F1 German GP Thread - Contains Qualifying & Race Spoilers as usual

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

Ain't doing it no one reads it anyway

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Into mediums. If this isnt a one stop they've given Vettel a massive undercut.

Bottas now holding up Vettel.

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Vettel gets it done on Bottas, that might be pivotal.

[Guest]

Mercedes manoeuvred this nicely. Imagine Hamilton on softs at end, with Vettel on mediums.

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If Merc are doing a 2 stop they probably need Bottas to get back in front of Vettel after he pits

[Guest]

Still favour Vettel and track position

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Stoffel, that one was a bit thick

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Merc caught sleeping, pitting a lap after vsc ends.

Lewis onto softs

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29 laps on the softs is a long stint.

Bottas didn't make that and he was dog slow by the end.

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Speaking of Bottas his engine has gone.

[Guest]

Can Hamilton's tyres last is the ? now

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Wonder if its worth Ferrari putting Seb on softs and bluff Merc into a 3 stop

[dyrewolfe]

Well that was interesting. Messy start that saw Verstappen and Kimi retire, as well as Vettel getting the better of Hamilton off the grid.

Similar to Russia, in that the best bits were at the beginning and end.

Great comeback by Lewis - almost had Seb after the first pit stop, but got him after switching back to softs. Although it was DRS assisted, it looked a pretty gutsy bit of late braking at the end of the straight.

Unlucky DNF for Bottas, but he was using an older engine.

Think Seb did everything he could. If Ferrari had brought him in again to go back on to softs, he'd have been over 20 seconds behind Lewis with around 15 laps to go. A few moments of class duelling between him and Hamilton.

Fairly quiet race for Ricciardo but I have a feeling he'll be quietly chuffed to finish 3rd. First podium for a while IIRC.

Fantastic result for Force India with Perez and Ocon coming 4th and 5th. Looks like they've made some strides in development.

Also good to see Hulk and Wehrlein getting in the points, in 6th and 8th respectively. Pascal would have finished 7th but for a 5 second penalty. Toro Rosso will probably be very happy to get both cars in the points.


And...stop the presses...Alonso actually finished a race!

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Pretty interesting, Kimi and Max going out at T1 pretty much locked Bottas into P3 which allowed Merc to effectively leave him out as a blocker to Seb for a few laps without compromising his race. Which put Hamilton right behind Seb when he switched to softs.

Merc look to have regained a slight edge over Ferrari, over to the Italians.

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Lewis seemed keen to prove Russia was one of those weird weekends he sometimes has. And he thoroughly put Bottas back in second place in the team.

I had T1 down as a racing incident but neither Kimi or Max seemed particularly happy with Bottas (never thought they'd be allies after last year).

Left him P3 by default but he wasn't close to Lewis or Seb on Sunday before his engine blew up.

[Guest]

Certainly a shift towards Mercedes this weekend. They could be proactive & dictate the strategy, instead of having to react to Ferrari. Also, Hamilton able to follow in dirty air, another obvious gain in performance. As you say, over to Ferrari now to react, and how successful or unsuccessful they are in doing so, will probably be key to deciding Vettel's future.

Also, pretty embarrassing all the post-race stuff, questioning Hamilton's fitness.

[Jermaine2015]

There's nothing to suggest that 'a shift towards mercedes' has occured. As in Australia and Bahrain where the Scuderia got their strategy correct, here mercedes got it correct. Wherever ever the medium will be used going forward will favor mercedes, the Scuderia advantage is with the super and ultra soft

[Fernando]

Also, pretty embarrassing all the post-race stuff, questioning Hamilton's fitness.

It appears we've found out why he sounded knackered. Been leaving out his drinks bottle to save weight cos the Merc is a fattie apparently.

Pretty stupid thing to be doing really.

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Odd considering the weight issues came from having to use last season's gearbox before this race.

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Pirelli have dropped the hard tyre from the British GP after drivers did massive stints on the softs. Would imagine you wont see that tyre again next year

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Monaco, as ever the race is typically won on Saturday, with Sunday usually nothing more than a procession barring strategy mix ups/cack pits stops (sorry Daniel).

Ironically with most of the corners being low speed and increased mechanical grip this year, this might be the race that drivers can best follow the car ahead

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That said, if dry, everyone should one stop ultras to super soft with these tyres so strategy shouldn't be much of a factor

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Vettel sets a first real lap time and immediately half a second clear of Ricciardp on ultras. Vettels usually good round here so ominous.

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Bottas and Hamilton having a bit of a Mexican staredown lap for lap at the moment.

[Jermaine2015]

Hamilton has the advantage so far but I still believe Ferrari are superior on the ultra sorts

[Jermaine2015]

Lance Stroll is Poopie.

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Merc having set up issues is an interesting one. Normally you just strap on as much downforce as possible. Struggled in P2, Vettel only man into the 1.12s

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Vandoorne just ahead of Jenson. Stoffel could use a performance

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They've stuck a massive kerb on the exit of the chicane after the swimming pool section, someones going airbourne on that

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Button to take a 15 place penalty for engine changes.

Like he never left

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Kimi immediately goes fastest then nearly barriers it on the final corner.

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Grosjean does a Rosberg

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Toro Rossos look good around here.

Red Bulls still look a bit short of the top 2

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Saying that Verstappen turns up the wick and goes within half a tenth of Vettels lap.

Bottas might be in danger of qualifying behind the RBs here, this isn't his favorite track.

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Kimi edges out Vettels time...for about 5 seconds until Vettel goes 3 tenths faster

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Vettel finds another tenth and a half. Meanwhile the Mercs still can't displace Verstappens time.

Some big gaps around Monaco for the Mercs to make up for quali.

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Ocon meet the barriers

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Job on for FI engineers to get that car repaired for Q1

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If you were a betting man, hard to bet against Ferrari, and Vettel unless Merc are heavily sandbagging.

Suspect Valteri would take 4th now

[Guest]

No wonder Rosberg stating his absence will hurt them in terms of setup this season. Much smaller operating window to find & with the Ferrari suiting Monaco, you can't look past Vettel this weekend.

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Ricciardo has an air of 2014 Vettel this year

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4 tenths is a massive gap around Monaco, and you suspect Ferrari still have time left in the tank.

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Kinda awkward for C4 when Chandhok/McKenzie are a far better presenting duo than Jones/Wolff

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That Ricciardo pit stop from last year doesn't get any better everytime you see it.

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Verstappen marginally ahead of Vettel in P1. Kimi 3rd, Ricciardo 4th, Mercs pretty far off. Times quite a bit slower than P3 so far.

Stroll and Palmer #outoftheirdepths

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Decent effort by Ocon, only just missed out of Q2 after barriering it in P3

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Lewis just had a massive moment braking at the top of the hill

[Guest]

Bottas bailed them out in Russia, when they had setup issues, but both look a complete mess here. Damage limitation

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Grosjeans spent most of quali spinning the car back round

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Kimis just turned up the wick and 5 tenths clear of Max

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Vettel a couple of tenths slower but still clear in 2nd.

Lewis needs a lap here

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