2017 Italian Grand Prix - Monza, 1-3 September

[Zynerji]

I hope Williams get a huge discount then, because they need a win, and this is their best chance in a very long time...

[NathanOlder]

Id say Stroll has no chance of winning. The race pace for the williams in the dry is well down on the Mercedes. No way can he make a good second a lap deficit car win over a race distance. Even if Lewis crashes out , Bottas or the Ferraris will get him. Podium is hard enough.

[cooken]

Most likely both team bosses will tell their respective drivers to forget about Hamilton. They are in an outstanding position and have zero chance of beating the Merc on race pace, so the goal should be to stay clear of trouble at all costs and maintain their position, and minimize number of places lost as the out of position cars behind them inevitably catch up and pass.

[Zynerji]

Most likely both team bosses will tell their respective drivers to forget about Hamilton. They are in an outstanding position and have zero chance of beating the Merc on race pace, so the goal should be to stay clear of trouble at all costs and maintain their position, and minimize number of places lost as the out of position cars behind them inevitably catch up and pass.

I greatly dislike a protectionist strategy in top level motorsports...

I wonder what would have happened here in 2008 if STR had that same mentality.

[Restomaniac]

For me the Ferraris (and more specifically Vettel) could have all sorts of problems.
Hamilton in a Mercedes works team car is sat in front you then have 3 other cars (one of them being the other works Mercedes) with a Mercedes donkey in the back in front of them and they are all awfully fast in a straight line. It's not like the Ferraris can outmuscle them like they can a Renault powered car.
Vettel also has his team mate in a Ferrari in front of him and another Mercedes donkey right behind him.

We could easily see Hamilton just naff off and leave the rest to squabble and by the time it settles down the race will already be won. The question could be where exactly do the Ferraris finish.

Is this one of those races where the Ferrari team tie themselves in knots and do something stupid with strategies?

[ClarkBT11]

The cream always rises to the top. Best engine, chassis and driver. Boom

[TAG]

I wonder what would have happened here in 2008 if STR had that same mentality.

That was a wet race... tomorrow will be try. They'll be lucky to stay in the top five.

[Webber2011]

I have absolutely no idea what might happen in this race, too much of a mixed up grid.

I do expect the Merc's to be the strongest and Hamilton to take the win, though what happens behind him is going to be superb to watch.

I often bet on F1, and have just now placed $10 on what I think is my best punt of the year.

Fastest Lap - Fernando Alonso
@ 151/1

Payout $1510

C'mon Fernando, smash a mega lap in just for fun mate

[GPR-A duplicate2]

In a post qualifying interview, Stroll already alluded to what his approach would be for the race. He clearly said, they are not in a race with Mercedes and would be running his own race.

Ocon being a Mercedes protege, he would have been advised to exercise caution at the start.

So, I am expecting Toto to work out with both the drivers to keep them apprised about the Championship fight and ensure they don't get too excited about their starting positions.

[atanatizante]

Having a wet qualy means they have a free choice of dry tyre at the start of the race.
It`ll be interesting to see who on what tyre will start ...

[f1316]

I think anyone who starts on the soft tyre will get swamped off the line. Expect all SS.

But you need someone to get ahead of Hamilton or Vettel to somehow get into 2nd by end of the second lap for there to be a race.

I do think it's curious that Ferrari (or Vettel) was fast on the inter but nowhere on the wets. I wonder, as has already been said, if it is indeed an engine characteristic/mapping/traction issue? when it was too wet they just couldn't get the power down?

Given the problems, was surprised they didn't also pit for new tyres like Hamilton - not much to lose but everything to gain; Lewis found over a second on the new tyres and, while tough to bring them in if your car is struggling, suspect it could have got Seb a couple of grid places.

[NathanOlder]

Most likely both team bosses will tell their respective drivers to forget about Hamilton. They are in an outstanding position and have zero chance of beating the Merc on race pace, so the goal should be to stay clear of trouble at all costs and maintain their position, and minimize number of places lost as the out of position cars behind them inevitably catch up and pass.

I greatly dislike a protectionist strategy in top level motorsports...

I wonder what would have happened here in 2008 if STR had that same mentality.

If race day was dry, they would have started hoping to protect a podium position.

[sieuxe]

Fantastic qualifying! Well worth the wait, interesting starting grid mañana.

[NathanOlder]

I have absolutely no idea what might happen in this race, too much of a mixed up grid.

I do expect the Merc's to be the strongest and Hamilton to take the win, though what happens behind him is going to be superb to watch.

I often bet on F1, and have just now placed $10 on what I think is my best punt of the year.

Fastest Lap - Fernando Alonso
@ 151/1

Payout $1510

C'mon Fernando, smash a mega lap in just for fun mate

I just put £10 on that with bet365 in the uk, at 200/1

Worth a punt, although if Alonso does that, people will tell him to shut up moaning about Honda lol

[Schuttelberg]

Fantastic qualifying! Well worth the wait, interesting starting grid mañana.

Gross exaggeration! No reason in the world is justifiable for that horrendous delay. It's the consequence of an incompetent race director and a sh!t tyre supplier.