2018 Russian Grand Prix: Race Thread (race starts @ 12:10pm UK time)

[nani_s23]

We lost the wdc when Seb gifted victory to Ham in Germany.

Wt about race strategy by team in that race ???

[wisepie]

The sooner this season is over and the Seb-bashing stops, the better. He and the pitwall have made errors this year, but looking at where our pace now stands relative to Merc, I doubt we can have any realistic chance of even winning another race, let alone any championship. Seb and Kimi did all they could today, we didn't have the outright pace, if Suzuka is weather-affected, we will again suffer. I don't want to be so pessimistic but it's hard to be otherwise and Sochi has shown up Formula Mercedes/FIA for what it is....a forgone conclusion. Only saving grace was Charles in P7.

[Brembo]

A great race by Max!! No FIA help, no team orders for him. 19th to 1st pl. Finishing 5th!!

[JChan]

lets just wait the karma for merc in 2019, maybe even there road cars will be in miserable if karma will come

[mwk360]

The sooner this season is over and the Seb-bashing stops, the better. He and the pitwall have made errors this year, but looking at where our pace now stands relative to Merc, I doubt we can have any realistic chance of even winning another race, let alone any championship. Seb and Kimi did all they could today, we didn't have the outright pace, if Suzuka is weather-affected, we will again suffer. I don't want to be so pessimistic but it's hard to be otherwise and Sochi has shown up Formula Mercedes/FIA for what it is....a forgone conclusion. Only saving grace was Charles in P7.

death of SM is a big blow to ferrari. That did distrub lot of things in the team.
Don’t know how ferrari come back next year...!

I have high hopes of Leclerc next year, give him right tool . Should make ham’s life difficult.
Would love to see ham getting smacked with this kid

agreed so much everything actually

[wisepie]

A great race by Max!! No FIA help, no team orders for him. 19th to 1st pl. Finishing 5th!!

Brembo, you have a point but your love affair with Max is akin the mwk360's with Charles, please get a room.

[stefa]

We lost the wdc when Seb gifted victory to Ham in Germany.

Agree! That was the point when everything went downward spiral...

[JChan]

i can see your point but then our guys should make a point of bringing it up to media's attention, anytime mercs want fia to check ferrari they bring it to media's attention instead of being doormats for FIA & mercs like they are right now. MA has made no mention at all to mercs flex wing since and it was a question asked to him about it initially he wasn't even going to talk about it.

We don't know what politics inside f1, who is incharge of FIA right now? JT RB right? they are EX-Ferrari men, maybe they will gave ferrari the royalty of 100m as accustomed or favor from Bernie, BUT BUT ferrai will not protest for Merc dominance because LH is the Cash cow right now.

[512 TR]

Had they resurfaced all the tarmac at the P3 and P4 slots then maybe Seb would have had an even better start and got Lewis. He might have been passed with DRS two laps later anyway, like he was after Lewis' stop, but for those two laps maybe he would have put some pressure on Bottas as well. We'll never know. But obviously it's stupid to just resurface half of one grid slot.

[JChan]

Why don't we people accept that MERC and FIA connive for the sake of LH winning more championship than Schumi, let Ferrari shut up there mouth but the royalty of 100m every year given as promised.

[FerrariF60]

Wheelspin ???

no mate, this was coming directly from CENTER of car where the exhaust pipe is

[Rob]

no mate, this was coming directly from CENTER of car where the exhaust pipe is

was reported before race start that it was leaking oil. Had catch pans underneath. Either, a leak or they over filled it.

[512 TR]

For anything to happen that will make a change from now on basicly has to include at least two Merc DNFs. One will not be enough. The five circuits left are all different compared to each other. For Ferrari to have the clearly best package at all five circuits is basicly impossible. Two Merc DNFs would cancel out two of Kimi's and could almost bring both teams on level points. That's all that is left to hope for and that might still not be enough.

[Christopher]

The championships over my only hope for the rest of the season is for Kimi to get a final win before he leaves

[FerrariF60]

For anything to happen that will make a change from now on basicly has to include at least two Merc DNFs. One will not be enough. The five circuits left are all different compared to each other. For Ferrari to have the clearly best package at all five circuits is basicly impossible. Two Merc DNFs would cancel out two of Kimi's and could almost bring both teams on level points. That's all that is left to hope for and that might still not be enough.

As much as we’d like to happen, 2 DNfs from tHe mercs is almost impossible, They are bulletproof
We jusT HAVE TO admit that They did a better job and we seem to underperform in the second half

Mind as well congratulate Hams5er on his 5h wdc right now

[WS6TransAm01]

Looking like Mexico and maybe Brazil are the only logical places to even hope for another win. Because of the circuit layouts.

Negative Ghost Rider.

Ferrari somehow lost a full second in ultimate pace to Merc. No idea how it happened but it seems to be so. They will not gain it back. Two-Chain Douche Canoe will win 4 of the last 5 races. 4 only because he will give a hollow victory to Mr Potato Head once the championship is wrapped up.

[zike]

Negative Ghost Rider.

Ferrari somehow lost a full second in ultimate pace to Merc. No idea how it happened but it seems to be so. They will not gain it back. Two-Chain Douche Canoe will win 4 of the last 5 races. 4 only because he will give a hollow victory to Mr Potato Head once the championship is wrapped up.

Agree, we will probably find out soon what happened, you just can not lose a sec. in few weeks

[wisepie]

Negative Ghost Rider.

Ferrari somehow lost a full second in ultimate pace to Merc. No idea how it happened but it seems to be so. They will not gain it back. Two-Chain Douche Canoe will win 4 of the last 5 races. 4 only because he will give a hollow victory to Mr Potato Head once the championship is wrapped up.

I'd just love to know where our pace has gone, it can't just disappear unless the 'updates' are to blame, Merc have also had updates which work but we seem to have gone backwards in just two races. Anyone else got suspicions/answers?

[Ferrarichamp]

it would take a brave person to put money on Ferrari winning either title now.

[zike]

I'd just love to know where our pace has gone, it can't just disappear unless the 'updates' are to blame, Merc have also had updates which work but we seem to have gone backwards in just two races. Anyone else got suspicions/answers?

Something is very odd, you don't lose a sec or gain one in few weeks

[KimiBot]

Something is very odd, you don't lose a sec or gain one in few weeks

and yet, it did happen. It`s gonna be difficult few years ahead, rookie and Seb. Max 2020 looks like only hope in near future.

[jgonzalesm6]

Negative Ghost Rider.

Ferrari somehow lost a full second in ultimate pace to Merc. No idea how it happened but it seems to be so. They will not gain it back. Two-Chain Douche Canoe will win 4 of the last 5 races. 4 only because he will give a hollow victory to Mr Potato Head once the championship is wrapped up.

Agree, we will probably find out soon what happened, you just can not lose a sec. in few weeks

I'd just love to know where our pace has gone, it can't just disappear unless the 'updates' are to blame, Merc have also had updates which work but we seem to have gone backwards in just two races. Anyone else got suspicions/answers?

Something is very odd, you don't lose a sec or gain one in few weeks

Hypothetical: Maybe Mercedes "found out" about our double battery harvesting & deployment and used it during this race. Took it to another level. It is legal.

[zike]

Hypothetical: Maybe Mercedes "found out" about our double battery harvesting & deployment and used it during this race. Took it to another level. It is legal.

Yes but they introduced spec 3 in Spa, if they copied us, it took them a few race to bring it "online"

[jgonzalesm6]

Yes but they introduced spec 3 in Spa, if they copied us, it took them a few race to bring it "online"

Yes, that would be my assumption.

[nani_s23]

Hypothetical: Maybe Mercedes "found out" about our double battery harvesting & deployment and used it during this race. Took it to another level. It is legal.

As ferrari spec2 > mercs spec2.... merc always enquired ferrari legality. Where Ferrari gave lot of information & explanation to FIA. Even Charlie whiting came out & gave few hints.

After summer break ferrari & mercs introduced spec3 upgrade. Where mercs came out on top.
Next race Suzuka if it’s dry will give better idea for everyone. Ferrari lost the advantage as simple as that.

[Vettel165]

Monza 2018: the moment when we lost our championship because of team mistakes, driver mistakes and we were certainly again outdeveloped by Mercedes. They have done a fantastic job, we have to admit that. I am positive after todays race, I will watch the rest of the races with peace now, congratz to Lewis for his 5.WDC, next year we will try again. Forza Sebastian, Kimi, Ferrari. Never stop believing, and i will never do that!

[Vettel165]

Next race Suzuka if it’s dry will give better idea for everyone. Ferrari lost the advantage as simple as that.

We lost out engine magic after Monza, something is happening behind the scenes, and we dont know it. Suzuka will be a 3 day carnage with heavy rain forecasted for all days.

[DelMar]

We lost out engine magic after Monza, something is happening behind the scenes, and we dont know it. Suzuka will be a 3 day carnage with heavy rain forecasted for all days.

Merc ran more wing at Spa and Monza and yet they were as fast as us in speed traps.

It was all Toto blowing the "Ferrari this", "Ferrari engine that" tune.

[mwk360]

Merc ran more wing at Spa and Monza and yet they were as fast as us in speed traps.

It was all Toto blowing the "Ferrari this", "Ferrari engine that" tune.

This. Fact

[ferrari1.8t]

As ferrari spec2 > mercs spec2.... merc always enquired ferrari legality. Where Ferrari gave lot of information & explanation to FIA. Even Charlie whiting came out & gave few hints.

After summer break ferrari & mercs introduced spec3 upgrade. Where mercs came out on top.
Next race Suzuka if it’s dry will give better idea for everyone. Ferrari lost the advantage as simple as that.

This I can believe..FIA must have given our secret battery management and engine modes to Merc. There is no other way to explain such swing in performance.