Pictures at COTA are awesome.

Not thrilled about today's results, but tomorrow is a new day.

Surprising qualy. I was happy. Not all RedBull all the time. Lets have a race!

Red Bull's lack of pace in Mexico was shocking. If this carries over to the race pace, this is not good for them going forward. Mercedes is notoriously lack-luster in Mexico.

Mercedes have refined their motor to accomodate more altitude. I would say its on par now with Honda and easily. RedBull were never quicker in Q3 even after they aborted their last effort because one car moving out of the way was hard to deal with LOL!!

The race pace for Mercedes and RedBull is virtually even. Temps were hotter yesterday on track. Tire wear will be key but its not clear who has the real advantage except Mercedes are up to 12kmh faster on the straight!

We , along with the Mercs were made to believe they had what it took to win with a clean qualifying and a 1 - 2 lockout.
In the end, it was Red Bull's race to lose and they showed us who had the pace. The data showed RB were faster AND they nailed the details this weekend. Set up, fixing the wing damage, both pit stops, and both driver's clean run to the finish got them virtually even with Merc in constructors and further ahead in the driver's championship. Bottas left a gap and paid the price.

Lewis blinked in T1, and it may have cost him the race. But Red Bull has done better at high altitude tracks for years, so I doubt he could have kept the leas anyhow.
Had Lewis not conceded the corner, it would very likely have been two DNFs anyway.

Did anyone see Gasly at all in the coverage? Gets 4th but I don’t know if he even saw another car after the first few laps.

Good race for Ferrari, and they made good inroads on McLaren in this one. Probably won’t stick. Pit stops were even good (which is rare for them).

Thrilled for Checo. Sucks to be Bottas.

Mercedes lead in the constructors is down to one point. Making for the best season in years!

The roles have been reversed this as RB has the fastest car on the track. It would have not mattered if Lewis or Bottas would have had the lead as the RB was way to fast to hold off. Congratulations to Max, Checo and RB.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Red Bull Crisis diffused! haha. They definitely had something wrong with their wings on Saturday, but they fixed it and it looks like it helped with positioning on the Sunday start. I don't know wtf VB was doing, and I'm sure Lewis thought the same thing as Max yeeted the car around the outside. He was way too careful going into that corner, to the point where I would have f-ing sent it. Honestly, this is damage limitation for Mercedes as i'm sure their original plans didn't have them winning this race. P2 was more that adequate for the car they brought to the race. They proved they still suck in Mexico lol.

I'm glad Checo is now up-to-speed in that car. He's proven to be the correct choice for that second car, bringing his setup more to his style, something an EXPERIENCED driver knows how to do. Other than his tense battle with Lewis, it was kind of a snooze fest. Lots of coverage looking at the back of Danny's rear wing lmao.

4 races to go, and no more development. This should be interesting, especially since Mercedes has solved their engine problem. cooling will be critical in these next locations.

This is so good for the sport
 

They should make it happen. F1 with Porsche in it makes the world a better place. Competition is good for business.

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-m...urs-intensify/

Bottas perpetually pussyfoots around the first corner of a race. Might as well save his tires in qualifying, because he almost never keeps pole position past T1 anyway!

The MGU-H has always been the POS part of the power units since 2014. I won't be sad to see it go.

I don't know why I still think he can do better. Ever since Monza 2020, where he couldn't fight through the field, but Lewis got a penalty and still finished ahead... That just proved to me someone else needed that seat.

Like, how are you going to have the opportunity to race in what is one of the fastest (if not outright) F1 cars of all time, and come P3 in the driver's championship? Who even does that?

I have to agree. Bottas was fine when RB struggled with pace and Max didn't have a good wingman, but now RB has pace in both cars and because Bottas can't keep pace with Checo, Lewis has to fight off two superior RB cars. Lewis is fighting with one arm behind his back. Also Bottas's inability to score points has put the constructors title in significant jeopardy for MB.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/fe...urers/6769188/

Ferrari unsure on concessions for potential new F1 manufacturers
By: Luke Smith
Nov 11, 2021, 4:20 AM
Ferrari Formula 1 chief Mattia Binotto is unsure concessions should be given to potential new power unit manufacturers amid continued interest from Volkswagen Group brands Porsche and Audi.

F1 stakeholders have been in talks for a number of months about what the next generation of power units will look like upon their planned introduction in 2026, agreeing on a removal of the MGU-H.

It has led to interest from VW brands Porsche and Audi, with discussions continuing over potential concessions to ensure that any incoming manufacturers are not uncompetitive against rivals who have more experience with the existing turbo hybrids.


Ferrari F1 boss Binotto acknowledged that while any newcomer would “need to start from scratch” and that there could be extra allowance for CapEx investments, he did not feel this should also apply to the operational side.

“On other resources like dyno hours or OpEx, I’m not too sure [about concessions],” said Binotto.

“If you are a newcomer, you’ve got an advantage on the fact that you are only focused on the new development, while we as current manufacturers need to split our effort into the current running operations and what will be the new one.

“I think that removing the MGU-H, which has been agreed, implies that it’s a brand new project for everybody.

“So it’s starting from scratch for everybody, and I don’t feel that they’ve got a disadvantage.

“I think they’ve got skills on renewable fuel. They’ve got skills on electrical. I’m not too sure they are lacking the competencies to challenge the current manufacturers.”

pascal-wehrlein-porsche-porsch-1.jpg
Porsche already has a presence in Formula E, and Binotto argues that it shouldn't be given a leg-up due to existing competencies


Newly-appointed Porsche vice-president of motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach, recently said that conditions for an F1 entry were “coming true”, but warned it cannot “wait too long” to decide on a potential entry.

Porsche has been weighing up involvement in F1 for a number of years, and even went as far as beginning an engine project for 2021 before plans were scrapped to overhaul the regulations.

Current McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl previously oversaw Porsche’s motorsport interests, leading the brand’s successful return to the top tier of sportscar racing via the LMP1 programme that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015-17.

“My approach was always that even as a newcomer, for example when we entered Le Mans, I don’t want any concessions,” Seidl said.

“Because I want to compete with competitors on a level-playing field. I guess you have to accept when you are coming into a sport or other sports that it might also take time to build up this competitiveness.

“At the same time, I have no doubt with the timeline also that is in place, when we see regulations come into place, whoever would enter F1, there’s enough time and I guess also enough knowledge around and knowhow, these new manufacturers that they can be in a reasonably competitive position from the first year onwards.”

Bottas constrained by bump from Ricci - Mexico. Constant PU changes put him out of position when he was actually faster than LH and continues to be. For me the lack of pace from LH is the real issue. Since sommer break Bottas at one point was the highest points scoring driver.

Mercedes simply do not have the best car, under pressure and make mistakes at PitWall and on track. Max should have the title already to be honest. He would have enough points by Mexico. Baku etc cost Max the early title.