2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina, 24-26 November

[Restomaniac]

It's strategic even in the midfield, or for a team like Honda. A team may capitalize at the beginning of the season if they have a developmental advantage, get as many points as possible and if they know they're going to be out developed and starting at the back, running the engine harder may be an option, although it may be more expensive. Again maybe an option for Toro Rosso, or Williams.

The 3 engine rules will still bring even more penalties than this season. Even more so if teams just start thinking 'oh well' which was kind of what you were suggesting.

[drunkf1fan]

Part of me wonders if the push for 3 engines is an idea from the FIA to push tactics and increase the number of races like Brazil where even Mercedes have enough engine failures to have to take tactical engine penalties at various tracks.

Imagine if what happened to Hamilton happened earlier in the year, and it happened to all the major teams at least once and created at least 5-6 races where a Mclaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and RBR start from the back with a car fast enough to go through most of the pack. The smaller teams are desperate to not be paying for extra engines so will run lower power on purpose to not have to pay for extra engines, they aren't actively avoiding penalties but avoiding the cost involved. The bigger teams will keep pushing and just take penalties when it works best for them.

Honestly I don't think that is such a bad thing. Maybe engines should move towards more of a gearbox setup where if you take a new engine earlier you get a say 12 place grid penalty, but there is no actual engine limit to be used over the year.

[Restomaniac]

Part of me wonders if the push for 3 engines is an idea from the FIA to push tactics and increase the number of races like Brazil where even Mercedes have enough engine failures to have to take tactical engine penalties at various tracks.

Imagine if what happened to Hamilton happened earlier in the year, and it happened to all the major teams at least once and created at least 5-6 races where a Mclaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and RBR start from the back with a car fast enough to go through most of the pack. The smaller teams are desperate to not be paying for extra engines so will run lower power on purpose to not have to pay for extra engines, they aren't actively avoiding penalties but avoiding the cost involved. The bigger teams will keep pushing and just take penalties when it works best for them.

Honestly I don't think that is such a bad thing. Maybe engines should move towards more of a gearbox setup where if you take a new engine earlier you get a say 12 place grid penalty, but there is no actual engine limit to be used over the year.

I fail to see how having somebody who qualified 1st starting 11th and then the guy who starts 12th actually qualifying 12th is ever good.
If we want to mix the grid up then fine have a blind draw every race. Qualifying is pointless if it has no relevance to where people actually start due to a raft of penalties. Hell let's have it so anyone who takes an extra component gets an extra 50Kgs added as ballast if we are so desperate to mix the grid up (joking).

[PlatinumZealot]

All the teams will agree to change complete power units at the same time and cancel out the penalties!

[foxmulder_ms]

Vettel's joke on fairplay was sooooooooooooooooo funny during the press conference. OMG! That is funny,.

[Restomaniac]

Interesting info from Brundle.
Data points to more grunt from the Mercedes thus.
+2% on Ferrari
+6% on Renault
+11% on Honda

[Phil]

Vettel's joke on fairplay was sooooooooooooooooo funny during the press conference. OMG! That is funny,.

Second that. He definitely would win the personality of the year award for me. Haha.

[Restomaniac]

Vettel's joke on fairplay was sooooooooooooooooo funny during the press conference. OMG! That is funny,.

Second that. He definitely would win the personality of the year award for me. Haha.

The entire thing had an end of school feeling and it was great to see drivers so at ease.
Hamilton with his 'well I overtook you twice' and Ricciardo with his 'We have 8 titles between us'.

As for the longest question in the world ever at the end well!!!

[sAx]

Vettel's joke on fairplay was sooooooooooooooooo funny during the press conference. OMG! That is funny,.

Seb's wicked sense of humour!

[Vasconia]

Vettel's joke on fairplay was sooooooooooooooooo funny during the press conference. OMG! That is funny,.

Seb's wicked sense of humour!

It was a funny press conference. Quite logic because now they are more relaxed.

By the way, Vettel quickest on FP1, Hamilton one tenth behind.

[Sieper]

Verstappen as well.

[GrandAxe]

Track limits weren't respected by practically everyone in first practice; certainly not by Vettel, and Lewis was marginal.

[Restomaniac]

I think Ricciardo in FP2 was telling Grosjean that his is the Red Bull number 1 driver.

[63l8qrrfy6]

Interesting info from Brundle.
Data points to more grunt from the Mercedes thus.
+2% on Ferrari
+6% on Renault
+11% on Honda

Sounds right, earlier this season I heard that the gap between Renault and Merc/Ferrari was equal or slightly smaller than the gap between Renault and Honda.

[Just_a_fan]

Interestingly, Horner said that Ferrari blocked his suggestion of keeping 5 engines for the season. Would have expected Mercedes to be the most in favour based on their apparent reliability margin.