Sieper wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:52 am
DChemTech wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:26 am
Sieper wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:15 am
Bottas didn’t get new hards at all!!
They pitted him right after they sound out Russell on some of Bottas’ yellow tires. So they started to fit Bottas his yellow set (which already took long) then realized the error, removed the yellows and refitted the whites he just came in on and had him finish the race on them.
Bottas too was royally screwed. If he had stayed out instead of this pit stop cock up he would have won.
Russell is better then Bottas (Ofcourse) but he too was done badly by the team mistake.
I don't think he would have won if he stayed out. As you said, he didn't get new tires, and due to that, he wasn't doing all too well after the restart. Why would he have fared better if he didn't stop - he would be in front, but on the same crappy tires. Sure, he probably wouldn't fall back as much as he did now, but I doubt he'd win.
well, he would have been in front of Perez (with 2 laps younger tires) and in a 2020 merc versus a 2019,75 merc. Perez is a better driver then Bottas but I think he wouldn't have risked it.
they pit stop was the right call, but they messed up royally. Not only for Russell, but also very much for Bottas. I dont rate Bottas very highly (just to be clear). Never have and never will.
Perez had older tires, true, but he managed them amazingly - as he quite often does. Bottas on the other hand seemed to be quite off after the restart, making some mistakes. Even if Sergio wouldn't actively attack, it's quite possible an opportunity would have presented itself due to Bottas's poor performance under pressure. And, just to be clear too, I was quite in favor of Bottas moving to Mercedes when he did - he did a fine job at Williams while the decline at that team already started, and generally I don't rate Bottas too poorly (he's no Hamilton or Rosberg, but he's the right man for the job he has now). But last few races... well, not really something that enriches his portfolio.