2018 Gluf Aire Bahrain Grand Prix

[GoldenColt 1]

You mean Herburp?

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[f1since08 54]

What a crap race. Total domination by Mercedes and the cars unable to get close enough to race each other. Formula 1 is dead.

[Jiggy 5]

That would've been one lame way to lose a race, being unable to pit because your teammate pretzled someone's leg, but it's 2 out of 2 for Vettel and that's kind of a major shock for a team described to be in major trouble during the winter.


Also, Pierre Gasly, what the hell?  Driver of the Day has to be him.

[AMSKRR 3]

Pleasantly surprised by the entire weekend and it was a great race. Still, let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Afterall, Vettel won Australia and Bahrain last year and in arguably easier fashion. Possibly one of Vettels best wins to date, I was sure Bottas would overtake. It's good to see that it wasn't an easy DRS move, the straightline speed for Ferrari does bode well. 

Gasly driver of the day for sure! Brilliant race by him.

[Hughesy 248]

That let break for the Ferrari mechanic was horrendous.

My take away from this is it's going to be boring season for overtaking, Vettels tyres were done and the Mercedes couldn't pass him. I don't care if the teams voted down proposals for next season to aid overtaking, they need to be forced on them.

[f1since08 54]

Should they introduce a minimum pit stop time to protect the mechanics? Say 3 seconds?

[VetteIfan 0]

That was sweet. Maybe Vettel's best win in Ferrari colours. 

Two wins from two in races where they didn't have the upper hand. It's a nice start but we can't ignore that Ferrari were let off their butchered strategy today, partly due to Vettel, partly due to Mercedes' inability to capitalise and partly due to Ferrari's seemingly impressive engine improvement this season. 

The overall picture is still a bit foggy. China will be a good test given it's a place Mercedes have dominated in recent years. 

Also Gasly (who did a marvellous weekend) was 62 seconds behind the leader in a 57 lap race. I love this two tier series we all watch and enjoy. 

[DiRTKiNG808 8]

That was an awesome race! Glad for Vettels win, that was a super drive! I feel terrible for Kimi and the pit crew. The strategy by Ferrari was a bit weird but what the heck, I will take it! Uhhhh, Honda did a really good job, I wonder what McLaren are thinking. I thought the race was super entertaining, exciting and full of drama. There was a good amount of overtakes. Its races like this where I ask my self, "why do people complain so much?"

[Jiggy 5]

Wasn't Vettel's strategy compromised by Raikkonen destroying his mechanic? I thought that was the case, Vettel had no access to his pitbox after that.

[f1since08 54]

Jiggy said:

Wasn't Vettel's strategy compromised by Raikkonen destroying his mechanic? I thought that was the case, Vettel had no access to his pitbox after that.

I think they had to take the risk anyway. Vettel would certainly have been second if he pitted again, maybe even third. I'm sure he could've pitted again if he wanted (at least a little after the accident), they're bound to have spare mechanics in case one takes ill.

[MBKF1 89]

That was horrible to watch the Ferrari pit stop, you could tell he'd broken his leg straight away. Nasty. Raikkonen has had some awful luck so far this year, could've had a 2nd and 4th to start the year, but it's just not gone his way.

Apart from that, what a brilliant race! My heart was pounding in the last 3 laps, was hoping Bottas would just get him, but it wasn't to be. I can't help but feel if it was a Hamilton or Ricciardo there then they may have gone for the lunge, but he probably did the right thing in staying safe for 2nd.

Verstappen though, what a rubbish start to the season, and you have to say it's all of his own doing. He was scrappy in Australia with the spin, lost control of the car yesterday in Qualifying (I'm not sold on this 150bhp power surge excuse), and took a risk by running out Hamilton wide today which backfired and resulted in a DNF. He needs to go back to his end of 2017 form and regroup going forward!

Gasly, superb. The fact a Toro Rosso Honda was able to hold off a Haas, McLaren and Renault bodes well for the rest of the season.

And I still haven't quite got my head around how Ericsson managed to bag 9th place! I saw him running up there towards the end of the race and assumed he was on some mad strategy that meant he'd have to stop again, but it was a legit position! Great effort.

[ImDyingYouIdiot 0]

Shame for that pit stop blunder from the Scuderia. Points thrown away, and far more importantly, someone was injured. Though, it looks like he is in good hands:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhVIb4KltMR/

I hope Francesco makes a speedy recovery and will soon join the team again. He is proper old school - he worked back then with Michael - and a great guy in general.

[sjsharp2010 185]

VetteIfan said:

That was sweet. Maybe Vettel's best win in Ferrari colours. 

Two wins from two in races where they didn't have the upper hand. It's a nice start but we can't ignore that Ferrari were let off their butchered strategy today, partly due to Vettel, partly due to Mercedes' inability to capitalise and partly due to Ferrari's seemingly impressive engine improvement this season. 

The overall picture is still a bit foggy. China will be a good test given it's a place Mercedes have dominated in recent years. 

Also Gasly (who did a marvellous weekend) was 62 seconds behind the leader in a 57 lap race. I love this two tier series we all watch and enjoy. 

Yeah I agree had the race been any longer he'd have been a sitting duck he did well to hang on as long as he did. I didn't think he was going to win that one after the way Bottas was closing in on him in the end. Talk about close probably a little too close for Vettel's liking really.

[Hughesy 248]

This makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. He's 100% right, just the media trying to make something out of nothing 

https://twitter.com/F1/status/983098267670953990?s=19

[sjsharp2010 185]

fIsince08 said:

Jiggy said:

Wasn't Vettel's strategy compromised by Raikkonen destroying his mechanic? I thought that was the case, Vettel had no access to his pitbox after that.

I think they had to take the risk anyway. Vettel would certainly have been second if he pitted again, maybe even third. I'm sure he could've pitted again if he wanted (at least a little after the accident), they're bound to have spare mechanics in case one takes ill.

yeah they probably have more mechanics in the event someone gets injured like what happened with Raikkonen. He would have lost had he pitted again and I'm sure Vettel would have preferred it but it would certainly have cost Ferrari the win. They knew they had a shot at the win by keeping him out even though it was risky. But I think it's one of those times where you just throw the dice and hope and on this occasion it paid off only just though.

[DiRTKiNG808 8]

sjsharp2010 said:

fIsince08 said:

Jiggy said:

Wasn't Vettel's strategy compromised by Raikkonen destroying his mechanic? I thought that was the case, Vettel had no access to his pitbox after that.

I think they had to take the risk anyway. Vettel would certainly have been second if he pitted again, maybe even third. I'm sure he could've pitted again if he wanted (at least a little after the accident), they're bound to have spare mechanics in case one takes ill.

yeah they probably have more mechanics in the event someone gets injured like what happened with Raikkonen. He would have lost had he pitted again and I'm sure Vettel would have preferred it but it would certainly have cost Ferrari the win. They knew they had a shot at the win by keeping him out even though it was risky. But I think it's one of those times where you just throw the dice and hope and on this occasion it paid off only just though.

That is what legends are made of. The reason for the championship being called "The Battle for 5" is because of the Mega talent that Vettel and Hamilton are. Others could win it but it will most likely be one of them. I can't wait to see how China plans out. If Ferrari are strong and win or finish on Mercedes gearbox we will know we are in for a epic battle to the end.

[QuangMinh 0]

What do you guys think about Bottas? If he was more aggressive, he would have won the GP? 

[DiRTKiNG808 8]

I am not sure. As far as racing goes Bottas will be on fire one race and then sitting in 5th at the next.