2023 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, July 28 - 30

[avantman]

unsurprisingly Mercedes and especially Mclaren looked so much better in terms of lap time without the DRS.

[chrisc90]

Here’s a question: at what point should
Russell abort his lap then? He locked a wheel but ran slightly wide at turn 1.
Should he abandon a whole lap on a rapidly improving track by running slightly wide a few metres into the start of his lap?

No, of course not. This is a silly discussion. Drivers look out for their own interests and Russell could've certainly improved a lot despite that mistake under those track conditions.

Agree with you and Matt2725.

George had every right to continue his Lap. He finished +6.6 odd seconds behind. There is no way that he lost that time in the first corner by running wide.

When everyone else was taking 1-2seconds PER run out from their first outings on slicks it makes perfect sense to continue your lap. Huge track evolution with it drying out.

If it was anyone but Lewis, I imagine some people would have a different story about George ‘impeding’ and having a right to put his lap in

[Juzh]

Thanks, and Lewis?

Nevermind top speeds. Like for like ham is by far the fastest with low drag config.

[avantman]

Thanks, and Lewis?

Nevermind top speeds. Like for like ham is by far the fastest with low drag config.

i know he was the fastest on the straights of S3 without the DRS yesterday as well. I just need to look at the exact number.
Perez top speed was clearly aided by slipstream from Leclerc Ferrari at the end.

[organic]

Thanks, and Lewis?

McLaren will not be able to overtake him easily on Sunday

[avantman]

Looking at how fainthearted the race direction behaved today, I don't think we'll see a race today whatsoever, if it keeps raining. (rain already started again)

[avantman]

Thanks, and Lewis?

McLaren will not be able to overtake him easily on Sunday

Thanks man! But damn, I forgot this Lewis number was aided by slipstream behind Russell as well. Or did he actually have to back off, which means he would've been even faster than 323, not being hampered by Russell?

[Cs98]

McLaren will not be able to overtake him easily on Sunday

Might be more representative to look at the first run when they all had decent spacing. They would've been running full engine modes either way.

[mkay]

This isn't impeding though. Russell is still on a lap despite his T1 mistake. Hamilton can overtake but Russell has no obligation to move out of the way. Impeding is when someone who is not on a fast lap gets in the way of someone who is on a fast lap. This is just poor spacing and a T1 mistake.

Russell slowed Lewis done all the way to Eau Rouge, and lost even more time by trying to block him into Kemmel straight.
He had no pace today, shouldn't block his teamate who could put the car on pole today.

I doubt he tried to "block him". It's qualifying and he's on a fast lap. There's no reason for him to check his mirrors and I suspect (I haven't checked granted) his engineer didn't say anything until Russell aborted down the kemmel straight.

Sounds to me like the team isn't talking to each other. Marcus Dudley (Russell's race eng) seems to be a bit fast and loose with quali strategy however.

Point is, the track was rapidly improving so it's likely Russell would have improved anyway. He's entitled to continue regarding of what a bunch of screaming Twitter users say.

There's no denying Russell was entitled track position by virtue of overtaking Hamilton at the bus stop chicane.

However, that doesn't mean he can't be criticized for yet again committing a driving mistake (as he has done pretty much in every session today) on a crucial do-or-die lap, and then hindering his teammate down the Kemmel straight (when he knew he was in his gearbox).

It's not so much about the impeding per se but about the way things unfolded. Russell could have improved and also allowed Hamilton to significantly improve (had he not forced HAM to go on the wet part + lift off throttle on Kemmel straight).

Instead, Merc faced the worst of both worlds; HAM didn't improve by much, and RUS aborted his lap.

[Spoutnik]

We live in a world where fugazi one time winner has more right than the guy who the team is supposedly built around...
If I was Lewis it will not encourage me to sign a new contract.

That win still hurts that badly huh?

It hurts cause Merc continue with the zero sidepots because of it...

[Wouter]

[Wouter]

[LM10]

Seems like Mercedes managed to keep the floor low to the point they were porpoising relatively heavily, but still kept stable. This gave them the possibility to produce efficient downforce with a really low drag config.

[Cs98]

There's no denying Russell was entitled track position by virtue of overtaking Hamilton at the bus stop chicane.

However, that doesn't mean he can't be criticized for yet again committing a driving mistake (as he has done pretty much in every session today) on a crucial do-or-die lap, and then hindering his teammate down the Kemmel straight (when he knew he was in his gearbox).

It's not so much about the impeding per se but about the way things unfolded. Russell could have improved and also allowed Hamilton to significantly improve (had he not forced HAM to go on the wet part + lift off throttle on Kemmel straight).

Instead, Merc faced the worst of both worlds; HAM didn't improve by much, and RUS aborted his lap.

Then criticise him for the driving mistake, not all this nonsense about he should've let Hamilton past.

And if you want to see who the agent of chaos was in the final corner, look at Hamilton's onboard before the start of the lap.

[101FlyingDutchman]

Seems like Mercedes managed to keep the floor low to the point they were porpoising relatively heavily, but still kept stable. This gave them the possibility to produce efficient downforce with a really low drag config.

Bang on!