2020 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya, August 14 - 16

[Unc1eM0nty]

Without intending to be unkind to RP, I think Max will outdrive them in short order, unless they have a huge car advantage, and I don't think it is that big. There are other cars on the track in the race, and not behaving themselves like in qualli

RP have flattered to deceive, their race pace / race results have not matched up to their promise. Over race distance I don't think they are a match for the Red Bull in Max's hands.

If they get ahead of Max at the start it could make life difficult for him with the Mercs able to pull away.

[El Scorchio]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Why is it ‘moaning’? If you look at last weekend and the long runs in practice, they are probably just being honest and accurate in their assessment. They might downplay their chances a little too much some of the time but I’ve never heard them moan. They have nothing to moan about!

[nimoraca]

It is interesting to note that Hamilton's top speed on the main straight is 320kph while Verstapen's is 319kph. Mercedes is killing it in the twisty part.

[Phil]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Because RedBull seem to have the stronger race pace. I still think it should be a straight forward win, if they play it right and the fact that overtaking is difficult here. There are a few strategic things they can do;

Condense the field, so that if Max were to attempt an undercut, that he falls into traffic. Assuming though that the Redbull will have the least amount of wear, he could simply stay out the longest until the traffic behind him pits which then would make it a thing of who jumps first. If Mercedes floor it, then they are suspect to an undercut unless they go for it themselves, but then they might compromise their own 1-stop race?

Or they could simply order their driver in position 2 to create a gap... but that would be harsh given he will then be helping his team mate in the WDC while sacrificing his own race "for the greater good".

[214270]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Rope-a-dope.

Simply putting the pressure at the door of your opponent. We’ll see if VER responds with a mistake.

[Laserguru]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Why is it ‘moaning’? If you look at last weekend and the long runs in practice, they are probably just being honest and accurate in their assessment. They might downplay their chances a little too much some of the time but I’ve never heard them moan. They have nothing to moan about!

According to themselves race pace is too close to call, and they clearly benefit from their front row lock (besides the tow, but Max has Perez from behind) and superior first lap pace. Considering it is hard to overtake they have no reason not to be favorite. Unless they know they will suffer from much more tyre deg, to the extent that they are not able to even defend on this track (which is in contradiction to too close to call racepace). No blistering, no shearing sidewalls expected. So no technical reason to play down their own favorite role, only psychological reasons hence I call it moaning. But this is my personal opinion, based on my understanding of available information. Nothing against team or drivers, just the attitude they tend to take when there is only a slight possibility they are not miles ahead.

[Laserguru]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Rope-a-dope.

Simply putting the pressure at the door of your opponent. We’ll see if VER responds with a mistake.

Perez has his eyes on Max. Ham has his eyes on Max. Could end up in tears easily.

[Big Tea]

Toto and Ham saying Max is favorite. They lock the front row, and long race pace is too close to call. Why keep moaning your competitor is favorite? Though... the tow at start, just watching F3: from p5 to p1... difficult to overtake... Stroll at p5 must be favorite

Rope-a-dope.

Simply putting the pressure at the door of your opponent. We’ll see if VER responds with a mistake.

Perez has his eyes on Max. Ham has his eyes on Max. Could end up in tears easily.

I see the incident being Hamilton and Botas. Both will be wanting to run and hide before DRs and little elbow room will be given.

[Laserguru]

Rope-a-dope.

Simply putting the pressure at the door of your opponent. We’ll see if VER responds with a mistake.

Perez has his eyes on Max. Ham has his eyes on Max. Could end up in tears easily.

I see the incident being Hamilton and Botas. Both will be wanting to run and hide before DRs and little elbow room will be given.

Bottas did have a call with Rosberg, and he knows how to battle with Hamilton on (and go off) this track. Also not forget Vettel, I am sure he will take any opportunity to beat Leclerc. Interesting first lap and race, there are a lot of battles going on.

[Moore77]

Rope-a-dope.

Simply putting the pressure at the door of your opponent. We’ll see if VER responds with a mistake.

Perez has his eyes on Max. Ham has his eyes on Max. Could end up in tears easily.

I see the incident being Hamilton and Botas. Both will be wanting to run and hide before DRs and little elbow room will be given.

Well, that would be a first for Mercedes in 4 years. No precedent of such a thing so far between Hamilton and Bottas, despite having started 1-2 on numerous occasions. Difficult to expect that would change. Perez and Max could be a flare up, especially given Perez's record and Max's not so distant past. If Max continues to behave the way has done in the recent 8 to 10 months, then he would take a more cautious approach to just be alive and then mount a challenge. If that happens, then top half would come out without an incident. Then there is fast charging Alonso II (Leclerc) who would jump a few to get close to the top 3.

[Big Tea]

Perez has his eyes on Max. Ham has his eyes on Max. Could end up in tears easily.

I see the incident being Hamilton and Botas. Both will be wanting to run and hide before DRs and little elbow room will be given.

Well, that would be a first for Mercedes in 4 years. No precedent of such a thing so far between Hamilton and Bottas, despite having started 1-2 on numerous occasions. Difficult to expect that would change. Perez and Max could be a flare up, especially given Perez's record and Max's not so distant past. If Max continues to behave the way has done in the recent 8 to 10 months, then he would take a more cautious approach to just be alive and then mount a challenge. If that happens, then top half would come out without an incident. Then there is fast charging Alonso II (Leclerc) who would jump a few to get close to the top 3.

They are well drilled not to take eachother off, but Botas seems to be getting fousty this last couple of races and he has already signed up for next year and has little to lose. No doubt Merc precision will win out though

[El Scorchio]

I see the incident being Hamilton and Botas. Both will be wanting to run and hide before DRs and little elbow room will be given.

Well, that would be a first for Mercedes in 4 years. No precedent of such a thing so far between Hamilton and Bottas, despite having started 1-2 on numerous occasions. Difficult to expect that would change. Perez and Max could be a flare up, especially given Perez's record and Max's not so distant past. If Max continues to behave the way has done in the recent 8 to 10 months, then he would take a more cautious approach to just be alive and then mount a challenge. If that happens, then top half would come out without an incident. Then there is fast charging Alonso II (Leclerc) who would jump a few to get close to the top 3.

They are well drilled not to take eachother off, but Botas seems to be getting fousty this last couple of races and he has already signed up for next year and has little to lose. No doubt Merc precision will win out though

Nah. Bottas definitely can’t win the title if his car is sitting in the gravel with three wheels. He needs to avoid contact more than Hamilton does at this point. It’s also just not in his nature. He’s a very fair racer. And if he jeopardises the chances of a WCC by being too aggressive and crashing into his team mate- especially with Red Bull breathing down their necks at the moment- they’ll bin him for someone else regardless of next year.

[TimW]

Even if Max would be faster, Mercedes should be able to capitalize on the slight strategic advantage of having him surrounded by four Mercedes....

[Unf]

Even if Max would be faster, Mercedes should be able to capitalize on the slight strategic advantage of having him surrounded by four Mercedes....

Ye, they have Bottas. Bottas is an excelent strategist-defender for Lewis He has a lot of experience in slowing down other cars in advance for team's leader.

[siskue2005]

Even if Max would be faster, Mercedes should be able to capitalize on the slight strategic advantage of having him surrounded by four Mercedes....

Ye, they have Bottas. Bottas is an excelent strategist-defender for Lewis He has a lot of experience in slowing down other cars in advance for team's leader.

Yup he does that to himself, if he is slow then why not use him to their advantage