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Half the problem is that “Cash App” is itself an utterly shit name for a product. (And why a product anyway? We never had “Marlboro Pack of 20 Lights McLaren” or “Benetton Cargo Pants”.) Then stick “RB” after it?
Quite what would have been wrong with “Visa Toro Rosso” I’ve no idea.
Also if Max gets demoted someone would be compelled to take a Sharpie to all the “Cash App” stickers on his car and add four letters to make them say “Crashtappen” 😉
Because they are wanting to push that particular product. It’s the same reason those McLarens were Marlboro rather than Philip Morris.
Fully agree it’s a shit name though
Quite what would have been wrong with “Visa Toro Rosso” I’ve no idea.
Visa and Cash App are 2 separate sponsors.
Not much of a surprise here...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-signs-ferrari-f1-contract-extension/10569077/
Quite what would have been wrong with “Visa Toro Rosso” I’ve no idea.
They are gradually shifting all the team to the UK. They may just want to break the Italian connection.
**** not another street circuit. 😴
Rolex 24hr at Daytona this weekend! 👍🥳
Norris signs long term deal with McLaren...
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-mclaren-f1-contract-new-long-term-deal/
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-new-mclaren-f1-deal-red-bull-speculation/
Never understand all these long term deals.
What happens if a title contender seat becomes available?
Remember Mick Doohan, only signing single year deals, so he knew most teams on the grid would welcome him and then he could pick the best bike on the grid.
I would imagine (hope!) that a driver such as Norris would have sufficient leverage to insert various "get out" clauses in any contract if he wanted them. In his case, I suspect he holds more aces than McLaren...
LeClerc seems to have signed an open ended deal with Ferrari too.
Still some big names out of contract at the end of this season so I imagine they are being nailed down early or drivers don’t want to be left out and have to downgrade.
No idea what Red Bull will do if Checo, Ricciardo and Tsunoda are all a bit lame this season.
No idea what Red Bull will do if Checo, Ricciardo and Tsunoda are all a bit lame this season.
Ask Lawson to do it. He started pretty well.last year...
Daytona was epic! What a race 🥳
A great article here for those of us with rose-tinted F1 specs! Personally I loved the pre-qualifying, added an extra will-they-won't-they element to the weekend. And some iconic and beautiful looking cars too!...
Is it just me or do those 1989 cars look fantastic? Possibly helped by the colour schemes and fewer sponsors?
Is it just me or do those 1989 cars look fantastic? Possibly helped by the colour schemes and fewer sponsors?
And much simpler aerodynamic surfaces.
Is it just me or do those 1989 cars look fantastic? Possibly helped by the colour schemes and fewer sponsors?
Golden era of F1 for me. Even the Onyx is a great looking car...
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That Onyx looks like those carboard models where you fold flap and iand insert tab J, so simple and flat
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Side view is better - just look how tiny they are! I've got JJ Lehto's signatures knocking about somewhere too from when he was in F3.
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Not much of a surprise here...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-rejects-andretti-entry-door-open-2028-cadillac/10571060/
Liberty really are a bunch of tw.....s!
So Andretti will be buying Haas or Alpine then or all those staff they've poached will be going back to their old teams cap in hand.
I found this bit a bit strange...
4. Having had the opportunity to consider the Applicant’s responses together with our own deliberations, we subsequently wrote to the Applicant on 12 December 2023 extending an invitation to an in-person meeting at our offices in order for the Applicant to present its application, but the Applicant did not take us up on this offer.
****s sake
It's all weird - Andretti were posting pics of a car already in the wind-tunnel yesterday.
Seems about par for the course. They seem to be able to pick the wrong answer to just about everything if offered a choice. Given that it's long been a FOM strategy to increase its fan base and presence in the USA off the back of the wildly successful Netflix series, refusing an entry by a legitimately US-owned and operated team seems a tad short-sighted.
God I'm so ticked off with the direction of F1 lately. I really hope this decision backfires spectacularly for FOM.
Reading the decision in full it's a proper full-on and wave them about two-fingers up to Andretti.
Didn't make it as a driver in F1, now it seems team ownership is out of reach too.
Speaking of lovely looking racing cars.
Well after yesterdays Andretti news - Twitter is full of Lewis to Ferrari for 2025 chat.
To be announced in the next couple of days if the rumours are true.
Bet Lando is looking at his exit clause now a Merc drive may be up for grabs! 🙂
Speaking of lovely looking racing cars.
I think its an age thing, those 60's cars do nothing for me.
Twitter is full of Lewis to Ferrari for 2025 chat.
Cat, have you met the Pidgeons?
The gossip mongers of F1 websites Planet F1 are now reporting it, but it's also coming from respected F1 journo's too...
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-sensational-f1-2025-move
it’s also coming from respected F1 journo’s too…
Which "respected" journos?
From twitter...
Will Buxton, Adam Cooper, Fastest Pitstop... and more who I can't be arsed to trawl through.
Hmmm, Cooper is a decent journo. Maybe there is something to it.
I know I'm going on about this but I really want to see Lewis in a Ferrari! 🙂
Timing makes sense to...
• Do 2025 in the team to get used to the way they work ready for reg changes in 2026.
• Same would apply to Sainz as he could get his feet under the table at Audi for a year pre their 2026 entry (who are reportedly after him).
And Lewis has either...
• Driven the W15 in the sim and it's a monster allowing him to win a 9th WDC and leave on a high.
• Or he's driven the W15 in the sim and it's a dog and can't see much point in staying anymore.
• And 2026 is all change again anyway - so why not!?
Could be a dead cat to distract from the Andretti story
I don't think the Andretti story is going away anytime soon. They have said they are still working on the F1 project. That will end in court as they've already been given an approved entry by the rule-makers (FIA), it's the money-men who are throwing their toys out of the pram.
Autosport now reporting the rumour, again they are usually fairly reliable
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/hamilton-set-to-make-shock-switch-to-ferrari-in-f1-2025/10571253/
2026 is all change again anyway – so why not!?
This comes up every year. It's not impossible that this year is different, but Ferrari already have Charles, who is spectacularly fast, and Carlos who is decently fast and very consistent. Would Lewis improve the team or just end up disrupting things?
Lewis has been at Merc a long time and they seem to get along well. Yes, he's frustrated about the car but James Allison is back in charge of the technical team and the Ferrari hasn't really been much better. Jumping ship to a team that is no better than Merc is a big risk.
Would Lewis improve the team or just end up disrupting things?
I don't think Lewis is a disruptor. He's not Alonso! 🙂
Jumping ship to a team that is no better than Merc is a big risk.
...which is what was when he left McLaren.
And re the Andretti story being buried!...
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-statement-response-f1-andretti-rejection
I don’t think Lewis is a disruptor. He’s not Alonso!
No, but Leclerc isn't as compliant as Bottas was. He will do everything he can to retain his number 1 status within the team.
As a former mad F1 fan, the current sport leaves me cold. I really don't know what the fascination with it is. Is it out of habit? Is it the only motorsport people are aware of?
There's loads of great series out there, that blow F1 out of the water for action, entertainment.
I've often thought F1 & Road cycling are two peas in a pod; hoover up all the coverage & interest, whereas all the other series are far better to watch/ follow......
and the Ferrari hasn’t really been much better.
Given that they were the only team other than RB to win a race last year, that's 100% better than his current team.
wipperman95
Free MemberAs a former mad F1 fan, the current sport leaves me cold. I really don’t know what the fascination with it is. Is it out of habit? Is it the only motorsport people are aware of?
There’s loads of great series out there, that blow F1 out of the water for action, entertainment.
I’ve often thought F1 & Road cycling are two peas in a pod; hoover up all the coverage & interest, whereas all the other series are far better to watch/ follow……
we know it's shit and we don't care
As a former mad F1 fan, the current sport leaves me cold. I really don’t know what the fascination with it is. Is it out of habit? Is it the only motorsport people are aware of?
It's just like any top-line sport - it creates the headlines. Like being a fan of Man City but still supporting the local non-league club. Just because you follow one doesn't mean you don't watch other elements of the sport.
I'm really looking forward to WEC this year and follow WRC highlights on ITV4. I used to go to race meeting a lot but got out of the habit and things like BTCC don't have the same draw as they used to for me.
WRC isn't going well though with only 3 manufacturers and reports Rally1 will be dropped as soon as 2025.
https://www.motorsport.com/wrc/news/analysis-wrc-teams-weigh-in-on-rally2-replacing-rally1-debate/10568210/
I've watched F1 since the 1970s and it is a hard habit to break! 🙂
Sky Sports confirming
Yep - mainstream sites are getting on board now!... 😱
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-agrees-to-shock-ferrari-f1-move-for-2025/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68163799
Speaking of lovely looking racing cars.
I think its an age thing, those 60’s cars do nothing for me.
You are right of course. It's like the Beatles. If you weren't there at the time you wouldn't appreciate the massive shift from the previous accepted norm that they represented.
Well, that and the fact that Jim Clark was my childhood hero.
This shows why its unwise for anyone to have signed a long term contract.
There was always a Mercedes seat up for grabs in the short term.
Really hope that they promote Albon out of the Williams
Sky Sports confirming
They are confirming that unnamed people have said that an agreement has been reached. Until Ferrari and Hamilton confirm it, it's still a rumour.
If Sainz is now spare, Mercedes will surely go him
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is Mercedes new Lewis...
https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/drivers/junior-driver/andrea-kimi-antonelli
...Albon to Merc - Antonelli to Williams for a couple of seasons?
Sainz is off to Audi.
Am I the last person on earth to finally notice that 4 inside Lando's logo? 🙄
Am I the last person on earth to finally notice that 4 inside Lando’s logo?
Nope, definitely not the last.
I don't even associate him with a specific number! So never twigged either.
The only F1 numbers worth having are 1, Red 5 and 27*! 🙂
(*but only on a Ferrari!)
thepurist
Full MemberAm I the last person on earth to finally notice that 4 inside Lando’s logo? 🙄
Yeah it's clever, I like the 63 in George's GR logo as well.
See there's now rumours floating about on twitter and some of the outlets that the reason it hasn't been formally announced yet is because Ferrari are trying to get Lewis in the drivers seat for this season.
Be mental if it was true but would feel quite badly for Carlos, he's been nothing but a solid driver for Ferrari.
Just been on the radio that "apparently" the Merc factory staff have been told that he's off at the end of the season.
Not April 1st is it?
This is somewhat unexpected!
Being hinted at on The-Race too...
...if he does move this season that really hints that the W15 is a dog and he's been sold a lie by Mercedes.
I hope Carlos has actually signed that Audi deal as he's just lost a chunk of his leverage...
I bet Albon has Toto on speed dial on his phone
Confirmed! Wow!
Why announce it now and not later in the season?
Not sure I get the logic behind that.
Ferrari’s share price has rockected today too!! Going to to be selling a lot of merch soon!! 🤣🤣
Why announce it now and not later in the season?
It seems to have happened very quick - I’m still betting Lewis drove the new car in the sim and as soon he was outside he was on the phone to Fred. It’ll be the same as the last two seasons for Merc.
IMO of course.
So, who to Mercedes then?
Albon? Sainz?
IIRC Norris and Piastri are both under contract, and would they want to move anyway?
De Vries could have had the job if it happened last year while he was still sought-after.
Who else would Merc want, and that would want them? I think Ocon still has ties there, he's decent enough but probably not the top notch driver they would want
I reckon Ocon, then possibly Albon , but he still has red bull support so less likely, but not Sainz - he’ll go to Audi…
I can see why Lewis made the move. Every driver wants to race for Ferrari at some point (As Sebastian Vettel once said, who doesn't love Ferrari?) and seeing as the car is more competitive than the mercedes at the moment it's a safe bet as long as Ferrari get their race strategy sorted, the fact the decision was made this soon implies that this year's Merc W15 hasn't improved much on the W14.
Lewis has always made it clear he'd love to race for Ferrari at some point, plus his hero Ayrton Senna was planning to finish his career with Ferrari so I think he is trying to follow Senna's footsteps.
Imagine winning an 8th championship with Ferrari and then retiring, it'd be the pinnacle to an amazing career.
Not convinced it'll happen but would be great to see.