Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Pretty amazing last two days, really. Things are quite different than what has been the norm for the
last three seasons.
Quite unusual qualifying results. Raikonen took the pole for Ferrari, with Vettel beside him - making an all Ferrari
front row. Botas for Mercedes made third, with Verstappen of Red Bull fourth. This was unusual, but wait for
the really big news. Hamilton wound up 14th in the Mercedes - without any sort of a mechanical breakdown.
Lewis Hamilton couldn't figure it out in practice 1, practice 2 or practice 3. He did not make it out of Qualifying
session 2, and I am nearly certain that this is the first time this has happened to him other than a blown engine
or something like that in perhaps 6 or 8 years. He never got the car working properly, never got higher than
about 6th or 8th at any time. He wound up 14th, although Button's McLaren will need a turbo change, so will penalized and
pushed back, moving Hamilton to starting at 13th. Think about both McLarens qualifying ahead of Hamilton's
Mercedes - that hasn't happened in years, either.
Hamilton was down to the last one minute in Qualifying 2, and on a hot lap when Van Dorn brushed the wall
at the apex right in front of us, and snapped a suspension link, understeering across the track and into the barrier,
ending Hamilton's last ditch (desperation) run at qualifying.
This is as Van Doorne has just busted his McLaren's right front steering link, 25 yds back by whacking the Armco at the
previous apex, tire is flopping left and right, although happens to be straight this instant, he ran straight fwd another 10 yds into
the barrier. Note front wing sparking on pavement as he lands hard on the nose. He was lifted by a crane, deposited
behind the Armco in front of our stands and then lifted out later and trucked back to the pits. He will run tomorrow,
but was out of qualification.
Hamilton being that far back is a very big story. Never a Hamilton fan, it is fine with me.
Bill
last three seasons.
Quite unusual qualifying results. Raikonen took the pole for Ferrari, with Vettel beside him - making an all Ferrari
front row. Botas for Mercedes made third, with Verstappen of Red Bull fourth. This was unusual, but wait for
the really big news. Hamilton wound up 14th in the Mercedes - without any sort of a mechanical breakdown.
Lewis Hamilton couldn't figure it out in practice 1, practice 2 or practice 3. He did not make it out of Qualifying
session 2, and I am nearly certain that this is the first time this has happened to him other than a blown engine
or something like that in perhaps 6 or 8 years. He never got the car working properly, never got higher than
about 6th or 8th at any time. He wound up 14th, although Button's McLaren will need a turbo change, so will penalized and
pushed back, moving Hamilton to starting at 13th. Think about both McLarens qualifying ahead of Hamilton's
Mercedes - that hasn't happened in years, either.
Hamilton was down to the last one minute in Qualifying 2, and on a hot lap when Van Dorn brushed the wall
at the apex right in front of us, and snapped a suspension link, understeering across the track and into the barrier,
ending Hamilton's last ditch (desperation) run at qualifying.
This is as Van Doorne has just busted his McLaren's right front steering link, 25 yds back by whacking the Armco at the
previous apex, tire is flopping left and right, although happens to be straight this instant, he ran straight fwd another 10 yds into
the barrier. Note front wing sparking on pavement as he lands hard on the nose. He was lifted by a crane, deposited
behind the Armco in front of our stands and then lifted out later and trucked back to the pits. He will run tomorrow,
but was out of qualification.
Hamilton being that far back is a very big story. Never a Hamilton fan, it is fine with me.
Bill
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