[Hutnicks]

   
Very true. Drivers have become managers behind the wheel for limited fuel and tires.
 
I hope we eventually get to see them not worrying about that stuff. Might have to bring back refueling and stop intentionally degrading the tires. Maybe then we'll see who's fast enough to make up enough time for an extra pit window if needed (like Schumacher in his glory days). Would love to see who is the most talented raw driver between Hamilton and Vettel.
 
 
Good points.
 
Hitting the wall was my thought on Baku. That track was almost as narrow and limiting as Monaco. Some of the moves we're debating would certainly put drivers into the walls there. Hard to avoid parade laps when you're stuck between another car and a cement wall.
 
Btw, our discussion here highlights just how difficult, technical, competitive, and historical F1 really is.
 

I am more and more starting to believe that it is coming down to a question of what F1 is intended to be.
 
Is it the epitome of what an automobile and driver is capable of achieving on a road course? Or is it an entertainment vehicle bound to deliver a spectacle delivered under constraints?

 

[gr8soundz]

I think now it is both of those things.
 
F1 started as (and in many ways still is) the pinnacle of driver and technology but the cars became too fast so more restrictions were added. Once sponsors came in more teams joined which made the sport more marketable. With marketing comes money, therefore making it part entertainment.
 
Now the enormous restrictions exist to keep F1 more competitive thus not upsetting all the money it makes from being entertaining. So much so that we've seen rules changed then reversed within the same season.
 
Teams still find ways to get ahead but F1 has become it's own worst enemy.
 

 

[Hutnicks]

  I think now it is both of those things.
 
F1 started as (and in many ways still is) the pinnacle of driver and technology but the cars became too fast so more restrictions were added. Once sponsors came in more teams joined which made the sport more marketable. With marketing comes money, therefore making it part entertainment.
 
Now the enormous restrictions exist to keep F1 more competitive thus not upsetting all the money it makes from being entertaining. So much so that we've seen rules changed then reversed within the same season.
 
Teams still find ways to get ahead but F1 has become it's own worst enemy.
 

I think you are dead right on that. It is now some form of hybrid itself with an identity crises.
One of the biggest complaints, and what keeps new fans away is the almost incomprehensible rules systems in place. Trying to explain with a straight face to a new viewer how a 45 place grid penalty can be levied is well nigh impossible. Add to that the inevitable incredulous "What, you mean they actually build the tyres to wear out?" comments I always get make it a hard sell to newcomers.
 
 The rules of Fizzbin make more sense.

 

[SP Wild]

How passionate are today's athlete are about being the best? Willing to die trying? That is the fundamental issue.

We are unable to reconcile our evolutionary destiny with our animalistic past.

 

[Hutnicks]

And so the stage is set here. I still cannot come to the conclusion that Hamilton is NOT the favorite to win it all this year. Too strong, too many comebacks from defecits and too much overcoming of bad luck to not favour him on this one. Logic and numeracy takes a back seat in this years finale.
 
Evil track for passing with Nico having DannyRic and Two SCUDs up his butt to start with.
 
I will be watching as Mad Max no doubt will try to overcome his qually mishap by the second corner which may in fact trigger the "Me too, I was the young prodigy, Remember???" response from an ever mentally deteriorating Vettel. His ability to emulate Kyvat on the starts is increasing.
 
 This of course leaves the ever so hapless and abused Kimi in the proverbial pooh sandwich position. The front of the grids perpetual bullseye could well come a cropper on this start.
 
 Should the front 6 make it through the second turn unscathed this could play out interestingly. By now Ric must have had serious words over the RB pit strategy blunders this year so he could be podium poised. Similarly I suspect Kimi has used up his quota of Italian What's in Scudland and should he escape the first lap he could possibly contend for a top 3 finish.
 
 I am sincerely hoping that the backpressure from Max will push this into a real race rather than a "hands off, let Nico alone on this one" typical F1 parade.
 
 Wild cards here are the two ever rising Force India's. Moreso than Deadbull, I think they have the ability to be spoilers in this particular race.

 

[gr8soundz]

True. Hard to image Hamilton not winning the championship this year.
 
Hasn't all been bad luck though. I'd forgotten how Mercedes swapped team sides in the garage until the subject just resurfaced. No wonder Lewis had so many overheating clutches and engine failures. What kind of team intentionally messes with a 2x winning combination?
 
Nico will have to make a mistake for Lewis to win though. Nico hasn't handled the pressure perfectly in previous years but Hamilton's been in these situations so many times since '07.
 

 

[WraithApe]

Yes, really looking forward to it! I don't hold out too much hope for Lewis though tbh. Nico's consistently done what he's needed to do for the last few races - is he really going to fall at the last hurdle? Pressure might get to him though I guess, he's certainly less adept at handling it than Hammer. Hoping for some first corner carnage too!
 
Sad to see JB in an F1 car for probably the last time tomorrow too. He's been a credit to the sport over the years and was a deserving WDC. True gent.

 

[oqvist]

Nico has to be favourite. Of course he runs on older hardware where Lewis is on spanking new. But he should be able to run home an easy second in safe mode.

 

[Hutnicks]

  True. Hard to image Hamilton not winning the championship this year.
 
Hasn't all been bad luck though. I'd forgotten how Mercedes swapped team sides in the garage until the subject just resurfaced. No wonder Lewis had so many overheating clutches and engine failures. What kind of team intentionally messes with a 2x winning combination?
 
Nico will have to make a mistake for Lewis to win though. Nico hasn't handled the pressure perfectly in previous years but Hamilton's been in these situations so many times since '07.
 

Caught the interview where Hammer said we'd have to wait 10 years for his next book to find out why the teams were swapped over. I can hardly wait.
 

  Yes, really looking forward to it! I don't hold out too much hope for Lewis though tbh. Nico's consistently done what he's needed to do for the last few races - is he really going to fall at the last hurdle? Pressure might get to him though I guess, he's certainly less adept at handling it than Hammer. Hoping for some first corner carnage too!
 
Sad to see JB in an F1 car tomorrow for probably the last time tomorrow too. He's been a credit to the sport over the years and was a deserving WDC. True gent.

 
Sad to see Button go out with such a dismal team. It would have been nice to see him up front for his last season.
 
Lets see if the hounds get loosed on this one!

 

[gr8soundz]

Congrats to Nico.
 
2016 is now officially one of the strangest years ever:
 
Brexit, Trump, and now Rosberg wins F1 championship.
 

 

[Hutnicks]

  Congrats to Nico.
 
2016 is now officially one of the strangest years ever:
 
Brexit, Trump, and now Rosberg wins F1 championship.
 

Could not have said it better myself.

 

[WraithApe]

Yeah, congrats to Nico.
 
Bit disappointed to hear Merc's radio messages to Lewis towards the end of the race. They had to understand why he did what he did. Like any real competitor, he did everything in his power to give himself a chance of winning the championship. Also good for the spectacle! If he'd just gone flat out and let Nico finish a comfortable second, it would have been a lot less exciting in the last 5 laps. A procession would have been bad for the sport, and Toto Wolff et al should recognize that.

 

[Hutnicks]

  Yeah, congrats to Nico.
 
Bit disappointed to hear Merc's radio messages to Lewis towards the end of the race. They had to understand why he did what he did. Like any real competitor, he did everything in his power to give himself a chance of winning the championship. Also good for the spectacle! If he'd just gone flat out and let Nico finish a comfortable second, it would have been a lot less exciting in the last 5 laps. A procession would have been bad for the sport, and Toto Wolff et al should recognize that.

Well in the afterview Wolff admitted he was of two minds on that one. I suspect it was more Lauda's pressure that had the radio ablaze. Odd thing there was I did not see Vettel as any real threat in the mix. The Ferrari was close on speed but he used the rubber to the maximum to get past the Redbull and I believe he would have been hard pressed to actually get by Nico let alone threaten Hamilton for the win. The RB's were the key here and they failed to mount the challenge hammer needed for a WDC win.

 

[gr8soundz]

  Yeah, congrats to Nico.
 
Bit disappointed to hear Merc's radio messages to Lewis towards the end of the race. They had to understand why he did what he did. Like any real competitor, he did everything in his power to give himself a chance of winning the championship. Also good for the spectacle! If he'd just gone flat out and let Nico finish a comfortable second, it would have been a lot less exciting in the last 5 laps. A procession would have been bad for the sport, and Toto Wolff et al should recognize that.

 
Agree 100%.
 
Couldn't believe their radio messages to Lewis. The team always said they would let the guys race and the constructor's title was clinched weeks ago. It's not like Hamilton tried to wreck anyone as Nico did 3x this year (twice against Lewis).
 
Giving team orders in final race where either driver could win the title only goes to show favoritism toward Nico.
 

 

[WraithApe]

 
Well in the afterview Wolff admitted he was of two minds on that one. I suspect it was more Lauda's pressure that had the radio ablaze. Odd thing there was I did not see Vettel as any real threat in the mix. The Ferrari was close on speed but he used the rubber to the maximum to get past the Redbull and I believe he would have been hard pressed to actually get by Nico let alone threaten Hamilton for the win. The RB's were the key here and they failed to mount the challenge hammer needed for a WDC win.

 
You're absolutely right - I've just listened to Wolff and Lauder's post-race interviews and while Wolff was caught between two stools, Lauder was unequivocal in his condemnation of Lewis. Kinda ridiculous to hear him towing the company line like that. He actually said something like "I don't know whether Lewis had a problem with the car, but I couldn't understand why he was going so slow"! Playing dumb to the max. The interviewer asked him whether he would have done the same thing when he was racing... *thinks for quite a while* "actually no, because I wouldn't have wanted to upset the team". *cough cough bull**** cough*!
 
Yeah,definitely wasn't going to happen anyway, as Max's tyres had starting falling off, and Nico would've been able to defend from Vettel. But to fault Hamilton for trying that tactic is very harsh IMO.