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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
Could be a fascinating start if Bottas is quick off the line...
2016 Russian Grand Prix
- Thread starter SVT Cobra GT
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- nowcontrol
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Not unless the stewards decide to make an example of him. I doubt he'll take a grid penalty, but I disagree that it was a minor offence. If he did that on the opening lap, it would have the potential to cause a red flag.
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Here comes social media comments about how Nico will be the most undeserving champion and it's not fair.
- 20,681
- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
And if he did that on the opening lap with a car behind him and then stood on the brakes to get round the bollard it would have the potential to do the same or worse.
What was the point of that? At least post something, maybe include the picture as a thumbnail if that's all you've got?
But he didn't, it's all about context. It will be up to Hamilton to argue that he joined the track safely and if there was nobody directly in his path that had to take avoiding action, I should imagine he'll argue successfully.
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If you don't know, then you must have missed something between Q2 and Q3.
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A few tweaks in the second sector would make it more interesting. Turn 8 could be a sweeper, hugging the perimeter of the stadium. The apex of Turn 9 could be brought forward to make it a tighter double-apex bend. Turns 11 and 12 could be a more pronounced pair of corners without losing their speed. And in the final sector, Turns 15 and 16 could be relaxed to become quicker.
They already have one - the Moscow Raceway (which is nowhere near Moscow). Except it's horrible; it's clearly been built to fit into an awkward tract of land.
It's easier said than done to get a circuit built. Bernie had been trying since 1983; that's how we got the Hungarian Grand Prix - Bernie wanted a race behind the Iron Curtain, and had an agreement to hold a race in the Soviet Union, but went to Budapest when the agreement fell through. He tried again in the early 2000s, with a race at Nagatino Island in Moscow, but that didn't work (and has since become a residential development with a bloody history), and then there was an attempt to get an event as Pulskovkoe Airport near St. Petersberg, but that also collapsed.
The rules are the rules, and they say that you go around the bollard. No negotiation.
Not necessarily. Everyone takes a different line through the corner, but by the time the penalty lane rejoins, they have already moved over to the right.
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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
You just posted a naff photoshopped picture... no text or comment from you. Maybe join in the discussion rather than clutter up with pictures (and no effort)?
Ach so, we'll have to disagree
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- pj-gm
- PJwasHere876
It's not that it isn't fair, but it really is being handed to him on a sliver platter right now. He wouldn't be an undeserving champion, rather probably the luckiest in history, and probably one of the worst.
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- TenEightyOne
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GTP_Ingram
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- NowtDaft
Disagree strongly with "one of the worst." This is his fourth year against arguably the fastest driver on the grid. Though he's been beaten by Hamilton on a regular basis, the margins between them tend to be pretty tiny. It isn't as if he's ever been humiliated by him.
Then there was Rosberg's previous team mate. Say what you like about Schumacher's speed in his return to F1, but I'm pretty sure that even at 43 he was still one of the best drivers out there, and Rosberg matched up pretty well against him, too.
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- Peasantslayer
Can't we just finish this season and hand Rosberg the Championship? This Mercedes was supposed to be bulletproof, it is for Rosberg at least.
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- FutureF1
I think people are being unfair to Rosberg. It's not his fault Hamilton is running into issues. He's doing exactly what he needs to do in these opening rounds so give him credit. Most worlds champions are world champions because they had luck on their side. That's just one part of becoming a world champ. There's still a typical length F1 season to go so it's nowhere near over yet.
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Giving a driver who spent his whole career languishing in midfield a car so good that only his teammate can challenge him, doesn't all of a sudden make that driver elite. I don't think this championship is over at all, because I know that if Lewis gets his reliability and his starts together, there is nothing Nico can do to stop him, because a 100% Hamilton is in another driver class.
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- TenEightyOne
- TenEightyOne
It's not a global rule though, the rule is that you rejoin the track safely. It's a track specific directive from the race director:
Yes he broke the directive, not going to argue that, but as far as I can see no penalty is outlined for it and directives are different to rules, technically. There is no penalty outlined in the rules, because it isn't a rule.
Kvyat did it in P3
Yet he wasn't even investigated. So like I say I would imagine as long as Hamilton can show he joined safely, as per the rules, he'll just get a slap on the wrist, since he also gained no advantage.
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Lets use a few facts, shall we, and compare Rosberg to Jenson Button, a driver who personally I rate pretty highly.
In Button's 16 years on the grid (not including the incomplete 2016 season), his average position in the championship standings is 8.6. Rosberg's 10 full seasons (again ignoring 2016, which will skew the score further in Rosberg's favour) result in an average final position of 7.9. If you hold a driver in a lower regard just because of the quality of their car (which I don't, but apparently you do) then do you think Rosberg is a better driver than Button, and by extension that Jenson is a less worthy champion?
Perhaps a more relevant comparison is to take a look at how the pair have performed relative to team mates over their careers. Button's team mates have averaged an average championship position of 10.4, or, to put it another way, Button has outperformed his team mates by 20.6%. Using the same method, Rosberg has outperformed his opponents by 21.5%.
Now, you can discuss the merits of their individual team mates - both have had drivers they have trounced (Sato for Button, Nakajima for Rosberg), but given that Rosberg has spent more than half of his career against two drivers with 10 world titles between them, I'd argue he has had the harder time of things...
Calling Rosberg a bad driver because he has been narrowly beaten by Hamilton is like calling Stirling Moss a bad driver because Fangio was more successful.
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Also despite the early lead Rosberg has in the championship, we're only four races in. There's a long way to go yet. He is the early pacesetter, it's undeniable, but there's every chance that Rosberg could have 3-4 DNFs in a row at any point between now and the end of the season and have his championship lead slashed. You can't predict how the rest of the season is going to pan out. No need for the "just give it to him now" attitudes; once Hamilton is up racing with him, who knows how the action will unfold?
The Chinese race, despite its forgone conclusion, was a great race to watch with action throughout the field. The three-tyre option is making 2016 a great season so far.
The Chinese race, despite its forgone conclusion, was a great race to watch with action throughout the field. The three-tyre option is making 2016 a great season so far.
Hamilton got a reprimand.
http://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-championship/season-2016/event-timing-information-0
Doc 25 stewards decision.
Decision Reprimand
(This is the driver’s 2nd reprimand of the current season)
Reason The driver failed to keep to the left of the red and white polystyrene block in the run off
area.
http://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-championship/season-2016/event-timing-information-0
Doc 25 stewards decision.
Decision Reprimand
(This is the driver’s 2nd reprimand of the current season)
Reason The driver failed to keep to the left of the red and white polystyrene block in the run off
area.
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- Kimky
- Kimky
How about a Mercedes conspiracy so they can have a German champion 
Even if I would love the drama coming from it I just think it's bad luck. We saw it happen to Webber already at rbr. I just hope it will stop soon.
So many races left anyway but Rosberg points could be really handy if Ferrari or/and Rbr can catch up.
Even if I would love the drama coming from it I just think it's bad luck. We saw it happen to Webber already at rbr. I just hope it will stop soon.
So many races left anyway but Rosberg points could be really handy if Ferrari or/and Rbr can catch up.
I know you're not serious but I've really never understood this theory, Hamilton is arguably a far more marketable name for their brand, nationality is unlikely to play any huge role in boosting their figures. Especially when he's not a "full" German. They can already market themselves as dominating F1 and use that to sell their road cars, I don't see how it really matters to them which driver wins it.
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- HamiltonMP427
I still don't get how a pretty decent driver and in some regards better than his dad, would be a worse champion. In reality I think it's quite ironic becaus Keke wasn't really all that amazing himself and never really showed much after winning his championship.
Anyways I give this to Mercedes, the faster straight line running Williams is blocking the Ferrari's that could make a difference, but I don't see Williams having the ability to take the fight to Mercedes. I do see Ferrari leap frogging a very poorly strategic Williams team though.
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It's because people are looking for reasons to discredit him. I'll bet that most of the criticisms are coming from Hamilton fans who don't want to accept that Rosberg is out-performing him this year, and genuinely believe that all things being equal, Hamilton would be in front and untouchable. It's the same as people knocking Vettel in 2011 and 2013 or Button in 2009 as only winning because they had the best car, or Alonso fans criticising Räikkönen in 2007 for only winning because McLaren imploded.
For some reason that I am yet to be able to explain, there is a real partisanship between fans. A rival's success is written off as being a result of good fortune rather than legitimate achievement, because legitimate achievement means that their favourite driver is not the best.
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I'm a massive Hamilton fan and even I think Rosberg is a pretty good opponent when he wants to actually put in the effort. I think he deserves a championship as well, he's just as fast a Hamilton in equal cars. Hamilton usually beats him due to actually having a little bit more skill, but overall he doesn't get outright beat by Lewis. I think if all things were equal the championship would be going either way.
I wont deny that Hamilton is having some bad luck, two engine issues, a transmission issue. Two broken floor boards in consecutive races that destroyed his overall pace and tire wear. However, Rosberg had bad luck himself portions of last year as well, those who have no impartial reasoning with F1, tend to be the problem with F1. The fact it's Peter doing it, doesn't surprise me since that's been his thing, but after being gone and then coming back that doesn't change I suppose.
