[Other Sport] F1 2024

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Why isn't Martin Brundle doing the grid walk now? I much preferred him to the 2 doing it now.....

In fact Brundle was not even commentating today has he been sacked for some reason? if so what was it he done wrong?

Both Brundle and Croft are missing a few races now there are so many. I quote like the guy who stand in for Croft, he seems a little more measured in his commentary.

 

[A1X]

Personally I’d like to see more of Natalie Pinkham

 

[swindonseagull]

Personally I’d like to see more of Natalie Pinkham

I like Danica

 

[AstroSloth]

I like Danica

 

[AstroSloth]

I'm interested to know what all the people who think Max is arrogant think of Lando's post race comments?

"It shouldn't have been red flagged but there was the crash in the end which cause it so... that's life sometimes. You take a gamble and it's paid off for them. It's not talent, it's just luck."

Considering how qualifying went for Max, and that he passed 14 cars whilst setting 17 fastest laps, to say it's not talent is ridiculous especially when Max was extremely complimentary of Lando after his first win in Miami which involved as much "luck".

 

[A1X]

It’s pretty clear Jenson Button can’t stand her when they’re on together. He might have a point.

 

[AstroSloth]

$5k fine for Russell and Norris for incorrectly starting a lap on a closed circuit when a car is being lifted off by a crane. Could have been another Bianchi situation but that's apparently half as bad as saying f*** in a press conference.

 

[tedebear]

I'm interested to know what all the people who think Max is arrogant think of Lando's post race comments?


Considering how qualifying went for Max, and that he passed 14 cars whilst setting 17 fastest laps, to say it's not talent is ridiculous especially when Max was extremely complimentary of Lando after his first win in Miami which involved as much "luck".

Verstappen did well yesterday, he drove past slower cars struggling in the weather as he was clearly more confident in the conditions, he got lucky with McLaren and Mercedes bringing their two in and screwing things up when they did. Lando seemed to let him past I thought or at least left enough to space thinking Verstappen wouldn’t try, not much of an overtaking manoeuvre there, Lando’s error in my mind…On paper 17th to first sounds incredible, and clearly had the better car when the track started to dry and essentially drove off... I saw some good driving, in really difficult circumstances, I didn’t see anything incredible.

Not sure why you think what Lando said was arrogant, its his view of the situation, not sure it was correct and still curious as to why it took so long to red flag, but I don’t see anything arrogant, just a twist of the situation in someone’s favour. A red flag can definately change someone luck that’s for sure, nothing to do with driving there…

 

[swindonseagull]

And ? I said I like her.
That mean I like looking at her!

 

[mrjon1976]

"Max only drives dirty"
"Max doesn't know how to race fairly"

That was a drive to stick it back to the critics and then some.

Aside from Lewis, there is no other driver that could have done what Max did yesterday. Not a single mistake, clean, decisive overtakes throughout and good strategy calls. You only have to look at Perez (and many others) floundering to get past people to see the what the difference was.

2016 in the wet was arguably when he came to people's attention, but yesterday was a different level. When the pressure was really on, not only did Lando / Mclaren drop the ball (again), but Max & RBR were flawless throughout when it mattered. Norris's comments about it being Russell that deserved to win were the kind of saltiness that you come to expect from someone who had his pants well and truly pulled down.

Sure, there are times he crosses the line in terms of conduct, but as Chandhok says, he has more talent in his little finger than most of the grid, and he showed that yesterday.

 

[Audax]

I'm interested to know what all the people who think Max is arrogant think of Lando's post race comments?

Considering how qualifying went for Max, and that he passed 14 cars whilst setting 17 fastest laps, to say it's not talent is ridiculous especially when Max was extremely complimentary of Lando after his first win in Miami which involved as much "luck".

Nothing to see with Lando's post-race comments IMO. He said pretty much the same about his win in Miami, where he benefited from the safety car. I suspect he knows deep down Max had the pace to win it anyway, but that job was made a whole lot easier by Max not needing to get past Russell and Norris first.

For me, Brazil's result has ended the season. Max masterclass in the Sunday race after catching a bit of bad luck in qually. I think McLaren will look back on it and maybe feel they made a poor decision ahead of Sunday to switch to a higher downforce rear wing. Norris didn't have the top speed on the straights to make moves, and that cost him plenty of time. McLaren made a poor decision pitting under the VSC. There was no need at that point IMO, especially as they were too late to catch it fully.

So Max can now seal the WDC at Las Vegas. Realistically for Norris to win the title now he needs to win Vegas with a Verstappen DNF. And then he'll need another Verstappen DNF in either of the two remaining races.

---

Brazil was an active weekend when it comes to rumours. All started ahead of the weekend with rumours that Red Bull would buy out Colapinto's Williams contract for 2025 (at a rumoured cost of $20m) and place him at either Red Bull (!) or VCARB (depending on which rumour you prefer).

Then during the weekend an alternative rumour that Red Bull would take Sainz, leaving Colapinto at Williams, emerged. Either way, it looks to me that Perez's is very much not safe at Red Bull for 2025.

Alongside that, it is now considered a "done deal" that Bortoleto will make his way to Sauber / Audi, most likely for a 2025 race seat but it might be a 2025 reserve role with a guaranteed 2026 race seat. Again, depending on which rumours you believe this might or might not mean he's no longer a McLaren junior.

 

[JJ McClure]

Considering the repair bill from the weekend, Williams may well need to 'selling' Colapinto to pay for it. That said, how much is he worth in sponsorship to them to keep?

McLaren messing things up again with both setup (rear wing) and strategy (pit stop). Not only was it clear that the VSC was ending, but surely if you've been stuck behind Russell for the first stint and cant get past (because of the afore mentioned wing) then you make the opposite call to Merc on the pit stop.

The whole start process just seemed like a cluster and poor / slow decision making by the race director. The back of the grid were so slow getting away on both warm up laps, and it seemed like an age between Lance beaching his car and the RD calling the aborted start when it seemed pretty obvious that it would be needed.

 

[A1X]

 

[AstroSloth]

I think my favourite part of the weekend might have been Sainz' radio message. Turns out what we heard on the broadcast was cut down and there was about a 20 second pause before the "hello?"

 

[Flounce]

So, is Hamilton over the hill or is he being f***ed over by Mercedes as he is going to Ferrari and allegedly taking a load of sponsorship with him?

All very bizarre how this season has gone for him.

I think he is being f***ed over personally and struggle to believe that natural talent is putting Russell so far in front in qualifying and now in the races in an old spec car.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm interested to know what all the people who think Max is arrogant think of Lando's post race comments?


Considering how qualifying went for Max, and that he passed 14 cars whilst setting 17 fastest laps, to say it's not talent is ridiculous especially when Max was extremely complimentary of Lando after his first win in Miami which involved as much "luck".

Without any context to them they read like a man bitter at having lost the chance to win the title. I wouldn't necessarily describe them as arrogant if that's what you're angling at?

Sensational dive by Max though, it's one for the ages. It's such a shame that when he can do things like that he needlessly resorts to being a bit of a dick(a la Mexico).

 

[AstroSloth]

We also finally found out what the BWT in BWT Alpine stands for, that being "Boat With Tyres"

 

[Audax]

Sauber / Audi line up for next year is complete. McLaren have released their junior Bortoleto from his contract, and he's been picked for the second seat alongside Hulkenberg. So another rookie.



That leaves us with just 1 seat that hasn't had a driver announced: the second VCARB seat alongside Tsunoda. Working assumption for now is that it will be Lawson. But there's also the major question marks over Perez' future at Red Bull.

So the current 2025 grid looks like this:

Red Bull
1. Verstappen (contract to 2028)
2. Perez (contract to 2026 - but might be axed before 2025 starts) / Lawson? / Colapinto?

Ferrari
1. Leclerc (long term contract)
2. Hamilton (multi year contract)

McLaren
1. Norris (multi year contract)
2. Piastri (multi year contract)

Mercedes
1. Russell (last year of contract)
2. Antonelli (rookie)

Aston Martin
1. Alonso (last year of contract?)
2. Stroll (ugh)

VCARB
1. Tsunoda (last year of contract?)
2. Lawson? ("rookie") / Colapinto?

Sauber / Audi
1. Hulkenberg (contract to 2026?)
2. Bortoleto (rookie)

Williams
1. Albon (multi year contract?)
2. Sainz (multi year contract)

Haas
1. Ocon (multi year contract?)
2. Bearman (rookie)

Alpine
1. Gasly (not sure on contract length)
2. Doohan (rookie)

In the above I've called out all the rookies (who I've classed as any driver that has not done a full season):

- Antonelli (0 races)
- Lawson (think it'll be 11 races by the time 2025 starts)
- Bortoleto (0 races)
- Bearman (3 races)
- Doohan (0 races)

And there remains a possibility that Colapinto will find his way into a race seat for 2025 (if Red Bull ever gets around to making the correct "difficult decision" on Perez's future, there are rumours that red Bull are negotiating buying out his contract at Williams and placing him at either of their teams).

 

[Audax]

3 race weekends to go. Thought I'd check in on my pre-season predictions...

1. Max Verstappen is WDC again. Wins more than 50% of the races, but doesn't quite have everything as easy as last season.

a. He'll be WDC again.
b. 8/21 so far, so won't win more than 50% (unless he wins all the remaining races for 11/24 and we then count the sprints as well).
c. Not sure how to call the last part! He was cruising before Miami, and then 10 races without winning, but no single driver dominated that period).

2. At least 3 different teams win at least 1 race each. I'll even take a stab at who: Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren.

a. 4 different teams.
b. plus Mercedes

3. Ferrari start the season much closer to Red Bull and have solved their in-race tyre degradation problem from last year. Double-podium results are well within reach regularly, and Leclerc finally converts a pole position into a win.

a. Yes, definitely closer to RBR from season start
b. Tyre deg issue solved
c. With better race management, yes. But they've not achieved as many double podiums as they could have, and there's the mid-season slump to consider
d. Monaco.

4. Perez struggles with the additional pressure applied by Ferrari. Red Bull's patience wears thin rapidly, and a shocking Miami race off the back of one of those "supportive" Red Bull statements about putting an arm around him but needing to see his results improve sees him on his way out.

a. He's struggled regardless of pressure from anywhere
b. But Red Bull haven't ditched him (despite rumours post-race at Spa that they had told Ricciardo and others that he would be replaced)

5. Ricciardo dominates Tsunoda, and scores regular points for VCARB in the midfield scrap. Replaces Perez at Red Bull for the Imola round.

FAIL!

6. Alpine are the shock failures of the season, slipping into an almighty ding-dong battle with Haas for the wooden spoon.

Started the season that way, but they've steadily improved and their double podium has elevated them to 6th. Also: Haas better than thought, and Sauber the clear wooden spoon.
So: FAIL!

7. McLaren and Mercedes are both much stronger than they were at the start of 2023, but find themselves behind Ferrari. Both are nevertheless regular podium chasers.

a. Yep, both stronger
b. Behind Ferrari initially, then ahead when Ferrari slumped. Mercedes now behind again.
c. Both regular visitors to the podium (and winners, even)

8. Alonso performs more magic with Aston Martin, and rumours rapidly grow about Mercedes targeting him to replace Hamilton.

FAIL!

9. Sargeant continues to get spanked by Albon, leading to a mid-season swap for Mercedes Junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

a. Yep
b. Not Antonelli, but instead Colapinto (who I have to admit has surprised me with his performances so far)

10. The Andretti entry continues to be a thorn in the FOM's side, and by the end of the season their entry for 2026 has been accepted.

a. Definitely a thorn with both US and EU political scrutiny. US has progressed to a full anti-trust investigation.
b. Awaiting anything on 2026, but rumours have been emerging that a 2026 entry might happen now that Michael Andretti has stepped away from leadership.

 

[A1X]

So is it safe to say that, bar unexpected twists, Lawson will be on the grid next season, it’s just a question of which team?