Motosport General discussion tread --- Formula1, MotoGP, WTCC, ETCC, DTM.....

[tokeweed]

I had to rub my eyes to see if it's really true.  It's finally an F1 weekend!  Now I don't know what to watch this weekend as the schedule is packed with football games and F1.  And there's also the dog and pony show between May and Mac.  It will be a good weekend. 

2017 Belgian Grand Prix Timetable

Thursday August 24

1500 – Drivers' Press Conference

Part 1 – Esteban Ocon (Force India)
       – Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
       – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

Part 2 – Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
       – Felipe Massa (Williams)
       – Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

Friday August 25

1000-1130 – First practice session

1400-1530 – Second practice session

1600 – Team Principal Press Conference

Part 1 – Cyril Abiteboul (Renault)
       – Christian Horner (Red Bull)
       – Guenther Steiner (Haas)

Part 2 – Zak Brown (McLaren)
       – Yusuke Hasegawa (Honda)
       – Franz Tost (Toro Rosso)

Saturday August 26

1100-1200 – Third practice session

1400-1500 – Qualifying

Post qualifying – Press conference with three fastest drivers from qualifying

Sunday August 27

1230 – Drivers' Parade

1400 – Race

2017 Belgian Grand Prix | F1 Fast Facts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Zrj8pfjjs

[mnixxo]

@cicciobtc. But if Sebastian Vettel gets 1st place in qualifying it will make it more clear for Ferrari win. Do not forget the stricter rules imposed by the FIA on oil burning during qualifying that was giving Mercedes the advantage at every Q3.

i agree with you, but also agree with what cicciobtc has written. Belgium Spa is very good for Mercedes. And I think one of the couple of mercedes drivers, Hamilton or Bottas, will win this race. But also I hope ferrari drives will make it difficult.

[mnixxo]

One more information. McLaren have confirmed that Stoffel Vandoorne will remain a McLaren driver in 2018. I am very curious what will become of Fernando Alonso.

[bbc.reporter]

@mnixxo. That is good news. Now let us hope that Honda could provide a good engine for the team next season. I reckon Fernando Alonso is willing to give it 1 more year at McClaren only if he could see any improvements in their car's performance from now until the end of this season.

[mnixxo]

@mnixxo. That is good news. Now let us hope that Honda could provide a good engine for the team next season. I reckon Fernando Alonso is willing to give it 1 more year at McClaren only if he could see any improvements in their car's performance from now until the end of this season.

I also hope for better engine Honda could provide for the next season. I dont see any alternative for fernando alonso. only stay in McLaren for the next season or not to race next season.

[cicciobtc]

At Spa Felipe Massa crushed in Fp1!
Massa hit the barrier hard, causing significant damage to the left side of his FW40. He probably will not run this weekend!

Meanwhile in the fp2 record of track for Hamilton 1.44.753 but it seems that Bottas,Ferrari and Red Bull can improve this time!

[azguard]

This weekend will be interesting in both F1 and MotoGP. Formula might be just another race with Mercedes and Ferrari battle for pole and win, dont think that Red Bull can made something here they might fight for third place at the end. In motoGP it will be very interesting cuz Marquez crashed and broke main bike, but still with this he was good expect to see possible rain in both races, but most interesting will be in Spa if there is rain or comes to be wet track before start.     

[cicciobtc]

Good news for Ferrari, after Raikkonen also Vettel has officially  renewed for Ferrari until 2020!
The team is now focused on winning the championship with Vettel!

[BitcoinSupremo]

This weekend will be interesting in both F1 and MotoGP. Formula might be just another race with Mercedes and Ferrari battle for pole and win, dont think that Red Bull can made something here they might fight for third place at the end. In motoGP it will be very interesting cuz Marquez crashed and broke main bike, but still with this he was good expect to see possible rain in both races, but most interesting will be in Spa if there is rain or comes to be wet track before start.     

It is also a good opportunity for us bettors to make some easy profit. Normally at a track like SPA which more than 65% is run at full throttle I have bet on both Mercedes to come ahead of both Ferraris in the qualifying round today which has just started. Odds were 1.44 for Bottas and 1.48 for Hamilton. I hope I can win these because of the track suiting more Mercedes rather than Ferrari.

[cicciobtc]

68th pole position in career for Hamilton (same as Schumacher record) with new track record at Spa:1’42”553

Here is the start list:

1. Hamilton
2. Vettel
3. Bottas
4. Raikkonen
5. Verstappen
6. Ricciardo
7. Hulkenberg
8. Perez
9. Ocon
10. Palmer
11. Alonso
12. Grosjean
13. Magnussen
14. Sainz
15. Vandoorne
16. Kvyat
17. Stroll
18. Ericsson
19. Wehrlein
20. Massa

[cicciobtc]

Pole Position Silverstone Motogp top 10:

1. MARQUEZ      1:59:941
2. ROSSI                +0:084
3. CRUTCHLOW   +0:165
4. VINALES           +0:400
5. LORENZO         +0:458
6. DOVIZIOSO      +0:631
7. PEDROSA         +0:637
8. ZARCO              +0:681
9. ESPARGARO    +0:823
10. FOLGER          +0:888

Record of track for Marquez but V. Rossi is very close!

[mnixxo]

There is a big rumor that Williams wants Fernando Alonso for the next season. Lance Stroll need an old-timer alongside to get better. But will be Williams better team for Alonso than McLaren? William is weaker and weaker now. Every team has some improvements, but it seems like in Williams they are doing something wrong.

[bbc.reporter]

My prediction for the race, Sebastian will pit earlier than Lewis and do an undercut taking the fresher tire advantage and get some quick times. By the time Lewis pits and gets out, Sebastian will still hold 1st place.

[mnixxo]

i like races where in podium are three teams. gratz to hamilton. vettel has no chance today. i am disappointed with bottas' race today. on the other hand, nice overtake from ricciardo after safety car has left. craziness in force india team. two collisions in one race between both ocon and perez is impossible.

[BitcoinSupremo]

Perfect race from Hamilton and I win the H2H bet against Vettel however thanks to the inexperience of Bottas and not a needed safety car I lost the H2H bet of Bottas against Raikkonen. A not so beautiful race to watch with Alonso complaining all the time about a shameful Honda engine which didn't have power today. Moto GP starting in about 18 minutes from now.

[pereira4]

Perfect race from Hamilton and I win the H2H bet against Vettel however thanks to the inexperience of Bottas and not a needed safety car I lost the H2H bet of Bottas against Raikkonen. A not so beautiful race to watch with Alonso complaining all the time about a shameful Honda engine which didn't have power today. Moto GP starting in about 18 minutes from now.

Hamilton is making the competition excting again, it was getting boring with Vettel's domination, and I was starting to feel like it was over, but Hamilton is getting closer to Vetel again.

Oh and of course, we had to see Alonso's curse continue. It is unfortunate to see him break so many motors. He must have a world record of breaking motors at this point. He needs to get a better card next year or just retire, he should be fighting for the championship but he can't due having a shitty car each year.

[LTU_btc]

Collision between Perez and Occon made this race very interesting. It's strange to see team friends fighting each other in this way on mostly GP's of this season. Ricciardo performed amazing after restart and he is lucky again - 3rd place is great result for Red Bull. But Verstappen didn't finished again. Alonso didn't finished also - nothing new.
Vettel had only one chance to overtake Hamilton and he was very close to do it. Anyway, he still have 7 pts lead. And it looks that Ferrari can fight with Mercedes in tracks, where Silver Arrows should have bigger advantage.

[bbc.reporter]

Perfect race from Hamilton and I win the H2H bet against Vettel however thanks to the inexperience of Bottas and not a needed safety car I lost the H2H bet of Bottas against Raikkonen. A not so beautiful race to watch with Alonso complaining all the time about a shameful Honda engine which didn't have power today. Moto GP starting in about 18 minutes from now.

Hamilton is making the competition excting again, it was getting boring with Vettel's domination, and I was starting to feel like it was over, but Hamilton is getting closer to Vetel again.

You judge the season as boring already? This is one of the closest fights for the driver's championship we have in years. There is clearly no domination by Sebastian or Lewis this year.

If they continue to try to surpass one another then the driver's champion might be decided in the last race of the season.

[tokeweed]

Have Merc already renewed Bottas' contract?  Because if they haven't, we could see this young guy in a Silver Arrow.

Verstappen Angry to be “Competing” with Alonso on Retirements
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-angry-to-be-competing-with-alonso-on-retirements-945866/?tp=2&s=1

Yes please!  It would be a good move for Mercedes as Hamilton will retire within 5 years or so.

[pereira4]

Perfect race from Hamilton and I win the H2H bet against Vettel however thanks to the inexperience of Bottas and not a needed safety car I lost the H2H bet of Bottas against Raikkonen. A not so beautiful race to watch with Alonso complaining all the time about a shameful Honda engine which didn't have power today. Moto GP starting in about 18 minutes from now.

Hamilton is making the competition excting again, it was getting boring with Vettel's domination, and I was starting to feel like it was over, but Hamilton is getting closer to Vetel again.

You judge the season as boring already? This is one of the closest fights for the driver's championship we have in years. There is clearly no domination by Sebastian or Lewis this year.

If they continue to try to surpass one another then the driver's champion might be decided in the last race of the season.

Yes maybe it was too early to say Vettel was clearly dominating, there's still time to keep it tight until the end, but I still think Vettel will win and Hamilton will be able to overtake him.

Alonso is probably going to compete again next year in Indy 500 because at this rate he isn't going to be able to compete for the championship unless he gets a better car, so he will not care to miss another race.