Would you risk giving Lewis a clear track ahead and the opportunity to pull away unhindered by the need to fight for an overtake? I wouldn't!

 

Well, yes they are except we already know it's banned for 2021 which means it's not worth the investment. I get that it's no different to brake steer or any of the other 'innovations' that have caused teams to dominate a season, but when everyone is doing everything they can to tighten up the field it seems slightly ridiculous!

I can't actually seem to find any details about this anywhere... so why on earth did they change their mind? Again - FIA = useless at doing their job.

 

Especially if you were in the only other car that's going to have a chance this season.

 

You'll just have to call me an old-fashioned ****, but Bruce McLaren took part in the first F1 race I ever attended, and somehow in my mind I still associate TAG & McLaren ( I know, I know..... ). So I was very pleased to see a podium finish for McLaren in Austria after all the bad news of recent weeks.

 

I own some TAG McLaren Audio hifi so I know what you mean.

 

Maybe they want the season to be exciting too? Let's face it, Hamilton is going to win his 7th WDC this year because Bottas has proved he can't hang with Lewis and no one else has a cat in hell's chance. Either way, worse case scenario it's going to be a Merc driver winning the championship and the WCC is a given.

I was extremely surprised by the penalty for the clash, but not unhappy about it. Since Max isn't going to win the title I'd like the season to be as interesting as possible, and giving Bottas a head start is a good start. Maybe they should do that every year!

One thing I do wonder is how they can manage engine use when they don't know how many races they have to do with them?

 

This has become a sad game of great powers and has very little to do with the straight up racing days of old. Mercedes, Ferrari and to a much lesser extent RB are way too powerful compared to other teams. Mercedes really is judge and executioner in F1. It's not about winning championships, it's about selling cars. If Mercedes can't have their way they'll pack up. The FIA's DAS decision has killed what's left of the season. Who wants to still watch this stuff?? The original lack of penalty for the yellow flag issue during qualifying was another bad decision. It's not a racing incident where you judge the advantage for the driver, it's a yellow flag so you slow down. Advantage or not, there is a penalty. The whole bit about green & yellow flags is rubbish. If a traffic light is red and green, you stop, right? Hamilton made the decision to better commit the crime and ask for forgiveness later and the special one almost got away with it. RB is being blamed for complaining against Mercedes all the time but what else can they do?
From qualifying and the race it's obvious Hamiltion is not in a great place. He's always portrayed as the flawless gentleman driver. To a great extent that's true. If he has the fastest car and can drive upfront. If he struggles and has to battle his way up, he also gets frustrated and engages in dubiuos racing moves, he so often blames other drivers for. That move on Albion was very low. Hamilton got a lousy 5 sec penalty, was able to finish the race, score good points and clear the way for Bottas' victory. Albion was on his way to upset Bottas. I would have loved to see Toto's face, thinking the guy can't even win a rigged game.
There is a shimmer of hope though, RB were faster than Mercedes, partly due to strategy, despite DAS.

 

Why is this weekends race 'Styrian Grand Prix', isn't it Austra 2? or have the BBC messed up on their reporting?

Edit, further googling found an explanation from Autosport.

 

What's the answer? I've never heard of Styria.

 

It is the name of the local area that the circuit is located in, apparently. So it works a little like the San Marino GP in Italy.

 

Oh yeah sorry about that sir @Hubert Hihi, they put out really nice info poster which are probably worth uploading!

I hope Fernando does well in this comeback! Something like a swticheroo with Ricciardo and Alonso, Renault to McLaren and vice-versa

I am still hoping Fernando finally completes the Triple Crown!

 

Uh oh. The massive salary and decision-making control he'll demand will be the end of the Renault team! Just like it was nearly the end of McLaren! Renault as an organisation is losing its last customer team in McLaren next year too.

 

It's a gamble. Will Alonso still have the edge over the young guns? In a Renault? A great racer but also a notoriously dysfunctional team player. Ocon knows what's coming.

 

HEUER in F1