2021 Qatar Grand Prix - Losail, Nov 19-21

[Mchamilton]

At corner speeds above 140kmh the RB16B is untouchable. Losail has many such proper corners, you gain so much on not understeering on entry because it lets you use less steering lock on exit, this leads to less wheelspin and more rear tire preservation. The downforce advantage on the RBR means the rear axle isn't going to wear much faster than the front. Furthermore it looks like the hardest tires will be on offer. From what I can see the medium C2 can probably do 20 laps with a decrease in appreciable performance around lap 16. The hard can likely go close to half race distance but won't be nice to drive on, maybe a little too hard.

It's likely to be another Barcelona type scenario, if Verstappen wants to try the one stop he should use the hard tire, because the medium just won't make it. At 57 laps, 17, 20, 20 will be the standard strategy as the undercut is effective if timed properly.

Can you tell me where you get your tyre info from please?

Not sure where you got the idea that RB are faster in corners over 140kph, but so far I haven’t seen anything that supports that argument. In fact at high downforce high speed tracks such as Hungary, Barcelona, Portimao and Turkey, Mercedes looked superior. The only outlier was Zandvoort, which has a higher amount of slow corners.

Lo sail looks very much like a good track for Mercedes.

I am also interested in knowing where those claims are coming from.

Anything from a video game is not good or not true

Exactly this, looks like a hungary tyre circuit to me maybe a touch quicker. But look at the barn door mercedes had on at Brazil, red bulls wing was considerably shallower yet they were still rock bottom of the speed traps, and max was no where against lewis in sector 2 in qualifying. Barring any tyre troubles for Merc i expect them to be on pole and win here

[mstar]

Something about this ciccuit tells me this maybe swing in Redbulls favour. They have a wider set-up window where the car is spot on. Merc is little more tempermental to get the sweet spot for set-up. I think RB and merc be close but i think the track will be all down to if merc can stay close to (in laptime) in sector 2.

[Tvetovnato]

I think this will be a game of strategy. Tyre wear will probably be massive, which opens up for undercut and overcut possibilities. Might be a COTA race all over again, as long as neither team gets off to a really bad start setup wise.

[zibby43]

So it was the bumps in France?

Was France after the summer break?

I’d hardly call that race a falter, either.

I'd say either team could have won that race, it was all strategy.

Agreed.

[pb6797]

Was France after the summer break?

I’d hardly call that race a falter, either.

I'd say either team could have won that race, it was all strategy.

Agreed.

If I remember correctly, was it France where Bottas flat spotted his tyres so Mercedes brought him in for an early pitstop, which spooked Red Bull into pitting and gave Max an almost inadvertent undercut on Hamilton?

[zibby43]

I'd say either team could have won that race, it was all strategy.

Agreed.

If I remember correctly, was it France where Bottas flat spotted his tyres so Mercedes brought him in for an early pitstop, which spooked Red Bull into pitting and gave Max an almost inadvertent undercut on Hamilton?

I believe you’re correct. It turned out to be quite powerful, too.

[Mansell89]

Huge race this one. If Max won this it really would swing the momentum to him and knock a bit of wind out of Merc after last weeks high.

I feel of the remaining 3 tracks, this is more Red Bull than the others but hey, it’s been topsy turvy all year so who knows.

Think it will be nip and tuck again- high tension!!

[CLKGTR]

FIA warns drivers about track limits in FIVE corners

A lot of deleted laptimes and more pressure in qualifying on drivers to avoid overdoing the exits in those corners.

[dans79]

The track looks table top flat to me!



It also looks like turn 3 is a non corner, 4 & 5 will be a double apex corner, and 12 & 13 might also be a double apex corner.

[LM10]

The track looks table top flat to me!



It also looks like turn 3 is a non corner, 4 & 5 will be a double apex corner, and 12 & 13 might also be a double apex corner.

From this it looks more like a RedBull track to me. But we'll find out soon.

Track position is going to be crucial it seems.

[djones]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

[214270]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

[flmkane]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

Perhaps they'll only change the engine if they're sure of getting pole?

[bonjon1979]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

I think if you look at the different teams budgets you’ll see every championship is bought to a certain extent!

[Stu]

With the fresh engine, Mercedes will be able to run more downforce (than they otherwise would) and still be fast on the straights.

With that in mind, I think this and all the remaining races will be Merceded tracks.

The most interesting thing I'm looking forward to seeing is to do Mercedes give Hamilton another fresh engine and just take the 5 places hit for the advantage it gives in return.

I suspect that was considered and rejected because of negative press possibilities; it’s almost like you’re trying to ‘buy’ the championship by giving your protagonist two, 2-race only engines. Perfectly within the rules, but utterly ruthless and maybe a step too far.

I think if you look at the different teams budgets you’ll see every championship is bought to a certain extent!

Very true! And this has been the same forever, barring a few surprise technical innovations…

What will be interesting is how it works next year with the budget cap in place. Will throwing ICE’s at a car in the tail-end of the season be an option. I know that there are teams that are considered ‘works’ teams, historically they have not paid for engines, that principle would totally subvert the budget cap.
‘Works’ team fighting for the championship decides to fit 6 ICE units, because ‘reasons’, for zero cost, customer team spending £15m on three ICE’s would see this cost double. The budget cap is meant to level the playing field…