The F1 Thread

[PuntsWolf]

He's being hunted down by two cars that are two seconds a lap quicker and is wilfully giving the other driver behind an advantage on one of, if not the most demanding track on the calender and hasn't made even an inkling of an error.

They only caught up with 5 laps to go. The dog of a RB on 40 lap old hards was difficult to get past.

Drving slow for the vast majority of the race and then driving even slower to allow the guy behind you to get DRS knowing he can’t get past you anyway doesn’t wow me particularly.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Agreed. It just shows why DRS should be scrapped.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Agreed. It just shows why DRS should be scrapped.

Most races they struggle to overtake even with DRS! Others they go sailing past.

Maybe just remove the zones and allow whoever the car behind is to have it. Plenty of times a guy completes an overtake but the guy behind doesn’t get a chance to have a go back because the other guy gets a second dose of DRS.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

DRS was brought in as it was hard to overtake. Under the new regs it is often facile with DRS. It isn’t needed. In an ideal world you would make the cars narrower too.

 

[Carrotdude]

It was a great drive from Carlos and Lando in that it was error free - look at what Russell did at the end! I feel like Lewis might have had a little more pace and been able to get by Lando but ultimately they were probably a little too far back when they pitted in the end.

 

[sycophantia]

Not followed F1 for a long time for the reasons outlined in countless posts above.
The experience I had at the weekend at BSB Oulton Park was the exact opposite. Rules designed to make racing close, good circuits which encourage it. Watched 10 races over the weekend, all bangers including the 3 BSB races.
Not the glamour or kudos of F1 (or even Motogp) but for motorsports entertainment, it takes some beating.
Is Touring Car racing still a big thing? always used to enjoy that.

 

[sycophantia]

Oulton Park is a brilliant place - the old Touring Car days there were superb. Sadly seems that the modern day equivalent is dying on its arse.

I find most of the 'natural' circuits are best for close racing, Oulton, Cadwell, Brands, Donington.
Hoping to get up to Knockhill nest season as my lad will be living about 30 miles away.

 

[Tom Hark]

Not followed F1 for a long time for the reasons outlined in countless posts above.
The experience I had at the weekend at BSB Oulton Park was the exact opposite. Rules designed to make racing close, good circuits which encourage it. Watched 10 races over the weekend, all bangers including the 3 BSB races.
Not the glamour or kudos of F1 (or even Motogp) but for motorsports entertainment, it takes some beating.
Is Touring Car racing still a big thing? always used to enjoy that.

I've followed BTTC for a few years now. Always good, close racing. Breaking the F1 habit this season feels like giving up smoking - once you've succeeded you can never understand why you did it at all. Just a hangover from the days when it produced any excitement, I guess. TBH, if Lewis hadn't come along when he did, I'd have given up several years sooner.

 

[Kenny]

Back to normal this weekend then. Max utterly pissing over everyone.

As this one is a 6am start for the UK, don't think we will miss much unless the rain comes in.

 

[Carrotdude]

Definitely not getting up for this one!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I love Suzuka. It’s on at a great time for me. It will suck as a race though.

 

[Kenny]

Stewards admit they got some punishments wrong in Singapore last week. Mainly not giving Max grid penalties over the 2 incidents he was called in to see them about.

 

[Kenny]

Well Max won with ease and Red Bull nab the constructors title.
He should win the drivers title.in Qatar. Probably in the sprint race.

Lando with another 2nd and Piastri gets his first podium.

A decent battle at times between George and Lewis who split strategies. Few narky radio messages about the racing between them.

Perez had a disaster day. Almost took Lewis out on the start and damaged his front wing. Pitted under the safety car which put him in last place but managed to overtake a car as he went to the pits and got a 5 sec penalty.
As got his way back through the cars he hit the Haas with a shite over taking attempt and damaged his front wing again so pitted, took his 5 second penalty and a lap later had to retire. As he came in he got another 5 second penalty.for the hit in the Haas.
Red Bull were worried as he couldn't take that punishment the stewards would turn it into a grid penalty for the next race. So they did some repairs and sent him back out. He did a lap..came in for a pit stop, took his penalty and retired again the next lap. Bit of a farce.

 

[The Bear]

A real issue with tyres developing in Qatar. After last year when tyres were blowing out more often, it seems a similar issue is threatened again. The kerbs are quite severe the further you go wide and the Pirelli tyres can't handle it and the FIA are bringing in new rules for the race (dependent on the sprint race) to make sure there aren't too many blowouts.

They've moved the track limits inwards with new white lines on turns 12 and 13 in the hope that drivers will take a narrower line through there.

There's also an extra 10 min monitoring practice session to assess things before qualifying, then they'll monitor the tyres after the sprint race. If they find there's too big a risk of tyre failures then teams will be forced to:

* Run tyres for no more than 20 laps during the race on Sunday.

* Make mandatory three stops during the race.

Apparently the combination of kerbs and tyre construction is the reason. FIA dude says they are planning to change the aggressive kerbs for next year's race.

I've never seen such mandatory tyre changes in a race before. They should have done more after last year tbh. It's a bit of a mess.

 

[The Bear]

All McLaren front row for the sprint. Max is 3rd after having a lap deleted and then having to be careful afterwards.

 

[The Bear]

What the hell! The FIA are making a right mockery of this tyre situation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1711030094339141798

 

[The Bear]

Maximum of 18 lap stints too. Any longer and it's a black flag and disqualification.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Might add a bit of excitement rather than the standard mediums to hard

 

[Kenny]

Perez starting from the pit lane..
Sounds like Sainz not taking part at all due to an issue with his car.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Lewis mate…