They actually do take a bit more blame if you read the release. "The causes of the two left-rear tyre failures on the Aston Martin and Red Bull cars have been clearly identified. In each case, this was down to a circumferential break on the inner sidewall, which can be related to the running conditions of the tyre, in spite of the prescribed stated parameters having been followed." Kind of sounds like they're saying that these tires weren't deficient in terms of how they were produced, but they did fail unexpectedly.
werent the hard tires that week not the most hard of their range? also if you're going to go 40 laps on one set of tires i'm not going to feel bad for you if they go boom
Yes, Pirelli selected the C3, C4, C5 compounds for Baku (which are the softest of their 5). I think you should feel bad because both of the failures happened on something like lap 32/33, when Pirelli had rated them for 40 laps.
I mean, it's pretty obvious that it wasn't really on any of the drivers...unless you just really want it to be
sure at the same time theyre on the softest of the hards--those tires will be the softs on some tracks--and going more than half the race on them. seems like no one likes pirelli but they're willing to take their word for a bunch of shit that they should probably independently test when theyre on the track for 3 practice sessions
Yet that length of time on them is within what Pirelli themselves recommended..... You'd have a very good argument if Max/Stroll were over the recommended tire life
They do. And other teams cars have run them for the same amt of laps or more yet theirs didn't spontaneously shred. That's the point....that's why the teams had a problem it.
Also I'm 99% sure neither Max, nor Stroll, had the oldest tires on the track when both blowouts happened.
I sat through the Webex event because Zac Brown was a speaker and there was a chance to win a McLaren apparel/autograph bundle. I did not win and need that 2 hours of my life back.
I think that'd be a great move for Alpine, but I didn't even consider it as a possibility tbh. Figured he was cool with AlphaTauri and waiting to try and get RB2 again.
Marko and Horner have made comments in the past implying that Gasly is not an option as RB2. I think Gasly has made similar comments that he sees his future away from the RB umbrella.
In terms of pure driving ability I think Ocon is solidly mid-tier in F1. He is comfortably ahead of Latifi, Mick, Mazepin, and Yuki and in the same tier with Raikkonen, Gio & Stroll. He's basically been on pace or above Alonso in the same car and I think it's really unfair to say that a top tier F2 driver would perform the same. Add in the fact that he's French and it seems like a pretty easy decision to re-up him.
Maybe? But he's not consistent. The greats (or even the upper tier) are consistent. Kimi was when he was younger, etc.
Yeah I'm not saying he's WDC caliber by any means, but he's affordable, delivers decent performance, and he's French which seems to hit the sweet spot for Alpine. I could see him as their #2 driver for the next 5 years.
Mazepin with another gem: “after careful analysis of the past races, the reason for my quite bad results and turns in the first three races was the car itself.”
I mean, I get it. It's just like the reason I've never shot below par is because my clubs aren't good enough. Nothing to do with me or my talent.
I think they'll reexamine pay drivers after this season (or rather how they deal with them). I seem to remember some guy back in the 90's or 00's that was comically bad and led to a rethinking...but that was a generation ago.
It's got to be tricky because technically(I think) Stroll and Perez are considered pay drivers, but they don't suck near as much as Mazepin. I imagine there's some way they are able to discern when a pay driver is actually capable, compared o what's going on at Haas.
I remember when Checo came in and everyone bitched about it. I mean, he's improved greatly, but was never remotely as bad as Mazepin, and is obviously a good dude IRL.
I think I read that mazepins dad is over it and is having him drafted into the Russian army to save face.
Cool - just to refine the terms, we will base it on whether or not Mazepin is a regular driver (non-reserve) in F1 during next year. We can settle up on the date of the first GP next year.
I think this is harsh. He's was viewed as the heir apparent to Lewis before going to Alpine. He seemed to struggle adjusting and George started to shine and eventually pass him up. But I think Ocon is a solid driver with some upside.