F1 - British GP this weekend 16-18/07/21 - something new.

Fordman

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Just watched replay of Friday evening qualifying, I hadn't realized it was on last night.
I knew they were moving to a new race format, but wasn't sure when, anyway, it is this weekend!

So Qualifying Friday evening, and a 30minute sprint race Saturday afternoon, the finishing positions deciding the grid for Sunday's main race.

I heard a commentator say it may help some of the usual "back markers" who qualify poorly but race well - I agree, that could be the case.

And another thing I agree with - all qualifying was done on the Soft tyre - no messing around with different compounds, everyone on the same page.

Tonight's sprint race at 11.30pm WA, 01.30am Sun AEST.
Sunday's main race at 10.00pm WA, midnight AEST.
 
Saturday's sprint race seemed to be a success for F1 so far.
Apparently Friday's crowd was quite big for the qualifying, and Saturday was packed out.
The commentators were trying hard not to call it a RACE as it had been decreed by FIA that it was a sprint, not a race. Halfway through the "sprint" the commentators were like "stuff this - it's a race!"
The drivers went hard at the beginning, then appeared to settle a bit towards the end rather than throw away their positions, as it was just setting the grid for Sunday's race. But they were pretty hard at it for the 17 laps. Lewis complaining of lack of power - still.

Some winners and some losers.
The big winner was Alonso, choosing the soft tyres and with his usual start making up about 6 places in the first lap, getting in front of both McLarens, then getting passed by them later on. Started 11th finished 7th.
At the front, Verstappen got ahead of Lewis at the start and never lost the lead, so positions 1 and 2 reversed from qualifying - Max now on pole.
Bottas and Leclerc remained in 3rd and 4th respectively.
The biggest loser was Sergio Perez - 5th to 20th (DNF). He made a poor start then spun after a few laps before he could get back to overtake Ricciardo.
So Norris and Ricciardo moved up a spot from 6 & 7 to 5 & 6.
George Russell who had qualified 8th, dropped back a spot, and Sainz dropped back 2 spots.
Vettell moved up from 10th to 8th.
Raikonnen 17th up to 13th.

I think the first 3 places get 3,2,1 championship points, and no fastest lap points awarded.

Tonight's race looking good.
 
Verstappen turned in on Hamilton. Each expected the other one to back off so both are to blame or neither?
 
Verstappen turned in on Hamilton. Each expected the other one to back off so both are to blame or neither?
I agree. Verstappen still had half the track width outside to keep a little wider, not like Hamilton pushed him wide.
Funny how both teams blamed the other driver.
 
The stewards obviously thought Hamilton should have backed out of it more than he did.

From F1.com News:

The stewards decided to sanction the Mercedes driver as they considered that he had room on the inside of the corner to keep his rival out of harm's way.

"The Stewards reviewed video and telemetry evidence," read their ruling. "Cars 33 [Verstappen] and 44 [Hamilton] entered turn 9 with Car 33 in the lead and Car 44 slightly behind and on the inside.

"Car 44 was on a line that did not reach the apex of the corner, with room available to the inside.

"When Car 33 turned into the corner, Car 44 did not avoid contact and the left front of Car 44 contacted the right rear of Car 33. Car 44 is judged predominantly at fault."

Hamilton disagreed with the sanction, feeling that Verstappen had not given him enough room on the inside of the corner.

"Of course, I always try to be measured in how I approach things, particularly with battling with Max," he said. "You know he's very aggressive.

"And then today, I mean I was fully alongside him, and he didn't leave me space."

IMO, yes, Hamilton had some room on the inside, but Verstappen also had a ton of room on the outside. One of the camera angles shows the front wheels of both cars virtually parallel before Max turns harder towards the apex. Maybe the stewards thought Lewis had moved up too far into the corner after entering the corner.
 
Hamilton should be booted for the season.

that was horrible, have a look at the footage from the stands to appreciate how hard the impact was.


Hamilton was in the wrong, he had to give way, he was behind on entry to the corner, could have killed him.
 
Hamilton should be booted for the season.

that was horrible, have a look at the footage from the stands to appreciate how hard the impact was.


Hamilton was in the wrong, he had to give way, he was behind on entry to the corner, could have killed him.
Thanks Helmet
 
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