F1 Racing

[die_mole]

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

 

[ncurd]

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

Its more surprising its taken this long people were already ****** with him before the Abu Dhabi **** up.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I like the look of the new 2022 cars so far, quite a lot of variety in the design philosophies too. McLaren in particular seem to have gone quite differently to everyone else. I really hope this season properly shakes things up and breaks the Merc/RB dominance. Where teams have to focus on more than just beating 1 other team, it becomes much more exciting.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I like the look of the new 2022 cars so far, quite a lot of variety in the design philosophies too. McLaren in particular seem to have gone quite differently to everyone else. I really hope this season properly shakes things up and breaks the Merc/RB dominance. Where teams have to focus on more than just beating 1 other team, it becomes much more exciting.

Love the noses on the new cars. Remind me of the 90s and early 00s cars.

The new race control seems like it'll be less erroneous too, hopefully no dominant car (unless it's red) and an exciting season ahead.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Crazy how F1 cars have come in 60 years.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Crazy how F1 cars have come in 60 years.

Jim Clarke's driving and Lotus v Verstappen's Honda red bull.

 

[ncurd]

Well Red Bull are either sandbagging it (likely) or they haven't got this formula quite right lots of laps but a good second down on other top teams (Ferrari/Mercedes).

Can't read much into testing but possibly a sign of going all out last year too much?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well Red Bull are either sandbagging it (likely) or they haven't got this formula quite right lots of laps but a good second down on other top teams (Ferrari/Mercedes).

Can't read much into testing but possibly a sign of going all out last year too much?

I can't guage whether or not their pre season talk is incredibly confident or feeble to be honest. Generally teams talk about laps > time at this stage of the season but I've never been able to figure out what to expect until the first weekend unless it's blatant that a team has ****** it a la Ferrari 2020.

I'd like to see Ferrari and McLaren Duke it out, looks possible, but the likelihood of neither Merc nor RB fighting at the top is unlikely.

 

[ncurd]

I can't guage whether or not their pre season talk is incredibly confident or feeble to be honest. Generally teams talk about laps > time at this stage of the season but I've never been able to figure out what to expect until the first weekend unless it's blatant that a team has ****** it a la Ferrari 2020.

I'd like to see Ferrari and McLaren Duke it out, looks possible, but the likelihood of neither Merc nor RB fighting at the top is unlikely.

There was the McLaren that broke down everytime it exited the pits. That was incredibly depressing as thats essentially "my team"

 

[Reiser99]

Well all the talk is about how the rules have allowed for a lot more variation is design philosophies. I know Wolff said earlier that some teams could get the new rules badly wrong. Main thing to hope is that no one team has a clear blatant advantage.

Also RB seem to be playing things close to the chest. Apparently they've been leaking a lot of false information. The car they revealed was completely different to the one on track and they inflated a sponsorship deal by $200 million which is nearly double. Dunno if there is a higher goal behind it or confusion, but definitely playing some kind of game.

 

[ncurd]

The car they revealed was completely different to the one on track.

That's pretty normal in fact the most radical elements they want to put on the car may not go on until the next stage of testing, maybe even the race weekend. You don't want other teams to have time to copy. See Brawn and the double defuser.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah I think RB will have something totally unique with the side pods. They basically had massive vents there for testing, I don't see those rocking up to Bahrain.

 

[ncurd]

Vettel says he won't race in Russia, good chap always liked him I totally didn't hate his guys when he was winning all those championships with Red Bull.

Verstappen also feels sorry for Masi, possibly the only driver who wasn't happy to see the back of him? Masi's two most bonkers decisions directly effected him postively Spa/Abu Dhabi.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Going to be tricky. F1 already has a tarnished image and showing an apparent lack of concern for the human rights of the countries the races are in. Going to Russia after they have invaded Ukraine will look REALLY bad, but then money talks. If the drivers decide not to race though, Mazepin may get his only F1 victory (unless he bins the car)

 

[die_mole]

Verstappen doesn't support Masi removal: He's been 'thrown u...
the man who handed me my championship should have kept his job

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think he's trying to say that with the vastly changed rules regarding the race director, it's harsh to dismiss him also. I can't say I agree or disagree but you'll see an improvement because of better procedures and not necessarily more skilled directors.

I'm definitely sympathetic to the position, the level of dialogue the team bosses had with him was ridiculous and he had many high pressure situations, equally I think he showed a lack of race management and consistency throughout the year when not under pressure from bosses also.

 

[Reiser99]

For me it's simple, Masi showed favouritism when he ordered the cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to overtake the safety car, but not the cars between Sainz and Verstappen. If he had ordered cars through a lap earlier and it had been done properly then while many may not have liked the decision, at least it would have been fair to all racers. The fact that Verstappen was allowed a chance to win, but Sainz wasn't shows he was biased. Whether that was because it was Red Bull or he was too focused on getting a final lap race I don't know, but it clearly favoured one team and racer over others and that is not fair. He deserves to go because either way he allowed himself to be influenced by the situation or Red Bull to create an unfair race.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

With Masi as well I think people forget Abu Dhabi was just the tip of a shitburg he has overseen as race director. One can argue the processes were insufficient and the pressure too great in the final 2 races but that doesn't excuse his actions in previous races where that wasn't the case or the complete inconsistency where he does the exact opposite of what he said was extremely important only 2 years ago. A race director who cannot even agree with himself is not fit for purpose.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I mean, when the pressure is coming from your colleagues and superiors I think it can be excused to a degree. Like Race Control made bad decisions in Qatar (or Saudi maybe? Second last race) purely not to ruin the spectacle. Ignoring Hamilton's indiscretions in practice and then being incredibly lenient on Verstappen set a precedent of compromising normal practice for the showdown that transpired.

Removing the guy is probably for the best, they need to save face and don't need their race directors to have any added pressure right now. But what Verstappen says isn't ridiculous, Masi is the scapegoat of a terrible race control team. It's also arguably an indication that the FIA are still too vulnerable to team pressure, they had been signalling that Masi would stay on until that meeting with Merc.

 

[ncurd]

Haas have removed their Russian livery and sponsors today, rumours they are trying to remove Mazepin as a driver as well but have legal issues in doing so.