2020 Italian Grand Prix - Monza, September 4 - 6

[El Scorchio]

Never been a fan of wacky races, just feels too artificial. Is there a record for the maximum number of penalties handed out in a single race? or in a single season? We must be on the way to breaking one of those two records. Anyway, good drive from Gasly I do wonder if Red Bull is thinking about swapping him back to the main team, Albon really isn't performing at the moment. A pretty disappointing drive for Bottas, seemed to be blaming the lack of engine modes for not being able to race, but that didn't seem to stop Hamilton? I remember a few years ago how a rule change around driver coaching really hurt Rosberg's performance, I do wonder if this will have a similar impact.

EDIT: Also, I do hope the FIA fully investigate today's stupidity with the pitlane closure and make sure it doesn't happen again, there needs to be a much clearer system, even if just from a safety point of view.

To be fair to Bottas, going through traffic is his weak point but he was trying to pass cars with little wing and great straight line speed which isn't easy, and it's been said he was carrying damage. If he was loitering too much Verstappen would have had him, but HE couldn't pass either.

Hamilton did scythe through a number of cars but they were backmarkers. He only had to do one Renault and one Racing Point in terms of cars of note.

[nevill3]

I agree for a driver of Lewis' experience to miss two signs designed to ensure the safety of marshalls etc. shows that the signs were placed poorly. Over on the left of a tight right hand corner when a driver is going to be looking at the apex. There should have been a radio message at least, there were 12 seconds between the pit lane closed decision and Hamilton entering the pits.

[214270]

Never been a fan of wacky races, just feels too artificial. Is there a record for the maximum number of penalties handed out in a single race? or in a single season? We must be on the way to breaking one of those two records. Anyway, good drive from Gasly I do wonder if Red Bull is thinking about swapping him back to the main team, Albon really isn't performing at the moment. A pretty disappointing drive for Bottas, seemed to be blaming the lack of engine modes for not being able to race, but that didn't seem to stop Hamilton? I remember a few years ago how a rule change around driver coaching really hurt Rosberg's performance, I do wonder if this will have a similar impact.

EDIT: Also, I do hope the FIA fully investigate today's stupidity with the pitlane closure and make sure it doesn't happen again, there needs to be a much clearer system, even if just from a safety point of view.

To be fair to Bottas, going through traffic is his weak point but he was trying to pass cars with little wing and great straight line speed which isn't easy, and it's been said he was carrying damage. If he was loitering too much Verstappen would have had him, but HE couldn't pass either.

Hamilton did scythe through a number of cars but they were backmarkers. He only had to do one Renault and one Racing Point in terms of cars of note.

One should also note HAM was on hards. BOT was meds

[NathanOlder]

Did anybody see the incident with Verstappen and Perez?

Didnt see it, but I think it was Max passing Perez down the start finish straight, Perez defended the inside, Max hung it out on the outside of turn 1, then was on the inside of turn 2 and just pushed Perez off in to the gravel.

Edit: just read Perez saying Max crashed in to him

[i70q7m7ghw]

To be fair to Bottas, going through traffic is his weak point but he was trying to pass cars with little wing and great straight line speed which isn't easy, and it's been said he was carrying damage. If he was loitering too much Verstappen would have had him, but HE couldn't pass either.

Hamilton did scythe through a number of cars but they were backmarkers. He only had to do one Renault and one Racing Point in terms of cars of note.

A "bad day" for Hamilton and Bottas only nets +3 points, that's pretty soul-destroying no matter what excuses you make.

Did anyone else feel like Sainz knew this was his only chance to win as next year's Ferrari is going to be an absolute dog?

[hollus]

Sainz! What a race for him. I was like oh yes! oh no. oh yes! oh no. oh yes! oh no...
And weird to see him so frustrated with second. Of course, one more lap and... but thinking about it, if Magnussen had pitted or not had an issue, Sainz would have been second; had MAG stopped anywhere else, Sainz would have been second...

But there is hope. He used to get 5ths out of a car that didn’t deserve them. Then he got used to 4th places on merit. Then he got a freak podium. Now a 2nd on merit (twice on the same day!).
I have a good feeling about a race with a freak tire situation this year, and he looks ready to pound if the chance arises.

But one - more - laaaaaaaapppppp........

[214270]

I agree for a driver of Lewis' experience to miss two signs designed to ensure the safety of marshalls etc. shows that the signs were placed poorly. Over on the left of a tight right hand corner when a driver is going to be looking at the apex. There should have been a radio message at least, there were 12 seconds between the pit lane closed decision and Hamilton entering the pits.

Same infringement for HAM in Austria too. Marker boards over on the far left in a right-hand corner; given you lean your neck in the same direction of the bend too, I wonder how much he could really see past the halo

[NathanOlder]

Never been a fan of wacky races, just feels too artificial. Is there a record for the maximum number of penalties handed out in a single race? or in a single season? We must be on the way to breaking one of those two records. Anyway, good drive from Gasly I do wonder if Red Bull is thinking about swapping him back to the main team, Albon really isn't performing at the moment. A pretty disappointing drive for Bottas, seemed to be blaming the lack of engine modes for not being able to race, but that didn't seem to stop Hamilton? I remember a few years ago how a rule change around driver coaching really hurt Rosberg's performance, I do wonder if this will have a similar impact.

EDIT: Also, I do hope the FIA fully investigate today's stupidity with the pitlane closure and make sure it doesn't happen again, there needs to be a much clearer system, even if just from a safety point of view.

To be fair to Bottas, going through traffic is his weak point but he was trying to pass cars with little wing and great straight line speed which isn't easy, and it's been said he was carrying damage. If he was loitering too much Verstappen would have had him, but HE couldn't pass either.

Hamilton did scythe through a number of cars but they were backmarkers. He only had to do one Renault and one Racing Point in terms of cars of note.

One should also note HAM was on hards. BOT was meds

Yeah I was a little surprised they switched to the Hards. He didnt do any racing laps on those mediums they put on when he got he penalty, so I'm not sure why they changed. Unless they had some damage some how ?

[hollus]

Talking of the halo. Would Leclerc have hit some tires with his helmet if the halo had been missing?

[214270]

To be fair to Bottas, going through traffic is his weak point but he was trying to pass cars with little wing and great straight line speed which isn't easy, and it's been said he was carrying damage. If he was loitering too much Verstappen would have had him, but HE couldn't pass either.

Hamilton did scythe through a number of cars but they were backmarkers. He only had to do one Renault and one Racing Point in terms of cars of note.

One should also note HAM was on hards. BOT was meds

Yeah I was a little surprised they switched to the Hards. He didnt do any racing laps on those mediums they put on when he got he penalty, so I'm not sure why they changed. Unless they had some damage some how ?

I think they were anticipating the penalty and put him on the most durable rubber given he’d be overtaking.

[NathanOlder]

One should also note HAM was on hards. BOT was meds

Yeah I was a little surprised they switched to the Hards. He didnt do any racing laps on those mediums they put on when he got he penalty, so I'm not sure why they changed. Unless they had some damage some how ?

I think they were anticipating the penalty and put him on the most durable rubber given he’d be overtaking.

Yeah I guess your right, The medium was never likely to have issues though considering the soft was good for 20+ laps with heavy fuel plus the qualy laps. with 25 or so laps to go, the medium was never going to have issues. Shame, can't remember the delta between the medium and hard.

[i70q7m7ghw]

I agree for a driver of Lewis' experience to miss two signs designed to ensure the safety of marshalls etc. shows that the signs were placed poorly. Over on the left of a tight right hand corner when a driver is going to be looking at the apex. There should have been a radio message at least, there were 12 seconds between the pit lane closed decision and Hamilton entering the pits.

Same infringement for HAM in Austria too. Marker boards over on the far left in a right-hand corner; given you lean your neck in the same direction of the bend too, I wonder how much he could really see past the halo

I don't understand why it's not available as information in the cockpit, I thought they had a system for displaying the flags and when there's a SC/VSC to the driver via the steering wheel? I mean, it's 2020 for crying out loud. Formula 1 looked very stupid today in my opinion.

[Restomaniac]

Talking of the halo. Would Leclerc have hit some tires with his helmet if the halo had been missing?

That was my instantaneous thought as well. I didn’t bring it up due to the fact it will probably lead to a row.

[Big Tea]

I agree for a driver of Lewis' experience to miss two signs designed to ensure the safety of marshalls etc. shows that the signs were placed poorly. Over on the left of a tight right hand corner when a driver is going to be looking at the apex. There should have been a radio message at least, there were 12 seconds between the pit lane closed decision and Hamilton entering the pits.

Same infringement for HAM in Austria too. Marker boards over on the far left in a right-hand corner; given you lean your neck in the same direction of the bend too, I wonder how much he could really see past the halo

I don't understand why it's not available as information in the cockpit, I thought they had a system for displaying the flags and when there's a SC/VSC to the driver via the steering wheel? I mean, it's 2020 for crying out loud. Formula 1 looked very stupid today in my opinion.

Is there a pit lane closed flag which marshals could display half a lap previous?

[i70q7m7ghw]

Is there a pit lane closed flag which marshals could display half a lap previous?

Not that I know off, I also think it was not necessary, why didn't they wait until the pack was bunched up behind the SC after all of the stops? Or just push the car back into the marshall post that Mag had stopped by and left it until after the race? The FIA trackside operation has suffered since we lost Charlie, there has been a lot of very bizarre decisions in the last 18 months. When was the last time we say a VSC?