2021 Formula 1 Thread

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/ha...clash/6802878/

Hamilton: F1 racing rules "not clear" after FIA briefing post-Brazil clash
By: Alex Kalinauckas
Nov 20, 2021, 11:54 AM
Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1’s racing rules are still “not clear” despite the drivers having lengthy discussions with the FIA following Max Verstappen’s controversial defence against him in Brazil.

But Verstappen disagrees, saying that after the drivers’ briefing in Qatar ahead of this weekend’s inaugural F1 race at the Losail track, which is understood to have lasted over an hour, that the situation “was in the end pretty clear”.

After the Sao Paulo event stewards ruled that Mercedes’ request for a right of review into the decision that meant Verstappen’s initial defence at Interlagos’ Turn 4 did not to be fully investigated, the F1 pack held long talks with race director Michael Masi on Friday night in the usual drivers’ briefing slot – held as a video conference due to F1’s COVID-19 requirements.

Verstappen said the briefing consisted of drivers “sharing their opinions and then the FIA explaining their process of thought behind it”, but F1’s two leading drivers were left split on the matter in their comments following qualifying in Qatar on Saturday evening.

After Hamilton had claimed pole by a massive 0.563s over Verstappen, he was asked if it was now clear what defensive driving was acceptable following the Qatar drivers’ briefing, to which he replied: “No.

“It's not clear. Every driver, I think, expect for Max, was asking about just for clarity.

“Most drivers were asking for clarity, but it wasn't very clear.

“So, yeah - it's still not clear what the limits of the track are. It's clearly not the white line any more, so when overtaking. So we just go for it and...

“We just ask for consistency. So, if it's the same as the last race then that should be the same for all of us in those scenarios and then its fine.”


Verstappen, who answered before Hamilton, said: “Everyone is different, right? And everyone has their own way of racing and defending and overtaking, and of course it's very hard for the FIA as well to get everyone on the same line.

“Of course, they decide, but every driver has a different opinion and then I think yesterday it was all about sharing their opinions and then the FIA explaining their process of thought behind it.

“So, I think we came a long way and it was a very long briefing. So, yeah, I think it was in the end pretty clear.”

Hamilton later stated that should he engage in a wheel-to-wheel fight in Sunday’s race then he would approach any such situation understanding “that what happened in the last race is OK”.

But he then said the drivers had been informed that different stewards could rule differently if the same scenario that occurred in Brazil were to play out again.

“It's not clear, as I said,” Hamilton continued.

“They said it's going to be different with different stewards.

“If we had the same ones as last week, this week it is one way - so we'll see.”

Valtteri Bottas, who finished third in Qatar qualifying behind the two title contenders, said of the racing rules confusion: “I mean it is clear in that way that if it's a similar incident [as] in Brazil then that's OK.

“But obviously it's always a fine line, but also the consistency that's the key and for us to know exactly [what is allowed].

“I don't think we got really an explanation like what we actually can do or not.

“So, I mean every overtake, every defending is different, so I'm sure they try to do the best job giving the best penalties or no penalties.

“I don't think it really changes anything, we'll obviously go for it and at least we know that's what Lewis and Max ended up having in Brazil that that is OK. That's a good thing to know.”

[Ventruck]

Alonso!

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by Ventruck

Alonso!

Best result of the year along with Ricci's win earlier this season. Real racers doing well. Love it!

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/bi...cedes/6812019/

Bizarre quirk of Qatar kerbs caused F1 problems, reckons Mercedes
By: Jonathan Noble
Co-author: Adam Cooper
Nov 23, 2021, 4:13 AM
The brutal car damage dished out by the kerbs at Formula 1's Losail circuit was a result of them not being aggressive enough, reckons Mercedes.

A number of drivers hit trouble over the Qatar weekend as they suffered car and tyre damage throughout the event.

Charles Leclerc and Nikita Mazepin both had to swap chassis following damage caused by kerb strikes, while Pierre Gasly smashed a front wing that triggered a puncture at the end of qualifying.

In the race, it is suspected that the repeated running over the kerbs played a part in the tyre failures that were suffered by Valtteri Bottas, Lando Norris and Williams duo George Russell and Nicholas Latifi.

Rather than the issue being that the kerbs were too rough, Mercedes head of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin says the situation was so difficult because the kerbs were actually too low – so there was no deterrent to running over them.

"It is strange because the issue is that they are actually quite smooth, so therefore you can run all over them," he explained.

"When you run all over them, the front wings are very low to the ground and they are being clipped, plus the tyres are being hit pretty hard by them.

"In a bizarre way, if they were more aggressive it would probably be easier for the cars and the tyres.

"But the fact that you can get on them, and the quickest thing is to get on them as well, means you have got to do it here, and therein lies the risk."


F1 race director Michael Masi said that there was nothing unique about the kerb design at Losail, which are regularly in place at both MotoGP and F1 venues.

He cited the fact that the exit same kerb concepts are used without complaint at the final sequence of the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

"They're the standard FIA / FIM kerbs that we've seen at the last two corners at Austria forever," he said.

"I think one of the things is that drivers were trying to use everything to their full advantage."

Pirelli has opened an investigation in to what caused the tyre failures in the Qatar race, and will examine whether drivers abusing the kerbs was a key factor in the punctures.

The Italian tyre manufacturer's head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola said: "Any small debris, any kerb, can cause a small puncture.

"Then, losing air, the tyre when it's broken is not able to sustain the high level of energy that these cars are putting on the tyres."

[ZCanadian]

Sure, run 37 laps on a tire that the manufacturer said was good for 31, and then blame Pirelli (talking to you, Lando - just because Lewis and Sergio can pull that kind of miracle off doesn't mean everyone can). Or the curbs. Or probably inflation pressures, which no doubt the teams are pushing to the very limits of the new scrutiny.

The fact that it was the left front in each case, makes the curb a plausible culprit. That F1 hasn't run here before contributed to the lack of data on true tire life expectancy.

[abm89]

The front left was put through stupid loads, especially through sector 3. I agree, those kerbs probably didn't help, but like you said, Pirelli recommended a two-stop.

I did notice Lewis was nowhere near the exit kerbs the whole race. Even I was like, "you can use a little more track if you wanted to man!" but it was probably a good idea. Im sure Max did the same after he damaged a bit of his front wing on them.

[danegrey]

over all it was an interesting race, happy for Alonso
Bottas -- just plain bad luck....

[Hotrodz]

It was a good race and score one for the old guys! So happy for Alonzo. I think MB made another bad strategy call with Bottas. They had enough time to bring Bottas in and he would have still been in front of Perez before Perez made his second pit stop. It was a risky gamble to keep him out and they lost.

It is also interesting to hear Max say he is not worried. That is just BS! He has lost two races in a row to a seven time world champion who is in the zone and smells blood. LMAO, RB is ******** bricks right now. They so far have no answer to pace that MB has found and MB's motor is fresher than theirs.

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[ZCanadian]

Re the punctures - there is another possibility....

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by abm89

The front left was put through stupid loads, especially through sector 3. I agree, those kerbs probably didn't help, but like you said, Pirelli recommended a two-stop.

I did notice Lewis was nowhere near the exit kerbs the whole race. Even I was like, "you can use a little more track if you wanted to man!" but it was probably a good idea. Im sure Max did the same after he damaged a bit of his front wing on them.

Again-- LH driving smarter not harder.

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

It was a good race and score one for the old guys! So happy for Alonzo. I think MB made another bad strategy call with Bottas. They had enough time to bring Bottas in and he would have still been in front of Perez before Perez made his second pit stop. It was a risky gamble to keep him out and they lost.

It is also interesting to hear Max say he is not worried. That is just BS! He has lost two races in a row to a seven time world champion who is in the zone and smells blood. LMAO, RB is ******** bricks right now. They so far have no answer to pace that MB has found and MB's motor is fresher than theirs.

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When you on purpose do not make a corner to run your competitor off the track you are LOSING. Thats pressure and desperation.

[Hotrodz]

Originally Posted by DLSTR

When you on purpose do not make a corner to run your competitor off the track you are LOSING. Thats pressure and desperation.

Exactly, if he takes out Lewis and himself he wins! Desperation at its best.

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[Spooler]

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

Exactly, if he takes out Lewis and himself he wins! Desperation at its best.

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Lewis is wise to his crappy ways. That won't happen.

[DLSTR]

https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2...a/Circuit.html

Jeddah Corniche Circuit
First Grand Prix
2021

Number of Laps
50

Circuit Length
6.174km

Race Distance
308.45 km


What's the circuit like?
Fast. Very fast. Average speeds around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit are set to be 252km/h – quicker than those at Silverstone, and second on the 2021 calendar only to Monza – aka ‘The Temple of Speed’. It will, quite simply, be the fastest street circuit ever seen in Formula 1 – while the track will also feature the most corners on the 2021 calendar with 27, many of them quick, sinuous bends as the drivers wend their way along the Jeddah waterfront.

[ZCanadian]

You sure about "first Grand Prix 2021", and not March 2022???
:-)

Looks like perhaps we'll get two decent passing corners per lap - is it clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Edit - never mind the question - I see when I blow up the thumbnail it is counter-clockwise.