[oqvist]

  Looks like second half will be boring with no one to challenge Merc . Seems most of teams have changed focus to 2017. On engine front would like to see Honda at least match Renault till end of year.

Honda is already matching Renault? I think it´s more Red Bulls superior chassi that make them so much better. But they do suffer in close racing against the mercs. Requires more skill to overtake in corners then on straights but it´s a choice they made optimize more for downforce.
 
Had Max started first he would probably have won the race as he really had no issues matching the pace with the mercs. He and rosberg had to sacrifice tires battling eachother and Max was stuck behind when he had the best pace else he would have gone up taking it to Hamilton for sure. To bad it didn´t happen would been a good fight since Nico could then get in on it also instead of having to watch mirrors

 

[WraithApe]

 
Had Max started first he would probably have won the race as he really had no issues matching the pace with the mercs. He and rosberg had to sacrifice tires battling eachother and Max was stuck behind when he had the best pace else he would have gone up taking it to Hamilton for sure. To bad it didn´t happen would been a good fight since Nico could then get in on it also instead of having to watch mirrors

 
Max's move on Rosberg through Becketts and Chapel was the highlight of the GP for me. I know you've been a bit down on him before but he's been consistently impressive since arriving at Red Bull, not content with being #2. An exciting, instinctive racer to watch IMO.

 

[oqvist]

Don´t recall he had some incident in Monaco?
 
But yeah he certainly takes his chances. All simracing is helping these young drivers a lot. 

 

[MuZo2]

He seems to have gaining fan following, he has 4th driver of the day in 10 races.

 

[Hutnicks]

  Don´t recall he had some incident in Monaco?
 
But yeah he certainly takes his chances. All simracing is helping these young drivers a lot. 

Yeah Monaco
 
 Sim's certainly seem to be giving a big up in the situational awareness avenue. Max at least, looks like an F1 driver with three seasons under his belt in that area.
 
  I still remember Lewis at his first Canadian GP telling the interviewer he learned the track on his PSP

 

[MuZo2]

  I still remember Lewis at his first Canadian GP telling the interviewer he learned the track on his PSP

Didn't someone say same thing this year for Baku?

 

[oqvist]

Didn't someone say same thing this year for Baku?

I think Lewis said he didn´t run the track in the simulator because he wanted to photograph it with his photographic memroy the first time he ran it for real or something

 

[MuZo2]

It was Palmer who used f1 game as Renault did not have that track in simulator.

 

[Hutnicks]

So Merc decides not to go forward with the appeal. Wonder what's going on in their camp right now?

 

[oqvist]

Why would they appeal? Might get worse.

 

[Hutnicks]

Why would they appeal? Might get worse.

They were adamant about appealing the decision. I figured they would make a test case out of it. Let the FIA go crazy and use that to rally the troops to get the rules amended.
 
  Something's up in Mercland, I can smell it.

 

[oqvist]

Crazy qualifying. I was happy I didn´t have to see it live though

 

[Hutnicks]

  Crazy qualifying. I was happy I didn´t have to see it live though

First session was brutal. Red flags galore. Have to feel for the drivers with the whole mess unfolding as it did.
 
Wonder what the new owners for Sauber have in mind?
 
Dead Bull occupying the second row is going to speed up the hangings at the SCUD methinks. Next week will see in some decendant of the Borgia's no doubt taking over race direction.
 
Lew getting pipped by the yellow is going to make turn one a fun event. Merc madness fueled by Dead Bulls trying to make time at the start should be interesting. I still have hopes for a Mad Max start making a real fracas of things. For once I am not hoping for rain at the start

 

[oqvist]

Good race. To bad Max didn´t get a penalty for his changing lines in the braking zones though.

 

[Hutnicks]

  Good race. To bad Max didn´t get a penalty for his changing lines in the braking zones though.

That sort of goes two ways for me. The "one change of direction" rule annoys me as it really eliminates the determined aggressor and ruthless defender battles that we used to experience. A lot of racecraft was eliminated when that rule was applied. Creative overtaking, and outright treachery were removed from the menu.
 
 Rosberg looks completely beaten now. Man, how can coming second in a GP make you that despondant? Ricciardo is now back to the F1 poster boy for dental work.
 
Raikkonen showing excellent form here. Aside from the radio whining he was spot on and would get my pick for driver de jour.  Shame his career is finishing out at the time the SCUD decides to take one giant leap backwards. I would not want to be a staff member at Maranello come Monday morning.