2022 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Sidiamal]

Tyre warmup isn't a problem when track temp is 55°C. Mercedes have made good starts more often than not even when it was (in fact I distinctly remember Norris losing out to both Mercedes last time out at Australia).

They are pretty quick off the start, but every restart they lose a position or get into battles with people behind rather than in front. From turn 1 into 2nd lap I think merc must have a very high position drop this season, while they get the tyres working

To Red Bulls and Ferraris, yes. To Alpines and McLarens no, and that's what the original post was about. When Hamilton got ahead of Norris in Silverstone he never saw him again and put a second per lap on him and was never under serious threat by them at the SC restart either.

[atanatizante]

I know there's a whole drag issue and such... But sometimes I get the feeling that Mercedes is running with a limited/weak engine (for reliability reasons). And Barcelona was the only race they ran at full power.

But anyway, great lap from Lewis, a perfect lap.
Russell made some mistakes on his final lap of qualifying that made him lose a lot of time, but he has a good race pace.

Data traces show the engine is about equal. (Read at speeds below about 200kph). The gap is made at the higher speeds where aerodynamics come into play. The car is just draggy for whatever reason. Wings, front-rear ride height etc.

They are some 10kph down the straight compared to VER/PER and this could be for both being draggy and race choice set up in order to be kinder to the tyres.
We have to bear in mind that this is the hottest race up until now regarding track temperatures so this means they must open up the car to the highest degree (PU and stuff-related brakes and so on)
Also, track temps are forcing them to choose a setup not to heat up the tyres and particularly the left front one ... then S3 slow time shows us that the rear isn`t particularly loaded thus protected to resist more due to setup choice.

The poor results in qualy are mainly down to both having a draggy car but mainly for opting to set up the car only for the race pace, as they usually did up until now. In the race, it`ll be interesting to see whether they are sticking to the same strategy for a long first stint as they did in Barca, Silvertone and Austria coz this would be the key had they could have a 1-stop strategy in this race ...

[Spoutnik]

I think Hamilton can get Perez tomorrow.
Tomorrow the tyre deg will be key because of the temperatures, Merc is very gentle on the tyres, let's see.

Sry to bury your expectations but I read that RBR solved their tyre deg issues

Yes.. but Perez is slow + bozo at starts

I told you guys

[Hammerfist]

Sry to bury your expectations but I read that RBR solved their tyre deg issues

Yes.. but Perez is slow + bozo at starts

I told you guys

Not too bad. Consistently faster than both Redbulls in Sector 1, but the rest of the lap was all Redbull. Both cars beating Perez is amazing. Bad job by Perez obviously.
They should be much closer and challenge for a win in Hungary.

[PlatinumZealot]

I know there's a whole drag issue and such... But sometimes I get the feeling that Mercedes is running with a limited/weak engine (for reliability reasons). And Barcelona was the only race they ran at full power.

But anyway, great lap from Lewis, a perfect lap.
Russell made some mistakes on his final lap of qualifying that made him lose a lot of time, but he has a good race pace.

Data traces show the engine is about equal. (Read at speeds below about 200kph). The gap is made at the higher speeds where aerodynamics come into play. The car is just draggy for whatever reason. Wings, front-rear ride height etc.

https://postimages.org/

They are some 10kph down the straight compared to VER/PER and this could be for both being draggy and race choice set up in order to be kinder to the tyres.
We have to bear in mind that this is the hottest race up until now regarding track temperatures so this means they must open up the car to the highest degree (PU and stuff-related brakes and so on)
Also, track temps are forcing them to choose a setup not to heat up the tyres and particularly the left front one ... then S3 slow time shows us that the rear isn`t particularly loaded thus protected to resist more due to setup choice.

The poor results in qualy are mainly down to both having a draggy car but mainly for opting to set up the car only for the race pace, as they usually did up until now. In the race, it`ll be interesting to see whether they are sticking to the same strategy for a long first stint as they did in Barca, Silvertone and Austria coz this would be the key had they could have a 1-stop strategy in this race ...

You can't use this snapshot. Use the telemetry.

[chrisc90]

Good result for them today.

Russel has a lot to learn though. He seems far too adamant he was in the right sending it up the inside on Perez. Then doesn’t leave enough room on the outside.

Pace seemed relatively OK

[214270]

Bono said laptime loss was largely on the straights, full power can’t come soon enough. Pessimism is unfounded.

[Shrieker]

Then doesn’t leave enough room on the outside.

Except that's not what happened.

Perez gave him a cheeky squeeze, forcing him onto the inside kerb, which launches the car into the air. No car on the grid is making that corner while also leaving a car's width at the exit, riding that kerb at normal racing speeds.

You can blame George for making a dive bomb, but not getting any space on the exit is the result of what Perez did to him (squeeze), not the other way round. See how to try and fend off a late dive bomb in a fair manner; Perez vs. Hamilton last year at Abu Dhabi.

[Jozsusz]

Good result for them today.

Russel has a lot to learn though. He seems far too adamant he was in the right sending it up the inside on Perez. Then doesn’t leave enough room on the outside.

Pace seemed relatively OK

Russell.

[cplchanb]

I think Hamilton can get Perez tomorrow.
Tomorrow the tyre deg will be key because of the temperatures, Merc is very gentle on the tyres, let's see.

Sry to bury your expectations but I read that RBR solved their tyre deg issues

Well.... that aged like fine milk

[Spoutnik]

I think Hamilton can get Perez tomorrow.
Tomorrow the tyre deg will be key because of the temperatures, Merc is very gentle on the tyres, let's see.

Sry to bury your expectations but I read that RBR solved their tyre deg issues

Well.... that aged like fine milk

Ahah, it was written in the stars for me since Saturday.
Perez cannot handle this upgraded RB18 and contrary to the urban legend he's not very gentle with his tyre.
On the opposite Hamilton is there, consistent on race pace, smart and opportunistic he will maximise everything, we know him, he just has to stop experimenting things.
Russell got him because he drove like on donkey but well done to George too.

Mercedes have always been Sir Lewis merchant, if I want to "troll" I would say 10s of gap between Verstappen and Hamilton is less than on some occasion last season (Austria, Zandvoort before the extrastop, Baku before the puncture of Verstappen, Mexico...)

Hungary will be an interesting one... probably the track where Hamilton is the fastest.

[Tvetovnato]

Judging by the pace in Silverstone and Austria, it feels like Merc underperformed here, so chances are they might find a bit of pace on single laps again in Budapest with some added upgrades as well. But still, with a straight forward race, Verstappen and Leclerc are miles ahead. Max was controlling his pace today and still pulled a gap, so 3rd is the best to hope for until some serious gains are on the table from upgrades.

[Spoutnik]

Judging by the pace in Silverstone and Austria, it feels like Merc underperformed here, so chances are they might find a bit of pace on single laps again in Budapest with some added upgrades as well. But still, with a straight forward race, Verstappen and Leclerc are miles ahead. Max was controlling his pace today and still pulled a gap, so 3rd is the best to hope for until some serious gains are on the table from upgrades.

Races are often crazy in Hungary. Lewis is the specialist out there for pole, and SC will play a role.
Best chance of race win with the current package imo.

[De Jokke]

I think Hamilton can get Perez tomorrow.
Tomorrow the tyre deg will be key because of the temperatures, Merc is very gentle on the tyres, let's see.

Sry to bury your expectations but I read that RBR solved their tyre deg issues

Well.... that aged like fine milk

So glad you were right about the Hamilton Perez thing, but Verstappen didn't have deg issues at all unfortunately

[De Jokke]

Judging by the pace in Silverstone and Austria, it feels like Merc underperformed here, so chances are they might find a bit of pace on single laps again in Budapest with some added upgrades as well. But still, with a straight forward race, Verstappen and Leclerc are miles ahead. Max was controlling his pace today and still pulled a gap, so 3rd is the best to hope for until some serious gains are on the table from upgrades.

Races are often crazy in Hungary. Lewis is the specialist out there for pole, and SC will play a role.
Best chance of race win with the current package imo.

Best chance but still the merc's pace will not be enough, I'm afraid...