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Morini Vettel was smashing out fastest lap after fastest lap in Sochi. Lewis was clinging onto Leclerc's coat tails, and it was impressive, but Vettel was the fastest driver in Sochi, of course car assisted as it always is. In Singapore it is hard to gauge. However, his lap times in clear air after the pit stop their were, at the time way quicker than anyone else could manage. He then stuck his car in neutral and rolled the rest of the way it seemed to me... but again, after every safety car restart Vettel was able to pull a comfortable gap to Leclerc, who gapped Verstappen, who gapped Hamilton. So I'm sticking by my comment.
(This post was last modified: 30-09-2019, 10:11 AM by
Jody Barton.)
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"You live more for 5 minutes going fast on a bike than other people do in all of their life"....Marco Simoncelli
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(30-09-2019, 10:09 AM)Jody Barton Wrote: Morini Vettel was smashing out fastest lap after fastest lap in Sochi. Lewis was clinging onto Leclerc's coat tails, and it was impressive, but Vettel was the fastest driver in Sochi, of course car assisted as it always is. In Singapore it is hard to gauge. However, his lap times in clear air after the pit stop their were, at the time way quicker than anyone else could manage. He then stuck his car in neutral and rolled the rest of the way it seemed to me... but again, after every safety car restart Vettel was able to pull a comfortable gap to Leclerc, who gapped Verstappen, who gapped Hamilton. So I'm sticking by my comment.
Clear air V traffic. Always makes comparisons difficult.
At Singapore Max Verstappen said exactly what I was thinking after the race, Lewis Hamilton was the fastest car on the track. No opportunity to show it, but that is the nature of Singapore. Fair play to Ferrari, they have something very special now in quali trim, way exceeding the advanatge Mercedes used to hold when everyone was complaining about "quali mode". But all credit to them for doing that (as long as it is actually legal) <that was said firmly tongue in cheek>
Over a complete lap at the majority of circuits the Mercedes is still the better car over a race distance. That is less important at certain tracks, hence the marvellous run Ferrari have just had. Merc was the quicker Sunday car at Spa and Monza and Singapore IMO. Can't really comment on Sochi as I've only seem snippets still.
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Sochi was a glimpse of what everyone asks for, drivers pushing every lap. It was hugely refreshing to see fastest lap constantly being posted. It was even better when VET was trading with LEC and HAM, for a few laps, then it contunined after the pit rounds, right up until the end they were close constantly fastest laps. No concern about tyre life, and the safety car aiding fuel saving.
My previous sig was obsolete, McLaren ain't disappointing Heshy no more.
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Toto Wolff said after the Russian GP that for the first time this season the Ferrari was the fastest car on the circuit which kind of fits with what you are saying (He was talking race pace not qualifying).
I have Mercedes winning at Suzuka (all things being equal which they are not always!!!)
Dont get me wrong I dont give a toss about Skys driver ratings they are super subjective but how you give Hamilton a 9 is beyond me. If you are giving Sainz a 9.5 because he was in an inferior car okay . Vettel also got a 9 as did Leclerc. Hamilton should have been a 10 he did everything he could this weekend, won the race, split two fastest cars what more can he do for gods sake!
I swear Vettel wins a race and he is the Dogs Bollocks again... sorry he is not. He was beaten by his team mate, had questionable (but maybe correct analysis of the race and swapping places).
If taking the car and its capabilities into consideration I think George Russell should never score less than 8.5, his car failed him and he gets a 6...shut up already Sky!!!
(This post was last modified: 01-10-2019, 04:25 AM by
NeilP.)
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The driver ratings are usually bollocks. For a period of time in Sochi Russell was racing other cars in that hunk of junk Williams. The breaks failed apparently because they'd fitted the wrong cooling option to their cars, painfully amateurish. As to Lewis... well, that qualifying lap was electric. Both Vettel and Leclerc made errors on their laps,vbut Lewis' was damn near perfect, and clearly had to be to split the Ferrari's again. He then drove an exceptional race, and out drove his car lap after lap, it was a sterling effort from him, so a 9 out of 10 would normally be fine, except others who didn't drive as well as him scored better. C'est la vie.
Either way the race is over and Lewis leaves Russia with a win, a fastest lap, and a new lap record to boot on 23 lap old Soft tyres, which Leclerc couldn't match on newer Softs. It is what it is and I doubt very much whether anyone should lose any sleep over Sky's driver ratings.
(This post was last modified: 01-10-2019, 10:05 AM by
Jody Barton.)
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Mercedes Pit Wall Debrief from James Vowles which includes an honest admission that without any safety cars Ferrari would have finished 1, 2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2-9fj_A1OQ
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2019, 03:05 PM by
NeilP.)