[Other Sport] F1 2023

[Icy Gull]

Mercedes strategy rivalling Ferrari in leaving Lewis out? Are they expecting him to go to the end now?

Nah, f***ed it, left him out much too long imo

Maybe not

 

[The Wizard]

Verstappen winning by half a minute plus again, it’s the kind of dominance not seen since Schumi, even many of his years weren’t this dominant, don’t get me wrong I respect Max ability but Jesus it makes F1 boring, every race the battle behind him is quite close, imagine that was for the wins.

 

[A1X]

People talk about other dominant teams and drivers, but at least others won during those years. This is ridiculously poor now.

 

[ElectricNaz]

Genuinely bored. That's two races in a row where I've not given a single flying shit and just played ps5 and had that on the monitor as background noise. First corner and the entire race was done

The rest of the race was boring as well aside from how quickly can Russell and Perez catch people

 

[Miximate]

 

[maltaseagull]

Verstappen winning by half a minute plus again, it’s the kind of dominance not seen since Schumi, even many of his years weren’t this dominant, don’t get me wrong I respect Max ability but Jesus it makes F1 boring, every race the battle behind him is quite close, imagine that was for the wins.

Max is a brilliant driver but I hate Red Bull as long as Horner is there.

 

[VAL1850]

Highlight of the race was Lando smashing max's trophy.....

 

[Audax]

[Formula 1] not as ‘corrupt’ as other sports

They're clearly not the Formula 1 fans they claim to be. F1 not corrupt? My word. Formula 1 under Balestre was very corrupt (eg 1989 when Balestre took action to ensure Prost won the title over Senna after that Suzuka collision). Formula 1 as run by Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone was rather corrupt as well (eg knowing about, but not acting on, Piquet Jnr deliberate crash). And even today, under Liberty Global ownership, you have to wonder what strings get pulled behind the scenes (eg the Red Bull cost cap penalty).

The rest of the race was boring as well aside from how quickly can Russell and Perez catch people

Disagree, I thought the race from 2nd backwards was interesting enough. See-saw of performance between various teams / cars made it interesting for me. Norris was comfortable enough in the end, but there was a period where he was vulnerable to both Perez and Hamilton. Hamilton being slow at the start of the second stint, but then gaining pace towards the end of the race and trying to chase down Perez. Piastri's loss of performance (he had self-inflicted damage from running over a curb). The Ferrari's tripping over themselves and Russell relegating them.

Spa this weekend. Sprint race, so Ricciardo again doesn't have a "normal" weekend where he can get himself comfortable in that AlphaTauri. Thought he did great for first race back, though - outqualifying Tsunoda and then beating him in the race as well (despite being caught up in Zhou's eff up at T1) leads me to think by the end of the season he'll be staking a claim to Perez's seat if Perez can't get to grips (as much as he raced well, he had yet another Q failure even after making Q3).

 

[Audax]

In other news, it looks increasingly likely that at least 1, possibly 2, new teams will receive FIA approval in the coming 4-6 weeks. Rumours are that both Andretti Cadillac and F2 team Hitech have been able to prove that they would be in a position to compete. The contracts FIA operate under stipulate that up to 12 teams can participate in F1, and the FIA is subject to EU oversight - so the FIA will have no choice but to accept up to 2 teams if those teams have proven they have the technical and financial ability to compete.

On the other side of the fence, the FOM are still making noises that they do not want new teams to enter. FOM controls the commercial terms under which the teams receive prize money, and in this area the FIA has no say. It's conceivable we could end up in a situation where the FIA has approved 12 teams, and 12 teams race, but only 10 have contracts with FOM that make them eligible to receive prize money. FOM also control the TV contracts, so we could even end up in a position (if the political battle goes far enough) where those watching on TV in 2025 / 2026 are watching races where some of the cars participating get next to no TV time at all.

 

[The Maharajah Of Hockley]

where some of the cars participating get next to no TV time at all.

Doesn't seem to bother Haas

 

[Audax]

Doesn't seem to bother Haas

Ha - I was hedging my words a little. I've seen speculation that any teams who join (against FOMs wishes, even though FOM can't actually prevent them racing) would get zero TV time at all (except where circumstances make that impossible). So basically, if they aren't involved in a fight for the lead you wouldn't see them on TV.

 

[zefarelly]

Verstappen winning by half a minute plus again, it’s the kind of dominance not seen since Schumi, even many of his years weren’t this dominant, don’t get me wrong I respect Max ability but Jesus it makes F1 boring, every race the battle behind him is quite close, imagine that was for the wins.

I watched the start, first race this year. I was bored after 3 or 4 laps . . . . Watched it at high speed as I was an hour late

I will watch Spa, because its Spa, the greatest racing circuit. even If F1 does render most of it's challenges irrelevant. I've raced there more than anywhere else and it's always a hugely enjoyable and testing circuit, as well as a great place to go.

 

[ElectricNaz]

We're probably not getting a race this weekend. We're almost certainly not getting qualy later or a sprint tomorrow.

Ugh. As much as love Spa, there's almost zero point coming here anymore I certainly wouldn't ever risk getting a ticket for it as a fan anyway. As much as I want to.

 

[Audax]

We're probably not getting a race this weekend. We're almost certainly not getting qualy later or a sprint tomorrow.

Ugh. As much as love Spa, there's almost zero point coming here anymore I certainly wouldn't ever risk getting a ticket for it as a fan anyway. As much as I want to.

Was at Spa for the 2011 race, which was a partially wet weekend. On a GA ticket, there's not much shelter from the weather around the circuit. The group I was with, we spent most of our time up the top end of the circuit. Qually that weekend was a wet-to-dry session, then IIRC race day was brighter. Was pretty grim when it was wet, though. Spelled the death knell of my Barmah kangaroo leather hat - got so soaked through that a) it shrank, and b) the dye was released and ran down my face (which would then be repeated every single time I sweated in it after that day, so it didn't take long for it to be binned). 12 years later, finally replaced it this year (although cattle leather this time, couldn't find one in kangaroo while I was in Aus back in April).

edit: forgot to mention myself and another in our group travelled over by motorcycle. My supposedly waterproof bike gear also got soaked through.

 

[Audax]

Alpine senior management decimated:

Szafnauer out amid exodus of Alpine F1 management - The Race

The Alpine Formula 1 team has dramatically parted with a group of senior employees including team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

the-race.com

Szafnauer out. Permane out. Pat Fry out and goes to Williams (eventually - assuming he'll be on gardening leave for a while).

 

[The Wizard]

I agree with Max for once, there is always spray when it’s wet and always has been so what are we doing just not going to race when there is lots of spray?

I’m all for keeping the drivers safe, safety is absolutely paramount in F1 but what makes the spray worse now than it was 10 years ago? Wet race weekends used to separate the drivers on ability, now we just call the race off Wet tyres yet we can’t race in the wet.

 

[ElectricNaz]

I agree with Max for once, there is always spray when it’s wet and always has been so what are we doing just not going to race when there is lots of spray?

I’m all for keeping the drivers safe, safety is absolutely paramount in F1 but what makes the spray worse now than it was 10 years ago? Wet race weekends used to separate the drivers on ability, now we just call the race off Wet tyres yet we can’t race in the wet.

I don't even like driving at 50 on the A303 when it's pissing with rain. f*** driving at 200mph when you can't see anything.

Unfortunately, the spray isn't worse, but thankfully (for drivers) the understanding of safety is better. Bianchi died less than 10 years ago in the wet tbf.

I did read the test around the wheel arches, didn't go well to reduce spray which is a shame. But at least they're trying.

 

[The Wizard]

I don't even like driving at 50 on the A303 when it's pissing with rain. f*** driving at 200mph when you can't see anything.

Unfortunately, the spray isn't worse, but thankfully (for drivers) the understanding of safety is better. Bianchi died less than 10 years ago in the wet tbf.

I did read the test around the wheel arches, didn't go well to reduce spray which is a shame. But at least they're trying.

Bianchi dying has nothing to do with the wet weather, please don’t bring that up, that was because of the tractor that was allowed to park up and numerous operational failures, had the tractor not been there Bianchi would have been fine.

You’re a normal person, they are professional racing drivers and there is wet tyres for a reason (to drive in the WET) believe it or not, so let’s just call off all racing in the extreme wet conditions, that’s pretty much what they do now anyway

 

[ElectricNaz]

Bianchi dying has nothing to do with the wet weather, please don’t bring that up, that was because of the tractor that was allowed to park up and numerous operational failures, had the tractor not been there Bianchi would have been fine.

But the tractor was there. Because someone went off in the wet. There was (Gasly?) in Japan last year as well, or two years ago whenever it was. Had to avoid a tractor on track.

Remember nurburgring I think it was, the year that random guy in a spyker led for a while, maybe 4 people all off in the same corner one after the other.

Tyres aren't good enough, visibility isn't good enough, tracks aren't necessarily built to handle torrential downpours etc...

F1 is wonderful in the wet though, a wet/dry race is always superb. But when it's torrential it just isn't fit for racing.

Id love if they had a pre season full testing week at Paul Ricard but they had the sprinkler system turned up to the max. Try and get it sorted out outside of any cost cap implications (damage and OPEX wise)

 

[The Wizard]

But the tractor was there. Because someone went off in the wet. There was (Gasly?) in Japan last year as well, or two years ago whenever it was. Had to avoid a tractor on track.

Remember nurburgring I think it was, the year that random guy in a spyker led for a while, maybe 4 people all off in the same corner one after the other.

Tyres aren't good enough, visibility isn't good enough, tracks aren't necessarily built to handle torrential downpours etc...

F1 is wonderful in the wet though, a wet/dry race is always superb. But when it's torrential it just isn't fit for racing.

Id love if they had a pre season full testing week at Paul Ricard but they had the sprinkler system turned up to the max. Try and get it sorted out outside of any cost cap implications (damage and OPEX wise)

People also go off in the dry, that was just a very unfortunate event, it just happened to be it was wet, tractors going on track used to be common place it was an accident waiting to happen.

I agree though overall, just disappointing that we very rarely see wet racing now as it’s always deemed unsafe, I remember the old monsoon tyres, that was like driving behind a hurricane, they still raced.