All-purpose open-wheel (F1, IRL) racing thread

Definitely was a fun, different race. I’m a little bummed not to see them able to race full bore because that circuit looked set up for some great overtake opportunities, but it was cool to see some different faces out front.

Stroll fell apart after switching off the wets, which was too bad.

What a great drive by Hamilton to win the world title. Really impressive job running that long on the same set of tires. You could see how much it meant to him.

Vettel, LeClerc and Perez also drove really well.

 

Unfortunately catching up with Turkey after the fact but, rain, Turn 9 and a quasi-reverse grid? If someone accidentally installed V12s in all the cars, this would be a turn-of-the-century F1 fetishists dream race.

 

Lewis Hamilton on Colbert tonight.

 

Yup. Colbert clearly doesn't keep up with F1 - Colbert is great, but there's no space on the "hood" of an F1 sled - but I like that he gave Lewis Hamilton the platform to discuss race and inclusion.

He also offered insight to Sunday's incredible drive. The circuit in Istanbul was just resurfaced and, between the newness and the green track, it was even more slick than most rainy races. The one thing he didn't get into - understandably so as it's a lot more technical than Colbert probably wanted to get into - that can be a bigger problem than most average slobs on roads everywhere realize: There was just enough moisture on the track to make it even more slick than if was pouring, which creates problems but tends not to create hydroplaning like the thin layer of water/moisture can.

 

I got the distinct impression, given how he summed up the conditions in Istanbul, that someone in his writers room had watched or at least read a few BBC recap articles.

 

Interesting.

 

Yeah, Jimmie wants to play in IndyCars but isn't particularly thrilled with the idea of oval racing. It's a perfect situation for TK since he really wants to celebrate retirement with fans around.

 

Saw from one of the British papers that you will need to start referring to him as Sir Lewis Hamilton next season, as he is expected to receive a knighthood in the next round of Queen's New Year Hono(u)rs, assuming he's got his taxes cleaned up by then.

 

How much do guys make running Indycar nowadays? Jimmie Johnson, who could retire tomorrow and never work again, must be taking a big pay cut.

 

Holy shit, that was the scariest crash I’ve ever seen. How Grosjean walked away from it, I have no idea. I was sure he died.

 

The replays are unbelievable.

 

For all the bitching about the Halo when it came in it probably saved his life.