2022 French Grand Prix - Race Thread

[elnano14]

Red Bull learned lessons for last year, even as they won the WDC. They said to themselves "that Mercedes straight line speed almost cost us a title! We need to design our cars for more top speed!" and just look at that, they've perfected low downforce racing and let the top speed do the work.

We beat ourselves by a combination of driver's errors, strategy blunder, reliability issues,... The car's performance itself is not problem lol. If anything, the high df F1-75 was faster than the low drag RB18. Max couldn't do anything with the massive top speed advantage (DRS + sliptream) in Baku + here. Our car package is better than Red Bull

[stasera]

our cars are better than redbulls but somehow they are ahead of us. as verstappen said that the gap should not have been this much

[paolo lalli]

Agree ferrari have a fast car a great package but are failing in a key area and that's called communication and I mean clear consise communication second issue is driver management Charles could really do with a mentor and a therapist like Schumacher had.Charles will learn that you can't conquer the f1 world in 2 years sure give it a shake but to conquer it is another beast.Max has his dad one should ask whom does Charles really have of substance his rock his pillar his guide.? Food for thought.

[tpe]

I am troubled, a lot.
I mean you can't communicate a penalty (that your behaviour caused) to your driver.
You call him in the box when he is in the verge of a pass for podium.
You release him unsafely.

Today it was a *** day

[Lebaronrouge]

Did you watch the Austrian GP?

Tbh he is right. In Austria, we were equal with RB in terms of top speed. Moreover, overtaking was easier. Here, overtaking can be a nightmare and with RB's top speed, overtaking Verstappen after the undercut would have been difficult despite the fresher tyres. Ferrari was smoother with the rubbers today; instead of stretching the first stint, I think it would have been better to stop as soon as Max showed a slower pace and use that degradation advantage on the hards. Why, because Max would not have been able to keep with his mediums anyway, so we Charles would have been able to extend his lead by doing fast laps with his hards whilst Max was still on his slow mediums.
If Leclerc hadn't done a mistake, he would have been overtaken by Max and I am not sure we would have been able to overtake on track.

[RossTheBoss]

We beat ourselves by a combination of driver's errors, strategy blunder, reliability issues,... The car's performance itself is not problem lol. If anything, the high df F1-75 was faster than the low drag RB18. Max couldn't do anything with the massive top speed advantage (DRS + sliptream) in Baku + here. Our car package is better than Red Bull

Red Bull were way better on race pace in Baku than Ferrari. Tires fell off quick in Baku.

Red Bull had the edge in Jeddah, Imola, Miami, Baku, and Canada. They won all of them.

Ferrari had a clear edge in Australia, Spain, Monaco, England, Austria, and I'd argue in France. Ferrari lost half of those because of reliability, strategy, and driver error.

A team can have bad strategy, drivers that make errors at critical times, and reliability issues. But not all three together at the same time. You can win titles that way.

[Tifoso Svedese]

People who think Leclerc isn't good enough to win a WDC must be seriously drunk. Did you miss the four slam dunk wins the car/strategists took away from him already? Or the fifth when Verstappen ignored the VSC delta in Saudi. With those wins he'd be leading the championship now.

Then, put him in Hamilton's shoes, give him the '19 or '20 Mercedes cars with Bono & James on the pitwall. Then add Bottas or even Vettel or Sainz as team mate. Then you must be crazy to not think he'd won those two.

Now he has a car that goes pop every other race, had a grid penalty for PU4 in race nine, has wild snap oversteer and has to deal with Binotto and Rueda on top of that.

[stasera]

dont forget schumacher couldnt win the championship his first 4 years. his abilities were questioned by people

[RossTheBoss]

People who think Leclerc isn't good enough to win a WDC must be seriously drunk. Did you miss the four slam dunk wins the car/strategists took away from him already? Or the fifth when Verstappen ignored the VSC delta in Saudi. With those wins he'd be leading the championship now.

Then, put him in Hamilton's shoes, give him the '19 or '20 Mercedes cars with Bono & James on the pitwall. Then add Bottas or even Vettel or Sainz as team mate. Then you must be crazy to not think he'd won those two.

Now he has a car that goes pop every other race, has wild snap oversteer and has to deal with Binotto and Rueda on top of that.

If 'if's' were gifts in racing, lots of people would be champions.

And what are you talking? Sainz IS his teammate. Don't blame Sainz for Leclerc's mistakes.

The last line of blaming the car, reminds me so much of the people blind to what was happening to Vettel in 18'.

Leclerc needs an outlet. Schumacher and Hamilton saw therapists, and it helped them cope with weight they were feeling. Leclerc needs a sports therapist, ASAP. It would help as a driver and a man, and the team should order him to see one.

[stefa]

No they didn't.....we ran our own race and won without reacting to Red Bull.

I've rwad Red Bull had massive tires problem

[RossTheBoss]

dont forget schumacher couldnt win the championship his first 4 years. his abilities were questioned by people

If you can't see that Leclerc is visibly more emotionally impacted by what's going on than Schumi was, IDK what to tell you.

Just listen to the interviews. Leclerc sounds like Vettel did in 18'.

[Tifoso Svedese]

If 'if's' were gifts in racing, lots of people would be champions.

And what are you talking? Sainz IS his teammate. Don't blame Sainz for Leclerc's mistakes.

The last line of blaming the car, reminds me so much of the people blind to what was happening to Vettel in 18'.

Leclerc needs an outlet. Schumacher and Hamilton saw therapists, and it helped them cope with weight they were feeling. Leclerc needs a sports therapist, ASAP. It would help as a driver and a man, and the team should order him to see one.

Yes and he beats Sainz easily.

You're going full Brembo here come on.

[RossTheBoss]

Yes and he beats Sainz easily.

You're going full Brembo here come on.

Ok, when the mistakes continue, feel free to blame Sainz, or whoever you like.

I'll stand by my opinion that Leclerc has not matured to the degree Max has as of this day. I'll also stand by opinion that Ferrari as a team are back to chaos, and I'll go on record now in saying it's time for Binotto to go, as he clearly has lost the confidence of his drivers.

[RossTheBoss]

The championship has gone like this.

Ferrari won 2 of the first three races, Red Bull had 3 reliability DNF's. The early lead went to Ferrari's head, and they already started counting their chickens like 17' and 18'. In Imola both drivers felt the pressure, and Leclerc ran off the road in an immature attempt to fight a Red Bull with too strong a pace. Miami, couldn't compete. Then the DNF for Leclerc in Spain and the strategy error in Monaco sent morale at the team to new lows, but the double DNF was the kick in the teeth that I said was the nail in the coffin.

Since then, the focus should've been on race wins and staying ahead of Mercedes when those wins are not possible. Ferrari seem to immature as a team to do even that right now, and I cringe at the thought that Mercedes overtakes them in the standings.

[stasera]

If you can't see that Leclerc is visibly more emotionally impacted by what's going on than Schumi was, IDK what to tell you.

Just listen to the interviews. Leclerc sounds like Vettel did in 18'.

he will improve his emotional condition too. look at max, how he improved himself

charles' best position in the championship standing was 5th

if he cant be the champion of this year, he will probably finish second. its kinda succesfull position for now. at the end he will be the future champion

[jgonzalesm6]

Ok, when the mistakes continue, feel free to blame Sainz, or whoever you like.

I'll stand by my opinion that Leclerc has not matured to the degree Max has as of this day. I'll also stand by opinion that Ferrari as a team are back to chaos, and I'll go on record now in saying it's time for Binotto to go, as he clearly has lost the confidence of his drivers.

Firing Binotto right now won't solve "your problem(s)" with Binotto or fix the team. Binotto needs to fix the team....still. Yes, it's a slow and frustrating process.

Leclerc still has some growing to do but he's up there with Max....not by much....but he's up there.

[Whatsyourangle]

CL has been driving a Ferrari for a few years now. That's quite a privilege that only some of the very best can enjoy. CL is basically emulating another has been, SV, who royally screwed up in Germany 2018. A Ferrari driver with vast experience, as Charles has, can't crash while leading such an important race. He wasn't even under any pressure, btw. He should be sacked. I admire his self criticism though, that was brave and corageous during the interview.

[RossTheBoss]

CL has been driving a Ferrari for a few years now. That's quite a privilege that only some of the very best can enjoy. CL is basically emulating another has been, SV, who royally screwed up in Germany 2018. A Ferrari driver with vast experience, as Charles has, can't crash while leading such an important race. He wasn't even under any pressure, btw. He should be sacked. I admire his self criticism though, that was brave and corageous during the interview.

Sacked? That's ridiculous.

[stasera]

CL has been driving a Ferrari for a few years now. That's quite a privilege that only some of the very best can enjoy. CL is basically emulating another has been, SV, who royally screwed up in Germany 2018. A Ferrari driver with vast experience, as Charles has, can't crash while leading such an important race. He wasn't even under any pressure, btw. He should be sacked. I admire his self criticism though, that was brave and corageous during the interview.

which driver do you think to replace him with?

but that comment must be a joke!

[jgonzalesm6]

Sainz 5sec penalty due to unsafe release.

It seems Sainz's light(the overhead light display) was still red....so Sainz should not have left the pitlane therefore Sainz jumped to early in front of the Williams.

[RossTheBoss]

Ferrari have tons of issues bringing them down. Reliability, straight line drag, lack of team orders, bad strategy, driver errors.

IMHO, fix the straight line drag and reliability issues. If you solve those two problems, everything else is much easier. The good news is that Cardille and Bryne are on top of making Ferrari competitive in a straight line, and the development is going well. The bad news is that nobody has been fired at the engine department, and there is yet to be evidence of anyone will pay a price for the 4 DNF's this year because of it.

[Whatsyourangle]

which driver do you think to replace him with?

but that comment must be a joke!

Let me think about that for a moment...hmmm, one that actually finishes races without crashing. PG seems to be quick with the right equipment. Young and ambitious. He won a GP, had a few fastest laps, a few podiums and all that driving a jalopy. With a Ferrari Gasly could achieve more than Charles, I'd say. He seems less emotional as well. Don't forget that Sainz scored more points than Charles last year....that should tell you something.

[FerrariF60]

Don't forget Alonso had 50 point lead after the summer brake, anything is possible

yeah but we need drivers like Grojean and Moldanado to help us out....LOL

wait aa minute, we have Latifi....maybe he'll do some divebombs and take out Maxipad once or twice....LOL

[totox]

Ferrari have tons of issues bringing them down. Reliability, straight line drag, lack of team orders, bad strategy, driver errors.

IMHO, fix the straight line drag and reliability issues. If you solve those two problems, everything else is much easier. The good news is that Cardille and Bryne are on top of making Ferrari competitive in a straight line, and the development is going well. The bad news is that nobody has been fired at the engine department, and there is yet to be evidence of anyone will pay a price for the 4 DNF's this year because of it.

Why will you fire people of the engine dept.? The went for full performance and that's what they get. Unless you have serious knowledge and expertise in heavy technical developments such engines and understand that is a matter of compromises, with a layer of very restricted rules, you must be clueless kidding for asking the firing of the team that came from the WORST engine in 2020-2021 to the best engine pace wisely of this year. Look Honda. They didn't fire the head of engines that made the 2015 turd. They work hard to get what they got last year. Jesus, the thing you have to read in this forum are unbelievable. fyi, Ferrari fired the last head of engines, and stole Wolff Zimmerman from Mercedes to create the monster engine we got now. Reliability will come sooner or later but will come.

[Rishu]

The race sucked big time but can not help if our lead driver makes mistakes. And reliability can be argued, however I would much rather have fast car which has reliability challenges than a bullet proof car which is slow, reliability can be managed in-season but car fundamentals cannot.

Max has developed into a monster, not only he is bloody quick, he is no longer making bone-head moves and is picking his battles to win the war, scary times ahead

[stefa]

our cars are better than redbulls but somehow they are ahead of us. as verstappen said that the gap should not have been this much

Because of mechanical failures, driver and strategy mistakes

[PURE PASSION]

Don't worry guys.
10 races, 9 wins and easy championship!!!!

[paolo lalli]

Ferrari are going in favourites for hungry I would usually say the win is most likely, but now I have reservations.I can only hope that Charles does not beat himself up to much but instead turns a bad past situation into a winner.The ball is firmly in his corner harness the nerves be balanced don't push unnecessarily let the race come to you forget about max and his lead focus on yourself and your race and please do not panic or become stressed.You have this Charles.

[aroutis]

People who think Leclerc isn't good enough to win a WDC must be seriously drunk. Did you miss the four slam dunk wins the car/strategists took away from him already? Or the fifth when Verstappen ignored the VSC delta in Saudi. With those wins he'd be leading the championship now.

Then, put him in Hamilton's shoes, give him the '19 or '20 Mercedes cars with Bono & James on the pitwall. Then add Bottas or even Vettel or Sainz as team mate. Then you must be crazy to not think he'd won those two.

Now he has a car that goes pop every other race, had a grid penalty for PU4 in race nine, has wild snap oversteer and has to deal with Binotto and Rueda on top of that.

Basically they are glory hunters.
There you go .

[aroutis]

The race sucked big time but can not help if our lead driver makes mistakes. And reliability can be argued, however I would much rather have fast car which has reliability challenges than a bullet proof car which is slow, reliability can be managed in-season but car fundamentals cannot.

Max has developed into a monster, not only he is bloody quick, he is no longer making bone-head moves and is picking his battles to win the war, scary times ahead

Please enumerate how many times this year our lead driver made mistakes.

I will be waiting.