[Other Sport] F1 2024

[Bold Seagull]

A race for the ages. Had everything, there was barely a lap to just catch your breath. F1 hasn’t been this good for a long time. Proper track brings proper racing, and when cars are more closely matched it’s a proper spectacle again.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Great race. Sir Lewis proves he’s not lost it. Lando’s engineer stitched him up there, should have just said “ you’re going on mediums”.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Great race. Sir Lewis proves he’s not lost it. Lando’s engineer stitched him up there, should have just said “ you’re going on mediums”.

What was the race they left him out on slicks when it hammered it down? I just wondered if Zac Brown has bought more of a ‘drivers call’ to their strategy - I suspect Leclerc might be preferring that right now. Lewis went softs as well, perhaps he just eased them in a lot more carefully?

 

[A1X]

Great race. Sir Lewis proves he’s not lost it. Lando’s engineer stitched him up there, should have just said “ you’re going on mediums”.

Sochi 2021 all over again, too collegiate in their decisions

 

[Guinness Boy]

What was the race they left him out on slicks when it hammered it down? I just wondered if Zac Brown has bought more of a ‘drivers call’ to their strategy - I suspect Leclerc might be preferring that right now. Lewis went softs as well, perhaps he just eased them in a lot more carefully?

Sochi, as @A1X says above.

Mediums would have offset both Lewis and Max but they only gave him the choice of matching one.

Fantastic drive by Lewis though in that case. Managed the soft tyre magnificently.

 

[A1X]

Worth noting Lewis also the only one not to make / fall victim to a mistake / issue of the top teams

Perez - poor quali, terrible strategy
Verstappen - damaged his floor in quali, cost him track position
Leclerc - poor quali, terrible strategy
Sainz - underwhelming quali
Piastri - poor strategy call
Norris - poor strategy call
Russell - reliability
Hamilton - basically the perfect drive / weekend

 

[Flounce]

So so chuffed for Lewis.

 

[JJ McClure]

Great race. Really nervous for a while there that Max was going to spoil the party, until it was clear Lewis had it in the bag. So pleased for Lewis, proper emotional stuff. Absolute cluster from McLaren making poor calls on both Piastri and Norris.

 

[zefarelly]

Leweis is going to have to take some engineers and strategists to Ferrari with him . . . .they can build engines and cars, but the ITALIANS ARE THE MASTERS OF CLUSTERFUCK WHEN IT COMES TO BAD CALLS AND STRATEGY . . .oops, caps lock

 

[Audax]

Shame Lando got screwed with the tyres

Piastri showed what "could have been" if they'd put Lando on the Mediums. Piastri was matching Verstappen. Norris goes out on the Mediums, I think he wins that race. Also ... Piastri may have been in the mix too if they'd double stacked instead of leaving him out. The time Piastri lost doing that extra lap before pitting for Inters was more than what he finished behind Hamilton. McLaren dropped a certain 1-2 finish IMO.

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In other news, some more detail starting to emerge on those rumours that Perez could be at risk of losing his seat. Multiple sources are now saying that he has performance clauses in his contract that could see him removed during the summer break after the Spa race. It appears that if he is more than 100 points behind Verstappen after Spa, the clause can be triggered. It's also been mentioned that a second clause could also be activated (being more than 5 places behind Verstappen in the WDC) even if he somehow manages to be within 100 points (it's currently 137 points, so he'd need at least one Verstappen DNF).

Ricciardo has allegedly been told if he ups his game vs Tsunoda, he could be given the seat. Tsunoda apparently not an option (possibly due to factors other than his pace in the car - suspect there's worries about his temperament and ability to handle the pressure of the lead team). The other option for Red Bull is to parachute Lawson straight into Perez's seat; interestingly, he will be driving the 2024 RBR car in an in-season filming day. A few wild rumours are suggesting it could be used to "test" him for Perez's seat, but that's pretty far-fetched IMO - the rules on filming days mean they can't do representative performance runs.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Piastri showed what "could have been" if they'd put Lando on the Mediums. Piastri was matching Verstappen. Norris goes out on the Mediums, I think he wins that race. Also ... Piastri may have been in the mix too if they'd double stacked instead of leaving him out. The time Piastri lost doing that extra lap before pitting for Inters was more than what he finished behind Hamilton. McLaren dropped a certain 1-2 finish IMO.

---

In other news, some more detail starting to emerge on those rumours that Perez could be at risk of losing his seat. Multiple sources are now saying that he has performance clauses in his contract that could see him removed during the summer break after the Spa race. It appears that if he is more than 100 points behind Verstappen after Spa, the clause can be triggered. It's also been mentioned that a second clause could also be activated (being more than 5 places behind Verstappen in the WDC) even if he somehow manages to be within 100 points (it's currently 137 points, so he'd need at least one Verstappen DNF).

Ricciardo has allegedly been told if he ups his game vs Tsunoda, he could be given the seat. Tsunoda apparently not an option (possibly due to factors other than his pace in the car - suspect there's worries about his temperament and ability to handle the pressure of the lead team). The other option for Red Bull is to parachute Lawson straight into Perez's seat; interestingly, he will be driving the 2024 RBR car in an in-season filming day. A few wild rumours are suggesting it could be used to "test" him for Perez's seat, but that's pretty far-fetched IMO - the rules on filming days mean they can't do representative performance runs.

I've seen those rumours on 'X'. On the one hand I felt a little sorry for Perez in that he basically just seems to be used as a data test / try this for Max. New parts, odd tyre strategies, different pit windows etc.

Of course that's often because he's been woeful in qualifying and found himself in the bottom half anyway.

The difference between him and Max was clear on Saturday for me. Almost exactly the same off at exactly the same corner. One loses it further, beaches the car, gets a red flag thrown and flies out of qually. The other keeps it going, finds the service road, qualifies fourth, despite damage and finishes second in the race.

 

[Audax]

I've seen those rumours on 'X'. On the one hand I felt a little sorry for Perez in that he basically just seems to be used as a data test / try this for Max. New parts, odd tyre strategies, different pit windows etc.

Of course that's often because he's been woeful in qualifying and found himself in the bottom half anyway.

The difference between him and Max was clear on Saturday for me. Almost exactly the same off at exactly the same corner. One loses it further, beaches the car, gets a red flag thrown and flies out of qually. The other keeps it going, finds the service road, qualifies fourth, despite damage and finishes second in the race.

Yeah - personally, I think he'll be gone. And I think this is the way it will play out:

1. Perez performance clause is triggered post-Spa. I just don't expect him to find his way out of the hole he's in ... the pattern this season is a reasonable match for last season. Last season in Hungary he qualified 9th. Managed to finish 3rd in the race due to the massive car advantage, but he doesn't have that luxury this year. Spa was a better weekend for him in 2023, but it wasn't all plain sailing (DNF'd the Sprint, and despite finishing 2nd in the main race he was comprehensively out-paced by Max). I just expect that with both McLaren and Mercedes now major threats, Perez's ceiling in a "normal" race is going to be 6th ... assuming he can stay ahead of the Ferrari's, which may not be a done deal given Sainz has said they think they know what's gone wrong with their upgrade from Spain.

2. Ricciardo is promoted into Red Bull. He'll be the "can't be worse than Perez" punt, with the hope that he gels with the car and can get his mojo back. But it's only through the end of the season. Any further contract then depends on how he does.

3. Lawson gets dropped into the VCARB. Gets told that if he does well enough, the second RBR seat is his for 2025 unless Ricciardo aces it. Otherwise he has a guaranteed 2025 VCARB seat.

4. If Ricciardo excels, he's kept on. If he doesn't, he's dropped from both teams. In the event DR is dropped and Lawson does ok, Lawson is promoted. Hadjar is then promoted from F2 into VCARB for 2025.

 

[zefarelly]

should have gone mediums, lando would have been on lewis tail

It was Lando's call, so he has to take it on the chin . . .having said that, the team manager and strategists could and should have made the call with a simple stat . . . 2nd or 3rd on softs possible win on mediums.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It was Lando's call, so he has to take it on the chin . . .having said that, the team manager and strategists could and should have made the call with a simple stat . . . 2nd or 3rd on softs possible win on mediums.

His call, but they asked him if he wanted to cover off Lewis or cover off Max. He was obviously going to answer “Lewis”.

Should have told him “we think mediums will beat both of them and Oscar’s on mediums”.

 

[A1X]

It was Lando's call, so he has to take it on the chin . . .having said that, the team manager and strategists could and should have made the call with a simple stat . . . 2nd or 3rd on softs possible win on mediums.

Or just do what Mercedes seem to do which is overrule the driver when it’s the obvious thing to do. How often over the years have we heard Hamilton moaning about the tyres he’s been out on by the team then gone on to win the race?

 

[Audax]

BBC reporting that Ocon to Haas for 2025 is a signed deal and should be announced during the build up to the Hungary race this weekend, citing sources from both Haas and Mercedes (Ocon is managed by Mercedes still).

Some interesting thoughts on the situation with Perez / Ricciardo / Lawson at Red Bull as well. And finally, it appears that Newey to Ferrari is no longer the preferred rumour; instead, it's thought he's most likely to go to Aston Martin but McLaren remains an option as well.

F1 Q&A: Norris, Verstappen, Ocon, Perez, Ricciardo, Magnussen, Newey

BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your questions before the Hungarian Grand Prix.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[A1X]

And finally, it appears that Newey to Ferrari is no longer the preferred rumour; instead, it's thought he's most likely to go to Aston Martin but McLaren remains an option as well.

There was a video of Jeremy Clarkson being interviewed by Dutch TV (on their equivalent of Martin's Grid Walk) saying that Newey (who is a childhood friend of his) was house-hunting in Oxfordshire and not Italy, which is presumably part of what has fuelled this rumour.

Any news on Sainz? I thought that was going to be announced at the Spanish Grand Prix but we've now gone through the whole triple-header after that and nearly at Hungary with nothing announced.

 

[Audax]

Any news on Sainz? I thought that was going to be announced at the Spanish Grand Prix but we've now gone through the whole triple-header after that and nearly at Hungary with nothing announced.

Nothing solid really. It's widely believed that he was ready to sign for Williams ahead of the Spanish GP. Then Alpine came in with a big late offer after Briatore joined them, dangling the carrot of potential Mercedes engines from 2026. Was a fair bit of talk that he would go that way ... and then it emerged that he was back in the frame at Mercedes to fill Hamilton's seat due to some doubts over Antonelli due to his form in F2 so far. But it's all gone quiet again, especially after Antonelli's win in F2 at Silverstone in tricky conditions might have put him back in the frame.

Basically, at the moment there's 4 seats that aren't being filled because of Sainz not making a decision on who to sign for. He has (or has had) offers from Audi/Sauber, Williams, Alpine, and Mercedes.

Suspect we'll be waiting until after the Spa race. Either Sainz will make a decision (having seen whether or not Alpine's recent discovery of some form continues), or the teams will begin making it for him. Apparently both Audi and Williams are getting tired of waiting.

There was a video of Jeremy Clarkson being interviewed by Dutch TV (on their equivalent of Martin's Grid Walk) saying that Newey (who is a childhood friend of his) was house-hunting in Oxfordshire and not Italy, which is presumably part of what has fuelled this rumour.

Benson is also suggesting that Ferrari have gone cold on the deal as well. Suggestions that they're worried about his salary demands and that he'd be too powerful a figure, upsetting the structure they've put in place.

On the other hand ... it's known that Aramco are more than willing to fund him at Aston Martin. He's already got a relationship there (from designing the Valkyrie), and they'd be willing to offer him non-F1 projects should he want that.

 

[Audax]

BBC reporting that Ocon to Haas for 2025 is a signed deal and should be announced during the build up to the Hungary race this weekend

Process is now underway. Haas have announced that KMag will not be staying for 2025. That clears the way for announcing Ocon later today.

 

[Audax]

Hungarian GP is underway.

Mercedes cars were out on track immediately, despite Crowdstrike issues. I'm watching practice a little more closely than usual this weekend, due to the intense rumours surrounding Perez and his potential (lack of) future at Red Bull. Difficult first session for him from the looks of it. Initially sent out with an aero rake out to get some validation data for Red Bull's significant upgrade package, and then subsequently unable to get any decent times out of the soft tyres. Ended the session half a second down on Verstappen and P11, behind the likes of Stroll, Yuki, and Zhou as well as the main competition (Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren).

He'll need to find some pace, as Ferrari's "fixed" upgrade package appears to be working (Sainz fastest, Leclerc 3rd) and both Mercedes and McLaren comfortably quicker despite concentrating on longer runs.

Sauber brought a big upgrade package and look to have improved a bit. Conversely, the two teams towards the back that had recently appeared to have become solid points contenders have struggled - Alpine and Haas propping up the bottom of the table. Any lack of performance for Alpine this weekend might be a worry while they await a decision from Sainz.