Official 2021 Mexican Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***
Discussion
Round 18 and Mexico. The altitude and circuit layout both favour RB, and it seems that Hamilton could take another engine here to see him through the last 4 rounds. Max probably therefore starts as a warm favourite, particularly if Perez can keep up his recent form. Let’s hope for another cracker after COTA.
Interesting to see if McLaren can get back on Ferrari’s pace, and if Ricciardo can produce another strong weekend vs Norris.
Timings are again all quite UK friendly and not quite as late as COTA, but it does mess up the usual Channel 4 coverage- see below.
Date(s): Friday 5 November to Sunday 7 November 2021.
UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)
All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.
Live timing for all sessions available here:
https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html
Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:
https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...
Weather forecast:
https://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/Mexico/Aut...
Tyre options:
Teams have two hard, three mediums and eight soft sets available per driver for each weekend.
2020 race result:
N/A
2020 Race Highlights:
N/A
Interesting to see if McLaren can get back on Ferrari’s pace, and if Ricciardo can produce another strong weekend vs Norris.
Timings are again all quite UK friendly and not quite as late as COTA, but it does mess up the usual Channel 4 coverage- see below.
Date(s): Friday 5 November to Sunday 7 November 2021.
UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)
All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.
Live timing for all sessions available here:
https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html
Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:
https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...
Weather forecast:
https://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/Mexico/Aut...
Tyre options:
Teams have two hard, three mediums and eight soft sets available per driver for each weekend.
2020 race result:
N/A
2020 Race Highlights:
N/A
Edited by Piginapoke on Sunday 31st October 07:55
I think it makes sense for Lewis to take an engine here as chances are he may only get third at best anyway, but with a spanking new engine turned up he can get a few overtakes done on the start/finish DRS zone to get back to Third.
And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
Jasandjules said:
I think it makes sense for Lewis to take an engine here as chances are he may only get third at best anyway, but with a spanking new engine turned up he can get a few overtakes done on the start/finish DRS zone to get back to Third.
And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
If the engine change isn’t taken before FP1 (which I don’t think it will be), then I suspect RB will try and sandbag during FP1, 2 and 3 to lull Merc into a false sense of security that they could be in with a chance without taking an engine penalty. And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
Jasandjules said:
I think it makes sense for Lewis to take an engine here as chances are he may only get third at best anyway, but with a spanking new engine turned up he can get a few overtakes done on the start/finish DRS zone to get back to Third.
And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
The suspension tweak is worth maybe a tenth and half round a lap. The Mercedes engine has lost more than that to the Renault powered Red Bull in the past purely down to their turbo layout just not working as well with the Mexico track being high altitude and is looking likely to lost the more to the Honda powered Red Bull also. And now I am wondering if Merc have improved their suspension so much they think they might even be able to get past a Red Bull down the straight if they get close enough into S3, which would be the problem !
On the flip side for taking a new engine, it's only really worked for them at Monza.
Russia - Bottas was looking at 14th before the rain (from 16th IIRC)
Turkey - Hamilton couldn't get past 5th (from 11th)
America - Bottas climbed all the way from 9th to 6th
So taking a new engine on the assumption they can make up the places ... bit of a brave call that.
Russia - Bottas was looking at 14th before the rain (from 16th IIRC)
Turkey - Hamilton couldn't get past 5th (from 11th)
America - Bottas climbed all the way from 9th to 6th
So taking a new engine on the assumption they can make up the places ... bit of a brave call that.
DanielSan said:
The suspension tweak is worth maybe a tenth and half round a lap. The Mercedes engine has lost more than that to the Renault powered Red Bull in the past purely down to their turbo layout just not working as well with the Mexico track being high altitude and is looking likely to lost the more to the Honda powered Red Bull also.
Yes but with the long straight, DRS and the suspension they must have 10mph over the Red Bull, that ought to be enough IF they can get close enough in S3, which I doubt !!Am I the only one who would prefer the old Sector 3, with the daunting banked Peraltada corner heading on the to start/finish straight? Yes, I know, the big baseball stadium grandstand and the DJ afterwards, but almost no overtaking during the race…
Lewis really needs to win this one, all the momentum is with Max and another win here will give him one hand on the big trophy. Let’s hope the Mercedes trick suspension can do the job, and get him on pole at what’s traditionally been a circuit that favours Red Bull.
I know I have good reason to be biased, but really want to see this go to the last race.
Lewis really needs to win this one, all the momentum is with Max and another win here will give him one hand on the big trophy. Let’s hope the Mercedes trick suspension can do the job, and get him on pole at what’s traditionally been a circuit that favours Red Bull.
I know I have good reason to be biased, but really want to see this go to the last race.
TheDeuce said:
This GP marks the start of a triple header, so two weeks later, there is a high chance we'll know who's won each title - at least in all probability of not mathematically.
No pressure then
If this is another Max win, I would say that's it done this week (probability wise, if not mathematically No pressure then
). 20 points advantage would be pretty much impossible to recover in the last few races without a highly unlikely string of victories.I know we have seen bigger swings before, but Max has been so sure-footed this year and the Red Bull so solid I just don't see it.
I don't have the evidence to back it up, but it has felt like the 'form book' hasn't really worked that well this year, it feels like a few Merc tracks have gone Red Bull's way, and vice versa? Or certainly at least there hasn't been the huge advantage one way or another this year? 
As a Red Bull fan, that makes me a little uneasy going in to Mexico that Mercedes will be quicker than expected, although if they do keep taking engine penalties then who knows.
Even if Max leaves Mexico with a 20 point advantage, that's still wiped out with one DNF, a repeat of something like Hungary could easily swing the championship the other way, I don't think this one will be over until it's a mathematical certainty...
As a Red Bull fan, that makes me a little uneasy going in to Mexico that Mercedes will be quicker than expected, although if they do keep taking engine penalties then who knows.
Even if Max leaves Mexico with a 20 point advantage, that's still wiped out with one DNF, a repeat of something like Hungary could easily swing the championship the other way, I don't think this one will be over until it's a mathematical certainty...
Jasandjules said:
Yes but with the long straight, DRS and the suspension they must have 10mph over the Red Bull, that ought to be enough IF they can get close enough in S3, which I doubt !!
They won’t have an extra 10mph if they are down on power at this circuit though. I can see this being an easy win for Red Bull (I hope I’m wrong). Honda have had a relatively stronger performance than Mercedes at the high altitude tracks due to, as I understand it, a bigger compressor among other things. I don't believe this has changed since Honda brought their compressor outside of the 'V'. If it wasn't the case that the Honda PU had an actual power advantage at high altitude tracks in previous years, it probably is the case this season as Honda have been a match or very nearly a match for Mercedes everywhere else.
That said, I seem to remember that Mercedes have looked more comfortable in high downforce configurations- possibly better able to pile it on whilst still having a car which handles well. I am not sure whether this is connected but we have seen Red Bull struggle to balance their rear downforce with the front for the past few race weekends. Obviously they were able to find a balance between FP1 and FP2 in Texas but maybe this issue will raise its head once again when they crank the downforce up for Mexico and Brazil. If they get into qually and races at Mexico and Brazil with the kind of understeer we have seen at times during the Russian, Turkish and US Grand Prix weekends, Red Bull won't be able to challenge Mercedes.
I have given up reading from my form book this season and I think that Mercedes will be a problem for Red Bull at the high altitude tracks.
That said, I seem to remember that Mercedes have looked more comfortable in high downforce configurations- possibly better able to pile it on whilst still having a car which handles well. I am not sure whether this is connected but we have seen Red Bull struggle to balance their rear downforce with the front for the past few race weekends. Obviously they were able to find a balance between FP1 and FP2 in Texas but maybe this issue will raise its head once again when they crank the downforce up for Mexico and Brazil. If they get into qually and races at Mexico and Brazil with the kind of understeer we have seen at times during the Russian, Turkish and US Grand Prix weekends, Red Bull won't be able to challenge Mercedes.
I have given up reading from my form book this season and I think that Mercedes will be a problem for Red Bull at the high altitude tracks.
SturdyHSV said:
I don't have the evidence to back it up, but it has felt like the 'form book' hasn't really worked that well this year, it feels like a few Merc tracks have gone Red Bull's way, and vice versa?
Agreed, it's been topsy turvy by my recollection as well.To my eyes it looks like they (Merc) can set the suspension to drop a fair bit here on the straights but I don't know the finer details so that's just speculation.
Dunc.
Edited by dunc_sx on Monday 1st November 12:20
As far as I can see the form book has only really been Mercedes tracks turning out to suit Red Bull. Is there a Red Bull track that turned out to suit Mercedes? Bottas pulled off a good qualifying in Monaco but that's the only one I can really think of where Mercedes had a good lead. Maybe Hungary?
dunc_sx said:
SturdyHSV said:
I don't have the evidence to back it up, but it has felt like the 'form book' hasn't really worked that well this year, it feels like a few Merc tracks have gone Red Bull's way, and vice versa?
Agreed, it's been topsy turvy by my recollection as well.To my eyes it looks like they (Merc) can set the suspension to drop a fair bit here on the straights but I don't know the finer details so that's just speculation.
Dunc.
Edited by dunc_sx on Monday 1st November 12:20
Common sense does suggest that with their trick suspension doing it's thing, perhaps along with a well judged power increase, Mercedes should fly down that straight - but whats the betting that's not what we see on the day
DanielSan said:
The suspension tweak is worth maybe a tenth and half round a lap. The Mercedes engine has lost more than that to the Renault powered Red Bull in the past purely down to their turbo layout just not working as well with the Mexico track being high altitude and is looking likely to lost the more to the Honda powered Red Bull also.
Turbo layout is irrelevant, its compressor/turbine size that matters. Mercedes have zero issues with that from their layout design.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff