Motorsports Formula 1 Discussion

[Karan]

3 hours ago, Marc said:

Actually that might be my favorite so far.  By a big margin.  

 

The pink version is giving me flashbacks of the Racing Point/Force India and looks like Pepto Bismol. But I loved the blue of the Alpine last year and it works well with the pink. Thankfully the all pink version will only be for the first 2 races. 

[Karan]

God, these new cars look even sexier on track with their bodylines. Although it's going to take me a while to adjust to that high front nose.

 

 

[Marc]

47 minutes ago, Karan said:

 

The pink version is giving me flashbacks of the Racing Point/Force India and looks like Pepto Bismol. But I loved the blue of the Alpine last year and it works well with the pink. Thankfully the all pink version will only be for the first 2 races. 

I got used to the force India and begun to like it just as they changed.  The pink and blue is terrific, looks modern to me for some reason.  I’m sure I’ll like more of them on track, in the sunshine.   

[Karan]

First day of 2022 winter testing now in the books. No conclusions to draw based on the times due to all the varying fuel/engine loads, programs etc. But definitely saw some very innovative designs out there particularly by Red Bull which raised a few eyebrows. Haas still struggling to put any meaningful mileage together 

 

 

[Morphinity 2.0]

If Haas has another pitiful season (i.e. 0 points) after spending all the time they did on this year's car, they should just fold up. 

[Karan]

53 minutes ago, Morphinity said:

If Haas has another pitiful season (i.e. 0 points) after spending all the time they did on this year's car, they should just fold up. 

 

They spent all 2021 working on the 2022 car and basically ran with an adapted 2020 car. If after all that effort they're still not able to consistently match Alfa Romeo/Williams and score a few points finishes this season, that would be a disaster. Hopefully it's another solid learning year for Mick though and he finds himself a better seat for 2023. I was reasonably impressed with his speed (granted against Mazepin, but still) and steady race craft. 

[Karan]

Vettel leading the charge on drivers speaking out against the Russian GP going ahead. At this rate I would be very surprised if the event happens. While I usually admire Seb on his proactive nature on human rights issues, feel like he may want to tone down being publicly critical of Putin after we saw what happened with Bread last year. 

 

 

[Karan]

Jezza making his thoughts on Mazepin known clearly. 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by Karan

[Karan]

Mazepin's dad was one of the 37 representatives from Russian businesses that personally met with Putin the other day to discuss the EU sanctions. Apparently he's been known to be balls deep in Putin's regime and his company is on the US black list.

As reported by a Russian State agency. Google translate if you don't speak Russian. He is listed about half way down.

https://tass.ru/ekonomika/13846883

 

Looks like Haas are already stripping all Uralkali sponsorship from heir cars and will run tomorrow in plain white livery. Although I wonder how this will affect the team's financial health since they were a majority backer. 

[Marc]

Alpine
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaiCYiiPekg/?utm_medium=copy_link

[4EverRangerFrank]

Wow - I go away for a couple of weeks and miss all of the conversation about F1's decision debacle. Sifting through the lengthy commentary, I found plenty of good nuggets being stated. Not wishing to revive the debate further, my 2-cents opinion comes down to this previously stated comment, "Proper timing to re-start the race to avoid having the WC decided under a SC." Watching the end of the race unfold, I was thinking the exact same thought. "Clear that car and finish this while racing!!!!!" It seemed like a lifetime to get that car moved.

 

New cars are sexy! 

 

I never finished last season's NETFLIX series and am binging it before the next release. Despite F1 critics calling is 'contrived drama,' I'm listening closely for what is being said and the facial expressions of the delivery. The race broadcast rarely, if ever, touches even a minute detail of all the behind the scenes opinions, actions and politics of the sport. My sense gained from watching the team bosses is that one wouldn't want to be on the opposite side of an argument or action from any of them. They are all tough-ass, no nonsense managers playing hardball every second while fighting for every millisecond. It's surreal getting caught up in the moment of a hard charging drive, watching and listening to the action from the cockpit view when a radio transmission says, "Give it everything." To me at least, the heightened danger of pushing your driver beyond the limit he is currently driving at shows...at that moment...the seemingly total disregard for safety and life. I love the sport and am genuinely fearful for these guy's lives. Maybe it's just the 'pussy' in me, or my innate fear of serious injury that kept me from being a great motorcycle racer. (I have a few trophies but none are first place.)

 

I'm disappointed that I cannot get 2 tickets to Montreal this season. Everything at all price levels is completely sold out except for 'standing room' areas around the base of the stands in a couple of areas. Not my idea of a fun race weekend to take my son to see his first F1 event. I'll check StuHub, etc. again in a couple of months.

 

I'm psyched to get the season under way and hope we get to see plenty of people on the podium.

[Karan]

Wow I guess this is pretty definitive...

 

 

[4EverRangerFrank]

Interesting that it's terminated rather than suspended.

[4EverRangerFrank]

Domenicali: Drive to Survive has to add value for F1 to continue

 

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that the Netflix series Drive to Survive will have to continue to add value to the sport in order to be extended into future years.

 

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/domenicali-drive-to-survive-has-to-add-value-for-f1-to-continue/8688545/

[4EverRangerFrank]

I get the Netflix criticism. I also appreciate hearing it from the horse’s mouth. Fans are getting lots of intel and info from this series albeit retrospective. I like it. 

[Marc]

I really enjoyed the first season.  I zoned out on the second and third, I would put it on and found it a bit tedious and repetitive.  

Edited March 5, 2022 by Marc

[Karan]

Haas officially part ways with Mazepin and Uralkali, thank God. Now hopefully they'll be able to get a more credible driver in that seat.

 

 

[4EverRangerFrank]

Fittipaldi is the 'temporary' fix at Haas

 

Fittipaldi is Haas’ official reserve driver, and was famously called up by the team for the final two races of the 2020 season after Romain Grosjean suffered injuries in his fiery crash at that year's Bahrain Grand Prix.

But while team boss Haas has said Fittipaldi will be drafted in for the Bahrain test, he is mindful about the need for a potentially more experienced driver for the bulk of the new campaign.

Speaking to Associated Press, Haas said the only decision that had been made right now was that Fittipaldi would be in for the test.

“We’re in the process of looking at several candidates, we’ll see who is available and what we have to deal with, but we’ll have somebody by Wednesday,” Haas was quoted as saying.

“Pietro will definitely be in it, that’s what he’s for, he’s the test driver.”

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

On 3/4/2022 at 11:32 AM, 4EverRangerFrank said:

Domenicali: Drive to Survive has to add value for F1 to continue

 

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that the Netflix series Drive to Survive will have to continue to add value to the sport in order to be extended into future years.

 

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/domenicali-drive-to-survive-has-to-add-value-for-f1-to-continue/8688545/

The Netflix series created a fan in me, and I doubt I'm alone in that. Hopefully that's value enough

[Karan]

I agree, I think it's definitely added a lot of value to the sport so far. Whether it continues to do so, remains to be seen. Obviously as a hardcore F1 fan I don't find it super engaging. Plus a lot of the on-track are dramatized and often shown out of sequence. But I get that they have to employ some creative license in order to make it entertaining for the casual fan. If it was strictly a season recap with talking heads, I doubt it would be as popular. Mainly I love it for all the behind the scenes stuff which we never got to see in F1 during the Ecclestone era as he made the sport so inacccessible for the casual fan. 

Honestly since the advent of DTS, I can't believe the number of people in my personal/work life that have been coming up to me and saying how they started watching the races after checking out DTS e.g. from my barber to my physiotherapist to coworkers, none of whom had ever watched F1 before.

[4EverRangerFrank]

^ADD Team Andretti and an American driver and F1 will increase it's reach in the larger USA sports conversation. R.ight now, the USA F1 fan is definitely in a very small subset

[Karan]

2 hours ago, 4EverRangerFrank said:

^ADD Team Andretti and an American driver and F1 will increase it's reach in the larger USA sports conversation. R.ight now, the USA F1 fan is definitely in a very small subset

 

Yeah totally. F1 really needs an American driver in the mix. Unfortunately, Haas F1 never really put much focus on that. But having a Team Andretti on the grid would be perfect. I always thought 20 cars was a bit too light. 22-24 cars would be perfect. And if they bring someone like Colton Herta, a talented hotshot driver like him, could really explode the fanbase in the US even further.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Karan

[Morphinity 2.0]

2 hours ago, Karan said:

I agree, I think it's definitely added a lot of value to the sport so far. Whether it continues to do so, remains to be seen. Obviously as a hardcore F1 fan I don't find it super engaging. Plus a lot of the on-track are dramatized and often shown out of sequence. But I get that they have to employ some creative license in order to make it entertaining for the casual fan. If it was strictly a season recap with talking heads, I doubt it would be as popular. Mainly I love it for all the behind the scenes stuff which we never got to see in F1 during the Ecclestone era as he made the sport so inacccessible for the casual fan. 

Honestly since the advent of DTS, I can't believe the number of people in my personal/work life that have been coming up to me and saying how they started watching the races after checking out DTS e.g. from my barber to my physiotherapist to coworkers, none of whom had ever watched F1 before.

Yeah, I don't really like the series. It's not super exciting to me. 

 

But I'm not really their target audience (not that I would even consider myself a "hardcore" fan).

[4EverRangerFrank]

2 hours ago, Morphinity said:

Yeah, I don't really like the series. It's not super exciting to me. 

 

You know which series I'm not excited about? Formula-e 

 

I went to the Brooklyn race a few years ago and while I was happy to be there, the racing and optics were not great...maybe the Manhattan skyline looked great on TV, but that's a minimal sighting. Formula-e tracks are too narrow and because they are temporary setups on streets or parking lots, there are no hills to speak of - so you cannot get a better vantage point than the stands. We watched the entire race on a huge screen opposite the start-finish area. And the sound is not great but I get it...and the rules about re-charging and 'fan votes,' etc. during the race? Gimmicky to me.

 

I'm not anti-e and I think F1 goes there eventually, it's just not doing much for me at the moment. I used to be a CART fan too, and they've lost me. Maybe it's me? 

[Morphinity 2.0]

2 hours ago, 4EverRangerFrank said:

You know which series I'm not excited about? Formula-e 

 

I went to the Brooklyn race a few years ago and while I was happy to be there, the racing and optics were not great...maybe the Manhattan skyline looked great on TV, but that's a minimal sighting. Formula-e tracks are too narrow and because they are temporary setups on streets or parking lots, there are no hills to speak of - so you cannot get a better vantage point than the stands. We watched the entire race on a huge screen opposite the start-finish area. And the sound is not great but I get it...and the rules about re-charging and 'fan votes,' etc. during the race? Gimmicky to me.

 

I'm not anti-e and I think F1 goes there eventually, it's just not doing much for me at the moment. I used to be a CART fan too, and they've lost me. Maybe it's me? 

Yeah, I wanted to get into Formula E, but it's just... blah. Everything you said about the tracks is true, but it's also missing another one key piece - the sound. Something about the sound of an F1 car just makes me feel alive. Obviously we're a ways away from the V10/V12 era and we're never going back. But even some of the hybrid era engines have a wonderful sound (looking at you Honda). Formula E doesn't have that, among other things.