It was almost too easy for Max, but he was definitely the best driver

Good race for Sanz, for once he accomplished the expectations

 

worst team for me has to be McLaren

@1539969113333764096

 

Interesting. Honda potentially staying and other manufacturers circling would be mega. Imagine having like 7 or 8 engine suppliers available (hope Cosworth is one of the others, they’ve been sorely missed in their role as underpinning the back markers with a cost effective solution) and less chance for an A-Team B-Team Championship

Pierre Gasly confirmed to stay at Alpha Tauri for next year.

Best driver: Verstappen [total control, never felt he'd make an error defending vs Sainz at the end]

Worst driver: Tsunoda [schoolboy way to bin it]

Best team: Mercedes [another 3-4, the car may be a tractor compared to previous seasons but it's a bloody bulletproof tractor so far]

Worst team: Haas [what a way to completely screw up a row 3 lock-out]

Best overtake: Leclerc on Alonso [could also be on Ocon or Bottas here]

Worst overtake: Can't remember any downright bad ones

Best moment: The late safety car somewhat spicing things up

Worst moment: Mick retiring, he was looking really good out there this time

Best thing about the race: Good to see cars racing around Canada again

Worst thing about the race: The fact Leclerc started at the back robbed us of a realistic fight for the win

 

And the race in a sentence: Still no stopping Max, we're running out of tracks

It's crunch time for Ferrari and Leclerc this weekend at Silverstone. Everything about the circuit suits their car far better than anyone else. Even with Red Bull bringing multiple upgrades this weekend their car carries so much extra weight over the Scuderia's it shouldn't be enough to make the difference. If Ferrari can't lock out the front row and deliver a 1-2 then the title is effectively over (assuming no unusual circumstances).

 

I would expect Mercedes to close the gap back to their Spain GP pace but not enough to do any more than keep Sainz and Perez looking over their shoulder once in a while. And McLaren and Haas are likely to drop back as they're the only teams not bringing upgrades this weekend.

 

As for the other big story making the news? Whatever his talent, Nelson Piquet has always been a prick

Edited June 28, 20223 yr by Severin

I actually have more confidence in Mercedes winning this weekend than Ferrari which says it all. I hope so anyway as I'll be there at Copse corner this year (2021 flashbacks intensify). If Hamilton wins he'll break the record for most wins at a single circuit. Alternatively Russell would have his first win be at his home race.

 

Anyone but Max though please :teresa:

Whilst that would certainly liven things up, I can't see Merc being quite that competitive. It's a lot of speed to find and they haven't shown any signs of improving since Spain and haven't run the car on a similar circuit to Catalunya since.

Unless you're just thinking both RB's and Ferrari's are gonna go bang, which would make for a great race

 

Don't mind Max winning still, he's arguably the best on the grid and I'm not bored of it just yet. The only one I don't want to win it is Lewis, mainly because I have money riding on him not winning a race this year and secondly because his era of domination is so recent that it feels like someone else's turn still.

 

 

Hope you enjoy the race. ireally must go again but haven't been to the British GP since '95!!

Edited June 28, 20223 yr by Severin

No arguments about Max being the best on the grid right now but I don't want him to run away with the title Vettel 2011 style!

 

And thanks! That was the year Herbert won after Hill collided with Schumacher right?

Yeah, that was the one. The guy sat in front of me had put £50 on Herbert to win and his odds were something like 30-1 at that point. Made a tidy packet.

Doesn't feel quite like nearly 30 years ago but it's definitely been too long

An absolute tool, Nelson Piquet, just a disgraceful human in general if you look at all the remarks he made during his life.

 

Lewis Hamilton has said "archaic mindsets need to change" and have no place in Formula 1 after three-time world champion Nelson Piquet used racially abusive language about him.

 

The 69-year-old Brazilian, who won the world title in 1981, 1983 and 1987, used a racially offensive term to refer to Hamilton in a podcast.

 

Piquet has been condemned by Formula 1, Hamilton's Mercedes team and the FIA.

 

"It's more than language," said seven-time world champion Hamilton.

 

"These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport. I've been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life.

 

"There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action."

 

Piquet was discussing the accident between Hamilton and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on the first lap of last year's British Grand Prix.

 

He described the incident as "a joke", said Hamilton had been "lucky" only Verstappen crashed, and used a swear word in expressing his opinion that Hamilton had made a mistake.

 

This weekend's British Grand Prix is the first anniversary of the incident, which was one of a series between the two drivers as they disputed last year's world title - a championship decided in controversial circumstances at the 2021 finale in Abu Dhabi.

 

An F1 statement said: "Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society.

 

"Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect."

 

It added: "His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1."

 

Piquet, who is the father of Verstappen's partner Kelly Piquet, has a history of making unsavoury and unpleasant statements. During his driving career, he publicly questioned Ayrton Senna's sexuality and called his rival "the Sao Paulo taxi driver".

 

He also made offensive comments about Nigel Mansell and the Briton's wife when they were team-mates at Williams.

 

"We condemn in the strongest terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind," said Mercedes. "Lewis has spearheaded our sport's efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off track.

 

"Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future."

 

The FIA, motorsport's governing body, said: "The FIA strongly condemns any racist or discriminatory language and behaviour, which have no place in sport or wider society.

 

"We express our solidarity with Lewis Hamilton and fully support his commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in motor sport."

Whilst I don't condone anything Nelson has said down the years I do feel some context is required. Certain comments he made - specifically those about Mansell's wife and Senna's religion - were made as attempts to undermine rivals. With today's mindset they are unpleasant but not really that different to the kind of comment thousands of sportsmen have made down the years.

 

His use of the word in question here though is some point of contention it seems - a lot of comments online appear to suggest that for Brazilians and Portuguese speakers, whilst it is not a complimentary term in some situations from others it can be (however, Piquet's delivery of the word and his intention is open to debate). Also, it doesn't have the same racial connotations that it's English equivalent does in the US of Europe. At the same token it is reasonable to question that as a well travelled and intelligent individual Piquet should be aware of the wider implications, or did he mean to use it as a racial slur.

 

I will just point out I have more than once on this site called Piquet the equivalent of a bit of a dick - for want of a better expression, and I think his usage here is derogatory at worse, ill advised at best.

 

What really intrigues me about this, is why Mercedes have taken this weekend to highlight - for it is they who have done so - this particular interview which is 12 months old, and was basically (and rightly) ignored for the past year. Dragging this up is unnecessary, does nothing for the sport and is pretty irrelevant, when it would be so much easier to ignore a comment Piquet made (however vile) a year ago.

Edited June 29, 20223 yr by Severin

Piquet has made a statement -

“I would like to clear up the stories circulating in the media about a comment I made in an interview last year,” said the 69-year old in a statement.

 

“What I said was ill thought out, and I make no defence for it, but I will clarify that the term used is one that has widely and historically been used colloquially in Brazilian Portuguese as a synonym for ‘guy’ or ‘person’ and was never intended to offend. I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations. I strongly condemn any suggestion that the word was used by me with the aim of belittling a driver because of his skin colour.

 

“I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver, but the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not correct.

“Discrimination has no place in F1 or society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in that respect.”

Triple F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet has been banned indefinitely from the F1 paddock after racially abusing Lewis Hamilton, according to widespread reports.

Standard British weather it looks like for this weekend for the British Grand Prix. Live on Sky Sports F1 and Channel 4!!

Race dace will be dry at least! Just a lot cooler than the past 3 seasons.

Argh, I was work so missed the legend that is Keanu Reeves being there at the F1 today!!

 

Sanz finally delivering! and getting his first ever pole position yay

I'm pleased for Carlos but he got a bit lucky. Verstappen was far and away the fastest in each sector and Leclerc had the better pace on him too.

 

If Charles hadn't have spun it on his final run, thereby spoiling Max's lap, Verstappen was looking comfortable for pole.

 

But fair play, he kept it together and put the lap in when others couldn't.

Watching the clips of Vettel taking Mansell's FW14B round Silverstone is equally a wonderful thing to see and awakening horrible memories.

 

It's a beautiful piece of engineering but anyone who remembers the tedium of watching the pair of them piss of in to the distance week after week will know exactly what I mean

Big crash, Zhou upside down at high speed.