F1 2020 - Corona Virus Edition

[Luca]

Genuinely didn't pick up this tidbit of information over the summer, and just saw the official tweet from Ferrari today. It's been a while (a decade) since I've followed F1 with any religiosity.

[Disco]

In news that should surprise nobody, Australia and China have been postponed.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bring back the Bahrain velodrome instead of Australia.

[Shindig]

The MotoGP calendar has three reserve grand prixs ready. Well, two of them. There's a Russian Tilkedrome (I hate how I can spot them just on layout alone now), Portimao and a yet to be built Indonesian street circuit.

Whoop.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They've actually slotted Imola in instead of China, which I am a huge fan of, even if all the noobs seem to think it produces BORING RACING. Get a clue, dweebs. They just need to move the DRS back a few yards after Rivazza and it's perfect.

[Pleb]

Monaco won't be coming back anytime soon I'd imagine.

[Disco]

What a shame.

[SincereTheRebel]

I like the driver lineup Ferrari have gone with. They failed both Alonso and Vettel so they have gone deep with drivers who have less than five wins combined. They didnt really have a choice, given how shit they have become.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leclerc is the tits, to be fair. Probably third best driver in the sport after Hamilton and Mad Max (although I have some question marks about the latter under pressure). If Sainz gets even on his coat-tails he will have done a very good job.

Ricciardo and Norris is the most intriguing team mate battle to watch, if Lando has top tier aspirations he probably needs to beat him.

[Disco]

No probably about it.

Ricciardo beat Vettel but lost to Verstappen, people will be taking note of how Norris stacks up against him given he was pretty even with Sainz (who himself compared favourably to Verstappen in the same machinery, albeit at a point where it's harder to judge).

[Dquincy]

Clearly only signed her up for her looks.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/sport/amp/motorsport/55774232

[Disco]

That's how you know she's fast.

[Dquincy]

:D

[Shindig]

Has Hammerzeit still not signed for 2021? That's the year we're in.

[Disco]

It's a bit protracted but neither side seem too bothered (Hamilton has been posting videos of him skiing which has a 100% failure rate for 7 time WC's so far) and given that he is now a 'brand' :sick: there's probably some legal shenanigans over trademarks or IP or whatever. It's not like they'll turn up at testing and not let him in the car.

[Disco]

Nigel Mansell is obviously great and everyone should forget the shady way he won his first race.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYV2_PqAk3E

[Disco]

Lewis

1354491611334512640

He looks like Peter Ebdon.

[SincereTheRebel]

He went balled quick or have i just not noticed.

[Shindig]

I think Kubica's has held on better.

[Lewis]

At least he's owning it unlike Lewis Hamilton pretending it grew back.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If he grows out the sides a bit he could have a bit of a Denny Hulme elder statesman vibe going on. It rules out race wins, though.

[7om]

Has he gone off the deep end? He looks like an escaped psychiatric patient.

[Gray Fox]

Only a 1 year deal for Sir Lewis. Perhaps he wants to see what the new regulations turn up before committing or perhaps George has impressed enough.

[Pleb]

He will continue to get 1 year extensions until he gets his 8th title then give his seat to George.

[Giggles]

This sprint race thing sounds bollocks.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It is total bollocks, it ain't broke. Are they trying to whizz up the grid order? Try taking some fucking aero off the cars.

[Shindig]

Once Lewis retires, the grid quality evens right up.

[Disco]

So at the same time they're reducing practice sessions and having a sprint race on Saturday? That makes absolutely no sense.

[Shindig]

A second race every weekend would totally cut costs. :cab:

[Jimmy Floyd]

So at the same time they're reducing practice sessions and having a sprint race on Saturday? That makes absolutely no sense.

It smacks of someone in Cheeseburger Towers having read a graph, noticed that they are getting way more engagement/revenue on Sundays than on Saturdays, and seen this as a problem.

[Shindig]

If they want to spice up quali, just make it Super Pole and make no exceptions for weather.

[Disco]

It smacks of someone in Cheeseburger Towers having read a graph, noticed that they are getting way more engagement/revenue on Sundays than on Saturdays, and seen this as a problem.

Steve Sunday is running the show now, he's already binned the idea of reverse grids I would hope this will go the same way.

[SincereTheRebel]

If they want to spice up quali, just make it Super Pole and make no exceptions for weather.

That would be good

[Jimmy Floyd]

I quite liked one shot qualifying, for what it's worth. Best way of watching the drivers drive the car. In current format you miss most of it.

[SincereTheRebel]

Alonso has had an accident in Switzerland lads

[Shindig]

Bollocks. Another cycling accident. Alex Zanardi only started to talk last month. Sounds like he's made an amazing recovery.

[Disco]

https://i.imgur.com/TUb8SKi.png

[SincereTheRebel]

Hulk really is a wasteman.

[Shindig]

Jesus, this McLaren car launch is woeful. SHOW US THE FUCKING CAR. I DON'T WANT TO SEE DANNY AND LANDO PLAYING GUITAR. ARE THEY DRIVING A GUITAR?

EDIT: Oh, Andrea from Argentina has a question. Is it, "Where's the fucking car!?" Oh, these people are PR plants.

Not keen on the blue sidepods, lads. Still, Coca Cola's got a sponsor slot.

[bruhnaldo]

Ya the song thing was so cringe but Merc engine woo

[SincereTheRebel]

https://youtu.be/y4gkRjmXlTw

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eu2R48tXAAEzqlO?format=jpg&name=large

I think Kimi might have sent his portly body double.

[Shindig]

I never thought he and Valentino Rossi would still be going at 40-odd.

[Disco]

Ok I have a new favourite NASCAR race title. The Beef. It's Whats For Dinner 300

Sublime.

[7om]

I watched Formula E for the first time this weekend and really enjoyed it. The attack mode feature adds an interesting dynamic.

[Giggles]

That was a right watch.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ok I have a new favourite NASCAR race title. The Beef. It's Whats For Dinner 300

Sublime.

A short story in five parts:

Food City Dirt Race
Dixie Vodka 400
FireKeepers Casino 400
Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500

[Disco]

And yet Daytona(aaaaaaaa) remains just the Daytona 500. Truly a nation of contrasts.

[Shindig]

I watched this yesterday. What a time to happen.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6L53I__XtU

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eve9YMvXYAkeUTt?format=jpg&name=large

Haw hee haw.

[7om]

Jesus, that is beautiful. That blue reminds me of the Prost cars.

[Disco]

Kvyat as reserve driver too, hanging on by his fingernails.

I see Canyouhearthedrums Fernando has gotten out of all preseason media because his mouth is wired shut. There might be a few Alpeeeeeeners wishing it was permanent come the end of the season.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I honestly cannot wait for Ocon to maim him by a second a lap. The whole thing has such Mansell '95 vibes to it. Kvyat in the seat by Monza.

[7om]

Do you think Alonso will be off the pace?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ocon is pretty good, has been there a year, and Alonso is 40 and hasn't driven for three years, the former should beat him imo.

It's one of the more intriguing matchups though along with McLaren and quite possibly Ferrari.

[Disco]

There's some intriguing sets of teammates this year, several very promising drivers could either make or break their careers (in terms of being at the tippity top level).

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hamilton/Bottas: lol

Verstappen/Perez: evisceration incoming with a flukey win for Checo which everyone will love (Hungary)

Ricciardo/Norris: big year for Lando, could be close in quali but I think Ricciardo will be too strong in the races. If Norris wins this battle then he's world champ adjacent

Leclerc/Sainz: Charles will win but I think Sainz will closer than you'd think and get handy constructors' points

Vettel/Stroll: Nice sleeper battle this, if you're Lance you've got to think Seb's there for the taking, not sure his ultimate pace is what it was and he hasn't been a smart racer for years

Ocon/Alonso: as above

Gasly/Tsunoda: If Yuki gets anywhere near him he's done brilliantly. Doubt he will

Schumacher/Mazepin: who knows, Mazepin will need some serious stones to even get through the year. Not 100% convinced by Schumacher, suspect he will end up wilier than he is outright quick, which may not be a bad thing

Giovinazzi/Raikkonen: who cares

Russell/Latifi: no survivors

[Disco]

Broadly agree with that, I think we also have our poll for this years' thread sorted too.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Real P20 energy here.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EvnsyGqXUAA3K5z?format=jpg&name=large

This, however, is fairly swish.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EvkGiRTXMAweNOK?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[7om]

Mazepin is going to buy out Haas, isn't he?

[Disco]

I miss the pink but green is a reasonable substitute, at least it's not grey.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I miss yellow cars. Hasn't been one since the last Jordan, I don't think.

[Disco]

Renault?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I guess, but too much black involved. I'm talking pure unadulterated Forti Corse jaune.

https://www.statsf1.com/constructeurs/photos/23/91.jpg

:drool:

[Disco]

Or the Camel Lotus, that's a good one.

[Shindig]

The Haas looks like a Footwork. I didn't think much of the Aston until Jimmy's picture. What I want is the 2001+ Jag but it just isn't happening unless they get HSBC money.

[Disco]

The one with the 'heavy paint'? It did look good.

[Shindig]

https://www.zero-paints.com/thumbnail/1200x1200/userfiles/images/sys/products/Jaguar_Racing_F1_Green_Paint_60ml_19984jpeg.jpg

So, so good.

[Disco]

The new Williams, or default template 4 from the car painter on F1 2014.

https://i.imgur.com/30KIy8Y.png

[Shindig]

"Inspired by the all conquering cars of the 80s and 90s."

No it's not. It needs a lot more yellow. Get yourself some Banco do Brasil sponsorship, Renault (not Alpeen) engines or something.

[7om]

That looks like shit.

[SincereTheRebel]

I think im on the Richie Rich and Tsunoda hype this season

[John Arne]

Silverstone confirmed as one of three Saturday sprint races.



The Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said the Northamptonshire circuit is among the three venues that will trial the new format this season. Friday’s second practice session is expected to be replaced by qualifying to make up the grid for Saturday’s shortened race, which will be approximately a third of the length of Sunday’s grand prix.

“We are finalising the intricacies of it,” Domenicali told the Daily Mail, with those details due to be discussed further at a meeting in Bahrain on Thursday. “For sure we do not want to take away the prestige of the grand prix itself. That will remain the climax of the weekend.

“We will have the qualifying on Friday and then ‘sprint qualifying’ on Saturday. It will provide some meaningful action the day before the race. It will give fans, media and broadcasters more content. It will last about half an hour. There will be no podium celebration. That will wait until Sunday.

“But points will be awarded - how many is yet to be decided - towards the world championship and determine the grid for the race itself. What I can say is that Silverstone will hold a sprint race.”

[Disco]

Boo.

[Shindig]

That'll spice things up when Hamilton wins a hat trick.

[Disco]

How is it going to work exactly? If there's still qualifying on Friday then surely they all just roll about off the pace for twenty laps (or whatever) on Saturday so you can protect the car and gather data for the real deal on Sunday.

[Shindig]

If I remember rightly, the sprint race serves as qualifying for the feature race (Aka, the proper thing on Sunday). Friday's sesh (FP3) is to determine the grid for Saturday's sprint race.

[Disco]

Does that not just sort out the grid into pace order and make Sunday more of a procession?

[Jimmy Floyd]

They seem to think the opposite, presumably they're hoping for lap 1 carnage in the sprint race to shake it up, I would have thought everyone would just tiptoe around unless there were loads of points on offer

It just smacks of Liberty being frustrated at Saturday presumably having much lower viewing figures than Sunday, without realising that Sunday is great BECAUSE it is a one off.

[Shindig]

There's no way they'll go hell for leather when they've still got a handful of engines and gearboxes to last a season. I've always enjoyed the current qualifying. It gives the teams just enough time to sort themselves out but not enough to make positions feel like a guarantee. All it takes is a little weather, stacking in the pits at the wrong time or traffic to stuff someone's efforts.

[Disco]

They seem to think the opposite, presumably they're hoping for lap 1 carnage in the sprint race to shake it up, I would have thought everyone would just tiptoe around unless there were loads of points on offer

It just smacks of Liberty being frustrated at Saturday presumably having much lower viewing figures than Sunday, without realising that Sunday is great BECAUSE it is a one off.

Saturday should be the local flavour gimmick race. Tricycles in Singapore, half-tracks round the Nurburgring, that sort of thing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

How about single lap qualifying, but instead of going one at a time you go four at a time, with a standing start, like snowboard cross. Then the top four times at the end go again in a pole position shootout.

Fuck that's brilliant. I'll have to write to Jean Todt.

[Pleb]

I watched a bit of testing this afternoon and saw a Red Bull on top of the standings.

What are we looking at here lads? I'm assuming another Hamilton win just for memes?

[7om]

I think the only hope we have is Perez staying with the front three more than what Albon did. At least that way Mercedes might have something to think about but let’s be real, they’re gonna win again.

[Shindig]

He'll tyre manage his way to a crafty win.

[Jimmy Floyd]

My prediction is Max will get a couple of early wins, probably including Zandvoort for maximum hysteria, his fanbase will go potty, and then Hamilton will lol his way to the title again with a bit of outright pace, a bit of Bono me tires, and a bit of Max shitting the bed.

I wouldn't mind an actual fight though, we haven't had one for donkey's years.

[Shindig]

Aye. It has the potential for that with Aston and Red Bull possibly going for it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If I can find some decent odds on Stroll to beat Vettel this year I might take them.

[Shindig]

If Vettel's got a decent car under him, he might get his mojo back. He won all his world championships on Saturdays.

[7om]

As much as I love Seb, I have a feeling he’s finished. I’d love to be wrong though.

[Shindig]

Bloody hell, Murray reading his own Autobiography is as magic as it should be.