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Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B

How the 'Great F1 Rake-Off' delivered a Bahrain GP showdown

For the 2021 F1 season, the battle of Red Bull vs Mercedes looks set to be captured in the high-rake vs low-rake philosophy clash due to this year's technical rule tweaks. While bringing the grid closer together in terms of performance, it could be the deciding factor in the race for the world title

One of The Simpsons' most classic episodes, Cape Feare, features one of the most memorable moments of televisual brilliance. Sideshow Bob, having followed the Simpson family on its journey into witness protection, detaches himself from the underside of the car and steps onto a rake. He grumbles, before immediately proceeding to step onto another rake. And another. And another.

There's a very tenuous link between that episode and the beginning of the 2021 F1 season, with the best laid plans for victory (or, in Bob's case, the murder of spiky-headed ne'er-do-well Bart) put momentarily on pause by rake-instigated pain. The technical changes for 2021, those being the cuts in floor size and diffuser size, have been discussed at great length – but before running began, few were sure of the impact they would have on cars of differing rake.

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