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[gdh]

This new qualfying is terrible, hopefully this is the last race when it is used. Riccardo sure sounded pleased with his results and great to see Haas again do well.

[overboost]

I agree gdh this format just doesn't work. Most drivers are eliminated while waiting in the pits and teams who might want to respond can't do it because it is impossible to turn the car around quickly enough to put in another lap. The excitement is reduced to watching that little square countdown box move up the time sheet like a pac-man just gobbling up drivers names!

But this whole qually controversy is still just a distraction from the end result which is watching the drivers of the W07 car cruise to pole after pole and win after win. This is the third season of the token rules and the Merc advantage is still there with the other teams efforts held back. I would even surmise that the gap is larger if quick drivers like Ricciardo, Alonso, Verstappen or Vettel were able to take a turn in the W07. Even if the other teams were to get to close I am sure that Merc would just do a driver upgrade to maintain the gap.

Lets hope that the Ferrari drivers can at least make a show of it tomorrow with another great starting display. Also Grosjean sitting there in 9th with strategy freedom will be a wild card in the Haas. And Ricciardo on 5th is a threat. But like we saw in Aus even with Hamilton's big start mistake a Merc 1-2 though is the likely outcome in any case.

Top ten in Q3

1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1’29.493
2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1’29.570
3 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1’30.012
4 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1’30.244
5 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1’30.854
6 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1’31.153
7 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1’31.155
8 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1’31.620

Drivers eliminated in Q2

9 Romain Grosjean Haas-Ferrari 1’31.756
10 Max Verstappen Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’31.772
11 Carlos Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1’31.816
12 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren-Honda 1’31.934
13 Esteban Gutierrez Haas-Ferrari 1’31.945
14 Jenson Button McLaren-Honda 1’31.998
15 Daniil Kvyat Red Bull-TAG Heuer 1’32.241

Drivers eliminated in Q1

16 Pascal Wehrlein Manor-Mercedes 1’32.806
17 Marcus Ericsson Sauber-Ferrari 1’32.840
18 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1’32.911
19 Kevin Magnussen Renault 1’33.181
20 Jolyon Palmer Renault 1’33.438
21 Rio Haryanto Manor-Mercedes 1’34.190
22 Felipe Nasr Sauber-Ferrari 1’34.388

[overboost]

Hamilton is under investigation for reversing in the pit after Q3. Safety violation.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamil ... ng-684085/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lewis Hamilton has been called to the Bahrain stewards after appearing to break regulations by reversing his car in the pit lane at the end of Saturday's qualifying session.

Maybe dq from the session if he indeed reverse down pit lane under power.

Update: Just a reprimand. Other teams probably would have received a penalty but this is Merc so kid gloves I suppose. We all remember Mansell at Portugal in 89 pitting from the lead in his Ferrari being dq'd for the same infraction.

"The stewards have a number of penalties they could issue to Lewis & have decided to give him a reprimand. Pole still stands"
https://twitter.com/CroftyF1/status/716325808927805441" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[myownalias]

Qualifying still doesn't work, as just as about anyone with any knowledge of F1 predicted, hopefully we can get consensus after a second try and return to the 2015 format.

As for the Hamilton reprimand, I think it was fair, if the FIA don't have their s*** together, it would be unfair to strip him of his pole and he reversed a couple of feet to not be an obstruction.

[overboost]

Raikkonen agrees with you myownalias and tells it like it is regarding the qually rules:

KR: "There is so much politics and bulls-h-i-t in F1 that it is crazy sometimes," he said. "People from the outside must look at us and think 'what stupid people, what are they doing?'.

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/151 ... -raikkonen" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regarding Hamiltons reprimand you are probably right looking at it from a common sense point of view however on the other hand Magnussen is starting from pit lane for a rather minor infraction of the rules that received the maximum punishment. Magnussen's comments explain the complete lack of common sense used in his case. This was in practice from the same stewards.

"Asked if he felt the penalty was harsh, he replied: "The way I look at it, what is frustrating about it, even if I had stopped at the weigh bridge and got caught -- let's say hypothetically I was illegal on something, underweight, rear wing too low or whatever -- there's no penalty for that in practice."

http://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/151 ... in-penalty" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[myownalias]

Inconsistent stewardship has been part of F1 for as long as I remember, of course that does not make it right. But in the case of Magnussen, from what I understand, the penalty was hard because the team did not bring back the car to the weigh bridge before working on the car, so I assume that Renault either didn't hear the instruction or willfully ignored it.

[overboost]

At least now we know that it is OK for Magnussen to reverse down pitlane. Or do we??

[overboost]

The Merc to Ferrari qually gap for 2016 Bahrain is actually 0.108s more than 2015.

2016 - 0.519s
2015 - 0.411s

[myownalias]

At least now we know that it is OK for Magnussen to reverse down pitlane. Or do we??

I don't believe that Hamilton was "let off" because of who he is, if that was the case, the stewards would have just turned a blind eye to the whole situation. Magnussen and his team failed to complete a mandatory action, so the punishment was fair. The team could have wheeled Magnussen's car back to the weigh bridge and more than likely avoided punishment, but they did not and started working on his car, hence the penalty that was handed down. The FIA are not perfect, but I think it's unfair to suggest they deliberately disadvantage one driver over another.

[overboost]

Magnussen explained that point as well:

"So why do we penalise me for so hard because I didn't stop? There's no consequence for stopping, there's no reason for me not to stop. It's not a way of cheating, it's no advantage. But there we are, that's the rule and it's the same for everyone -- it was my turn this time."

I will just say that I agree with you that the stewards are inconsistent in their decisions. Sometimes rules are enforced as written and sometimes they are not.

Keep in mind that if the stewards had applied a penalty to Hamilton today they would say that would been fully within their rights to do so and that the punishment would have been defended as a fair application of the rule in the same way they have in the case with Mags.

[gdh]

Congrats to Nico, Haas and RG once again were the team/driver of the race. VanD likely has secured the seat for China if Alonzo is still out. First few laps it seemed that they were trying to replicate a NASCAR race.

[overboost]

A good race for Rosberg, now 5 wins in a row! Raikkonen was great and took proper advantage of Hamiltons problems. Kimi is looking good. Grosjean, wow, two excellent drives in a row for Haas!

Hamilton seems to be making unforced errors, add this poor start to his mistake in qually and his big error at the start in Aus. Giving up pole at the start two races in a row now it just seems that Hamilton's head is more into selfies/fashion.

Ferrari needs to get its engine reliability under control if they are going to have any hope this season. Two dnf's (one a dns) in two races. Merc is just too reliable. And looking at the standings Grosjean is ahead of Vettel! Grosjean: "This is unbelievable ..... what a job guys, I love you."

[sagi58]

...Ferrari needs to get its engine reliability under control if they are going to have any hope this season. Two dnf's (one a dns) in two races...

Great race from Kimi who once again rises up to his nickname!!
As for the "dnf gremlins", here's hoping they move on now that
our drivers have one each...

[sagi58]

... VanD likely has secured the seat for China if Alonzo is still out...

According to Ron Dennis:

Alonso should’ve been allowed to race

[myownalias]

Magnussen explained that point as well:

"So why do we penalise me for so hard because I didn't stop? There's no consequence for stopping, there's no reason for me not to stop. It's not a way of cheating, it's no advantage. But there we are, that's the rule and it's the same for everyone -- it was my turn this time."

Magnussen is 100% wrong saying not stopping for the weigh bridge red light is not a way of cheating, it clearly can be, I'm not saying that Renault/Magnussen were cheating. But the car could have been underweight and as the team worked on the car after failing to stop, there is no way to prove the car was not underweight, so it's fair punishment IMO!

---

The race itself was pretty good overall, plenty of action throughout the field, standouts were Raikkonen, although damage to Hamilton's car definitely helped him stay ahead. HAAS have impressed again, bold strategy and impressive driving from Grosjean to one up their performance in Australia. Solid performance from Ricciardo again, Red Bull clearly miles ahead of Renault with the same power unit. Manor have impressed me big time this season so far, especially Pascal Wehrlein, were not accustomed to seeing Manor cars overtaken other cars.

Will this be Rosberg's year to claim the title, Hamilton does seem out of sorts in the first two races, five wins on the trot now for Rosberg. I don't want Rosberg to run away with it, but I hope that the German can take the battle to Hamilton.