SmallSoldier wrote: ↑03 Aug 2020, 01:37
godlameroso wrote:Juzh wrote: ↑03 Aug 2020, 00:09
Not sure which race you were watching, but looking at live timing mercedes was easily 0.5s (more like 0.7-0.8s at certain stages when it mattered) faster than red bull, who in turn was 1s faster than everyone behind. Only 0.3s deficit per lap is a pipe dream at this point.
Anyway something to cheer you up (RB fans): verstappen's new lap record on the last lap
https://streamable.com/e6d4iq
They can pull the gap because of their Q3 mode, the average pace deficit was ~.3 .4 similar to last year, around here.
The gap was more than 0.5 seconds... Once Hamilton opened a big enough gap, he would just control the the pace... The difference wasn’t 0,3 seconds per lap
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202008 ... 813659.jpg
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Average difference over the whole race, being able to go faster in one lap is different than being able to all race. Bottas made sure Hamilton wasn't cruising, Bottas had to, he's driving for his job.
I said fuel and tires limit how fast you can go, and thus race time. You can argue that Hamilton can pull 7 or 8 tenths on command. (Race restarts will always benefit the lead car) can he do that consistently? It's obvious he can't. Bottas destroyed his tires and could barely pull a 5 second gap to Verstappen. You would have to argue that Bottas was just cruising, his earlier tire issue suggests he was on it.
The gap in one lap pace is great, but over a race distance it averages out to less than the one lap pace. Particularly because of tire and fuel limitations.
People still don't realize that ERS and higher engine modes are worth a lot of lap time. But if you have a big ERS advantage you can't use it every lap or you'll deplete ERS and you're a sitting duck.