2018 Russian GP: Practices & Qualifying

[mwk360]

Could'nt do a practice start for Seb and Kimi.....ugh.

seriously! poorly amateur by the team, kimi was in the garage, he could'v done it easily they still messed it up

[512 TR]

Merc are faster than last year's pole and we're half a second off. Even if they seem to have the upper hand we're surely a bit closer than the times show. Otherwise the season is obviously over. If Merc not only have fixed their issues with the softest compound but also taken a step even further then that's it then. The question is still if it's possible to get out of Q2 on the ultra softs? Judging by the FP3 times it obviously is as P10 is almost 2 seconds off the quickest time. But then obviously Merc will also try that. Then our only chance is to be on a different strategy. Also a SC can throw everything up in the air. Besides all this, to use an analogy, we need snookers (Merc DNFs, luck, etc).

[mwk360]

Less than a second away from getting a grid penalty there

[tifosi1993]

Ferrari switching back to Mercedes style RW for qualifying, according to Gene. Not looking good...

[KimiBot]

Kimi was 0.094 behind at the end then traffic

[FerrariSteve]

Merc domination is back, the season is truly over for us.
just need to get through the last races as fast as possible and then try to stomach goldenboy getting another undeserved title. it sickens me he has 5 titles now, certainly doesn't deserve that many. just lucked into most of them by having the most dominant f1 car in history.

To hell with F1 2018, it's now dead and buried and all my hopes are pinned on Leclerc and 2019. Vettel is good but not good enough it seems.

[nani_s23]

I can simply put, its down to tyres. Mercs found a way (upgrades) to solve their soft tyre issues.
Ferrari lost the ground advantage. If quali is similar to fp3, I can say season over for Ferrari can only concentrate on next year’s car.

[mwk360]

I can simply put, its down to tyres. Mercs found a way (upgrades) to solve their soft tyre issues.
Ferrari lost the ground advantage. If quali is similar to fp3, I can say season over for Ferrari can only concentrate on next year’s car.

I agree, btw did you see how the team wall almost caused another grid penalty

[nani_s23]

Kimi was 0.094 behind at the end then traffic

Don’t think so, it did effect him much. Only at last corner might be that’s it. Ferrari suffering with HS tyre this is for sure.

[nani_s23]

I agree, btw did you see how the team wall almost caused another grid penalty

Yeah, this current Ferrari team doesn’t know how to be ruthless. They r lacking in that.

[KimiBot]

Don’t think so, it did effect him much. Only at last corner might be that’s it. Ferrari suffering with HS tyre this is for sure.

For me it did look like he lifted and lost that 0.5 in that last corner. We`ll see in quali.

[mwk360]

Merc domination is back, the season is truly over for us.
just need to get through the last races as fast as possible and then try to stomach goldenboy getting another undeserved title. it sickens me he has 5 titles now, certainly doesn't deserve that many. just lucked into most of them by having the most dominant f1 car in history.

To hell with F1 2018, it's now dead and buried and all my hopes are pinned on Leclerc and 2019. Vettel is good but not good enough it seems.

Leclerc is perfect for Ferrari, i cant wait for Seb - Leclerc , he looked good here too although was struggling yesterday seems they fixed the issues he had with setup, meanwhile our car is not yet ready and as said above they making wing replacements at this late stage

[mwk360]

Yeah, this current Ferrari team doesn’t know how to be ruthless. They r lacking in that.

lol maybe M.A is a certain past boss in disguise

[IulianFerrari]

I can simply put, its down to tyres. Mercs found a way (upgrades) to solve their soft tyre issues.
Ferrari lost the ground advantage. If quali is similar to fp3, I can say season over for Ferrari can only concentrate on next year’s car.

There will be different conditions in qualy. The track will be a lot more rubbed in after the gp3 race, which will help us a bit.

[tifosi1993]

For me it did look like he lifted and lost that 0.5 in that last corner. We`ll see in quali.

Yes Kimi was on a good lap, but I don't think he would've challenged Hamilton's S3 time.

[KimiBot]

Leclerc is perfect for Ferrari, i cant wait for Seb - Leclerc , he looked good here too although was struggling yesterday seems they fixed the issues he had with setup, meanwhile our car is not yet ready and as said above they making wing replacements at this late stage

Yeah, in 14 races with Ericsson and points is 7-6 to Leclerc, next year he has Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen to beat. We`ll see how that goes.

[stefa]

Honestly I don't expect much from today Q and tomorrow race... Sadly it is over. I know t some of you will say it is not over until there are mathematical chances... but...

[KimiBot]

And I have to add, that Ericsson is paid driver, he is in F1 because he has friends with money, like Stroll.

[512 TR]

I'm starting to suspect Merc have been playing a game all along. They have knowingly let us "catch up" in the first half of the season two years in a row just for the competion to look more close. That way they look better themselves if they win and lead even though another team (or teams) are winning races. That thinking and those actions also maintain a bigger interest from the viewers. But when the last fourth of the season starts they just put down the foot and ease off into the sunset. They want to wrap both championships up at the US GP. That way they can use the remaining three races to test things for 2019 and let Bottas win one or two. What about Seb's mistakes you ask? Well, without them they would have to treat all remaining races the same but if they win both championships by more than 50 points then Seb's mistakes, again, will not make a difference. If we lose big in the remaining races then I will not get my hopes up for 2019. I will not be fooled again.

[IulianFerrari]

I'm starting to suspect Merc have been playing a game all along. They have knowingly let us "catch up" in the first half of the season two years in a row just for the competion to look more close. That way they look better themselves if they win and lead even though another team (or teams) are winning races. That thinking and those actions also maintain a bigger interest from the viewers. But when the last fourth of the season starts they just put down the foot and ease off into the sunset. They want to wrap both championships up at the US GP. That way they can use the remaining three races to test things for 2019 and let Bottas win one or two. What about Seb's mistakes you ask? Well, without them they would have to treat all remaining races the same but if they win both championships by more than 50 points then Seb's mistakes, again, will not make a difference. If we lose big in the remaining races then I will not get my hopes up for 2019. I will not be fooled again.

No

[nani_s23]

I'm starting to suspect Merc have been playing a game all along. They have knowingly let us "catch up" in the first half of the season two years in a row just for the competion to look more close. That way they look better themselves if they win and lead even though another team (or teams) are winning races. That thinking and those actions also maintain a bigger interest from the viewers. But when the last fourth of the season starts they just put down the foot and ease off into the sunset. They want to wrap both championships up at the US GP. That way they can use the remaining three races to test things for 2019 and let Bottas win one or two. What about Seb's mistakes you ask? Well, without them they would have to treat all remaining races the same but if they win both championships by more than 50 points then Seb's mistakes, again, will not make a difference. If we lose big in the remaining races then I will not get my hopes up for 2019. I will not be fooled again.

Ferrari fired all cylinders in 1st half of the season last year & this year too. Mercs were playing catch up on both ocassions.
Come 2nd half mercs did bring their A game on both ocassions opposite to that is ferrari.

Mercs spec3 & upgrades >>>> ferrari spec3 & upgrades

[nani_s23]

And I have to add, that Ericsson is paid driver, he is in F1 because he has friends with money, like Stroll.

But that lap from Leclerc with a diff of 1+sec to his team mate tells potential of Charles.

[KimiBot]

But that lap from Leclerc with a diff of 1+sec to his team mate tells potential of Charles.

Yes, he is great with one lap, I have said that, but in races, it is different. As you can see your self.

[nani_s23]

For me it did look like he lifted and lost that 0.5 in that last corner. We`ll see in quali.

Vettel & kimi both lost times at S3. Which mean their tyres didn’t last enough. Till then S2 they were within Mercs lap time.

[512 TR]

No

Obviously Ferrari have made progress compared to let's say 2016 but it's obviously not enough as Merc have had a lot more in the pipeline all along. They just pull it out when they need it. It always happen at the exact moment they need it the most. Cat and mouse game.

Also, if we finally get a proper two-stop race but Merc make it on one stop then obviously the true gap to other teams is gigantic.

[Honzus]

Ferrari has become a joke of a team... Sad, I still support them, but I will not watch the race nor qualy, I will just read (expected) results and that's it.

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1045995902580604928

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses...87933411577856

[FerrariSteve]

SkyF1 ..first thing we have today is an interview with Hamilton..
Do Sky know there is more than one driver in F1?

[stefa]

Ferrari has become a joke of a team... Sad, I still support them, but I will not watch the race nor qualy, I will just read (expected) results and that's it.

https://twitter.com/F1/status/1045995902580604928

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses...87933411577856

I know many hare will say, it happens, people make mistakes. Yes they are. But Ferrari mastered them!

[KimiBot]

[FerrariSteve]

C'mon Lewis do us all a favour and just tag a wall just hard enough to lose a wheel in Q1.