Jul 16 2017

Formula One 2017: Silverstone

You may only have until 2019 to enjoy the big muddy. Silverstone has activated its option to stop hosting Formula One which is in my opinion a big mistake. It may be true enough that the economics are impossible for the track ownership and it is for sure that none of the spectators are inclined to pay more for tickets to what is a dusty heat blasted pit when it’s not a boot sucking swamp.

And it may be that Liberty Media, the new owners of Formula One, are more inclined than the unlamented skinflint asshole Bernie Ecclestone to cut a deal, but it is equally true that Silverstone is already subsidized.

The problem for Formula One and the British Grand Prix is that there’s no other site to host it. Sure London gets bandied about but that’s no more possible than running up Riverside Drive and down the FDR, a traffic nightmare of epic proportions.

Probably this is hard bargaining of the Brexit type.

Making an appearance in Practice this week is another design for the ugly and stunningly ineffective windscreen which is scientifically proven to be totally useless in the two examples of accidents cited to justify its necessity, the Massa spring incident (nice by the way to see that he’s competitive and regularly scoring points again) and Jules Bianchi’s fatality at Suzuka (if you drive under a crane at 200 mph a plastic windscreen isn’t going to save you any more than an M1 Abrams would). What was demonstrated by the cockpit cameras is how much visual distortion is introduced, with drivers barely able to see all the way to the end of a straight.

This is the week Bottas has gearbox problems and a 5 grid penalty. Ricciardo had mechanical problems in Qualifying and starts dead last. Raikkonen and Vettel eat Hamilton’s dust at the start.

In keeping with its reputation, Silverstone was wet for Qualifying though most teams attempted it on the Super Softs. If there is sufficient damp at the start to build enough margin for a pit stop using Intermediates before they turn to dust at least some teams will attempt it to free themselves from tire restrictions. The alternate dry compounds are Soft and Medium.

Coverage starts at 7:30 am ET on CNBC

rustymancuso581

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  1. Vent Hole

  2. Your half hour of hype

  3. Track looks dry

  4. Second formation lap after Palmer retirement. Hydraulics

  5. We race

  6. Sainz stopped

  7. Kvyat pits

  8. Sainz Kvyat collision

  9. Safety Car out

  10. Werhlein pits

  11. Safety Car in

  12. Lap 5 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Vettel
    Hulkenberg
    Bottas
    Ocon
    Perez
    Vandoorne
    Massa

  13. Kvyat drive through penalty, entering unsafely after collision

  14. Lap 10 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Ocon
    Perez
    Vandoorne
    Massa

  15. Lap 15 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Ocon
    Perez
    Vandoorne
    Massa

  16. Lap 20 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Vettel
    Verstappen
    Perez
    Vandoorne
    Ricciardo
    Massa

  17. Alonso pits

  18. Perez an Grosjean pit

  19. Raikkonen pits

  20. Hulkenberg pits

  21. Hamilton pits

  22. Lap 25 of 51

    Hamilton
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Vettel
    Verstappen
    Ricciardo
    Vandoorne
    Hulkenberg
    Magnussen
    Ocon

  23. Massa pits

  24. Vandoorne pits

  25. Ericsson pits

  26. Lap 30 of 51

    Hamilton
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Vettel
    Verstappen
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Magnussen
    Ocon
    Perez

  27. Wehrlein and Bottas pit

  28. Ricciardo pits

  29. Alonso stops

  30. Lap 35 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Verstappen
    Hulkenberg
    Ricciardo
    Magnussen
    Ocon
    Perez

  31. Magnussen pits

  32. Lap 40 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Verstappen
    Hulkenberg
    Ricciardo
    Ocon
    Perez
    Massa

  33. Bottas passes Vettel

  34. Grosjean pits

  35. Lap 45 of 51

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Bottas
    Vettel
    Verstappen
    Hulkenberg
    Ricciardo
    Ocon
    Perez
    Massa

  36. Verstappen pits

  37. Raikkonen tire trouble

  38. Lap 50 of 51 Hamilton

    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Vettel
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Vettel
    Ocon
    Perez
    Massa

  39. Vettel has the same tire trouble as Raikkonen

  40. Final

    Hamilton
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Vettel
    Ocon
    Perez
    Massa

  41. Bad loss for Vettel and Ferrari. Vettel now just a single point ahead of Hamilton.

  42. Ferrari. Left front, both cars.

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