F1 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Race Weekend Thread

[Barrybran]

I haven't seen the post-race replay analysis of the Sainz/Perez crash. I will note though that it is possible for neither of them to have steered into the other, both having steered straight, if they were on converging lines.

Both were headed for the same point (i.e. the apex of the next corner), and Perez was closer to the middle of the road than Sainz. Their cars probably weren't on parallel lines - close, but slightly converging.

If that's shown to be the case (and it may or may not be), then the onus would be on Perez to avoid hitting Sainz, given that he was coming up from behind. There was plenty of "racing room" to the left, so Sainz wouldn't have any case to answer.

I saw a copy of the stewards report on Reddit and it said basically what you've said. They've checked multiple laps and Sainz was on his normal racing line and acknowledged that Perez was in a better position to avoid collision but effectively deemed it a racing incident.

 

[Cromulant]

I saw a copy of the stewards report on Reddit and it said basically what you've said. They've checked multiple laps and Sainz was on his normal racing line and acknowledged that Perez was in a better position to avoid collision but effectively deemed it a racing incident.

Makes sense to me.

Probably have to allow for the fact its nigh on impossible to see out of those cars too. Feel for Perez a bit, he's been rightly under the pump, puts in his best performance of the year and that happens with a podium in sight.

He blew Max away most of the weekend.

 

[ptrg]

Max doesn't seem to like that circuit

Still must have PTSD from his tires exploding on him (after pushing them waaaay beyond their maximum life and then blaming the manufacturer)

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Young Oscar just doesn't get as excited as his manager

Are we sure he is Aussie and not Finnish?
He is as stoic as Hakkinen and Raikkonen

 

[Cromulant]

Are we sure he is Aussie and not Finnish?
He is as stoic as Hakkinen and Raikkonen

And nothing like his mother

 

[Barrybran]

Makes sense to me.

Probably have to allow for the fact its nigh on impossible to see out of those cars too. Feel for Perez a bit, he's been rightly under the pump, puts in his best performance of the year and that happens with a podium in sight.

He blew Max away most of the weekend.

It's probably a little harsh but I feel Perez needed to be better there. He did run a great race behind Piastri and Leclerc but he also thrown away 15 points for the team (net 13 points to McLaren once you factor in what Verstappen and Norris would have got)

 

[ptrg]

I saw a copy of the stewards report on Reddit and it said basically what you've said. They've checked multiple laps and Sainz was on his normal racing line and acknowledged that Perez was in a better position to avoid collision but effectively deemed it a racing incident.

“The document added that Sainz 'moved towards a car he had limited vision of' while Perez 'could have done more to avoid a car he had a better view of.”

I still reckon for that reason, Perez should have been punished as it ruined Sainzs race - Motorsport always comes back to who’s ahead, and the onus being on the one behind to avoid hitting that car.

 

[Festerz]

Yeah okay Karun. Carlos doesn't move off his line at all. If anything Perez moved in at the end

Notice that just before he went live with his SkyCam analysis he had Horner and Hugh Bird (Perez race engineer) next to him talking though their version of events.



The lack of impartiality of the skyF1 B-team on show yet again.

 

[FR0GGY]

Still must have PTSD from his tires exploding on him (after pushing them waaaay beyond their maximum life and then blaming the manufacturer)

Didn’t a few others go that weekend?

 

[Satan]

Notice that just before he went live with his SkyCam analysis he had Horner and Hugh Bird (Perez race engineer) next to him talking though their version of events.

View attachment 2112221

The lack of impartiality of the skyF1 B-team on show yet again.

like luke hodge on 7 on the weekend

 

[StillAtLarge]

Nice to see m539 restorations singing the national anthem

 

[Sixpence]

I saw a copy of the stewards report on Reddit and it said basically what you've said. They've checked multiple laps and Sainz was on his normal racing line and acknowledged that Perez was in a better position to avoid collision but effectively deemed it a racing incident.

Reckon this is the right call. I was thinking last night that it was probably just a racing incident as neither really seemed to turn into the other.

Was probably a bit of desperation from Perez to hold his spot and a bit of desperation from Sainz to try and overtake Leclerc, which put him in a position where Perez could get up the inside a little. Hard to blame either when both are out to prove something.

 

[Vader]

Still must have PTSD from his tires exploding on him (after pushing them waaaay beyond their maximum life and then blaming the manufacturer)

A - He didn't push them "waaaay beyond their maximum life".
B - There were multiple drivers who had tyres explode on them that week. It was clearly a bad batch of tyres, and nothing to do with any specific driver.

 

[ibd77]

Not sure how the our media will cope with Oscar. Not exactly a fun guy to be around but hey, get the W's and most of us wont care.

 

[Cromulant]

Not sure how the our media will cope with Oscar. Not exactly a fun guy to be around but hey, get the W's and most of us wont care.

He's a pretty funny guy, you just have to listen very carefully to the little quips.

Maybe the DTS directors will demand he become more cynical and whingy ?? But hes a sponsors dream, super fast and doesnt look to make outlandish statements or create controversy.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

It's probably a little harsh but I feel Perez needed to be better there. He did run a great race behind Piastri and Leclerc but he also thrown away 15 points for the team (net 13 points to McLaren once you factor in what Verstappen and Norris would have got)

Conspiracy time - Perez contact didn't hurt Max at all. It was to protect against Leclerc/Ferrari

Verstappen/Red Bull are not concerned about Norris for WDC, but they are about LeClerc. Red Bull have conceded the WCC is already lost to McLaren, but they could slide further to 3rd, so their fight is with Ferrari.

Piastri 25, Leclerc 18 doesn't change. Russel 15, Norris 13, Verstappen 10 - (McLaren 38, Ferrari 18, Red Bull 10) - OR if no crash:

Sainz 15, Perez 12, Russell 10, Norris 8*, Verstappen 7* - (McLaren 33, Ferrari 33, Red Bull 19)

(* Verstappen one lap on new softs likely gets the fastest lap).

Verstappen 313 vs 309
Norris 254 (59) vs 249 (60)
Leclerc 235 (78) vs 74
Piastri 222 (91) vs 95

McLaren 476 vs 471 (9)
Red Bull 456 (20) vs 480
Ferrari 433 (43, 23 behind Red Bull) vs 448 (32)

So Perez accidentally taking out Sainz helps protect Verstappen/Red Bull from Leclerc/Ferrari.

 

[Cromulant]

Conspiracy time - Perez contact didn't hurt Max at all. It was to protect against Leclerc/Ferrari

Verstappen/Red Bull are not concerned about Norris for WDC, but they are about LeClerc. Red Bull have conceded the WCC is already lost to McLaren, but they could slide further to 3rd, so their fight is with Ferrari.

Piastri 25, Leclerc 18 doesn't change. Russel 15, Norris 13, Verstappen 10 - (McLaren 38, Ferrari 18, Red Bull 10) - OR if no crash:

Sainz 15, Perez 12, Russell 10, Norris 8*, Verstappen 7* - (McLaren 33, Ferrari 33, Red Bull 19)

(* Verstappen one lap on new softs likely gets the fastest lap).

Verstappen 313 vs 309
Norris 254 (59) vs 249 (60)
Leclerc 235 (78) vs 74
Piastri 222 (91) vs 95

McLaren 476 vs 471 (9)
Red Bull 456 (20) vs 480
Ferrari 433 (43, 23 behind Red Bull) vs 448 (32)

So Perez accidentally taking out Sainz helps protect Verstappen/Red Bull from Leclerc/Ferrari.

Not a bad shout really.

He's probably happy for Oscar to win every race from here on in, he wont be caught.

Now the TEAM wont want that, Mclaren are odds on for the Constructors.

 

[Barrybran]

Conspiracy time - Perez contact didn't hurt Max at all. It was to protect against Leclerc/Ferrari

Verstappen/Red Bull are not concerned about Norris for WDC, but they are about LeClerc. Red Bull have conceded the WCC is already lost to McLaren, but they could slide further to 3rd, so their fight is with Ferrari.

Piastri 25, Leclerc 18 doesn't change. Russel 15, Norris 13, Verstappen 10 - (McLaren 38, Ferrari 18, Red Bull 10) - OR if no crash:

Sainz 15, Perez 12, Russell 10, Norris 8*, Verstappen 7* - (McLaren 33, Ferrari 33, Red Bull 19)

(* Verstappen one lap on new softs likely gets the fastest lap).

Verstappen 313 vs 309
Norris 254 (59) vs 249 (60)
Leclerc 235 (78) vs 74
Piastri 222 (91) vs 95

McLaren 476 vs 471 (9)
Red Bull 456 (20) vs 480
Ferrari 433 (43, 23 behind Red Bull) vs 448 (32)

So Perez accidentally taking out Sainz helps protect Verstappen/Red Bull from Leclerc/Ferrari.

Definitely conspiracy theory territory. Red Bull might struggle for the rest of the year but Max should score in every race remaining while the only track Ferrari would be expected to win at would be Singapore. Ferrari and McLaren will be stealing points off one another for the other races with the odd cameo from Mercedes.

 

[Forward Press]

It will be worrying for Red Bull though that even with Lando starting P16, he managed to beat Max to the line.

I thought the gap was too large to bridge because Red Bull and Max would still finish regularly enough around P3-P6ish to secure the WDC because Lando wouldn't keep winning. Sure, the WDC cannot be won if Lando makes up only about 4 points a race but all you need is one or two races where Max is out of the points and Lando is on the podium and that 50 point gap goes into the low double digits...

I was prepared to call the title fight over even after Hungary, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Cromulant]

It will be worrying for Red Bull though that even with Lando starting P16, he managed to beat Max to the line.

I thought the gap was too large to bridge because Red Bull and Max would still finish regularly enough around P3-P6ish to secure the WDC because Lando wouldn't keep winning. Sure, the WDC cannot be won if Lando makes up only about 4 points a race but all you need is one or two races where Max is out of the points and Lando is on the podium...

I was prepared to call the title fight over even after Hungary, but now I'm not so sure.

I dont think there will be too many races (if any) where Max doesnt finish in the points.

If he loses from here itll make GWS' loss on Saturday look like childs play

 

[Forward Press]

I dont think there will be too many races (if any) where Max doesnt finish in the points.

If he loses from here itll make GWS' loss on Saturday look like childs play

The McLaren is clearly the fastest car on the grid at the moment. That can no longer be disputed.

I still think Norris (and Piastri) are coming from too far back, but it's not as clear cut as I thought it was a few weeks ago. Norris needs to string some podiums together while Max keeps finishing P5 or so.

 

[Cromulant]

The McLaren is clearly the fastest car on the grid at the moment. That can no longer be disputed.

I still think Norris (and Piastri) are coming from too far back, but it's not as clear cut as I thought it was a few weeks ago. Norris needs to string some podiums together while Max keeps finishing P5 or so.

Oh for sure, that car is a weapon.

The problem for Mclaren is Lando makes more mistakes than his team-mate.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

The McLaren is clearly the fastest car on the grid at the moment. That can no longer be disputed.

I still think Norris (and Piastri) are coming from too far back, but it's not as clear cut as I thought it was a few weeks ago. Norris needs to string some podiums together while Max keeps finishing P5 or so.

Although in the last two races it's not the half second a lap fastest car that it was in Zandvoort. Ferrari will be strong in the street circuits and Abu Dhabi so that really leaves four tracks they'd be heavily favoured to win. Lando needs to win all of those plus podium the other tracks while he's hoping Max wouldn't be finishing on the podium for the rest of the year.

 

[Jatz]

Singapore will make or break Lando. That Red Bull is awful around there, if he can't make a decent dent in that lead, he won't get there.

 

[Cromulant]

Singapore will make or break Lando. That Red Bull is awful around there, if he can't make a decent dent in that lead, he won't get there.

Yep he certainly has to win that one