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Brazil-Sao Paulo Sprint

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lkjohnson1950:
Surprised no one has a comment, so I'll go. Lewis was brilliant. The pass on Norris was one of his best. Yes, the Merc had a speed advantage, but how many times have we seen Bottas fail to move up in similar circumstances? Speaking of Bottas, losing his seat seems to have inspired him a bit. He made a great start and then did a superb job of managing his tires to keep Max at bay. Sainz made an even better start and put a good move on Max at the end of the back straight. He wasn't able to hold Max off to the end, but did a good job keeping Perez behind and getting a podium. I don't like the idea of qualifying races, but as a race, this was pretty good. I kind of like Brundle's idea of whoever gets pole in quali, keeps it no matter what. As it is, qualifying loses a bit of luster when it just orders the Sprint.

Jericoke:

--- Quote from: lkjohnson1950 on November 13, 2021, 11:29:27 PM ---Surprised no one has a comment, so I'll go. Lewis was brilliant. The pass on Norris was one of his best. Yes, the Merc had a speed advantage, but how many times have we seen Bottas fail to move up in similar circumstances? Speaking of Bottas, losing his seat seems to have inspired him a bit. He made a great start and then did a superb job of managing his tires to keep Max at bay. Sainz made an even better start and put a good move on Max at the end of the back straight. He wasn't able to hold Max off to the end, but did a good job keeping Perez behind and getting a podium. I don't like the idea of qualifying races, but as a race, this was pretty good. I kind of like Brundle's idea of whoever gets pole in quali, keeps it no matter what. As it is, qualifying loses a bit of luster when it just orders the Sprint.

--- End quote ---

I think THAT is what they were hoping for from a sprint race.  It was absolutely riveting, with Lewis carving through the field, Max bobbling his advantage, and Bottas holding on masterfully.

That was some of Hamilton's best driving.  Yes, he had a speed advantage, but you could see him learn the track, learn his opponents and create passes.  In NHL hockey, the rule of goaltending is to make the tough ones look easy, and the easy ones look tough.  Lewis made 15 passes in 24 laps, and he made the tough ones look easy.  He's going to be a force tomorrow, now that he knows how to make a pass at Interlagos.

Max has seemed much cooler than I expected in a close battle, but he's yet to 'seal the deal'.  The pressure goes up from here, not down.  Hopefully Lewis takes it to Max, and we get to see what Verstappen is truly made of.

rmassart:
That was quite some drive from Lewis.  He's still in with a chance of winning the race today, especially if Bottas can repeat in the opening 20 laps his drive from yesterday.

As for the disqualification...  tin foil hat time, but Lewis being disqualified after an irregularity on the part of the car which Max was fooling around with in parc ferme?  :DD :DD

I'm just kidding. I am assuming Max noticed the issue during the qualifying laps and decided to have a closer look and maybe bring attention to the matter?

rmassart:
A couple more points on the infringements. It seems Mercedes were unlucky, as the part was OK before qualifying, but not after. So it was not an intentional infringement. But perhaps Mercedes were also lucky that this happened on a sprint race weekend. On any other weekend Lewis would now be starting last, not 10th!

Also, it is worrying that it apparently needed fan footage posted on the web to catch Max touching Lewis's car. I really hope the stewards had their own materials by which to make a judgement. It sets a really worrying precedent...

John S:
I was staggered by the pace of the Mercedes in the hands of Lewis, most of the other competitors never stood a chance. Hell even Lando's McLaren supposedly with the same power unit was no match once he fell out of DRS to Sainz in front of him.

Since all of Lewis passes, save first lap, were from DRS I'm sure Lewis car was first in line for DRS check after that lightening speed charge thru the field.  :D

Now maybe Lewis is that much better than Bottas but my suspicion is that Red Bull don't have the best car as Lewis keeps claiming. Then again in this topsy turvey season Red Bull win at traditional Merc strongholds and vice versa.

I'm betting that higher fuel loads in the first half of the proper race will not allow Lewis to charge thru as easily as in the Sprint. Seems to me Merc traditionally gets a speed advantage on the Bulls & others when half the fuel has gone, think Max is safe but Checo might have to fight with Lewis in the last quarter.
Good fun watching Sprint race though!  :good:

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