I am kinda glad that the WCC is not wrapped up just yet. It means that the Mercs have to go racing for another race or two still.
Totally agree. I think Michelin got the tyre choices wrong for this weekend and could have done with harder options, foregoing the hypers. Gutted for DanRic. I don't know what he has to do to get a break. Really feel for the guy. Upside, the Renault package doesn't seem to be as marginal in the factory car he'll drive next year, but the chassis isn't as sharp either so whilst he'll more than likely avoid the failures he's experienced this year, he'll be off the pace and fighting for 7th place - but I'm sure he'd rather have a car that can finish a race in 7th than one that can't finish 5th.
Will Renault continue to build going forward is the big question? I wonder how many resources have been diverted to next tears car. The just Red Bull have made these last few races it would appear they have closed the gap even more on the front 2. Granted Mexico is a great leveler in terms engine performance. Out of interest, how did Tue 2 Haas finish in the end? They qualified very poorly and seemed to get ahead of Vandorne, Hartley and Williams muddle but I don't recall their actually finishing position.
Interesting I thought they managed to claw something back, That's 2 years in a row they've really struggled in Mexico.
I wonder if D-Ric's recent spell of retirements are anything to do with him now being excluded from technical meetings? Horner made out that it was to do with 2019 stuff, but it seems to coincide pretty well.
No, don't see that. If he's being excluded, it's because he's departing the team and they're protecting their investments for next year. Nothing more than that.
Mexico is an odd track, high altitude an hot temps so it highlights poor aero which is why RBR were a better race package, the HAAS clearly isnt as good aero wise. Again Sauber showing well, hopefully having Kimi next season is going to keep them on the ball.
Yea I knew it took away any power advantage but wasn't sure if it favoured a better car or Better aero or both. In many ways it helps paint a final picture of each teams strengths and weaknesses
Environmental factors won't affect a chassis, only aero and power. RBR have always had a great chassis and the great horse power leveler that is altitude proves just how good their chassis is.
At this point I'm going with sabotage. I know that's full tinfoil hat territory but for the first race in months Ricciardo's car ran flawlessly through practice in qualy, then he snatched pole position from Max and the car is suddenly spluttering and farting on it's way to the grid, the hydraulics for the clutch are all out of whack so it 'bogs down' off the line. He's had as many mechanical failures now (7) as Max, Hulk and Sainz combined, not counting failures in practice and qualy, there's more going on than the Renault being a Renault. It would not surprise me if Gasly drives the Red Bull for the last two races, Ricciardo looked like he was ready to stab Horner yesterday. It's more aero than power. The thin air reduces downforce far more than it reduces power for the turbo-hybrid cars, the Renault and Honda powered cars were about 10kph off the Merc and Ferrari teams on the speed trap this weekend, but RB and Renault in particular got more than that back through the corners.
These are not the words of a happy man - "I don't think 'frustration' is the word any more, Everything feels hopeless." "You know, honestly, now where I am, I don't see the point of coming on Sunday, I don't see the point of doing the next two races. I haven't had a clean race or weekend in so long." "I'm not superstitious or any of this ********, but... the car's cursed. I don't have any more words." that and "The car... I'll let Gasly drive it, I'm done with it."
Chainbear does a great job of a simplified breakdown for what happens in F1 at altitude, and why RBR was great in Mexico.
Chill your beams and, s'all going to be OK, by 2020 they'll only be 38 people watching F1 on the telly box.
And plenty of space on track as Ferrari, Red Bull and by extension Torro Rosso, will have pulled out and McLaren and Williams will have went belly up or joined FE/Indy car
Smedley to leave Williams I wonder how much he contributed to the current situation and how much he could do turn it round. I didn't think he was at Williams long enough to contribute to their success and his influence only kicked in at the start of the downward spiral tho I could be misremembering.
Smedley runs the race weekend side of the team and whatever other problems they have Williams have one of the slickest pit crews on the grid. They are consistently the fastest or second fastest team for pitstops, only Mercedes does better over a season, although in 2016 Williams were fastest pit crew at something like 15 races. I think Smedley has been poached by another team. It must be enormously frustrating to get your team working together that well only to be sunk by decisions made back at the factory.
If so, he's playing it cool, because he says he want to take some time to consider his future and to spend more time with his family. Unless, he has been poached and has to serve some gardening leave or period of time mandated by his Williams contract.
