New Grand Prix Season Is Almost Upon Us!!!

[Jagdtiger14]

I'm beginning to think its not a tire problem for Mercedes.

[Poopyhead]

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns31999.html

Paddy says that their car wasn't designed for Singapore streets. It seemed to do all right in Monaco. You either set the car up right or you don't. The tire pressure is what conspiracy theorists point to.

FP1 is in a few hours. We'll see if they are back in form.

[Jagdtiger14]

Rosberg is the worst at starts. First he allows Lewis room (even though he's ahead of him), then a corner later he lets Lewis push him off. Rosberg should know he has the advantage over Lewis (Lewis has more to lose)and dare Lewis to crash into him. Rosberg should defend better. F Lewis.

[warspite1]

LEWIS!!!!

and dare Lewis to crash into him.

He tried that before - in Belgium - and look where that got him.

In fairness, Rosberg mucked up his start and Lewis had the inside, thus he was ahead (albeit fractionally) and it was for Rosberg to back off.

[Jagdtiger14]

Rosberg was still ahead of Lewis on the first turn and gave Lewis room. And the turn after that? Lewis pushed him off. If I were Rosberg I would have held my line ON TRACK and let Lewis hit me. If Lewis wants to chance a DNF, so be it.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Jagdtiger14

Rosberg was still ahead of Lewis on the first turn and gave Lewis room. And the turn after that? Lewis pushed him off. If I were Rosberg I would have held my line ON TRACK and let Lewis hit me. If Lewis wants to chance a DNF, so be it.

warspite1

No, the turn after that, Lewis had the inside and edged ahead. Nico was not pushed onto the grass, he had to take to the grass because he did not yield soon enough even though he had lost the corner.

But I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one [;)]

[Poopyhead]

JB 17, you are missed.
[:)]

Kvyat gave me quite a scare in the quali.

After their contact last year, weren't Lewis and Rosberg given team orders to stay half a car length away from each other?

[Jagdtiger14]

If this is the case, then Lewis acted to violate that from the start...as you can see immediately at start he angled his car towards Rosberg rather than stay on his original line on track. Regardless, I blame Rosberg for not driving more defensively vs Hamilton.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Poopyhead

After their contact last year, weren't Lewis and Rosberg given team orders to stay half a car length away from each other?

warspite1

No

1. If that order were true, just how do they overtake each other? Mercedes have not stopped their drivers racing - just warned them of the golden rule that has applied to all team mates since the dawn of time; don't take each other off.

2. If that order were true, Rosberg would be (rightfully) shouting from the rooftops.

3. If that order were true, (or indeed that Lewis' move on Sunday was out of order) Lewis would be hauled over the coals - just as Rosberg was last year in Belgium.

4. If that order were true, how do the two Mercedes get around the corners or down the straights on the first few laps when all the cars are bunched? Can you imagine the car behind? 'Oh I better back off in case I get too close..... hang on - why have I just been overtaken by a Ferrari.......?'

This is a non-story.

[Poopyhead]

I can distinctly remember Steve Matchett and David Hobbs discussing the incident at Spa last year resulting in new "rules of engagment" for the two Mercedes Benz drivers. If a collision occurred again, then one of the drivers would go. I remember them mentioning "half a car length", but perhaps only Toto, Nikki and Paddy really know what the contract states now or if this decion had an expiration date.

[warspite1]

I certainly recall Toto Wolff putting a shot across the bows saying that if the two can't work together one would have to go, but at no point have I heard them say they cannot race - and anyway goes against all evidence.

[Poopyhead]

Jagdtiger14 complained about Rosberg's not being very aggressive and I posted one reason why this might be the case. Now that you do remember last year's incident at the Belgian Grand Prix, maybe we can agree that this is not a "non-story". The fact is that Lewis is a lot more successful this year and the one person who was challenging him last year no longer is. None of us know exactly what was discussed after Spa 2014 at Mercedes Benz. However, I'm pretty certain that Lewis isn't driving like he was told he could lose his job. Connect the dots.

[warspite1]

Jagdtiger14 complained about Rosberg's not being very aggressive and I posted one reason why this might be the case

Well it would help if you had responded to his post and not to me. In responding to me it sounded like you were arguing over whether Rosberg was pushed onto the grass – and shouldn’t have been because of the supposed ‘team orders’.

Now that you do remember last year's incident at the Belgian Grand Prix,

Ridiculous. Why would I not remember the incident that – at the time – looked like it had destroyed Lewis’ chance of the title?

maybe we can agree that this is not a "non-story".

The idea that Lewis did anything wrong in his overtaking manoeuvre IS a non-story.

The fact is that Lewis is a lot more successful this year and the one person who was challenging him last year no longer is. None of us know exactly what was discussed after Spa 2014 at Mercedes Benz. However, I'm pretty certain that Lewis isn't driving like he was told he could lose his job.

Ah….. the old conspiracy theory.

Connect the dots.

Yep, done that – it was the Illuminati.

[Hotschi]

Back from a longer absence...

Hamilton's overtaking at Suzuka? A rough treatment of Rosberg perhaps, but within the boundaries - he was on the inner side, Rosberg on the outer side of the corner. Rosberg could have backed off sooner than he did, but chose not to.

Rosberg, after Spa 2014, cannot afford being guilty of another collision with his team rival, and Hamilton knows this just as well - so when it's getting too close, he rather gives way than risk something.

[Jagdtiger14]

This may be a non-issue now, but it is still being discussed...not by Matrix forum F1 dummies like myself, but also on Formula 1.com:

https://www.formula1.com/content/fom-we ... japan.html

I don't blame Hamilton (who I dislike immensely), but Rosberg (the guy I'm rooting for). Rosberg should have stayed on track and let Hamilton hit him, PERIOD! I hope he (Rosberg) conducts himself accordingly next time and drives super defensive vs his team mate. If Hamilton can do it, so can Rosberg. It may not turn out so well next time if Hamilton tries it again (DNF). Rosberg...grow a pair!

[warspite1]

From F1.com

Uncompromising but ultimately fair, this bold move set Hamilton on course to his eighth victory of the season. Had he been less decisive, who knows how the race might have panned out.

Precisely.

[Jagdtiger14]

Ok, and if Rosberg were to do the same thing to Hamilton, or if Rosberg were to hold the line on track and cause Hamilton to DNF that would also be ultimately fair in your opinion? My problem is with Rosberg not being more defensive (or offensive) vs Hamilton. Rosberg needs to make Hamilton pay for his aggressive style of driving.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Jagdtiger14

Ok, and if Rosberg were to do the same thing to Hamilton, or if Rosberg were to hold the line on track and cause Hamilton to DNF that would also be ultimately fair in your opinion? My problem is with Rosberg not being more defensive (or offensive) vs Hamilton. Rosberg needs to make Hamilton pay for his aggressive style of driving.

warspite1

Its really simple. Lewis was ahead.

If the positions had been reversed and it was Nico ahead, Lewis would have had the same options as Nico.

1. Back off.
2. Don't back off but don't collide - i.e. take to the grass and end up in midfield or worse by the time he has gathered the car up.
3. Don't back off and stay on your line - ergo crash.

Result being:

1. Lewis is annoyed - but he has done the sensible thing - just as Rosberg did.
2. Lewis is annoyed - and has let his actions compromise his race. Rosberg was sensible enough not to do this.
3. It would have been Lewis' fault - just as it would have been Nico's.

In the case of 3, and given what happened in Belgium (team mates taking each other off on lap 1) I suspect there would be one almighty stink. With Alonso in the wings, I really don't think either Lewis or Nico want to fall foul of the Mercedes top brass.

[Jagdtiger14]

#3 would have been Hamilton being the one crashing into Rosberg. Hamilton does not get the entire track especially when he has someone right next to him even if he is technically slightly ahead of that car, so Lewis would have been the one running afoul of Mercedes top brass.

[Lecivius]

I have not seen the race (it's on my DVR) but this right here is your differential.

ORIGINAL: Jagdtiger14

even if he is technically slightly ahead of that car

If you are ahead, and you are not blocking IE slower than the overtaking vehicle, you have right of way. If you get tapped, it is the other guy's fault and that other person will be penalized. I realize you may not like Hamilton, but Rosberg may have been following the rules to back off. F1 has some very stringent rules, more so than CART or INDY car, and if you run afoul while overtaking in a CART race you can be disqualified.

Again, I have not seen it yet, just going by statements posted here.