2018 British Grand Prix, Silverstone, July 6-8

[Just_a_fan]

The staff definitely feels it, 3 weeks in a row is damn tough.

Not compared to the old days. Then, they'd do the whole weekend in the garage wielding spanners. Now, it's just a few hours and then the bar.

[Vasconia]

I’m British and I’m finding I’m struggling to get up for this. 3 weekends in a row is one hell of a slog.

When you you work Mon-Fri and you use your weekends for family stuff. Having 3 weekends of FP1/FP2/FP3/Pre Qualy/Qualy/Post Qualy/Pre race/Race/Post race is hard to justify and keep motivated for. I have no idea how the teams/drivers themselves are managing it.

I think the salary is a great motivation. Many people have to work several weekends in a row with a miserable salary. This is really though. What teams and drivers do is hard work, yes, but they are working for the best teams in the world and with a good salary. I can understand that it can be hard at times but I guess they are more than happy with their job.

[f1316]

So Ferrari’s update looks pretty decent - perhaps not as large as Mercedes’ last week although that’s just wild speculation as the floor, diffuser and engine cover are all significant areas of the car, so it depends how much the needle is pushed in each area.

My view is that Mercedes has reclaimed the PU advantage in terms of quali mode - remember that Ferrari scaled back the scope of their planned update for reliability reasons whereas Mercedes said they found more by delaying it - but that in the race the Ferrari is a match in terms of power and has significantly improved fuel efficiency.

So I suspect Mercedes will get pole and likely the front row but that - presuming their fast corner performance is as Vanja outlines and they’ve managed to better understand the thinner gauge tyres - Ferrari can go with them in the race. If so, it may be a more interesting race than we were anticipating (just as it was last week).

I do kinda agree with Sainz re the third DRS zone though - why have it on a corner they won’t be able to take with it open on race fuel? Then it just becomes a quali thing.

[atanatizante]

How much that PU change in Bottas` case it a precautionary measure and how much that move is in order to be perhaps a buffer and grabbing more points from Vettel? Or maybe it`s both?

[MtthsMlw]

Would asume that it's only a precautionary measure. This new spec 2 doesn't produce much more power than his old spec 2.

[F1NAC]

Verstappen went with DRS on through 1st and second corner. Vettel closed, but reopened after T2. So Ferrari for now cannot go flat through?

[johnny vee]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/live/27925 ... ctice-2018

Lots of talk this weekend about if drivers can get through Turn 1 with the DRS open, well Verstappen managed it on his first flying lap.
Edd Straw

[johnny vee]

11:17 Lots of bottoming out from Max - front of floor and maybe front wing thanks to centre of aero pressure being further forwards due to DRS being open through Abbey.
Edd Straw

[AnthonyG]

The new surface is bumpy, this must be the first time a resurface brings added challenge to the track.

[F1NAC]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/live/27925 ... ctice-2018

Lots of talk this weekend about if drivers can get through Turn 1 with the DRS open, well Verstappen managed it on his first flying lap.
Edd Straw

Ricciardo also on Hards went full open through T1 and T2. Flashback to 2011

EDIT:

Vettel opened after T1 and through T2

So only RB for now can go both T1 and T2 with DRS open

[F1Krof]

Mercedes very slow on the last sector.

[Sevach]

This looks like a sorry excuse of a resurfacing.

[Vasconia]

Mercedes very slow on the last sector.

Still, Lewis is able to make the fastest lap. Let´s see how Vettel performs, this is probably his weakest track.

[matt_b]

Mercedes very slow on the last sector.

Based on what? Hes faster than Seb in the final sector and only less than a tenth off Kimi and Max in that 3rd sector

[Sierra117]

Man that is some insane bumpy action.