Formula 1

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, Ozanne said:

I don't know if the drivers even like it that much, seems like a frustrating race to be a part of. They should scrap Monaco as it's not even race and has barely any overtaking.

The majority of drivers said they want it to stay when asked pre-race.

I'm in the middle. I like the nature of it as a challenge (if to watch, given I was awful when trying it on the F1 video games), the fact its still using a near-100 year old layout is quite something and it gives variety if you have tracks with very difficult overtaking, but it is an odd one where you could argue it's more worthwhile to watch qualifying than the race.

The lack of overtaking has been debated since at least the late 80s, but it's kinda self-defeating to still be having these arguments.

[charlierc]

Baku then... I'm not going to say the title fight is over but Ferrari's hopes have taken an almighty pummelling even before this huge tilt towards Red Bull in both fights.

Also, Mercedes are going to have to do something as it really can't be good for Hamilton to feel such major back problems.

[charlierc]

Canadian Grand Prix: FIA outlines plans to tackle 'porpoising' after drivers express concerns - BBC Sport

So this will be interesting to see what this means in practice, although given the particularly vocal George Russell is still not 100% sold, it also will be interesting to see how much more development finding a solution to these issues will require.

[Crazyfool01]

What an incredible race … those of you boycotting you are massively missing out … the best race I’ve seen for many years 

[charlierc]

Aye Silverstone was great, and was actually going along as a good race even before the Ocon safety car and all hell broke loose with some truly spectacular battles. Makes me wanna go next year - I live near Silverstone, but literally the only time I've been was to see the Kaiser Chiefs there on the Thursday before the 2014 race weekend. Which is comically niche.

Was happy for Carlos Sainz as he's had some bad moments and was nice to see a new winner, though I do have sympathy for Leclerc given that SC and Ferrari's peculiar strategy (again) cost him what looked a nailed-on win on a day when Verstappen's car was barely working. Schumacher getting points was also cool.

One of the big wins was ofc Zhou being unharmed. That crash in real-time was horrible and didn't get any better in the replays. Also must be a relief for people in the stands behind that barrier as seeing the car running towards them and then vaulting the barrier must have been terrifying. Albon's crash also looked rough given he had 4 separate impacts with Vettel, pit wall, Ocon and Tsunoda.

[charlierc]

On 7/4/2022 at 9:06 AM, Barry Fish said:

Also...  sausage curves need banning - why on earth have we got them still is beyond me.. 

This in reference to the Hauger-Nissany F2 crash? Yeah that was spectacularly unpleasant to see and absolutely one made worse by the kerb launching Hauger into the air. 

Sausage kerbs are definitely problematic. Not even a new debate either, given I seem to recall something from a 2016 qualifying session where taking the kerb the wrong way ripped apart a Toro Rosso. Clearly those kerbs being a significant factor behind that crash where Verstappen went over the top of Hamilton's Mercedes at Monza last year wasn't enough to convince that these are a bad idea huh.

[Crazyfool01]

13 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

Dutch fans ruining the sport

I know you get the odd British w*nker etc...  but I have been Silverstone and although the crowd wants a British winner they do show respect overall.  Never seen anything like this at Silverstone.  Its getting worse...  A real football crowd has taken over.
 

 

Seems like an issue for many sports and events post covid … people seem to have forgotten how to behave … fans at silverstone were also mentioned on that thread … bloody great race though and nice to see merc slowly creeping back into things … still a bit of a way to go mind 

[charlierc]

Sainz's engine fire... oof. One thing the engine blew just as it looked like he was about to get Max, but very rare you saw an engine burning like that (think Hulkenberg had one a few years back and Perez too). Got lucky too that it looked to be only burning on one side given that it did look tight with how high it was burning.

There's a fair wedge to ponder about what it means when Paul Ricard comes along then - 2 wins in a row means Ferrari are still just in the fight, but they could well have more points thanks to Leclerc's dysfunctional strategy at Silverstone and now this. And even then could've been worse given Leclerc spent most of the final laps worried the throttle was about to break down and leave him out.

[charlierc]

21 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

Seems like an issue for many sports and events post covid … people seem to have forgotten how to behave … fans at silverstone were also mentioned on that thread … bloody great race though and nice to see merc slowly creeping back into things … still a bit of a way to go mind 

I'm not pretending some individual people would have behaved inappropriately at Silverstone last weekend and I agree there's been quite a lot of crowd misbehaviour post-covid at sports and major events (last year's men's Euros football final was a real low point) but there's clearly something especially bad this weekend if F1 itself has to get involved to tell everyone to behave. A message reinforced by some drivers and teams judging by pre-race social media, I add.

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I'm not pretending some individual people would have behaved inappropriately at Silverstone last weekend and I agree there's been quite a lot of crowd misbehaviour post-covid at sports and major events (last year's men's Euros football final was a real low point) but there's clearly something especially bad this weekend if F1 itself has to get involved to tell everyone to behave. A message reinforced by some drivers and teams judging by pre-race social media, I add.

I just don’t like the lumping in of it being a particular set of fans or nationality !! 

[pryce]

19 hours ago, Barry Fish said:

Its nothing to do with covid. 

Its a different type of fan being introduced to the sport since the Drive to Survive series was launched and its coupled at the same time with the rise of Max.  Its more of a football crowd and its really happening around the Dutch fans mostly.  

I have never seen abusive behaviour at Silverstone.  I don't think its true or at least widespread - there is no doubt always one w*nker - but this isn't one w*nker....  And I have never known F1 to make such an official statement against abuse in the stands and fan parks like they have done today.  A bit of booing isn't the same as the abusive stuff being reported this weekend. 



The number of reports all weekend is like nothing i have ever seen around a F1 grand prix.  Its been bubbling for a couple of years now with this "orange" army.

ive been spat at called a racist and had my Alonso hat stolen and thrown over a fence at the height of the Alonso Hamilton rivalry at Silverstone before, its not a new thing, saw lots of name calling during those times, its just that in recent years Hamilton has won by so much there hasnt been any rivalries to get fans riled up 

 

[DareToDibble]

I have no idea what Sainz or Perez did in a previous life but they have some of the worst luck I've seen for drivers so far this year. A couple of incidents have been Sainz fault (running off the track etc) but they've both been done by failures etc a fair bit too.

I still think Max will end up running away with the championship but it's good that Ferrari are still there, would like to see Ferrari win again at the next race to make it even closer.

Edited July 13, 2022 by DareToDibble

[justanotheronethen]

Great move by Russell after the safety car at the end there

[charlierc]

It was shaping up to be quite an interesting battle out front between Leclerc and Verstappen given their cars were looking close to being level on overall pace, and as a straight-up fight with Perez having an off weekend and Sainz on the backfoot with his penalty.

So much of this is tied up in a frustration as a fan really - Ferrari and Red Bull have very close, very quick cars with Leclerc and Verstappen being skilled drivers, yet so far in 2022, Ferrari have found a bizarre variety of ways to fuck things up. Ultimately, the door's being opened for Red Bull to walk through and they're doing it with gusto.

[charlierc]

I think Vettel's 2012 title win was very good tbf. He should've won 2010 more comfortably but for 3 reliability-induced DNFs and both 2011 and 2013, he just dominated, but in 2012, the Red Bull wasn't the fastest with a better McLaren car and Alonso performing a miracle in a dreadful Ferrari, yet Vettel did well enough to still be in the mix, did very well to get a podium from the Abu Dhabi pit lane and somehow dragging a broken Red Bull to a title-winning point in Brazil.

But it is true that since the change to V6 engines in 2014, he just wasn't at the same level. Germany 2018 was a real crushing moment too, not least given that was followed by a ton of other mistakes for the rest of that year.

He'll be missed though. He's been a really liked personality in the show for a while now.

[charlierc]

Honestly yesterday may have been one of the most surprising moments of the season so far. Russell swiping pole on a lap with no purple sectors the day after Mercedes were just nowhere was pretty amazing. 

[charlierc]

On 7/31/2022 at 4:42 PM, Barry Fish said:

Ferrari... hard tyres... wow

So I missed the race as I was on my way to Wembley for the Euro's final, but I had a look on Twitter just before kick off to see what happened and all the F1 accounts I follow were going in hard about what a bad decision that turned out to be.

In a way it's kind of a reverse of the norm, given at most tracks, the soft tyres really aren't worth bothering with at all, but it is pretty indefensible that the data showed Haas and Alpine's pace collapsed on the hard tyres, yet Leclerc was still stuck on them.

At this rate, Mercedes are on track to beat Ferrari to second in the championship, which is pretty indefensible for Ferrari given how far ahead of Merc they were in the first few races.

[charlierc]

So Alonso joining Aston Martin and Alpine announcing Oscar Piastri only for the Aussie himself to announce that he's actually not driving for Alpine after all amid rumours he's agreed a deal to join McLaren or Williams (depending on who you ask).

This is... quite something.

[Chef]

21 hours ago, charlierc said:

So Alonso joining Aston Martin and Alpine announcing Oscar Piastri only for the Aussie himself to announce that he's actually not driving for Alpine after all amid rumours he's agreed a deal to join McLaren or Williams (depending on who you ask).

This is... quite something.

[charlierc]

On 8/3/2022 at 5:00 PM, Chef said:

Saw that, did make me giggle. As did Spanish football club Sevilla using the language as the way they announced the signing of Alex Telles.

Looks like there may be a further development coming soon, even if this is just a strong rumour: McLaren set to end Ricciardo’s 2023 F1 deal to make way for Piastri (autosport.com)

[charlierc]

Ahead of the return of the season from the summer break this weekend...

This kinda felt inevitably really. On paper this was a union that promised a lot more than it delivered. I don't think it's helped that McLaren's 2022 car has been below expectations and those who follow them more closely have noted a Ferrari-esque tendency to pick the wrong strategy, but they were paying him big race winner bucks to see him regularly lose to Lando Norris. Indeed, when Norris out-performed him at Barcelona despite having tonsillitis and barely being fit to drive the car, it felt like this was coming.

[DareToDibble]

On 8/24/2022 at 9:17 PM, charlierc said:

Ahead of the return of the season from the summer break this weekend...

This kinda felt inevitably really. On paper this was a union that promised a lot more than it delivered. I don't think it's helped that McLaren's 2022 car has been below expectations and those who follow them more closely have noted a Ferrari-esque tendency to pick the wrong strategy, but they were paying him big race winner bucks to see him regularly lose to Lando Norris. Indeed, when Norris out-performed him at Barcelona despite having tonsillitis and barely being fit to drive the car, it felt like this was coming.

Yeah it’s a huge shame, I love Ricciardo but it’s just not worked at McLaren. It pains me to say it but as well as the car not being great, it’s hard not to feel like he’s unfortunately in decline too.

Alpine seems the obvious choice to replace Alonso but would they/he want to do that again after he left last time?
Whats the deal with Zhou at Alfa? Bottas/Ricciardo would be a strong lineup if they took Daniel.

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, DareToDibble said:

Yeah it’s a huge shame, I love Ricciardo but it’s just not worked at McLaren. It pains me to say it but as well as the car not being great, it’s hard not to feel like he’s unfortunately in decline too.

Alpine seems the obvious choice to replace Alonso but would they/he want to do that again after he left last time?
Whats the deal with Zhou at Alfa? Bottas/Ricciardo would be a strong lineup if they took Daniel.

Zhou is out of contract at the end of the year. I think he's been solid when the car's not broken down, but they want the F2 driver Theo Pourchaire, who is currently 2nd in the standings (if a long way off Felipe Drugovich after a DNF today) and he is affiliated to them.

Alpine is the logical choice but apparently they're also being linked with Mick Schumacher and Pierre Gasly. There's a meeting at the F1 contract board tomorrow to decide if Piastri's Alpine contract is watertight first and he has to stay there or is free to join McLaren first, though.

[Crazyfool01]

Verstappen is gonna win this 

[Ozanne]

Nothing's going right for Hamilton these days, I feel for him. Part of me thinks he should retire now as it doesn't feel like it's gonna get any better for him 😞