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Ocon is well up the grid. Vettel made Q3. But I'm going to make a shout for Russell. Just a fraction away from Q3 in a car that should have no business being there.

Had to go for Russell, but kudos to Bottas, Sainz and Vettel for impressing me today.

Sainz, Russell, Vettel, & Ocon in no particular order.

Seems like it is a mark of how much Lando has raised his game, that most folks consider a 7th on the grid just average for him.

Between Ocon and Russell.

I think the other highlights were Bottas, Sainz and Giovinazzi. The car may be improving but Giovinazzi was well up on his team mate again.

I personally think the Haas is by far the worst car, then Williams and Alfa Romeo are a huge step up from there and are actually pretty close. Williams have clearly made a step up or i doubt we would have seen latifi through like he was last race. Giovinazzi was very close to Russell, so I think he can get some credit.

Mort Canard wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 5:29 pm

Sainz, Russell, Vettel, & Ocon in no particular order.

Seems like it is a mark of how much Lando has raised his game, that most folks consider a 7th on the grid just average for him.

I think the Mclaren is seriously competitive at the moment and Norris is showing that. Ricciardo is just having a hard time, and noticeable more so than the 2019 at Renault. There he had the speed but lots of errors. Not he just doesn't seem to be able to get comfortable at all.

Russell.

TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 5:40 pm

Mort Canard wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 5:29 pm

Sainz, Russell, Vettel, & Ocon in no particular order.

Seems like it is a mark of how much Lando has raised his game, that most folks consider a 7th on the grid just average for him.

I think the Mclaren is seriously competitive at the moment and Norris is showing that. Ricciardo is just having a hard time, and noticeable more so than the 2019 at Renault. There he had the speed but lots of errors. Not he just doesn't seem to be able to get comfortable at all.

Yeah, Lando put the car about where it should be in the qualifying today. He split the Ferraris

Vettel got no love so a vote for him from me.

Sainz for me. He put his Ferrari in the absolute best position available, and ahead of his more entrenched teammate -- who happens to be a pretty fair qualifier himself.

Very easily George Russell.

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

KingVoid wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 10:29 pm

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

Qualifying is a lot less nuanced than the race, it's essentially just 'set the fastest lap you can' - so I think it's easier to pick out a stand out driver.

I personally went for Russell, but Sainz, Ocon, Vettel and Norris all deserve for the performance relative to their teammates. Russell gets it for nearly getting a Williams into Q3 on merit.

Alienturnedhuman wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 11:32 am

KingVoid wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 10:29 pm

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

Qualifying is a lot less nuanced than the race, it's essentially just 'set the fastest lap you can' - so I think it's easier to pick out a stand out driver.

I personally went for Russell, but Sainz, Ocon, Vettel and Norris all deserve for the performance relative to their teammates. Russell gets it for nearly getting a Williams into Q3 on merit.

Can the williams be called "a williams" in the way many are referring it as though? It really isn't the worst car any more and arguably could be pretty close to teams like alfa romeo and others. Unless Latifi did an absolutely incredible job last weekend by getting through to Q2, based on Russel's reputation, where he got yesterday almost should be expected if the williams is this good now. It still is better than many drivers would do in that car, but i certainly think many others on the grid would regularly be getting it through to Q2 now.

TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 12:01 pm

Alienturnedhuman wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 11:32 am

KingVoid wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 10:29 pm

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

Qualifying is a lot less nuanced than the race, it's essentially just 'set the fastest lap you can' - so I think it's easier to pick out a stand out driver.

I personally went for Russell, but Sainz, Ocon, Vettel and Norris all deserve for the performance relative to their teammates. Russell gets it for nearly getting a Williams into Q3 on merit.

Can the williams be called "a williams" in the way many are referring it as though? It really isn't the worst car any more and arguably could be pretty close to teams like alpha romeo and others. Unless Latifi did an absolutely incredible job last weekend by getting through to Q2, based on Russel's reputation, where he got yesterday almost should be expected if the williams is this good now. It still is better than many drivers would do in that car, but i certainly think many others on the grid would regularly be getting it through to Q2 now.

Whatever you are inferring is entirely on you. The Williams is -at best - the 8th best car on the grid, but I think it would still be a stretch to put it ahead of the Alfa Romeo. But even if it was better, the place we would "expect" it to be qualifying is 15th/16th. Bar the top 4 drivers (who basically run Q1 on idle mode) Russell's improvement of 7/10ths of a second was the largest of any driver between Q1 and Q2, and he was only 0.15s from getting the car into Q3.

TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 12:01 pm

Alienturnedhuman wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 11:32 am

KingVoid wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 10:29 pm

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

Qualifying is a lot less nuanced than the race, it's essentially just 'set the fastest lap you can' - so I think it's easier to pick out a stand out driver.

I personally went for Russell, but Sainz, Ocon, Vettel and Norris all deserve for the performance relative to their teammates. Russell gets it for nearly getting a Williams into Q3 on merit.

Can the williams be called "a williams" in the way many are referring it as though? It really isn't the worst car any more and arguably could be pretty close to teams like alpha romeo and others. Unless Latifi did an absolutely incredible job last weekend by getting through to Q2, based on Russel's reputation, where he got yesterday almost should be expected if the williams is this good now. It still is better than many drivers would do in that car, but i certainly think many others on the grid would regularly be getting it through to Q2 now.

Agreed - but Russell was less than a tenth from putting it into Q3. As improved as that Williams may be I'd state that it still has no business being in, or that close to, the top 10.

Alienturnedhuman wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 12:21 pm

TheGiantHogweed wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 12:01 pm

Alienturnedhuman wrote: ↑

Sun May 02, 2021 11:32 am

KingVoid wrote: ↑

Sat May 01, 2021 10:29 pm

I voted Ocon, although I think we should have 3 options in this poll, like we do for DOTD.

Ocon, Russell, Sainz

Qualifying is a lot less nuanced than the race, it's essentially just 'set the fastest lap you can' - so I think it's easier to pick out a stand out driver.

I personally went for Russell, but Sainz, Ocon, Vettel and Norris all deserve for the performance relative to their teammates. Russell gets it for nearly getting a Williams into Q3 on merit.

Can the williams be called "a williams" in the way many are referring it as though? It really isn't the worst car any more and arguably could be pretty close to teams like alpha romeo and others. Unless Latifi did an absolutely incredible job last weekend by getting through to Q2, based on Russel's reputation, where he got yesterday almost should be expected if the williams is this good now. It still is better than many drivers would do in that car, but i certainly think many others on the grid would regularly be getting it through to Q2 now.

Whatever you are inferring is entirely on you. The Williams is -at best - the 8th best car on the grid, but I think it would still be a stretch to put it ahead of the Alfa Romeo. But even if it was better, the place we would "expect" it to be qualifying is 15th/16th. Bar the top 4 drivers (who basically run Q1 on idle mode) Russell's improvement of 7/10ths of a second was the largest of any driver between Q1 and Q2, and he was only 0.15s from getting the car into Q3.

I am either going to vote Russell or Ocon, but still, I'm not sure about williams not being a significant improvement, or possibly better than you say. Would Latifi really be easily into Q2 and qualifying 14th last race weekend in the 8th best car? Kimi and Giovinazzi were around 4 tenths off both the williams last weekend. Or were both williams drivers simply exceptional? I'd go as far as saying the williams is near the bottom of the midfield and often in the mix rather than a clear back marker now.

I'm not denying Russell is doing a great job, but I would say that russell suddenly being as high up in the race as he was is also down to the car being far better as well as his skill.