F1: Italian GP '20 (Monza & Mugello)

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

According Insideracing.com :

Verstappen feels in touch with Mercedes around 'my type of track' Mugello

Max Verstappen believes he is in touch with Mercedes after a solid first day at the Tuscan Grand Prix.

As Formula 1 got to grips with Mugello for the first time, the Dutchman was encouraged to finish just a quarter of a second behind pacesetter Valtteri Bottas in the afternoon session.

Indeed, Verstappen is once again the only competition the German manufacturer is facing, with a gap of almost eight-tenths back to Red Bull teammate Alex Albon in fourth

"We can be pretty pleased with how the car is behaving and I think it was a good first day at Mugello,” he commented.

“We are not too far off Mercedes which is a good thing and also balance-wise, there are always things that can be improved, but overall I was pretty pleased."

In FP2 Max was just 39/000 sec behind HAM.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5theonlyone

In FP2 Max was just 39/000 sec behind HAM.

Saw nothing . Was crazy busy at work .
Will watch the highlights ...

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by yco

The left side design of the helmet is more meaningful to me with the period design and clear number of the car than the here today and gone tomorrow colours and insignia's of nowadays.

[msk340i]

https://youtu.be/xtMoUWvSJX8

Seb correcting the engineer 😂

[yco]

this weekend Mick Schumacher will drive F2004..

[M5Rick]

FP3 As expected Merc are starting off monstering the times on fresh rubber like the proverbial school bully boys...but Max with the BIGGER fists is coming.

[M5Rick]

I'm expecting Seb to do some flying laps in quali as it is Ferrari's test track after all and they should know every ripple and bump of the track.
C'mon Seb haul that millennial tub into the top three!

[M5Rick]

Merc have chickened out and using softs now to beat Max's mediums time
and BOT's softs have cried enough haha...come on the race.

[M5Rick]

...and MAX hammers HAM:Result.

[msk340i]

Originally Posted by M5theonlyone

I'm expecting Seb to do some flying laps in quali as it is Ferrari's test track after all and they should know every ripple and bump of the track.
C'mon Seb haul that millennial tub into the top three!

Top three???? I'll be good with top 8 my friend.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by msk340i

Top three???? I'll be good with top 8 my friend.

I know my friend..I was buttering it up a bit but it is Mugello.

[yco]

Renaults and McLarens are looking awful...
Gasly is having a confidence boost he ever had on track it vividly can be seen on TV..

[msk340i]

Oh what a surprise starting grid!

[yco]

well done to Leclerc carrying Ferrari to the highest place possible while Vettel still struggles with the same car 7-8 race in the season.. i guess even people in Ferrari was surprised by this!!!

and Perez.. do a great job with the team for 6-7 years.. been sacked in a rude way.. not getting the new parts like Stroll has clearly makes the car faster.. and beats Stroll.. best answer he could give unlucky to have a grid drop penalty though..

and Lewis of course..

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by msk340i

Oh what a surprise starting grid!

Mate . It's very close ...

[msk340i]

Leclerc's one lap pace is great but the soft tire will not be the race tire. The tarmac is very abrasive and temps are high. For a car with good high fuel race pace it'll be ok to start on the soft them switch and be able to overtake. For Leclerc it will be challenging to be able to hold the position because his soft tire race pace is slower than the cars behind him at 1:24.5 and on the mediums he was slower than Vettel at 1:26.3 compared to 1:26.1

I expect him to be going backwards just like in Spa.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by msk340i

Leclerc's one lap pace is great but the soft tire will not be the race tire. The tarmac is very abrasive and temps are high. For a car with good high fuel race pace it'll be ok to start on the soft them switch and be able to overtake. For Leclerc it will be challenging to be able to hold the position because his soft tire race pace is slower than the cars behind him at 1:24.5 and on the mediums he was slower than Vettel at 1:26.3 compared to 1:26.1

I expect him to be going backwards just like in Spa.

Mate .The top-10 is running on the softs C3 .
As for the race , it's all about the tire pitstop strategy !
Think MAX has a good chance tomorrow ...

[msk340i]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Mate .The top-10 is running on the softs C3 .
As for the race , it's all about the tire pitstop strategy !
Think MAX has a good chance tomorrow ...

Yes that's why Ferrari need to put all their brain power to help Leclerc stay in the mix. Otherwise he'll be looking at another Spa.
Max and the Mercs have the pace to pull away and have a comfortable window to change boots. But not LEC.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by msk340i

Yes that's why Ferrari need to put all their brain power to help Leclerc stay in the mix. Otherwise he'll be looking at another Spa.
Max and the Mercs have the pace to pull away and have a comfortable window to change boots. But not LEC.

Ferrari has the best data regarding the Mugello track . Ferrari knows this track very well .
But as we know the Ferrari lack of power is still remaining...And I really hope that their pitstops doesn't s@ck again !
Wished SEB was running better . The performance and pace from LeCrash Ferrari , looks from another level..
Think Ferrari screwed SEB once again !

According the latest from HAM : "Tomorrow MAX will be there" !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Red Bull behind the screens at Spa-Francorchamps !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Ferrari has the best data regarding the Mugello track . Ferrari knows this track very well .
But as we know the Ferrari lack of power is still remaining...And I really hope that their pitstops doesn't s@ck again !
Wished SEB was running better . The performance and pace from LeCrash Ferrari , looks from another level..
Think Ferrari screwed SEB once again !

According the latest from HAM : "Tomorrow MAX will be there" !

Like Stroll jnr Lecrunch is getting the better parts my friend, it must be plainly obvious to everyone hence Seb is trailing way back..all the love is crushingly lost from the Scuderia even Val Rossi can't believe SF are doing that.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by msk340i

Leclerc's one lap pace is great but the soft tire will not be the race tire. The tarmac is very abrasive and temps are high. For a car with good high fuel race pace it'll be ok to start on the soft them switch and be able to overtake. For Leclerc it will be challenging to be able to hold the position because his soft tire race pace is slower than the cars behind him at 1:24.5 and on the mediums he was slower than Vettel at 1:26.3 compared to 1:26.1

I expect him to be going backwards just like in Spa.

The abrasive surface will be a killer for the Merc team if they are on highish boost with the heavy downforce needed so I expect they'll cut down on boost for tyre longevity.