2020 Sakhir Grand Prix - Sakhir, Dec 04 - 06

[Jolle]

How did you make it past the Schumacher years?

Do you mean when the best driver was winning in the best car?

A couple of changes needed for next year:

Put Perez in the Red Bull, Albon out.

Put Russell in the Mercedes, Bottas out.

And for the next race, put Leclerc on ice to cool that hothead of his. This guy is the future of Ferrari? The boy needs to go sit in a dark room and have a word with himself.

Even Mika Salo could of won in a Schumacher Ferrari.

[f1jcw]

Some Hamilton fans were hell bent on proving that Bottas is anything decent! I'm sure they're glad Russell did not win today. Bottas is there for a reason, to keep certain someone happy. It maybe a surprise for us, but Mercedes always knew how quick Russell was (is), yet he wasn't put in the car for next year. And people claim there is no #1/#2 in Mercedes.

Acrually most HAM fans want Russel. They have an appetite for HAM destroying stars.

That's not true, too many Ham fans here hoped Bottas would beat him and dare I say hoped Russell would not do well so it can show just how great Ham is. This is truth, we and many Ham fans know it in their hearts.

I'm a Lewis fan and I wanted Russel to win. I also want in him in the seat next year. You are projecting your fantasies.

[i70q7m7ghw]

I don't understand how people can enjoy these wacky races. It's like spending hours watching a game of snooker but halfway through some guy walks up to the table and messes all the balls up.

[LM10]

Russel’s lap times after SC and before he was pitted due to a puncture:

58.2 - 57.5 - 56.9 - 56.5 - 56.5 - 56.7 - 56.3 - 56.4 - 56.8 - Pit

On these laps he was the fastest driver overall, overtook Bottas, Stroll and Ocon and was within 2.3 seconds of Perez.

No sign of some kind of a significant time drop-off, also nothing Russell felt (his feel of weak power on the straights was only right after SC). So must have only been something the team saw on data.

I couldn’t help but had a similar feeling like when Hulk had been beating Stroll and been ordered into the Pits because of a puncture.

Now, a couple of hours later, looking at the lap times, I still am not sure what to think. It might sound silly, but just think of it for a moment. The most important thing for Mercedes was to make sure that Russell is the real deal for them and they definitely got that proof. Other than that, a win would have started a hurricane of questions being thrown at them and have made their decision keeping Bottas for 2021 look extremely stupid. With Russell not winning they surely deactivated a possible bomb before it could even explode.

I’m not telling that’s the case, but am honest enough to admit that it does not appear impossible to me.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Russel’s lap times after SC and before he was pitted due to a puncture:

58.2 - 57.5 - 56.9 - 56.5 - 56.5 - 56.7 - 56.3 - 56.4 - 56.8 - Pit

On these laps he was the fastest driver overall, overtook Bottas, Stroll and Ocon and was within 2.3 seconds of Perez.

No sign of some kind of a significant time drop-off, also nothing Russell felt (his feel of weak power on the straights was only right after SC). So must have only been something the team saw on data.

I couldn’t help but had a similar feeling like when Hulk had been beating Stroll and been ordered into the Pits because of a puncture.

Now, a couple of hours later, looking at the lap times, I still am not sure what to think. It might sound silly, but just think of it for a moment. The most important thing for Mercedes was to make sure that Russell is the real deal for them and they definitely got that proof. Other than that, a win would have started a hurricane of questions being thrown at them and have made their decision keeping Bottas for 2021 look extremely stupid. With Russell not winning they surely deactivated a possible bomb before it could even explode.

I’m not telling that’s the case, but am honest enough to admit that it does not appear impossible to me.

I just saw an interview with Russell and he said he could feel it in the car. He said it was starting to oversteer and crab on the straights, they went around for an extra lap just to be sure but in end, he knew it was going to fail so had to pit.

[LM10]

Russel’s lap times after SC and before he was pitted due to a puncture:

58.2 - 57.5 - 56.9 - 56.5 - 56.5 - 56.7 - 56.3 - 56.4 - 56.8 - Pit

On these laps he was the fastest driver overall, overtook Bottas, Stroll and Ocon and was within 2.3 seconds of Perez.

No sign of some kind of a significant time drop-off, also nothing Russell felt (his feel of weak power on the straights was only right after SC). So must have only been something the team saw on data.

I couldn’t help but had a similar feeling like when Hulk had been beating Stroll and been ordered into the Pits because of a puncture.

Now, a couple of hours later, looking at the lap times, I still am not sure what to think. It might sound silly, but just think of it for a moment. The most important thing for Mercedes was to make sure that Russell is the real deal for them and they definitely got that proof. Other than that, a win would have started a hurricane of questions being thrown at them and have made their decision keeping Bottas for 2021 look extremely stupid. With Russell not winning they surely deactivated a possible bomb before it could even explode.

I’m not telling that’s the case, but am honest enough to admit that it does not appear impossible to me.

I just saw an interview with Russell and he said he could feel it in the car. He said it was starting to oversteer and crab on the straights, they went around for an extra lap just to be sure but in end, he knew it was going to fail so had to pit.

Ok then, lady luck helped both Mercedes and Bottas.

[PlatinumZealot]

Today we've seen why Mercedes has been keeping Bottas for years and I've told that numerous times already: He has the most dominant car, gets just enough points to secure WCC and is the perfect wingman for Lewis. If they still hold on Bottas for 2021 after what happened today, it will only further prove my point. Then I'm sure their intention will be to make Hamilton's 8th world title as easy as possible. No other single reason Bottas has that seat.

Russell totally destroyed him, as sorry as I am for him, but that's the reality. It was painful to watch after some point. George should have gotten the win today, but Mercedes stopped him by faking a puncture. That tells me that they will keep Bottas in 2021 and wanted to limit the embarrassment for him, also to not look like fools when being asked why on earth Russell is still at Williams.

They stopped him by faking a puncture? What’s your source for this info?

What kind of source do you want me to deliver? Official statement from Mercedes?

Russell's sector times didn't drop. How high is the possibility for a puncture without any reason for that? There was no debris, lock up whatsoever.

Rubbish. Did you see the interview when Russell said he had massive understeer from the slow puncture? Yeah.

[PlatinumZealot]

To the people telling Mercedes can't win without Lewis - what are you trying to do? Those claims sound stupid and you're belittling Russell's exceptional performance today. What a shame.

He actually was on his way to easily win that. If it was not for the most stupid pit stop I've seen in a while. Why would you change some fresh Hards with less than half of the race remaining?

Lewis would not have come in and the puncture would not have affect Lewis. He already won a race on three wheels. So a slow puncture is nothing for him. Yes. I am dead serious.

[PlatinumZealot]

Russel’s lap times after SC and before he was pitted due to a puncture:

58.2 - 57.5 - 56.9 - 56.5 - 56.5 - 56.7 - 56.3 - 56.4 - 56.8 - Pit

On these laps he was the fastest driver overall, overtook Bottas, Stroll and Ocon and was within 2.3 seconds of Perez.

No sign of some kind of a significant time drop-off, also nothing Russell felt (his feel of weak power on the straights was only right after SC). So must have only been something the team saw on data.

I couldn’t help but had a similar feeling like when Hulk had been beating Stroll and been ordered into the Pits because of a puncture.

Now, a couple of hours later, looking at the lap times, I still am not sure what to think. It might sound silly, but just think of it for a moment. The most important thing for Mercedes was to make sure that Russell is the real deal for them and they definitely got that proof. Other than that, a win would have started a hurricane of questions being thrown at them and have made their decision keeping Bottas for 2021 look extremely stupid. With Russell not winning they surely deactivated a possible bomb before it could even explode.

I’m not telling that’s the case, but am honest enough to admit that it does not appear impossible to me.

Obviously the pit lap was the puncture lap.

[LM10]

Russel’s lap times after SC and before he was pitted due to a puncture:

58.2 - 57.5 - 56.9 - 56.5 - 56.5 - 56.7 - 56.3 - 56.4 - 56.8 - Pit

On these laps he was the fastest driver overall, overtook Bottas, Stroll and Ocon and was within 2.3 seconds of Perez.

No sign of some kind of a significant time drop-off, also nothing Russell felt (his feel of weak power on the straights was only right after SC). So must have only been something the team saw on data.

I couldn’t help but had a similar feeling like when Hulk had been beating Stroll and been ordered into the Pits because of a puncture.

Now, a couple of hours later, looking at the lap times, I still am not sure what to think. It might sound silly, but just think of it for a moment. The most important thing for Mercedes was to make sure that Russell is the real deal for them and they definitely got that proof. Other than that, a win would have started a hurricane of questions being thrown at them and have made their decision keeping Bottas for 2021 look extremely stupid. With Russell not winning they surely deactivated a possible bomb before it could even explode.

I’m not telling that’s the case, but am honest enough to admit that it does not appear impossible to me.

Obviously the pit lap was the puncture lap.

Not so obvious for me. I would have expected more than that, but I don’t know the usual loss of time with a slow puncture. You know more than me.

[fritticaldi]

George Russell humiliated Valterri Bottas today. Its not 100% sure Lewis Hamilton will be available for the last GP. Its likely Bottas will need psycho-therapy in less than 5 days . The Finn is Finished.

[RZS10]

Russell DSQ? He had one of Bottas's tires. Is that an automatic disqualification?

Brundle said in the race they have 3 laps to rectify it to escape a penalty which they did.

someone who knows the rules?!

24.4 b) The only sets of tyres which may be used during an Event are those which are defined in Article 24.2(a).
Any driver who uses a set of tyres of differing specifications during the race may not complete more than three laps on this set before changing them for a set of tyres of the same specification. A penalty under Article 38.3(d) will be imposed on any driver who does not change tyres within three laps. For the avoidance of doubt, a set of tyres of differing specifications will not be considered when assessing the number of specifications used during the race

That's if they use a wrong tyre or tyre set out of their own selection ... using someone else's tyres would normally be a DSQ but the stewards said it should also fall under the same rule of 3laps to fix it

[fritticaldi]

Toto Wolff stated the reason for the Mercedes debacle was radio malfunction. Nice promotion of their Bose technical partner.

[Manoah2u]

George Russell humiliated Valterri Bottas today. Its not 100% sure Lewis Hamilton will be available for the last GP. Its likely Bottas will need psycho-therapy in less than 5 days . The Finn is Finished.

This. I cheered all the way for Russell, he was just untouchable to be honest.

He destroyed Bottas in the first few corners, that was a heavyweight blow, especially concidering George isn't even adapted to the car yet. He flew away, then at the SC restart rocketed off again, Bottas never was even a minor threat to him, and as usual, Bottas struggling. Valterri does NOT deserve that seat by any margin whatsoever.

Then after the pitstop George drove very slow, there clearly was an issue and then we heared it on the radio. Thankfully it got sorted, and George managed to keep it up.

Gutted that then when Aitken neutralized the race that Mercedes completely and utterly destroyed their race by doing pitstops that never, never, never ever were ever even remotely neccesary and would put them out of position anyway,
and then the chaos was complete. Yeah, Bottas was on the recieving end there too, as both George and Valterri got shafted by their own team but atleast that makes it still a bit 'fair'.

Embarassing that the wrong tire on the car then was even more shafted by the team for Russell that needed to come in.

But then how he just came back and straight flew through the field was just sensational, i was at the very least superbly happy he got in front of Bottas, he completely and utterly destroyed him once again, and i can't believe that he had a slow puncture there, that was just absolutely heartbreaking.

Honestly I do wonder, but Merc surely has the better info, but i wonder, would it have been smarter to keep him out? How slow was that slow puncture?

It would have been George winning this GP even despite all that was thrown towards him. He had like a full season worth of experiences thrown at him in 1 single race and that being his debut even.

Too bad he finished behind Bottas, Valterri didn't deserve to finish in front of George no matter what.

Still happy he ended up having points, what's he got now, like 3 or 4 points?

Hope honest to God that he'll race next week in AbuDhabi. I hope Hamilton will gift him that race anyway, he deserves that.

driver of the day? #KingGeorge by a thousands of miles. Incredible racing. 2022 100% Guaranteed now that George will race for Mercedes. Today was a definate career ender for Bottas. I won't miss him by any margin.

Now, as for Sergio, remarkably amazing racing too, and earned just as fair and square, very happy for him. Incredible that after that 1st lap shunt his car was even able to do this, but that he ends up winning is just nothing short of amazing and is Hamilton-esque @ Mercedes. Amazing performance by Checo, and Racing Point too. They're gonna be on fire as Aston Martin as of next year.

Also very happy with Stroll finishing P3, i think that if Stroll had not managed to make a flat spot and almost collide with Ocon at the safety car restart, Stroll very much could have been P2, would have been fantastic.

Albon once again an absolute disgrace. For God's sake just get it over with. Give Perez that RedBull seat, even a blind man can see that that is the better deal in any way what so ever.

However, it might just be that it depends on what team Perez was talking about. 2022 IS that Bottas does not have a seat for yet, and quite frankly, 100% guaranteed now that Bottas will get the boot.
And I would not be surprised if Perez has a race seat offer with Mercedes for 2022.

After all, which other team could we be looking at that he'd even be interested in?
It won't be Mclaren, it won't be Ferrari.

Either way, Russell now has put his resumé quite firmly and hefty on the table and it's cracking under the weight.

[fritticaldi]

100% agree with you .