F1 2022 - El Plan

[Jimmy Floyd]

Absolutely no fucking chance that an F1 qualifying should be on when I'm in the office.

[Waffdon]

I just want to see Lando Norris in a competent car.

[Giggles]

Something must have broke on the car there, Hamilton doesn’t do things like that.

[Waffdon]

Hamlolton.

[Disco]

Lost the rear and had to correct into the gravel, gearbox will be the only concern I would think.

[Giggles]

Very strange. He’s the only driver on the grid you’d bet your house on that not happening to.

The tiny violins in the commentary box about the big bad fans is extremely lol.

[Disco]

It was smalltime to cheer Verstappen breaking down last week and it's equally smalltime today, both cases are especially stupid because they aren't close to being rivals this year.

[Gray Fox]

I can't remember the last time I saw Hamilton put it in a wall. Both Mercedes having pretty much the exact same accident suggests maybe a set up problem, leaving the rear a bit too loose.

[Gray Fox]

Tried to watch Teds Notebook to see more detail of what happened in qualy. After a few minutes of rambling around the scenery I started to fast forward.

10 mins in and he'd gone in and out of the Red Bull shop and had yet to mention qualifying at all and started to read a magazine. I think I'll just make up in my head what happened.

[Ben]

Perez down to P13 after they realised he went off at T8 in Q2. Gasly might be a bit pissed off because he would have been in Q3 had it not taken them two hours to realise.

[Disco]

Fernando will be hearing the drums right now, not sure I've seen a team make that mistake before.

[Disco]

This is going well.

[Waffdon]

Another day of Russell driving with absolutely no one near him at both ends. Every other week.

[Ben]

Well that was shit.

[Gray Fox]

Vettel has been summoned to the stewards for something he said or did in Fridays drivers meeting. That's a completely new one to me.

EDIT: Didnt see the time on the post. Suspended fine for him.

[niko_cee]

It's a karting track.

[Giggles]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/62110154

This would stand up a bit better if he hadn’t done the whole “you shouldn’t boo Verstappen, but really you should” egging-on just last week.

[Shindig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpoXaDfOJD4

Calm down, lad. It's only a sprint.

[Disco]

It did seem like a bit of an overreaction, you've got a point or two mate but calm down.

Also seeing a lot of complaints from spectators getting harassed by the 'pay several hundred dollars to get drunk and abuse people' crowd. Now watch F1 be completely unprepared to deal with the sorts of crowds it's actively gone after.

[Shindig]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-motor-racing-ecclestone-idUSKCN0IY19S20141114

This springs to mind. Mass appeal is something F1 shouldn't really chase.

[Disco]

He was right then and to a certain extent now, just look at who advertises at F1 events. This is more about encouraging the soap opera aspects of your series without considering what that might mean.

[Gray Fox]

We’ve not seen the Schumacher fury for a good decade have we?

As for the harassment, as has been said, this is a bit of a consequence of trying to get that kind of fan to races in the first place.

I suspect we may see some silver cars on hards at the start.

[7om]

Look at all that smoke on the track. Why do they allow these retarded Max fans to run riot?

[Waffdon]

What a fall from grace. Hamilton struggling to pass a Haas two days running.

[Gray Fox]

There’s going to be some penalties here for track limits if this carries on.

[Gray Fox]

This also looks like, in a shocking turn of events, Ferrari are bottling the win.

[Waffdon]

Plan E already. We’re fucked

[Waffdon]

There is no chance they manage to fuck this up. Surely.

[Pepe]

Damn, I thought that this started an hour later than it did.

[Gray Fox]

This is going to look like an F1 2022 online lobby with all these penalties incoming.

[Waffdon]

Stroll or Latifi to cause a safety car soon enough I imagine.

Gasly hasn’t half fallen off a cliff this year

[Waffdon]

Why have both Sainz and Leclerc on the same strategy? There’s gonna be a safety car for sure now.

[Waffdon]

For fuck sake.

Was the Marshall wanting Sainz to burn to death there?

[Gray Fox]

That was very dicey getting Sainz out of the car there.

[Disco]

What a fall from grace. Hamilton struggling to pass a Haas two days running.

Falling right onto the podium, he should retire immediately.

[Shindig]

Reliable German Engineering > Hot headed Italian cylinders. EDIT: Ah, let's give Renault their due as well.

[SincereTheRebel]

Pasta FC need to sort themselves out.

[7om]

Stroll or Latifi to cause a safety car soon enough I imagine.

Gasly hasn’t half fallen off a cliff this year

He hasn’t had a great year but the Alpha Tauri car has taken a massive stepback this season.

[Disco]

Combination of the car being bobbins and Tsunoda closing the gap somewhat.

[Shindig]

Haas are looking good to overtake them.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mercedes and Hamilton were particularly distressed at the experience of one fan who contacted them. Her words were published on Twitter. She described: “five Dutch Max fans lifted up my dress and when I confronted them they said that no Hamilton fan deserves any respect at all”.

The sport has lost its mind.

[Shindig]

Are these the same lasses? I ask because neither of them are wearing dresses.

https://kiwifarms.net/attachments/fxywmehxkaal3cz-jpg.3482530/

I also recently had to abandon ship on a youtube comment because some retard keeps getting his facts wrong about 1994. Benetton weren't punished for having traction/launch control. They were punished for ignoring black flags and withholding information past a deadline. And the fuel rigs. In the same breath this idiot has Schumacher down as the greatest cheat in F1 history. It's Flavio by every measure you can think of.

Question for the group: Will the discourse get to a point where it puts you off the sport? 'cos I'm kinda there. It used to just be Senna and Prost fanboys flinging shit but now everyone's got a problem.

[Giggles]

It’s just the way the world is now, everything is a bag of shit ruined by mouthpieces but you just have to roll with it or go live in the woods.

[Shindig]

But it really limits you. I can't watch a video and mention, "Yeah, Damon Hill's career was pretty mad." without someone going, "FUCK OFF, BRITISH BIAS." The only place I can have a decent conversation online is here. It shouldn't be that way.

[7om]

I’ve honestly never felt the need to jump into the comment section on YouTube. What are you hoping to get out of it? It’s always been a cesspit.

[Shindig]

Sometimes creators need to be corrected on their factual inaccuracies. :dc:

[7om]

Yeah, you need to get rid of that mindset. You’ll drive yourself mad.

[Clunge]

Why would anyone, ever, in their right mind, seek to go about correcting people on the internet. It literally doesn’t matter. You won’t change anything, and you’ll waste masses of time in the progress. I’ve watched a friend disappear down that rabbit hole, frothing with righteous anger to correct Covid nutters. Why? Why do it? I just don’t get it. A nihilistic approach to the internet is a bedrock for me.

[niko_cee]

The only place I can have a decent conversation online is here. It shouldn't be that way.

It's pretty much always been that way.

[Shindig]

Aye, but I get hoodwinked thinking, "I like this channel and the bloke that fronts it. I'm sure the community around his work will be right in my line of think.... oh, never mind."

I tend to just say my one thing and leave.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's definitely been an odd tonal shift since DTS. There is a lorry load of scripted PR going on.

[Gray Fox]

Put the Formula E on with nothing else on, was trundling along like a normal race and then there was a sudden massive downpour that's caught almost all of the drivers out by putting a big puddle in the braking zone.

All of the top 4/5 piled straight up in the run off area.

[Waffdon]

This colours around this track are so fucking annoying.

[Gray Fox]

Seems they're all desperate to save the mediums. Softs are melting away after one fast lap here with the heat.

[Disco]

This colours around this track are so fucking annoying.

Would it look worse as just white lines painted in a car park? Probably not.

[Waffdon]

Magnussen casually going 6th fastest at the end there.

[Gray Fox]

There's some good speed in that Haas car.

[Gray Fox]

Quite a decent grid that. Max will lol Leclerc off the line and through the first lap and then I suspect the plucky Brits behind them will start to chase them quite well.

[Disco]

The plucky brits are more likely to be racing Sainz than Leclerc.

[Gray Fox]

You're forgetting the inevitable car fault/failure on the red car once it gets a bit hot.

[Waffdon]

Did anyone get close to Sainz’s lap in Q2? They might have and I didn’t notice it but he looked shit hot. Obviously his new parts may have helped.

Lando Norris will win a race this year. Hopefully it comes out the blue tomorrow due to issues in front.

[Shindig]

The Mercs look reliable but I don't honestly think they have the race pace. Not unless the field gets bunched like in Silverstone. They're making some strides but it's more in consolidating their bronze medal status.

[Gray Fox]

60 degree track temperature. Tyres and Ferraris melting everywhere.

[Giggles]

Driving has to be complete torture today.

[Waffdon]

For fuck sake

[Shindig]

Just Ferrari doing Ferrari things. :D

[Gray Fox]

Ferrari is as Ferrari does.

Charles Leclerc is a very fast driver, but you are seeing exactly why the likes of Max and Lewis are levels above him.

[Ben]

That pit stop is absolutely baffling.

[Shindig]

Russellmania running mild.

[Pepe]

Russell :harold:

[Gray Fox]

That pit stop is absolutely baffling.

Honestly, I could do a better job at their strategy.

[Shindig]

I'm amazed Sainz didn't put his foot down again and stay out.

[Adramelch]

Ì mean he couldn't have made it to the end surely? His right tyre was giving up.

[Ben]

Red Bull have infiltrated Ferrari I'm sure. This incompetence is unbelievable even for them.

[Pepe]

:face:

[Disco]

Will be watching later but it sounds like Ferrari had fun, Mercedes look quite close to catching them in the constructors which would be hilarious.

[Shindig]

I kind of want Charles to get back in the hunt so they call slap the screaming audio into the 'GREATNESS AWAITS' Abu Dhabi intro.

[7om]

Unless the Red Bull goes to complete shit, Ferrari and Charles are done for this year, I fear. The Ferrari engine is not reliable enough, Ferrari strategists don't have shit on Red Bull's and Leclerc has too many mistakes in him compared to Verstappen.

[niko_cee]

Russell getting the drop on Perez when the track went green was hilarious.

As was all of the plaintiff moaning from the mobile roadblock thereafter.

[Shindig]

Stroll blocking Vettel was a bit spicy, too.

[Clunge]

Last lap, lasr corner for the final point – exactly the sort of thing Stroll needs to get his elbows out for to justify his existence.

[thommo]

Vettel's just announced his retirement at the end of the season. Couldn't really stand him during his and RB's era of dominance, but I've grown to like him a lot and it's a shame he's going.

[Ben]

A massive shame. More for the fact it's one less voice on the grid than competing in races. Lugging that bogey around has clearly killed his enthusiasm.

[Waffdon]

I noticed he finally made an Instagram account and he said recently in an interview that he’ll have a social media presence when he’s retired so I guess that makes sense.

Such a shame. Some bloke

[Jimmy Floyd]

I always liked him as a bloke, even when he was the apex predator in the Horner/Marko blown floor doom years.

[Clunge]

It was pretty evident which way his life/thoughts have been going in recent years, he's obviously very conscientious and wants to use his platform to make a difference in the world. I could see him taking on an ambassadorial role for F1 to campaign on climate issues, D&I issues, etc. Like most, I found his period of dominance quite off-putting (wish Webber had lander a punch on him at some stage) but he's been incredible likeable in recent years.

[Disco]

If my maths are right he'll end up on 299 starts, bit annoying.

[Shindig]

Speaking of Red Bull, are they going to wind up a Porsche works team or something?

[Waffdon]

Try not to get my hopes up too much but McLaren looked quite good there in P2.

[Ben]

Have they got new engines? They must do, Norris had a tractor engine in France.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You can use a clockwork engine at the Hungaroring, as many have proved down the years. Damon Hill pole with a Yamaha, what halcyon days.

[Shindig]

Grip is king. And convenient weather. Thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow.

[niko_cee]

On Vettel, it was definitely funny at the time when Ferrari were imploding their chances [Singapore in particular], but in retrospect, him binning it in [was it?] Germany by just driving into the gravel/barrier was probably one of the sadder F1 moments I can think of.

[Gray Fox]

It was at Hockenheim. It was one of those where the title fight was pretty even up to that point. Then that happened and it was Hammer Time for the rest of the season.

I'm not sure if that's about the time the Ferrari engine suddenly got a lot slower overnight, immediately after the FIA looked at it.

[Giggles]

Fingers crossed this is dry.

[Waffdon]

Russell > Hamilton

This is a beautiful starting grid.

[Gray Fox]

I've suspected Mercedes have been hiding that all weekend, but wow what a lap.

[John Arne]

Wow.. where did that come from. Super Geroge.

[Giggles]

Ah there you all are now.

[Shindig]

He'll turn into both Ferraris tomorrow.

[Giggles]

I've suspected Mercedes have been hiding that all weekend, but wow what a lap.

Sky spent P3 telling us that Merc wouldn’t be able to get out of Q1. It’s like they never learn or they think we don’t.

[Gray Fox]

Their car is all about slow and mid speed corners so it should have been seen coming. Even so, wow.

[thommo]

Sky spent P3 telling us that Merc wouldn’t be able to get out of Q1. It’s like they never learn or they think we don’t.

If it had rained for qualifying I don't think they would have. Couldn't get any heat in the inters/wets in those conditions. But in the dry, it's such a downforce heavy track, they were definitely going to be in the mix.

[7om]

George has always been a monster here. Remember in 2019 he almost got that Williams in to Q3 when it was comfortably about a second a lap slower than anyone else.

[Waffdon]

Lando P1 tomorrow. Let’s go baby

[Waffdon]

Just noticed Latifi got more purple sector’s today than Russell :D

[Gray Fox]

Pole position without a single purple sector is quite the oddity. I bet it's been a long time since it has happened before.

[niko_cee]

I quite liked the juxtaposition of some Ferrari bod telling Mercedes to 'lose with dignity' and then Mercedes promptly sticking it on pole and in the process [if they are competitive at the front] effectively torpedoing Ferrari's various title chances.

[Ben]

Sainz was rapid in the first and last sectors, but his scruffy middle sector cost him pole.

[Waffdon]

Rain scheduled towards the end of the race by the looks of it

Edit: or the start as well lol

[Disco]

Rain scheduled towards the end of the race by the looks of it

Edit: or the start as well lol

Bottas can probably get the Reb Bulls again given how terrible they were yesterday.

[Shindig]

Let's see how long Alonso can hold Verstappen up. Oh, nevermind then. :D

[Waffdon]

Verstappen is going to win this or if not get a podium and keep the championship uninteresting

[Gray Fox]

Max will win this with some ease by the end.

[Adramelch]

That was really bad from Russell there, after a quite good defence the last few rounds. Unless he just decided to let him past, but I don't see the benefit in that.

[Ben]

If he’s one stopping then he won’t want to hurt the tyres too much with some aggressive defending.

[Waffdon]

Hard tyres :face:

[Ben]

Ferrari lol.

[Waffdon]

Utter mongs

[Waffdon]

Thank god for that

[Ben]

Surely Alpine would have told them all they need to know about those hard tyres.

[Waffdon]

Even after that he still breezes past. Why on earth did they lap Leclerc when he has the freshest tyres in the race

[Pepe]

Being overtaken not once but twice must hurt.

[Shindig]

Each race they reach new depths.

[Pepe]

Ferrari, what a team

[Disco]

Ferrari with the fastest car today and could well finish off the podium with both cars. Grazie ragazzi.

[Waffdon]

Why on earth did they not just move Russell out the way

[Waffdon]

Verstappen winning by 10 seconds having started 10th and no safety car. We’ll never see anyone like him again.

[Waffdon]

Mercedes are definitely finishing 2nd in the constructors

[Disco]

I was half joking when I said that last week but it's not out of the question, neither is Russell beating Leclerc. Great from Verstappen and Hamilton today, clearly the best two on the grid by some distance.

[Gray Fox]

I still reserve judgement on that conversation with Norris and Russell.

However yes, Hamilton and Verstappen are so far clear of the rest it's unreal. The perfect showcase is Sergio Perez. A good driver himself, is just repeatedly trounced by Max. Same for Hamilton when Bottas was there.

The interesting thing here is even though this is a Mercedes track, they have now beaten one of the Red Bulls and Ferraris in the last two races on pure pace.

It's also been suggested Mercedes should try to finish 3rd in the constructors as they'll get more wind tunnel time that way. The cars aren't changing for next year and they're very close to a race winning car now anyway.

[Shindig]

I still reserve judgement on that conversation with Norris and Russell.

However yes, Hamilton and Verstappen are so far clear of the rest it's unreal. The perfect showcase is Sergio Perez. A good driver himself, is just repeatedly trounced by Max. Same for Hamilton when Bottas was there.

The interesting thing here is even though this is a Mercedes track, they have now beaten one of the Red Bulls and Ferraris in the last two races on pure pace.

It's also been suggested Mercedes should try to finish 3rd in the constructors as they'll get more wind tunnel time that way. The cars aren't changing for next year and they're very close to a race winning car now anyway.

Did they, though? :D

[Gray Fox]

Leclerc was hung out to dry, but Sainz they both beat today without the help of a safety car or any rain to mix things up.

[niko_cee]

Red Bull strategy worked out perfectly in the absence of rain. Undercut undercut obviously the way to go, but running long would have been the option had the weather changed. Should have chucked a late full safety car for mega lolz, although there wasn't really time. Fuck knows what Ferrari were up to running the medium for such a short period of time on their first stint [other than being spooked into it by Red Bull]. Although they were fairly shit on the soft tyre at the end as well. Have they even had to modify their floors yet?

[Gray Fox]

That was pushed back to Spa I believe as they argued the French GP wasn’t enough time.

[Gray Fox]

Aston Martin have announced Alonso for 2023. Now that I didn’t see coming.

[Ben]

What the fuck.

[Shindig]

Makes sense. Renault need him out that seat to to get Piastri in.

[Waffdon]

Ocon yesterday really drove him to teaming with Stroll. Christ.

[7om]

Can’t take AM seriously while they still have Lance in that team. It’s either a serious operation with goals of winning championships or it’s not. And it can’t be while you’re playing around with nepotism for a bang average driver.

[Disco]

According to Otmar Szafnauer Alpine were not aware Alonso was going anywhere until the press conference. Piastri to come in somewhere as he seems to be current flavour of the month, you'd think he'll fill in at Alpine while Mclaren swap Ricciardo with one of their yanks (it'll be Herta if they've got any sense).

[Ben]

The latest rumours are that Mark Webber (Oscar Piastri's manager) has gone behind Alpine's back and set up a deal to get him into McLaren, which will push out Ricciardo. And that's not all, because Ricciardo is Alpine's #1 choice to replace Alonso if they can't sort out the legal mess with Piastri.

[Disco]

Ricciardo slinking back to Viry would be quite amusing.

[Ben]

Well that Twitter guy was talking bollocks, Piastri confirmed at Alpine.

[Clunge]

Pahahah

https://twitter.com/OscarPiastri/status/1554527452231262210

[Gray Fox]

Sounds like Alonso has played them all. Top chaos ensuing.

[Gray Fox]

The common theory now is that now circling F1 Twitter is that Alpine had the exclusivity option on Piastri until 31st July. They were happy to let this run because Alonso looked locked in to 2023 with them. They found out seemingly the same time everyone else did that Alonso was off to Aston Martin.

Now they're fucked on all fronts and may well have to do a swap with Ricciardo coming in and Piastri going to McLaren.

[Shindig]

Nah, Ricciardo's going to V8 Supercars. In my imagination.

[Ben]

Well this is fun.

[Disco]

Sounds like Alonso has played them all.

He has, entirely typically, played himself further down the grid.

[7om]

So Alonso has gone to AM, but delayed the announcement so the option in Piastri’s contract has expired?

Couple of questions:

1) Why would Alonso do that to Alpine? Why is he fucking them over?
2) Why is Piastri so desperate to leave Alpine?

[Gray Fox]

Collateral damage is the name of Alonsos game isn't it?

In reality I think it's more that Aston would give him a multi-year contract, when Alpine would only give one. That is unless there's been a colossal falling out over the past 2 weeks behind closed doors.

[Shindig]

That's what I understand as well. Piastri's probably weighing up his options. He could take Alpine's slot but there's be other young'ns snapping at his heels. I definitely think he was passed over for a seat on this year's grid.

[Disco]

If he had interest from Mclaren then he'd be silly not to go for that over Alpine.

[Ben]

A few sources this morning saying the FIA have taken McLaren’s side so they’ve got Piastri for 2023.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah I'm seeing the same. A massive coup for them if true. It will likely turn into many ugly court battles but this is horrible in every sense for Alpine.

They've been made to look stupid and have lost both a 2 x WDC and the best young talent there is. You also have to wonder if Ricciardo will want to go there as well.

[Disco]

It would be funny if Piastri turned out to be shit. I think he'll do fine but having watched him in F2/3 I don't quite get the hype around him, he seems like a slightly better version of Nick de Vries. Ricciardo will take any seat going before inevitably doing something in America, Alpine would be better off going after Gasly who must be itching to get out of Red Bull given he's going absolutely nowhere.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It wouldn't be F1 if there wasn't a French team getting politically buried at any given opportunity.

[Shindig]

It would be funny if Piastri turned out to be shit. I think he'll do fine but having watched him in F2/3 I don't quite get the hype around him, he seems like a slightly better version of Nick de Vries. Ricciardo will take any seat going before inevitably doing something in America, Alpine would be better off going after Gasly who must be itching to get out of Red Bull given he's going absolutely nowhere.

I've not seen him race but the back-to-back-to-back Championships would turn anyone's head.

Although, looking at his results, he didn't exactly smash them.

[Gray Fox]

Seems McLaren have found the money to pay Ricciardo out of his 2023 seat.

Obvious destination is Alpine for him, assuming they’d want him back there.

[Ben]

It was inevitable, really. That McLaren is so quirky so whoever comes in might struggle to keep up with Norris as well. He’s that good.

[Ben]

Audi are in from 2026. They've registered as an engine supplier for now but they're expected to take over or partner with Sauber eventually.

[Waffdon]

Hamilton 7/2 with Verstappen and Leclerc at the back of the track? CHOO CHOO

[Disco]

I'll be watching Alpine, the lowkey dirtiest driver on the grid vs out the door again Alonso could be the best ticket of the weekend.

[Gray Fox]

"Fernando, could you just move over for Esteba..."

"No."

[Waffdon]

Verstappen is still favourite to win. He’d probably be favourite if he didn’t bother starting the race from the grid and tried to be become the 1st driver to win starting from the pits

[Gray Fox]

He's just gained another position with Tsunoda taking a penalty to add him to the pile.

He's quite lol amounts better than two thirds of the drivers on the grid, a decent amount better than the others and as we saw last year was inseparable from Hamilton. If he's not at the very least a 5 time champion by the end of his career, something will have gone drastically wrong.

[Waffdon]

He’s taking every record going if he doesn’t kill himself.

[Shindig]

There's always a chance another wunderkind turns up and Marko bins him. That said, I think he's aggressive enough to fight his way to the top elsewhere.

EDIT: Oh, Porsche engines. That switch might throw a spanner in the works.

[Waffdon]

Latifi :lol:

[Waffdon]

Lol at Hamilton as well

[Adramelch]

Yeah that was horrible from Hamilton. I reckon Alonso's reaction was actually mild given the circumstances.

[Shindig]

Good job, Agent Tear-off.

[thommo]

Initially I thought it was Alonso's fault live, but his onboard replay absolves him completely, squeezed at the apex.

[John Arne]

Latifi needs to be put down.

[Waffdon]

Verstappen into 4th already :D

Far too easy. Leclerc hasn’t even taken a place since his pit stop

[Disco]

This looks laughably easy for Verstappen, Ferrari really are a disgrace. Hamilton lucky to be out or he'd be getting a penalty.

[Waffdon]

Did leclrec hit Perez there? He seems to have been pulling a truck ever since.

This hasn’t even been a close at all this year. He’s beating the record for wins in one season here.

[thommo]

Max is just so far clear of everyone right now. It wasn't even a question of if he could win from 14th on the grid, it was just how long would it take for him to get to the front.

[Gray Fox]

It took him what? 17 laps?

[Gray Fox]

So the new flexi regs seems to have brought the midfield all closer together, done nothing to Mercedes, made Ferrari pretty much the same pace as the Mercedes. Red Bull seems to have gotten even faster.

It's all very 2017-20 Mercedes. Once Lewis hit the front then it was done.

Further lols at Ferrari though.

[Giggles]

Will that penalty put him back behind Alonso? They really are some shit show.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah Alonso finishes ahead of him now.

[7om]

Fucking stupid again from Ferrari at the end. Fair enough if there’s a big gap to the guy behind you can go for it. But to bring him out behind Alonso is an absolute embarrassment and the pit lane speeding penalty is the icing on the cake.

[Pepe]

Damn, forgot there was a race today.

What is Alonso doing in the top 5?

[Gray Fox]

He was 22 seconds behind Leclerc with 3 laps to go.

[Giggles]

Ferrari, in their eternal wisdom, decided to risk a placing to see if he might get a fastest lap.

[Ben]

You just knew it was going to be a Ferrari special this weekend when they put on the wrong tyres for Leclerc in quali yesterday when he went out to give Sainz a tow.

[Gray Fox]

Even better was that Leclerc got a clean lap in with DRS and slipstream from Alonso, but was still 0.6s off the fastest lap. He didn't even get close.

[Lewis]

Have they improved the car over the break or is it their new engine bits?

[Gray Fox]

Earlier in the season Mercedes complained that the floor on the Ferrari and Red Bull flexed too much. The FIA deemed it didn't break a rule because it was a "rules as written" v "rules as intended" scenario, but gave everyone until this weekend to fix it, then they'd start testing it.

It seems this weekend the Red Bull has got a smidge faster with these new changes, while Ferrari has been made worse. Russell was faster than Leclerc and was slightly reeling in Sainz in the other Ferrari. Hamilton was faster than Russell through the weekend too, so had he not crashed you could have seen Mercedes 3rd and 5th today on pure pace.

[Shindig]

Schumacher's cut ties with the Ferrari Driver Programme. I don't think he'll be on the grid next year.

[Disco]

I just wish they could find someone more exciting than Giovinazzi as a replacement.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Who was the last actually good Italian driver (sorry, Fisi and Jarno). Alboreto?

[Shindig]

Imagine if Alex Zanardi had his hands on the 1997 Williams.

[Disco]

Who was the last actually good Italian driver (sorry, Fisi and Jarno). Alboreto?

https://i.imgur.com/gbx8RhF.png

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can only assume that none of those sponsors were actually paying Minardi anything.

[Shindig]

Smeg were all in.

[Disco]

I can only assume that none of those sponsors were actually paying Minardi anything.

Almost right, I believe G. Morbidelli was paying them quite handsomely, the rest probably qualify as ballast.

[thommo]

The CRB ruled that the McLaren contract was the only valid one for Piastri. Instantly announced for next year.

Seems they signed the deal in the first weekend of July, his shot for the press release was in Austria so they've had this waiting for a while, even before the whole Vettel retirement and Alonso move.

[Gray Fox]

I do hope it comes out what agreement Alpine thought that they had with him. They seemed so very certain.

[Disco]

Very simple, they never got a proper contract together and simply wrote 'This R Binding Contract x' on their copy of the agreement they had with him last year.

[Gray Fox]

Perez dropping that ruined a few laps behind him. Genuinely looks like the two Ferraris, Max and Hamilton are all covered by 2 tenths or so.
If these cars work tomorrow it could be a great race after Max fucks off for a drive.

[Disco]

I'll be on pigeon watch.

1566375858914353152

[Giggles]

That venue looks some craic.

[Giggles]

Floor Jansen :cool:

[Gray Fox]

Thank fuck we have Button and not Di Resta on comms.

[Waffdon]

Ferrari :lol:

[Gray Fox]

I can’t even any more. :D

[Giggles]

Oh Ferrari :D

[Adramelch]

That should be a genuinely big penalty for Ferrari in regards to the gun being left there. Really unsafe it feels like.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ferrari :lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Only bringing three tyres out for a pit stop is a pretty good effort, even by their standards.

[Disco]

The gun was still inside the pit box by the look of it, the pit lane is only barely big enough and they all slant the pit boxes now so the exit is always going to be quite tight.

[Gray Fox]

I think Perez and Vettel have put the win in the bag for Max there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Amazing the difference between Perez's style of defence against Hamilton (for Verstappen's race) and then against Russell (for his own race).

[Disco]

Only one of those things affects the likelihood of getting a new contract.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Nice try, Christian.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Oh, he's come back for another go. Absolute farce.

[Waffdon]

What a fucking joke this is

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The fuck is going on with Tsunoda?

[Jimmy Floyd]

AT have done something properly off there. Why would you let him go again?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They must have wanted the safety car.

[Gray Fox]

Dr Markos orders. Farcical.

[Waffdon]

Absolute farce. What is the point

[Jimmy Floyd]

In real time it felt (as per my posts) like a non-violent version of Crashgate.

[Disco]

Foil hats off everyone, why would you fix a race you were likely to win anyway in a year when your driver has an almost unassailable title lead?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Foil hats off everyone, why would you fix a race you were likely to win anyway in a year when your driver has an almost unassailable title lead?

Because it's F1 and they exist to find loopholes to win.

[Gray Fox]

Why else would you send Tsunoda back out? He was last by a long way with nothing to gain.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Valtteri returning the favour. They're all at it.

[Disco]

All risk for barely any reward, what AT did has been done a thousand times before.

[Waffdon]

Agent Bottas. Thank you

[Disco]

So you call in a favour from little Yuki then pit your driver anyway so he's in a worse position than before. As conspiracy theories go this one needed some work.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why would you pit Russell? I don't understand this sport anymore.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Ferrari again :D

[Gray Fox]

Ferrari need to sit a race out.

[Disco]

Why would you pit Russell? I don't understand this sport anymore.

Better for his race, Verstappen would get him anyway and this gives him a better chance against Leclerc. It seems odd because they aren't running one car purely for the benefit of the other.

[Waffdon]

I’m so confused lol

[Waffdon]

George Russell the posh Tory twat

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

RIP Hamtilon.

[Gray Fox]

If we're honest, Max was going to win anyway, but they're hung Lewis out to dry. He'll be lucky to keep 4th.

[Disco]

So if they'd pitted both cars Mercedes would have been 2-3, the Bottas breakdown fucked them more than whatever Tsunoda was doing.

[Disco]

Max was going to win anyway.

The commentary seemed to be the only ones who couldn't see this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I thought they should have pitted them both for softs at the same time that Max did (and I thought they pitted Max in anticipation of that).

Having left them both out though, I'd have left Russell there in an attempt to cause chaos or block Verstappen for a few laps.

[Gray Fox]

They had to do the same thing for both cars, regardless of which way they did it.

[Adramelch]

In fairness, Russell pretty much demanded new tyres in that radio they played. We didn't hear from Hamilton mind you, so who knows.

[Disco]

The drivers both made the right calls in the situation (given Hamilton thought Russell was staying out), Mercedes should have pitted both and finished 2-3. Leaving both out would have left them 3-4.

[Disco]

Hamilton thanking just the mechanics on his radio over the line. :D

[Disco]

I'd forgotten it was Monza next, nessuna pressione Mattia.

[Gray Fox]

Max could genuinely lap everyone at Monza.