Looks like Max is back in form this weekend. I think Norris got lucky with his pole, Max was on a cracker and already purple and up on Lando’s time before Russell ran out of talent and caused everyone to abort their final quali lap.
Typical questionable decision in favor of RBR.
Curious to see how different that looked than all the other 5 second penalties for forcing people off track.
Otherwise pretty good race, I thought.
Don't love the penalty, but also did not like the overtake.
I'm a little surprised McLaren didn't keep their fate in their own hands and give the position back. Lando would have had 4 more laps to complete the overtake. And given the previous penalties in the race, it would have even been fathomable that Max would end up with a 5s penalty dropping him behind Piastri.
Next year is gonna be awesome.
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Isn’t that pretty much what Max did turn 1 at the start? Dive bomb the corner, wind up going wide, but also forces Lando wide. It was the same thing, except Max didn’t even try to keep his own car inside the white line on Lando’s pass attempt.
Not sure how they address the issue but I don’t think it makes for great racing if the defending driver can just park it on the inside and then late brake the corner (and going outside white lines) to force the attacker wide.
All that being said, they should have given the spot back immediately with how close they were after that. Lando didn’t start pulling a gap until around the start finish line. Would have been super easy to give it back and regroup.
Also I forgot my picks this week.
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The rule talks about the apex as to who owns the corner, so with just that one line Lando loses and should have gave the spot back. They should add that the driver who owns the corner needs to maintain control of his car, running wide on exit indicates a loss of control to me, had Max stayed on track it would have been ok. There has to be some allowance for that. There's a decent picture floating around and Max is past the apex and hasn't even turned in yet. This is an incident where the stewards need to consider the rule but also the situation. That said I don't know how you change the results as there is no grounds to penalize Max in the current rules. Lando should have ceded the position immediately and he would have been able to re-attack, Max was on the defensive and desperate, I'm pretty sure he would have got by him.
They should add that the driver who owns the corner needs to maintain control of his car, running wide on exit indicates a loss of control to me, had Max stayed on track it would have been ok. There has to be some allowance for that.
I believe that is the reason why Lando only got 5 seconds and not the usual 10 second penalty.
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If Lando doesn’t win the WDC this year (which looks quite likely he won’t), McClaren pitwall owns at least 50 percent of that failure, in my opinion. This season really illustrates that not only do you need your driver at the top of his game, but the team behind him has to be as well. Lando needs to convert his poles into wins, among other things. McLaren pitwall needs to be more consistent and make assertive calls at key moments.
Lando haphazardly losing the race on the 1st corner for not totally blocking off the inside was it for me. He wouldn't have been forced wide and might have defended the Ferrari push. Everything else afterwards didn't really matter.
Lando flubbed the 1st corner of the race. That's on him.
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Lando haphazardly losing the race on the 1st corner for not totally blocking off the inside was it for me. He wouldn't have been forced wide and might have defended the Ferrari push. Everything else afterwards didn't really matter.
Lando flubbed the 1st corner of the race. That's on him.
Ya, particularly after the sprint race where Max went directly to that same point(from first, and the right side of the track). If the team didn't have him watching that start and paying attention to closing that door, they failed too. As soon as I saw Max head left, it was obvious what his line was going to be. I wonder if it is because you can't come in that sharp during the race, but at the start you are slower so it turns out to be a really good line to be on, possibly the best for this track.
But I also don't believe sending one down the inside and leaving the track should mean you ultimately gain the position, even if your rival leaves the track too, particularly when you don't really leave any other option for them. They flubbed the overtake, and in my mind that should be no change in position.
Congrats to TimSJ for top spot this week with 3 slotted, 8 top ten, and 20pts. McCree was second with 3&7 for 19 points...McCree this was your second missed race picks though!
Overall the race at the top tightened as me and 3thirty had a tough week with Agulati in a tie for 2nd and 6pts back of the lead.
Mexico is this week!
Spoiler!
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