2021 Turkish Grand Prix - Istanbul Park, Oct 08 - 10

[_cerber1]

[MV8]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FBLfXjeWECc ... name=large

what do you use for that?

[Mr.S]

Mercedes has been on an average 2 tenths quicker since Silverstone, maybe a tenth less or maybe a tenth more here n there. So this is no surprising. Hamilton has the quicker car. RB have the better driver in Verstappen.

Hamilton has a 10 place penalty. Most of the remaining races except Mexico & to some extent Brazil maybe favour Mercedes atleast slightly. Let us see. Hamilton has a 10 place grid penalty. I would taken it in Mexico (Mexico & Brazil & 3 the Middle Eastern race for the last engine) & LH should have gone for the wins in Turkey & USA. Maybe sacrifice Mexico a bit - Anyways maybe Wolff knows better.

[AeroDynamic]

Mercedes has been on an average 2 tenths quicker since Silverstone, maybe a tenth less or maybe a tenth more here n there. So this is no surprising. Hamilton has the quicker car. RB have the better driver in Verstappen.

Not to argue which driver is better, but since Silverstone we have new tyres. Since then, Verstappen has complained about under steer at a number of circuits. It’s a set up woe, otherwise you’re saying Perez is driving better / faster than verstappen today? I think Verstappen is ahead of Perez and the difference we are seeing is just set up.

The ceiling of a car’s potential is not something you reach the same way or with the same straightforwardness at every circuit. Tyre temperature, tyre range, set up, are all hurdles you have to get past in order to try and maximise the time out of the car. Monaco for Hamilton was a clear example of this when you don’t sort out the set up, and mitigate any gremlins holding you back from extracting the potential.

People were saying Monaco as evidence one driver in a MCS wasn’t that good. Those same people’s logic could b applied today with some equally Asanine assertions to say One driver in the RB is not as good as as people think because he’s behind other cars than just the MCS, despite being in a championship fighting car.

[Gillian]

Mercedes has been on an average 2 tenths quicker since Silverstone, maybe a tenth less or maybe a tenth more here n there. So this is no surprising. Hamilton has the quicker car. RB have the better driver in Verstappen.

Not to argue which driver is better, but since Silverstone we have new tyres. Since then, Verstappen has complained about under steer at a number of circuits. It’s a set up woe, otherwise you’re saying Perez is driving better / faster than verstappen today? I think Verstappen is ahead of Perez and the difference we are seeing is just set up.

The ceiling of a car’s potential is not something you reach the same way or with the same straightforwardness at every circuit. Tyre temperature, tyre range, set up, are all hurdles you have to get past in order to try and maximise the time out of the car. Monaco for Hamilton was a clear example of this when you don’t sort out the set up, and mitigate any gremlins holding you back from extracting the potential.

People were saying Monaco as evidence one driver in a MCS wasn’t that good. Those same people’s logic could b applied today with some equally Asanine assertions to say One driver in the RB is not as good as as people think because he’s behind other cars than just the MCS, despite being in a championship fighting car.

I think you are right about the tires. Verstappen was complaining about the tires today when he was asked to change wing levels.

[AeroDynamic]

Mercedes has been on an average 2 tenths quicker since Silverstone, maybe a tenth less or maybe a tenth more here n there. So this is no surprising. Hamilton has the quicker car. RB have the better driver in Verstappen.

Not to argue which driver is better, but since Silverstone we have new tyres. Since then, Verstappen has complained about under steer at a number of circuits. It’s a set up woe, otherwise you’re saying Perez is driving better / faster than verstappen today? I think Verstappen is ahead of Perez and the difference we are seeing is just set up.

The ceiling of a car’s potential is not something you reach the same way or with the same straightforwardness at every circuit. Tyre temperature, tyre range, set up, are all hurdles you have to get past in order to try and maximise the time out of the car. Monaco for Hamilton was a clear example of this when you don’t sort out the set up, and mitigate any gremlins holding you back from extracting the potential.

People were saying Monaco as evidence one driver in a MCS wasn’t that good. Those same people’s logic could b applied today with some equally Asanine assertions to say One driver in the RB is not as good as as people think because he’s behind other cars than just the MCS, despite being in a championship fighting car.

I think you are right about the tires. Verstappen was complaining about the tires today when he was asked to change wing levels.

Can anyone recall under steer / set up complaints prior to Silverstone for the RB? I’m suspecting a correlation problem for RB since the new rear Pirelli’s came in. It’s not been every circuit though, in Hungary they struggled to get on top of it, but they sorted it out in Silverstone, they had a good race in Zandvoort. It’s hit and miss at the moment. I’m sure they will sort it out tonight though. MCS sorted theirs out overnight back in Silverstone when they were a second off.

[foxmulder_ms]

Penalty should be taken in a circuit where overtaking is the easiest and also as early as possible. So Istanbul seems right..

[Tizz]

Penalty should be taken in a circuit where overtaking is the easiest and also as early as possible. So Istanbul seems right..

Agreed. Although there are different opinions on where it is best, it is surely worst to have a terminal engine problem this weekend, a penalty for a new engine next race and then 2 tracks that have been favorable for RB in the past.

[Dee]

Windsor has been talking about the new tyres since they came on board

"How the new Pirelli's are helping Mercedes"

"Max and the Pirelli's" "

Stiffer rears gave Mercedes a more consistant wall for the diffuser, improving their performance - basically a free upgrade added on to their Silverstone upgrade.

As for RB and the understeer

Maybe a balance issue caused by more downforce due to stiffer tyres now going to the rear, making it understeer? Taking away from the front end.. RB had that from their high rake anyway, stiffer tyres giving them more downforce takes away the perfect balance they had already..

[Shrieker]

4+ seconds faster than last year lol good

[Bill_Kar]

Penalty should be taken in a circuit where overtaking is the easiest and also as early as possible. So Istanbul seems right..

OK, so what did Mercedes do exactly? Because they had two options, take penalties in Turkey/COTA (reasonable chances of victories) or take penalties in Mexico/Brazil (improbable win, but also tracks that allow overtaking).

So it seems to me that they didn't think that starting from the back in Turkey/COTA would result in a high-placed position, so they wouldn't minimise the loss of points to Verstappen.

But, also, it seems that they were not confident that #44 could reach Mexico with the same ICE, in order for them to pursue the -IMO- optimal strategy of taking all penalties to the non-winning event, at least the presumably non-winning event, that is.

So, they decided to split the renewal of components, thinking that starting 11th-13th is actually a good place to minimise the loss of points. If Verstappen doesn't win, and Hamilton end up one spot behind him, kudos to Mercedes, it worked.

[JPower]

Ferrari looks good on both low and high fuel for a change.

Leclerc looked very fast from the outset just like last year. I think Sainz ran the longest stint of the day at 22 laps on mediums. Pretty consistently in the low to mid 28's for the duration of the run.

I think the new ERS system is going to noticeably help Ferrari's race pace.

As for McLaren, couldn't tell much because they don't run full power on Fridays but Lando looked quick on the hard tires. Ricciardo was a bit off on one lap and race pace.

Alpine and Alpha Tauri looked OK. Aston looked a ways off.

[zibby43]

The Istanbul Park circuit forecast I just saw shows 80% chance for Sat. and 60% chance on Sun.

Anyway, in race trim, Turkey was one of Merc’s most dominant circuits last year. We’ll see what happens with the weather and PU situation for Hamilton.

Very different cars this year with the aero changes around the rear end. I don't expect Mercedes to be in anyway dominant here this year.

. . . but there is a trend in that the tracks they were strongest at last year, they are strong at again this year: Silverstone, Hungary, Monza, Russia, Turkey (?)

If the pace shown today holds, I think we can say that the trend continues, which could be helpful sorting out the remaining Merc/RBR strongholds.

[PlatinumZealot]

Ferraris new engine paying dividends.

Mercedes looks very good. It's important that Bottas qualifies at least second place.
If Bottas wins and Max finishes second. Leclerc and Perez might enough to keep Lewis in fith place.

[Ozan]

it looks a little rainy tomorrow on fp3 time here and also little possibility of rain in qualify time but partly cloudy and sunny in race time.