F1 2024: Belgian GP - Spa-Francorchamps (July 28)

[Artemis]

"Marko: Perez “completely collapsed” for Red Bull in Belgian GP
Pressure mounts on Perez as he goes from second to eighth in underwhelming F1 Belgian GP performance"
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...n-gp/10639987/

Perez gets his evaluation today. Swap with Ricciardo on the table (cf. Kvyat - Verstappen swap in 2016) ?

Ended P8 at Spa but got promoted to P7 due to Russell's DSQ. Without Russell's DSQ Perez would be P8 in the WDC. Red Bull Racing now only 44 points ahead of McLaren in WCC.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

If he was that slow then how come he got the FL near the end even on new softs..its puzzling. Low battery charge when it really mattered and a car that was trounced by lightning start by HAM at the start, lot of things in the mixes.

all the other guys when they pitted first, did the undercut against the car immediately in front, but when they pitted Perez before Verstappen, Verstappen came out ahead after his stop instead of getting undercut by Perez

just my observation

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Sucks for Russell though.

So Bernie Collins (former F1 strategist for for Aston Martin) explains that the weight problem was likely due to a combination of miscalculating how much the old parts vs new parts weigh (they put on new parts in FP1 and then took them all off and put old parts from FP2 onwards), and forgot to account for tire wear on a 2 stopper vs a 1 stopper, and forgot about the missing extra lap of picking up rubber.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by G30M

So Bernie Collins (former F1 strategist for for Aston Martin) explains that the weight problem was likely due to a combination of miscalculating how much the old parts vs new parts weigh (they put on new parts in FP1 and then took them all off and put old parts from FP2 onwards), and forgot to account for tire wear on a 2 stopper vs a 1 stopper, and forgot about the missing extra lap of picking up rubber.

The 'picking up rubber' by all teams has always been a questionable way to outsmart the strict weight rules: adding weight after having passed the chequered flag - that's not how the car was when it passed the chequered flag. The Spa rule of no victory lap (because it's a 7km circuit) illustrated this. Teams would vote against implementing the Spa rule for all races because the victory lap also matters for sponsors.

[G30M]

Horner vs Marko continues:

Horner on possible Perez exit:

"No today won't impact anything... For Checo, obviously second to 8th, but with fastest lap, we need to have a good look at that,"

Marko: Perez out

let's see who wins the power struggle over the holidays

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by G30M

Horner vs Marko continues:

Horner on possible Perez exit:

"No today won't impact anything... For Checo, obviously second to 8th, but with fastest lap, we need to have a good look at that,"

Marko: Perez out

let's see who wins the power struggle over the holidays

Odds in the bookies will be interesting to whoever is in the RB 11 car after the break.

[MontyB1]

Was a great tactical race yesterday brilliant drive for Russell and the Mercs are pretty darn quick even they didn't see that coming. 1.5Kg is unfortunate but the rules are the rules, if that was for the entire race it would have been a 2.5 second advantage I think I read.

Combination of lost rubber, plank and maybe some of the fitted components and no pickup. A cracking drive unfortunately lots I think he could be undoubtedly gutted, how he made those hards last so long is incredible.

Max did fairly well, Piastri could have done better without that dodgy last stop and I'd have expected Norris to pass Max but no joy.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Red Flag at Toronto with this.

This track is a rat trap . What a disaster (!)

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Odds in the bookies will be interesting to whoever is in the RB 11 car after the break.

I'm pretty sure , the RB20/11 car will be the RB20/3 car after the summer break

But as we know : It's very doubtful , if RIC still has the Aussie fighter spirit from the past.
RIC showed a new smile on his face , but he lost it completely at McLaren...
Lando Norris destroyed RIC completely at McLaren (!)
RIC left McLaren like a human wreck...

BTW : MAX and RIC left the SPA track together, sharing the same helicopter.
Both with thumbs up , this looked like a sign on the wall...

As I said : The deed is done my friend

[GuidoK]

Sainz apparently signed a contract with Williams for next year.
But it has the strange clause that if a seat at either Mercedes or RB should come available, he can take that one

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

I Think it’s pretty dumb to have to account for the potential to pick up marbles throughout the race which is highly variable so a car can be within weight spec.

Tell that to team MERC!

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Yes, although I think we’d know if the plank was worn too thin as that gets measured anyway (as you say, see COTA last year)

Word I keep hearing is that MB tried to deceive the FIA after the race telling them they drained all the fuel (and thus why the weight was so low) when they hadnt drained it in hopes that the FIA would look no further.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Word I keep hearing is that MB tried to deceive the FIA after the race telling them they drained all the fuel (and thus why the weight was so low) when they hadnt drained it in hopes that the FIA would look no further.

For sure. It's too much of a 'coincidence' that they deliver a car weighing exactly 798,0kg but it still has 2,8L of fuel in it when it should be drained.
When MERC started draining, they knew (they might have even expected/feared before that). They just tried something and see if they would get away with it.

It's not that a bit of gambling comes strange to team MERC (or other teams). Last year in COTA when Hammy (and LEC) got disqualified because of too much plank wear, it's not that they didn't know that might happen. I mean, there was a sprint race the day before. After that race, the cars are of course meticulously inspected by the teams, which is normal; they're just not allowed to change anything. Of course they already saw plank wear. However, changing the ride height would have breached parc fermee (so start from the pits), so they took the chance and hoped it would be allright.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

This track is a rat trap . What a disaster (!)

Almost a guaranteed multi accident every time there's a race, certainly not up to 'FIA' F1 standards there.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Sainz apparently signed a contract with Williams for next year.
But it has the strange clause that if a seat at either Mercedes or RB should come available, he can take that one

This guy was bound to basically be pushed into a seat by almost default given he has waited so long in hope of getting a really good seat, but, no top team wants him. It appears, much like with Max many years aog that the relationship with him and Lec is severed, and they don't want a guy like that. He's a very solid driver but NOWHERE NEAR MAX's LEVEL (but then again who is?) but def has not performed well since his hype train started after Australia. It's interested he will be teamed up with another ex RB driver, and ex Max teammate.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

For sure. It's too much of a 'coincidence' that they deliver a car weighing exactly 798,0kg but it still has 2,8L of fuel in it when it should be drained.
When MERC started draining, they knew (they might have even expected/feared before that). They just tried something and see if they would get away with it.

Yes, same as they did with Ham last year, hoping they wouldnt have the plank checked. Sorry, but willfully trying to deceive IS cheating at it finest. I can't say I'm surprised at all...

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I'm pretty sure , the RB20/11 car will be the RB20/3 car after the summer break

But as we know : It's very doubtful , if RIC still has the Aussie fighter spirit from the past.
RIC showed a new smile on his face , but he lost it completely at McLaren...
Lando Norris destroyed RIC completely at McLaren (!)
RIC left McLaren like a human wreck...

BTW : MAX and RIC left the SPA track together, sharing the same helicopter.
Both with thumbs up , this looked like a sign on the wall...

As I said : The deed is done my friend

Lets hope RIC won't put his foot through a wall again later on out of frustration if he does nab the RB20/11 to 3 seat

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

This guy was bound to basically be pushed into a seat by almost default given he has waited so long in hope of getting a really good seat, but, no top team wants him. It appears, much like with Max many years aog that the relationship with him and Lec is severed, and they don't want a guy like that. He's a very solid driver but NOWHERE NEAR MAX's LEVEL (but then again who is?) but def has not performed well since his hype train started after Australia. It's interested he will be teamed up with another ex RB driver, and ex Max teammate.

I don't think MAX would want a teammate that would pat his botty like he does to Charlie, be cruising for a black eye if he ever tried that one

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Yes, same as they did with Ham last year, hoping they wouldnt have the plank checked. Sorry, but willfully trying to deceive IS cheating at it finest. I can't say I'm surprised at all...

Looks like Merc are in the clear with that...or are they.

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

He's a very solid driver but NOWHERE NEAR MAX's LEVEL (but then again who is?)

Two come to mind, each with 7 championships, one of them with 105 wins.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Lets hope RIC won't put his foot through a wall again later on out of frustration if he does nab the RB20/11 to 3 seat

Yeah . RIC kicked with his fist through the wall from MAX's motorhome and wounded his fist.
The next day , RIC appeared with a hand bandage ...

And if this wasn't enough...

RIC peed (urinated)! against MAX's motorhome door with a bottle of strong liquor in his hand .
RIC's (pee incident) was filmed by the Red Bull security cams ...

Of course ...Horner wasn't happy about that (!)

[Killed by Death]