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[pfc_m_drake]

Should be an interesting race. For those of you not familiar with this circuit, the MotoGP guys typically clock out at 220 MPH at the end of the front stretch (on a motorcycle :eek: ) so it will be interesting to see what the F1 guys do with a full field and DRS enabled.

Glad Bottas didn't win his 4th consecutive pole...let somebody else tow the field down to the first corner for a change.

It's been a fun year...should be a good race!
And by the way...is it pronounced Kay-tar or Gutter?

[pfc_m_drake]

OK - I didn't know about all the grid penalties. How's that for a starting lineup...Hamilton, Alonso, Gasly :saywhat:

[SteveH]

Don’t think I’ve watched a F1 race when the leader received so little coverage during the race :laugh: Nearly an 8 second lead will do that.

[SteveH]

Not a fan of desert race courses. Might as well be held in a parking lot which would at least be cleaner.

[pfc_m_drake]

Yet another display of awesome Mercedes strategy for Bottas...leave him out until his ires are so worn they puncture :shakehead:
Is it part of routine Mercedes team strategy discussions to try and think up new ways to screw Valterri over? Seems like it.

[SteveH]

Too many punctures today. Gotta think the kerbs are they culprit, needs to be reviewed before next year and the nine following that :\. It think two broken floors and who knows how many wings.

[pfc_m_drake]

I think they're discussing a street race downtown for the future, so the curbs won't be an issue in that scenario. Personally I like the track (love it for MotoGP) - I'm willing to give Perelli a pass for year 1 on the tires. Let's see how they do next year.

It would be swell if Mercedes lost both the Driver's and Constructor's championships by 1 point - then they can spend the offseason ruing their strategy calls for the 2nd car all year. The problem is that will never happen...God doesn't love me that much.

[SteveH]

You’re right, location TBD. Wasn’t aware of that.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/30/qatar-joins-f1-2021-with-debut-race-10-year-deal-agreed.html

[SteveH]

Pirelli boss Isola explains Qatar tyre issues that saw Bottas, Russell and Latifi suffer punctures (https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.pirelli-boss-isola-explains-qatar-tyre-issues-that-saw-bottas-russell-and.10WNRRptmywRBmvNRL7Wb4.html)


“It’s not a secret that [many teams] had also damage to chassis, to the floor, to the wings, and when a tyre is worn, it’s less protected from kerbs, big impacts, high-energy impacts. Then it can happen that they start losing pressure, and you have either to change the tyre or you’re flat.”

[WickerBill]

Hey pfc... he lost like 400 places at the start and then didn't get to passing people for 20 laps. He's as responsible for screwing his strategy as the team.

[SteveH]

Annotated Wheel Adjustments (@AnnotatedWA) Tweeted:
Bottas' poor start was caused by not reaching his revs target.

Launch Hint showed RPM "Too Low" on the dash.

#QatarGP #F1 https://t.co/mUXCdiZ4ob https://twitter.com/AnnotatedWA/status/1462426439366569984?s=20

[opinionated ow]

Yes the DRS was too powerful but there was some really good side by side stuff at other points on the track. It would be a bloody shame to take it to a mediocre street circuit. The track worked well and if you were too greedy with the kerbs you got punished

[WickerBill]

Yes the DRS was too powerful but there was some really good side by side stuff at other points on the track. It would be a bloody shame to take it to a mediocre street circuit. The track worked well and if you were too greedy with the kerbs you got punished

Couldn't agree more. It had grip, so I don't mind the sand. Real gravel traps. Not a procession of 90 degree corners like most street circuits.

[pfc_m_drake]

Hey pfc... he lost like 400 places at the start and then didn't get to passing people for 20 laps. He's as responsible for screwing his strategy as the team.The easiest strategy call you’re going to make all year is to pit under the Safety Car in Baku when you’re running P10 or worse (new tires proving invaluable in that race).

The 2nd easiest strategy call you’re going to make all year was yesterday - to pit for the first time on lap 29 (of 57) after Perez clears Alonso - knowing that you’ve got 20 seconds in-hand on your competitors and 10-lap newer tires. Their hands are then forced: They either stay out and are DRS sitting ducks on the front straight OR they pit a second time and need to close the pitstop delta.

It comes as no surprise to me that Mercedes did neither correctly – being that their ONLY strategy is all-Lewis-all-the-time.

Serious Question: Do you even watch these races, or do you just hate Bottas so much that you’re looking to get on his case at all costs? Because you take him to task for a bad start but then give him no credit for working his way back to 3rd all while pulling a 20 second gap on P4 (20 seconds being almost a pitstop delta).

Like it or not, Mercedes threw away an easy podium for Bottas because they were intent on performing a tire durability test for Pirelli.

[WickerBill]

Of course I watch them.

I want Hamilton to win the championship, not because I love Hamilton (I don't), but because I dislike Red Bull and I want someone to eclipse Schumacher and continue to wipe out his records. But you need a teammate who, when in the *obviously fastest* car, who starts in front of Verstappen, to not immediately fall behind him and not HAVE to work his way back up from out of the points.

Definitely understand you like him, but he's got the car and he is great at qualifying but he lets the team down repeatedly on race day. Mercedes has also screwed up Lewis' strategy more than once this year, which I feel is more unforgivable because Lewis was exactly where they expected him to be on the grid. They must feel like Bottas could be anywhere, depending on his start and his mood, so they have to have a dozen strategies.

[pfc_m_drake]

Of course I watch them.

I want Hamilton to win the championship, not because I love Hamilton (I don't), but because I dislike Red Bull and I want someone to eclipse Schumacher and continue to wipe out his records. But you need a teammate who, when in the *obviously fastest* car, who starts in front of Verstappen, to not immediately fall behind him and not HAVE to work his way back up from out of the pointsI got it. You're invested from the 'Bottas isn't doing enough to ensure Lewis is the King' standpoint. I was always wondering why, when Bottas ran his own race and acquitted himself well (as he did yesterday...and last week for that matter) you were reluctant to give him any credit. I understand now.

Well, all I can I can tell you is that you should pay closer attention to the fine details of what's going on. Was it Monza last year when Mercedes had Bottas run slow laps in clear air so as not to compromise Lewis? You and I obviously have a tenuous relationship on this issue, but maybe chat with some of the other posters about how blatant Mercedes favoritism has been over the years. Said more simply: There's a reason Lewis can't say enough good things about Valterri.

[WickerBill]

Ehhhh, I don't mean to be adversarial with you, I just disagree. I'm sorry if it feels personal - not my intention.

Lewis had bad things to say about Nico, because Nico was a genuine threat. Valtteri isn't. I guess I feel like you've made my point for me.


We'll see how he goes next year. You'll find this hard to believe, but I was super-pro-Bottas when he was at Williams. He felt like the only guy who could steal podiums that wasn't in a top team. Just doesn't seem like the same guy anymore, but perhaps being Hamilton's teammate can do that to you. Next year will tell.

[pfc_m_drake]

Ehhhh, I don't mean to be adversarial with you, I just disagree. I'm sorry if it feels personal - not my intention.

Lewis had bad things to say about Nico, because Nico was a genuine threat. Valtteri isn't. I guess I feel like you've made my point for me.
On the contrary - you've made my point for me. How many times did Mercedes ask Rosberg to slow down in clear air? (and I'm stuck on that particular point because by definition, it's the antithesis of racing).

[SteveH]

https://i.redd.it/194c4qqup7181.png

:thumbup:

[pfc_m_drake]

@SteveH - love it! :thumbup:

[datachicane]

We'll see how he goes next year. You'll find this hard to believe, but I was super-pro-Bottas when he was at Williams. He felt like the only guy who could steal podiums that wasn't in a top team. Just doesn't seem like the same guy anymore, but perhaps being Hamilton's teammate can do that to you. Next year will tell.

I agree 100%. I'd assumed he'd do a better job filling Rosberg's shoes, but for whatever reason it hasn't worked out that way, and for all of the paranoia Mercedes has been more than patient in giving him time to find his pace. He's finished 2nd in the championship only twice in the last five seasons, so you'd either have to argue that the car isn't really that good after all, or come up with some convoluted explanation that would somehow end up with Mercedes willfully throwing away points in the mfgrs championship for super-secret Bottas-sabotaging "reasons".

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. I do wish him well, and I hope he kicks some ass at Sauber.