[Official] Rate the Grand Prix: Russian Grand Prix 2019

[Born Racer]

What's your score?

[chillibowl]

8. Things dont always play out in the most exciting way but the ongoing strategy implication that ran through this race were great. More of a cerebral race then a visual one and i liked that. Very Russian i guess.

Also like how race control kept us involved.

Plus MiGs.

[Akrapovic]

3. It looked like it was about to be a great battle between team mates for the lead. That didn't happen and nothing happened after that.

[Neil22]

6, not the best and not the worst race so far.

[gert]

4.

It had potential for a nice battle but that never materialized after the SC and Mercedes lucking in on the top 2 positions. It was all stale from that point on

[bjohnsonsmith]

As a race, I didn't think it was particularly good but I thought it was intriguing, in that Ferrari had got themselves into this mess and it became a matter of how are they were going to rectify this. When it looked like they had, Vettel's engine went, causing him to stop on the track and bringing out the VSC. Lewis and Mercedes, who were hoping for such an opportunity, got lucky and took advantage of it. 6

[GT6]

5 from me

[Aysedasi]

7. Would have been 6 but I added another one on for Albon's performance.

[Alan52]

Compared to most of the previous snoozefests at Sochi it was a 10.Compared to most of the races after Paul Ricard it was a 6.Split the difference and gave it an 8.

[Casper]

I think Ferrari's new game plan is an interesting approach. It seems to me they don't have the confidence to back themselves to run away at the front preferring to instead place MB in particular at a disadvantage by manipulating positions and restricting the race pace but this is only the second race where they have very visibly tried this sort of tactic. It will be interesting to see if they continue to pursue this policy of restrict and contain other teams in this manner. I suspect they still cannot get their heads around the idea that they might have a faster or at least equal car at last and their team tactics also have Italian confusion built in which lets them down. An interesting race from that POV and I bet Mercedes are still shaking their heads and wondering how a team can stuff up so badly so many times.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Casper

I think Ferrari's new game plan is an interesting approach. It seems to me they don't have the confidence to back themselves to run away at the front preferring to instead place MB in particular at a disadvantage by manipulating positions and restricting the race pace but this is only the second race where they have very visibly tried this sort of tactic. It will be interesting to see if they continue to pursue this policy of restrict and contain other teams in this manner. I suspect they still cannot get their heads around the idea that they might have a faster or at least equal car at last and their team tactics also have Italian confusion built in which lets them down. An interesting race from that POV and I bet Mercedes are still shaking their heads and wondering how a team can stuff up so badly so many times.

I think they may have damaged their driver relationship beyond redemption too. Well done Ferrari.

[Casper]

That could well be but as the drivers don't have a choice of moving teams due to very few if any options they will all have to get over it and march on so to speak. I doubt if anyone will say exactly what happened and all the speculation is just pointless but the internet is the internet and in the end all we do is speculate without facts 99% of the time.

[TrapezeArtist]

7. I almost gave it an extra point for the delicious irony of a broken Ferrari causing a safety car which gave Mercedes just the opportunity they needed to jump the other Ferrari.

BTW, the post-race stuff on C4 was full of comments about who was lucky or unlucky with the safety car. Teams spend all those millions and it comes down to luck! It's time to ditch the safety car and find a better solution.

[S griffin]

6. Some interesting strategy, mid race drama and some great overtakes by the RBRs

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist

7. I almost gave it an extra point for the delicious irony of a broken Ferrari causing a safety car which gave Mercedes just the opportunity they needed to jump the other Ferrari.

BTW, the post-race stuff on C4 was full of comments about who was lucky or unlucky with the safety car. Teams spend all those millions and it comes down to luck! It's time to ditch the safety car and find a better solution.

No need to ditch the virtual safety car, just change the rule. When the virtual safety car comes out shut the pits for one lap.

[Casper]

That teams can pit during VSC periods adds to the unpredictability of F1 as few other things can and can definitely upset team planning which can't be a bad thing at all. Everyone wants unpredictable results except when it puts their own favourite teams on the back foot, isn't that strange.

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

No need to ditch the virtual safety car, just change the rule. When the virtual safety car comes out shut the pits for one lap.

I agree with you. The safety car is an abomination. The virtual safety car is much better and only requires a few tweaks to make it work extremely well. Number one tweak would be to not allow routine tyre changes while the VSC is in force.

The process of actually closing the pitlane would need some careful formulation of the rules. Perhaps it would be better to let cars pit but not allow tyre changes, which would allow for nose changes, etc. Or maybe allow tyre changes only for punctures, but that might be difficult to police.

Other ideas which may or may not work:
Replace the time delta by a speed limit.
No weaving or abrupt braking.
All cars to go to the edge of the track when directed by marshals (for marshal protection, but also to help them avoid running over debris).
Loss of tyre and brake temperature, rubber pickup, etc is just tough luck. It's the same for everyone.

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by Casper

That teams can pit during VSC periods adds to the unpredictability of F1 as few other things can and can definitely upset team planning which can't be a bad thing at all. Everyone wants unpredictable results except when it puts their own favourite teams on the back foot, isn't that strange.

If I want unpredictability, I can go to a casino. When I watch sport, I like to see the best overall performance win.

[S griffin]

To be fair the VSC isn’t the most artificial thing to decide races. Besides it’s always nice to see a few surprises

[gert]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

When the virtual safety car comes out shut the pits for one lap.

What difference would that make?
If the VSC takes more than 1 lap, those who still need to stop just stop on lap 2 of the VSC.
In yesterday's race, Hamilton and Bottas would still have stopped under the VSC (and still have gained an advantage on Leclerc) as would Albon and a whole lot of others...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by gert

What difference would that make?
If the VSC takes more than 1 lap, those who still need to stop just stop on lap 2 of the VSC.
In yesterday's race, Hamilton and Bottas would still have stopped under the VSC (and still have gained an advantage on Leclerc) as would Albon and a whole lot of others...

The difference is it gives a driver/team the opportunity to dive into the pits, before the rest of the field has been collected.

[chillibowl]

leclerc got a free stop as well no? Plus he got on the same compound as ham but fresher by a lap or two. Arguably he benefited more from the SC/VSC.

Really he needed to get around Bottas...thats where his race was lost.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist

If I want unpredictability, I can go to a casino. When I watch sport, I like to see the best overall performance win.

A POV I don't share and those who complain of the monotony of MB championships and race wins don't either.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist

If I want unpredictability, I can go to a casino. When I watch sport, I like to see the best overall performance win.

Agreed.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Casper

A POV I don't share and those who complain of the monotony of MB championships and race wins don't either.

Agree with you here too Casper, but turning the sport into a game of dice doesn't work on any level.