Any F1 fans

[brandwooddixon]

I see that Valtteri Bottas has signed up with Mercedes for next season.
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...-extends-mercedes-contract-for-2021-f1-season

I wonder if that will pressure Lewis Hamilton into accepting the pay-cut that they're trying to press on him?

 

[Ron240]

Im not surprised by Bottas staying at Mercedes....but interestingly it only appears to be a 1 year deal.
I dont think it will put any pressure on Hamilton at all because he has never been in a rush to sign contracts in the past, and I would reckon Mercedes ultimately want him more than he wants them....but having said that he will absolutely want to stay exactly where he is.
What will be very interesting is how long a contract he signs with Mercedes.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Where could Lewis go that would give him a consistently better car?
There isn't anywhere - so he's really forced to stay where he is.
Toto has the stronger hand.

 

[Ron240]

Where could Lewis go that would give him a consistently better car?
There isn't anywhere - so he's really forced to stay where he is.
Toto has the stronger hand.

He could walk away.....don't rule out that option.
Toto will definitely not want him to do that though.
What I have read about past negotiations is that they have been long and intense.
I dont think either side has a significantly stronger hand in this case...

 

[JBell]

Bottas has signed to stay at Mercedes next year (1 year deal again!!!!)

 

[Ron240]

Bottas has signed to stay at Mercedes next year (1 year deal again!!!!)

I just got a deja vu feeling there.
Sorry, I couldn't resist saying that.

 

[Chrishazle]

Perez tests positive so Hulk gets to drive, Renault protes upheld and RP docked 15 points and fined.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/new...otest/ar-BB17GcBW?li=BBoPWjP&ocid=mailsignout

 

[s5tuart]

Perez tests positive so Hulk gets to drive, Renault protes upheld and RP docked 15 points and fined.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/new...otest/ar-BB17GcBW?li=BBoPWjP&ocid=mailsignout

What a drive too!!! Let's hope he can do well today and get himself a seat for next year in a decent car

 

[s5tuart]

Grrrrrr!!!!
I never watch the news but I turned on the tv to see what time the F1 highlights were on tonight and they announced the winner!
I'm so cross!!!

 

[Naraic]

Grrrrrr!!!!
I never watch the news but I turned on the tv to see what time the F1 highlights were on tonight and they announced the winner!
I'm so cross!!!

Me too!!

 

[Marty Y]

Me too!!

Me three!

So disappointing, Mercedes build a brilliant car and can't exploit its true potential because of rubbish tyres.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

The tyres are much safer because of the sidewall rigidity but that lack of flexibility is ripping the tread off them especially the medium compound - some way to go to design that out of the tyre structure

 

[Ron240]

Was it only Mercedes that was struggling so badly with the tyres? Red Bull didn't seem to have any problems.
Even though Lewis continues to have a 30 point lead in the championship he crucially extended his lead over Bottas to 34 points, who realistically should be the only one he needs to worry about.

 

[JBell]

Was it only Mercedes that was struggling so badly with the tyres? Red Bull didn't seem to have any problems.

No, McLaren had problems as did RP. You can't blame the tyres. Ferrari one stopped LeClerc!!!!

 

[brandwooddixon]

True.
It'll be a mix of things.

Christian Horner was saying that he thinks that the higher down force that Mercedes ran over Red Bull is the cause, but knowing how teams like to hide their advantages I think that may be a red herring.

In any case blistering is caused by overheating in localized areas, hence why drivers are asked to take it easy when first leaving the pits until the tyres have warmed up evenly.

Normally teams run the tyres at as low a pressure as permitted (the air has weight) and over the last race Pirelli had raised the minimum pressures in order to protect against the sudden delaminations experienced the week before.

Perhaps Red Bull normally run their tyres at higher pressures than Mercedes and set the suspension geometry accordingly.
We know that they've optimised their car for higher temperatures than Mercedes and with increased temperatures you'd expect to see an increase in tyre pressures.

Mercedes optimisation for cooler race temperatures and maybe lower tyre pressures could be causing them issues that have only now become apparent as last years design philosophy has progressed into this years car.

 

[John Laidlaw]

That's a real trade off isn't it? a m3 of air will be c1.3kg, I'm too lazy to work out the m3 of each tyre (and don't have the dimensions to hand anyway), but against these delamination problems whatever it is, it ain't worth it....

 

[Blobcat]

That's a real trade off isn't it? a m3 of air will be c1.3kg, I'm too lazy to work out the m3 of each tyre (and don't have the dimensions to hand anyway), but against these delamination problems whatever it is, it ain't worth it....

They use Nitrogen so m3 ~ 1.251kg (air m3 ~ 1.225kg)

 

[John Laidlaw]

They use Nitrogen so m3 ~ 1.251kg (air m3 ~ 1.225kg)

which is why c.....(Forgotten about the N though, which was @brandwooddixon fault anyway for mentioning air!)

 

[Blobcat]

which is why c.....(Forgotten about the N though, which was @brandwooddixon fault anyway for mentioning air!)

There will be some air as I doubt they fit the tyres in a purely Nitrogen environment...
And I doubt they vacuum them out when they've fitted them...

 

[John Laidlaw]

There will be some air as I doubt they fit the tyres in a purely Nitrogen environment...
And I doubt they vacuum them out when they've fitted them...

Ah but how much is 'some'?....could be the difference between the driver having a full **** or half ****?