The season so far

So with half the season gone, there's still half the season to go!

The two races in Italy have been the most eventful so far, so Imola has a lot to live up to. Although the most exciting single lap might be the last lap of Silverstone.

IIDOTS so far (Infinite Improbable Drive of the Season) is probably the whole Italian Grand Prix podium. No Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari on the podium for the first time since 2012, according to Autosport. Would would have thought that in 1997 that Tyrrell, Stewart and Ferrari would have that level of success between them?!

ROTS so far? Mercedes in the final laps of Silverstone, or would that be more Pirelli, or just a badly timed safety car earlier in the race, forcing the longer stint on those tyres? Or all the front runners at Monza?

ROTS: Racing Point for kicking Perez out and taking a driver who has seriously underperformed in the last two years. Yes I'm being sour about this, I know...

It'll be interesting to see if Sainz has made the right choice for next year or not. Based on this season so far, and the freezing of development for next year, I hope it's a long-term move for him...

ROTS at the moment has to be Ferrari. What a dog's dinner of a season they have had so far. Saying that Racing Point aren't much better for 1- so much hype and yet nothing much has been produced and 2- showing Perez the door and hiring Vettel who for the last 2 and a half seasons clearly has lost pace.

Best Race- Has to be Monza. When you have no clue who will win a race or even who will be on the podium- then you have a classic.

My ROTR so far (barring Austria)

ROTR Styrian- Charles LeClerc- Going into your teammate is 100% the worst thing you can do on lap 1. And he did it!

ROTR Hungary- False weather reports- Kept hearing about the rain and there was nothing!!

ROTR- Britan- All Teams on the grid- Decided to ignore Pirelli about durability of the Meduim tyre and then complain about it- this isn't 2013 people!!

ROTR- 70th Anniversary Mercedes- Hot Weather and Softer tyres. Mercedes don't like that

ROTR- Spanish GP- Bottas- In a walkover for Mercedes he declined to even make a remote challenge for the race win.

ROTR- Belgium- Antonio Giovinazzi - In a year where THREE ferrari driver academy drivers are fighting for the f2 championship win- 1 of whom is the son of the legendary Michael Schumacher- tonio needs to step up and show why he deserves an f1 seat. However he crashes out taking Russell with him and almost certainly costing him an f1 seat (If it wasn't gone already)

ROTR Italy- Lewis Hamilton- Giovinazzi made the same mistake as well but he 1- isn't a 6 times world champion and 2- accepted his punishment without storming up to the stewards office on that scooter. He passed two signs saying the pitlane was closed. I don't care what the team told him. Like China 2007 and Canada 2008 (which this race had shades of) look around and take the decision.

ROTR Tuscan- Pierre Gasly- That crash after the safety car is a tough one to judge because I Can't see anyone who was totally to blame. The first one with Verstappen and Gasly though was 100% Gasly's fault. Maybe a bit eager to please after Monza he was out in Q1 and then tried too hard to make up places at the start. And then took himself and Verstappen out of the race (okay Max would have retired anyway)

So those are my thoughts so far. Not really looking forward to Russia becaue usually its a bit of dud but hopefully Imola and Nuremberg will be better.

(also great to see some part of the forum back. God I have missed it)