[Other Sport] F1 2023

[Guinness Boy]

Looking forward to today, of course Max will run away with it but just maybe Lewis can challenge up near the front again.

Fingers crossed for some excitement after the borefest of the Monaco race

Spanish Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso rue qualifying errors

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso say errors prevented them from joining Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the front row for the Spanish Grand Prix.

www.bbc.co.uk

Looking forward to Lando sending it into turn 1 with a nice tow and Max anger spinning as a result allowing Lewis in to battle with his fellow Brit for the win.

In reality Max will win a boring race by over a minute. Half a second up in quali on his first run of Q3 is ridiculous

 

[A1X]

It’s interesting that since Sergio Perez talked about battling Verstappen for the title, he’s fallen off a cliff in terms of performance

Shenanigans?

 

[Icy Gull]

Looking forward to Lando sending it into turn 1 with a nice tow and Max anger spinning as a result allowing Lewis in to battle with his fellow Brit for the win.

In reality Max will win a boring race by over a minute. Half a second up in quali on his first run of Q3 is ridiculous

I have trouble explaining to non F1 fans that half a second is an eternity on an F1 lap, and in truth it’s ridiculous how superior that makes your car.

 

[Icy Gull]

It’s interesting that since Sergio Perez talked about battling Verstappen for the title, he’s fallen off a cliff in terms of performance

Shenanigans?

More like the complete lack of support in comparison to Max and the fact that the car is designed and set up around Max’s preferences, coupled with snide remarks from his team boss has probably destroyed his confidence. Twattish but extremely successful team due in no small part to Adrian Newey. Horner gets more dislikable week on week, I used to quite like him when they were also rans.

 

[Icy Gull]

Get in Lewis

 

[Audax]

The Alpine upgrade certainly seems to have worked well.

In qualifying, anyway. Based on a sample size of 1 Barcelona race, however, they may be in Ferrari territory - good Saturday car, not-so-good Sunday car. Will have to wait and see what happens in a couple of weeks at Canada.

It’s interesting that since Sergio Perez talked about battling Verstappen for the title, he’s fallen off a cliff in terms of performance

Shenanigans?

Don't think it's shenanigans. I think it's just Perez trying too hard to match Verstappen and over driving the car. I've been expecting a form dip from him as the pressure to match Max over the whole season grew. To be honest, I think Perez' problems from the last two races are a direct result of his strong start to the season - by being close "enough" to Max to stay in the fight across the early season races, that pressure to keep it going built rapidly. For me Perez has always been a little inconsistent, I'm not really surprised he's going through a bad patch.

---

In other news, that new Mercedes looks tasty in race trim. Not so good on Saturday, though, which might limit what they can do unless they can get it sorted for both days.

Very quiet weekend for Alonso. That off in Q1 on Saturday ruined it all for him. Damage to the underfloor ruined qually, and I've not seen anything (but also not gone looking for it) that suggests they were able to repair/replace the damaged floor for Sunday. Suspect it was a case of "replace and start from pitlane, or repair as much as allowed and race with the damage and salvage what they could" and they went for the latter.

 

[dolphins]

Thought this picture was quite amusing - from today's Upshot newsletter, showing Yuki Tsunoda (5ft 2in) and NBA star Kristaps Porzingis (7ft 3in).

 

[Withdean11]

Thought this picture was quite amusing - from today's Upshot newsletter, showing Yuki Tsunoda (5ft 2in) and NBA star Kristaps Porzingis (7ft 3in).
View attachment 162022

Which ones which?

 

[JJ McClure]

OK so not F1, but its been Le Mans this weekend and I've used my 'its too hot outside' breaks to watch it on and off. Some good racing and amazing how close the gaps are after a day of racing especially in the GT class.
A Ferrari won for the first time in 58 years. which is a great story.
Plenty of ex-F1 drivers involved with Antonio Giovinazzi part of the winning team but also Kamui Kobayashi, Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Sébastien Bourdais, Esteban Gutierrez, Paul di Resta, Jean-Eric Vergne and even Jenson Button in a NASCAR for some reason.

 

[The Wizard]

Max Versappen 6 seconds clear

His engineer ‘there is a battle behind you so they are pushing a lot harder than you’

The Red Bull is a flippin spaceship, madness.

 

[banjo]

I’m watching the golf it’s more exciting

 

[Icy Gull]

For about 10 mins in the closing stages I thought Lewis was going to get Fernando, oh well

Lando drove a great race, as did Albon

 

[Guinness Boy]

I think this is the dullest season I can remember

 

[indy3050]

Pleased the Mercs are now getting involved, perhaps next year we’ll see a proper battle?

 

[AstroSloth]

I think this is the dullest season I can remember

Except for all the Mercedes dominant years where Hamilton was clearly better than his number two driver.

 

[A1X]

Except for all the Mercedes dominant years where Hamilton was clearly better than his number two driver.

So 2020, 2019 and maybe 2014? Even in those seasons other teams won races.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Except for all the Mercedes dominant years where Hamilton was clearly better than his number two driver.

Not every race but that wasn’t really my point. F1 has thrown away the chance to have great seasons every year with their rule changes, ironically designed to make it more competitive. They should stick everyone back in the 2021 cars and rules next season.

 

[Icy Gull]

Except for all the Mercedes dominant years where Hamilton was clearly better than his number two driver.

I think he still is too. Last season he was trying different things for races whilst Russell went out with the best set up they had and some thought he was blowing Hamilton away as he did better because of it. The GOAT is back just not quite there again yet.

Much as I dislike Max, he just doesn’t make big mistakes does he? Really hope that we can get proper competition for him again before the season ends. He has been under less pressure than any F1 champion I can ever think of this season and that includes Lewis in his best seasons.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Max in that red bull is by far and away the fastest driver on track. He seems to be qualifying multiple tenths quicker than everyone else and is essentially tootling around in his slippers on race day.

Was Hamilton's, Vettel's or Schumachers years of winning this dominant? I feel like in all three era's other teams were at least capable of taking race wins. At the moment the only way it feels like Red Bull don't win is if they break down or someone takes out Max.

You have to take your hat off to max and red bull but it is incredibly dull.

p.s where's @mouldy boots? We need some of his lewis hating/baiting to get some oomph on the thread...

 

[Bold Seagull]

Except for all the Mercedes dominant years where Hamilton was clearly better than his number two driver.

It wasn’t boring though which was @Guinness Boy point. After Vettel’s dominance it was an exciting relief to have 2 drivers battling it out even in the same team but at least they were battles.

Then Vettel arguably had a faster or as fast Ferrari in 2017 & 18 that also livened up the championship.

Even 2019 which Lewis dominated, 6 races were won by other teams. It’s not just at the front either, these DRS trains are boring too, watching 5 or 6 cars all of various speeds unable to overtake and just following the slower car at the front of it is just boring.