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F1 tyre blanket ban is set for 2024, but it’s not confirmed yet. And WEC cars launching themselves off the track on cold tyres in Spa may make them have a rethink…
Didn't F1 turn down the max permitted heating tyre temperature? Or am I imagining it?
Surely "managing" cold tyres is a skill F1 drivers should be able to master fairly quickly - after all, they are the best drivers in the world
Didn’t F1 turn down the max permitted heating tyre temperature?
Yep, and how long they're allowed to be heated for.
They say it's being done to reduce emissions but I'm sure it's just being done "for the show" with cars just coming out of the pits several seconds slower than those on hot tyres.
So Spain this weekend - let's have your Red Bull winning margin predictions!!...
I'm going for - Max wins with a 43 second lead, Checo second who will be 14 seconds ahead of 3rd place.
Who's in 3rd I've no idea! Probs Alonso though!
With Merc and Ferrari left making excuses for being slower despite their upgrades.
🙂
Imagine the party if FA managed to pull out a win!
Surely AMs strategy is to use LS to take out Perez at some point so FA can weave some spells on max?
Actually I think quali will be close there's some long straights and the Aston is pretty quick in a straight line
...and Nick DeBris will be the first to launch into the barriers out of the last corner, now it's back to a proper corner! 🙂
let’s have your Red Bull winning margin predictions!!…
Seems about right, this morning I read that Max thinks there's a better than evens chance that they could win every round, and I don't think he's wrong.
Mercedes to bounce around turn 3, Toto seen crying in the pits.
With the chicane gone someone is going to make an arse of the last corner. I’m calling Sargeant
Without the chicane it will make it easier to tee up people for DRS assisted passes down the start/finish straight.
Votes for next corner to de-sanitise?
Woodcote at Silverstone, though that would need Farm Straight reinstating.
someone is going to make an arse of the last corner. I’m calling
Leclerc to drop it either on a pole lap or when (somehow) leading the race. Soz Charles but you need to sort that out as much as the team need to sort out their strategy calls.
New Ferrari Red Bull sidepods revealed... 🙂
https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/status/1664585738766221312?cxt=HHwWgIC8lZ_65ZkuAAAA
They say it’s being done to reduce emissions
thats the funniest idea I’ve heard today. I’m sue those tyre warmers made a big impact on the emissions of you average F1 race
Every little helps!...
I can't believe Max Verstappen has more wins at Red Bull than Sebastian Vettel. Bonkers!
I hope Mercedes are doing a lot of testing during this session! 😳
Waaaaay off the pace.
I can’t believe Max Verstappen has more wins at Red Bull than Sebastian Vettel. Bonkers!
19 of those wins have come since the start of 2022 though during the Red Bull catering years. 🙂
Talking of which - when do we find how who bought the most cucumber sandwiches and cup-cakes last season!?
the-muffin-man
I hope Mercedes are doing a lot of testing during this session! 😳
Waaaaay off the pace.
Not entirely sure, but weren't they running the hard tyres for Pirelli testing? If so, then the times aren't particularly representative.
If so, then the times aren’t particularly representative.
De Vries being 4th seems to suggest that practice times don't mean very much.
Any bets on when RB will stop developing this years car and shift focus to next years? Going on current form I reckon they could give the RB19 the chop after about Italy or so and still comfortably win both titles* 🤔
The damned thing just seems to be in a completely different league to the others!
*probably first and second in the drivers one at that
Any bets on when RB will stop developing this years car and shift focus to next years?
I was wondering the same. Red Bull have a lot less windtunnel time available so I think they will probably finish off any updates they already have in the pipeline, then just focus on next year's car.
Actually, I suspect Merc are already doing that. Their big update is compromised by having to work around the limitations of the current car. I suspect they will be wanting to use it to see if windtunnel gains are replicated on track in order to help with next year's car more than in the expectation that they can catch Red Bull this year.
Leclerc out in Q1, Perez & Russell out in Q2 as well as Hamilton & Russell hitting each other! What will happen in Q3?
It’s better than the race will be!! 🤣🤣
How basic is the underside of that Williams? 😆
Does anybody actually like Red Bull?
I did drink it once when I was doing a solo 24hr race. I got handed a can by the promo person and foolishly drank it. I spent the next two laps trying not to throw up. Never again.
Does anybody actually like Red Bull?
No, vile stuff.
trying not to throw up
This!
Excellent - some proper racing on a proper circuit - amazing how that happens!
So, 8 min YouTube highlights all I need then?
Apart from Max disappearing I thought it was a good race, the Mercs were strong and the Ferraris were awful!
I thought it was worth watching. Seen worse.
Some surprising form/lack of form, caused by the track temperature I think.
Lovely to see the Mercedes upgrade working so well there! It'll be interesting to see how it works out for the rest of the season. I'm guessing it will be back and forth with Aston Martin and possibly even Ferrari, if they do well by mistake
Sounded like the Mercs were having a much better time with the tyres than everyone else; it’ll be interesting to see whether that carries across to other circuits. That Red Bull is still 20 seconds up the road, though… eek. But at least now they’ve done Barcelona they’ll have a solid understanding of what the upgrades are doing.
Many commentators have pointed out that Mercedes were pretty good in Spain last year, and thought they'd taken a big leap forward.....then went to Canada and were shit
Leclerc thinks that Ferrari are doing something wrong.
Ferrari are being Ferrari!! Nothing new. 🙂
Seems they tried (but not quite hard enough) to drag Newey away from Red Bull last year too.
<p>its. That Red Bull is still 20 seconds up the road, though… eek.<br /><br /></p>
<p>At least everyone knows what their trick floor looks like so can adopt it</p>
knows what their trick floor looks like
indeed, I wonder how much difference that might make next year
knows what their trick floor looks like
Problem is, that's just one part of the puzzle. It seems that getting the suspension sorted so that it provides a stable platform is also very important. Just sticking a Red Bull floor on the McLaren probably wouldn't help much because the rest of the car would have to be redesigned around that floor.
Seems they tried (but not quite hard enough) to drag Newey away from Red Bull last year too.
“It took me a whole night to convince Horner to stay at Red Bull,” Marko told Blick.
“And that cost us extra millions!”
Sounds like that will going on the catering budget then.
Ferrari 1995-1996 all over again then (sort of, and if it had worked), I wonder if they would've tried to get Max to move as part of the deal just like back then too?
Will McLaren even bother making him take gardening leave to ensure he doesn't take any design secrets with him?
https://twitter.com/alanbaldwinf1/status/1666432075107270660
Yeah, maybe it’s a neat flip of spygate and they quietly leak loads of IP for a lemon of a car.
He left almost 6 months ago, didn't he?
Will McLaren even bother making him take gardening leave to ensure he doesn’t take any design secrets with him?
He was sacked so I don't believe they can enforce gardening leave.
Clarkson's a throbber but this still raised a smile
https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1668234221440102401
https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1668234219779248128
https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1668233785291284481
If the tech analysts are right with their gueseses it looks like Aston are going to zero sidepods!! 😳😳
https://twitter.com/albertfabrega/status/1669412815554134043?s=12&t=EQoHg-RGok071Fjc15ZHKw
If they make the concept work . . .
… using the Mercedes wind tunnel... 🙂
That would be very funny. It's not zero pods though.
If the tech analysts are right with their gueseses it looks like Aston are going to zero sidepods!!
Bloody hell. Given the woes from Mercedes with this concept, that's a bold mid-season statement.
<edit> That would be very funny. It’s not zero pods though.
Bah. As you all were.
Booo - boring!!! 🙂
Another F1 shit show - the more money that rolls in the less they care about fans. Marshalls have eyes, they’re rather good at spotting on-track issues.
Might be good for the fans in the long run though - now the teams need to think on their feet rather than go through the preplanned schedule. Sadly it'll probably affect Williams & Aston more than the others as they'd probably have wanted to spend fp1 calibrating their upgrades against the wind tunnel/cfd models.
LeClerc won't be happy about his team making him set a time on inters when he wanted slicks!
Good work Williams & Albon in Q2 🙂
Ferrari really need to sort their shit out. Leclerc's constant palaver's are becoming farcical and Sainz could have caused a massive accident by going so slowly.
A pretty exciting qualifying, that!
3 Pl drop for sainz. Hulk reported for red flag infringement
Also a 3 place drop for Hulkenberg, putting Alonso in 2nd and both Mercedes' on the 2nd row
I'm loving Fernando 2.0. reminds me a lot of Seb v1.0 and Seb 2.0. I guess they get the bigger picture and much more personable. Shame they cant have an f1 race of champions or even ex winners.
3 places for Sainz seems very lenient given the way he was parked mid-chicane
First corner predictions?
FA to push MV into the new wall on the run off between turn one and two?
That would be fun, but I fear Max will be gone. Fernando v Lewis might be the battle!
mercedes got off lightly this weekend in qualifying and in the pitlane
Super drive from albon
1 stop too for albon.. get him in the red bull again
gotta love Lando too
Good race that, enjoyed it!
Albon - bloody brilliant.
Ferrari need to hoof both their driver out - they’ve got x2 Bottas’s not two racers.
That was a great race, nice to see the field closing up a little
the-muffin-man
Ferrari need to hoof both their driver out – they’ve got x2 Bottas’s not two racers.
Not convinced on that, if you stuck either of them in Perez seat they'd be fairly close to Max.
I think the main problem at Ferrari is still Ferrari.
I think the main problem at Ferrari is still Ferrari
I agree. It mostly seems to be strategy that is letting them down, they seem to be able to come up with a reasonably fast car
shermer75
I agree. It mostly seems to be strategy that is letting them down, they seem to be able to come up with a reasonably fast car
Yeah in general it's terrible, although IIRC they did a one-stopper this race which worked quite well.
The car is quick but still difficult to drive. Also inconsistent from session to session.
mercedes got off lightly this weekend in qualifying and in the pitlane
They weren't the only ones. Seems like the stewards saw right through Alonso's frantic steering wheel antics while doing 37mph!
Nice try Fernando!!
sharkbait
They weren’t the only ones. Seems like the stewards saw right through Alonso’s frantic steering wheel antics while doing 37mph!
Nice try Fernando!!
Haha yeah this made me laugh in the broadcast
https://twitter.com/danielshoey/status/1670499930962550790
Coz Alpine needed more management confusion! 😬😬
Shows Renaults true commitment too.
Name change for Alpha Tauri and 'closer integration' with Red Bull next season - a cynical person may think they're trying to push the boundaries of the catering budget!...
Seems pretty obvious that it will provide benefits to Red Bull A, whether that’s sharing data/R&D or moving the Red Bull B cars further up the grid so that they have more strategic power in races. Doesn’t sit well with me.
It stinks - FIA are closing the 'external employees' loophole and all of a sudden it's a good plan for Toro Rosso to have the same car as the lead team again.
With the interest there is from potential new teams there's no reason for 'B' teams to exist in F1 as it is.
I understand the benefit of smaller teams being able to save money by buying in gearboxes, suspension, etc. from their engine supplier team, but surely the budget cap should be adjusted down for those teams to reflect the cost savings. The small teams will still be able to run at a lower budget level, but it would reduce the benefits that the parent teams could get.