# 2016 Formula One

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [March 18, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467 "2016-03-18T23:45:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/81 "2016-06-19T16:57:00Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> Anybody catch the end of the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
> 
> Wow.

Watching it right now. Recorded it from about 6 hours to go until the end, and I’ve got about 4 hours left. I already know who won from the spoilers during the F1 race but I still want to see it for myself.

Baku… that track is nuts, and I love it! All the old buildings are awesome, one of my Facebook friends called the castle “Bowser’s Castle”. Just in case some people haven’t watched it yet…

Awesome job by Perez today to overcome the grid spot penalty. He’s going to wind up at one of the “big” teams sooner rather than later.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/82 "2016-06-19T19:28:27Z")

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How they managed to avoid multiple safety-cars is amazing. I was expecting nothing less than a red flag incident.

Stewards hosed Kimi with that penalty. Thankfully, it didn’t make any difference in the end, unless they decide to get punitive about it.

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**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/83 "2016-06-19T22:22:54Z")

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After watching the practice rounds, I thought that passing would be hard at this course, but the drivers managed to figure it out.

I like how it was mentioned that Haas let Kurt Busch sit in an F1 car. Politely leaving out that they sure as hell didn’t let him drive it.

Edited to add: though I imagine that it would take some time to even get used to sitting in an F1 car.

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**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/84 "2016-06-20T20:21:59Z")

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> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#):
>
> Watching it right now. Recorded it from about 6 hours to go until the end, and I’ve got about 4 hours left. I already know who won from the spoilers during the F1 race but I still want to see it for myself.

Hope you weren’t hosed by the decision by Fox Sports here in the States to move the final two and half hours of the LeMans race coverage from FS1 to FS2, thus hosing everyone who had set their DVR set and was sleeping.

I was actually still up at 6am CDT when they mentioned they were moving to to FS2 to accommodate the rain-delayed US Open.

Baku sucked. But at least it isn’t a “shithole” like Montreal, per Bernie.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/85 "2016-06-20T23:36:16Z")

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> [@fiddlesticks](#):
>
> Hope you weren’t hosed by the decision by Fox Sports here in the States to move the final two and half hours of the LeMans race coverage from FS1 to FS2, thus hosing everyone who had set their DVR set and was sleeping.
> 
> I was actually still up at 6am CDT when they mentioned they were moving to to FS2 to accommodate the rain-delayed US Open.
> 
> Baku sucked. But at least it isn’t a “shithole” like Montreal, per Bernie.

Yeah, I got hosed. I left the room for a second and came back to golf. Still haven’t been able to see the end of the race. I missed the beginning too, same reason. :mad:

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**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/86 "2016-06-25T16:27:58Z")

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> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> Damn! I hit the DVR to watch the Canadian GP, and instead I get an hour of Orlando shooting coverage. 😕 (Why? Why on the sports channel? Isn’t every-fucking-other channel good enough?) I fast forward to hopefully catch the race, and it come on with 2 laps to go, ruining the finish for me on the rare hopes of catching a replay! :mad:

I was at the Montreal race, but had it set to record along with practice and qualifying. We had a couple hour drive to get to Montreal Sunday morning, so we didn’t even know of the Orlando shooting, but that’s all I had recorded when I got home. On top of that, I didn’t get home until that Wednesday, so I missed any replay airings.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/87 "2016-06-25T21:11:25Z")

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For anyone who missed Le Mans, Toyota was leading Porsche by about a minute, with 6 minutes to go in the race. The Toyota driver radioed in that he had lost power on the Mulsanne straight. He nursed the car along and stopped just after the start/finish line. The Porsche passed him with 3 minutes left, completed that lap, and won.

This was Porsche’s 18th win; Toyota have been trying for a few years, but never won. Their car ran brilliantly for 23 hours and 54 minutes. Both teams looked a little stunned by what happened; the Toyota guys must have been absolutely gutted.

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/88 "2016-07-02T14:39:21Z")

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Today’s qualifying session for the Austrian Grand Prix was fun. The weather provided just the right mixing up.

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**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/89 "2016-07-02T19:58:46Z")

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Mixing up is right. After all the penalties were accounted for, Lewis won the pole and Nico was in second. Nico Hulkenberg.

Looks like an easy win for Hamilton.

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/90 "2016-07-02T20:21:33Z")

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> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> Looks like an easy win for Hamilton.

Only if he starts well. And a safety car or the weather could really mix things up.

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**Author:** ![XanderCrews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ee59a6/32.png) [@XanderCrews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XanderCrews)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/91 "2016-07-03T13:38:01Z")

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What a finish! It seems that Hamilton’s engineer’s were right about the soft tires, if only just. He did have him by about half a lap if they hadn’t made contact.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/92 "2016-07-03T14:39:39Z")

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Rosberg is being investigated as well, for the running-off of Hamilton and continuing while damaged.

I have to say that he went very wide, very early and off the racing line. Can’t see too much blame to apportion to Hamilton. There is some suggestion that Rosberg’s brakes were shot which would explain it. Still, he may well get a further penalty for it.

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/93 "2016-07-03T16:31:46Z")

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Cracking race. Lots of action throughout the field. Verstappen and Wehrlein did very well, and it’s good to see Maclaren improving. But what happened to Hulkenberg?

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**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/94 "2016-07-03T16:42:32Z")

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I’m watching the replay right now. Anyone else think Kvyat isn’t long for Toro Rosso? I already know the results thanks to a Facebook spoiler. Nice job by Wehrlein.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/95 "2016-07-03T18:23:01Z")

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> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#):
>
> I have to say that he went very wide, very early and off the racing line. Can’t see too much blame to apportion to Hamilton. There is some suggestion that Rosberg’s brakes were shot which would explain it. Still, he may well get a further penalty for it.

To me it looked a lot like what happened on the first lap in Canada; driver on the inside left the other guy the option of running off the track or making contact. In Canada, Rosberg went through the grass rather than hit Hamilton, Hamilton blamed it on understeer, and the stewards didn’t get involved.

I’ll have to watch the replay of this incident a few times, but it looked like Hamilton chose to turn in to Rosberg. How the rest plays out remains to be seen.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/96 "2016-07-03T19:22:06Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> To me it looked a lot like what happened on the first lap in Canada; driver on the inside left the other guy the option of running off the track or making contact. In Canada, Rosberg went through the grass rather than hit Hamilton, Hamilton blamed it on understeer, and the stewards didn’t get involved.
> 
> I’ll have to watch the replay of this incident a few times, but it looked like Hamilton chose to turn in to Rosberg. How the rest plays out remains to be seen.

Rosberg went no-where near the racing line on that last lap. He deliberately went wide to force Hamilton wide as well. If you look at the typical racing line through the corner you’ll see Rosberg was well wide of that with no real reason to be other than forcing Hamilton to go wider.

In the Canada incident, Hamilton was spot on the racing line and only drifted wide due to understeer. Rosberg wasn’t even _steering_ today until well past the normal turn-in point.

Hamilton gave him more room than needed and was off the racing line with the intention of swinging back inside Rosberg with extra speed and DRS down the next straight.

The general opinion seems to be that Rosberg was at fault and I’ve just read that he’s been penalised 10 seconds for it, so that pretty much seals it. There’ll be interesting conversations at Mercedes tonight.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/97 "2016-07-03T21:16:09Z")

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Didn’t look as bad from Rosberg’s onboard camera. Yeah, he was wide, off the line, but he was defending the position. He tried to turn in (you see his hands turn the wheel, but nothing happens) and the car didn’t respond, then Lewis turns in on him.

I’d say “racing incident”.

As for failing to stop, that is simply bullshit. Who the hell would stop with front wing damage with a half-lap to go, running in second? That is just stupid.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/98 "2016-07-03T21:25:37Z")

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> [@Gatopescado](#):
>
> Didn’t look as bad from Rosberg’s onboard camera. Yeah, he was wide, off the line, but he was defending the position. He tried to turn in (you see his hands turn the wheel, but nothing happens) and the car didn’t respond, then Lewis turns in on him…

No, he just didn’t. The external video, Lewis’s and Nico’s on-board all tell the same story.

He never even tried to take the racing line and only turned at the very last moment, well past the point that he should have done. Had he taken and kept the racing line and still run Lewis out of space (as happened in Canada) then than would have been fair enough. He didn’t. He took a drastically different line through the corner with the express intention of killing Lewis’s momentum because he knew that his rival would carry the greater speed and undercut him or drive around him.

All TV and media I’ve seen, plus the stewards on track (who are historically pretty harsh on Lewis) say it was Nico’s fault. It is a slam dunk.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/99 "2016-07-03T22:27:24Z")

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> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#):
>
> In the Canada incident, Hamilton was spot on the racing line and only drifted wide due to understeer.

Understeer; couldn’t be helped, not his vault he ran his teammate off the track. With such an ill-handling car from the very first lap it’s nothing short of a miracle that he was able to finish the race, let alone win.

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-formula-one/749467/100 "2016-07-04T07:27:46Z")

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> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> Understeer; couldn’t be helped, not his vault he ran his teammate off the track. With such an ill-handling car from the very first lap it’s nothing short of a miracle that he was able to finish the race, let alone win.

it was either understeer or “understeer”. But as you say that was the first lap, first corner together with all the uncertainty of cold tyres and limited racing room with a follow-on straight into the next corner. Plausible deniability.  
Hamilton had the natural line through the Canadian corner and into the next one. He ran a little wide as he turned but at least he was turning. Rosberg in Austria, didn’t turn _at all_ and was nowhere near the racing line.  
It is one thing to mount a strong defence of your position on the racing line and make the other person chicken out, another entirely to move out of your way and off the racing line in order to give your opponent a choice between “hit me” or “get off the road”

Anyway, it is all moot because the stewards who  
A) have access to all the telemetry and interviews  
B) have a history of being pretty hard on Hamilton  
have decided that it was Rosberg’s fault. There is also a 90% media backing for Hamilton.

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