Grand Prix 2018 Austrian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

There will be a car in Austria this weekend that should be regarded as one of the most famous ever made. It's a silver-grey colour and in most respects not that remarkable. The chap who drove around in it was an extremely divisive figure. Arrogant and authoritarian, loved by many but equally hated by a good many as well.

Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes?

No.

The car in question sits in the Museum of Military History in Vienna. It's a Graf and Stift Automobile and was the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife Sophie were murdered on the 28th of June 1914. Just 30 days later and the powers of Europe entered into a war that in four years would see around 31 million (just get that number around your head) people who had taken up arms, killed, wounded or missing in action and the deaths of around 8 million civilians.

At the end of the war, the so-called war to end all wars, Europe was left shattered and broken. The victorious powers took their revenge on the Central powers, dismantling the old orders, pulling apart the Austro-Hungarian empire and in the Treaty of Versailles, attempting to ensure such a thing could never happen again.

The disaffected soldiers of the Central Powers returned home to find a collapsed economy, fragile leadership and no real hope. While the great depression badly affected the globe, it created in central Europe the seeds for another power to rise. The leader of the National Socialists was a down on his luck, former Army Corporal, born in Austria but now settled in Munich. His rise to power has been well documented.

After the second world war the Allied Powers showed they had learnt their lesson from the failures of Versailles and a great deal of effort went in to re-building German industry. Great car makers such as Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen were soon turning out vehicles at an impressive rate. Mercedes dominated for a few years in Formula 1, taking back their place at the head of Grand Prix racing they'd held with their great rivals Auto Union during the inter war years.

Austria had never produced formula 1 cars but they certainly produced great drivers and two of the best known were the 1970 world champion Jochen Rindt and the triple world champion Niki Lauda.

Then in 1987, a drinks company was formed in Austria, modifying an energy drink already on sale in the far east, it became known worldwide as Red Bull. Already involved in sponsoring F1 cars, they eventually purchased the remains of the Jaguar team in 2004 and in 2005, Red Bull Racing was born. Much like Benetton before them, Red Bull took a while to establish themselves in F1, all this changed when along came a German. One Sebastian Vettel. Quickly taking the team to the top step of the podium and then on to drivers and constructors world championships, Austria could now lay claim to having both World Champion Drivers and a World Champion team. Something that America, the great bastion of the motor car cannot yet claim.

Red Bull saw an opportunity to bring F1 back to Austria in the shape of the Red Bull Ring. Formally known as the A1 Ring and before that, the fearsome, Osterreichring and it is here that we will find ourselves this weekend.

Finally, one last bizarre fact that will take us back to where we started.

The First World War ended on the 11th of November 1918. The 100th anniversary will be this year.

The 11th of November 1918 can be written as 11/11/18

The registration plate of the car in which the Archduke was killed?

A111118

Bizarre but true.
 
Well, Mercedes has some new parts and Renault now has party mode. So far, in the first two practices, we are seeing Mercedes on top and Haas making up the best of the rest. Maybe Romaine will finally get some points this weekend.
 
Hope so. It took me by surprise that he hadnt scored a point because with haas always being around the top 10. I assumed he had
 
Hope so. It took me by surprise that he hadnt scored a point because with haas always being around the top 10. I assumed he had
Yea, he is one of only two drivers in F1 this season who has not scored (the other is Sitrotkin). He has been cursed, but he does have a decent car, so maybe he can turn around the second half of the season.
 
Yea, he is one of only two drivers in F1 this season who has not scored (the other is Sitrotkin). He has been cursed, but he does have a decent car, so maybe he can turn around the second half of the season.

Well he has to because after the fuss from the move to Haas was To get the ferrari drive. That is long gone as he quite far down the pecking order if even still on it. leclerc Hamilton Riccardio verstappen Maybe perez all above him

This is this best iys going to get for him
 
Well he has to because after the fuss from the move to Haas was To get the ferrari drive. That is long gone as he quite far down the pecking order if even still on it. leclerc Hamilton Riccardio verstappen Maybe perez all above him

This is this best iys going to get for him

Well, I like Grosjean. I think he is a very good driver, although he has periods of difficulty. That said, if I was Ferrari I would certainly consider Hamilton, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez and maybe Leclerc ahead of him.
 
Gearbox penalty for Leclerc and a 40% chance of rain during quali with Vettel a smidge faster than Hamilton in FP3, should be interesting!
 
I wonder if Verstappen's refusal to obey team orders during qualifying, and the subsequent hard feelings on the part of Dan R will have any effect on the latter's decision for next year.

Personally, I still think that RB are backing the wrong horse. IMO, Max is too immature, both emotionally and intellectually to be a team leader, at least for now.
 
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Vettel given a 3 place grid penalty for blocking Sainz.

Oh goody, we get to continue the debate over whether Vettel is just being unfairly penalized by Charlie Whiting.

Even more exciting...he has to pass Grosjean and Verstappen. This could get entertaining.
 
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Anyhow, this could be an interesting race....but probably for the wrong reasons.

1. Will Bottas and Hamilton be allowed to race?
2. How much of challenge will it be for Vettel to pass Grosjean and Verstappen?
3. Will Raikkonnen dutifully pull over for Vettel?
4. Will Grosjean finally score a point?
5. Has Leclerec signed a contract for Ferrari?
6. I really can't think of anything else particularly exciting, can you?
 
A Mercedes pole is not a surprise bottas goes well here. It was his last great performance in 2017 as it was downhill from there. this is a track made for mercedes along with monza. So with a new engine fresher than ferrari it was likely going to happen. As a mercedes engine has got pole & win in every race of the return. Look at the domination of the 1st 3 races
2014 - 4 of top 6
2015 - 5 of top 6
2016 - top 3

Riccardio i can see why he complaining as he wants any advantage he can get. But trying to manufacture toes dont give advantange because it usually compromises the 1st or last sector. It why people stopped it at Baku. As much as critized grosjean & haas that was a brilliant performance joint 3rd best team this weekend. Finally force india big shock as engine track going out in Q1. I wonder if this ownership issues been going 7 or 8 months are costing them on track
 
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