Even though i’d have really like to see Sainz get the gig, they need a stable reference point if Vettel ups sticks, and a trouble-free teammate for Vettel if he stays. A no brainer for Ferrari, really.
Why Kimi wants to stay is another issue altogether
“A total of five drivers have grid penalties to be applied: 65 places for Vandoorne after a new gearbox and multiple power unit element changes…”
I understand the why, but… How? How do you apply a 65-place grid penalty?
Could have been a typo, I suppose, but the quote is from the formula1.com website.
Well done Hamilton for equaling the all-time pole position record, and for being significantly faster than anyone else on the day. Of course, the race is what is going to count!
I think the commentary on channel 4 said Hamilton was on his last engine.
Although I could stand corrected…
Obviously you can’t have a 65 place penalty as you would starting the race in Brussels.
Each component failure (after allowances) incurs a 5 place grid penalty.
The total penalties for the multiple failures equals 65 places.
I think it unfair that the driver is penalised for mechanical failures; he rarely causes the damage to engines, gearbox etc. Wouldn’t it be better if there was a way of focusing on point deduction from the manufacturers table instead?
I think it is there to do both.
The driver is part of the team, F1 is not and never has been just a drivers championship, indeed there have been many discussions on the fact that any one of the top ten drivers could win if they were in the top car.
Good teams and drivers use the rules to their advantage and minimise the penalty and take all the penalty points at once. A bit like a shoplifter up before the beak and asking for another 49 offences to be taken into consideration when passing sentence.
Last year in Belgium Hamilton started in 21st place after loads of engine penalties and finished 3rd.
The team are not normally responsible when their car crashes due to driver error, but also take the hit in the constructors table.
Kevin’s right. As much as the driver becomes a hero in the eyes of the public, it is a team sport. The win as a team, they lose as a team.
A place penalty is no different than a penalty for dangerous driving. The driver is an employee and takes it on the chin or goes elsewhere.
Maybe the drivers should rotate through the cars, then you’d have a real drivers’ championship!
Looks like Force India are as pissed off with Ocon and Perez as I am (I have them both in my F1 Manager team 
).
What a pillock
This is what happens when fragile egos are given publicity.
Next in the line of pillocks of the weekend is Zak Brown: Motorsport.com / Autosport want 60 euros a year for their prime subscription.
I don’t mind paying for good F1 journalism (that sound you can hear right is Frank guffawing) but 69 euros?? Christ
If OTOH he gets a decent engine in the 2018 car then I’ll forgive him a little
Sauber garage making the most of a moist Monza
He might be a cock, but he sure can peddle a car in the wet. Brilliant performance from Lewis. Bottas will surely lose sleep over that
I was following this on the timing page, so it was all a bit boring, so you put this up at a good time during the wait.
Carles, third from the right is looking very happy, despite the fact that the delayed qualifying means that they will get away from the circuit much later tonight!
Stroll on the front row must be a real buzz for him in his first season.
Hamilton now owns the record for P1
