2020 Styrian Grand Prix - Spielberg, 10-12 July

[zeph]

Holy schmite, Hamilton 1.2 secs faster.

Not a fan, but there can be no doubt he’s the greatest driver out there today.

[214270]

^ BOT was also over a sec faster his first lap of Q3 vs the field if memory serves me for what it’s worth.

Giovanni was also faster than 1 Ferrari and almost identical in speed with the other at the start of Q1 IIRC. That wasn’t worth anything either.

Giovinazzi

The point I was making is the glazed brake didn’t seem to hamper him then, at the start of Q3.

[ENGINE TUNER]

Wouldnt it be safer for Hamilton to start on softs to protect his position at the start? If Verstappen goes for softs and Hamilton mediums, they might lose P1. Sure they can go longer, but if there is another safety car mid race, it will neutralize any benefit of starting on mediums and track position will be key.

I was thinking similarly.

Assuming no safety cars at inopportune moments or a poor start, if last week is anything to go by if he makes it round turn 1 in the lead, he’ll be able to just drive off into the distance.

Yeah but there are alot of drivers out of position, which means that there will be plenty of action, which means that there will probably be at least a couple safety cars

[ENGINE TUNER]

Two losers driving for Racing Point. It's so unfortunate for them.

Maybe last years Merc was bad in the wet. Look at Hockenheim, both drivers crashed in the wet.

I know it was a joke, but the W10 was dominant in the wet before the team was forced to put on slicks early because of the safety car in Germany 19.

[Restomaniac]

^ BOT was also over a sec faster his first lap of Q3 vs the field if memory serves me for what it’s worth.

Giovanni was also faster than 1 Ferrari and almost identical in speed with the other at the start of Q1 IIRC. That wasn’t worth anything either.

Giovinazzi

The point I was making is the glazed brake didn’t seem to hamper him then, at the start of Q3.

Yeah sorry about the spelling I’m on my phone.

I agree. My point was that times at the start of a session are irrelevant which I think is what you seemed to agree on. His glazed disc excuse seems to be exactly that.

[PlatinumZealot]

Until you put them in the same car you can't make such statements about driver X is better than driver B when they are both so good and car concept (low-rake vs high rake, DAS vs no-DAS) is so different. To me the smoking tyres indicate DAS has been a big help in heating the tyres. Perhaps we can see that when we get footage of warm-up laps.

In the rain heating the rear is important too. Bottas had cold brakes and cold tyres. How does DAS heat the rear? Lol look on the on oards if u see DAS used. Grabbing at straws I see.

[214270]

Giovanni was also faster than 1 Ferrari and almost identical in speed with the other at the start of Q1 IIRC. That wasn’t worth anything either.

Giovinazzi

The point I was making is the glazed brake didn’t seem to hamper him then, at the start of Q3.

Yeah sorry about the spelling I’m on my phone.

I agree. My point was that times at the start of a session are irrelevant which I think is what you seemed to agree on. His glazed disc excuse seems to be exactly that.

[Jolle]

My guess is they start Hamilton on the softs, because he's in a position to control the race, the fastest strategy makes sense then. For Bottas mediums, so they can react on the guys around him. For Verstappen, Mediums worked well for him the first third of the GP, so... why change that... the rest will gamble with either tires.

[LM10]

Anyway......Russell now in P11. Amazing job.

Ferrari PU’s in positions 10, 14, 15, 16, 19 and 20. For that to happen even in levelling weather like that surely confirms what everyone thought last weekend. The Ferrari PU has had its ‘trick’ nerfed by that 2nd sensor.

Already last year Haas and Alfa were bad cars. Only Williams was worse in the standings. Some people seem to forget that, it seems.
Today's results surely don't tell anything about Ferrari's weak PU. If there is anything leveling out power, it's wet conditions. Also keep in mind that Haas uses the same wind tunnel as Ferrari. So they have correlation issues as well.

Ok you keep thinking the Ferrari PU isn’t nerfed by that 2nd second sensor.

Huh? What are you talking about? Maybe you should check my posts, especially after last week’s qualifying. I am absolutely aware of the Ferrari PU losing power.
You also should reread my answer to you. Obviously you misinterpreted it. I meant that power argumentation based on wet qualifying just doesn’t make any sense and I still mean it.

[ENGINE TUNER]

From what I’ve previously read VER had his chance at a Merc drive; he chose RB.

When was this ?

[Restomaniac]

Already last year Haas and Alfa were bad cars. Only Williams was worse in the standings. Some people seem to forget that, it seems.
Today's results surely don't tell anything about Ferrari's weak PU. If there is anything leveling out power, it's wet conditions. Also keep in mind that Haas uses the same wind tunnel as Ferrari. So they have correlation issues as well.

Ok you keep thinking the Ferrari PU isn’t nerfed by that 2nd second sensor.

Huh? What are you talking about? Maybe you should check my posts, especially after last week’s qualifying. I am absolutely aware of the Ferrari PU losing power.
You also should reread my answer to you. Obviously you misinterpreted it. I meant that power argumentation based on wet qualifying just doesn’t make any sense and I still mean it.

On it’s own I agree. However we now have more than 1 data point with numerous cars in numerous conditions one of which is a leveller (wet) and still every Ferrari PU is well down. Surely in today’s conditions you would expect SOMEBODY (Like Russell) to jump above if the PU were capable. Nobody did.

My point is that the evidence that the 2nd sensor stopped whatever the Ferrari PUs were doing dead in their tracks is growing all the time. If they were above board then it wouldn’t be having this effect.

[PlatinumZealot]

PU power has nothing to do with this wet qualifying! Check the speed traces.

[Macklaren]

From what I’ve previously read VER had his chance at a Merc drive; he chose RB.

When was this ?

At the start of his F1 career, both Mercedes and RBR made him offers. He took the RBR drive because they guaranteed him a race seat

[ENGINE TUNER]

About the race;

Possible race strategies:
soft - medium
soft - hard
medium - soft
medium - hard
hard - softs
hard - mediums

If Hamilton starts on medium and Verstappen on softs, he may lose first position. Assuming then that Verstappen pits earlier (because his softs will wear out more quickly), he'll then be on a quicker tire relative to Hamilton who then would be leading on his more durable tires. Once Hamilton comes in, he'll be behind Verstappen and will have to pass on track. I see that as a huge disadvantage.

If Hamilton starts on softs and retains the lead, relative to Verstappen on mediums, then yes, he'll have to pit earlier, but he then has two options; Either he'll go to hards or go risky by going mediums. Either way, he'll pit and he'll then be faster than Verstappen, so that when Verstappen pits, he'll be back behind and then he will have to pass on track. Given I see the Mercedes as the faster car, I think this would be very unlikely.

Starting on softs of course has some disadvantages, that being that many behind him will be on mediums and there is a risk he'll get into traffic if he pits early. However, he should be in the fastest cars and be able to drive out an advantage. Bottas further behind might be able to also help, as he might be on the medium or even hard tires.

I don't know, I definitely see it as a no brainer to put Hamilton on softs no matter what and I think RedBull will put Verstappen on mediums. They could put Verstappen on softs to try to get into P1 at T1, but I think the Mercedes should be quick enough to hold off the RedBull, even when starting on the outside.

EDIT: Not to mention, if there is a safety car, it will always benefit the driver in the lead. That means that pos 1 is key, but could put the car starting on the more durable tire at a slight advantage for the short duration he'd be leading. But is the difference in durability that high between the medium and the softs? I didn't think so...

Just my 2 cents.

Agreed to all except the bold, I tend to see the safety cars advantages the following cars and usually disadvantaging the leader most often. How do you come to that conclusion?

The safety cars last week definitely disadvantaged both Bottas and Hamilton

[Restomaniac]

PU power has nothing to do with this wet qualifying! Check the speed traces.

When judged in a wider context including last week. That’s my point.

No Ferrari PU above #10 last week.
No Ferrari PU above #10 this week in different conditions.

I used Russell to make that point. The weather clearly helped negate the Williams’ problems.......Yet Ferrari?

The Ferrari PU has clearly taken one hell of a Nerf.