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FP3 Done:


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Feel The Fourth

Amazing how close it is from #1 to #4 & #7 to #17!

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Feel The Fourth

I just hope for a clean qualy & race.
The difference in speed between Verstappen and Ricciardo has to be put to good use somewhere.
We didn't quite have 'standard' races this season.

Kimi is too close for comfort for Vettel this season. Lucky for him Kimi isn't allowed to win.

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Winner of the [Charging Hamilton Trophy] !
Winner of the [Dominant Hamilton Trophy] !

Lewis Hamilton 4 x WDC

Kimi's generally only close in qualifying. He doesn't tend to have quite as good race pace

Wow times are so close. I think Mercedes and Ferrari will be in first 2 rows because they will be using full engine power. Probably Ferrari has an edge as Mercedes engine is older and Ferrari has some sort of upgrade to their engine. Midfield as expected is very close. So that should be good. It is good I can watch this race at least. Overtaking is possible and this is actually a good track for racing unlike Monaco

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM9-GK3MeLI

I think Max can outqualify Bottas, who is probably doing solidly but their car isn't much faster than the RB probably even with max PU mode. It's Max and Lewis making the difference. The Ferrari is just damn fast and neither of their drivers is doing a particularly stellar job as of yet.

what makes you say that?

Vettel hasn't had much running and only just started equalling Kimi and Verstappen and Lewis have been hugely ahead of their team-mates so their performance is far more obviously standout, though in Max's case Ricciardo has had less running and been on the backfoot from the get go of FP.

Kimi doesn't have the upgraded engine for this race so it will be difficult for him to beat Vettel regardless.

can understand the thought process for Vettel, but surely Kimi looks like he's doing well, considering that he still has his old engine, whereas his team mate has a new one?

I wonder how much that's worth here with the performance and wear.. Vettel will probably have enough time to groove and streak away a bit from Kimi come Q3.

Well I'm not saying Kimi is doing poorly - I'd say he's definitely doing quite well and Vettel is being a slowburner for the weekend, but that Max and Lewis have been particularly fast so far this weekend. Max and Lewis 9, Kimi 7, Vettel 6, Bottas and Ricciardo 4-5 as a rough ranking thus far.

This is mainly depending on team-mate comparison and circumstance, but it is possible that Bottas is just slow and Mercedes is not slower than Ferrari - but it's very hard to know these things.

I'd agree that Lewis and Max are doing very well and Bottas and Ricciardo aren't shining. I'd prpobably agree with 9 for the first two and 6 for the latter two. But I think Kimi's actually doing well so far, given the circumstances, and I'd give him at least an 8, possibly even 9. Vettel yeah, not doing great but I don't think he's terrible either, so more likely 7 at least

Agree with the last sentence. I think Mercedes can be very happy that Hamilton is so close to the Ferraris, given that he has an old engine and he's only run a couple of laps on the HS tyre

Yeah perhaps Kimi is far closer to Lewis and Max than I'm giving him credit for and especially with Lewis' reputation here it's no joke to be equalling or bettering him in pace around here in what tend to be closely matched cars. Circumstances of the team-mates might skew the picture a bit though i'd still at least give Lewis the edge given how comprehensively he's besting Bottas despite both having clean and clear running. With Max and Kimi there are mitigating circumstances regarding their team-mates. Mercedes having limited running thus far on HS also skews, so you're likely right - the Ferrari boys should be bumped up at least even if I still give either Max or Lewis a small edge. Unfortunately for Kimi he's disadvantaged against his team-mate this weekend so all his good work will probably see him lose the team-mate battle on time. Max looks good enough to outqualify one Mercedes car here.

Red Bull for sure won't claim pole position due to lack of qualy mode. Race would be a different story if Red Bull is the best of the 3 when it comes to tire wear.

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Feel The Fourth

I don't think Seb has stretched his legs yet. Think he'll get pole by 2 tenths.
Kimi or Lewis for P2.

not sure we can blame that one on Grosjean! He's been a bit unlucky here, that's for sure

Man those new Ferrari engines come with overtake counter measures [smoke screen on]

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

Hairy moment from Lewis!

I have a feeling the Mercs will have their engines turned down for P1 at least.

Ericsson sooo close to taking out RBR

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

...and the McLarens look to have lo0st a lot of ground to Renault here so far. Half a second shy!

Pretty good lap by Hartley

Hartley had a heck of a Q1

No one has an answer for the ferraris in s3. Their straight line performance is still the best. Hamilton is gonna need something truly special if he is to get pole.

Well if Merc can hang on also in Q2, Q3 will tell us a lot about who has the loudest parties. Seems like RBR don't have an answer to me and even if they hang on in Q2 I expect them to fall substantially behind in Q3.

Then again it might not tell us much at all. Guessing Ferrari and Mercedes will try to get through Q2 not using HS, and HS performance for Q3 might be rather variable between cars.

Hartley has been looking better since Monaco. Good for him.

so looks like the ferraris might try starting the race on the US

Man that Williams looks horrid

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

Mercs on US too apparently

H.s just don’t last. That drop off is rather drastic and the warm up is slow compared to the u.s

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

and it looks like everyione has been sandbagging. Top teams all going quicker on the US tyre

The ESPN broadcast of the Sky Sports feed is just amazing.

Boy max is in a different league as Ricciardo here.

Hopefully Redbull do start on the HS, nothing to lose and take the risk.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2016: 24th place
2017: 4th place

Wins: Spain 2016, Canada 2017, Malaysia 2017
Podiums: 2nd Germany 2016, 3rd Mexico 2016

The Bulls the only front runners on the HS tyre so far. So different race strategically tomorrow if it stays like this

Looks like we are in store for a RACE tmrw

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

Fine werc from Leclerc.

Red Bull forcing Merc and Ferrari to change tire strategy

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PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)