums until the very end. Hats off to the strategy team at Mercedes there.

The basic pace difference between the two of them was minimal, but the stopwatch shows a dominant win.

It was quite an interesting race - which is a pleasant surprise for this track.

[Lancsbreaker]

I'll confess I thought Merc had got the strategy wrong until it became apparent just how much extra pace Lewis had over Max as the RB's tyres degraded.....


Those strategy guys earn their corn

[chillibowl]

I did as well. Thought Ham got a bit unlucky by going longer on his first stint and then thought they were trying to make up for it with that 2nd call.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Those strategy guys earn their corn

Having made sure from Friday that they had the two sets of mediums available
I sure would agree with you.

[GT6]

Agree with most on here, a very surprising race that exceeded all expectations

[S griffin]

Decent race. Interesting final laps with the battle between Max and Lewis. Also great drive by Leclerc really pushing that Ferrari to the maximum

Good to see Ricciardo starting to get to grips with the McLaren and Ocon, what a weekend from him. He's really raised his game since Alonso joined

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Get the feeling Bottas knows his future already. That was very odd seeing him not move out of the way there.

I completely agree. I think he knows that this is his last year with Mercedes - if he survives to the end of the season.

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I completely agree. I think he knows that this is his last year with Mercedes - if he survives to the end of the season.

He also must already realise that with the title being Hamilton vs Verstappen, his job is going to be a support role. I saw his petulance here as a last act if defiance before the inevitable.

I like Bottas but I don’t have any sympathy. He has had every chance to succeed, but he isn’t good enough to compete with Hamilton consistently. Few are. At one point weren’t Ham and Ver lapping a second faster than anyone else? Two astonishing drivers.

[Knowlesy]

It seems to be the natural cycle of the number two driver. After four or five years they get fed up and start behaving a bit more erratically, culminating in them seeking a new team or being dropped.

It must be horrible really. You work your whole life to get into one of the top teams in the sport and you get paired up with Lewis bloody Hamilton. It must take its toll eventually, knowing that your best is probably only good enough for 2nd place tops on a normal day.

So the end of this season seems the ideal time for Mercedes to freshen up. I think Bottas is doing a fine job though still, Mercedes only need him to qualify well and be strong in the early part of the race to put the pressure on Red Bull's strategy, which he has done in three of the four rounds. Perez has not yet managed the same for his team.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

It must be horrible really. You work your whole life to get into one of the top teams in the sport and you get paired up with Lewis bloody Hamilton.

I reckon there are several million reasons a year why being number 2 to one of the greatest drivers that's ever lived is an acceptable job

[Knowlesy]

When his career is over he will look at his bank balance and his F1 wins (and hopefully titles in other series) and reflect with satisfaction.

Right now? He probably gets out of bed every morning absolutely seething.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Greem

I reckon there are several million reasons a year why being number 2 to one of the greatest drivers that's ever lived is an acceptable job

Yep, I'd take it and move over willingly when asked to.....

[chillibowl]

not a good year so far for Bottas.

the Netlix show, while overtly overdramatized, sort of forced Bottas to accept and play this role of a driver with something to prove/elbows out time, a reprimand by his boss for the Russell incident, and now a couple of not so subtle radio messages stating that his team mate is faster.

but his lack of pace compared to Max (who was at the time trying his best to extend the life of his tires) was perhaps the most damning of all though?

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by ascarracinguk

Phew! That was tense

Great drive by Lewis

Great strategy by Mercedes

Bottas will be getting his botty smacked for making that harder than it needed to be.

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

I did as well. Thought Ham got a bit unlucky by going longer on his first stint and then thought they were trying to make up for it with that 2nd call.

I read it differently. I thought Mercedes had totally dropped the ball at the first stops, possibly because of Lewis's "Tyres are still good" comment. After seeing how their strategy played out, I think Lewis's comment was simply confirming that the pre-planned strategy would work. It allowed him to close the gap down in the second stint by being on newer tyres than Max.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Yep, I'd take it and move over willingly when asked to.....

Crikey, not everyone can be Eddie Irvine you know!

[Adam43]

I think slightly too much has been made of Bottas being slow to let Hamilton through. He did take longer than the same call to the McLaren drivers, but it want that bad.

He didn’t immediately jump out of the way and Lewis had to show his nose. However as soon as this happened he gave lots of room and there was no danger. Certainly not a real pass.

Of more importance is that while Bottas can hang with Hamilton in qualifying sometimes he just does not have the relentless pace lap after lap, race after race, season after season.

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

It must be horrible really. You work your whole life to get into one of the top teams in the sport and you get paired up with Lewis bloody Hamilton.

This pretty much sums up the entire situation. Any comedy theories can be replaced with this much simpler explanation.

[Casper]

An interesting comment from Hamilton saying that RB are back into the bendy wing business. If so it seems that old technology does have its place in today's world.

[HDTVKSS]

So it may have been, discussed elsewhere, but given the disparity of Hamiltons comments RE his tyre condition and reality - are these coded messages to the team Multi - 21 style? the other thought is that they are being used as a strategy thing of putting off another team while Merc knows it means nothing

similar thing was seen in Australia in regards to debreissss at Bathurst and its peculiar pronunciation, so im wondering if its a way of acknowledging a strategy or other condition using specific words. its not often you hear him say it later in the race, and its said in a different way and conversational rather than a statement

I also cant recall much in the way of messages for strategy being broadcast of strategy A, B, B + 5 etc like you hear for other. or maybe in not noticing it.

maybe im behind the times and this is a well known thing...

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I think slightly too much has been made of Bottas being slow to let Hamilton through. He did take longer than the same call to the McLaren drivers, but it want that bad.

He didn’t immediately jump out of the way and Lewis had to show his nose. However as soon as this happened he gave lots of room and there was no danger. Certainly not a real pass.

Bottas certainly never blocked Lewis or compromised Lewis' race, and was trying to ensure he didnt compromise his own fight with those he was potentially racing for positions.... in his mind knowing he wanted to get in a tyre stop to enable him to have a crack at the FL point.

Bottas certainly gave more space to Lewis than he did to George at Imola.
(No I am not putting the blame on Bottas for that one, )

[Alan52]

I’m beginning to think Hamilton is beginning to look as though he has a big margin.He would have won with either 1 or 2 stops.The moment they were both on mediums he was way quicker than Max.
F1 really needs Hamilton to lose a title very soon.A spirited 2nd best from another team is not good enough to keep interest in F1 strong outside the UK.It wouldn’t even matter if Lewis came back to win in the following year-in fact that might even be better-but the predictability of the end game for the 8th year running is bad news.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I think slightly too much has been made of Bottas being slow to let Hamilton through. He did take longer than the same call to the McLaren drivers, but it want that bad.

He didn’t immediately jump out of the way and Lewis had to show his nose. However as soon as this happened he gave lots of room and there was no danger. Certainly not a real pass.

I'm not so convinced that he made it easy Adam. He certainly cost Hamilton some time which, right at that point he was pretty desperate not to do - as were the team. He could have made it a lot easier just by stepping on the brake at numerous points. I suspect it would have looked a lot better for him at Merc if he'd done so. Maybe he thought they would admire his fighting spirit......

[Adam43]

I agree he could have made it easier. I’m just think that he didn’t make it that hard. It certainly wasn’t a real overtake as was one theory at the time.