2015 Mexico GP

[N4D13]

Something bizzare about the 2nd Mercedes tyre stop.

Actually, it was a great idea. The whole point of the stops was to get a free pitstop, as no one was sure about whether the tyres would last to the end of the race. Both cars had more than enough time to Kyvat to make a pitstop and come out at the front, so it was a no-brainer.

Incidentally, I'm surprised that no one said anything about Hamilton's initial refusal to pit. Had he not pitted and gone on to win the race that would have been a really dirty way to take a victory, I think. Good think he changed his mind.

[Javi013]

That was really fun. I like too much the Lewis attitude. This time it would be a dirty move so good he changed mind, but he tried at least. After the pit started to make fastest laps

[Rollo]

Wor Nige

General: They've got war drums.
Geordie soldier: The thieving bastards!

[Nitrodaze]

Actually, it was a great idea. The whole point of the stops was to get a free pitstop, as no one was sure about whether the tyres would last to the end of the race. Both cars had more than enough time to Kyvat to make a pitstop and come out at the front, so it was a no-brainer.

Incidentally, I'm surprised that no one said anything about Hamilton's initial refusal to pit. Had he not pitted and gone on to win the race that would have been a really dirty way to take a victory, I think. Good think he changed his mind.

I think the Mercedes had the tyres to get to the end of the race. Rosberg and Hamilton thought so. But l think the Merc pitwall was being cautious. The end result was the right one, now the boys can race head to head to the end of the season now Rosberg is 21 points clear of Vettel in a more secure 2nd place in the driver championship.

[The Black Knight]

I really enjoyed that race - not a classic but not a complete bore either. The high altitude coupleD with the twisty circuit was always going to provide us with a few safety cars given the low levels of downforce the drivers were working with.

Nico clearly had the pace on Lewis all weekend. I have a feeling that Lewis is after partying a little too much over the last week. Judging from his snapchats he was having Fajita's and Taco's on Saturday night before the race and playing with a baby Tiger. He deserves it though and no biggy of Roserg winning now that the championship is over. It's interesting to see that Rosberg has had the pace on him over the last two races. It shows how good Nico is when he gets it all together. Hamilton didn't seem to be driving his best this weekend, I feel. Possibly a championship hangover but he was making many mistakes on his qualifying and throughout the race. It wasn't a champions performance but you can't win every race. Still, an impressive result from Nico. It's about time he won a 4th.

I was a little disappointed to see Hamilton obey the team orders to come in for the pit stop. I think he could have gotten to the end of the race on the set he was using. He clearly felt so as well and, if that was the case, he should have stayed out and won the race that way, imo. It was good to see him questioning the decision of the team however. This is someting I really felt he was lacking before. I think were the championship still on the line he may have taken a different approach but we won't know for sure until he's in that situation again but it's a definite move in the right direction as usually he would just blindly accept the teams instructions. I can't remember him questioning a team order ever before.

Very poor and uncharacteristic of the season showing from Vettel. I think that Danny rattled him at the start of the race and he found it difficult to recover. Still, he has had a season he can be proud of which he can carry forward with him to next years.

Kimi - not much need to say anymore there.

There is one thing this race showed very clearly though and that is that no one is anywhere near close to catching the Mercedes. They had a significant advantage for the entire race on pace. Ferrari may have been able to challenge them somehow had the race gone their way but they would have been a significant distance back the road by the end of the race I'd say.

[The Black Knight]

Actually, it was a great idea. The whole point of the stops was to get a free pitstop, as no one was sure about whether the tyres would last to the end of the race. Both cars had more than enough time to Kyvat to make a pitstop and come out at the front, so it was a no-brainer.

Incidentally, I'm surprised that no one said anything about Hamilton's initial refusal to pit. Had he not pitted and gone on to win the race that would have been a really dirty way to take a victory, I think. Good think he changed his mind.

Why would it have been dirty? Because he would have taken the initiative and not blindly followed the team like he did in Monaco? I'm disappointed he didn't ignore the team orders. If he felt the tires were good enough to the end of the race then he should have continued on, imo. There was no safety concern with those tires either, that was just BS by the team.

[Nitrodaze]

Why would it have been dirty? Because he would have taken the initiative and not blindly followed the team like he did in Monaco? I'm disappointed he didn't ignore the team orders. If he felt the tires were good enough to the end of the race then he should have continued on, imo. There was no safety concern with those tires either, that was just BS by the team.

I think Hamilton did the right thing conforming to the teams instruction to pit. This is a race he did not have to win and a bit of good will and team play is good for the future. But it was definitely a race that Rosberg had to win to take full advantage of Vettel's DNF. All in all, it was great how it turned out. And very good for Rosberg's confidence; that he could win races if he applied himself.

The BBC commentators found the call to Hamilton to pit abit suspect. If we look at how Bottas was able to do 50 laps on the same tyre and still had the pace to fight his way up to a podium position, then it gives some cause to question the Mercedes insistence to override Hamilton's decision to not pit when asked to. Especially when Hamilton is stating that his tyres are fine.

Which ever way you look at it, l think it was necessary that Rosberg win the Mexico Grand Prix to ensure his 2nd place in the championship was relatively more secure than it was at Austin. Hence, even if Hamilton could have won the race, l would have expected him to give it to Rosberg. Now this is a hard thing to ask a hardened racer like Hamilton or Vettel [if you remember his move on Webber in similar circumstances]. If anything, it shows that Hamilton is more compliant than Vettel, as Hamilton could have easily ignored the team and took the victory, which was very much on the cards. He had track position and the tyres to do so.

It would be great if this sort of thing do not happen in situations where the instructed party have something to lose from such a call in the future. Merc has been very fair and simply the most exemplary team in the history of F1, in my humble opinion. Very few front end teams operate an even handed policy that lets their drivers race themselves without hinderance or favouring one driver over the other. The old Nos 1 and Nos 2 setup is fading from F1 as a result of Mercedes. We see in other teams that typically operate the old model adopting the Mercedes style which has allowed Kyvat to take the fight to Ricciado and Bottas to emerge from the shadow of a more experienced Massa.

The Mercedes era is a beautiful one from this perspective in my opinion.

[Nitrodaze]

I usually criticized Williams for its race strategies in the past, l have to acknowledge that the strategy that allowed Bottas to seize the 3rd podium position at the Autodromo Hernandez Rodriquez was quite excellent. Most of us did not see it working out, but it was particularly brilliant. Bottas had a better pace than the Redbulls to the very end of the race. The Williams chassis seemed kinder to the tyres at this low grid track. Go Williams Go :-)

[AndyL]

The BBC commentators found the call to Hamilton to pit abit suspect. If we look at how Bottas was able to do 50 laps on the same tyre and still had the pace to fight his way up to a podium position, then it gives some cause to question the Mercedes insistence to override Hamilton's decision to not pit when asked to. Especially when Hamilton is stating that his tyres are fine.

I don't really understand what they were suspicious about. The situation seems completely clear and unremarkable to me. There was some degree of doubt about whether the tyres would last, and Mercedes had a pit stop in hand, so they played it safe and put new tyres on both cars. Maybe they didn't need to, but they could afford to take the precaution, so why not? It wasn't going to affect the outcome of the race.

Of course if one guy had gone along with the plan and then the other guy had decided to ignore it, the first guy would be rightly aggrieved if he lost out as a result.

[The Black Knight]

I think Hamilton did the right thing conforming to the teams instruction to pit. This is a race he did not have to win and a bit of good will and team play is good for the future. But it was definitely a race that Rosberg had to win to take full advantage of Vettel's DNF. All in all, it was great how it turned out. And very good for Rosberg's confidence; that he could win races if he applied himself.

The BBC commentators found the call to Hamilton to pit abit suspect. If we look at how Bottas was able to do 50 laps on the same tyre and still had the pace to fight his way up to a podium position, then it gives some cause to question the Mercedes insistence to override Hamilton's decision to not pit when asked to. Especially when Hamilton is stating that his tyres are fine.

Which ever way you look at it, l think it was necessary that Rosberg win the Mexico Grand Prix to ensure his 2nd place in the championship was relatively more secure than it was at Austin. Hence, even if Hamilton could have won the race, l would have expected him to give it to Rosberg. Now this is a hard thing to ask a hardened racer like Hamilton or Vettel [if you remember his move on Webber in similar circumstances]. If anything, it shows that Hamilton is more compliant than Vettel, as Hamilton could have easily ignored the team and took the victory, which was very much on the cards. He had track position and the tyres to do so.

It would be great if this sort of thing do not happen in situations where the instructed party have something to lose from such a call in the future. Merc has been very fair and simply the most exemplary team in the history of F1, in my humble opinion. Very few front end teams operate an even handed policy that lets their drivers race themselves without hinderance or favouring one driver over the other. The old Nos 1 and Nos 2 setup is fading from F1 as a result of Mercedes. We see in other teams that typically operate the old model adopting the Mercedes style which has allowed Kyvat to take the fight to Ricciado and Bottas to emerge from the shadow of a more experienced Massa.

The Mercedes era is a beautiful one from this perspective in my opinion.

To be frank, if I were Hamilton and I felt that I could have gotten to the end of the race on that set of tires without pitting and having the pace right to the end, I'd have taken it with the attitude of "This is for Monaco". He has no reason to help Rosberg secure second in the championship as second doesn't matter jack shit anyway. As it stands, Hamilton has 10 wins that should be 11 and Rosberg has 4 which should be 3 and I don't think he should be doing Rosberg any favours given what Rosberg did at Spa and Monaco last year. Anyway, it is what it is, but I'd expect that were the championship still on the line he'd have refused to pit. I reckon he took the attitude that he'll not ruffle the teams feathers but he may in future.

As for Merceds, I do agree with you but I think they need a separate strategist. That way each driver can chose when to pit and the race is really in their own hands. The way it is now, with a track and the aerodynamic rules as they are nowadays, it's very hard for the guy that qualifies behind to actually get by if they don't get them at the start. I think both drivers should be allowed different strategies if they would prefer. It'd make the races more interesting.