2020 Styrian Grand Prix - Spielberg, 10-12 July

[Sieper]

Max is fine where he Is. RBR took the chance with him and now he is paying the confidence back. RBR might not have the budget and the integration like mercedes has but they are a fine team and hopefully Honda will remain committed to F1. Lewis is fine at merc and perhaps Russell will get a chance next to him, but I think Lewis will prefer Bottas, as Toto. Leclerc now also has the team where they went with it. It might be infantile by me but I do not feel sorry. Well, a bit actually, Ferrari should be there too but they have theirselves and their old fashioned power politics to blame for it.

[maxxer]

I am no tech guru, but I am quite certain I saw Lewis and Valtteri "DAS" ing on the build up to laps in Q1 and Q3. But then, Toto said neither driver did use it and he's the most honest and honourable guy I've seen in the sport since I fell in love with it in 1994.

I think I've seen Hamilton's lap five times since the session ended and my mouth is open every time. I really don't care what he used or didn't use but that Mercedes is not that much better than the Red Bull, it uses the same tyres as the rest of the grid and a bloke that won a grand prix seven days back drives the same car. Just an epic lap from the best driver on the grid and an all time great. The bitterness in some people is just mind boggling to me.

From a Ferrari point of view, how many seasons has it now been that they struggle to 'warm up the tyres?'

It's just amazing that this amount of resource and the best driver pairing on the grid is yielding such results. I can't even begin to imagine the plight if it was any worse.

Huge shout out to McLaren. I had a petulant dislike for them in the 90's for obvious reasons and I have been itching to see them get back in it and they are 100% a team on the upswing. I had called RedBull out when they let Carlos go and he is showing them they made a huge error in judgement. I also didn't understand Carlos' switch but I guess he knows better. "Ferrari will ultimately get it right" is what I heard endlessly in 2015 when Vettel joined and Alonso left.. Here we are and it is looking as miserable as 2014 if not worse! Makes me respect Michael even more now for doing what he did in this hell hole.

Lastly, Mercedes would be barking mad to not put Russell in the second Mercedes right from next year. Hamilton will not go on forever and if they think Bottas is on the same pedestal as Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Ocon, Norris, Albon and god knows how many more young lunatics are out there then they're just another team living in the now with no eye on the future.

Before schumacher joined they were also not good with Berger and Alesi and alot of dnf's on last laps and all.
Schumacher just took over the team together with Ross Brawn and schumacher made his own strategy he called the shots and got the car build to his liking and drivestyle.

Since then its this again

[Wynters]

From a Ferrari point of view, how many seasons has it now been that they struggle to 'warm up the tyres?'

It's just amazing that this amount of resource and the best driver pairing on the grid is yielding such results. I can't even begin to imagine the plight if it was any worse.

What's your view of Vettel and Leclerc in these conditions? Both from today and from last year?

My feeling is that Vettel has the edge and his experience is key but I've not closely compared them.

[Pyrone89]

Max is fine where he Is. RBR took the chance with him and now he is paying the confidence back. RBR might not have the budget and the integration like mercedes has but they are a fine team and hopefully Honda will remain committed to F1. Lewis is fine at merc and perhaps Russell will get a chance next to him, but I think Lewis will prefer Bottas, as Toto. Leclerc now also has the team where they went with it. It might be infantile by me but I do not feel sorry. Well, a bit actually, Ferrari should be there too but they have theirselves and their old fashioned power politics to blame for it.

Max should join Merc the second he can. Years and years of promises by Marko have proven to be worthless and nothing beats a full works outfit with full integration at Merc level. Nobody outside of Merc is going to become WC under the current rules.

[djones]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

[Jolle]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

Oh he’s good, Hamilton at the moment is just still ahead. Like a rain god and rain Jesus. But there are a few wet angels as well, Stroll (again) did fly above his normal weight as well.

[Pyrone89]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

At what point do we start factoring in car performance?

[Wynters]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

When he stops outperforming the vast majority of the grid in the rain?

[Pyrone89]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

Might wanna check Hamilton vs Button in the rain.

And nobody is saying Max is a rain god. Both he and Hamilton are a class above the rest in the wet. And Stroll funninly enough is also very good in the wet.

[Wynters]

At what point do we start factoring in car performance?

Ocon. 5th. In a Renault.

Where do you rate his performance?

Last weekend, in the dry, the qualifying order was:-
Mercedes
RBR
McLaren
RP
Ferrari
Renault/Alfa Tauri

Today, he was less than half a second behind Verstappen*, in a car we know is 8/10ths-1 second slower.

*(I'd specify Hamilton but it's harder to say 'he was less than a few seconds behind')

[Pyrone89]

At what point do we start factoring in car performance?

Ocon. 5th. In a Renault.

Where do you rate his performance?

Last weekend, in the dry, the qualifying order was:-
Mercedes
RBR
McLaren
RP
Ferrari
Renault/Alfa Tauri

Today, he was less than half a second behind Verstappen*, in a car we know is 8/10ths-1 second slower.

*(I'd specify Hamilton but it's harder to say 'he was less than a few seconds behind')

Mega performance, just like Russell. It was an outrage he had to sit out 2019.

[Schuttelberg]

From a Ferrari point of view, how many seasons has it now been that they struggle to 'warm up the tyres?'

It's just amazing that this amount of resource and the best driver pairing on the grid is yielding such results. I can't even begin to imagine the plight if it was any worse.

What's your view of Vettel and Leclerc in these conditions? Both from today and from last year?

My feeling is that Vettel has the edge and his experience is key but I've not closely compared them.

I don't think Seb has the edge. I understand your opinion, but what was the gap? A tenth? Less? I don't think speed wise they were different last weekend and I don't think there is a gap this weekend either. Vettel had his customary over driving moment of madness last week and Leclerc maximised his result from the mayhem around him, but the bottomline simply is that Ferrari don't have the car, speed, team or leadership. The situation has been so since 2009 and actually their drivers have always been the least of the issues.

In a nutshell, to answer your question I think Leclerc is faster on Saturdays's and Vettel has better pace on Sunday's. The both have been guilty of mistakes in the last year and this is honestly true of any driver on the grid but, results mask a lot of things in this sport.

[Schuttelberg]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

Might wanna check Hamilton vs Button in the rain.

And nobody is saying Max is a rain god. Both he and Hamilton are a class above the rest in the wet. And Stroll funninly enough is also very good in the wet.

Another horrific exaggeration.

[Pyrone89]

At what point do we put to bed this crazy notion that Max is somehow a rain god?

That what my lasting thought was after watching the highlights just now. 1.2 seconds clear of anybody? What?!?

Might wanna check Hamilton vs Button in the rain.

And nobody is saying Max is a rain god. Both he and Hamilton are a class above the rest in the wet. And Stroll funninly enough is also very good in the wet.

Another horrific exaggeration.

How do you wanna call it? Vettel used to be up with them but he isnt the same Vettel anymore.

[PlatinumZealot]

Button was very good, one of the best, but not a juggernaut in the rain . Anybody who knows Button, knows that his a master of "changing conditions." He has a 6th sense of when is the right time to change tires. He has won most of his wet races this way.