F1 2022 - El Plan

[Jimmy Floyd]

If they manage to come 3rd this year it will be one of the great achievements. Had the quickest car for at least some of the year.

[Gray Fox]

This race has been everything Ferrari didn't need it to be, thus far.

[Adramelch]

Russell coming out ahead of Vettel was quite massive there it feels like.

[Gray Fox]

Yeah Perez has lost all kinds of time behind Vettel.

[Gray Fox]

I think Lewis must surely be 1 stopping and hoping for a safety car of some kind.

Dropping him onto mediums any time soon makes little sense.

[Waffdon]

Mercedes mechanics aren’t half bang average. Barely ever get close to 2.5 seconds

[Gray Fox]

I think they concentrate on a "safe" stop rather than the risk of having anything going wrong trying for 2 seconds.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a good Bono-muh-tyres incoming here if he can keep a decent pace going for the next 25.

[Adramelch]

I am still trying to understand what Ferarri are doing with Sainz.

[Waffdon]

:D

Their pit spot there was absolutely shit hot. Shame it didn’t show how long it was because it looked under 2 seconds

[Waffdon]

Proper safety car would have been tasty there

[Waffdon]

Lovely jubbly. Hamilton and Russell to crash at the end and Perez to swing his cock driving by.

Not a chance they ‘go racing’ if Hamilton is in 1st

[Gray Fox]

Mercedes boys out on cooked tyres now. An easy 1-2 just got quite tough.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hamilton is dreadful at safety car restarts (his achilles heel) so I imagine 'Checo' will have a divebomb at them.

[Gray Fox]

Perez and Sainz have nothing to lose here.

[Waffdon]

Mercedes boys out on cooked tyres now. An easy 1-2 just got quite tough.

Not sure. They just look much quicker. Only going to be about 13 laps left by time this ends too and much cooler now

[Adramelch]

That Ocon radio is gold. :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

That was top Frenching. NON

[Waffdon]

When did Leclerc stumble into 5th. Christ

[Pepe]

Why was Perez so far back?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why was Perez so far back?

Missed his alarm clock.

Sainz was kind to Perez through the curva do sol there, Max would have nerfed him.

[Pepe]

They should just hold every race here. I'll allow one trip to Monaco.

[Disco]

Why was Perez so far back?

Slower tyre and worse driver.

[Gray Fox]

The Mercedes 1-2 may be cooked with this Sainz pace.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All these years and Perez is still a proper chump in close racing, unless he's fighting for Max in which case he turns into peak Schumacher.

[Waffdon]

If Verstappen gets a podium here :lol:

[Pepe]

All these years and Perez is still a proper chump in close racing, unless he's fighting for Max in which case he turns into peak Schumacher.

Forgetting how he donned Hamilton that time last year?

[Gray Fox]

I think George has this all covered off.

[Jimmy Floyd]

See the second clause in my sentence.

[Pepe]

See the second clause in my sentence.

Misread it as fighting Max, which had me confused.

Hamilton doesn't seem to have a chance at all here.

[Disco]

If Hamilton hadn't been clogged this could have been a decent scrap.

[Shindig]

They've been pretty level on pace. Would be fun if Lewis sneaked a DRS before the end.

[Jimmy Floyd]

George has driven a great race here. Feels a bit like Hakkinen's win at Jerez in '97, and we know what happened after that.

[Pepe]

Leclerc. :harold:

[Waffdon]

verstappen not letting Perez through lol

[Jimmy Floyd]

Leclerc should be thrown out of the sport for that crying.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Leclerc is a little snake.

[Pepe]

Verstappen. :lol:

[Shindig]

verstappen not letting Perez through lol

It's pretty pointless with the penalty guaranteeing that anyway.

[Disco]

Faultless from Russell, never really challenged for pace but also didn't put a foot wrong.

[SincereTheRebel]

verstappen not letting Perez through lol

Did he even try?


Leclerc should be thrown out of the sport for that crying.

:lol:

[Jimmy Floyd]

On this occasion I agree with Verstappen, who the fuck switches places for 2nd in the championship.

[Adramelch]

It's pretty pointless with the penalty guaranteeing that anyway.

He served the penalty in his first pit stop.

[Pepe]

On this occasion I agree with Verstappen, who the fuck switches places for 2nd in the championship.

Not Ferrari.

[Shindig]

That's odd. I thought it was a time penalty rather than a stop/go. Fair enough.

[Adramelch]

That's odd. I thought it was a time penalty rather than a stop/go. Fair enough.

It was a time penalty, but you have the option to serve it in the pit, with the mechanics not touching the car for X seconds.

Edit: You might even be forced to serve it in the pit, if you are to have a stop and if not it's added after the race. Not sure.

[thommo]

That's odd. I thought it was a time penalty rather than a stop/go. Fair enough.

It's a time penalty - they serve it in a pit stop if they are to make another in the race, or it's tacked on at the end if they don't.

[Disco]

Time penalties are always served during a pit stop, they're only added on afterwards if they don't stop again. Proper Stop/Go penalties are pretty rare these days.

I want to hear this Verstappen radio, if it was Hamilton we'd be hearing it for a week.

[Gray Fox]

So we're now entering the villainous Max Verstappen era (a la Multi 2-1 Seb).

[Disco]

Real pissbabies on the radio this weekend. Perez gopping again, he's very lucky the Red Bull program is equally average these days.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jesus, that was one of the most outright cunt radio messages I've ever heard. Like Darth Vader breathing into it. Don't really blame him, mind.

[Pepe]

It would literally cost him nothing. Only reason to not do it is being a wanker.

[Gray Fox]

Biggest cunt on the grid in the cuntiest team, in being a cunt shocker.

[SincereTheRebel]

He said. "Are we clear about that!"

Violation


:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Checo should knock him out.

[thommo]

It's 2 points, who gives a shit. Checo's been shit since Austria (Singapore notwithstanding), and the car is clearly good so maybe he should get the points himself.

[Giggles]

Small threads :drool:

[7om]

Max being a wanker shocker.

Perez worked his ass off at Abu Dhabi last year to help Max win the title and he can’t even give him 6th. He’s an arsehole.

[SincereTheRebel]

Mutli 21 Seb

[Disco]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq1KMYvKP1Q

What sort of journalist doesn't ask the follow up?

[Ben]

Will Buxton. Tit.

[Shindig]

Mutli 21 Seb

https://c.tenor.com/EMlBiUwHAG8AAAAC/webber-glass.gif

[Disco]

Will Buxton. Tit.

Barretto, but same difference.

[Ben]

I didn't watch, just guessed. :D

[7om]

Apparently in a German language interview, Max was asked if something personal had happened previously between him and Checo and he said yes.

Checo punts Max in Abu Dhabi in a twist of events one year on from the Championship and Danny Ric in as #2 :drool:

[Giggles]

Maybe Perez dipped his bird or something.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

His Mum too hopefully.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's just weird. Win the title with weeks to spare and then still have a massive chip on your shoulder about your team mate who is literally contractually obliged to be your rear gunner and has been for two world title years.

[Shindig]

Finally saw the Verstappen/Hamilton incident. Max never gets in front, comes in hot when Hamilton's already turning on for the corner. So hot he was running wide on the exit regardless. Even if Hamilton gave him the space on the outside to run, they're still crashing.

[7om]

I only saw a quick replay but looked like Max carrier too much speed into T2 and understeered into Lewis.

[thommo]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FhduHynXwAAnRRx?format=jpg&name=small

In hindsight the penalty seems a little unfair. Norris can have no complaints though, bit of a miracle that Leclerc isn't retiring after hitting the barrier like he did.

[niko_cee]

Verstappen just expects people to get out of his way. Always takes the most aggressive line, never gives an inch himself. Hamilton seems to be about the only other driver who can get into the same spaces on the road as him though. Everyone else bails much earlier [usually on the brakes], somewhat validating his style. Will be interesting to see if he develops a more pragmatic approach as he gets older or if he is just genetically pre-disposed to being a bit of a twat.

[Adramelch]

I saw a post-match interview where he essentially said something along the lines of "I was much slower anyway, so I had nothing to lose and he ended up losing 1st place". I might be paraphrasing a bit but that's the gist of it.

[Shindig]

My worry with Verstappen is he'll never get to the Prost stage.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Karun Chandhok did a good job of explaining why the penalty was correct - Verstappen went into a part of the track where he couldn't take the corner without slowing down (because of the angle) but instead of doing so, just accelerated into Hamilton. It exemplifies the arrogance with which he goes about things.

Can't think of a Verstappen parallel from history. Pre Senna, no one behaved like this because of safety. Maybe early careeer Michael Schumacher. Blindingly quick but also a cunt who doesn't care if he is dangerous or upsets his fellow pros. The Verstappen dive reminiscent of the Schumacher Chop from the mid 90s.

[Gray Fox]

I've just heard the full complaining Leclerc did at the end. Christ someone give that boy a slap.

I become less convinced of his WDC credentials every race.

[Ben]

Max outright admitted that he wasn't going to back out. He's justified his penalty himself.

Also the interview about him having a personal issue with Perez is because he thinks Perez deliberately crashed in Monaco qualifying.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I thought that part of the interview was quite telling. He wasn't going to win today so he didn't give a fuck if he torpedoed someone else's race. Classy. His/their downfall can't come soon enough, even if it means we have to tolerate a G-Russ championship or, heaven forfend, Ferrari ever getting their act together.

Early Schumacher parallels for me. The rules are for other people.

That said, 'the rules' are a bit rubbish. All the he said she said room-to-race rubbish needs to stop. Verstappen's penalty wasn't a 5-second wait at his next stop, it was losing his front wing, much like it was going into the wall at Stowe, he should probably consider those outcomes rather than expecting people to give him space. I guess it's the quid pro quo for not letting people just block/turn in [although that still goes on enough] as a standard practice, but it's still clearly open to abuse.

[Giggles]

Millionaire racing driver in being a cunt shocker. The more of a cunt they are is what separates the ones making up the numbers and the ones at the top of the pile every year.

You’re all making a show of yourselves :D

[Shindig]

Difference being most of the cunts don't drive deliberately into each other.

[Luke Emia]

I don't understand some of this stuff in that Verstappen was obviously quicker than Perez anyway(hence he's 4 seconds up the road) so why should he have to give the place up? But on the other side of it surely from his viewpoint you want to keep him happy on the off chance you need his help again next season if Ferrari or Merc come on strong again?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Him not giving the place back is fine, that's racing and ultimately who gives a shit who finishes 2nd in the championship. Him going out of his way to be a prick about it is what shows him up.

Fortunately sport deals its comeuppance to these people.

[niko_cee]

But on the other side of it surely from his viewpoint you want to keep him happy on the off chance you need his help again next season if Ferrari or Merc come on strong again?

If Perez were to ever not fulfill his mobile roadblock duty [or whatever else 'the team' would have him do] he'd be out of the door the next day. Verstappen doesn't need to keep him sweet, at the same time he doesn't really need to go out of his way to be a dick either but hey ho.

The Perez/LeClerc moanfest for second place in the championship is all a bit unedifying.

[Adramelch]

Him not giving the place back is fine, that's racing and ultimately who gives a shit who finishes 2nd in the championship. Him going out of his way to be a prick about it is what shows him up.

While I do agree with that sentiment, and it's what makes Leclerc's crying ridiculous, I do understand why Perez would care. It'll be his highest achievement and it really looks like he'll only get that one shot at it this season.

[Ben]

For what it's worth, I don't think Max should have given the place back. Perez hardly let him by, Max was just quicker. However, blatantly disregarding a team order over some faux vendetta is petty at best and might cause them headaches down the line, especially if next year's car isn't as dominant.

At least Ferrari had the brains (for once) to not order a position swap. Even if it wasn't going to cost Sainz a podium place, I'd have told Leclerc to swivel.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I just found it funny that Leclerc was getting that worked up about three points in the race for 2nd. Not a world champion mindset. Probably more about wanting the team to stroke his dick and not Sainz's.

[Ben]

I've just seen the throttle telemetry for Perez's crash in Monaco and it's so fucking obvious actually. :D

Max is still a baby though.

[Disco]

Seems like something that should be looked into if the Dutch media are so sure that the crash was intentional and confirmed internally at Red Bull.

[Ben]

Funny that Max boycotted Sky for a week over Ted but Dutch TV are easily the most biased broadcaster in the paddock. They know it and don't even shy away from it.

[Disco]

Belgium '93 today, skip to 25mins when Murray lets the mask slip for just a second.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAGh8c6HI5c&list=WL&index=33

[Jimmy Floyd]

Zanardi's hit early in that video is terrifying. That, the Lausitzring crash, hit by a lorry while hand-cycling, and now I read this:


In July 2022 Zanardi was hospitalized after a fire broke out at his home in Italy due to a defect on his home's solar panels which damaged medical equipment he used while recovering from his hand-cycling crash, he was later released back to his home 76 days later in September.

Might be unkillable.

[Shindig]

I'm amazed that didn't happen more with them not having their own footage for decades.

EDIT: And I hope Zanardi makes a good recovery. And Schumacher, although I think the ship has well and truly sailed on that one.

[Giggles]

I'm amazed that didn't happen more with them not having their own footage for decades.

EDIT: And I hope Zanardi makes a good recovery. And Schumacher, although I think the ship has well and truly sailed on that one.

He’s well got his comeuppance at this stage.

[Pepe]

Zanardi is a complete boss. One of my favorite persons.

[SincereTheRebel]

While I do agree with that sentiment, and it's what makes Leclerc's crying ridiculous, I do understand why Perez would care. It'll be his highest achievement and it really looks like he'll only get that one shot at it this season.

There could well be something in the contract about finishing second. Nonuses and clauses

[Adramelch]

I mean, I would assume there is, but surely you can't effectively be crying to your team "let me gain this place so you can pay me more money" and expect it to work.

[Shindig]

Maybe he's shitting bricks over losing first driver status?

[Adramelch]

I mean, him wanting 2nd position in the drivers championship is understandable, everyone will want to finish as high as possible. The discussion is more on how he was pretty much begging for it, no?

[Ben]

Perez and Leclerc both need to grow up. They're a DNF away from potentially being pipped to 2nd by fucking Russell, who's been driving a tractor most of the season.

[Waffdon]

I was the team that asked for Perez to get the place back, no? Not really sure what he’s done wrong. Leclerc on the other hand just sounded like a little baby. The sad thing is, Sainz would have given the place up.

[Disco]

I think he acknowledged it was a bit off after the race but it did sound particularly pissy at the time. Perez had already let Verstappen through to have a go at attacking Leclerc with the understanding they would swap back if he didn't catch them. Amazing that he's held onto the Monaco beef for months and decides to pay the team back for the perceived betrayal (lol) on something as pointless as this, proper manchild autistic behaviour. Maybe Jos should have left him at a few more petrol stations.

[Disco]

One for the grognards here. If you were wondering why Tsunoda was left stranded at the front after the last safety car it was because he tripped the computer by briefly overtaking the safety car on his way into the pits, the system they use then didn't include him in the list of cars to be released because it thought he'd already done so. A quirk of the pit lane layout and a case to be made for looking out of the window, props to Tsunoda for getting the fuck out of the way at the restart.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I did wonder that, and then saw him dropping back a couple of spots during the last few corners before the restart, pretty solid effort.

[Ben]

Binotto has been shown the door, Vasseur to replace him. The Head Strategist keeps his job however.

[Disco]

He knew.


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qnbB9ZXkvgk

[Ben]

:lol:

[John Arne]

Schumacher's last race for Haas this weekend.

[Giggles]

Is it the last race of the season or are they dumpng him early to try out someone else?

[John Arne]

Is it the last race of the season or are they dumpng him early to try out someone else?

Final race in Abu Dhabi, replaced by The Hulk.

[Gray Fox]

"And of course, you know what happened last time we were in Abu Dhabi!"

[Shindig]

Mercedes look like they might give him a reserve seat.

[Giggles]

"And of course, you know what happened last time we were in Abu Dhabi!"

Ted Kravitz will have the mickey pulled off himself all week in the lead up.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Strangely I think it's the only interesting thing that has ever happened in Abu Dhabi, maybe even across all sports.

[Waffdon]

Looking forward to the Hülkenberg/Magnussen, Gasly/Ocon and Verstappen/Perez team rivalries.

[Ben]

I feel Hulk and Kev have got past the whole "suck my balls mate" and Perez will fall in line, but Alpine will be fucking glorious.

[Disco]

Perez already knew his place that's what makes Verstappen so small time, it's a power play he never needed to make. The Red Bull statement they released today is worth reading for a laugh.



As a team we made some mistakes in Brazil. We had not envisaged the situation that unfolded on the last lap and we had not agreed a strategy for such a scenario before the race. Regretfully, Max was only informed at the final corner of the request to give up position without all the necessary information being relayed. This put Max, who has always been an open and fair team player, in a compromising situation with little time to react which was not our intention. Following the race Max spoke openly and honestly, allowing for both drivers to resolve any outstanding issues or concerns. The Team accept Max's reasoning, the conversation was a personal matter which will remain private between the team and no further comment will be made.

[Disco]

I feel Hulk and Kev have got past the whole "suck my balls mate" and Perez will fall in line, but Alpine will be fucking glorious.

Alpine is the most obvious source of fireworks but I'll be watching Aston Martin to see how long Alonso will stay quiet while smashing Stroll in every session only for Lance to continue getting massively favourable treatment.

[Ben]

Red Bull absolutely spineless cunts. :D

Basically they side with Perez but daren't upset their top boy.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I would have just fired him immediately. The power rush sensation would more than make up for the points lost trying to win next year's title with Ricciardo.

[Pepe]

but daren't upset their top boy.

Why would they? He is irreplaceable.

[niko_cee]

In hindsight, what with all the apparently terrible fallout, maybe the better thing to have done would have been to simply move over.

[Ben]

Why would they? He is irreplaceable.

They could have still told him he's a dick. Even he isn't baby enough to quit over it.

[Disco]

Have Red Bull ever handled a driver well once they became relevant (I don't care if Christian Klein was annoyed about his parking space)? Vettel/Webber, then Vettel/Ricciardo, Ricciardo/Verstappen, and now Verstappen/Perez.

[Giggles]

They probably haven’t been very lucky with 2nd drivers in that respect anyway. Give any one of those 1st’s a Bottas shaped doormat for a few years and they’re laughing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Their talent line seems to have dried up for now, so they really need to keep building the best car or a twitchy Max will be offski in search of records. Probably why they are erring on the side of blowing through the budget cap.

[Disco]

Been a bit of a dry spell all round in that regard, Magnussen might be the best addition to the grid in a while and he was only gone for a year.

[Waffdon]

1593335704045735936

Verstappen and Perez rivalry lives on

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jeez, I've spent 16 years rooting for Hamilton but that's some indefensible clobber.

[Disco]

Bottas gets more like Keke Rosberg every week, he'll turn up in DTM next.

[Shindig]

Tsunoda looks like a child that's sneaked into the shot.

[Clunge]

Vettel looks like a tennis veteran who's about to play his last Wimbledon.

[Disco]

There's a lot of Bjorn Borg but also a hint of 90's Italian footballer.

[Disco]

Argentina 1981, where Murray has yet to decide how he want to pronounce Alain Prost's name, James Hunt fucking buries Brabham and the FIA, and quite a lot of random people stand calmly alongside the track as if they have a death wish.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-vB1mHRl4s

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think Damon Hill still says Al-ayn to this day.

Those people on the grass are mad. Shades of Montjuich, which I think was the maddest race ever from that point of view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dFCGllD4a8

[Disco]

I think I'd rather be stylishly immolated by a burning Lola than mulched by anyone in those horrible early 80's cars.

[Shindig]

Yeah, the're all big skirty boxes with raised front wings like forklift tusks. Single seater design just peaked in the early/mid 90s, for me. Small and so sleek.

[Pepe]

60s and 90s for me.

[John Arne]

That statement from Red Bull is proper limp handshake stuff.

Do they think nobody saw or heard what happened?

[Ben]

Especially since there’s a video clearly showing the radio communication telling him to move over about five corners prior to the last one. They’ve gone full Trump/Putin, they’ll just yell fake news despite the overwhelming evidence.

[niko_cee]

Hamilton winning in Abu Dhabi this year will be quite funny for the ongoing [and never-ending] seethe so let's hope those FP1 times are representative.

[Disco]

Nice to be back in the middle east again.

https://i.imgur.com/dsYyd6R.png

https://i.imgur.com/2Fefsfr.png

[Gray Fox]

Hamilton winning in Abu Dhabi this year will be quite funny for the ongoing [and never-ending] seethe so let's hope those FP1 times are representative.

The general trend to free practice is FP1 is data collection, tyres, set up, burnout tests etc. FP2 will be your longer runs with higher fuel load and a reflection of race pace. FP3 is then tuning that to also give 1 lap pace ready for qualifying.

If they're top through FP2, I'll be a lot more surprised(a non-coward will be driving the other Red Bull this time).

[Giggles]

Was just thinking back after the last few pages and I can’t even imagine how much that restart and overtake must have hurt at the time to do this even a year on.
In fairness, I don’t actually think I have seen a more pulsating few moments in all my time watching sports, so it must have been monumental to have been on the wrong side of it.

[Disco]

The temptation to beat everyone to death with the champagne bottle would have been overwhelming.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I saw it coming a fucking mile off (as soon as it became apparent they were determined not to finish under the safety car) so by the time the pass happened I was already deflated and the TV went off for the rest of the lap.

Hamilton himself still seems to be bitter about it.

It did compare to the feeling when Chelsea lost the Moscow shootout to United in terms of deflation, but then that same year we had the other side of the coin (Interlagos) so swings and roundabouts. That said, I'd have been pleased for Massa to win a title but Verstappen is a cunt who deserves only misery.

[Giggles]

But is he only a real cunt because of this time a year ago, when they’re all cunts anyway?

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's a worse cunt. This time a year ago wasn't even his fault, it was the fault of Americans and the modern desire to treat sport as TV entertainment rather than as competition.

[niko_cee]

Verstappen is clearly a bit of a weapon, but he probably suffers more by association with the likes Horner and his dad than anything. He just becomes the focus for resentment towards the Red Bull team, which is probably more worthy of contempt than him. He is the fastest driver on the grid.

[Shindig]

Hamilton himself still seems to be bitter about it.

I can't blame him for it either. He did all he needed to do. That 8th title was all but won. As a spectator, I just couldn't believe the FIA signed off on it.

As for Verstappen, he's just following the mould of Senna. Thinks he owns the racetrack and doesn't care if he crashes. Senna had God on his side, Verstappen has safety. And when he gets to Vettel/Hamilton/Schumacher numbers, people will be sick of him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I could believe they signed off on it. You can end a world championship behind a safety car - them's the breaks - but you can't end a series of Drive to Survive behind a safety car.

[Shindig]

You can because the people watching already know.

[Giggles]

But that’s the way it went and nobody would care had it been the other way. For a niche sport, I haven’t seen anything like what I’ve seen here (and it’s enough of a sample size for me without going into the rest of the crackpots on Twitter), but even in soccer I’ve never seen anything cause as much hurt to result in such bias. Like, even now the season is over and you’re all acting like Perez fans when most wouldn’t care if he was run over tomorrow normally. The same if there’s a futile Hamilton win this weekend I expect it’ll be bigger than any of the world championships.

[Pepe]

You seem to see whatever you want to see.

[Waffdon]

Vettel :cool:

[Ben]

Red Bull have spent the first two sessions there just impeding everyone, not just Vettel. But they don’t investigate the top teams for amateur shit. Stroll would already have been handed a five grid place penalty.

[Waffdon]

Verstappen giving Perez a tow and still managing to destroy the field :D

He’s just the best.

[Adramelch]

Red Bull have spent the first two sessions there just impeding everyone, not just Vettel. But they don’t investigate the top teams for amateur shit. Stroll would already have been handed a five grid place penalty.

They've been doing it all season honestly.

[Waffdon]

1594040969145589768

Latifi still finished last

[Gray Fox]

Good to see Guardiola is still an absolute bellend.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is this on earlier than usual because of the Coupe du Monde opener?

Tradition dictates Vettel will be punted out inside 3 laps.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's never happening but I would LOVE IT if Checo takes out Max.

The ultimate babyface move :cool:

[Gray Fox]

No chance unless he wants Danny Ricciardo in that seat next year.

I think we need some DNFs for much in the way of constructors moves too.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Hamilton trying to wheelie it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I swear Checo just bailed out at the start, having got ahead.

Hamilton should get a penalty really, he could have followed on behind.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I swear Checo just bailed out at the start, having got ahead.

That's what I thought.

It looked like he had the pace to pass Max.

[Gray Fox]

It didnt look like Sainz gave him anywhere to go originally, but on replays he could easily have tucked in behind Sainz.

[Disco]

Perez is second only to Bottas at being shite at the start, he's had as much help as he's going to get.

[Waffdon]

Is Hamilton’s car fucked? He looked good and now is struggling to reach Leclerc and lost over a second on him since passing Sainz

Oh, he went off the track by a mile.

[Gray Fox]

He's broken DRS and the two behind him have it. They've got a natural speed advantage because of it. See how fast he was when he tucked behind Sainz.

[Waffdon]

He was well over a second ahead of Sainz. Then a lap later it went to shit and now they’re saying he’s got issues which makes sense

[Gray Fox]

Never mind, it's fucked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

DRS is everything at this shittodrome, without it there wouldn't be a pass all day.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

He's dropping massively. Norris will have a go soon.

[Waffdon]

Already need a safety car to spice this up.

Both Mercedes look back to their average self at the start-mid of the season. Ferrari pulling away with ease but not getting close to Red Bull

[niko_cee]

Mercedes are definitely going to have a disastrous flirtation with a 1-stop on the hards strategy.

[Gray Fox]

This track is all grunt in a straight line which is the Mercedes Achilles heel. They've decided to whack high downforce on it to try and make it faster through the middle bits but it's evidently not worked.

[niko_cee]

Perez. :face:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Oh dear Mercedes.

Ferrari-esque stop.

[Gray Fox]

Imagine having this shithole as your season-ender when Interlagos exists.

[niko_cee]

Suzuka the iconic end of season race. Everything sorted before breakfast. 1999 and the Cardigans Losing My Favourite Game end music for Schumacher being a personal favourite of mine.

[Jimmy Floyd]

1. Adelaide
2. Suzuka
3. Interlagos

This is the worst ever by a mile - despite this thrilling 2022 edition in which Fernando Alonso's battle for 8th looks set to go all the way.

[Disco]

Terrible track, terrible races. So bad they had to invent DRS to paper over the cracks.

[Giggles]

This is horrendous so far. I’ll switch over to the darts so something exciting happens for you all.

[niko_cee]

Max being asked to be the roadblock now.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Latifi could honour his sole F1 legacy by driving into a wall again it would be good.

[Gray Fox]

I do like how much "Go team!" there's been from Red Bull this weekend.

I wonder if Max would give up a win for the sake of it.

[niko_cee]

I love Radio Russell, comedy gold all the way.

[Waffdon]

Latifi :D

He tried his best to give us a safety car.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

If Latifi could honour his sole F1 legacy by driving into a wall again it would be good.

Or even into Mick...

[Disco]

I wonder why Schumacher is being replaced?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't know if Mick had backing from a salami factory or what he was supposed to be bringing to the table, but it's such a no brainer to have a proper experienced guy instead of him.

[Waffdon]

Perez and locking up :lol:

[niko_cee]

Hamilton fucking Checo over. Petty. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Hamilton got the pit stop he wanted...

[Waffdon]

Leclerc is so fucking good at times.

[Giggles]

Did someone barrel off there that they haven’t shown yet? Was sure I could see something when they showed Perez and LeClerc near the end at the other set of starting markers.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Max pretending he cares about Checo :lol:

[Gray Fox]

If only there was a way Max could have helped him.

[Disco]

So last week actually did fuck Perez out of second place, chalk one up for the Belgian.

[Waffdon]

Perez fucked it for himself. Twice he locked up having taking a place before giving it right back. Lost well over a second both times.

Get Ross Brawn back in at Ferrari and next year could be tasty

[Giggles]

Did everyone not hate Vettel when he was good?

[Adramelch]

Even if Max let Perez through last week, he'd still be behind Leclerc with today's results, no?

[Disco]

You might be right, the 'live' points I was looking at don't actually seem to be live.

Anyway, what a terrible season, never rely on Ferrari to provide a credible challenge. New regs mildly successful but they need to be about 10 time more effective to overcome all the awful new tracks they insist on using.

[Gray Fox]

New cars did well, but as you say, a lot of these tracks they go to are not fit for purpose for F1 in its current guise, but we must go to them anyway because money.

Even with the new changes it's far too reliant on DRS.

[Disco]

I'd like the regs to get to a point where blue flags could be done away with but I don't imagine the FIA would ever have the balls to do it, plus the smaller field spread sort of fucks that idea anyway.

[Ben]

Did everyone not hate Vettel when he was good?

Massively. I remember people drifting away because he’d taken away the competitiveness. Which is nonsense of course, some of those seasons were the best in a long time.

[Disco]

People disliked him when he was a dick then liked him more when he was less of a dick and trundling about at the back is obviously far less contentious.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I never had a problem with him as a bloke. I think 4 world titles massively flatters him because he happened to luck out with the blown floors. Alonso much the better driver.

[Giggles]

People disliked him when he was a dick then liked him more when he was less of a dick and trundling about at the back is obviously far less contentious.

Knowing his place.

[7om]

I’ve enjoyed the season, personally. I never like seeing the smug cunts at Red Bull win but it’s been interesting to see teams like McLaren and Mercedes handle adversity. We desperately need them to step up a gear next year, though, because Ferrari simply cannot be relied upon to do anything right on a consistent basis.

I’m also hoping Aston Martin take a big step forward. They’re pissing away so much money and attracting good factory talent so it has to come together at some point.

Sad to see Danny Ric go. He’s looked a bit broken this year and it’s been hard to watch.

[niko_cee]

When they were doing the grid/formation lap and giving the various bits of interest build up was I right in hearing that you get £12m extra prize money for finishing 1 place higher in the constructors championship?

Surely everyone should just put whatever it was Red Bull got fined for overspending into extra aero development [thus neutralising the other apsect of the penalty], attribute it to outside catering/inflation, and then bank the extra prize money/better performance after paying the fine.

[Disco]

Amus reporting that Honda will be taking part in the new engine regs in 2026 but heavily suggesting that it won't be in partnership with Red Bull. :sherlock:

https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/f1-motoren-einschreibung-2026-kommen-honda-ford-porsche/

[Jimmy Floyd]

Macca again, surely. Unless they have another go themselves. Gawd.

[Giggles]

Amus reporting that Honda will be taking part in the new engine regs in 2026 but heavily suggesting that it won't be in partnership with Red Bull. :sherlock:

https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/f1-motoren-einschreibung-2026-kommen-honda-ford-porsche/

Where does that leave their RB engine deal and the people who were to move and all, or was that ever finalised?

[Disco]

By my reckoning it could only be one of Aston, Williams, Mclaren, or maybe Haas.

[Disco]

Where does that leave their RB engine deal and the people who were to move and all, or was that ever finalised?

I thought it was all separated when Honda pulled out and it became Fizzy Pop Powertrains but they started putting the Honda badges back on this year so now I don't know. They hint in the article that Red Bull are still looking to partner with someone on the engine front but it's all speculation. 'We're going to build our own engine' has in the past been the clarion call of non-manufacturer teams trying to take on more than they can manage so it will be impressive if they can do it themselves even with the head start of having the Honda engine program dropped in their lap.

[Shindig]

Honda's pulled out of F1 more times than Ric Flair has retired. We should never really take them at their word.

[Disco]

Australia 1997 where bitching about the driver market is the order of the day, Damon was screwed and nobody would employ Martin Brundle. Jim Rosenthal and ITV ruin F1 by having adverts and the wrong intro music and the nostalgia trip of the 90's begins to look depressingly modern.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2DF_SOKLUE&list=WL&index=22

[Clunge]

That grid :D. There's like 10 Latifis there in modern parlance. Japanese drivers in the 90s were all a horrorshow, without exception.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Also the only weekend for Mastercard Lola.

[Gray Fox]

Cars just causally left on the side of the track while full speed racing is going on. You'd be having a red flag for that now.

[Giggles]

You've a red flag if someone sneezes now.

[Shindig]

Also the only weekend for Mastercard Lola.

Imagine if that had another year to bake. Although it was an F1 team built on credit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

On the number of shit backmarkers in that era, two reasons I think: one the grid was just on a downturn (post the departures of the Big Four) until Hakkinen got his shit together, and Schumacher being in a turdbox didn't help. Secondly, CART must have been approaching its strongest point at that time, or maybe just beyond. Zanardi took the title that year and in his wake were the likes of Paul Tracy, Al Unser, Gil de Ferran, Blundell, Andretti, Moreno etc - these guys not F1 superstars but would have filled the grid out a lot better than Shinji Nakano and Tarso Marques, who, I am delighted to say, managed to get a mention from Crofty last race for having been the last team mate to beat Alonso or something like that.

[Gray Fox]

Comunicato Ufficiale: Binotto in the bin.

[Ben]

An excuse to post this again:

1588237990115033089

John Elkann in shambles yesterday.

[Giggles]

"Resigned".

[Ben]

China officially off the table next season due to being COVID idiots. Leaves a four-week gap between Australia and Azerbaijan. Domenicali tried to get Azerbaijan to come forward a week but got told to fuck off for reasons so there's going to be a replacement GP. Most likely Portugal at this point which would be great, but Turkey also in the picture and that would be more than acceptable too.

[Gray Fox]

Turkey has one of the best tracks for racing, especially with some drizzle involved. It's pretty much Tilkes one hit wonder. However in this instance the band decided to stay on and try to make loads more songs, using bits of the hit in every one of them, to no success.

[Shindig]

To be fair to Tilke, Sepang is also good.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bahrain has grown on me as well. COTA is abysmal (sorry yanks). Yas Marina is a war crime. Some forgotten hits include Korea (lol), Valencia (ugh) and the Buddh International Circuit (bleh).

[Giggles]

I still remember the time the fat cats were going to build one here. And then 2008 happened.

[Ben]

Bahrain has greatly benefited from DRS, especially in recent years when they figured it out a bit better. It was pants before that, particularly that Endurance circuit year.

[7om]

Not gonna lie to you, I really like the Abu Dhabi circuit. Austin can get fucked though.

[Ben]

Abu Dhabi is proper wank. The Vettel-Alonso thing highlighted it all. DRS was brought in off the back of it because fucking Petrov managed to hold off Alonso but really it was the circuit’s fault.

[Giggles]

I like Austin, but I don’t have the same America complex.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The first sector is alright but the rest of it is horrid.

If you want a good yank track, Watkins Glen :drool:

[Shindig]

I'm a fan of Sebring. Infineon ... almost feels like a decent track.

[Disco]

Herman Tilke should never be forgiven for butchering Hockenheim and putting the shittiest chicane in human history into the last sector at Catalunya. I wonder what his hit rate is on new builds, no better than 50/50 I would think.

[Shindig]

I don't mind the Hockenheimwrong. The stadium section was my favourite bit of the old track. The Catalunya chicane is sacrilege. You'd probably get more overtaking out of the old sweeping corner leading into a long DRS zone.

[Disco]

Not sure how to rate his street tracks, they are automatically shit because they street tracks but then Marina Bay and Baku are decent examples.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a man who's taken a few quid from questionable regimes over the years. Pity we never got a GP at the 'Smolensk Ring' or Kazakhstan Motor City.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That has taken me down a strange wormhole into the Russian Touring Car Championship.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Grid-girl.jpg/1024px-Grid-girl.jpg

I can't find too many details but it certainly looks as though the works Lada is the car to be in.

[Disco]

Or on.

Speaking of tin tops I tried watching this years' WTC yesterday, opening round at Pau I think I lasted about 10 laps before I turned it off. Not a patch on Supercars which is still the best series with a roof you can watch, unless BTCC has become markedly better in the last year or two.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was in Pau recently, walked around the track (or some of it - both sides of the hairpin and around the park area) and thought yes, this is a gorgeous town, but a very silly place to have a motor race.

On the same trip walked the Monaco circuit and, well, likewise.

[Disco]

A silly place to have a bad one for sure. The most intriguing parts of what I watched were how there are so many Argentine drivers in touring cars and what are the Chinese doing with Swedish motorsport?

[Ben]

I don't mind the Hockenheimwrong. The stadium section was my favourite bit of the old track. The Catalunya chicane is sacrilege. You'd probably get more overtaking out of the old sweeping corner leading into a long DRS zone.

The corner is still there (MotoGP still use it, except when they have too many FP crashes) so it wouldn’t be too difficult to revert if they wanted to. On the flip side, MotoGP have started using a chicane half way up the straight out of T1 in Austria.

[Shindig]

Yeah, I hate that one in Austria (It's very Spa 1994) but I understand why. You can't have a rogue bike cartwheeling into T1 at head height again.

[Clunge]

Sepang would be such a great fit in that China gap.

[Disco]

What happened to Malaysia, too much corruption or not enough?