2021 Race 3 - Portugal

[F1nKS]

Perez with another amazing drive. Incredible tire management

I actually don't think it was tire management, but Red Bull realizing that Perez was just to slow and couldn't race Bottas and just kept him out there as long as possible just in case if there was "yellow flag".

[Tazio]

I must say; this is really a lovely course!

[journeyman racer]

Crap! Whats going on with Bottas?
Ugh sensor issue. He was making good progress on max before that. Damn

Imagine the meltdown you would've had if Hamilton had the terrible pitstop Bottas had???

[The Black Knight]

I must say; this is really a lovely course!

Yeah it's awesome!

Great to have had 3 races and, apart from Hamilton's screw up in Imola, they were all pretty tight between Lewis and Max. Top drive by all of them but that's 3 races gone where RBR imo, should have won them all but yet only one so far. All the top three made little mistakes yesterday, which cost them positions but only one managed to recover from them. Hamilton had to work for that and deserved the victory. Nice to see Bottas in the mix a little for once but I can't see how he has any excuse about the car being undrivable behind another car when his teammate is well able to follow and overtake within a second of the car in front.

I agree with Rosberg that Max is beginning to learn how good Hamilton is. Max is a fantastic driver but have yet to see proof he's a true great. RBR have a habit of overhyping their drivers and, like Vettel, they are found out eventually.

Great season so far. Roll on Spain.

[F1nKS]

Yeah it's awesome!

Great to have had 3 races and, apart from Hamilton's screw up in Imola, they were all pretty tight between Lewis and Max. Top drive by all of them but that's 3 races gone where RBR imo, should have won them all but yet only one so far. All the top three made little mistakes yesterday, which cost them positions but only one managed to recover from them. Hamilton had to work for that and deserved the victory. Nice to see Bottas in the mix a little for once but I can't see how he has any excuse about the car being undrivable behind another car when his teammate is well able to follow and overtake within a second of the car in front.

I agree with Rosberg that Max is beginning to learn how good Hamilton is. Max is a fantastic driver but have yet to see proof he's a true great. RBR have a habit of overhyping their drivers and, like Vettel, they are found out eventually.

Great season so far. Roll on Spain.

Max makes little mistakes here and there and gets the "red haze" sometimes. Against most drivers he can get away with it, but not against Hamilton.

I am hoping Portugal was track that favored Mercedes and Spain will shift things back more to Red Bull - but I'm really afraid that Mercedes has figured things out and capture back their pace.

[airshifter]

I must say; this is really a lovely course!

Was it just me, or did the coverage this year show off the elevation changes much better? In either case, I do like the course.


Interesting race all around really. I wasn't expecting that flinch from Lewis on the restart, so Max did what he could there. At least Max made him work for it to pass, but the Bottas pass almost seemed too easy. Lewis had a great run off the corner even before DRS, and it was a done deal.


Overall at the front of the pack all three had a good race IMHO. It seemed the Mercs were more stable once they got heat in the tires, so I think Max worked hard to secure 2nd. Bottas might have had a shot at him if not for the sensor error, so he at least stepped up his game in race pace. Without another safety car Perez had his race screwed early on, but leaving him out hoping for a safety car was the only real choice at that point, though it no doubt cost him time in the end.

That fast lap point sure came into the picture this race. It might have made more sense from Merc to wait another lap so Max could get a shot at it, but in the end it worked out since Max robbed himself.

Overall it seemed that the straight line speed and a little more stability in certain areas helped Merc. At least they all have to fight at this point, and nobody is running away with it easily.



Some great racing through the midfield as well. With 6 manufacturers represented in the top 10, it's quite a change away from the pointy end of things!



Kimi, Kimi, Kimi.... the vodka is for after the race!

[truefan72]

Imagine the meltdown you would've had if Hamilton had the terrible pitstop Bottas had???

huh?
you trolling again?

[truefan72]

Was it just me, or did the coverage this year show off the elevation changes much better? In either case, I do like the course.

I was thinking the same thing.
I was also wondering how this track has not been on the calendar on a regular basis before.
It probably comes down to Money and Bernie trying to extract a king's ransom from some of these fantastic venues.
It took a pandemic and a smattering of desperation to get, Imola, Portugal and Turkey back on the calendar.

[Fortitude]

Winners

1. Hamilton - Mercedes > Red Bull
2. Norris
3. Alpine

Losers
1. Sainz - Started 5th and finished outside of the points
2. Aston Martin - they have no clue it looks how to fix their car


It Is What It Is
1. Red Bull - did what was expected, but it clear that Mercedes has better pace - splitting Mercedes is still a losing position if Perez can't compete with Bottas.
2. Ricardo - got embarrassed in Qualifying, but has a nice climb into the points
3. Bottas - He does what Mercedes needs, but even with pole he still couldn't challenge Hamilton.

...and of course Sebastian Vettel must be wondering whether the Aston Martin venture will pay off for him... YET by the end of the season it MAY turn around...