Formula 1 2017: sponsored by Chase Carey's tache

[Giggles]

Just seen the start.

lol

It was madness. All on Vettel too.

[Gray Fox]

If the stewards see it that way he could be in for a demotion at Malaysia.

[niko_cee]

Didn't really look like anyone's fault in particular, unless we're saying the pole sitter isn't allowed to wantonly drift into the nearest threat, as has been done since time immemorial.

Only way it could have been better is if Verstappen had somehow got out of it and let Kimi torpedo Vettel.

[John Arne]

On the crash - the commentators were adamant that it was Vettel's fault - having just seen a replay - Verstappen seems to move over to the left before Vettel comes across him - and then Verstappen made contact with Raikkonen.

I'd like to see a replay from Verstappen's car to see if he was reacting to Vettel.

[John Arne]

I guess you have to ask why Vettel over at all... he's knows he had a slow start, and that there are probably two cars to his left... it's not the racing line over there... so perhaps he should have stayed where he was.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Lord Brundle said racing incident, so I'm going with that, but Vettel's move caused it.

[Gray Fox]

No further action ruled.

[Disco]

On the crash - the commentators were adamant that it was Vettel's fault - having just seen a replay - Verstappen seems to move over to the left before Vettel comes across him - and then Verstappen made contact with Raikkonen.

I'd like to see a replay from Verstappen's car to see if he was reacting to Vettel.

If you watch Verstappen he moves to the right, towards the racing line, then discovers Vettel coming the other way. The only option for him is to go back to the left which brings him back towards Raikkonen, the alternative was to hit Vettel at which point you have to ask what else he should have done?

The worst part is that it looks like Alonso would have been up into second or third with one of the most ridiculous starts you'll ever see.

[John Arne]

If you watch Verstappen he moves to the right, towards the racing line, then discovers Vettel coming the other way. The only option for him is to go back to the left which brings him back towards Raikkonen, the alternative was to hit Vettel at which point you have to ask what else he should have done?


Sure - but the question is.... is Vettel allowed to do that.. which as he was the car ahead (despite being slower), he's well within his right to move over to the left hand side of the track.
It's Vettel's fault - I just don't think any further action was warranted.

[Shindig]

Vettel caused it. He moved across on Max expecting Verstappen to move left. Unfortunately, Raikkonen was right alongside Verstappen so he had nowhere no go.

[Shindig]

In bike news, Valentino broke his leg three weeks ago. Already back in action. Nuts.

[niko_cee]

Massimo Arrivederci.

[Disco]

Been catching up on the bike racing this week, I think there's a very strong case for Mugello being the best track on any calendar.

[Disco]

Massimo Arrivederci.

Five Ferrari powered cars out in Q1, not exactly the image they're going for.

[niko_cee]

I wonder if Agent Kimi will be sent rocketing up the inside again.

[Shindig]

F1's youtube account has the full 2001 Malaysian GP.

[Giggles]

I wonder if Agent Kimi will be sent rocketing up the inside again.

Hardly worthwhile at this stage.

[Disco]

I think he's on the wrong side for that, there's mileage in trying to go round the outside at turn one though so that could be fun if he gets a good start.

To return to bikes again for a moment, I'm continually amazed that Moto3 and GP can be so engrossing while Moto2 remains deathly dull in comparison.

[Shindig]

Yeah, Moto2's been the one I've most likely looked to skip. Morbidelli's form's kept me interested but it's all quite dull.

[SincereTheRebel]

Didnt realise there was a race this weekend. About to start and kimi has just been dragged back into the pit lane and may not start. Vettel is starting last.

[Disco]

Didnt realise there was a race this weekend.

Neither did Ferrari.

[SincereTheRebel]

Vette has done well to be in 6th before the first round of pit stops.

[Shindig]

Slept through all of that. Vettel getting smacked at the checkered flag is probably worth seeing.

[SincereTheRebel]

Slept through all of that. Vettel getting smacked at the checkered flag is probably worth seeing.

Just seen it. Its vettels fault if you ask me

[Disco]

50/50 for me, Vettel assumed Stroll would hold his line so didn't give him any additional room and Stroll drifted to the right more than he really should have. Smacks of both of them switching off a bit after the end of the race, which is understandable, it will be a shame for Vettel if his performance is rewarded with a five place grid penalty.

[Shindig]

I'd side with Stroll on that. He looked as far as he could be on Vettel's onboard. In fact, Vettel looked like he was trying to take the inside when he was half-way past Stroll.

EDIT: Also had a go at Alonso because Vettel can't handle traffic. Some 4-time Champion, eh?

[Shindig]

Jolyon Palmer's away. Sainz replaces him immediately. Kvyat in for Sainz. 34 starts. 9 points. 9 DNFs.

[Disco]

Palmer has struggled to even be average, it's telling that Williams have considered a grumpy Scotch who's barely raced in five years and someone with one and half arms ahead of him.

[Shindig]

I can't remember the last time Ferrari were this shit race on race. Hamilton is champion elect.

[John Arne]

Some knobhead at Vietnam TV appears to have forgotten that the F1 is on and had instead put on Spurs TV.

[Giggles]

Our channel that has the rights here (Eir Sport) had technical issues and missed the first good few laps. Woke up especially to see the start too. Cunts.

Also, fuck Sky yet again.

[John Arne]

That Stroll failure could have been a lot, lot worse. Lucky to have happened where it did.

[Disco]

That was not worth getting up for.

[Gray Fox]

This has been pretty much the exact opposite of last season for Hamilton. Last year he was the leading driver into the summer break. Then Rosberg won 4 of the 5 races after, with Hamilton suffering DNFs. There was even a Red Bull winning in Malaysia then too.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Four titles will match Seb in, for me, just about inferior machinery. We don't appreciate what we have in Hamilton. If you put Fangio/Clark/Senna on a higher pedestal and maybe Prost on his own second step, Hamilton is on the next one after that and maybe even getting up there with Alain.

[Shindig]

Seb took all his titles in the best machinery available and played the team orders like a ponce.

[Giggles]

Sky Sports Mix. F1 E-Sports.

It is what it sounds like :face:

[Shindig]

If there's one thing I take from the sim racer streams I've watched, they're not as good as they think they are. In a pack, there's always a punt.

[John]

Sky Sports Mix. F1 E-Sports.

It is what it sounds like :face:

E-Sports are quickly taking over the sports channels at night, and often during the day if there's a gap. Sky and BT both show FIFA tournaments, and BT show a startling amount of Street Fighter.

[Shindig]

As it turns out, there's not enough real sports to fill six channels.

[Shindig]

Oh, my. The problem with being so far behind in MotoGP is that I wind up catching results every now and then on BBC's website or whatever. There is a bike involved, along with a likeable rider that would really make an awesome champion. I'm only up to Assen which is like 7 races back and the title will be decided in a month's time.

[Disco]

I'm in the same boat but a little further ahead (in the middle of watching the Austrian races), which title are you talking about?

[Shindig]

The big'n. I was thinking the other day about how the guy in question lacks an edge but was starting to put it together on his bike. It just might, might go to the wire.

[Disco]

All caught up now, I really hope he wins it. Races like Mugello and Motegi were epic.

[Shindig]

Six rounds back. Going to watch Germany's races tomorrow. Assen was so GOOD! If I take two rounds a weekend, I should catch up by Valencia.

[Foe]

Got super burnt yesterday so today should be fun. The 90% chance of thunderstorms yesterday was bollocks.

Stevie wonder is playing after too.

[John Arne]

Jagielka, Williams and Keane have to be one of the worst backs three's I've seen in quite a while.

[John]

Jagielka, Williams and Keane have to be one of the worst backs three's I've seen in quite a while.

Can hardly expect them to lead the grid first time out.

[Disco]

Jagielka had an engine change so I think we can let him off.

[John Arne]

Whoops :)

All three still better than Magnussen.

[-james-]

This thread hurts my head.

[Giggles]

Was there a Grand Prix today?

[Gray Fox]

Doesn't start til 8pm.

[Disco]

What the fuck is this shit? :D

[phonics]

I love Verstappen. Give him a car equal to the bests.

[phonics]

I went for a cigarette and am absolutely shocked to see Alonso has retired.

[Disco]

Ferrari not so subtly turning Raikkonen's engine down so the inevitable swap with Vettel doesn't look too bad.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ferrari as a whole remains a laughable shitshow in spite of their improved form this year. Apparently Marchionne is about to bosh Arrivabene and his various pasta-twirling acolytes. I'm sure that'll make a massive difference.

[Foe]

Pretty damned good race in the end. We were based high up on turn 1 again so had a great view of the vettel start and fair number of overtakes.

Weather was absolutely minging this morning so was proper scared it'd be a whitewash.

[Disco]

Lol at the people whinging about Max getting a penalty, there hasn't been a clearer example of track limits in years.

[Disco]

The shots of Schumacher standing on the barrier and Jean Todt crying :drool:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt-3KT6ktHU

[John Arne]

I love that Coulthard slowed down right at the end just in case Villeneuve needed the second place.... Everyone really did hate Michael, didn't they.

[Shindig]

Liberty Media have been really, really good at stuff like this. Here's hoping they put together a network.

[Giggles]

I love that Coulthard slowed down right at the end just in case Villeneuve needed the second place.... Everyone really did hate Michael, didn't they.

Well he was better than the rest of them combined so it stands to reason.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They were all prize cunts themselves, well apart from Mika. Eddie Irvine, what a shithead.

In that era though it really was anyone but Schumacher as the thinking man's choice. You couldn't watch Adelaide '94 and not fucking hate him forever more.

[Disco]

Or watch the FIA try and engineer a Ferrari win, and this is against Villeneuve a man who it could not be easier to dislike.

[Disco]

Well he was better than the rest of them combined so it stands to reason.

Which just made it all the more frustrating that he decided to cheat so often.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I reckon out of the last 36 World Championships, 33 have been won by utter cunts.

No sign of that ratio decreasing any time soon either. I'm undecided on Verstappen.

[Disco]

Verstappen could go the way of Vettel but it's early days.

Who were your three? Or is it just Hill and Mika?

[Jimmy Floyd]

2x Mika, and Damon. I'm being a bit harsh on Button I suppose but I've always found him a smarmy twat. I guess he's not in the Piquet league.

Kimi has his charms, but, yeah.

[Giggles]

Which just made it all the more frustrating that he decided to cheat so often.

The biggest cheats of the era were a whole team and their stolen emails, which always gets conveniently forgotten. Though they're kind of paying for it now I suppose.

[Disco]

Biggest in what sense? Toyota employees ended up in court on similar charges and Renault were done for the exact same thing (right down to the regulation they broke) shortly after Mclaren, it's just that there was no-one at the FIA with a personal grievance against their team principal so the FIA decided not to get involved or to apply any penalties. You could go back further before the days of computer logs or secure data when the done thing was to clear your desk into a big sack and any technical documents that might happen to be there too, after all who's going to know if they turn up in a slightly different form somewhere else on the grid? You could even go back to the early 90's when things like active suspension and mass dampers widely credited to Williams mysteriously turned up on Benettons and Ferraris. Nobody wins this game.

Drivers though? It's far more obvious when they cheat and Herr Schumacher was the worst culprit I've ever seen (although I bet Piquet would be up there if you went back and looked hard enough).

[Dave.]

Biggest in what sense? Toyota employees ended up in court on similar charges and Renault were done for the exact same thing (right down to the regulation they broke) shortly after Mclaren, it's just that there was no-one at the FIA with a personal grievance against their team principal so the FIA decided not to get involved or to apply any penalties. You could go back further before the days of computer logs or secure data when the done thing was to clear your desk into a big sack and any technical documents that might happen to be there too, after all who's going to know if they turn up in a slightly different form somewhere else on the grid? You could even go back to the early 90's when things like active suspension and mass dampers widely credited to Williams mysteriously turned up on Benettons and Ferraris. Nobody wins this game.

Drivers though? It's far more obvious when they cheat and Herr Schumacher was the worst culprit I've ever seen (although I bet Piquet would be up there if you went back and looked hard enough).

I wasn't massively into F1 at the time. Can you give me examples of Schumacher cheating? Did he do it at both Benetton and Ferrari? And were the teams complicit in it?

Thanks.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher#Racing_controversies

These things have followed Flavio Briatore around rather a lot.

My old man always says Schumacher 'got what was coming to him' regarding becoming a vegetable. I wouldn't go that far but there's a certain karmic order about the whole situation.

[Disco]

I wasn't massively into F1 at the time. Can you give me examples of Schumacher cheating? Did he do it at both Benetton and Ferrari? And were the teams complicit in it?

Thanks.

Adelaide 94 he damaged his car and while coasting back to the pits he turned in on Damon Hill taking them both out of the race. Hill would have been World Champion had he finished.

Jerez 97 he rammed Jacques Villeneuve in an attempt to take him out of the title deciding race.

Also widely criticised for trying to run Rubens Barichello into the pit wall in Hungary. I forget which year but he parked his car across the track in Monaco during qualifying in an attempt to stop his rivals from setting their own times.

I don't think the teams were really complicit in much of that but he raced for Benetton during the years they are widely accepted to have been using illegal technology on their cars and for Ferrari when they were heavily favoured by the sports governing body.

[John Arne]

Force India reserve driver Celis has just smashed up Perez’s car in FP2. Perez did no look too happy :D

Edit; might not be too serious - Force India engineer doesn’t seem too bothered.

[Shindig]

Austria. When the team ordered Barichello to give up the lead to Schumacher on the final corner of the race. Was that a team call or did Michael stamp his seniority on it? Let's be honest, the politics are the best part of Formula One.

[Giggles]

Austria. When the team ordered Barichello to give up the lead to Schumacher on the final corner of the race. Was that a team call or did Michael stamp his seniority on it? Let's be honest, the politics are the best part of Formula One.

It was Schumacher of course. If it had been the team then they'd all justifiably be vegetables now.

[Disco]

They had team orders long before Schumacher got there, and you can't really argue with 5 titles, it worked. Schumacher was a great driver but he never really knew where competitiveness gave way to outright cheating, hardly surprising when you think he came up under Eddie Jordan then Flavio Briatore. Then came the move to Ferrari (run by a Frenchman no less) and it all went a bit 1000 year dynasty.

[Lewis]

Do you think Ayrton Senna being a cunt would be discussed more if he was still alive and sitting on six titles?

[Disco]

He was a sexy latin type, it's harder to get away with that stuff when you're a german brickie with a banana-face. Plus Senna raced against Alain Prost so almost anything is forgivable.

If he'd lived I think Schumacher would have retired him, he was Senna with a grasp of politics (beyond I'd like more money and less Gerhard Berger please), once they reformed the Axis I reckon he'd have struggled to get a top drive.

[Shindig]

In Senna's defence, I refer you to that bullshit call (was it Estoril or some place?) where he was penalised for exceeding track limits or such when he took to the run-off (which included a chicane which cost him time) to avoid a crash. As for a hypothetical retiring of Senna, I don't think so. That Williams would become the car to be in. Alternatively, there was a McLaren ready for two World Championships or a sneaky Benetton he could drag to the front.

But then we wouldn't have got to see Damon Hill's title.

[Byron]

As someone who recently came into F1, why is Prost hated so much? I'm curious because it's easy to see why people dislike Schumacher, Hamilton, Verstappen or Vettel but I couldn't see anything relating to why Prost is so disliked.

[Shindig]

I think part of it was his driving style. He was the type to just do what was required and play it safe. I think he also had the ear of the FIA during the Senna rivalry (hence the above penalty sticking).

[Jimmy Floyd]

As someone who recently came into F1, why is Prost hated so much? I'm curious because it's easy to see why people dislike Schumacher, Hamilton, Verstappen or Vettel but I couldn't see anything relating to why Prost is so disliked.

Watch the film 'Senna' for the outright fanboy perspective of why people didn't like Prost.

Prost should really have won about 8 world championships though, he was that good, just the Frenchness caught up with him at times.

[Magic]

As someone who recently came into F1, why is Prost hated so much? I'm curious because it's easy to see why people dislike Schumacher, Hamilton, Verstappen or Vettel but I couldn't see anything relating to why Prost is so disliked.

:harold:

How the fuck could you recently enjoy this shite?

[Giggles]

Coming from someone that can watch the completely uninteresting shite that is bikes :lol:

[Lewis]

The Sky 'Legends of F1' (or whatever it is) one on Alain Prost is good, as he sits there feeling victimised trying not to speak ill of the dead.

[Magic]

Coming from someone that can watch the completely uninteresting shite that is bikes :lol:

Clueless. I love BTCC as well. I just enjoy good close competitive racing. Something which hasn't been in F1 for years.

[Jimmy Floyd]

'Good close competitive racing' is an synonym for randomness, and is very overrated. There has NEVER been that in F1 and nor should there be.

The issue F1 has compared to the past is that the cars are easy to drive and so there's less visible skill for the spectator.

[Shindig]

I wouldn't even say MotoGP/2/3 is random. The cream rises to the top. BTCC's different. If you have to reverse a grid, your sport has problems.

[Disco]

I would say it's aerodynamics, you had the situation in Austin that nobody wanted to be within five seconds of the car in front because they leave such a huge trail of 'dirty' air.

[Disco]

I wouldn't even say MotoGP/2/3 is random. The cream rises to the top. BTCC's different. If you have to reverse a grid, your sport has problems.

Yup, track position just has far less importance in bike racing and things like tyre choice and conservation become more important. If you want the ur-example of meaningless overtaking it's oval racing, at least three quarters of every race is completely pointless.

[Magic]

It's disparity between top and bottom that makes your sport. In F1 that's absolutely huge.

[Disco]

It'll be interesting to see what happens now there are some vaguely sensible people in charge, new engine regs and almost certainly a budget cap should make a difference in that regard.

[Shindig]

Caught up to Austria on the bikes. Morbidelli and Mir have the other two classes sewn up. Nobody can touch their racecraft. The MotoGP finish was great. I'm strangely enjoying Lorenzo hitting the front and killing his tires. Something tells me that might come in handy when Dovi needs a wingman.

[Disco]

Beware the BBC Sport page, I saw the Malaysia result by accident.

[Shindig]

Phew. Didn't clock it before. Man, it's over in two weeks. Better get a move on.

[SincereTheRebel]

Thats probably the title. Vettel and lewis with contact on lap one resulting in both of them in the pit

[Jimmy Floyd]

Vettel being a 4 time champion is a travesty. Just nowhere near good enough in traffic.

[Disco]

Raikkonen really is bobbins these days.

[SvN]

Vettel seething his tits off.

[Disco]

Literally everything about that was glorious, as will his tantrum when he gets penalised.

[Giggles]

Literally everything about that was glorious, as will his tantrum when he gets penalised.

Did they not say no investigation?

[Disco]

I don't think they've mentioned it, didn't look as bad second time but I would enjoy the teutonic seethe.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It wasn't a hanging and flogging incident, just shit driving from him and it cost him dear.

[Shindig]

Hamilton's fucked.

[Giggles]

I don't think they've mentioned it, didn't look as bad second time but I would enjoy the teutonic seethe.

They said it was noted and then a few minutes later decided it wasn't to be investigated.

[Disco]

That was the turn one shenanigans, I'm talking about him passing Massa off the track and then whining about it.

[Giggles]

That was the turn one shenanigans, I'm talking about him passing Massa off the track and then whining about it.

Ah, I'd turned back to the NFL by then.

[Shindig]

Alright, Hamilton. I dare you not to mention Senna in your post-race press conference.

Fuck off, Neymar.

[Disco]

Don't worry, Brundle did it for him. One day I'd love to see a flag disappear into the engine.

[Lewis]

'Who is the most talented driver of the so called greats?', asks the BBC website, offering a multiple choice between 'Jim Clark' and different versions of 'I haven't heard of Jim Clark'. Thus far it's not looking good for Jim Clark.

[Jimmy Floyd]

1 Clark
2 Senna
3 Fangio
4 Moss
5 Prost
6 Schumacher
7 Stewart
8 Lauda
9 Piquet/Hamilton
10 the rest

[Giggles]

I don't know who Jim Clark is but I'll say Jim Clark.

[Lewis]

Stirling Moss should probably have realised he was cursed when that mad French tosser cost him a Le Mans by ramming his car into the punters. He was like the anti-Graham Hill.

[Shindig]

Here's a shocker: Stirling Moss is not even 90 yet.

[SvN]

Trying to compare people like Moss with today's drivers is ridiculous. I'd say you're even pushing it when comparing drivers from the 70s and 80s. It's just a totally different sport thesedays.

[Lewis]

And you can meet him for a free if you spend a million quid on a bomb-on-wheels magnesium Lister.

[Magic]

Jim Clark could have made a shopping trolley qualify on on pole. He was another species tbh. Hamilton isn't even top 10. Fuck him and the cheating Mercs.

[Shindig]

I might consider that if they paint a Newcastle livery on it like a 2000 Lister Storm.

[Giggles]

Jim Clark could have made a shopping trolley qualify on on pole. He was another species tbh. Hamilton isn't even top 10. Fuck him and the cheating Mercs.

Racist.

[Disco]

Clark, Fangio, Senna, and Villeneuve. Then the rest.

[Clunge]

Sato and Montoya >>>>> Verstappen (Jos) >> Ricciardo >>> Penis > The rest.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm not sure about Gilles. He was almost too mental.

I view 1992 as Year Zero for modern F1, or whenever the first great Newey car was. If you drove before that, you had a much harder job.

[Disco]

It's why Schumachers records look unbeatable but will most likely be eclipsed, he was just the first top guy to have his whole career in the period where you weren't going to a funeral every Tuesday. It's also worth distinguishing between who was best at actually driving cars and who was the best 'driver', for example Alonso is a good example of someone who can drive anything faster than almost anyone else of his generation but can't make a good decision out of the car to save his life.

[Shindig]

Yeah, Hamilton complains a lot but usually pits when Pat Bonnington tells him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hamilton's decision to move from McLaren to Mercedes at that point surely one of the great F1 career moves of all time, mainly because it didn't seem obvious at the time.

[Gray Fox]

I remember thinking he was daft at the time.

It'll be interesting to see who gets to number 5 first, between him and Vettel.

[SvN]

My mate, who is well into this, said something like "He won't be competitive the first year, but after that they'll blow everyone else away". Not sure how he knew that, but I imagine he wasn't the only one.

[Disco]

It was a gamble on Mercedes building the best engine. Not a certainty but their engine had been better first (if that makes sense) in the current formula and the new one put so much emphasis on the engine that it made sense to be with a manufacturer. Plus he'd already been through at least one year of McLaren failing to deliver a car good enough to win titles and he'd just watched the guy who shaped his career get sidelined. It was a surprise move but there were plenty of reasons to make it.

[Lewis]

Wasn't the main one not having to make adverts and hang around with Jenson Button?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd always thought it was a combination of Ron Dennis and the pussycat doll exiting stage left at about the same time. There was one season (2011 I think) at Macca where he was dreadful and it kind of went from there. Add in the fact that Merc had Ross Brawn (a title winner with 4 teams, really) and Paddy Lowe and it would have made sense.

I also remember some story about Niki Lauda shoving notes under his hotel room door, although that could also have been a fever dream.

[Gray Fox]

Was that the season he seemed to keep colliding with Massa for the lols?

[Shindig]

He dragged some performances out of them, to be fair.

[Disco]

Wasn't the main one not having to make adverts and hang around with Jenson Button?

That was the idea at the time, I for one am glad because it gave him lots more free time to spend with tigers and Neymar Also, an age old question may soon be answered. Is it possible to make a worse rap album than Randy Savage?

[Disco]

He dragged some performances out of them, to be fair.

I loved 2009 for a different reason than everyone else, Alonso and Hamilton both in utter dogshit cars tearing lumps off each other every week over 16th. Silverstone was particularly good.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Those few corners they had in Mexico battling for 9th were the best thing about the race. Just visibly brilliant driving by both of them.

[Shindig]

If I could halt the sport at 2007, I would. Literally hold Bernie at gunpoint and hold time and the sport itself hostage. And Super Agurri would still be alive.

[Jimmy Floyd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/41857101

Yeah sure m8.

[niko_cee]

One wonders what direction he think Ferrari is taking the sport with shit like Ferrariland or whatever it is called.

The Prancing Horse International Race Series.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have a grudge against Marchionne, because he looks like he's going to fire Arrivabene, and if Arrivabene's hair leaves the paddock I fear the cosmos may be unsettled.

[Lewis]

lol at words like 'standardisation' even coming up.

[Disco]

Willy waving. All so they can kick up a fuss when their 'historic bonus' gets taken away and they need an excuse that doesn't make them look like complete cunts. Also, Arrivabene is absolutely getting fired, sorry Jim.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://www.grandprix247.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MaurizioArrivabeneF1GrandPrixJapanQualifyingOltpxZ qmVbUx.jpg

RIP the worst hair in sport, luv u 4 eva x

[John]

I'd dispute that title.

http://www.sherdog.com/image_crop/200/300/_images/fighter/20150429111728_IMG_0986.JPG

[Disco]

Can I interest you in a surrogate? One that actually smiles occasionally.

https://i.imgur.com/PikbSKi.png

[Lewis]

Luke Gale has the worst hair in sport because he won't accept baldness.

[Disco]

Reminds me of a thread I was going to make, Best Bald XI. Automatic selection for combovers.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't think there's ever been a good bald driver. Fangio was kind of receding.

[Lewis]

Lewis Hamilton would be into Stirling Moss territory without the wonders of modern technology.

[SincereTheRebel]

I'd dispute that title.

http://www.sherdog.com/image_crop/200/300/_images/fighter/20150429111728_IMG_0986.JPG


https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/pandev.jpg?strip=all&w=960

[Disco]

Sir Stirling is the obvious one. One of the Brabhams (David?) was bald, presumably still is. Robert Kubica was leaping and vaulting toward baldness when he left F1 so I'd assume he's there by now.

[niko_cee]

Aren't they all a bit bald due to the constant head gear wearing? Like golfers?

[Disco]

I also wonder if Lauda should count, he definitely lost his hair after all.

[Byron]

Sir Stirling is the obvious one. One of the Brabhams (David?) was bald, presumably still is. Robert Kubica was leaping and vaulting toward baldness when he left F1 so I'd assume he's there by now.

Believe it or not Kubica still has hair, but I'm pretty sure he's gone into a local barbers, taken a few of the clippings and superglued it to his head.

[Disco]

I've been googling F1 drivers for a good twenty minutes and there's nary a slaphead to be found, this is starting to get worrying.

[Shindig]

Kubica's held his hairline well. I saw his arm for the first time a few months back. Yikes. No wonder he lacks power in it. I can think of one bald motorcyclist and it's Bradley Smith. He went at 20.

[Disco]

Well, Johnny Herbert and Jacques Lafitte have made strong entries but there's a very clear top three in the F1 best baldie championship.

In third

Teo Fabi
https://i.imgur.com/a0f8Vm0.png


In second

Also Teo Fabi
https://i.imgur.com/4xQqvlo.png


And the winner

The greatest picture in the history of the sport, unprecedented dominance from Fabi
https://i.imgur.com/MBYGkkr.png

[Jimmy Floyd]

Quality stuff. Late career Denny Hulme is the best I could come up with.

https://orig00.deviantart.net/25fa/f/2016/087/6/f/denny_hulme__argentine_1973__by_f1_history-d9wtzmv.jpg

[Disco]

That;s a strong entry, clearly still driving too and believe me those are rare.

[Lewis]

https://s1.postimg.org/12d9x3apm7/levegh.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Going beyond Formula 1, what about Pierre Levegh of Le Mans Disaster (and almost winning the race single-handed during a previous attempt) 'fame'? By the looks of him that crash was deliberate.

[Shindig]

Caught up to Aragon. Mir's a class act. Hope he does well with KTM next season. I like Fenati as well but it's clear his big sweeping riding style murders his chances in a dry race. Morbidelli should be safe in a straight fight between him and Luthi. In the top flight, I hope more for Dovi than I expect. Marquez has really fought for this and would've been comfy if it wasn't for his engine farting at Silverstone. Hopefully Sam Lowes does okay in Moto2 next season. He hasn't been able to stay on the thing in 2017. I don't know how long Bradley Smith's got left in the class, either.

Jonathan Rea became the first man in history to win the Superbike World Championship three times on the trot, breaking the points total record on the way. He's only five wins off Fogarty's record.

[Magic]

Why are you posting it in this boring thread? Lowes is on Luthi's bike so he has no excuses.

Did you see Sofuoglu's insanity?

[Shindig]

I only keep up with Superbikes due to BBC articles. I was never 100% up on it when I had Eurosport. I'll always give Superbikes / Supersport guys the benefit of the doubt when they transition to MotoGP. Cal Crutchlow and Chris Vermuelen are the only guys I can think of that have made something of it.

Australia watched now. Damn it. :(

[Shindig]

Well, turns out Hamilton tearing through the field is fun to watch. Pity he fell short of the podium. I also caught wind of MotoGP's finale. I had started watching it but the stream was pulled a couple of laps into Moto3. I'll not spoil it in case Disco or somebody is playing catch up.

Checking out the 2018 grid and I've noticed Morbidelli and Luthi are teammates. Oof. Tito Rabat's back, too. Fenati and Mir battling it out in Moto2 would be interesting, as would Mir having Alex Marquez as a teammate. KTM could be deadly if they carry their late form into next year. Lastly, can someone explain to me how Niccolo Antonelli has a ride for next year? 29 retirements or failures to start in five years in Moto3. He crashes everywhere.

[John Arne]

I'm guessing we all saw this last week - Ted Kravitz showing a picture on his phone to camera when "MSY Mob" sends him a message :D

https://i.redd.it/umjob66ddlxz.jpg

[Jimmy Floyd]

Carlos Ghosn watching the race next to Alain Prost, they're assembling a proper team of villains over there.

[Giggles]

I thought these E cars were supposed to have those windscreens this year.

EDIT: Scratch that, they're still racing in the Gen 1 car.

The incoming one has it.

http://hanabi.autoweek.com/sites/default/files/styles/gen-932-524/public/fes5newyorkv21-jpg-254790-original.jpg

[Shindig]

Speaking of electric vehicles, MotoE gets unveiled tomorrow. They're going to slot that in along with the Moto3 and Moto2 lot on Sundays. I might pay Dorna their blood money. Electric bikes sound cool as fuck.

EDIT: Debuting in 2019 at five of the European races. 18 bikes with some branding across MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3. It sounds like they're all racing identical bikes.

[Clunge]

How the fuck do you actually watch Formula E? It always seems bananas and I miss it but I literally have no idea how to watch it in the UK. Is it on TV? Is it online? Is there free / public highlights access?

[Giggles]

How the fuck do you actually watch Formula E? It always seems bananas and I miss it but I literally have no idea how to watch it in the UK. Is it on TV? Is it online? Is there free / public highlights access?

It used to be online for free but now if your country has a TV deal it'll be geo blocked. 3e show it here and I think I recall Channel 5 having the UK rights.

[Giggles]

Channel 5, Spike (whatever the fuck that is), and Eurosport apparently.

http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/championship/tv-schedule/

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm sure I was watching it on Twitter the other day, but that might just have been free practice.

It's absolute dross anyway. I know the tech is important, but what's the point of watching silent cars driving slowly around small tracks.

[Giggles]

Street circuits and close racing. I'd take a drop in speed for that.

[Disco]

It's ok, I've enjoyed most of the races I've watched. The main drawback for me is that the tracks are normally god awful stop start street affairs laid out for maximum crowd engagement (no bad thing but shouldn't be the only consideration) rather than being a good track to race around.

Like all good things there's a Reddit page dedicated to providing free streams, the races normally pop up on there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I am a fan of 'Jev'. He should be racing in something better than that, ideally a 26 car (or vaguely merit based) F1 grid.

[Disco]

The man is a dreamboat, can you imagine him and Grosjean in a team together?

It's an interesting grid on the whole. Half of it reads like Helmut Marko's missed call list then there's Nicolas Prost (who is one of the most dangerous drivers I;ve seen in any discipline), Nelson Piquet Jr (LOL) and a host of names that were fast for five minutes in GP2/3 (someone save Esteban Gutierrez a seat he'll be here soon).

Oh and walking yawn Nick Heidfeld.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've always thought Nick Heidfeld is still driven by bitterness about not getting that McLaren seat whenever it was. I can only find one race win, in any series, on the poor bugger's record since he was in Formula 3000 nineteen years ago.

Still, there's always this:


In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modeling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Heidfeld was ranked the 23rd best Formula One driver of all time.

[Disco]

The Nico Hulkenberg of the early to mid 2000's.

[Shindig]

I thought he was going to be the guy to win for BMW Sauber. :(