2021 Dutch Grand Prix - Zandvoort Sept 3 - 5

[PlatinumZealot]

So the guy out of the title fight, and leaving the team is hard done by for giving up a chance at the fastest lap ?

If you don't want to him to go fastest lap, don't pit him for soft tyres with two laps to go! Soft tyres with two laps to go are inherently fast, wouldn't you say?

No wonder Bottas was baffled about that! "This is not a fastest lap attempt." "Why not?"

He was pitted to cover off a fast lap attempt by Max, but also as "protection" for Lewis. Nothing wrong with that.

[NathanOlder]

Probably the most boring race, i've ever seen!.....yawn!

It was better than Spa 2021.

He said ‘race’.

good point.

[TimW]

What a clumsy defense by Lando against Perez! How was that he was not penalized?

For once I agree with you on something. Perez was clearly along side! I though the move was very nasty and it's ironic there wasn't any complaint by Horner or Marko? Oh yeah, it's not their wunderkind so doesn't matter.

Although they say the stewards just look at the incident and not at the consequences, when the overtake is successful, the ruling is normally 'no further action'.

[NathanOlder]

Car's width. Track was a wide enough. Perez had just trying to move past & Norris was literally pushing him off. He got lucky. Should have been a 5-10s penalty. It is not copse corner but that was not a fair move @ all !

So why not penalise Max in Austria ?

The way they race these days, neither were a penalty, but Nico was saying Perez had the right to space. SO why didnt that apply to Leclerc in 2019 ?

Attacking vs defending driver. It is not just position on track.

I dont recall anything in the sporting regs that state you can attack and push someone off, but can't defend and push someone off.

If there is something in the rules, then its sheds new light on the Silverstone incident.

[JordanMugen]

So the guy out of the title fight, and leaving the team is hard done by for giving up a chance at the fastest lap ?

If you don't want to him to go fastest lap, don't pit him for soft tyres with two laps to go! Soft tyres with two laps to go are inherently fast, wouldn't you say?

No wonder Bottas was baffled about that! "This is not a fastest lap attempt." "Why not?"

He was pitted to cover off a fast lap attempt by Max, but also as "protection" for Lewis. Nothing wrong with that.

Sure, and therefore Bottas will go as fast as possible on these fresh tyres as that is what racing drivers do, right?

[Ryar]

A tyre failure, taken out by two Mercedes, twice, no wingman yet, leading the championship again. Hallmark of a great driver to just put the head down and focus on the job.

[ispano6]

Then you have no idea how F1 works. No idea at all. I guess thats why you have a -8 next to your name.

Man, shut up.

That was very impolite and totally unnecessary.

Yes his comment was, carry on.

[f1jcw]

1. Told to deliberately not go for fastest lap in Zandvoort despite pitting for fresh tyres.
2. Told to deliberately slow down in Singapore so Hamilton would emerge from the pits ahead of him, despite Bottas having the undercut.

I'm sure there are more I cannot remember.

Team orders are not disgusting, or it only appears to be so by some when its Mercedes doing it. Mercedes want maximum points for Themselves and Lewis at the business end of the season. Id understand if they asked Bottas to slow down and it caused him a place , but it cost Bottas and Mercedes nothing.

Bottas lost a valuable point for his WDC challenge. If you don't want Bottas to go for fastest lap, don't pit Bottas for soft tyres! It's pretty obvious to everyone else.

Telling a racing driver to deliberately get worse results is just bizarre.

Earlier in the season, Perez was pitted out of points position to get a fastest lap attempt just to take a point away from Lewis

The result was a lose of points for Perez. Why does no one consider this "disgusting"

[RZS10]

Just had a look at laptimes of Max, Valtteri and Lewis.
FL was 1:13.124 by Lewis from lap 49 before they pitted Bottas.
Max' best lap 60 was a 1:13.275 and he did not get close to that anymore in the closing stages of the race.

Bottas' non-attempt at the FL was 1:12.549 and Lewis' FL was 1:11.097 - which means that Bottas' did not go for it, as he later said post race.

[Ryar]

Just had a look at laptimes of Max, Valtteri and Lewis.
FL was 1:13.124 by Lewis from lap 49 before they pitted Bottas.
Max' best lap 60 was a 1:13.275 and he did not get close to that anymore in the closing stages of the race.

Bottas' non-attempt at the FL was 1:12.549 and Lewis' FL was 1:11.097 - which means that Bottas' did not go for it, as he later said post race.

Just for that, he deserves another year at Mercedes.

[JordanMugen]

Earlier in the season, Perez was pitted out of points position to get a fastest lap attempt just to take a point away from Lewis

The result was a lose of points for Perez. Why does no one consider this "disgusting"

A WCC & WDC point less for Mercedes & Hamilton is equally valuable for both Perez and Red Bull. Whereas in this race, it is Bottas losing a point to Hamilton, his WDC rival, with no difference to Mercedes' WCC score.

[Starscreamer]

Yes Yes Yes what a race

[f1jcw]

Earlier in the season, Perez was pitted out of points position to get a fastest lap attempt just to take a point away from Lewis

The result was a lose of points for Perez. Why does no one consider this "disgusting"

A WCC point less for Mercedes is equally valuable for both Perez and Red Bull. Whereas in this race, it is Bottas losing a point to Hamilton, his WDC rival.

Perez actually lost poiints, we was taken from a points scoring position to a non scoring position.

If you are going to call team orders disgusting, please be consistent and not change your mind depending on the team doing it please.

[f1jcw]

If Bottas is a WDC rival for Lewis, then so was Perez.

[Ryar]

A tyre failure, taken out by two Mercedes, twice, no wingman yet, leading the championship again. Hallmark of a great driver to just put the head down and focus on the job.

Can easily argue its more like barely scraping through in a dominant car, but alas.

I agree. It wasn't as difficult as wringing the neck of those Mercedes cars from 2014 to 2020 to squeeze every ounce of performance.