Formula 1 2021

[Prepuce of Doom 21112]

2 hours ago, wood said:

So it's a lot like Austin then. Good to know!

You know more of the ins and outs and whathaveyous, but I would go so far as to say that Austin ain't got shit on Miami when it comes to graft-driven incompetence. I expect orders of magnitude more fuckery and bullshit out of Miami - like Fyre Festival meets the Marlins Stadium Deal.

A small slice of the overall fiasco is highlighted in the screencap below. 

[VABuckeye 2472]

[Burt Macklin 19095]

22 hours ago, VABuckeye said:

McLaren made a mistake not putting Norris on mediums.  Ferrari was very strong today. The race for third in Construtors will be fun this year.  Riccardio did Norris no favors by not defending Hamilton better. I thought Russell and Bottas both made mistakes in that incident. 
 

I hate the ability to unlap under red.  Those guys were fairly lapped.  Bullshit that they get a get out of jail free card to get back into the race. 

LeClerc was probably the most screwed by the red flag. He was in second with a 20-30s lead on 3rd, then lost his spot right at the restart and dropped to Hamilton later. With no red flag, LeClerc gets second pretty easily. 

On 4/18/2021 at 9:26 AM, Jive Turkey said:

I’m leaning towards Bottas being in the wrong. 

I'm no F1 expert, but it seems like it was more on Russell. He tried for a pretty risky pass on a wet track. Bottas was ahead and following the dry racing line while leaving a car's width.  

[wood 11574]

1 hour ago, Burt Macklin said:

LeClerc was probably the most screwed by the red flag. He was in second with a 20-30s lead on 3rd, then lost his spot right at the restart and dropped to Hamilton later. With no red flag, LeClerc gets second pretty easily. 

I'm no F1 expert, but it seems like it was more on Russell. He tried for a pretty risky pass on a wet track. Bottas was ahead and following the dry racing line while leaving a car's width.  

That's what I thought at first, but the more I saw the replays, the more apparent it became that Bottas jinked to the right a bit in reaction to George. That set the whole thing off imho.

[wood 11574]

 

[utee94 15878]

40 minutes ago, wood said:

That's what I thought at first, but the more I saw the replays, the more apparent it became that Bottas jinked to the right a bit in reaction to George. That set the whole thing off imho.

Agree.  At first I thought it was mostly on George, but after watching and thinking about it, and listening to the way each driver described it, I definitely see Bottas' veer to the right and that is precisely what put George into the grass-- everything beyond that was simply physics on a wet track, which is precisely why that veer to the right was dangerous and shouldn't have happened.

 

[wood 11574]

2 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Agree.  At first I thought it was mostly on George, but after watching and thinking about it, and listening to the way each driver described it, I definitely see Bottas' veer to the right and that is precisely what put George into the grass-- everything beyond that was simply physics on a wet track, which is precisely why that veer to the right was dangerous and shouldn't have happened.

 

Yep. I'd also say that would be dangerous there even in the dry. 

[Anton Chigurh 3321]

I'm no F1 expert, but it seems like it was more on Russell. He tried for a pretty risky pass on a wet track. Bottas was ahead and following the dry racing line while leaving a car's width.  

Nope, you pretty much got it. The stewards’ ruling said as much (though it was still a racing incident of course).

[Anton Chigurh 3321]

Merc doing one of their tests for the 18” wheels next year. I don’t mind them, but I wish they were not going to have the goofy aero covers.

[utee94 15878]

Wheels and tires should go back to this:

 

 

[UnivTex34 1763]

Where the Ferrari fanbois at? Love the new logo! 

 

[XYZ 2154]

The horse is like WTF?

[wood 11574]

Stroll never gave the position back. Stewards never recommended or even noted the infraction. Stroll later got a 5 second penalty that didn't affect his position, likely after AT complained. 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by wood

[utee94 15878]

20 hours ago, UnivTex34 said:

Where the Ferrari fanbois at? Love the new logo! 

 

I'm one of the Ferrari fanbois.  @texasdago is another.  Not sure if we have more than two?

Been pretty rough being Tifosi in recent years, but the 4,5 finish last weekend was at least somewhat promising.

[wood 11574]

My bad. Stroll was demoted after the race from P7 to P8. Too bad it took until after the race for anything to be done about it. Surely AT complained during the race as well.

[wood 11574]

Zak Brown believes IMS deserving of Formula 1 expansion, proposes partnership with COTA
https://cm.indystar.com/comment/?storyUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmotor%2F2021%2F04%2F21%2Fmclarens-zak-brown-ims-cota-second-us-f-1-race%2F7280349002%2F&marketName=indystar&commentsopen=false

Quote

 

F1’s contract with COTA is set to end with this year’s fall race, after hosting an annual event since 2012, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic. There is considerable speculation that the event may not return, with venues like Las Vegas or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway thrown around as alternatives.

Brown has a different idea entirely, to help keep a second U.S. event fresh while lessening the financial burden on hosting a race.
 
“I’ve voiced my opinion (to Stefano) that I think Indianapolis should have a Grand Prix. I think I’d like to see in America three Grand Prixes, but the schedule may not allow for three,” Brown said. “I’d like to see one permanent one, and then maybe a rotation. Then, you get three markets, and you keep the enthusiasm and the excitement if you have a little bit more scarcity.
 
“I think Miami needs to run on an annual basis ... but now that (COTA) has been built, I don’t know if it needs it every year. And Indianapolis, because it’s built, I don’t think it needs it every year. So I could see a scenario where you went to Miami, and you rotated Austin and Indy.
 
“I think it’d be great. I think everyone wins.”

 

 

Quote

 

Additionally, Ecclestone was said to be disappointed with the promotion of the race at IMS, frustrated that it ended with just a couple billboards around Indy.

“I think he even said he saw some other racing billboards still up for other racing series,” Brown added. “I think you’ve got to work a little bit harder because the fans have so many different opportunities for entertainment.

 

Interesting that he brings up the promotion angle, because he could just as easily be describing COTA here.
 

Quote

COTA chairman Bobby Epstein, understandably, sees his track based just outside Austin, Texas as the savior of F1 attention in the U.S. “I think it’s right to say F1 wouldn’t exist in the U.S. right now if we hadn’t built a home for it here at COTA,” he told ESPN in 2019.

Epstein likes to say this, but the truth is that COTA was built because Bernie granted USGP rights to Tavo Hellmund. Had Hellmund not secured those F1 rights in America, COTA would not exist - not the other way around.

 

Quote

Since late-2019, Penske bought IMS and brought IndyCar back to COTA for the 2020 open test. But that would be the last time America’s premier open-wheel racing series would visit the track, with both sides agreeing to cancel the 2020 race amidst the pandemic. COTA was left off IndyCar’s 2021 schedule, adding the NASCAR Cup Series event, essentially, in its place.

COTA didn't add NASCAR. Texas Motor Speedway owner SMI did. They're renting the track from COTA for the weekend and are the promoter for the race, not COTA.

Edited April 21, 2021 by wood

[wood 11574]

Sorry, wrong link. Here's the right one: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2021/04/21/mclarens-zak-brown-ims-cota-second-us-f-1-race/7280349002/

[utee94 15878]

3 hours ago, wood said:

 

 

COTA didn't add NASCAR. Texas Motor Speedway owner SMI did. They're renting the track from COTA for the weekend and are the promoter for the race, not COTA.

I gotta say I'm pretty disappointed in the lack of promotion for the NASCAR race, as well.  Seems like any other race at COTA in recent years.  Little enthusiasm, nonexistent promotion.

I hoped for better, if Epstein and COTA were removed from the equation, but it's just more of the same.

[PittsburghTiger 6239]

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a36177866/get-banned-from-racing-15-years-by-fia/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_aut&utm_medium=email&date=042121&utm_campaign=nl23602305&utm_term=AAA -- High Minus Dormant and 90 Day Non Openers

This guy's window for Formula 1 just closed. But, at 23-years old I'd say it already was closed. He just put the final nail in the coffin.

 

That was after he did this:

Looks like he has placed himself on a lifetime ban.

 

[Fastbreak 3996]

https://youtu.be/SZM_5UGpURA
 

100% Russell’s fault. 

[wood 11574]

7 hours ago, PittsburghTiger said:

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a36177866/get-banned-from-racing-15-years-by-fia/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_aut&utm_medium=email&date=042121&utm_campaign=nl23602305&utm_term=AAA -- High Minus Dormant and 90 Day Non Openers

This guy's window for Formula 1 just closed. But, at 23-years old I'd say it already was closed. He just put the final nail in the coffin.

 

That was after he did this:

Looks like he has placed himself on a lifetime ban.

 

That happened last year. He was given a 15 year ban. Still in karts at 23, he wasn't headed for F1. He was in a pro level of karting though, and now that's done for a while. He beat Callum Ilott, Lance Stroll, and Alex Palou in the 2012 KF3 World Cup.

His dad owns the track, where they just stood around and watched it go down. He joined in on the beating and kicking, kicking the guy in the balls a couple of times, and was apparently drunk as well. Dad and the circuit have also had their licenses suspended.

[PittsburghTiger 6239]

41 minutes ago, wood said:

That happened last year. He was given a 15 year ban. Still in karts at 23, he wasn't headed for F1. He was in a pro level of karting though, and now that's done for a while. He beat Callum Ilott, Lance Stroll, and Alex Palou in the 2012 KF3 World Cup.

His dad owns the track, where they just stood around and watched it go down. He joined in on the beating and kicking, kicking the guy in the balls a couple of times, and was apparently drunk as well. Dad and the circuit have also had their licenses suspended.

Oops, I didn't notice that was last year.

[wood 11574]

10 minutes ago, PittsburghTiger said:

Oops, I didn't notice that was last year.

NBD. It's popped back up in the last day or two because the 'sentence' was just handed down. 

[atomheartbevo 90041]

Racing equivalent of fucking around and finding out?

[wood 11574]

Not F1, but I thought y'all might enjoy this little doc I found on Prime, esp with no MotoGP 'round these parts for a while.

https://www.amazon.com/s/browse?filterId=OFFER_FILTER%3DPRIME&node=2858778011&ref_=nav_em__aiv_piv_0_2_2_3

Good to see a young #69 there, too.

[faps 809]

Wood, any thoughts on this sprint race quali thing they are proposing?

I like the knockout qualifying as it is, but maybe there is something I am missing.

[wood 11574]

11 minutes ago, faps said:

Wood, any thoughts on this sprint race quali thing they are proposing?

I like the knockout qualifying as it is, but maybe there is something I am missing.

Man, I just don't know what to think about it or even what they're hoping to get out of it. Hopefully, I'll be pleasantly surprised, but I don't see any value in it. One good thing thing that might come of it imho is less predictability on Sunday stemming from possibly more tire strategy variability ... but I'm still trying to fully get my head around all of that as well. 

I'm a big fan of the format as it is.

Edited April 27, 2021 by wood

[TonyTexas 10567]

8 minutes ago, faps said:

Wood, any thoughts on this sprint race quali thing they are proposing?

I like the knockout qualifying as it is, but maybe there is something I am missing.

It’s a fun idea and could shake up the grid. But I don’t like that they are awarding points for win, place and show. 

[wood 11574]

BTW, Hornfan representin' at Laguna about an hour into that doc. Which one of y'all is that?

[Anton Chigurh 3321]

The SQ is a farce.

It will remove tire parity, as well as essentially put the cars in their natural order for the main event, even if they qualify further down the grid originally.

[wood 11574]

41 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

 essentially put the cars in their natural order for the main event, even if they qualify further down the grid originally.

Yeah it's basically like adding laps and starting the race a day early, with an overnight break and a standing restart the following day.

Edited April 27, 2021 by wood

[Paper_jam 838]

After qualifying for each race is finished, F1 should roll a D20. If this "Chaos Roll" comes up 13, they invert the field for the race start.

 

[wood 11574]

 

[ChickenSandwich 9856]

Interesting objections mentioned by all. First reaction was positive. Love qualifying. Get that on Friday instead of two somewhat boring practice sessions. 
get a race on Saturday and a race on Sunday. Looks good on paper. 

[wood 11574]

Sadly, the 2021 Canadian Grand Prix has been cancelled. Good news though, as their contract has been renewed through 2031:

Formule 1 | Le Grand Prix du Canada annulé https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/course-automobile/2021-04-28/formule-1/le-grand-prix-du-canada-annule.php

Edited April 28, 2021 by wood

[wood 11574]

COTA USGP tickets went on sale yesterday. Just finished looking at the ticket page. Trying to figure out why they'd choose to get rid of the Turn 4 bleachers.

[faps 809]

Try to force everyone into the main or turn 12/15 grandstands?

I personally liked the turn 10 bleachers when those were a thing.

Edited April 28, 2021 by faps

[wood 11574]

16 minutes ago, faps said:

Try to force everyone into the main or turn 12/15 grandstands?

I personally liked the turn 10 bleachers when those were a thing.

They're still a thing (T9-10). Did you mean 11? There were 3 big bleachers down there that seated like 13,000 people. T11 is very underrated.

Edited April 28, 2021 by wood

[utee94 15878]

17 minutes ago, wood said:

They're still a thing (T9-10). Did you mean 11? There were 3 big bleachers down there that seated like 13,000 people. T11 is very underrated.

Yup.  I like to wander the track all day on Friday and Saturday.  I'll sit in my normal seats at T15 for the F1 race itself, but the rest of the weekend I'm all over the track for the various practice and qualy sessions and support races.  I think Turn 11 is going to be fun for the NASCAR races, it'll be interesting to see how much they try to outbrake each other there, and rub on their way through.

[wood 11574]

 

[wood 11574]

To the surprise of exactly nobody who was paying attention...

Fear of rules change led Mercedes to run dominant 2014 engine in “idle mode” https://www.racefans.net/2021/04/28/fear-of-rules-change-led-mercedes-to-run-dominant-2014-engine-in-idle-mode/

[wood 11574]

So, not news, per se ... but what if Andretti were seriously looking to buy an F1 team?

Edited April 28, 2021 by wood

[texasdago 7589]

On 4/21/2021 at 8:32 AM, utee94 said:

I'm one of the Ferrari fanbois.  @texasdago is another.  Not sure if we have more than two?

Been pretty rough being Tifosi in recent years, but the 4,5 finish last weekend was at least somewhat promising.

Ooofff... I love blipshift but I'll be passing on that one.  Been a rough handful of years.  At least I can lean on my Valentine Rossi fandom... oh wait!? 

[Lidig8r 1880]

36 minutes ago, wood said:

So, not news, per se ... but what if Andretti were seriously looking to buy an F1 team?

Have them take over Haas. It would only cost them a wooden nickel and a night of passion with South Austin's mom.

Fuckin' Haas. The aggy of F1.

[wood 11574]

1 minute ago, Lidig8r said:

Have them take over Haas. It would only cost them a wooden nickel and a night of passion with South Austin's mom.

Fuckin' Haas. The aggy of F1.

Yep. But they also wouldn't get much in terms of an operation, tech, etc. They outsource everything. For example I was told Haas only actually has a staff of about 100 people. The next smallest staff in F1 is over 400.

Alpha Tauri would be my bet, with Sauber next. But really AT. Honda ties fit with Andretti Honda ties. Italian based team, etc.

[Anton Chigurh 3321]

A) I don’t think RB would let AT go.

B) I’m not sure that Andretti wants to spend that much (do they even have that much to spend?). Buying a team costs quite a bit to start with, and even at a $145m cap budget, that’s the cost of like 10-15 full season Indycars.

[wood 11574]

26 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

A) I don’t think RB would let AT go.

B) I’m not sure that Andretti wants to spend that much (do they even have that much to spend?). Buying a team costs quite a bit to start with, and even at a $145m cap budget, that’s the cost of like 10-15 full season Indycars.

I thought I'd been hearing RBR were more open than ever to the idea of unloading AT. Re: the money, iirc Andretti started a new SPAC recently, for automotive acquisitions.

[wood 11574]

Billy Joel headlining USGP Saturday.

[lateshow 1309]

Just checking out this thread after becoming addicted to the Formula 1 series on Netflix. Who is everyone's favorite team/driver?

[utee94 15878]

32 minutes ago, wood said:

Billy Joel headlining USGP Saturday.

Yup, saw that this morning.  I've never seen him live, I'm looking forward to it.

5 minutes ago, lateshow said:

Just checking out this thread after becoming addicted to the Formula 1 series on Netflix. Who is everyone's favorite team/driver?

Favorite team since I was a little kid, is Ferrari.

My favorite drivers are Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo.

And as a Michael Schumacher fan, I'm watching Mick with interest, although he's on a terrible, terrible team.