2021 Portuguese Grand Prix - Portimão, Apr 30 - May 02

[214270]

PER given a donkey strategy there.

He was, but he couldn’t live with the top three today. He forced himself into playing that part. Fair enough from the team, if they thought he could either benefit from a safety car or hold up Hamilton at all.

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

[dans79]

I have a feeling they did this in at least one if not both the previous races too. It must just be personal preference.

I was thinking it's because Mercedes are keeping fewer parts in inventory (budget cap), and most of his car was destroyed in imola.

[El Scorchio]

PER given a donkey strategy there.

He was, but he couldn’t live with the top three today. He forced himself into playing that part. Fair enough from the team, if they thought he could either benefit from a safety car or hold up Hamilton at all.

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

Yeah, that was a lovely little sub plot! I guess both teams know how crucial even one point could be at the end of the season.

[LM10]

What a boring race.

We must've watched different races.

I don't remember the last time when the top 3 were able to keep in close proximity for so long. Usually, they chase each other for like 2 and a half laps and then tires fall off.

They were chasing each other for a pass, because the tires were a bit conservative, and the track surface was forgiving. First half of the race was absolutely enthralling and had plenty of overtaking between the top runners.

Max was just not fast enough on the main straight to come even any closer than 3 tenths within Bottas, the slower driver of both Mercedes drivers.
As soon as Hamilton overtook Bottas he did enough to stay in front and at no time I had the feeling of him losing that place. His usual "my tyres are gone" radio calls might add some excitement, but only for new spectators who've just started watching F1.

[dans79]

He was, but he couldn’t live with the top three today. He forced himself into playing that part. Fair enough from the team, if they thought he could either benefit from a safety car or hold up Hamilton at all.

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

Yeah, that was a lovely little sub plot! I guess both teams know how crucial even one point could be at the end of the season.

An's lewis would have done it as well, if he had had enough laps left.

[grubschumi13]

Bottas was rubbish today. Started on Pole ended in 3rd. Really poor.

[Harvester]

Did anyone see what happened between Stroll and Vettel? I wonder how Vettel managed to finish ahead?

[dans79]

Bottas was rubbish today. Started on Pole ended in 3rd. Really poor.

I think he and his side of the garage is still skewing their set-up towards qualifying in the hops of getting in-front of Lewis. Then he pays for that all race long with deg.

[El Scorchio]

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

Yeah, that was a lovely little sub plot! I guess both teams know how crucial even one point could be at the end of the season.

An's lewis would have done it as well, if he had had enough laps left.

True. I wonder if RBR worked out that if Perez went in on that exact lap, it would mean Hamilton didn’t have a shot at it after Verstappen. Using Perez as a dummy with the actual endgame to enable Verstappen to get his shot uncontested.

Either way, great little chess game.

[Hammerfist]

PER given a donkey strategy there.

He was, but he couldn’t live with the top three today. He forced himself into playing that part. Fair enough from the team, if they thought he could either benefit from a safety car or hold up Hamilton at all.

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

Perez had the pace to keep up. He was just hampered after he was illegally overtaken by Norris, who held him up for multiple laps and completely detached him from the top 3. Perez is due to have a good race. It will come soon. Way better than what we saw with Gasly and Albon. But Redbull really messed him up today by leaving him out there so long in the hope he might hold up Hamilton. That was never going to happen as Hamilton was always going to pass him at the first opportunity and not be held up at all. Redbull continues to sacrifice their second driver to benefit Max. I can't stand them for that.

[MtthsMlw]

Did anyone see what happened between Stroll and Vettel? I wonder how Vettel managed to finish ahead?

Stroll let him through after Vettel let him pass earlier it seems.

[Restomaniac]

Bottas was rubbish today. Started on Pole ended in 3rd. Really poor.

I think he and his side of the garage is still skewing their set-up towards qualifying in the hops of getting in-front of Lewis. Then he pays for that all race long with deg.

If that’s true then a gap of only 0.007sec is really poor.

[214270]

It’s interesting actually, whilst the race strategy failed for PER they did manage to pit PER for fastest lap, which triggered BOT to pit for fastest, which ultimately gave VER the chance to pit for fastest. First time I’ve noticed strategy being deployed for fastest.

Yeah, that was a lovely little sub plot! I guess both teams know how crucial even one point could be at the end of the season.

An's lewis would have done it as well, if he had had enough laps left.

That’s the point though, Redbull played it well and didn’t allow sufficient time for HAM to respond.

[JPower]

Nico Rosberg- “Verstappen is starting to find out how good Hamilton is.”

When push comes to shove, experience counts for a lot. HIs battles against Alonso and Rosberg had far higher stakes than this one.

[dans79]

Bottas was rubbish today. Started on Pole ended in 3rd. Really poor.

I think he and his side of the garage is still skewing their set-up towards qualifying in the hops of getting in-front of Lewis. Then he pays for that all race long with deg.

If that’s true then a gap of only 0.007sec is really poor.

History shows lewis is the better qualifier of the two, so he has a delta to make up, but he also can't go off the deep end with the skew either. we are talking fine margins here.