Grand Prix 2017 British Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

We can only hope that Silverstone is closer in the action to Baku than to Austria, which is probably in the running for one of the dullest races this year.
The weather may well come to the rescue at Silverstone, it is often, windy, wet and frequently cold. It's also very flat and used to be very fast until the powers that be decided that fast wasn't really what F1 is about. So starting at Woodcote in 1975 started to make changes to slow the track down. In 1990-91 the tracks transformation from super fast to technical was pretty much complete, although they still tinker and tweak it from time to time. Now they may well be taking a break from 2019 until .....? But we shall know by the time the race is run next week-end.
They say that they can't afford to host the race anymore, and when you look at the other races round the world many are government backed, or at least backed by very rich oil countries, it becomes obvious that to keep pace is not easy, Silverstone does not get Government backing. Who does?
There is a suggestion that Liberty Media buy Silverstone, but that is only a suggestion. There is also a suggestion that the British GP should be run around the Docklands area of London, that might be fun. But it should all be clear soon.
As to the racing this weekend, well if it's wet, the driving conditions will be trickier, which is always good. If it's dry it could well be another Austria. Whatever the conditions, it will favour the Mercedes and the Ferrari, well the Ferrari driven by Vettel anyway, if Raikkonen can be bothered it would favour his Ferrari as well. Hamilton needs a win and I'm sure he would be happy if Vettel's car stuttered to a halt mid race. Meanwhile Bottas just goes quietly about the business of being Bottas and collecting a useful hoard of points.
The Red Bulls are getting better, but it would be brilliant if Max Verstappens car held together for a race. Danni R is doing a good job of point collecting, but two Red Bulls stealing points would be better for the championship. The rest of the field are all very close, and that includes the Williams which I was hoping would be closer to the top teams than the mid field this year, but Lance Stroll is developing which can only be a good thing.
As for McLaren, well what can you say ?
For those of you going to Silverstone I hope it's a fabulous race weekend, for those of you camping at Silverstone I hope the rain holds off.
But for the sake of an interesting race, I hope we get lots of "showers" on Sunday afternoon.
 
Definitely JYS, he was always a pain in the bum, possibly due to his condition and always trying to prove himself and not just in racing, and he knew he was never as good as Clark, that rankled. LH just doesn't care so long as he can drive a good car and do his thing.
 
Sir Jackie set the standard to which F1 drivers now aspire. He was a great driver, he did a mountain of work to improve driver safety as he raced in a very dangerous era but it was, primarily, all about him and what he could make out of the sport. I think he was one of the first to jump out of the UK to avoid paying tax although, in his defence, the upper rate of income tax at that time was around 90% so you had to work bloody hard to make next to nothing.
 
Actually Jim Clark preceded him in living abroad as his earnings were causing a problem to his farm, put in a manager and set it up as a limited company, I think he went to Monaco, until his second WDC Chapman had him on a £1500 retainer plus percentage of the prize and starting money. Whether JYS was a great driver or a fortunate driver is debatable, he certainly didn't enjoy racing as much as Clark, never saw JYS at the Boxing Day meet at Brands when all the other top drivers entered in the Group 2 Saloon thrash.
 
Since you say it is debatable whether JYS was great or fortunate, do you have the same opinion of LH? If not, why not?
 
Definitely fortunate coz he only raced against old timers past their best; and Seb only beat him coz Newey cheated ;)

Aren't they all fortunate?
 
Since you say it is debatable whether JYS was great or fortunate, do you have the same opinion of LH? If not, why not?
LH was the first of the young drivers in a top team, before him it was not expected to join a top team before the age of 24/25, Jim Clark was turned down by Aston Martin F1 team initially as he was only 21 he was then signed by them for the 1959or 60 season but they withdrew. LH has been about for his 3 WDC's probably should have been there at least a couple or more years ago, so unfortunate, he is the quickest of the bunch at the moment though there have been a few near him in last few years.
 
JYS was a dominant driver in an era when all of the drivers got to F1 through talent alone,from all of the various racing forms (sports cars, Indy etc, because the shorter seasons permitted such crossing over) unlike today where it seems that main thing needed is a fat bank account. Thus, the driving talent in F1 is much weaker this decade than in any of the previous years I have been following the sport (over 50 years).

JYS was competing in an era when virtually all of the cars had the same power train, so driving talent was the primary determinant of the outcome. LH has been ensconced in the most dominant CAR in F1 history for the last 3 years and it now appears, given the advantage shown in qualifying last weekend, the the Mercedes engineers have now returned the car to that position yet again. Therefore, the only true competition LH faced was his teammate. In that period, he hasn't exactly embarrassed his number 2 drivers, and lost the championship last year to one.

IMO, it is LH that has been the fortunate one!
 
In terms of Hamilton and fortune, it is difficult to tell. He's had great cars that pushed him to the top, the best timed career move ever and lost a champion team-mate. On the other hand, he's been in poor cars and subject to some poor strategy.

I'd say four titles is about right.
 
On the other hand, he's been in poor cars and subject to some poor strategy.
Which poor cars has he been in then a Minardi, a Toro Rosso, a recent Ferrari (2014- 2016) or a McLaren- Honda?
Hamilton has been in more or less one of the best cars in each of his seasons, except for the better half of 2009.

JYS was a dominant driver in an era when all of the drivers got to F1 through talent alone,from all of the various racing forms (sports cars, Indy etc, because the shorter seasons permitted such crossing over) unlike today where it seems that main thing needed is a fat bank account. Thus, the driving talent in F1 is much weaker this decade than in any of the previous years I have been following the sport (over 50 years).
Haven't most F1 drivers come from a fairly wealthy background? Except Hamilton, who grew up in a tent in the front yard of a council house.
 
And the phenomenon of a driver being accepted onto a team because "he has $x million in backing" is a recent one.
 
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