The 2021 Season

[Chrill]

Not even a genuine battle for the lead, all race long, was enough to generate excitement for Paul Ricard. The DRS was, as usual, much too powerful and Verstappen sailed past Hamilton. The circuit robbed us of a classic race.

I do feel like Mercedes have really slipped lately, and I'm concerned about their ability to keep this championship alive. Could the pendulum already have swung to Red Bull? What will it mean for 2022 if Mercedes and Red Bull both have to keep dedicating resources to 2021 at the same time? Teams like Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Alpine, etc. will have turned resources to 2022 a long time ago.

[Penfold]

I'm sure Toto said recently that the ongoing development of next year's motor is already budgeted for and won't be curtailed to throw more cash at the current car - not sure I believe they'll hold that line in a title fight!  Of course, he also said that money is tight to the point that Russell destroying Valerie's car in Imola could impact upgrades for '21 and/or work on their next car, so it does feel like the door is opening for guys like McLaren and Alpine.  I suppose Ferrari as well, but I remain to be convinced that they can beat teams except through out-spending them or cheating....

[Penfold]

Paul Ricard, always such a treat for the eyes!  Great bit of tyre preservation by Lewis, and then yes of course DRS deprives us of any battle.... but that's F1 for the past 10 years.  On the plus side, I always enjoy Ferrari struggling so that performance put a smile on my face

[Matt]

Yeah, I've seen a lot of people talk about an amazing race on Sunday... it was fine. It was good for what F1 can offer these days. A late race pass for the lead is better than no pass for the lead, but it's a DRS pass.

I'll take any one of Grosjean's passes in the IndyCar race over an entire race of DRS passes.

[eurobrun]

I quite enjoyed the French GP, however I only watched the highlights (for reasons), so that probably presented it a bit better to me.  But yeah, would have been better still without DRS.

Road America was great from start to finish.  Really gutted Magnussen's car cried enough, would have been interesting to see where he could have finished on the alt strategy.
I enjoyed the action into turn 5.  I actually don't mind the way they use the limited run off there compared to the endless track limit complaints in F1.
Max Chilton's first top 10 from 3 years in Indy Car... I don't really see how Carlin can keep that entry going. 

[Penfold]

Back to Istanbul again: https://www.racefans.net/2021/06/25/f1-confirms-return-to-istanbul-in-place-of-cancelled-singapore-gp/

Wouldn't be a surprise if we lose a few others though, entry restrictions in Japan look problematic... perhaps Australia also. Then there's Covid hotspot Brazil....

[Matt]

A second race at COTA seems likely. Unfortunately, it seems like it's going to be the week before the existing weekend, which conflicts with NASCAR being in Texas as well.

[Chrill]

The donkey clown turds at Red Bull are lodging an official protest against Hamilton:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-lodges-fia-request-to-review-silverstone-f1-clash/6637565/

Or rather, the penalty he got. It seems they are hell bent on winning this off-track rather than on-track.

I took the liberty to gather the opinion of some within F1 who are neutral (because obviously Mercedes support Hamilton and Red Bull support Verstappen).

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I'll highlight 2021 season drivers in bold, and use italics for those who have stronger ties to an involved party. Others have national identity, a lot of Brits view it as a racing incident, for example.


Those who believe Hamilton accidentally caused this, but is mostly or wholly to blame:
Max Verstappen (Red Bull, no word on intention however)
Daniel Ricciardo (arguably Red Bull connected)
Jenson Button
Marcus Ericsson
Kevin Magnussen
Jacques Villeneuve
Felipe Massa
Felix Rosenqvist
Timo Glock
Scott Mitchell (F1 journalist)
Mark Webber (Red Bull)
David Coulthard (Red Bull)

Those who believe Max accidentally caused this, but is mostly or wholly to blame:
Mika Salo
Lawrence Barretto (F1 journalist)

Those who believe it was a racing incident, and therefore implies that a penalty was either incorrect or at least too harsh:
Alex Albon (despite Red Bull bias)
Charles Leclerc
Fernando Alonso
Jolyon Palmer (arguably tilted to blaming Verstappen, but generally a racing incident)
Martin Brundle
Mika Hakkinen
Juan Pablo Montoya
Will Buxton
Damon Hill
Toto Wolff (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
James Allison (Mercedes)
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
Otmar Szafnauer (Mercedes through Aston Martin

Those who believe Hamilton willingly and actively caused this:
Christian Horner (Red Bull)
Helmut Marko (Red Bull)

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Huh, quite a list. Overall, I'd say most people either think Lewis was accidentally to blame (so would suggest the penalty was fair, especially for a lap 1 incident) or neither driver is to blame. How could Red Bull possibly think they can achieve anything other than pushing neutrals into the Hamilton camp? Supermax fans will back the Dutchman, Hamiltonians will back the Brit. Generally anyway.

[Penfold]

Still don't see how Lewis makes it round the corner on that line, at that speed.  Move only works if the other driver veers off track...

[Chrill]

He could definitely have made it, but indeed only if Verstappen wasn't there anymore. I think Hamilton expected Verstappen to back down when they were alongside, but Verstappen clearly opted to crash over running behind. It was clear to me Verstappen could have done what Leclerc and Norris both did, which is not take the corner once that inside line is occupied.

That's why I rated it 60/40 (with Hamilton more to blame) in the Ratings topic. Hamilton triggered it, Verstappen fulfilled it.

[Penfold]

Yeah, he could only make that corner if Max hit the brakes or went off track... basically needs the Red Bull to disappear from that piece of tarmac!  Max has the racing line and is ahead, it's bizarre to me that the onus should be on the driver ahead to go off track to avoid a collision.  As for the comparison with the Leclerc incident, Max obviously didn't expect Hamilton's car to still be there, and if Lewis had been further to the right as he was when attacking Leclerc the crash could well have been avoided.

[Chrill]

Lewis wasn't behind, he was fully alongside. Until he let go of of the accelerator earlier than Verstappen, at which point Max pulled back ahead. That's when the collision happened too. Which is why I pin the 40 on Max.

Still, I do look forward to what "new evidence" Red Bull brings to the table, evidence that should supposedly be enough to exclude Hamilton from the British GP (or the Hungarian?).

[Penfold]

He was briefly alongside, but anyone can do that by putting their car down the inside. He still wasn't going to make the corner without full compliance from Max.

Actually, they both went in too fast, faster than on their qualifying laps I think I read... and both at less than ideal angles.

And Red Bull should let it go, surely just wasting their time with this one.

[Chrill]

Red Bull had less than nothing, those donkeys. They got Albon to recreate Lewis's line on that first lap, and called that "significant new evidence".

Honestly, if anything Red Bull should be called in for bringing the sport into disrepute.

[Chrill]

Well Hungary was a different beast. I had Bottas as my weekly, I was bound to lose out. The logic being Verstappen and Hamilton could have a situation into turn 1. I was half right.