2021 French Grand Prix - Le Castellet, June 18 - 20

[lh13]

I think that Max is taking his first title this year. Red Bull are just a touch stronger everywhere now. If Max doesn't win then something strange will have happened.

Can't say about WDC yet, but I think Mercedes can kiss the WCC goodbye.

[matt_b]

Mercedes do make me laugh though they try then undercut on two tracks famous for the overcut (Monaco & Baku) then they try the overcut on a track know for the undercut (Paul Ricard). Like Nico mentioned yesterday Simulations are not always correct.

[El Scorchio]

The screw up was the pit strategy.

Given the first corner, Verstappen has been a pretty lucky boy here. He owes this one to his strategists!

Yeah though he kinda asked for the extra pitstop which Hamilton declined when asked.

As soon as one of them went in, then the opportunity is really lost for the other, so it just wouldn’t have been worth it. Mercedes would have had to pull the trigger first, but don’t forget Perez was in play for Hamilton to have to contend with.

[Restomaniac]

Oh look it’s the ‘Valteri had vibrations’ excuse again.

[Hoffman900]

I think Merc is capable of deciding for themselves what the strategy should be, and do.

And I am not a Pirelli apologist by any means.

Mercedes engineers are not tyre experts by any means. Pirelli´s "technicians" should be the most competent voices on the matter, by far. When I see other tyre manufacturers making predictions on Indy, MotoGP, WEC..... it´s almost always spot on.......

It’s not though. Unless you’re in every team meeting, across all those disciplines, i’m not sure how you can qualify that, anymore than just an opinion.

[pantherxxx]

Awesome job from Max, and clever strategy from Red Bull. That's how you win as an underdog in a Mercedes track.

[Just_a_fan]

Today Mercedes was clearly thinking on one driver not as a team.

today?
Bottas has been the team´s "donkey driver" since day one, and I do feel bad for the guy

On a side note, Ferrari seemed nowhere on the race and that was quite embarassing seeing Mclaren, Alonso and Gasly fighting further up front. I think Ferrari have the strongest driver pairing but the car is just too poor considering the context of the team

Bottas has been always the second driver but always has worked for the team as it was 1-2 most of the time. Today they bet to protect the first driver and as result they lost as team.

They didn't "bet to protect the first driver" at all. They bet on a 1 - 2 for the team. If they were only interested in Hamilton, they'd have pitted him to maintain the lead - track position being king - and sacrificed Bottas.

[El Scorchio]

Awesome job from Max, and clever strategy from Red Bull. That's how you win as an underdog in a Mercedes track.

Underdog is a massive stretch of the imagination. If he didn’t make the mistake in the first corner he’d most likely have led from start to finish.

[matt_b]

The difference between Lewis and Bottas in tyre management is like a different category wow.

[Wouter]

[Spacepace]

they rely too much on their computers and not enough on their drivers. They played with fire and while spain worked this time and at monaco they just binned it

100%

Agree.

This cost them at Monaco as well.

Engineers doing engineer things... I’ve certainly have had these conversations in my professional life at times “your calculations are wrong, because I’m in the field, and literally what you said wouldn’t happen did”.

That is a good way of putting it. "Engineers doing engineer things"
These calls should be made by someone who understands racing and to use data as a reference not a strategy

[Just_a_fan]

Awesome job from Max, and clever strategy from Red Bull. That's how you win as an underdog in a Mercedes track.

Underdog is a massive stretch of the imagination. If he didn’t make the mistake in the first corner he’d most likely have led from start to finish.

Exactly.

This narrative that about the circuit being a Mercedes track is relying on data from 2 years ago. The cars have changed thanks to a rule change, and Honda have developed their engine massively from where it was 2 years ago.

I guess it suits people to up the drama and claim that Red Bull / Max have pulled something out of thin air. But the reality is that the Red Bull was marginally the quicker car around this track.

[ispano6]

Max trifecta, hattrick, driver of the day.

[Redragon]

today?
Bottas has been the team´s "donkey driver" since day one, and I do feel bad for the guy

On a side note, Ferrari seemed nowhere on the race and that was quite embarassing seeing Mclaren, Alonso and Gasly fighting further up front. I think Ferrari have the strongest driver pairing but the car is just too poor considering the context of the team

Bottas has been always the second driver but always has worked for the team as it was 1-2 most of the time. Today they bet to protect the first driver and as result they lost as team.

They didn't "bet to protect the first driver" at all. They bet on a 1 - 2 for the team. If they were only interested in Hamilton, they'd have pitted him to maintain the lead - track position being king - and sacrificed Bottas.

Bottas wanted to do 2 stops as he read the race way before everyone else. They denied him. They sacrifice his race for Hamilton, lost bunch of points there for the team. Also could have been useful to take off the fastest lap point at the end which went to Verstapen, they deny him that too and could have help Hamilton on the championship. Mercedes is not thinking as a team as last few years, only has the strategy around one driver.

[notsofast]

Great gridwalk. Talking to no one is miles better than talking to fake celebrities.