2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[organic]

Could be a tricky race with the straight-line speed deficit.

[AR3-GP]

Could be a tricky race with the straight-line speed deficit.

If the tires go off on the medium df guys, it will be like taking candy from a baby. The high downforce guys will have to stop themselves from passing into T11 such would be the advantage.

[j_ste]

Could be a tricky race with the straight-line speed deficit.

19 laps should be enough to maybe take advanatage of good tyre wear. The key is to not lose any places in the first few laps.

Honestly, this is the best the car has looked in this era. Especially when you consider how difficult and bumpy this circuit is

[214270]

3 place penalty for RUS.

[ringo]

Not a good weekend for Russel so far.
Hamilton should start on the medium i think.
The softs may not make sense.
Something has changed sing Suzuka.
The drivers sharing less info across the garage?
Russel just doesnt seem his normal self.

I heard one of the commentators speaking about how stiff the car looks.
I think we need to get that suspension sorted out next year. Trying this new floor on this compromised suspension may not do much good.
The team should try going softer with more travel in the next race to see how the car reacts to it.
Ferrari look to ride the curbs nicely and it almost looks as if their car is bouncy but in a controlled way.

[dans79]

Not a good weekend for Russel so far.
Hamilton should start on the medium i think.
The softs may not make sense.
Something has changed sing Suzuka.
The drivers sharing less info across the garage?
Russel just doesnt seem his normal self.

I heard one of the commentators speaking about how stiff the car looks.
I think we need to get that suspension sorted out next year. Trying this new floor on this compromised suspension may not do much good.
The team should try going softer with more travel in the next race to see how the car reacts to it.
Ferrari look to ride the curbs nicely and it almost looks as if their car is bouncy but in a controlled way.

He had issue after the last big upgrade for a while. I think this is just the same underlying issue, whatever that might be!

[PlatinumZealot]

The W14 is looking good with the proto-2024 floor. Top speed looks good?

[PlatinumZealot]

Ferrari focusin on vathering data for the race? Too crazy to put Sainz on softs in the sprint!

[PlatinumZealot]

Mercedes challenge ended. Not as good on its tyres as the RBR.

[chrisc90]

Looked a good step forwards in one lap pace, but once max broke the DRS by stopping clipping in turn 2, he was away and just kept building a .4 gap each lap on average.
Still a bit of work to do on race pace I’d imagine for the Mercs.

[organic]

Looked a good step forwards in one lap pace, but once max broke the DRS by stopping clipping in turn 2, he was away and just kept building a .4 gap each lap on average.
Still a bit of work to do on race pace I’d imagine for the Mercs.

Their race is with Macca clearly, which bodes fairly well with similarly matched pace to a pushing Norris in the closing stages. If Hamilton can get track position over Norris at T1, he can get P2, or P1 if Max doesn't come through cleanly.

[j_ste]

The pace is good. Just got to nail strategy and pit stops...the Perez gap is looking closer than I thought it would

[chrisc90]

True. I still think mclaren are the ‘best of the rest’ after todays sprint. I’d say merc and Ferrari are just about on par with each other.

How cars nurse the tyres in longer stints tomorrow we’ll see. But if norris’ pace at the end is anything to go by the McLaren might have the edge on tyres

[Bill_Kar]

Great stuff by Hamilton today, solid result.

I think the pace was quite good, I think Hamilton was also managing his tyres after his first round of attacks on MV. McLaren also seemed quite well on race pace, I suppose it will be a three way fight for that second spot, Ferrari to my mind is the weakest out of the three, only slightly.

I frankly believe that P3 is a nice place to start the race, if a similar scrap happens tomorrow between Leclerc and Norris, Hamilton can get advantage of it and keep the position. If not, the high DF configuration will be a pain in the behind in terms of overtaking, as we saw with Russell and Sainz today.

Lastly, I was amazed how Hamilton managed to pull a significant gap to Leclerc after the first train of corners during Lap 1, he wasn't even remotely under threat at the back straight. Car works well in the high speed and bumpy part?

[Luscion]

Great stuff by Hamilton today, solid result.

I think the pace was quite good, I think Hamilton was also managing his tyres after his first round of attacks on MV. McLaren also seemed quite well on race pace, I suppose it will be a three way fight for that second spot, Ferrari to my mind is the weakest out of the three, only slightly.

I frankly believe that P3 is a nice place to start the race, if a similar scrap happens tomorrow between Leclerc and Norris, Hamilton can get advantage of it and keep the position. If not, the high DF configuration will be a pain in the behind in terms of overtaking, as we saw with Russell and Sainz today.

Lastly, I was amazed how Hamilton managed to pull a significant gap to Leclerc after the first train of corners during Lap 1, he wasn't even remotely under threat at the back straight. Car works well in the high speed and bumpy part?

I think the only threat to Lewis for p2 tomorrow will be Lando, Max and Lewis left Leclerc in the dust from the jump and Leclerc never closed the gap