[akash_v12]

The British Grand Prix has returned. This time with fans and a new weekend format for maximum VFM (yes, not only for cars, but also for F1).

Quoting from F1's Website:

Friday
FP1
Just one hour to prepare for qualifying

The race weekend begins with a now traditional one-hour session for free practice, however, the programme the teams will run is very different.

As it’s one of now just two practice sessions, meaning a 33.3% reduction in on-track ‘testing’ time during a race weekend, and the only one before qualifying, the focus here will be on qualifying.

From their allocation of 12 tyres – (6 softs, 4 mediums and 2 hards) – teams will likely kick off with runs on the hard compound for installation laps and set-up checks and then use one set of the softs to do some low-fuel runs.

With just one hour of practice, the pressure is on to have an error-free session. A driver mistake on track or a mechanical issue could mean they head into qualifying blind – and therefore very much on the back foot.

Teams will also have to largely finesse their cars for the rest of the weekend, as they head into parc ferme straight after the session to avoid the creation of special ‘qualifying cars’. There is a list, however, of parts that can be changed, such as brake friction material.

Qualifying

Q2 tyre choice no longer determines Grand Prix start tyre for the top 10

The qualifying format we’ve all become accustomed to – split into three segments with the 10 quickest fighting it out for the best grid slot in Q3 – remains the same.

However, it moves to Friday and into an evening slot – 1800 local – to maximise the chances of more people being able to watch after work. The fastest time in qualifying gives you P1 on the grid for the new F1 Sprint event.

Drivers can only use the softest tyre compound available and have four sets to run – with those making into Q3 getting an extra set.

And the drivers who make it into the final part of qualifying will no longer have to start the Grand Prix on the compound they went fastest on in Q2 – as the choice is now free.

Saturday
FP2
One hour to gather long run data

Saturday brings the second and final practice session of the weekend – in the scheduled slot that usually hosts FP3.

Here, the teams will focus on gathering long-run data – and running the two tyre compounds which they expect to use in the Grand Prix. Given there is now free choice on starting tyre, teams will likely focus on the medium and hard.

They can use this session to check car balance, the brakes, ride height – and of course tyre degradation with an eye on Sunday’s main event.

It’s not much time to prep, so teams will have to rely even more heavily on their pre-event simulation tools.

F1 Sprint
A fast and furious single stint race

Saturday afternoon brings the first F1 Sprint – a 100km dash, which based on the length of the Silverstone track will be 17 laps and it’ll last around 25-30 minutes.

It is hoped cars will run at maximum speed for the full distance, without having to conserve their tyres. That might mean the compound of choice varies from circuit to circuit.

The tyre model used by F1’s data team suggests that all the tyres will have the same level of performance when they are around 15 laps old. After that, the quickest tyre becomes the hard, followed by the medium.

The softs will struggle after that point, with their performance dropping off quickly.

Will teams choose to run the soft tyre, that will be quicker but might need a little bit of tyre management to stretch it to the flag or go for the harder rubber and maximum attack for the duration? It’s all part of the intrigue.

The winner will get three points. Second and third will get two and one point respectively, with the classification defining the grid – and the pole position winner – for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Sunday
The Grand Prix
The weekend’s showpiece event

Sunday remains the focal point of the weekend, with the Grand Prix handing out the big points as usual – 25 for the win down to one point for 10th position.

With free choice on tyres, we will have to wait until they pull the tyre blankets off ahead of the formation lap to see which driver has gone for which compound, adding an extra layer of intrigue.

They must then use at least two compounds during the race, which means at least one pit stop, but they will be racing based on the least amount of practice time we’ve had for decades.

History tells us that the less practice teams have, such as when Friday is washed out because of rain, the more unpredictable a Grand Prix tends to be – so that bodes well for this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Schedule



Track

Tyres

Weather

Championship Standings




2020 Results

[lifeat100k]

Was a super lap from Lewis to claim the pole position for today's sprint race. The last flier would have been even faster if not for the wrc style slide! Was good seeing the home crowd going all guns in cheering him. And George Russell, what a lap! Superb effort in getting the Williams into that position. Looking forward to the sprint race. This format might be a little too exhausting for the drivers, not sure. Must be exciting for the fans ��

[Chetan_Rao]

A bit racy on the first sprint lap but front-runners predictably giving each other space and not risking an incident.

How marginal was Max's Red Bull though. Front left brakes on fire sat on the grid, really slow formation lap across the board!

[corvus corax]

Meh, after a first couple of laps all the excitement and action just died down. After Checo spun, the graphics and all fooled my eyes to think that it was f1 2020 game we were watching.
Talking about Checo, he disappoints again. Whatever direction his side of the garrage is going, still not enough to be there with Super Max!

[Chetan_Rao]

Old man Fernando still got plenty of moves in him. What an opening lap, and defense against a quicker Aston Martin later on. I'm really hoping the regs next year put some of these guys in the mix.

[click]

Alonso was amazing, that start took everyone by surprise. It was a high risk move that paid off. Only if he had a fast car. But good to see him enjoying.

Max is putting enough pressure on Hamilton to get him making mistakes.

Hopefully we will see more action tomorrow

[akash_v12]

I expected this to get a bit boring at the front, but it was really the midfield which I was more excited about. Russell held off Ocon pretty nicely through the race, and Sainz had a very respectable comeback. Lando & Daniel's moves on Alonso was fantastic, who himself was flying to be honest.
The midfield, starting from Alonso formed a literal train of cars.

Gives an approximate idea of the conditions that possibly could happen tomorrow. Blistering on both medium running Hamilton and Verstappen. Leclerc also did a good job holding on to the gap.

Overall, me and my friends are convinced. I'd like seeing this only on tracks with overtaking though. Not Sochi and Catalunya.

[shibujp]

What a effort from Hamilton to secure pole in qualifying by such slender margins. But it was kind of evident that the lack of practice runs negatively impacted the Red Bull setup. Had there been regular free practice runs there is a high probability that the under-steer would have been dialled out. Plus I think the cars are fuelled for the sprint race and not as they are for the regular Q3 where they are in full race trim fuel and all.


Sprint
Hamilton's joy was short lived having been out dragged in the sprint by Verstappen who put another dominant drive under his belt.


The sprint itself to me was a damp squid. Firstly after the first few laps of action, it turned out to be a mini F1 race like we are used to with teams evaluating pros and cons to decide how far to push man and machine in the sprint. That is where it's failed in my opinion. The success of the standard setup is that teams as forced to balance single lap performance with race performance ideally two opposing philosophies. It is this kind of opposing principles that something like the sprint should provide. Something that is a mini version of the race itself does not do that.


Another aspect is that it devalued the importance of qualifying and pole. Having pole previously was a big thing in terms of the risk vs rewards ratio.. i.e the rewards are tremendous which is why teams and drivers push for it so hard. Now teams can easily decide to hold back in qualifying, optimise their car for the sprint and gain grid positions for the main race. All the superhuman effort that Hamilton put into to eke out pole by 75 milliseconds is now put to naught.


We still need to see the impact on the main race but as things stand I am not a fan of the new format.


Drive on,
Shibu

[speedmiester]

Max was comfortably controlling the race once he got the jump on Hamilton, even without the first corner jump, he had the pace to overtake Hamilton on track.

The Sprint qualifying was exciting in the initial few laps and then it settled into procession.
Hopefully the race will be more interesting.

One thing sprint format showed is that the soft tyres are the wrong choice in race setup. If the tyres lost it's potency within 10 laps with 1/3rd fuel, on full fuel it will plateau even more early.

Alonso had a great first few corners putting in at 5th place at end of lap 1. His car is woefully underpowered, he needs more horses to fight for the top 5 positions.

[AtheK]

Woah, what a crazy first lap. Hamilton or Max fault?

For me it was hamilton fault, he and mercedes seem to be getting desperate now.

[wrongturn]

7 time world champion who doesn't know how to overtake
Every time he is in that position he hits the front car out, every damn time. He can only cruise ahead in the fastest car from P1 to first place finish, that's it that's the talent.

[Emvi]

Terrible incident indeed. High speed accidents are always scary. Great to see Max walking out safely. Will be really interesting to see the investigation report by the race stewards. Hamilton's over aggression to be blamed for?

[mayankk]

Equal amounts of aggression by both, Hamilton just matched Max's this time around. Neither chickened out this time, and Max came off worse. It's not going to be classified as anything more than a racing incident, I feel.
Max and Marquez, they both have a bullying style of driving, but when they get it back, it's unexpected for them.


Edit :spoke to soon. So now it's got to be full race hammer time to cover up 10 seconds over the full course!

[Chetan_Rao]

Alongside, you're entitled to space. Ahead, you're entitled to the racing line (still have to leave a car's width if another is in the vicinity).

The Merc got alongside on the inside but not ahead, so was entitled to space which it got, but not the racing line. Copse is a sweeping right-hander and the Merc never got ahead to claim the racing line, and even if it had, it was in no position to leave a car's width for the Red Bull on the exit because the Merc took a narrow inside line into the corner so had no choice but to go wide on the exit and push the Red Bull off even if both made it through the corner without contact.

Tough call.

Edit: 10 second time penalty for car 44.

[Red Liner]

Marko says Hamilton should be banned this race lol!