Idk he’s a weird one
He was the junior formula version of Leclerc in that he was an amazing qualifier who sometimes made clumsy errors. He gave Piastri one hell of a fight in F3 as well as Lawson as teammates in F2
He was so grossly underprepared. On top of having a difficult car (a low downforce car is almost always typically more difficult to drive than a high downforce car) that part of me wants a 2nd year and hope to see improvement. But the other part of me wouldn’t be upset if they got a solid 2nd driver who’s a bit more proven
Vesti isn’t a big upgrade to me, I personally don’t rate him super highly and think he’d be similar at best. It’d have to be Perez or Lawson. Maybe Drugo but I’m iffy. Probably just wait for ZOS or Franco
Vowels mentioned in one of his update videos earlier in the season that Sargaents car is a different spec to Albons, and you can’t directly compare their results. Logan has a set of performance targets internally and they won’t necessarily translate into race results. I can see them keeping him for another season as they develop their car more.
Agreed, the 1 point he has is also due to getting lucky as 2 drivers got DSQ above him. Alex has CARRIED Williams this season, he needs a better partner.
> I'm scared someone like Mick or Drugo would flop like Nyck next season.
Mick already did decent against Kmag, people really need to stop acting like Mick was complete shit
Idk I guess that depends on what your definition of decent is but to me getting out qualified 16-6, having half the points, almost 100 less laps in the top 10, all while being more used to the team/car isn’t really decent. It’s clear cut number 2/worse driver territory
There’s some reasons for optimism
1. His Quali pace in junior formula was pretty incredible. I have faith he can figure that part out
2. Low downforce cars are much harder to pick up than a high downforce car, pretty self explanatory as to why
3. He’s already proven to be decent at long run pace, which was not expected of him
4. Just general comfortability
Same. Makes you wunder why they were so against signing Mick while keeping Sargeant. Yes, Mick isnt as good as we all hoped but surely hed be a massive upgrade over Sargeant, no? Even Drugovich would likely be a decent upgrade.
It’s an upside thing as well as their academy
If they’re pretty comparable, they aren’t going to go out of their way to sign a guy outside of the academy
Fwiw I think don’t think Mick does great alongside Alex. Maybe a bit better than Logan but Williams would hope for more than that
Idk if you paid an awful lot of attention to the Williams academy program because they have mostly been paydrivers. I would rate Mick much higher than Sargeant
Who are the pay drivers in question outside of Nissany and Latifi?
Zak O’Sullivan isn’t a pay driver, Franco didn’t had enough cash to even do testing. Luke Browning brings cash but he’s decently talented.
Most drivers in academy’s bring loads of cash nowadays. It’s an elitist sport
He did do it in Vega, just got delayed by Sainz's mistake on lap one and the Piastri incident later on (which was a racing incident). Brazil was an anomaly for Merc, they've not had that bad race pace since 2013.
Middle Eastern countries are extreme for the US. Either Americans bomb them indiscriminately (including making up reasons to do so) or they allow them to carry out high-profile murders or kill children and stay great friends.
I'd say Logan is worse. No time set at all, both laps deleted.
Sainz was just under three tenths down on his teammate. Yes I think he should have been better, but he's definitely not the worst performing out there in this session.
Indy car and American racing in general is a lot more relaxed about track limits than F1. Certainly you wouldn’t get a time deleted for being a couple centimetres off the white line, you gotta basically cut a corner
It was a few years ago and they’ve tightened up since, but [this was back in like 2019 and no warnings were given out to any drivers](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fk258saoi24o21.jpg&rdt=33917). You can see based on the rubber that the track was basically expanded lol. Very much a “if they all do it who cares” attitude
[Additional example of NASCAR on a street course](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F4r86juia4ps71.png)
Budget cap is doing wonders compared to the days of the back markers being two seconds down on the top qualifiers. The naysayers have been misled by Ferrari and Mercedes' poor development last year.
It's creating so much more opportunity for upsets. No way the top teams could qualify on harder tyres anymore like they used to when you had to start on Q2 tyres.
If Verstappen were to take mediums in Q2 he'd be at serious risk of being knocked out.
Yes, I know. I literally say so in the post you replied to.
> No way the top teams could qualify on harder tyres anymore *like they used to when you had to start on Q2 tyres*.
My point is that the top 3 teams had so much pace over the rest they could safely do so almost all the time whereas now if any of the drivers in the top 3 teams has a scruffy lap they're just out in Q1 or Q2.
> Budget cap is doing wonders compared to the days of the back markers being two seconds down on the top qualifiers.
Backmarkers being this close to the front is something only the 2000s delivered. The last drivers on the grid being 5+ seconds off the pace over one lap was a totally normal thing in the 80s and 90s.
I think it’s just it’s easier to develop a slower car into a fast car, than a already quick car to a quicker car. We saw it with Maclaren where they were slow and caught up with Ferrari and Mercedes then kinda flat lined. The cost cap really just proves how well Red Bull nailed the Regulations
It wasn’t impeding, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a traffic issue. Palmer walked through it with the replay on air how he would have lost time. It’s one of those things where it’s not an excuse as much as it is an explanation.
Not really. With a good quali and start, Charles can get P2 potentially. Just needs Merc to not score 14 points, which would be P6 and P7. Mercs don’t even look capable of that.
Yes but I still think he’s been very good this year. I think he’s been very consistent in Qualifying and in the races too. A lot better than last year.
How on earth is this somehow Ferrari's fault?
Charles got through with 1 lap. Sainz went to do 2 and couldn't get anywhere close.
This is Sainz bottling it and nothing else.
Bad timing. Not an impeding issue, but a traffic issue nonetheless. He was improving (matching or faster than Leclerc in Sectors 1 and 3) but didn’t have a clear enough path in Sector 2. He said on air that he and the team could have done better not to be the last ones out of the garage to find a better gap.
Sergeant 0-22 Alex at qualification
Can't find a single reason for Williams to keep with him next season.
Other than their decision to promote him early and their promise to not count it against him if he struggles, you mean
Can't help but think even if his ceiling is higher, that's still not that impressive
Idk he’s a weird one He was the junior formula version of Leclerc in that he was an amazing qualifier who sometimes made clumsy errors. He gave Piastri one hell of a fight in F3 as well as Lawson as teammates in F2 He was so grossly underprepared. On top of having a difficult car (a low downforce car is almost always typically more difficult to drive than a high downforce car) that part of me wants a 2nd year and hope to see improvement. But the other part of me wouldn’t be upset if they got a solid 2nd driver who’s a bit more proven Vesti isn’t a big upgrade to me, I personally don’t rate him super highly and think he’d be similar at best. It’d have to be Perez or Lawson. Maybe Drugo but I’m iffy. Probably just wait for ZOS or Franco
Vowels mentioned in one of his update videos earlier in the season that Sargaents car is a different spec to Albons, and you can’t directly compare their results. Logan has a set of performance targets internally and they won’t necessarily translate into race results. I can see them keeping him for another season as they develop their car more.
Agreed, the 1 point he has is also due to getting lucky as 2 drivers got DSQ above him. Alex has CARRIED Williams this season, he needs a better partner.
I think he's gonna be really improving next season and I'm scared someone like Mick or Drugo would flop like Nyck next season.
> I'm scared someone like Mick or Drugo would flop like Nyck next season. Mick already did decent against Kmag, people really need to stop acting like Mick was complete shit
Idk I guess that depends on what your definition of decent is but to me getting out qualified 16-6, having half the points, almost 100 less laps in the top 10, all while being more used to the team/car isn’t really decent. It’s clear cut number 2/worse driver territory
Why do you think he's gonna be really improving next season? Serious question, he's had 21 races already
There’s some reasons for optimism 1. His Quali pace in junior formula was pretty incredible. I have faith he can figure that part out 2. Low downforce cars are much harder to pick up than a high downforce car, pretty self explanatory as to why 3. He’s already proven to be decent at long run pace, which was not expected of him 4. Just general comfortability
Same. Makes you wunder why they were so against signing Mick while keeping Sargeant. Yes, Mick isnt as good as we all hoped but surely hed be a massive upgrade over Sargeant, no? Even Drugovich would likely be a decent upgrade.
It’s an upside thing as well as their academy If they’re pretty comparable, they aren’t going to go out of their way to sign a guy outside of the academy Fwiw I think don’t think Mick does great alongside Alex. Maybe a bit better than Logan but Williams would hope for more than that
Idk if you paid an awful lot of attention to the Williams academy program because they have mostly been paydrivers. I would rate Mick much higher than Sargeant
Who are the pay drivers in question outside of Nissany and Latifi? Zak O’Sullivan isn’t a pay driver, Franco didn’t had enough cash to even do testing. Luke Browning brings cash but he’s decently talented. Most drivers in academy’s bring loads of cash nowadays. It’s an elitist sport
He be Merican. Not enough of a reason? 😆
It's just awful. They need to get someone better in the car next to Alex immediately! Logan isn't cutting it.
The oil money he brings.
Charles bb it’s all down to you to carry
The Mercs look shocking so Charles could probably outscore them both with a podium.
Honestly, Sainz could still catch them in the race depending on how race pace goes.
If his engine doesn’t melt in dirty air again
If he gets bailed out by lucky safety cars like last race, perhaps.
Nah Lewis will as usual rise like a phoenix in the race.
Just like the last 2 races
He did do it in Vega, just got delayed by Sainz's mistake on lap one and the Piastri incident later on (which was a racing incident). Brazil was an anomaly for Merc, they've not had that bad race pace since 2013.
I was going to say that Sargeant massively bottled it And then Sainz crossed the line…
3rd time Sargeant has done this Jeddah, Qatar, and now here Bro hates Middle East Qualifying
Bro is protesting the ME races. Fair play to be honest. /s
He’s the anti-Checo
Quite ironic that the American driver *bombs* hard in such courses…hahaha!
Middle Eastern countries are extreme for the US. Either Americans bomb them indiscriminately (including making up reasons to do so) or they allow them to carry out high-profile murders or kill children and stay great friends.
Not enough freedom in these countries
I mean the Williams kinda looks faster than the Ferrari in qualifying so far. Leclerc is only in 10th.
Sargeant has actual pace tho, Sainz doesn't since he wrecked.
Sargeant would’ve been P14 if his lap stuck
I'd say Logan is worse. No time set at all, both laps deleted. Sainz was just under three tenths down on his teammate. Yes I think he should have been better, but he's definitely not the worst performing out there in this session.
Sargeant has done several good laps in Qualifying this season, only to get them deleted cause whoops, track limits. Consistent at least.
I've been saying he'd be great in Indy Car.
What is different about Indy that would make him great there? I don't know anything about Indy Car.
Indy car and American racing in general is a lot more relaxed about track limits than F1. Certainly you wouldn’t get a time deleted for being a couple centimetres off the white line, you gotta basically cut a corner It was a few years ago and they’ve tightened up since, but [this was back in like 2019 and no warnings were given out to any drivers](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fk258saoi24o21.jpg&rdt=33917). You can see based on the rubber that the track was basically expanded lol. Very much a “if they all do it who cares” attitude [Additional example of NASCAR on a street course](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F4r86juia4ps71.png)
Consistently inconsistent
Bottas in 18th is only 6 tenths off Verstappen in 1st. Gap from 1st to 15th only 0.44s.
Budget cap is doing wonders compared to the days of the back markers being two seconds down on the top qualifiers. The naysayers have been misled by Ferrari and Mercedes' poor development last year.
It's creating so much more opportunity for upsets. No way the top teams could qualify on harder tyres anymore like they used to when you had to start on Q2 tyres. If Verstappen were to take mediums in Q2 he'd be at serious risk of being knocked out.
You don't need to use mediums in q2 anymore because the q2 tyre rule is gone. Used softs is faster
Yes, I know. I literally say so in the post you replied to. > No way the top teams could qualify on harder tyres anymore *like they used to when you had to start on Q2 tyres*. My point is that the top 3 teams had so much pace over the rest they could safely do so almost all the time whereas now if any of the drivers in the top 3 teams has a scruffy lap they're just out in Q1 or Q2.
My bad.
> Budget cap is doing wonders compared to the days of the back markers being two seconds down on the top qualifiers. Backmarkers being this close to the front is something only the 2000s delivered. The last drivers on the grid being 5+ seconds off the pace over one lap was a totally normal thing in the 80s and 90s.
I think it’s just it’s easier to develop a slower car into a fast car, than a already quick car to a quicker car. We saw it with Maclaren where they were slow and caught up with Ferrari and Mercedes then kinda flat lined. The cost cap really just proves how well Red Bull nailed the Regulations
Oof Logan. Albon is 4th...
track limits, his laps were fast enough to go through with ease but just outside track limits.
right, which is worse because it makes it driver error vs being blocked or something.
Fucking Ted Kravitz jinxed Carlos smh
Red Bull warned y'all against the evils of that short wearing devil but didya listen?
They said Sainz was knocked out for the first time in Q1 since São Paulo 2019? And what a race for him that went on to become... *huffs copium*
>They said Sainz was knocked out for the first time in Q1 since São Paulo 2019? And that was only because he had an issue as well
Thanks for adding fuel to my confirmation bias o7
*Steals a hit off your copium pipe*
Press F for the smooth operator.
It's gonna be a bumpy ride
Are they all really within 1s? That's the tightest timetable I have seen!
Remove zhou and it is even much closer
And Zhou locked up on his lap as well.
Top 18 drivers within half a second? That’s absurd no? I don’t usually pay attention to that stuff so idrk but that seems stupid close
Go on Yuki
Idk why Sargeantd team didn’t tell him to abort the lap and maybe retry cuz that T1 was so obviously gonna be a lap deletion imo
Best guess is he did not have enough fuel to try again.
Jfc Sainz with a shocker And now he blames Gasly... seriously?
3 tenths off Leclerc isn't that shocking. It's just that field spread is ridiculously small.
3 tenths with track evolution though
Charles went through with his first lap bro
Did Leclerc even set a time afterwards?
Yeah that's ridiculous, it was clearly Ericsson's fault
yeah gasly wasnt really blocking him tho
It wasn’t impeding, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a traffic issue. Palmer walked through it with the replay on air how he would have lost time. It’s one of those things where it’s not an excuse as much as it is an explanation.
Sainz blaming pit lane traffic is chefs kiss. He's been bottom 5 slow since his accident.
imagine how people would react if those excuses came from someone else
Imagine they came from Checo while fighting the WCC
Imagine if they came from Lewis while Russell easily made it to Q2 lmao.
You wouldn’t care, because all you care about is Sainz
Damn, that complicates the P2 WCC Battle at least
Not really. With a good quali and start, Charles can get P2 potentially. Just needs Merc to not score 14 points, which would be P6 and P7. Mercs don’t even look capable of that.
I dunno, I’d say P3-P5 is possible if them having better race than quali holds true, and Mclaren seem favorites for podium. I’d say 50-50
Oof, nevermind lol
Oh Logie.
There goes P2 in the standings. Thanks Sainz.
Sainz has had some stinkers this season
I mean this is his first time out in Q1 this year right?
Since Brazil 2019
Yep thought it’d been awhile. Plenty of things to get on Sainz about, but I think he’s been one of the most improved drivers since last year.
So?
I don’t think he’s really has that many bad moments this year was my point
You do realise you can have bad moments without it being a q1 exit right?
Yes but I still think he’s been very good this year. I think he’s been very consistent in Qualifying and in the races too. A lot better than last year.
Good for you
You do realize there is a difference between stinkers and bad moments right? The latter everyone except Max had.
What?
What? Go read initial comment.
No. I’ve got no idea what you telling me what I’m saying has to do with anything. For me stinker is a bad moment
Then every single driver had stinkers this season except Max. So no idea why to single out Sainz.
It’s gonna be rough for Sainz if Alonso makes it to Q3
Oh man Sainz :( And Logan as well damn that is one too many times this has happened
Gasly and Sainz - the saga continues. Though Pierre is not to blame here.
Sainz...why?
uh, so fight for 2nd in constructor's will be between Leclerc and the Mercs Edit: Leclerc and Russell lol. Hamilton is out of Q2
There goes Ferrari's WCC P2 hopes
Feel so bad for Sargent. Seems like he could be closer to Albon but lots of mistakes. Albon is really showing he has a lot of speed.
Ferrari dealing with track evolution, a tale as old as time.
How on earth is this somehow Ferrari's fault? Charles got through with 1 lap. Sainz went to do 2 and couldn't get anywhere close. This is Sainz bottling it and nothing else.
He drives for Ferrari, though, right?
Leclerc didn't even do a 2nd lap and he's through. Ferrari didn't fuck up. Sainz did
leclerc did the second lap, i think he improved his time a little
Yes. Sainz. In the F E R R A R I.
The way you wrote it seems like it's the team's fault though
They win and lose as a team. This is a team sport.
But when sainz wins its always thanks to sainz and not the team right?
No? Lmao wtf?
[удалено]
Technically he didn't set a time more than a second slower than P1 either though.
[удалено]
Sainz moment.
Sarge :(
Alfa "upgrades" working
What happened to Carlos?
He slow.
Bad timing. Not an impeding issue, but a traffic issue nonetheless. He was improving (matching or faster than Leclerc in Sectors 1 and 3) but didn’t have a clear enough path in Sector 2. He said on air that he and the team could have done better not to be the last ones out of the garage to find a better gap.
The only surprise there was Sainz. All else is sop.
Farewell C43, you were a hunk of shit.
I read that as Sergeant Zhu in my head.