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

Awesome gesture by the Senna family today in Montreal. Hamilton tied Senna for second on the pole list with 65. Afterwards, the Senna family gave Hamilton one of Senna's race-worn helmets.
And IndyCar needs to redo the aero package for Texas. They are lucky no one got killed tonight, especially given the way Kanaan and Aleshin were driving.

 

It was pretty compelling TV after the wreck. You had Chip Ganassi blaming Hinchcliffe, and literally everyone else blasting Kanaan without a filter.

 

That was quite the F1 race in Baku, right from the opening lap with the Toro Rosso teammates and Bottas/Kimi. Of course the main talking point will be the Hamilton/Vettel contact. I can see Vettel being upset and feeling that Hamilton brake tested him. But if that did happen, let the stewards look at the data and penalize him. To pull alongside and sideswipe him was just stupid, in part because you risk ending your race in a moment of road rage. And do you really want to play mind games with Hamilton? He's got that Senna ruthless streak in him.
Lost in it all: Alonso actually finished a race in the points!

 

That was such an entertaining race. I was glad to see Lance Stroll hang on for the podium. Bummer the Force Indias took each other out, because they could have won that one.

Vettel really should have been penalized more severely for that. Hamilton drives like an asshole behind the safety car, but you can't do what Vettel did.

I generally don't like street circuits outside of Monaco but Baku is pretty awesome. The Old Town section is like some kind of Mario Cart thing.

 

And Hamilton's race goes for a shit due to a loose headrest....Toto Wolff none too pleased with Sky Sports' post-race questioning as to who was to blame for that.

Long time between podium visit for Canuckistani drivers but Stroll did a great job, stayed out of trouble, drove a clean race and just got nipped at the wire for second. Great drive by Bottas after that first lap jackpot.

 

Might be some interesting discussions on the IndyCar side of the Penske shop this week. Newgarden played a role in Power's wreck at the start, then pulls a bump and run on Pagenaud late. Pagenaud was none too pleased.
At least the mood should be a little better than in the Force India garage.
Also, in regards to the Schumacher family congratulating Hamilton on tying the pole record, I still get the feeling Michael is dead and has been for a while. Best case scenario, he is severely crippled and will never improve.

 

I was at St. Louis. Live, it just looked like Power got loose for no reason. I'll be interested to watch the TV broadcast.

When Power and Carpenter went out on the first lap, you could just feel the air go out of the place.

 

The Force India guys remind me of one of those good-guy tag teams that is going to turn on each other in time for the next PPV. That was some crazy shit yesterday.

 

Their season has been nuts, but yesterday took it to a whole new level. That move by Perez was incredibly dangerous.

By the way, that crowd at Spa was insane. I've been there twice. I think the attendance for those races was in the ballpark of 60 - 70,000. Yesterday they had 265,000 at the race. People are probably still stuck in traffic trying to leave.

 

Sky Sports had some great shots of the circuit yesterday, people everywhere.