F1 2024 USA Grand Prix - Race Weekend Thread

[my name was taken]

didn't get to see the race. how would you rate oscar's performance?

Met expectation is my assessment. Didn't have much to do beside stay behind Lando, especially after Landos shit start, was behind him after turn 1.

 

[my name was taken]

Right decision in the end regarding Lando, his pitwall should have not played silly games and assessed the situation properly.

He was forced off the track (and in my view deliberately by late braking) but the rules are clear that if max is ahead at the apex he only gets a track limit violation. There would have to be some complicated wording added to the rules to manage that loophole - or just add gravel and no one will want to go deep around the outside

 

[Bradesmaen]

Interesting debate.
Ant chose to omit a few things in his analysis.

The idea and concept that "whoever gets the apex first" has the right of way is correct.....sort of.
Providing they have control of their car.

Max missed the corner. Missed his braking mark and left the track.
If i was racing and got called for that, i'd be absolutely ropeable.

Sure, going around the outside leaves you open to been squeezed. No issues with that.
Go outside on your own peril!
But in this case, Max didn't have control of his car because he couldn't stay on track himself.

First and foremost, you must have control of your car.
By leaving the track, Max didn't. So all bets are off.
They both technically "gained an advantage by leaving the track". So deciding that one driver got more of an advantage isn't actually in the rules!

He is absolutely brilliant Max. He just bends every rule and makes the stewards make a decision.
He's the best driver by a mile.
Some of that defense he put up will be shown over and over as it was just brilliant.

If nothing else F1 throws up controversy by a clear and fundamental lack of stewards ability to be consistent.
The irony is they had the chance to set a precedent in the first 500M of the race.

But chose to apply the mythical "first lap" rules when Max clearly ran Norris wide (and left the track overtaking him) in the first corner.

If they are paying Russell (which i thought was a correct call)....then 100000% they should have paid the lap 1 incident because it was far worse in terms of car control and could have been pinged for 2 infringements (leaving the track and forcing a competitor off track).

To put the max/ norris incident (the late race one) in an extreme end of the spectrum....
Lets say there was grass or gravel in that corner. The same thing happens and they both spin....after 30 seconds of trying to recover the cars, Norris gets back on track and 5 seconds later Max does.
Would they have given a penalty to Norris for "leaving the track and gaining an advantage"....?
Because under the rules, its actually no different to what happened (just a more extreme case).

Unlike other incidents in Max's career, he had control. He missed the exit by a small margin, similar to what other cars were doing on their own during the race. He didn't miss it by a long way which would have meant he was out of control.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Couple more of those types of drives and Liam Lawson should be promoted to the Red Bull car next season.

Bit of a nothing weekend for Oscar, but if he didn't have the same upgrade package then perhaps it makes a bit more sense.

Lando proved once again that whilst he is mathematically in contention, he and the team do not have what it takes to win the drivers championship against Max. The team should have told him to give the position back, and then let him have another go (he had a clear pace advantage).

Perez spending half his race behind Tsunoda should automatically give either of them the chance at the drive.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

And wasnt Yuki happy about it.

Liam drove very well, whereas Yuki reverted to Angry Yuki and found himself in all sorts.

Colapinto also drove a great race and IMO needs to be in a race seat next year.

Yuki has poor temperament which is why you can't put him with Max.

Colapinto won't get a seat next year none available. But he will be back in 2026 when some of the old guys get pushed out.

Perez retaining his seat is a joke.

 

[Cromulant]

Yuki has poor temperament which is why you can't put him with Max.

Colapinto won't get a seat next year none available. But he will be back in 2026 when some of the old guys get pushed out.

Perez retaining his seat is a joke.

Well he might not yet.....

 

[ReidBetweenTheLines]

His car just didn't have the pace this time. Despite having 4 weeks to prepare, McLaren only had enough upgrade parts for 1 car - and of course they gave them to Lando.


With Red Bull, Ferrari & Lando all having upgraded cars, Piastri was left to run around in 5th.

Ah I didn’t know that.

It seems strange that F1 teams can manufacture and test a part and realise it’s an upgrade, but then not have enough time to duplicate said upgrade.

Still, the lack of upgrade doesn’t excuse Piastris mistake in Q1. If he can iron out these qualifying errors he will be almost on par with Norris since his race craft seems to be better than Landos.

 

[ReidBetweenTheLines]

Perez retaining his seat is a joke.

Perez and Stroll having this long in F1 is a blight on the credibility of the sport. But F1 would sell its soul to Al Quaeda if they had the millions to sponsor an event so we shouldn’t be surprised.

 

[Not Important]

Yuki has poor temperament which is why you can't put him with Max.

Colapinto won't get a seat next year none available. But he will be back in 2026 when some of the old guys get pushed out.

Perez retaining his seat is a joke.

i think if there was a stand out replacement perez would be out. rb invested in daniel and it didn't bring the outcome hoped for.

 

[gaskin]

Ah I didn’t know that.

It seems strange that F1 teams can manufacture and test a part and realise it’s an upgrade, but then not have enough time to duplicate said upgrade.

Still, the lack of upgrade doesn’t excuse Piastris mistake in Q1. If he can iron out these qualifying errors he will be almost on par with Norris since his race craft seems to be better than Landos.

The only upgrade Lando had that Oscar didn't was the front wing IIRC. McLaren purposely didn't bring many upgrades to this race because they are still sorting out aero stuff from having to change the rear wing as well as COTA not being a good track for them.

 

[happy_eagle]

Ah I didn’t know that.

It seems strange that F1 teams can manufacture and test a part and realise it’s an upgrade, but then not have enough time to duplicate said upgrade.

Still, the lack of upgrade doesn’t excuse Piastris mistake in Q1. If he can iron out these qualifying errors he will be almost on par with Norris since his race craft seems to be better than Landos.

I think teams also prefer to do the 1 car upgrade as a way of getting data on the effectiveness of the upgrade.

 

[ptrg]

Where was the British Melt Off over Ocon pitting with 3 laps to go to put on fresh tires down in 18th?
When Dan did it in his final ever race in Singapore, they melted down over him hindering their lad Lando.
But Ocon? Zero ffks given!

 

[imadodgyumpire]

The might be giving up the idead that Norris is going to win it or toning it down over the backlash of their bias.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

i think if there was a stand out replacement perez would be out. rb invested in daniel and it didn't bring the outcome hoped for.

I think it's all about the $. Clearly some people at Red Bull wanted him gone but don't have the cojones to risk the sponsorship money.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Perez and Stroll having this long in F1 is a blight on the credibility of the sport. But F1 would sell its soul to Al Quaeda if they had the millions to sponsor an event so we shouldn’t be surprised.

110 %. F1 really needs to find a way to end the 'pay driver' concept if it wants credibility as a sport. Stroll is a classic example of this.

 

[Bradesmaen]

110 %. F1 really needs to find a way to end the 'pay driver' concept if it wants credibility as a sport. Stroll is a classic example of this.

Except pay drivers don't get Podiums and outperform their 2x WDC teammates at stages. Nor do they have good histories in lower classes.