2021 Italian Grand Prix - Monza, Sep 10 - 12

[Starkblood80]

Being ahead of Bottas & within 1 tenth of Hamilton in his 1st Q3 lap was amazing !

Max had a tow from 2 cars, and Lewis had none, that's why we was as close as he was! Did you actually watch qualifying?

Still going with this "double tow" narrative eh? It makes no difference. A tow is a tow, the number of cars ahead has a negligible effect.

Not actually true.

[codetower]

As others have called out, the most probably strategy tomorrow is for both Mercs to pull clear of the field and then invert the cars. Bottas will start at the back for the GP regardless of what happens tomorrow, so it makes little sense for him to win the sprint.

Precisely. And Max finishing 2nd or 3rd wont affect the start of the race. Just the single point difference.

This race will boil down to pit strategies. Pace looks pretty similar between the two.

[godlameroso]

Over one lap, Mercedes is faster, and we all know why. Over a race distance however, things will be different. Last year Mercedes was nearly a second faster than Red Bull in qualifying, but in the race the gap was closer to what it normally was ~.3-4 tenths, therefore I believe that in race pace things will be different.

[Hoffman900]

Over one lap, Mercedes is faster, and we all know why. Over a race distance however, things will be different. Last year Mercedes was nearly a second faster than Red Bull in qualifying, but in the race the gap was closer to what it normally was ~.3-4 tenths, therefore I believe that in race pace things will be different.

In a race, you just manage the gap. No need to burn your equipment down to see how big of a gap you can have at the end, especially with the drivetrain rules F1 has now.

[Marty_Y]

Over one lap, Mercedes is faster, and we all know why.

I'm not sure we all know why, please enlighten us.

[Tvetovnato]

This was not that good for Merc tbh. 100 % that Max will take P2 into turn one tomorrow with the dirty side for Lewis.

It’s not 100%. And it wouldn’t matter anyway with Merc’s pace.

Yeah we’ll see.. Hope I’m wrong for the sake of the championship.

I really don’t like this sprint format though. It just takes the edge off every session. This Friday Q is just as exciting as the normal qualifying, but it’s not really a pole since they don’t book it as one. And whoever wins the ”qualifying” tomorrow does get pole, but it’s not really a pole since it’s a small race win. And for the GP on Sunday, we get a very clear picture of what might happen already tomorrow if things stay normal, which ruins the excitement, more for RB fans this weeekend probably, and the other way around at other places depending on the power balance between the teams.

[Spacepace]

That's not really how it works, it's not a literal tow with a rope

If a car gives a tow to the car behind it, and that car gives a tow to the car behind it, the car at the back gets the benefit of both tows.

A tow improves top speed (until you run out of gearing, of course). Driver A tows Driver B. Driver B is quicker than he would otherwise be. Driver C, if he is in the correct position, can gain a tow from Driver B. His own top speed will increase unless he hits the gearing/rev limits. Driver C's tow isn't as big as Driver B's, of course, but he will gain more than he would have if he'd only been behind one car. Obviously, if Driver B runs in to the rev limit, he can't gain and Driver C will also likely hit his limiter.

Again, it may work like that in computer games, but in real life it's not the case, particularly in F1 with the amount of turbulent air. The car ahead creates a drag reduction by creating an area of negative pressure, the fact there are two cars does not mean there is an additional effect.

But if there is two cars ahead of you isn't that a Toto?

[Manoah2u]

I'd say Hamilton for the win, Bottas fends off verstappen enough for Lewis to gain distance so Max can't threaten him.
No tactics due to pitstops and unless a red flag or SC situation happens, Lewis is going to win the sprint GP at ease.

Bottas will start the main race at the back due to a different engine anyway, so he can be sacrificed - might we see another collision between Max and Valterri?

Main race is gonna be interesting, again I fully expect a sprint win for Lewis, with max 2nd.
So the main race will see Lewis P1, Max P2 and then likely Norris P3.

This will be an interesting start, Lewis will have to make a perfect start and make sure Max stays behind. Norris is likely to take a chance, so that could be an interesting first few corners.
Max is going to be all over the back of the Merc, so if Norris finds a way between Lewis and Max, then that could prove crucial for Lewis to build a gap.

I would argue Mercedes will have their hands full in the race, but are likely to do a solid undercut - probably twice i will imagine - to battle for the win.

P1 imho is likely to end up with Lewis but still could be won by Max.

So Lewis will jump 1 point closer to Max in the sprint, will gain 5 points in the race, with Perez or Gasly to steal fastest lap.

That way, Lewis is going to lead the WDC by 3 points by the end of the GP.

[zibby43]

Mark Hughes acknowledging the double tow:

Both Mercedes and Red Bull lined up their cars in both Q3 runs to use their support driver to tow their title contender. It worked quite nicely for Verstappen on the first of the runs, as Perez was getting a tow from the Honda-powered ‘cousin’ AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly and was in turn towing Verstappen.

It will have given something a double effect as there is less air to displace than if Verstappen had been just towing one car.

[Hoffman900]

Well, if Sergio has a draft, he’s going faster than being solo, which in turn, allows Max to go even that little faster. All assuming they’re geared for it

I race bicycles now for fun. It’s a bit like being bike #3 in a paceline. If anyone really wants to understand the power of a draft, race road bikes. Even more eye opening if you do it with a power meter… being your own “engine”, you learn real quick…

At Daytona, racing cars or motorcycles, the best place to be coming out of the last chicane on the run to s/f is 3rd or 4th in the draft train

People should have the gps data..

[dans79]

Well, if Sergio has a draft, he’s going faster than being solo, which in turn, allows Max to go even that little faster. All assuming they’re geared for it

I race bicycles now for fun. It’s a bit like being bike #3 in a paceline. If anyone really wants to understand the power of a draft, race road bikes. Even more eye opening if you do it with a power meter… being your own “engine”, you learn real quick….

People should have the gps data..

Even at running speeds the power of being tucked in behind others can be felt, specially if you are running into a head wind!

[Hoffman900]

Well, if Sergio has a draft, he’s going faster than being solo, which in turn, allows Max to go even that little faster. All assuming they’re geared for it

I race bicycles now for fun. It’s a bit like being bike #3 in a paceline. If anyone really wants to understand the power of a draft, race road bikes. Even more eye opening if you do it with a power meter… being your own “engine”, you learn real quick….

People should have the gps data..

Even at running speeds the power of being tucked in behind others can be felt, specially if you are running into a head wind!

There is a reason there are low and high altitude records in sprint track running and cycling events

Both are anaerobic disciplines, so the altitude doesn’t effect peak power, but it’s easier to slice through.

[Hoffman900]

Watch the third place car drag the brake slightly in NASCAR 3/4 to open up the gap slightly to then get the run to win it with the double draft.

[Gillian]

If a car gives a tow to the car behind it, and that car gives a tow to the car behind it, the car at the back gets the benefit of both tows.

A tow improves top speed (until you run out of gearing, of course). Driver A tows Driver B. Driver B is quicker than he would otherwise be. Driver C, if he is in the correct position, can gain a tow from Driver B. His own top speed will increase unless he hits the gearing/rev limits. Driver C's tow isn't as big as Driver B's, of course, but he will gain more than he would have if he'd only been behind one car. Obviously, if Driver B runs in to the rev limit, he can't gain and Driver C will also likely hit his limiter.

Again, it may work like that in computer games, but in real life it's not the case, particularly in F1 with the amount of turbulent air. The car ahead creates a drag reduction by creating an area of negative pressure, the fact there are two cars does not mean there is an additional effect.

But if there is two cars ahead of you isn't that a Toto?

[basti313]

The interesting part will really be T1. I expect Bottas to move to the right once he got away to give Ham a tow and not Ver. But I think this will not work, left side is much better usually.
This will leave him on the outside in T2 and Ver will run him wide...or he runs Ver wide in T1. I see a lot of danger for T1...