The 2018 Season

[Penfold]

... and with Verstappen crashing it's going to be a lean race for Red Bull this weekend.  At least it should be sunny.

[Penfold]

No penalty for Dan this weekend: https://www.racefans.net/2018/06/08/red-bull-make-repairs-to-ricciardos-mgu-k/

[Penfold]

Great start by Stroll with him nipping between the two McLarens before quickly passing 'It is I' and J.R. Hartley, but then just as quickly the limitations of his ability kicked in and his control over the car evaporated.

Good win for Vettel to tighten up the old title fight.

[Chrill]

France next up. Despite a ten year absence, two current drivers have won the race - Kimi and Fernando. Of course that was at Magny-Cours, but still.

Paul Ricard was last used for F1 in 1990. I wasn't even born until 1991.

[Penfold]

I would've certainly watched the race but can't say I have any particular memory from it.  Checking Wiki... Ivan Capelli finished second for Leyton House, his joint highest placing and the team's best - although they were the old March team under new ownership and did have a couple of wins under their previous guise.

[Chrill]

I can see Bottas bagging his first win of 2018, arguably what should be his third though. Bahrain and Azerbaijan.

[Penfold]

I am expecting Merc to go well in France but I can see Val being pipped to the post by Hammy.

[Chrill]

I am expecting Merc to go well in France but I can see Val being pipped to the post by Hammy.

I am expecting Bottas to match the Hamster. I am expecting a miserable Ferrari showing, akin to their Spain performance. I am expecting that the podium will once again have Verstappen on third.

[Penfold]

Yep, we can pretty much assume that the Pirellis won't do Ferrari any favours in France, or at Silverstone for that matter.  Vettel should be strong in qualifying though, and hopefully data gathered during Barcelona GP will lessen the pain in the race, so perhaps he might be able to nick a podium.

[Chrill]

I also predict Leclerc to get a bit too cocky and overdrive his car this weekend on "home" ground. He'll bin it in quali or race.

[Penfold]

More importantly, can your boys take down the Germans on Saturday?  Now wouldn't that be something to savour.

[Chrill]

Imagine that. Germany kicked out in the group stage. I think we can. We have a real solid defense, haven't let a goal past us for 3-4 games. If we secure the defense, we just need to be lucky up front once. Or, you know, 0-0/1-1 is still pretty neat for us.

[Chrill]

Sirotkin clearly is referring to his balls.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/136904/why-sirotkin-seat-problems-should-finally-be-solved

[Matt]

I?m just going to point out that, throughout the past two seasons, I said that I did not believe that McLaren had as good of a car as they claimed or that their lack of performance was all on Honda. Can we say that is confirmed yet? McLaren always says they have an unbelievably great chassis when there is no evidence to prove it. In the past that was just during preseason testing and then disproven as soon as the races started, with Honda it was during the season as well. They have no excuses anymore.

[Chrill]

Nobody ever believed that, did they? McLaren was never closer to the front at, for example, Monaco. The Honda engine was surely a disadvantage, but the chassis was never good enough to fight for wins.

I struggle to see Alonso remaining at McLaren in 2019. Then again, I couldn't see him staying for 2018 or 2017.