2019 Russian Grand Prix - Sochi Autodrom, 27 - 29 September

[Morteza]

[sosic2121]

I mean to see if the track is dry enough to go slick rather than test as in new rubber. It seems the rain could well play a part this year

oh sorry, yes I see what you mean. Rain! i hadn't been paying attention.

Valtteri is toast if it's wet anyway, it should be Max vs Lewis shouldn't it, unless Charles can do it after all...

Or maybe it could be someone who haven't spun last time we had a wet race

[Big Tea]

I mean to see if the track is dry enough to go slick rather than test as in new rubber. It seems the rain could well play a part this year

oh sorry, yes I see what you mean. Rain! i hadn't been paying attention.

Valtteri is toast if it's wet anyway, it should be Max vs Lewis shouldn't it, unless Charles can do it after all...

Or maybe it could be someone who haven't spun last time we had a wet race

He gets a slamming off lots of people, but keep an eye on Stroll.

[atanatizante]

...

Merc got their qualifying preparation wrong, and then couldn’t use their far superior race pace in the race.

...

The biggest mistake they did in qualy was their setup heading more if not entirely towards the race and the reason for that was being overconfident of their high downforce performance after Hungary.
In contrast, Ferrari was doing the opposite and was just focused on how to set the car to be fast on one lap only, knowing that: a). at a street circuit, the position is king! and b). knowing they`ll be hard to be passed over due to their superior top speed ...

Now regarding Merc race pace it was sad to notice it was the 3rd race in a row they have had the quickest race car on Sunday but unfortunately, they lost the race mainly due to poor strategic calls: each time they missed to do the undercut at the right moment hence they couldn`t stretch their legs and show us their real race pace! (on another note, maybe there`s a rule of compensation that has been enforced, for not being the fastest car in Bahrein, Baku and Canada but eventually has won it?)

I really don`t get it! Knowing you have: a). the best race pace and b). the best tyre management, why on earth don`t you do an early - even suboptimal - undercut, knowing you could run the second stint on the harder if not hardest tyre for longer than the opposition, but most likely based on what Lewis showed us can do in France, Silverstone etc. ? And in addition to those 2 factors above mentioned, why don`t you try the same 2 stop strategy like you successfully did in Hungary? In the last 3 races, you have had a bigger delta pace than in Hungary!

Please, could someone tell me why?

[LM10]

...

Merc got their qualifying preparation wrong, and then couldn’t use their far superior race pace in the race.

...

The biggest mistake they did in qualy was their setup heading more if not entirely towards the race and the reason for that was being overconfident of their high downforce performance after Hungary.
In contrast, Ferrari was doing the opposite and was just focused on how to set the car to be fast on one lap only, knowing that: a). at a street circuit, the position is king! and b). knowing they`ll be hard to be passed over due to their superior top speed ...

I’d be glad, if you could give us more first-hand information since you seem to be in the Mercedes team to know that their setup “was heading more if not entirely towards the race” because they were overconfident due to their performance in Hungary.
Hungary was months ago, cars got further developments and on top of that Mercedes had three FP sessions to analyze the data and come to the conclusion that Ferrari was doing a good job. Who, in their right mind, would then still setup with Hungary in mind?
How can you even believe that Mercedes didn’t think that track position is king at Singapore, like Ferrari did? That’s like insulting the engineers’ intelligence, common sense and skills overall.

Now regarding Merc race pace it was sad to notice it was the 3rd race in a row they have had the quickest race car on Sunday but unfortunately, they lost the race mainly due to poor strategic calls: each time they missed to do the undercut at the right moment hence they couldn`t stretch their legs and show us their real race pace! (on another note, maybe there`s a rule of compensation that has been enforced, for not being the fastest car in Bahrein, Baku and Canada but eventually has won it?)

What exactly do you mean?

I really don`t get it! Knowing you have: a). the best race pace and b). the best tyre management, why on earth don`t you do an early - even suboptimal - undercut, knowing you could run the second stint on the harder if not hardest tyre for longer than the opposition, but most likely based on what Lewis showed us can do in France, Silverstone etc. ? And in addition to those 2 factors above mentioned, why don`t you try the same 2 stop strategy like you successfully did in Hungary? In the last 3 races, you have had a bigger delta pace than in Hungary!

Please, could someone tell me why?

Again, Hungary was a different track. What worked there under those circumstances won’t necessarily work in Singapore. It’s near to impossible to overtake a top 3 car in Singapore just because you’ve fresher tyres. You’ll need a much bigger delta between both cars.

[zibby43]

...

Merc got their qualifying preparation wrong, and then couldn’t use their far superior race pace in the race.

...

The biggest mistake they did in qualy was their setup heading more if not entirely towards the race and the reason for that was being overconfident of their high downforce performance after Hungary.
In contrast, Ferrari was doing the opposite and was just focused on how to set the car to be fast on one lap only, knowing that: a). at a street circuit, the position is king! and b). knowing they`ll be hard to be passed over due to their superior top speed ...

Now regarding Merc race pace it was sad to notice it was the 3rd race in a row they have had the quickest race car on Sunday but unfortunately, they lost the race mainly due to poor strategic calls: each time they missed to do the undercut at the right moment hence they couldn`t stretch their legs and show us their real race pace! (on another note, maybe there`s a rule of compensation that has been enforced, for not being the fastest car in Bahrein, Baku and Canada but eventually has won it?)

I really don`t get it! Knowing you have: a). the best race pace and b). the best tyre management, why on earth don`t you do an early - even suboptimal - undercut, knowing you could run the second stint on the harder if not hardest tyre for longer than the opposition, but most likely based on what Lewis showed us can do in France, Silverstone etc. ? And in addition to those 2 factors above mentioned, why don`t you try the same 2 stop strategy like you successfully did in Hungary? In the last 3 races, you have had a bigger delta pace than in Hungary!

Please, could someone tell me why?

Completely agree with your assessment. I don't get it either. Some head-scratching decisions.

[auv]

...

Merc got their qualifying preparation wrong, and then couldn’t use their far superior race pace in the race.

...

The biggest mistake they did in qualy was their setup heading more if not entirely towards the race and the reason for that was being overconfident of their high downforce performance after Hungary.
In contrast, Ferrari was doing the opposite and was just focused on how to set the car to be fast on one lap only, knowing that: a). at a street circuit, the position is king! and b). knowing they`ll be hard to be passed over due to their superior top speed ...

Now regarding Merc race pace it was sad to notice it was the 3rd race in a row they have had the quickest race car on Sunday but unfortunately, they lost the race mainly due to poor strategic calls: each time they missed to do the undercut at the right moment hence they couldn`t stretch their legs and show us their real race pace! (on another note, maybe there`s a rule of compensation that has been enforced, for not being the fastest car in Bahrein, Baku and Canada but eventually has won it?)

I really don`t get it! Knowing you have: a). the best race pace and b). the best tyre management, why on earth don`t you do an early - even suboptimal - undercut, knowing you could run the second stint on the harder if not hardest tyre for longer than the opposition, but most likely based on what Lewis showed us can do in France, Silverstone etc. ? And in addition to those 2 factors above mentioned, why don`t you try the same 2 stop strategy like you successfully did in Hungary? In the last 3 races, you have had a bigger delta pace than in Hungary!

Please, could someone tell me why?

Hamilton could made an undercut on lap 16 already. There was more or less safe gap to not get immediatly stuck behind Grosjean after pit. And it was VER and VET on lap 19, who launched the pit-wave in the leading group.
So, if Mercedes were just sitting and waiting during 3 laps, probably they were too much passive and conservative on that day.

[zibby43]

Very high probability of rain on Saturday, with a 40% chance on Sunday (up from 20%).

https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/statu ... 55011?s=20

[MtthsMlw]

Cool diagram showing usage of ICE.
(this does not take in to account that you can reuse older ICE)

[Bill_Kar]

Cool diagram showing usage of ICE.
(this does not take in to account that you can reuse older ICE)
https://i.redd.it/7q17jjk7kzo31.png

Niiice. May I have the source?

[NathanOlder]

Have we had any rain in Sochi before ? I get the impression it will be a very hard slippery track in the wet.

[MtthsMlw]

Cool diagram showing usage of ICE.
(this does not take in to account that you can reuse older ICE)
https://i.redd.it/7q17jjk7kzo31.png

Niiice. May I have the source?

Here:
https://soymotor.com/articulos/cambios- ... oto-961120
There are also diagrams for the other PU parts, very interesting.

[LM10]

Very high probability of rain on Saturday, with a 40% chance on Sunday (up from 20%).

https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/statu ... 55011?s=20

If it rains on Saturday, my bets are on Mercedes and especially Hamilton. I've always feared a wet track this season because my impression has been that Mercedes would be stronger than ever. The car with most downforce bringing tyres up to temperature the best.
After Singapore I'm a bit more confident regarding Ferrari, but think that Mercedes still is the fastest car out there.

[Restomaniac]

Well 1 thing is certain. Ferrari can’t pull the same trick this weekend as last.
Go that slowly and the Mercedes will get them.

[Bill_Kar]

I swear Di Resta has a picture of Hamilton in his bedroom and he's throwing darts at it.