[Official] Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 21 of 22

[crmalcolm]

No action for alleged yellow flag incident.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

No action for alleged yellow flag incident.

Can’t see anything coming from Mazepin incident either

No white flags

No blue flags

No notification by team

[Beau2]

Originally Posted by Greem

Oh dear.

Hamilton summoned to stewards for alleged yellow flag infringement.

Those two clips with Gasly & Mazepin don't look good at all.

[Beau2]

Watching this track feels like there could be an accident at every corner.

Sainz lucky to get away with it in Qualifying

[bjohnsonsmith]

Lewis getting loose.

[chillibowl]

oh no Max!

amazing quali and agree with Greem...i like this track!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Max into the wall.

[Greem]

Oof. Max would have blitzed that lap if only he hadn't pushed so hard at the end.

I'm afraid to say that there was quite the cheer in my house. Mercedes were very lucky.

[ascarracinguk]

I need a lie down after that

Great recovery from Mercedes

Max on the limit reminded me of Montoyas laps in ChampCar

Just shows how on the limit both drivers and teams are, epic stuff

[Beau2]

Fantastic stuff by all in that session. Most of the top drivers got away with it at various times because they were pushing so hard. What an unforgiving track - I don't think the racing will be great but it's awesome to watch the cars on the edge.

[Richard C]

Max was clearly leaving nothing on the table with that lap. After he was purple in the first two sectors, I thought short of crashing he would be on pole. Both he and Lewis running on the ragged edge.

Also Yuki doing well. Not to mention Gasly always quick as well.

Richard

[djinvicta]

Jeddah looks a killer track, if one car makes a mistake on lap one, it will be carnage..

[justracing]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Jeddah looks a killer track, if one car makes a mistake on lap one, it will be carnage..

My thoughts exactly, at these speeds the circuit width shrinks dramatically and no matter how good the drivers are, the place is an accident waiting to happen IMHO

[Purist]

I thought the place looked wild from the outset. The action I've seen so far, even just in the highlights, has me all the more excited about this track.

The start will be very interesting, and I think we could get one hell of a duel between Max and Lewis. Although, in the end, I think Lewis may not be as comfortable and could take a "live to fight another day" tack if things get really dicey.

Unless he gets taken out right at the start, this just is a Verstappen kind of place.

I'd also say that the changes made to Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi may make that circuit more to the Dutchman's liking as well.

[porsche962fan]

so what are the odds that Mad Max will crash into Hamilton ?

[Richard C]

I tend to agree that it is just a matter of time before there is a relatively big accident on this track. Hopefully it will be a good race tomorrow and that accidents don't decide the championship.

Richard

[greentrumpet]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Leclerc incident taken into account, I still find it difficult to fathom how these circuits pass the FIA safety regs. When you look at the changes enforced onto other permanent circuits it makes a mockery when you see corners on tracks like this with a profile resembling 1980s Tamburello lined with nothing more than a wall.

I do wonder what actually is the criteria for a grade 1 circuit because it seems like there is massive double standards, super strict for race tracks, anything goes for street circuits.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by justracing

My thoughts exactly, at these speeds the circuit width shrinks dramatically and no matter how good the drivers are, the place is an accident waiting to happen IMHO

A bit like Monaco then?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Max was clearly leaving nothing on the table with that lap. After he was purple in the first two sectors, I thought short of crashing he would be on pole. Both he and Lewis running on the ragged edge.

Also Yuki doing well. Not to mention Gasly always quick as well.

Richard

It was a wonderful wonderful lap. Until that final corner. He had it in the bag too.

Well that was exciting.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

A bit like Monaco then?

It reminds me more of an IndyCar street circuit. I think we may be in for a few FCYs and cautions breed cautions, as they say.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

A bit like Monaco then?

Yep but twice as fast. We should have poll for the number of safety cars. It's Long Beach on steroids

[Greem]

Originally Posted by greentrumpet

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That's paid for a massive amount of TecPro *and* SAFER barriers.

There's not much room for error, granted, but the cars won't be hitting something as hard as concrete on most parts of the circuit.

We've spent years bemoaning tarmac runoff areas, blaming their existence for a torrent of penalties. Now we get a fast, fairly wide track, built to all the current (high) safety standards and people are moaning about the lack of runoff.

Can't have it both ways!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Greem

That's paid for a massive amount of TecPro *and* SAFER barriers.

There's not much room for error, granted, but the cars won't be hitting something as hard as concrete on most parts of the circuit.

We've spent years bemoaning tarmac runoff areas, blaming their existence for a torrent of penalties. Now we get a fast, fairly wide track, built to all the current (high) safety standards and people are moaning about the lack of runoff.

Can't have it both ways!

Absolutely agree entirely.

Everything people criticise about the track (not venue) is exactly what many have asked for elsewhere.

[Adam43]

It’s a cracker. Max’s lap was brilliant - I loved watching him on that lap and was disappointed he didn’t get it done. However that he didn’t is an indication that the track is a challenge.

Whether it is good for racing I don’t know. Very fast and with the walls I could imagine it would be difficult to follow.

[steve_r]

Just to repeat what others have said, that was looking like the lap of the season, and then turned into a nightmare. Very exciting on the limit stuff from Verstappen. This season keeps delivering top class drama.