2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah, March 25 - 27

[LM10]

The races are fun so far. But I'm not getting a "championship feeling" yet. The true feelings of rivalry will start maybe in Europe and I hope Mercedes is fighting for wins by then! If not oh well just gotta camp with Ferrari for this year.

You're very welcome!

[codetower]

The races are fun so far. But I'm not getting a "championship feeling" yet. The true feelings of rivalry will start maybe in Europe and I hope Mercedes is fighting for wins by then! If not oh well just gotta camp with Ferrari for this year.

Still too early for that Championship feeling. I agree, it would be great to see Mercedes in there, as well as Mclaren. It would make for an epic season.

As an obvious Ferrari/Leclerc fan, "IF" Leclerc ends up winning the championship, I would love nothing more than for it to be a true battle, all the way to the end, against the best drivers.

[f1jcw]

I can't even begin to even think RB did anything "clever" like you suggest in this situation, they couldn't possibly know if Sainz was or wasn't in front as he was coming back on track over that line, once they settled on the track they couldn't do anything about it on their own

the only situation that may seem to satisfy you is Perez and RB expecting that Sainz MAYBE might be very very slightly in front of them coming out of the pits tell Perez to back off - I mean - that isn't even racing any more then, that's some sort of submission fetish then

At Alpine, team mates were fighting tooth and nail for position and how can one expect the current championship contenders to give away marginal, extremely close decision like this as if they are in a gala of some sort. "OK Sir, After you". Besides, there was not even a single overtake at the SC restart, it hasn't happened in a while. So to expect Sainz could have challenged Verstappen is stretching it. It was hard but fair contention and when red bull pit wall realized it, probably decided to let it go. Even if red bull did such clever and dynamic thinking that keeping Perez ahead would protect Verstappen, there was no way to prove such allegations. That is just searching for a needle in a haystack.
Verstappen kept complaining about Leclerc crossing pit entry line, which was probably more visible violation, however minimal it was. I am glad Stewards didn't do anything about it and let the race continue uninterrupted.

c' mon guys. we dont need to be smart to see tactics ongoing here.
Sainz behind Verstappen would be a different level pressure-wise at restarts - see Bahrain.
No overtakes at SC restarts until yet? This doesnt mean its impossible...

He doesn't have to overtake verstappen, just put him under pressure, defend and lose seconds, those seconds might be vital for a Charles win.

[lh13]

You guys are still complaining about something that even Ferrari themselves didn't complain about.

[RZS10]

They did though? There's more than enough articles with quotes from Sainz and Binotto pointing out how such situations should be resolved better and more efficiently.

[NicoS]

5 63 George Russell MERCEDES 50 +32.732s

10 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 50 +73.948s

These gaps are just crazy, more than just bouncing.
Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU? - so strange to go straight from hero to zero just like that, and same for all MB power teams!

[basti313]

They did though? There's more than enough articles with quotes from Sainz and Binotto pointing out how such situations should be resolved better and more efficiently.

You are right. Even RedBull asked if they need to switch back, it simply took too long and then no one wanted to do a quick switch.
Well, as said...no matter what the outcome was we had last year a race director that made such decisions quick and good for the spectator and the racing. That cost his head. Now we watch them following a clean socialistic route and, thus watch a nonsense battle for P3 that they will switch in the next corner anyways. Good job by those who wanted Masi's head on a stick.

[dans79]

Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU?

No!

[Big Tea]

The races are fun so far. But I'm not getting a "championship feeling" yet. The true feelings of rivalry will start maybe in Europe and I hope Mercedes is fighting for wins by then! If not oh well just gotta camp with Ferrari for this year.

Still too early for that Championship feeling. I agree, it would be great to see Mercedes in there, as well as Mclaren. It would make for an epic season.

As an obvious Ferrari/Leclerc fan, "IF" Leclerc ends up winning the championship, I would love nothing more than for it to be a true battle, all the way to the end, against the best drivers.

I am getting a lot of pleasure out of Haas and Alfa this year. I am not a one team/driver supporter so it is a pleasure for me to see the also rans do well

[Alexf1]

5 63 George Russell MERCEDES 50 +32.732s

10 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 50 +73.948s

These gaps are just crazy, more than just bouncing.
Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU? - so strange to go straight from hero to zero just like that, and same for all MB power teams!

LH could overtake without too much trouble so I don't think so. Think its got more to do with not being able to run the stall rear suspension (yet) as late last year due to the persistent porpoising issue:

[PlatinumZealot]

5 63 George Russell MERCEDES 50 +32.732s

10 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 50 +73.948s

These gaps are just crazy, more than just bouncing.
Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU? - so strange to go straight from hero to zero just like that, and same for all MB power teams!

Nah it's not the car. That's a genuine gap in pace betwden the two drivers. Don't you see, Lewis Hamilton is over the hill? He's past it, he's an embarrasment in F1, he's a laughing stock and he and should resign immediately.

[HJKM]

5 63 George Russell MERCEDES 50 +32.732s

10 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 50 +73.948s

These gaps are just crazy, more than just bouncing.
Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU? - so strange to go straight from hero to zero just like that, and same for all MB power teams!

Nah it's not the car. That's a genuine gap in pace betwden the two drivers. Don't you see, Lewis Hamilton is over the hill? He's past it, he's an embarrasment in F1, he's a laughing stock and he and should resign immediately.

Maybe it just shows difference in tyre strategy and how the race unfolded with SC and VSC?

[langedweil]

I think many people might not be aware that they changed the regs around handing positions back etc. Race director won't offer teams to do this anymore or tell them, they will just let the stewards decide and then the drivers are on their own.

the way I understood it is that teams can't argue any more about it with stewards, but they can give it up on their own before the official decision is made, so if the case is more or less clear and situation allows it - teams can act without orders from above, but if they don't, then they are at full mercy of the stewards, which usually results in a harsher punishment

this is a big improvement on the previous situation where they would endlessly argue and haggle like they are on a market, which IMO was unacceptable, waiting for official ruling every time would turn this into kindergarten level of event

this situation was close, drivers couldn't really 100% see it themselves from their perspective, and that Sainz message him saying he was ahead or not was just drama build up, he literally couldn't see if he was or wasn't in front, you could only see it from the outside

but here again RedBull cleverness coming into play.
They wanted to protect their 2nd placed car by leaving Checo on 3rd.
This kind of games should be considered by Race Control.
Sainz had no opportunity to possibly attack 2nd place driver at restart. Here Max Verstappen
BTW like Abu Dhabi...

My oh my ...

[langedweil]

5 63 George Russell MERCEDES 50 +32.732s

10 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 50 +73.948s

These gaps are just crazy, more than just bouncing.
Could it be that MB were forced to quietly change some "grey" area with their PU? - so strange to go straight from hero to zero just like that, and same for all MB power teams!

Nah it's not the car. That's a genuine gap in pace betwden the two drivers. Don't you see, Lewis Hamilton is over the hill? He's past it, he's an embarrasment in F1, he's a laughing stock and he and should resign immediately.

You might be on to something .. doubtfully, but still ..

[JordanMugen]

I think everyone is enjoying the Ferrari v RBR battle. It is really great, a wonderful battle of two fine racing teams.