2020 Styrian Grand Prix - Spielberg, 10-12 July

[Moore77]

What a car that McLaren is and what a stellar job those two have been doing. Confidence inspiring for Sainz.
Riccardo is always so poor in Wet and Ocon is generally faster in the same conditions. Hope Ocon continues the good run.
Such uselessness idiots at Racing Point. Less said the better it is. Put some good drivers and that car can do wonders.
Kvyat doesn't deserve to be on the grid.

They are going to get Merc engine in 2021 or 2022? i forgot
Once they get it, it will be challenging for win.

And another stand out performance was from Ocon, beating Riccardo and constantly in the top 5 was fun to watch

2021, so. they will have a difficult year next year (again) trying to bolt a PU that is quite different to a chassis designed for a Renault. In history, McLaren isn't the best at engine swaps...

They are now being led by James Key, who has a pedigree in such things. To be fair, most of McLaren is new and probably working under new culture and procedure. So the past isn't a good reference anymore.

[Sieper]

So last week we had the Australian GP and this week the Syrian. Quite an international fest for the dislectic under us.

[Shrieker]

Best strategy for ham would be to start on softs, no ? Easier to retain the lead, can pull clear, if there's a sc or vsc safe gap to pit, or if he pits before and there's a sc after, great advantage. Looks like it covers all eventualities.

Edit: if it begins to drizzle after a dry start, better to have softs too.

[Phil]

Thanks for the headsup regarding F2. Just turning it on again.

EDIT: Where are you watching it? It's not on ORF...

Here

Damn, I tried this before, but it says "unavailable" when I hit the video. Must be geoblocked for Swiss users.

[PlatinumZealot]

You are such children.

Hamilton did a very nice trick, well done to him, I don't know if he lucked into it, or simply planned it or he's just intuitive like that. Still, no one else did what he did so he deserves pole.

If you watch his onboard, he timed track position so the car in front was ahead just enough to clear the water off the road, but not so close that he had to drive in the spray. Because of this he was able to dominate in the final sector.

Verstappen said he was was doing that too. In the end even after a clear track and better conditions he still didn't beat HAM's first pole time. I see Lewis another step higher than Max in the rain driving, but Max will get there in due time.

[Silent Storm]

IMO Russell needs to race in a proper midfield team first before moving to a top team. -- he goes against Lewis then his days are numbered.

Failing to note the irony of this statement? Hamilton did just fine in a top team, as did Leclerc and Russell will too IMO.

Russell is clearly a very good driver, that is obvious; making Russell waste time in a midfield team is pointless... imagine if Ferrari had retained Raikkonen again and Leclerc was stuck at Alfa Romeo, that would have been bad for the sport and bad for the fans.

Why shouldn't Russell be in Mercedes so he can race for the poles, wins and championships that he is capable of?

Alfa Romeo was faster than Haas in 2018 near the end of the season, Leclerc destroyed his experienced team mate Ericsson. The day Russell does the same he would and should be promoted but for now I don't know how to rate him.

[Mogster]

Thanks for the headsup regarding F2. Just turning it on again.

EDIT: Where are you watching it? It's not on ORF...

UK Sky are still covering it. Conditions are awful and it’s quite dark. Lapping behind these safety car now, conditions maybe a bit better than earlier though.

[siskue2005]

Thanks for the headsup regarding F2. Just turning it on again.

EDIT: Where are you watching it? It's not on ORF...

Here

Damn, I tried this before, but it says "unavailable" when I hit the video. Must be geoblocked for Swiss users.

Use VPN

[Restomaniac]

IMO Russell needs to race in a proper midfield team first before moving to a top team. -- he goes against Lewis then his days are numbered.

Failing to note the irony of this statement? Hamilton did just fine in a top team, as did Leclerc and Russell will too IMO.

Russell is clearly a very good driver, that is obvious; making Russell waste time in a midfield team is pointless... imagine if Ferrari had retained Raikkonen again and Leclerc was stuck at Alfa Romeo, that would have been bad for the sport and bad for the fans.

racing against experience drivers ruins careers. Alonso vs Vandoorne and Raikkonen vs Gio for example.

It was no problem for Hamilton alongside Alonso. Russell appears to be in a similar talent class to Hamilton. Unless Mercedes goes ahead with the pairing, we will never find out for sure though, so going ahead with promoting Russell is the best way to evaluate Russell's talent. It is very unlikely Russell's performance will be inferior to Bottas.

Teams don’t want to pay silly money for things like Vettel/LeClerc in Brazil, Verstappen/Ricciardo in Baku or going back far further a rather famous and embarrassing episode that still makes McLaren look silly all these years later.

Except Russell is cheap not expensive. Prost and Lauda got on very well when teamed at McLaren.

I was replying to the idea of Hamilton and Verstappen being teammates.

[JordanMugen]

I was replying to the idea of Hamilton and Verstappen being teammates.

Russell appears to be just as good as Hamilton or Verstappen, so would be an excellent signing for Mercedes.

Verstappen said he was was doing that too. In the end even after a clear track and better conditions he still didn't beat HAM's first pole time. I see Lewis another step higher than Max in the rain driving, but Max will get there in due time.

I think that is impossible to judge from this session, as the Red Bull has much less stable handling than the Mercedes and is not suited to wet conditions.

[siskue2005]

"Lewis, you have to take social distancing seriously these days!"



Puts it on pole by 1.2 seconds.



"... we meant off-track, Lewis."

[Restomaniac]

They are going to get Merc engine in 2021 or 2022? i forgot
Once they get it, it will be challenging for win.

And another stand out performance was from Ocon, beating Riccardo and constantly in the top 5 was fun to watch

2021, so. they will have a difficult year next year (again) trying to bolt a PU that is quite different to a chassis designed for a Renault. In history, McLaren isn't the best at engine swaps...

They are now being led by James Key, who has a pedigree in such things. To be fair, most of McLaren is new and probably working under new culture and procedure. So the past isn't a good reference anymore.

Yep I doubt they will be given a bonus of a Fredo chocolate bar this time.

[PlatinumZealot]

Verstappen said he was was doing that too. In the end even after a clear track and better conditions he still didn't beat HAM's first pole time. I see Lewis another step higher than Max in the rain driving, but Max will get there in due time.

I think that is impossible to judge from this session, as the Red Bull has much less stable handling than the Mercedes and is not suited to wet conditions.

Huh? very paradoxical statement! How do you know the redbull has much less stable handling?
It seemed fine to me in Anthony davidson's analysis. It was gearshifts, throttle and car placement that caught Max out. He was neck and neck right up until mid lap. Very wild guesswork there..

[siskue2005]

I was replying to the idea of Hamilton and Verstappen being teammates.

Russell appears to be just as good as Hamilton or Verstappen, so would be an excellent signing for Mercedes.

Verstappen said he was was doing that too. In the end even after a clear track and better conditions he still didn't beat HAM's first pole time. I see Lewis another step higher than Max in the rain driving, but Max will get there in due time.

I think that is impossible to judge from this session, as the Red Bull has much less stable handling than the Mercedes and is not suited to wet conditions.

We had one session in wets in 2020 cars, how do you know that RBR is not suited to wet conditions??

[Restomaniac]

I was replying to the idea of Hamilton and Verstappen being teammates.

Russell appears to be just as good as Hamilton or Verstappen, so would be an excellent signing for Mercedes.

Verstappen said he was was doing that too. In the end even after a clear track and better conditions he still didn't beat HAM's first pole time. I see Lewis another step higher than Max in the rain driving, but Max will get there in due time.

I think that is impossible to judge from this session, as the Red Bull has much less stable handling than the Mercedes and is not suited to wet conditions.

I would put Russell in the Mercedes tomorrow.