In the round-up: Sebastian Vettel has revealed why he went off on the final lap of the German Grand Prix, which almost cost him second place to Daniil Kvyat.
What they say
Vettel revealed he was trying to claim the bonus point for fastest lap when he went off at the Mercedes Arena on the final lap at the Hockenheimring:I went off because I was pushing for fastest lap. As I said it didn’t work. But that’s what we do in a race, you try to chase the limit and get very close to it. Sometimes you get too close.
I think I’m not the only guy who went a little bit too close on that day in that race. This time fortunately I picked the right place rather than the wrong place but overall I think it was a very challenging race, very challenging conditions, so happy that we made it the chequered flags and used our chances when we got them, especially in the second half of the race or the last third especially.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
Snapshot
Mercedes’ Formula 1-based road car, the Project One, has been delayed. The hypercar, which will feature an F1-derived 1.6-litre V6 hybrid turbo engine, is now expected to go on sale in 2021, two years later than originally planned.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
When @alex_albon starts his first race for @redbullracing at @circuitspa he will be the least experienced driver to drive for them since @robertdoornboss at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, who had eight prior starts to his name (all with Minardi).#F1
(Pic from the Brazilian GP) pic.twitter.com/qDZFT8sB40
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Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Perez surprised by Stroll's pace (Racer)
"I think his race pace is quite good. He’s improving. I think the driver he is today to where he was when he arrived, he has improved massively, so there is a lot to come from him."
Japanese F3 to be renamed Super Formula Lights in 2020 (Formula Scout)
"Japanese Formula 3 has confirmed it will be renamed Super Formula Lights next year, ending a 41-year use of the F3 name in Japan."
"As he got older and better the trophies got larger. He would come into assembly and sometimes the trophies were bigger than him."
Chadwick wins the first W Series (GQ)
"That was the worst half-hour of my life. But, also, this has been the best year. I’m trying to get my head around it all."
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Comment of the day
Is Mick Schumacher a threat to Antonio Giovinazzi’s Alfa Romeo seat?
Has Raikkonen stepped up his game after those years at Ferrari, or is Giovinazzi actually that bad?
Raikkonen is (arguably) the most consistent driver in F1; he never makes mistakes but isn’t astonishingly fast in my opinion. At Ferrari we saw that Vettel was quicker in general, but made way more mistakes.
Even though it’s Giovinazzi’s first full season he should be at least on par with Raikkonen to be considered for a future drive in the top team or a longer stay than one or two years in F1. If he doesn’t step up his game, it is only a matter of time that he will be replaced by Mick Schumacher, who probably needs another year in F2.
Jesper Mug (@Jesperfey13)
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Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
14th August 2019, 0:16
I don’t like that air intake on the roof. It doesn’t look quite right. Maybe they could have flattened it out so it looks like it’s part of the roof. This is a car that’s supposed to say “FASTEST” even when it’s still, but it doesn’t seem to say that.
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
14th August 2019, 4:59
Yeah surely there’s a nicer way to get the air into the engine. Seems just a bit lazy to me.
Lucien_Todutz (@lucien_todutz)
14th August 2019, 11:35
It’s retro… so specific to racing. Love it.
Green Flag (@greenflag)
14th August 2019, 14:38
It mimics the air intake over the driver’s head. It is a an F1 based road car after all.
CC
15th August 2019, 0:46
They did a similar thing with the CLK-GTR.
Joao (@johnmilk)
14th August 2019, 1:04
The project one is struggling with global warming. And don’t even think buying one of you live at high altitudes.
Plus side, it makes those tyres last for plenty of mileage
RichyB (@richyb)
14th August 2019, 1:11
Some grandstand footage of seemingly what Vettel is referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TThoy3gFO2M
Dewald Nel (@ho3n3r)
14th August 2019, 14:27
Arguably a worse mistake than he made in 2018, but more run-off so it’s a non-issue, also because everyone else went off/spun.
kpcart
14th August 2019, 4:12
There is plenty of other more deserving drivers that should replace Giovinazzi before Mick Schumacher ever does.
Jeffrey (@jeffreyj)
14th August 2019, 4:36
Agreed, but none of them are Michael Schumacher’s kid.
James
14th August 2019, 5:35
I’ll be the Devil’s advocate: I don’t want F1 to be full of “entitled” drivers who’ve won all the junior series. That just turns F1 into a boring production line of Firstname Lastnames who try too hard. There are already too many of them on the grid.
Some of my favourite F1 drivers, like Jean Alesi, never had nearly the extensive schooling in motor racing that the new guys do.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
14th August 2019, 7:27
@COTD on what basis would MickS be ready for F1, last time I checked he was around 10th in a spec series.
There is a surprising lack of talent in lower categories right now. FE siphoned lots of premier single seater drivers. And who could blame them. Better more competitive chances. Driving for Williams, Sauber might not be super attractive.
frood19 (@frood19)
14th August 2019, 10:17
ironically, alesi junior could just soon be another of these ‘entitled’ drivers!
w0o0dy
14th August 2019, 7:15
So far Mick Schumacher seems more like Ralf Schumacher than Micheal Schumacher. The uncle did make it to F1 and was fast at times, but never for long.
Ghiotto, de Vries, Aitkin should be further up the line to replace someone like Giovinazzi. Nice enough guy it seems but his pace is just sub-par.
anon
14th August 2019, 7:30
w0o0dy, mind you, in the case of Ghiotto and de Vries, how much of their current performance in Formula 2 is because of the fact that they’re now some of the most experienced drivers in that series? Ghiotto is into his fourth season in that championship and de Vries into his third season, after all.
Joao (@johnmilk)
14th August 2019, 9:30
and Aitken isn’t necessarily doing a great season, he is also in his second year with F2. Then again Albon never won F2 or F3 for that matter and he is being very impressive so far.
From the F2 grid Hubert and Zhou are very good prospects in my opinion. Mick as well but needs improvement, maybe it will come his way in the second half of the season. Prema in general weren’t that great until this point either
digitalrurouni
14th August 2019, 14:16
In MotoGP there is a phenomenon I have noticed and increasingly other people are noticing that someone who was mediocre in the lower classes like Moto3/Moto2 but they got promoted to MotoGP – conventional wisdom would say that is a bad move because they never did anything stellar in the lower classes. But rookies like Fabio Quartararo are proving that wrong. They actually thrive on the bigger bikes. I believe Jack Miller is similar. Not necessarily in my mind does a driver in F2 or F3 have to be winning left and right – it could be for whatever reason F1 clicks better. I think in an interview Norris was saying he finds F1 more comfortable than he did F2?
Joao (@johnmilk)
15th August 2019, 0:50
He said it was easier on his arms iirc
That’s a phenomenon that doesn’t happen in F1, or at least not at a relevant number of cases.
Junior champions that don’t do well that is another thing. Vandoorne comes to mind for example. Or Jolyon Palmer, but he has something similar with the current F2 leaders, they are on that position mostly because they are veterans of the category
mmertens (@mmertens)
14th August 2019, 19:42
O agree with you João. Hubert is the one that impressed me most on this season. I think even Matsushita (which is not consistent) is doing better than Mick. For me, he looks just a good driver but not quite F1 material at this point.
w0o0dy
14th August 2019, 7:18
@keithcollantine: nice error but it was Jos the Boss Verstappen instead of Doornboss..
RB13
14th August 2019, 10:11
What are you smoking? Jos was retired by 2004 and Red Bull Racing didn’t exist til 2005.
Dewald Nel (@ho3n3r)
14th August 2019, 14:33
Yours is the only error, it was Doornbos.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
14th August 2019, 7:21
Project One is the successor of F1 McLaren never built. There’s a significant resemblance to F1.
slowmo (@slowmo)
14th August 2019, 9:34
@mg1982 this is the successor to the F1, brought to you by the man who designed the F1.
https://www.gordonmurraydesign.com/en/?cultureKey=en
Jere (@jerejj)
14th August 2019, 7:29
Another old quote strikes. Why not include something, for example, from the Australian GP for a change, or 2005?
Regarding the COTD: Or Esteban Ocon in case Mercedes (nor Renault) were to become available for him.
ColdFly (@)
14th August 2019, 8:50
Yep, @jerejj, another quote from one of the press conferences (or journo huddles) in Hungary.
The same quotes were widely reported by other websites on 1 August.
And I’d love to have seen this article in the link section as it could create a nice discussion:
Could Daniel Ricciardo make inconceivable backflip and return to Red Bull for 2020 F1 season? (foxsports.com.au)
“It would perhaps seem desperate should Red Bull throw the chequebook at Ricciardo and tempt a release, in the same way they could lure the in-form Carlos Sainz from McLaren. Hell, Sebastian Vettel could even lose patience with Ferrari and look for something fresh.”
Jere (@jerejj)
14th August 2019, 12:08
@coldfly Thanks for the link. That’s an interesting reading although I don’t really buy into it as it’s pure speculation, but still.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
14th August 2019, 12:15
@coldfly – interesting article.
Sainz – would he really want to give up being king of the hill at a resurgent McLaren, to return to RBR? Dr. Marko might think that Max’s form would keep him ahead of Sainz to prevent any friction on the track (except for starts, maybe).
Ricciardo – OK, he’s king of a molehill, given Renault’s continuing disappointment. But I’m not sure money would be the only thing that would tempt him back. He’s stated he’d like to aim for a title, and I’m not sure he’d see that support environment at his former home.
Vettel – he’d have to be a #2 there, wouldn’t he? Or do we think RBR would give him parity to Max in terms of car development direction, strategy calls, etc.?
Phylyp (@phylyp)
14th August 2019, 12:10
@jerejj – ha ha ha ha ha, this is the grumpiest comment I’ve ever seen from you :)
Jere (@jerejj)
14th August 2019, 12:52
@phylyp That was meant to be a half-sarcastic point anyway.
ShawnC
14th August 2019, 9:03
Huh. The GQ article on Chadwick has an substantial error as there’s no FIA Super License points awarded for the 2019 season. Points will be awarded from the 2020 season onwards.
As far as I’ve been able to research Chadwick currently has zero super license points, And the earliest Chadwick can get to driving a current season F1 car in a practise season is if she gets an F2 drive in 2020 and completes six F2 races.
GnosticBrian (@gnosticbrian)
14th August 2019, 14:34
Will Mercedes’ Formula 1-based road car, the Project One, emulate the back flips performed by their Le Mans coupes?
Miani (@miani)
14th August 2019, 17:08
I think Giovanazzi career in F1 is almost over, Sauber should pick De Vries or maybe Camara and have a try another younger driver. Those guys did well against Norris, Russell and Albon, they showed that F2 have a high level of young drivers.