2021 Qatar Grand Prix - Losail, Nov 19-21

[dans79]

Significantly better quality than the twitter video!

[codetower]

Significantly better quality than the twitter video!

Thanks for the video dans79... but why is the video in slow motion? Is there any way to run it at normal speed?

I'm kidding. What a difference when it's not an actual F1 car running the circuit. Looks like my mother on a leisurely drive to the market.

[LM10]

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

I think if you look at the different teams budgets you’ll see every championship is bought to a certain extent!

Very true! And this has been the same forever, barring a few surprise technical innovations…

What will be interesting is how it works next year with the budget cap in place. Will throwing ICE’s at a car in the tail-end of the season be an option. I know that there are teams that are considered ‘works’ teams, historically they have not paid for engines, that principle would totally subvert the budget cap.
‘Works’ team fighting for the championship decides to fit 6 ICE units, because ‘reasons’, for zero cost, customer team spending £15m on three ICE’s would see this cost double. The budget cap is meant to level the playing field…

The budget cap is already in place and has been since the beginning of this season. That’s why for example Haas didn’t spend a penny on this year’s car or other teams stopped developing much earlier than in last years. Every ICE Mercedes decides to bring this season is a part of the 135 million dollar budget and every million you spend on this year’s car is a lost million for next year’s car.

[zibby43]

Significantly better quality than the twitter video!

Thanks for the video dans79... but why is the video in slow motion? Is there any way to run it at normal speed?

I'm kidding. What a difference when it's not an actual F1 car running the circuit. Looks like my mother on a leisurely drive to the market.

But trust me, if you were in that car, you wouldn’t feel that way.

[zibby43]

I think if you look at the different teams budgets you’ll see every championship is bought to a certain extent!

Very true! And this has been the same forever, barring a few surprise technical innovations…

What will be interesting is how it works next year with the budget cap in place. Will throwing ICE’s at a car in the tail-end of the season be an option. I know that there are teams that are considered ‘works’ teams, historically they have not paid for engines, that principle would totally subvert the budget cap.
‘Works’ team fighting for the championship decides to fit 6 ICE units, because ‘reasons’, for zero cost, customer team spending £15m on three ICE’s would see this cost double. The budget cap is meant to level the playing field…

The budget cap is already in place and has been since the beginning of this season. That’s why for example Haas didn’t spend a penny on this year’s car or other teams stopped developing much earlier than in last years. Every ICE Mercedes decides to bring this season is a part of the 135 million dollar budget and every million you spend on this year’s car is a lost million for next year’s car.

Power units don’t fall under the cap.

[dans79]

Significantly better quality than the twitter video!

Thanks for the video dans79... but why is the video in slow motion? Is there any way to run it at normal speed?

I'm kidding. What a difference when it's not an actual F1 car running the circuit. Looks like my mother on a leisurely drive to the market.

But trust me, if you were in that car, you wouldn’t feel that way.

Yea, he is pushing it, he lost the rear part way through turn 10!

[LM10]

Very true! And this has been the same forever, barring a few surprise technical innovations…

What will be interesting is how it works next year with the budget cap in place. Will throwing ICE’s at a car in the tail-end of the season be an option. I know that there are teams that are considered ‘works’ teams, historically they have not paid for engines, that principle would totally subvert the budget cap.
‘Works’ team fighting for the championship decides to fit 6 ICE units, because ‘reasons’, for zero cost, customer team spending £15m on three ICE’s would see this cost double. The budget cap is meant to level the playing field…

The budget cap is already in place and has been since the beginning of this season. That’s why for example Haas didn’t spend a penny on this year’s car or other teams stopped developing much earlier than in last years. Every ICE Mercedes decides to bring this season is a part of the 135 million dollar budget and every million you spend on this year’s car is a lost million for next year’s car.

Power units don’t fall under the cap.

Doesn’t this only count for the development of the PUs?

[Laserguru]

20 hp cant give you extra 20km/h worth of top speed you will need at more like 200hp merc top speed is unexplaineable but they still have realiability issues and ers that run out ealier on straight. brazil being a short track helped them .mclaren with same pu have at time being quicker than them lewis coudnt depose lando in russia

Why do people keep saying it is somehow magical they had a 20 kph advantage (it wasn't even that when you look at the full data in clean air).

1. They had a fresh engine
2. That fresh engine could be turned up as only has to do 4 races
3. They were running less downforce than Redbull
4. They had a great setup that allowed for good traction in early acceleration zones

It really is that simple.

Still wonder why we never saw this blistering speed from Bottas who, as he pointed out himself, is the king of the engine graveyard. When he got a new one he couldn’t overtake a single McLaren? I read they used his engines to find the modus operandi for the performance boost without altering the spec. Would be the logical decision to take only new engines from now on then, hence resulting in a guaranteed 1-2. Also, take a fresh engine every race as it is out of the budget limit and brings victory. Mclaren (my team) should have been given this option to beat Ferrari (but it’s too late now).

The reliability issue proves so insignificant that when turning up the engine that much they can do four races instead of five where designed for seven? Miraculous. It is a petty teams are not more open as I would love to hear more about how they found power when suffering horribly from reliability. Toto says all stories are bullshit but he does not, even for once, tell the truth either.

Learned that Mercedes ran Monaco downforce levels and much more than RBR did? Which is why RBR were so surprised Mercedes was that much faster?

So far the top speed has been the point of discussion not the early acceleration, I should spend more time on the internet if I missed that. It is more RBR who did a poor job and overheated their front tires? I know corner exit speed is vital but topspeed on a long straight speed eventually comes down to power. Lando was staggered by their topspeed and he has the same engine spec, where usually the Mercedes has difficulty overtaking the Mclaren.

Anyhow dominating one race can be one thing, weekly domination is another, which is why I find coming weekend so exciting.

It is formula 1. It is never that simple.

[Viper2789]

Why do Sky insist in using David Croft as a source of knowledge of technical items?

He's only a commentator!

Why don't they actually employ a technical analyst? Even ex-drivers aren't good enough in this respect.

[dans79]

Why do Sky insist in using David Croft as a source of knowledge of technical items?

He's only a commentator!

Sadly, it's because he still knows vastly more than your average fan!

[Laserguru]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

You are unfaithful to your signature. Let’s wait for this weekend and see if there are fresh engines. That said, I do not agree taking 3 more engines and winning driver and constructors championship is bad publicity since it will make them legends. They used to buy the championship anyhow hence the cost cap regulation. Never heard Mercedes complain.

[codetower]

Thanks for the video dans79... but why is the video in slow motion? Is there any way to run it at normal speed?

I'm kidding. What a difference when it's not an actual F1 car running the circuit. Looks like my mother on a leisurely drive to the market.

But trust me, if you were in that car, you wouldn’t feel that way.

Oh I'm sure of that. He's likely doing above 200km there! it just feeels slow in comparison. Just makes you appreciate the speed of the F1 cars even more.

[zibby43]

The budget cap is already in place and has been since the beginning of this season. That’s why for example Haas didn’t spend a penny on this year’s car or other teams stopped developing much earlier than in last years. Every ICE Mercedes decides to bring this season is a part of the 135 million dollar budget and every million you spend on this year’s car is a lost million for next year’s car.

Power units don’t fall under the cap.

Doesn’t this only count for the development of the PUs?

No - currently only the chassis is governed by the $145m.

“However, there is currently no such ruling on the very expensive and complex power units currently used in Formula 1. That may change though in the future, with Horner revealing talks are going on to match the chassis cap with an engine one as well.”

[dans79]

The roofline looks more like the medical car to me!

[JordanMugen]

The roofline looks more like the medical car to me!

Whoops, it's the Aston Martin Vantage safety car hence the green paint.