It might, but as Vettel absolutely must win all three races, the chances are a wet race will end the title battle. Even if Hamilton were punted off, Vettel hasn't been that strong this year in the wet and Max has shown consistently good wet skills. If Vettel comes second, Hamilton doesn't even need to finish the race to be champion.
If it turns out to be a wet race, like properly wet, then I don't see how the race will be started with a standing start with the long run into the slow turn 1. It will be a start behind the safety car. Unless you want complete mayhem into turn 1 where half of the grid gets wiped out.Just_a_fan wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:56 amIt might, but as Vettel absolutely must win all three races, the chances are a wet race will end the title battle. Even if Hamilton were punted off, Vettel hasn't been that strong this year in the wet and Max has shown consistently good wet skills. If Vettel comes second, Hamilton doesn't even need to finish the race to be champion.
Sadly #5 SF71-H has a lot of reliability problems with its driver
Indeed. Kimi's qualifying performance in Hungary (I think?) shows there is pace in the Ferrari in the wet. I believe he thought the Pole was there but that he messed up the last sector. Given Ferrari appear to have resolved their update issues I wouldn't rule out a good performance from a Ferrari this weekend, regardless of the conditions.
I thought the new rules stated that they tour around behind the safety car until it is fit to race then a standing start has to happen.WaikeCU wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:17 am
If it turns out to be a wet race, like properly wet, then I don't see how the race will be started with a standing start with the long run into the slow turn 1. It will be a start behind the safety car. Unless you want complete mayhem into turn 1 where half of the grid gets wiped out.
So I don't expect anything surprising in Mexico. Lewis just needs to bring it home.
So the rules do allow a rolling start after the safety car wet start if the conditions are too wet for a standing start.39.6........
When the clerk of the course decides it is safe to call in the safety car a message “STANDING
START” will be sent to all teams via the official messaging system, all FIA light panels will
display “SS” and the car's orange lights will be extinguished. This will be the signal to the
teams and drivers that it will be entering the pit lane at the end of that lap.
At this point the first car in line behind the safety car may dictate the pace and, if necessary,
fall more than ten car lengths behind it.
Once the safety car has entered the pit lane all cars, with the exception of those required to
start from the pit lane, must return to the grid, take up their grid positions and follow the
procedures set out in Article 36.9 to 36.13.
If, after several formation laps behind the safety car, track conditions are considered
unsuitable to start the race from a standing start, the message “ROLLING START” will be sent
to all teams via the official messaging system, all FIA light panels will display “RS” and the car's
orange lights will be extinguished.
This will be the signal to the teams and drivers that it will be
entering the pit lane at the end of that lap.
At this point the first car in line behind the safety car may dictate the pace and, if necessary,
fall more than ten car lengths behind it.
As the safety car is approaching the pit entry the FIA light panels will be extinguished and
replaced by waved green flags with green lights at the Line. These will be displayed until the
last car crosses the Line.
If, after several formation laps behind the safety car, track conditions are considered
unsuitable to start the race, the message “START PROCEDURE SUSPENDED” will be sent to all
teams via the official messaging system and all cars must enter the pit lane behind the safety
car.
The procedures described in Articles 41 and 42 must then be followed and there will be
no standing start
https://www.fia.com/file/70710/download ... n=szOjLZMY