Grand Prix 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Off to Imola for round two of the 2021 season with 63 laps around the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Round one proved quite exciting, if you can remember that far back. Red Bull look to have the fastest car but Mercedes won the tactical battle in Bahrain and created the opportunity for Hamilton to use all his skill and experience to pull off an unlikely win.

There are still many unanswered questions. How will Sergio Perez get on if he can make it round the formation lap? Are the McLaren cars really the third best on the grid? Can Lando beat Daniel again? Will Sebastian Vettel work out which pedal you push to make the car go faster? How quick is the Alpha Tauri? Will Alpine run Alonso on half tanks for a second race, just to allow him to run near the front for a few laps? Have Ferrari built a car capable of a podium? Which team will finish last, Haas or Williams? Just on Haas, will Mazepin make it past the first corner?

Lots to think about, lots to look forward to and, hopefully, lots to enjoy.

 

[Johnny Carwash]

How come the tinfoil hat brigade haven't been shouting about Bottas and Russell deliberately bouncing in to one another just after Hammy dropped it to get the race red flagged?

Because they are still arguing about the race in Sakkir when they thought that Mercedes deliberately sabotaged George Russell.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Because they are still arguing about the race in Sakkir when they thought that Mercedes deliberately sabotaged George Russell.

that was jack aitken right who sabotaged

 

[The Artist.....]

Bottas is currently in the same situation as David Coulthard was at McLaren from about 1999 onwards... Not a top-line talent, always the second driver in the team, but blocking one of the top seats, preventing either up-and-coming talent from taking the seat, or from a true top driver taking that seat.

It's drivers like Bottas, sitting in top seats, whilst not really being up to the level of their team-mates that makes me want to have a "central contracts" of F1 drivers (with promotion and relegation), with drivers randomly drawn into teams (or even on a rota across the season) for each GP weekend.

 

[Dartman]

To be fair Bottas is not like Coulthard at McLaren, Coultard generally was quick and kept Hakkinen on his toes, Coulthard's problem was brain fade and crashing for no reason, possibly because he had concentration problems, Bottas just can't race he's quick in open air or following Hamilton just not good in mid field bit like Vettel.