2014 Austrian GP Thread

[Tazio]

I suggest this

It's a myth that Lewis is ALWAYS slower.

Well played mate. I don't know why LH has lost the edge that was trending from race 2 through 5 when he won four on the trot, but I have to agree with the judge that some of the differences are just down to luck. Really sad in my opinion that so many have to resort to conspiracy theories, but that tends to happen in a one horse (constructor) race.
I like The Boss, and Nico, but the Anglo/Mafia are 'off the hook', with these accusations of favoring the Aryan just because Mercedes is a German brand.

[henners88]

He's had more than his fair share of pure bad luck though. Rosberg was in clear cooler air for much of the time in Canada when both cars lost power so over heating on Hamilton's car wasn't helped by being in the hot tow from Nico, despite Lewis trying everything the team asked him to try. I openly admit Lewis has made errors too, but one can't be compared without the other. Lewis needs to work with the team to over come the reliability issues he has faced and he also needs to work on not cracking under the pressure. Admittedly I think he's driven very well up until Saturday in Austria and I hope he has learned from that.

[Whyzars]

Well played mate. I don't know why LH has lost the edge that was trending from race 2 through 5 when he won four on the trot, but I have to agree with the judge that some of the differences are just down to luck. Really sad in my opinion that so many have to resort to conspiracy theories, but that tends to happen in a one horse (constructor) race.
I like The Boss, and Nico, but the Anglo/Mafia are 'off the hook', with these accusations of favoring the Aryan just because Mercedes is a German brand.

Conspiracy sells newspapers so it looks like column miles to me - with a bit of a gee up from Mark Webber (wonder if he'll be invited back?).

Lewis hasn't lost the edge just as Rosberg hasn't suddenly found a couple of tenths.


Monaco was won and lost in qualifying.

Neither of them had a brilliant Canada - their cars broke after lapping close to 2 seconds faster than the rest of the field - and it certainly looked to me that they were both sent out to find the limp-home point for their cars.

Austria could've gone either way.


Lewis has had 2 DNF's and Rosberg has had none. Lewis can come out and get pole at every circuit for the rest of the season and do nothing different to what he's been doing. Likewise Rosberg.

Mercedes is in the midst of a stunning season and I still believe that Hamilton has Rosberg's measure. If Rosberg goes on to win the WDC then Lewis will have made him earn every point just as Nico would be seen to have done for Lewis.



I read through that Judge page that DJ linked. I agree with Bernie on the white lines. I remember years ago, maybe it was at Imola, there was a new chicane that all the drivers were straight lining. To stop them the stewards put tyre rolls on each apex.

Those were the days.

Track is track. If its that important that cars don't run over a patch of it then put something in the way, solid or slippery, doesn't matter. The stewards in Austria were out of line taking qualifying times off drivers and could very well have cost Lewis the race when it all gets down to it.

Bernie has a pretty good handle on what works in F1 and what doesn't. He should be listened to more.

[Tazio]

Lewis hasn't lost the edge just as Rosberg hasn't suddenly found a couple of tenths.


Monaco was won and lost in qualifying.

So was Austria.
The Boss can't afford to choke like that anymore, Nico is too consistant, and if he was as fast as Lewis. he would be as good as Fred!!

[AndyL]

So was Austria.

Most of the other races this season too. I think in every race so far the Mercedes that has been ahead at the first corner has finished the race ahead. Only a couple of those were reversals of qualifying positions off the start.

[Whyzars]

So was Austria.
The Boss can't afford to choke like that anymore, Nico is too consistant, and if he was as fast as Lewis. he would be as good as Fred!!

I wouldn't call Rosberg consistent and wouldn't call Hamilton's qualifying effort in Austria a choke.

Hamilton had a run disallowed and an axle lock up.

Rosberg has had front rows in recent races but was just as likely to be on the second row early on and was on the second row in Austria.


They both have their hands on the WDC and I can see them both occupying the same space at the same time at least once. The makings of a great second half...

[Tazio]

Let me rephrase my previous comment dukie. The Boss should have had a good banker, (possibly worth pole) but easily on the front two rows, however he threw it away by running wide on his first lap. He had no mechanical issues on that lap. His race was extremely compromised by starting p9. Even though he made the places up very rapidly, the choking of his banker caused him to take more out of his tires to catch Nico, thus pretty much compromising his race for the win. As opposed to starting row 1 or 2, he started on row 5, and has no one to blame but himself!

Choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooke!

If The Boss is going to come back and win the WDC he cannot afford to make these kinds of bonehead mistakes, period!

I wouldn't call Rosberg consistent and wouldn't call Hamilton's qualifying effort in Austria a choke.

Hamilton had a run disallowed

Another words he messed up his banker by going off track, that could be construed as choking IMWOT, but I don't want to split hairs. He screwed that lap up.

Rosberg has had front rows in recent races but was just as likely to be on the second row early on and was on the second row in Austria.

Well ahead of Lewis on the grid.. No?

can see them both occupying the same space at the same time at least once.

This part I agree with, because Hamilton will have to go balls to the wall if he is to catch and beat Nico, and only a pussy would settle for second if he had equal tire life and systems functioning properly in the following races for the WDCC.
Someone is going to get bitchslapped (beside Kimi)

[journeyman racer]

I think it's finely balanced for Hamilton atm. The deficit to Rosberg is big enough to require some time to catch up. But he showed earlier in the year that he can make it up. It was a good race from him that he could get 2nd (which is the par result), where it potentially could've got really bad for him.

I would look at the positives, if I were him. If he can make up the points, in say 5-7 races, it'd mean he done a job on Rosberg twice this season. But he'd have taken the title lead with very few races left, to his benefit. Both drivers would know has the psychological edge, even if it wasn't acknowledged by either. Just because he's had two mechanical breakdowns, you can't expect the Motor racing Gods to do the same to Rosberg later, or complain that Rosberg hasn't had any. He's got to put himself in position to take advantage if Rosberg does have some trouble, and not let it get anywhere near 50 points.

It'd be good for him that the next race is in Britain.