In the round-up: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the French Grand Prix was his team’s best performance so far this season.
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What they say
Wolff said Mercedes only had a few minor problems in a race they dominated:
Often when you look at it from a TV perspective it doesn’t really tell all the little dramas that happened behind.
We were trying to manage the car in the right way to avoid all troubles. At a certain stage we had some very shallow blistering on the tyres. It wasn’t a worry but it was interesting to see.
And a little misfire on Valtteri’s engine that caused a little bit of a headache but overall I am really happy with the team’s performance this weekend. I think it was our strongest showing so far this season.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
I dearly love Formula 1, truly I do, but these far distant DRS manoeuvres can hardly be considered earned overtaking moves.
— Steve Matchett (@MrSteveMatchett) June 23, 2019
#F1 u really need to get your act together. Its supposed to be motor RACING. Also known as motor SPORT. Its neither racing or sport at the moment. You know overtaking is an issue, you know the playing field needs to be evened out. Stop dithering and make the tough decisions now.
— Alex Yoong (@alexyoong) June 23, 2019
Over the last two days I’ve commentated on two races. For the first time ever in FE, the top 3 on the podium were the top 3 on the grid. I’m not saying one is better than the other, I’ve loved F1 since I was 6, but it is undoubtedly a stark contrast compared to today’s race.
— Jack Nicholls (@Jack_Nicholls) June 23, 2019
F1 with all the money in the world have made a sport which races on neutered skid pads with yawn inducing DRS passes while drives nurse their tires in front of sparse grandstands full of fans spending a fortune on tickets. Where did it all go wrong? #FrenchGP
— Gavin Ward 🇨🇦 (@GDubRacer) June 23, 2019
No regrets. I tried. Would rather that than sit back without a heart.
— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) June 23, 2019
F1’s problem is Lewis Hamilton.. he’s too good!! 😂😂 if it wasn’t for this, races would be more fun!
— Pipo Derani (@PipoDerani) June 23, 2019
OK so the race wasn't great but here's all the drivers and team bosses plus @JeanTodt, Chase Carey and others wearing Jackie Stewart caps to mark his 80th birthday.#F1 #FrenchGP pic.twitter.com/DgKNPM8KeB
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) June 23, 2019
Not to brag, but my record is 100% for clients winning endurance races in 2019. Daytona 24h, WEC Sebring, Sebring 12h, Le Mans 24h and NBR24h. So if any teams wants to win any further endurance races this year, I am freelance and available for hire 😉! Congrats @AMR_Official!!! pic.twitter.com/LutHTlR7hs
— Jamey Price (@jameypricephoto) June 23, 2019
I am thoroughly enjoying this @IndyCar race from @roadamerica where they have installed a remarkable innovation designed to keep drivers within the confines of the circuit.
I believe it's called "grass".#IndyCar
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) June 23, 2019
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Points just out of reach in France (Racing Point)
"I think we stopped a little bit too late because I could feel the tyres dropping off towards the end of my first stint, which cost us some time. There was also some life left in the mediums when I finished the race."
"Our race was compromised from lap one as I went wide into turn two and got boxed out. I didn’t realise how much grip there was on the outside and I lost a few positions. We were quicker than the cars in front but struggled to get past them as everyone was in the DRS train, so I spent most of the race behind another car."
"It was a long, difficult day and I’m disappointed, especially being here in France. From qualifying, I have struggled for grip and it was the same in the race. At the moment I don’t have the answer but I’m sure we will analyse everything to understand exactly why we lacked pace."
"With my first attempt to overtake Robert around the outside, I ran wide and hit the polystyrene board. We thought that wasn’t too much of an issue but then we found that damage to the front wing worsened. For safety reasons we decided on the change."
Highlights Race 1 - WTCR Race of Germany 2019 (WTCR via YouTube)
Highlights Race 2 - WTCR Race of Germany 2019 (WTCR via YouTube)
Highlights Race 3 - WTCR Race of Germany 2019 (WTCR via YouTube)
Race two - Donington Park 2019 (BRDC via YouTube)
Race three - Donington Park 2019 (BRDC via YouTube)
24h Race Nürburgring 2019 Full Race Highlights (Nurburgring 24 hours via YouTube)
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Comment of the day
The stewards have taken a lot of flak over recent penalties, but are the tracks really to blame?
While I can see the problem with Ricciardo’s overtaking on the final lap, this is getting ridiculous.
The biggest issue is that a lot of tracks are changed in a why that allow you to take some advantage by going a little outside. A proper circuit will have a patch of grass or gravel, thus such maneuvers, if working at all, will be simply brilliant.
The new updates with ‘safety’ Tarmac are a complete disgrace for the sport. It’s counter intuitive and ugly driving on them – the instinct tells you where the grip is, but the book thinks differently. If I fasted forward 20 years ago to now I would never believe that what I have watched today was a F1 race. It would have looked to me as the local driving school.
Nacho Nachev
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On this day in F1
- 35 years ago today Brabham’s Nelson Piquet withstood a late charge from Martin Brundle to win in Detroit. However Tyrrell were later thrown out of the championship, so Elio de Angelis was promoted to second.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th June 2019, 0:12
LOL at your tweet, Keith, as well as Jamey Price.
“keep[ing] drivers within the confines of the circuit” using grass? Didn’t we just do that like a fortnight ago?
bob (@riptide)
24th June 2019, 8:53
Does this tweet mean we spend the rest of the season pretending we are not visiting numerous F1 tracks with grass; and ignore Indycar when its all concrete or a series of 90 degree turns?
Hemingway (@)
24th June 2019, 0:19
F1 is not a sport. It’s all become too much of a show. It’s getting to the point that I’m about to stop watching after 20+ years. The carpark runoffs, the lack of competition, the questionable application of the rules, and the lack of progress is all too much. W series is more of a sport than F1.
Steveetienne
24th June 2019, 9:39
There is no Sport. There is entertainment and commercial interests.
stefano (@alfa145)
24th June 2019, 0:55
those WTCR replays are the loveliest thing!
Niefer (@niefer)
24th June 2019, 4:59
Yes, Pipo, HAM is too good indeed, but what truly spoils the fun is Mercedes. They did this at the 50s, they’re doing it again.
COTD, I agree. However, without solving the ever-poking stewarding conundrum, I don’t see it solved, incidents-wise.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
24th June 2019, 6:59
Any news on the attendance figures for race day?
No matter how many went I doubt if any of them had a thrilling time :/
bob (@riptide)
24th June 2019, 10:48
Down 25,000 over the three days. Which given its the difficult second album and last years traffic issues, was considered to be pretty good.
In my time Iv’e yet to meet more than a handful of spectators who haven’t been thrilled about what they have just witnessed; and most first time attendees are just blown away.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
24th June 2019, 12:10
Most people will try to make their own fun anyway (unless they are terminally dull) and first time I remember being blown away just by the sound ;)
25,000 isn’t to bad for sure all things considered and is a lot less than some had suspected. Let’s hope – for the sport – that numbers stay healthy though what looks like being a fairly predictable season.
One or two engine problems with the Mercedes upgrade would be welcome about now for me.
Phil-f1-21
24th June 2019, 7:23
The comments by AlexYoong and Gavin Ward sum things up nicely. F1 needs to take decisive and yes, difficult decisions now. Or it will slowly die as a sport.
Judging by Toto’s comments even Mercedes are surprised by how easy it’s all become.
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th June 2019, 10:18
I enjoyed the race to be honest
Jere (@jerejj)
24th June 2019, 13:02
@johnmilk Same here. Yes, it definitely wasn’t a classic, but neither the worst ever. Once again, even if there wasn’t too much excitement on the very top of the field, there was excitement further down the field more or less throughout the race be it close racing for numerous laps or strategic decisions and their impact on track positions.
Joao (@johnmilk)
24th June 2019, 14:42
@jerejj I’m glad that if I’m going crazy, I’m not the only one
but what you said is precisely how I saw it
Jere (@jerejj)
24th June 2019, 13:07
Regarding Alex Yoong’s tweet: They can’t make decisions like that now, though. Changes that significant need time, and addressing those two specific topics indeed is the target for 2021 as is widely known.
Robbie (@robbie)
24th June 2019, 13:30
Exactly. Surprised an ‘F1 insider’ would even say this. It is exactly the ‘now’ decisions that have gotten F1 where it is via BE. Liberty will get F1 out of this mode in the deliberate manner they are doing it, and when existing contracts have run out.
maiagus
24th June 2019, 13:19
There is a point to be taken from Wolff’s statement: TV has not been able to show us what is affecting the cars and the race.
I am not sure if we want of can cope with a second screen full of graphics, but just showing the cars exterior is not enough anymore. Maybe some version of the telemetry or even a technical/telemetry analyst would be required in future brodcasting. Mission control rooms have to be incorporated in the program.
I confess that sometimes the gaps fluctuation on a timesheet gives me a more precise – and exciting I dare to say – version of the race.
Yes, some people would be bored by speadsheets and graphics, but there is where the performance is really going on. They should be available even as an alternative.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
24th June 2019, 13:53
I don’t watch. I listen to the radio with a few screens open on multiple monitors. A screen of the kind of stuff you suggest would be awesome for me. I have plenty of spare monitors to accommodate it.
I wouldn’t necessarily know what I was looking at but it would be massively entertaining :)
hobo (@hobo)
24th June 2019, 14:44
@maiagus – F1 could certainly release or make available more data for those interested. But I don’t think that is what F1 is missing at the moment. It would be interesting to know that Mercedes is chasing down faults and heading off problems before they kill the car. However, when they are winning every race and finishing most of them 1-2, it doesn’t really matter how they do it.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
25th June 2019, 0:09
F1tvpro paid subscription app is exactly that. Dual screen, onboards, sector times, tyres, tyre laps, gaps, circuit map with positions. In live and replay, nice to analyze some parts of the race follow the driver you’re rooting for. It has its weaknesses sometimes big and it’s not free but it is usable most of the time so far.