2019 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai, April 12-14

[Shader]

Verstappen 39, Vettel 37, Leclerc 36

Ferrari’s strategy ensured Vettel got ahead of Leclerc in the standings. If LEC had held on to 4th, he’d still be ahead of VET. And Verstappen.

"let him go, let him go"

For all those blind Vettel supporters, yes yes he was faster (yet somehow slower even with DRS on)

[Just_a_fan]

Leclerc not happy with team orders but clever enough not to slag the team off in public. Clever boy.

Charles Leclerc, who finished behind Max Verstappen in P5 says: "I had a good start then it went a bit messy. I need to understand the full picture with Seb and spend some time with the engineers - there must be a good reason behind this decision.

"Overall I've not been as strong as I wanted this weekend, Today was not a good day but we will come back stronger.

"I need to look at the data and speak with the engineers, I don’t want to make any silly comments. If you look at my own race we pitted early, if you look at the team race we pitted at the right time to slow Mercedes down."

[Stahlkocher]

Best way of saying you were thrown under the bus without accusing your team of throwing you under the bus.

His PR speech is already better than that of Hamilton

[oT v1]

100% not a Vettel fan after the 12’ and 13’ borefest seasons. But you guys are being too harsh for Ferrari letting him have a go, Leclerc had a good chunk of laps to affect the gap to Bottas but failed (not through any faults of his own) and Ferrari, as someone said on TV, were purely looking forward, disregarding RB and just focusing on Merc. Nice to see them so combative but didn’t work out.

Not a great race to watch but never mind! 16 wins to go.....

[jurinius]

Very happy for RIC race, he will gain performance and confidence in that Renault. Albon low expectations but still better results (good driver).
Millennial Lewis start, you can feel the sincere Prost's joy with the winning flag
Ferrari behavior still the same winning or loosing

[Juzh]

Verstappen 39, Vettel 37, Leclerc 36

Ferrari’s strategy ensured Vettel got ahead of Leclerc in the standings. If LEC had held on to 4th, he’d still be ahead of VET. And Verstappen.

"let him go, let him go"
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4GR-h4XkAAuxpV.jpg
For all those blind Vettel supporters, yes yes he was faster (yet somehow slower even with DRS on)

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

[Shader]

Verstappen 39, Vettel 37, Leclerc 36

Ferrari’s strategy ensured Vettel got ahead of Leclerc in the standings. If LEC had held on to 4th, he’d still be ahead of VET. And Verstappen.

"let him go, let him go"
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4GR-h4XkAAuxpV.jpg
For all those blind Vettel supporters, yes yes he was faster (yet somehow slower even with DRS on)

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

Oh really, like we don't know those basics here on the forum. Vettel was not faster when he got in front, nothing changed, that there is the problem. Even if they had identical pace, why force Charles to let Vettel pass? If he was faster, he should have been able to overtake him, and he did not, not anyone.

[GrandAxe]

I notice Toto has become the new pet hate for some fans. Let it go, brothers. Let it go.
I thoroughly enjoyed the race though. Unfortunately for the season, its almost safe to conclude that its yet another Merc year (not that I'm complaining).

[Juzh]

"let him go, let him go"
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4GR-h4XkAAuxpV.jpg
For all those blind Vettel supporters, yes yes he was faster (yet somehow slower even with DRS on)

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

Oh really, like we don't know those basics here on the forum. Vettel was not faster when he got in front, nothing changed, that there is the problem.

Leclerc was in no position to attack vettel when they got switched, unlike vettel who was at times at ~0.2s range at the end of straights. Later in the race leclerc couldn't beat vettel's fastest lap with 8 laps less fuel.

[Restomaniac]

Vettel's stache makes me uncomfortable...

So True

[siskue2005]

"let him go, let him go"
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D4GR-h4XkAAuxpV.jpg
For all those blind Vettel supporters, yes yes he was faster (yet somehow slower even with DRS on)

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

Oh really, like we don't know those basics here on the forum. Vettel was not faster when he got in front, nothing changed, that there is the problem. Even if they had identical pace, why force Charles to let Vettel pass? If he was faster, he should have been able to overtake him, and he did not, not anyone.

Moreover, When Leclerc was in fornt he was 3.5 to 4 sec behind Bottas...but when Vettel was in front the gap grew up to 6 sec within the next three to four laps

[siskue2005]

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

Oh really, like we don't know those basics here on the forum. Vettel was not faster when he got in front, nothing changed, that there is the problem.

Leclerc was in no position to attack vettel when they got switched, unlike vettel who was at times at ~0.2s range at the end of straights. Later in the race leclerc couldn't beat vettel's fastest lap with 8 laps less fuel.

He was 1.02 sec to 1.2 sec behind Vettel for more than 5 laps
Leclerc had a greabox issue later in the race

[Shader]

How are you gonna go faster when there's a car in front of you? Have a think a little. He was hovering in 0-6, 0.9s range troughout the lap, which is not something you can do if you are slower or even if you are identically paced.

Oh really, like we don't know those basics here on the forum. Vettel was not faster when he got in front, nothing changed, that there is the problem.

Leclerc was in no position to attack vettel when they got switched, unlike vettel who was at times at ~0.2s range at the end of straights. Later in the race leclerc couldn't beat vettel's fastest lap with 8 laps less fuel.

Charles had to make peace that his own team scapegoated him and what, what is there to drive for when your teams hold you back, for 3 races now, and today worse than ever? He let Vettel in front, Vettel was not faster then, and gap to Bottas even increased? Those are facts, if you don't like them, go to that "imaginary championship" thread or whatever it's called.

[siskue2005]

Can someone tell me what happened to Lewis suddenly? I heard he had lost motivation and this was one of his "off weekends?"

Yes he had an off weekend...just imagine what he can do in a weekend where he is on it

[Restomaniac]

So Hamilton X6 WDC then!