2021 Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[SmallSoldier]

Deleted... Don’t want to go off topic

[GhostF1]

France is the 7th race a good time to introduce the second power unit

hint hint?

[Kingshark]

Hopefully the second power unit can actually run in qualifying mode for the whole race without the software overheating

[godlameroso]

I've been watching this guy's channel. With some diligence and google translate you can piece together what he's saying. Here he's saying that this GP was a turning point because of how Perez ran his race, and how Max controlled everything. With Gasley and Perez there along with Max there is a RB "triangle" that can be exploited for strategy.

[Sieper]

But that is only because you can’t overtake here. On any other track, Hamilton would have ended up on P3 at least. Even if he somehow had a P6 qualy, which will also not happen again.

[El Scorchio]

Yes indeed. Anywhere else and he'd have been past Gasly within a lap or two and from there the whole thing falls apart. It was great using Gasly to dictate Hamilton's pace and allow Vettel and Perez to overcut situationally on this track, but that won't be possible to replicate anywhere else. What would happen is Hamilton and Perez would just advance through the field from their starting positions.

Gasly will never be in play unless he's within a pit window somewhere or there are extraordinary circumstance

[Hoffman900]

But that is only because you can’t overtake here. On any other track, Hamilton would have ended up on P3 at least. Even if he somehow had a P6 qualy, which will also not happen again.

Exactly. Hamilton had podium pace... not Max pace, but Carlos / Lando / Perez, pace he just was held up.

[godlameroso]

But that is only because you can’t overtake here. On any other track, Hamilton would have ended up on P3 at least. Even if he somehow had a P6 qualy, which will also not happen again.

We'll see what happens. I don't buy the Mercedes being faster, I think it's incredibly close, it's a matter of strategy, and who's having a better day. Qualifying shows that there's not much difference in ultimate pace, the difference is in the race, and Verstappen can absolutely hang with Hamilton. Until now he's made 1 bad strategy call, Bahrain was touch and go, and could have gone either way. Spain was a bad call, the hard would have made the one stop work just like it worked for Hamilton in Bahrain.

Same tires are in play in Baku, again soft and medium can't do the one stop, and not much difference in outright pace. I think the medium tire is good to use in practice since the grip and warm up are there and it will be good to see the long run pace. For the race soft and hard is the way to go, the problem with the hard is warmup, there are more high speed corners in Baku so it's a little easier to keep the tires in their happy place. The rears and front right suffer the most around Azerbaijan.

The weather forecast is windy and a bit on the warmer side 24-26c all weekend. Like Imola and Monaco, there's walls so that will also affect the aero of the cars.

This race will also be a borefest once the grid settles down, it needs some chaos to make it interesting.

France will be the real nail biter, hopefully the RBR crew can maximize the strategy and I'm sure they can eek out the win, in what is traditionally a very strong Mercedes track.

[El Scorchio]

I don't buy the Mercedes being faster, I think it's incredibly close, it's a matter of strategy, and who's having a better day. Qualifying shows that there's not much difference in ultimate pace, the difference is in the race, and Verstappen can absolutely hang with Hamilton.

Completely agree with that. It's closer than a lot of people are making out (in either direction) Genuine excitement as to what may happen each race weekend.

[Sieper]

I agree it is closer. Closest since the hybrid age. But on most races we had 2 Mercs starting in the top3 and we have yet to see Max being able to take 5 seconds out of Lewis in the first stint. Undercut threat was there every race (bar Monaco). Either taken (bahrein) or used to force Max in and then use the late race tire advantage. It is not close enough yet to really have a level playing field. Still. After 5 races Max succeeded to be in P1 but he has also been neigh on faultless.

[Wouter]

[godlameroso]

You know where I stand on this, it's something that's impossible to police. If everyone is doing it, then set limits of what can be done, and expect that teams are just going to push the boundaries. If you don't want to go down that path you shouldn't be racing then, you're effectively shying away from competition.



We race as one, MEAN IT.

[Tizz]

Yes indeed. Anywhere else and he'd have been past Gasly within a lap or two and from there the whole thing falls apart. It was great using Gasly to dictate Hamilton's pace and allow Vettel and Perez to overcut situationally on this track, but that won't be possible to replicate anywhere else. What would happen is Hamilton and Perez would just advance through the field from their starting positions.

Gasly will never be in play unless he's within a pit window somewhere or there are extraordinary circumstance

You think RB gave up 2 positions for Gasly to keep Hammi back ? That is an interesting thought... Agreed, it will not happen anywhere else but maybe in Hungary

[Sieper]

I don’t think so. Even if RBR would be able guide AT it would have been very hard to pull off. It just all started to roll when Mercedes went for the undercut. Gasly answered immediately. It was Mercedes calling the shot. AT just answered to that. And they had to. You can’t pull your slower man (gasly) in, out of in front the faster Hamilton and then expect the following Hamilton overcut to not work. Overcut has always worked here. Gasly would always remain out until Hamilton pulled in. And that is exactly what happened.

[El Scorchio]

Yes indeed. Anywhere else and he'd have been past Gasly within a lap or two and from there the whole thing falls apart. It was great using Gasly to dictate Hamilton's pace and allow Vettel and Perez to overcut situationally on this track, but that won't be possible to replicate anywhere else. What would happen is Hamilton and Perez would just advance through the field from their starting positions.

Gasly will never be in play unless he's within a pit window somewhere or there are extraordinary circumstance

You think RB gave up 2 positions for Gasly to keep Hammi back ? That is an interesting thought... Agreed, it will not happen anywhere else but maybe in Hungary

I don't think they necessarily intended to definitely let Gasly lose places, but definitely to keep Hamilton behind at all costs and i definitely think Gasly was never going to pit before Hamilton in accordance with a plan. Although for the two teams as a whole, to sacrifice Gasly to two positions in order to allow the WCC fighting RBR car to jump three positions does make sense given the bigger picture. I would be surprised if Horner and Tost hadn't spoken about this as a possible scenario between Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Not saying they did do it, but it has the maximum positive effect on both championships at once for RBR and would be the smart thing to do, and all is fair. You must capitalise when your opponent is weak.

Hungary did spring to mind as the other place, but I think the Mercedes would be able to get past the AT on the main straight without too much bother.