Grand Prix Rejects

Paul Hayes

It never seemed likely that the constructors' championship would really be in jeopardy in this race, but at least it stayed slightly more alive than it might have done. I suppose that encapsulates this season, really - something that really seemed done and dusted, but fortunately turned out to be cl...

Paul Hayes

I believe Rui Marques had the same timid indecision today. He did not want to inconvenience the drivers and teams that had already pitted, and so was probably just waiting for the pit cycle to complete before throwing a VSC or SC to clear the debris. Unfortunately, he forgot that it's the middle of...

Paul Hayes

I know it doesn't really need saying, as seemingly everyone other than the race director already knows this, but I just don't understand why they felt it was fine to leave that wing mirror there?

Paul Hayes

That would seem to be the drivers' championship all over and done with, then - but you can't deny Verstappen was well worthy of that win today.

Paul Hayes

I enjoyed Ricciardo doing his "rage, rage against the dying of the light" bit at the end there.

Paul Hayes

Several very impressive drives today - Piastri of course, but the newcomers Colapinto and Bearman too. I almost half-wonder whether Haas might be tempted to pay Magnussen off for the rest of the season, but they might not be able to afford to. Norris will be relieved he still managed to shave a bit ...

Paul Hayes

Wow, who would have thought at the beginning of the season that someone other than Verstappen winning a race would actually be quite boring? Norris really needs Piastri to do better, however - seven-point increments are not going to do it for him, whereas ten-point ones might *just* manage it. With ...

Paul Hayes

That's some gamble from Sainz that the current Williams project is going to pay off. But I suppose it would have been a similar gamble with any of his remaining options, really.

Paul Hayes

And then...

Heartbreaking for Russell. That one's *really* got to hurt. Getting disqualified for being underweight in this day and age... And on today of all days.

Paul Hayes

You never seem to hear "they're using the Toyota wind tunnel" these days. You'd get constant references to it for *years* after they left F1, but they seem to have petered out now.

Paul Hayes

Wow - what a performance from George. It did look as if his strategy would get him up onto the podium, but I imagine like most people I fully expected Hamilton to blast past him pretty easily on those much fresher tyres. But I guess George just kept enough in them to have something left at the end. ...

Paul Hayes

Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2024, 20:40 So a repeat of 1982 could have happened after all...

Not sure we'll ever get a one-win world champion again, though!

Paul Hayes

Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑21 Jul 2024, 21:41Actually it was both Red Bulls, both McLarens, Nico for Merc, Nando for Ferrari, Kimi for Team Enstone and Maldonado for Williams.

Ah yes, of course!

Paul Hayes

Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑21 Jul 2024, 21:11 We've now had 7 race winners in 2024, the most since 2012, when there were 8 different winners.

Two Ferraris, two Red Bulls, two McLarens, Rosberg in the Mercedes, and Raikkonen in whatever the Enstone team was called that week?

Paul Hayes

True, and it's also a bit surprising that Hamilton was able to keep going despite what must have been a pretty hefty blow to his car too - you'd have normally expected that to end with broken suspension for both drivers. Yes, my immediate assumption when the crash first happened was that they were ...

Paul Hayes

One word for that one, I think... sour. I don't remember ever hearing a pair of race engineers sound as done with their drivers as Norris's and Verstappen's today. Particularly GP, who usually backs Verstappen to the hilt with everything but by the end had clearly had enough of him, which was extrao...

Paul Hayes

I felt very sorry for George, but pleased for Hamilton he got the win. And a good, exciting race!

Paul Hayes

A home 1-2-3 in qualifying, and no pointed comments written on the sides of the Saubers tomorrow! Phew!

Paul Hayes

Well, that all got a bit dramatic, didn't it? Verstappen-versus-Norris looks like developing into quite a fight now - difficult to see them not being the top two for much of the rest of the reason. Great to see George win again at last. I know they reversed into it a bit, but still... They'll take it!

Paul Hayes

Like at Imola, Norris just ran out of road again. But it was his poor start which really did for him this time, I think, otherwise we could have had them duelling right up there together at the end.

Paul Hayes

mario wrote: ↑09 Jun 2024, 09:26There have been some commenting that Perez seems to put in a better performance when his contract is up for renewal, and then seems to slump in form once the contract has been signed.

Perhaps they should have offered him a race-by-race contract, Blundell '95 style!

Paul Hayes

I can't help but be a little bit disappointed that after all that Max still ends up coming out on top. But hey, hats off to him - and it was at least a very entertaining race, with three very closely-matched teams.

Paul Hayes

Well! We didn't even need the rain to make that a cracking qualifying session! Could it be possible that the rest of this season could be a four-way battle, with different tracks favouring different teams...? That'll be quite fun, if so. I was surprised in the week when Red Bull re-signed Perez, and...

Paul Hayes

Not a great race, but you surely can't help but feel pleased for Leclerc.

Paul Hayes

McLaren vs Ferrari? Yellow-and-green cars running around the circuit? What year is this!!??

Paul Hayes

I'm very pleased for Norris. Yes, he got a bit lucky with the timing of the safety car, but even so you'd usually have expected Verstappen to have just cruised up to and past him - even on an 'off' weekend. But hopefully it's a good sign for the rest of the season that this didn't happen, and not ju...

Paul Hayes

Plus I suppose they do have the added attraction of being wedded to a team-mate who is clearly no match for him.

Paul Hayes

I am quite surprised that Alonso signed up with Aston Martin when there might still have been a chance of a seat at Mercedes or Red Bull. I suppose he's gambling on their continued investment and development getting them the top team status they're aiming for, and decided this was the best bet for h...

Paul Hayes

If Bearman goes on to have a long F1 career, his having overlapped with Alonso will be a good link for those "get from now to 1950 in the fewest possible career overlaps" games. Now we can go with Maurice Trintignant - Chris Amon - Jacques Laffite - Gerhard Berger - Michael Schumacher - A...

Paul Hayes

If Red Bull were a sponsor rather than an owner, I imagine they'd be pretty pissed off that their dominating performances now merit hardly any coverage during the races! But not surprising, of course. I was very pleased for Bearman, and amused at how completely underwhelmed he sounded about the whol...

Paul Hayes

If Bearman goes on to have a long F1 career, his having overlapped with Alonso will be a good link for those "get from now to 1950 in the fewest possible career overlaps" games.

Paul Hayes

I know it's not good news for poor old Sainz, but the F1 authorities must be glad there is at least, if not a positive, a non-controversial story to get at least some attention today! Good luck to Bearman. Ferrari's youngest ever driver, born the year Alonso won his first title! Will this be the bi...

Paul Hayes

I know it's not good news for poor old Sainz, but the F1 authorities must be glad there is at least, if not a positive, a non-controversial story to get at least some attention today! Good luck to Bearman. Ferrari's youngest ever driver, born the year Alonso won his first title! Will this be the big...

Paul Hayes

Same old, same old - Verstappen untouchable, but some interest behind him at times. He has to retire from a race for SOME reason at SOME point, surely…? It did feel different watching it on a Saturday afternoon, somehow.

Paul Hayes

mario wrote: ↑19 Nov 2023, 12:58 In the context of how badly much of his season has gone, it's perhaps hard to do that much more damage when his reputation has already taken quite a beating.

True - it just feels like the unfortunate icing on top of a fairly miserable cake.

Paul Hayes

Poor old Perez. I'm not sure getting done on the last lap twice in two races is doing his reputation any favours.

Paul Hayes

Bizarre that everyone in the world bar the Red Bull pitwall could see what a mistake it was to finish Perez's runs so early.

Paul Hayes

1 Sergio Perez. Home town hero did exactly what Lewis Hamilton did 2 races ago and got the exact same results. Quoting Senna about if there was a gap.... but there was not a BIG enough gap. I only heard his English interview during the Sky coverage, so I don't know if he raised this himself in any ...

Paul Hayes

Poor old Perez. He saw a chance of glory opening up ahead of him there, but all the way down the outside it seemed likely that was what was going to end up happening to him.

Paul Hayes

What a strange qualifying session. Not often you see a team suddenly come from nowhere with both cars like Ferrari did today.

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