Ferrari Foul-Up Bingo - After the Portuguese Grand Prix

No new squares dabbed.  Ferrari actually did well this time.  Well, one of them did and I think we've all given up on Sebastian Vettel, including Vettel himself.

There was another flicker of hope, above and beyond Leclerc's result.  Ferrari tried something different and clever with their tyres, and rather than it blowing up in their faces, as I had expected to happen, it turned out to be the right tyre choice.  Other teams changed their strategies to match Ferrari's rather than the other way round.  I haven't seen that in years.  It gives me hope for the future, for next year, when Ferrari will have two drivers who give a damn.

I have dabbed the strategy fail square, and that which is dabbed cannot be undabbed, but in thanks for the strategy team bucking up their ideas, I offer the Cookie of Competence.

Keep it up!

(I have many thoughts about Hamilton breaking Schumacher's record, but they are somewhat clouded by me being both a Schumacher fan and a Ferrari fan.  I am aware I am unreasonable on the matter.)

Other than Ferrari Foul-Up Bingo, this might be my last big post for a while.  I'm working on a post that involves going through 11 years worth of F1 results, and some number crunching.

Ferrari Foul-Up Bingo - After the Eiffel Grand Prix

(Late because Microsoft decided I needed two giant Windows updates in one week and my internet is bad)

I got the start time wrong, but thankfully noticed my mistake about 10 minutes before the start.  I'm glad I didn't miss any of it because there was racing, actual racing.  Admittedly between Perez and Leclerc and not at the front, but actual racing.  In F1!!!

There was also the sheer joy that was Nico Hülkenberg's ridiculous race weekend (briefly - was supposed to be commentating with RTL.  Was in Köln at 11 am, got a phone call from Otmar Szafnauer saying can you fill in for Lance Stroll?, at the circuit by 1 pm for qualifying, qualified in last because he had had no warm up.  Finished in 8th in the actual race.)  Justfiably Driver of the Day.

Ferrari brought less joy (sorry Charles, I know you did your best.)  Somehow, Vettel remained unpunished for his near clear-out of Kevin Magnussen (yes, I know Magnussen is just as guilty) so I can't yet dab "FIA can't save you now" because so far it still really is looking after both Ferrari drivers.  I can dab "strategy decision is made, it is wrong" because did anyone think that the strategy they were using with Vettel would work?!

I shall leave you with two more links.

1 - A most excellent cartoon from Hülkenberg's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNe5lUDbd8/?utm_source=ig_embed

2 - Mick Schumacher presents Hamilton with one of his father's helmets as Brit equals Michael's win tally - https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.must-see-mick-schumacher-presents-hamilton-with-one-of-his-fathers-helmets.7y5szvZ2hF3W5DtP1o7GWq.html Which comes with a "bring tissues" warning.

Ferrari Foul-Up Bingo - After the Russian GP

I want it known that I didn't forget about the Russian Grand Prix, I forgot about the time difference, so by the time I turned the radio on, it was all over bar the shouting.

Having listened to the replay, I don't think I missed much.  There's no update to the bingo card because, yes, Leclerc bumped into Stroll, which would fit "cars crash into someone else", but I am not counting it since it didn't seem to hurt his race.  And that hurts to say, Ferrari shouldn't be so poor that I can say 6th is the best a Ferrari could finish.

In the other car, well, the nearest thing to anything eventful happening there was Grosjean happening to Vettel, and Grosjean happens to everyone (I mock with affection).  Possibly "and Grosjean happened" should be a square in future.

In keeping with the tradition of the Russian Grand Prix, the race was not particularly interesting, with most of the points of interest being provided by the stewards, who enabled Mercedes fans to feel got at and everyone else to feel that Mercedes weren't being punished enough.  That takes some doing.  If an incident is bad enough to warrant a 10 second penalty, it's bad enough to warrant penalty points.  

Consistency, I'd like to see it.