Formula 1 2024

[PittsburghTiger 6186]

Just now, wood said:

That's really cool. 👍

I wrote about it.  
 

Also did a great interview and story with Andy Pilgrim when he was there for the celebration and the paper didn’t want that story. Stupid

[wood 11225]

Laguna Seca Sued by Rich Neighbors for Being a Race Track

https://www.thedrive.com/news/a-public-nuisance-laguna-secas-neighbors-sue-track-want-it-shut-down

Grrr .... 🤬

Quote

 

The historic track’s neighbors, which primarily consist of subdivisions built around country clubs, want racing shut down forever.

Laguna Seca is the foremost example of a racetrack choked by suburban sprawl. Though the circuit dates back to 1957, the once-secluded track has been hemmed in by noise limits and calendar limitations enacted at the request of local property owners. Now, the complainers are going for the throat by suing to end racing entirely, which might put the track's future in jeopardy.

The track's operations are the subject of a legal complaint filed December 12 with Monterey County by the "Highway 68 Coalition," a group of nearby property owners and residents. The group and its legal representation pull out all the stops to assault Laguna Seca's legality, arguing it doesn't abide by environmental ordnances, that racing isn't allowed by zoning laws or the land use permit, and so on. They claim the circuit is "a public nuisance and has caused and will continue to cause irreparable injury not subject to money damages."

...

 

 

[RPM 26321]

Builds house next to sun. Sues because of heat.

[utee94 15823]

tough shit

But it's California so the neighborhoods will likely win

[G650 14256]

6 hours ago, RPM said:

Builds house next to sun. Sues because of heat.

We go through this is exact thing here in Virginia Beach with NAS Oceana. The airbase has been here for almost a century, people move in, complain about jet noise.

[wood 11225]

2 hours ago, G650 said:

We go through this is exact thing here in Virginia Beach with NAS Oceana. The airbase has been here for almost a century, people move in, complain about jet noise.

Hey I used to live there. My dad ended his 20 years in the Navy while stationed at Oceana, running the USS Nimitz's aviation maintenance shop during its shakedown. It was new at the time.

Remember the nutjobs that used to move in directly across I-35 from Mueller and then throw an endless fit about commercial jet noise? Or the people that would move next to Bergstrom and then complain about the F4s? Yeah, I 'member that. Good times.

Edited January 21 by wood

[G650 14256]

10 minutes ago, wood said:

Hey I used to live there.

Ha, nice. I grew up here under the jets, so it's basically background noise to me. I don't enjoy it by any stretch but it is what it is.

[utee94 15823]

Finally watched the Brawn special on Hulu, it was pretty well done.  I liked when Horner stated that other teams were playing fast and loose with the rules and Keanu called him out and said something like "you all do that."  

 

 

Edited January 21 by utee94

[ConferenceRoom 6141]

3 hours ago, G650 said:

We go through this is exact thing here in Virginia Beach with NAS Oceana. The airbase has been here for almost a century, people move in, complain about jet noise.

Hoping to be out there for the air show September. Need to work out a few kinks in the schedule. 

[G650 14256]

50 minutes ago, ConferenceRoom said:

Hoping to be out there for the air show September. Need to work out a few kinks in the schedule. 

Heck yeah. My office is right at the foot of the 23 runways so we always get a front row seat. Let me know if you make it and want any recs on food and drinks or anything else.

 

We actually laid some drainage across 23L while they operated on 23R, which is maybe 100' away or so. Pretty wild.

[wood 11225]

2 hours ago, G650 said:

Ha, nice. I grew up here under the jets, so it's basically background noise to me. I don't enjoy it by any stretch but it is what it is.

Military brat like me? Born on NAS Pensacola. Then NAS Widby Island. I was a toddler in Poway near San Diego. Navy jets everywhere. Then on to NAS Millington in TN. F4s constantly thundering around. Then Virginia beach. Later lived right next to Mueller when my dad worked there for Texas International (Fly for Peanuts). Later lived on E. Riverside while at UT, about 1985-7, on the side of the hill directly under the F4 landing pattern, and they would go round and round all day.  They'd pass over the hill so low it looked like you coulda hit 'em with a rock. We'd literally pause conversations when we heard them coming, because we couldn't hear each other 10 feet away when they were passing. Something on tv you were trying to hear? Too fucking bad. Then worked for Continental on the IAH ramp with my Dad for a couple of years. For me, jet engine noise and race track noise have always just been the soundtrack of life. /csb

Edited January 21 by wood

[RPM 26321]

5 hours ago, wood said:

For me, jet engine noise and race track noise have always just been the soundtrack of life.

What?

[wood 11225]

LMAO.

Laguna Seca Lawsuit: Homeowners Perplexed as Iconic Race Track Materializes Overnight

https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/laguna-seca-lawsuit-homeowners-perplexed-as-iconic-race-track-materializes-overnight/

Quote

Imagine the shock if, after moving into your home, you discover that a popular and world-renowned race track had materialized overnight in your general vicinity. The horror. You’d rightfully be confused, possibly even enraged at such a happening, and keen to pursue a lawsuit. Believe it or not, this is exactly the phenomenon that unfolded recently. Based on our deepest reporting capabilities, we can find no evidence that WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca ever existed before 2023.

As expected, this sudden and unexpected conjuring has local residents incensed, as the noise and traffic from the venue came out of nowhere and was a shock to those who had moved into the area over the preceding handful of years. Naturally, residents have banded together to get rid of this nuisance that definitely has not been in the same location since 1957. The group, the Highway 68 Coalition, filed suit against Monterey County, which operates the fledgling track, on December 12, 2023, seeking to curtail racing at the venue.

The lawsuit hopes to target the track by calling into question the track’s zoning laws and lack of explicit racing use being in the track’s permits. The County of Monterey owns the track and spent more than $18M renovating the track surface and installing a new bridge over the front straight in 2023. The track is credited with bringing in about a quarter of a billion in local revenue each year, but the Highway 68 Commission makes a good point, noting that they have, “suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury as a result of the continued violation of the Respondents’ zoning laws.”

When reached for comment*, the Highway 68 Coalition was shocked—outraged even—that its mobile phone plan included the possibility of incoming calls.

The appearance of said track, which is suddenly very popular and definitely hasn’t been a staple of the area for almost seven decades, has taken a massive toll on local residents. “I can’t believe it,” said an unnamed real estate agent who recently listed a property just a stone’s throw from the track. “This house sold for $2.5 million seven years ago, long before the race track was there. Today it’s listed for just $4.25 million, we’ll be lucky to sell it for $4.2M.”

It’s almost impossible to imagine such a tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with those unfortunate souls who, through no fault of their own, live just minutes away from the Monterey Car Week festivities.

*We didn’t really call them and don’t much care what those jabronis think.

 

Edited January 23 by wood

[Dutch 4465]

"Why is there racing going on at the 70 year-old race track that I just built my McMansion next to?"

There's a word for such a person:

[G650 14256]

19 minutes ago, Dutch said:

"Why is there racing going on at the 70 year-old race track that I just built my McMansion next to?"

There's a word for such a person:

[faps 806]

Pretty sure Laguna Seca has very strict dB limits for cars too. So they are proactively trying to keep the dumbass homeowners at bay, but still not enough.

 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

I am relatively sure it’s an attempt at a land grab by developers.

[wood 11225]

36 minutes ago, faps said:

Pretty sure Laguna Seca has very strict dB limits for cars too. So they are proactively trying to keep the dumbass homeowners at bay, but still not enough.

 

They do. They have for decades. The only times I've been at Laguna there were cars on the track and you couldn't even hear them from the front entrance 1/2 mile or so away. Standing trackside you could only hear them when they passed by in front of you. Even with cars on the track, it just seemed like a peaceful park. There were even campers in tents right next to T5 and out by the Corkscrew - even though there was no event happening. There were a handful cars on track for private lessons. I'm pretty sure Lance Stroll was out there one of those times.  The track actively monitors the cars and black flags anyone exceeding the noise limits. Guys even use exhaust setups that point only toward the infield. It's rarely loud enough out there for the neighbors to hear the cars. Only during big race weekends and maybe the biggest track days/festivals, from what I hear, and there aren't many of those.

31 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

I am relatively sure it’s an attempt at a land grab by developers.

That was my first thought, too. Sure is purty out there, and only a few miles outside of Monterey!

Edited January 23 by wood

[wood 11225]

Oy ... no RFP yet but they've already announced it. 

Madrid lands Spanish GP from 2026 as Barcelona fights for F1 future
The Formula 1 Spanish GP will move to Madrid in 2026 with a 10-year contract, leaving the rival Barcelona venue fighting to remain on the calendar.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/madrid-lands-spanish-gp-from-2026-as-barcelona-fights-for-f1-future/10568327/?_ga=2.42003171.734413932.1704790774-350596123.1678063326

[Guest]

I haven't been watching long, but never really been that excited by the Catalunya race track.

[utee94 15823]

[Chewbacca 7777]

2 hours ago, wood said:

They do. They have for decades. The only times I've been at Laguna there were cars on the track and you couldn't even hear them from the front entrance 1/2 mile or so away. Standing trackside you could only hear them when they passed by in front of you. Even with cars on the track, it just seemed like a peaceful park. There were even campers in tents right next to T5 and out by the Corkscrew - even though there was no event happening. There were a handful cars on track for private lessons. I'm pretty sure Lance Stroll was out there one of those times.  The track actively monitors the cars and black flags anyone exceeding the noise limits. Guys even use exhaust setups that point only toward the infield. It's rarely loud enough out there for the neighbors to hear the cars. Only during big race weekends and maybe the biggest track days/festivals, from what I hear, and there aren't many of those.

That was my first thought, too. Sure is purty out there, and only a few miles outside of Monterey!

Was Lance getting a private lesson?

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

I haven't been watching long, but never really been that excited by the Catalunya race track.

Sure, but more street courses is exactly the opposite of what F1 needs.

I’d take 5 Catalunyas over this Madrid monstrosity, Miami, Vegas, Baku, and Jeddah.

It also means that places like Spa are going to get axed.

[utee94 15823]

I actually like Baku.  100% on the others.

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

I actually like Baku.  100% on the others.

Tbh I do like it better than say, Singapore. The track isn’t great but it does produce pretty decent racing.

[G650 14256]

20 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

 

 

Sure, but more street courses is exactly the opposite of what F1 needs.

I’d take 5 Catalunyas over this Madrid monstrosity, Miami, Vegas, Baku, and Jeddah.

It also means that places like Spa are going to get axed.

 

 

QFT

[wood 11225]

4 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

Was Lance getting a private lesson?

Yep. Pretty sure we talked to Big Stroll long before we knew who Big Stroll was. He was there watching his investment. Lonnie Pechnik (used to drive for Flying Lizard) was instructing him and 2 or 3 other guys. He didn't know us from Adam, but when Lonnie had a break, he took me and Mrs. Wood (no pics) on a ride around the track. Very cool.

Three or four years later when I did  the Cadillac V-Series event at COTA, they told us to go get into our CTS-V wagons and meet our instructors for the day. I get in and it's none other than Lonnie Pechnik.  /csb

Edited January 24 by wood

[ChickenSandwich 9836]

8 hours ago, wood said:

Oy ... no RFP yet but they've already announced it. 

Madrid lands Spanish GP from 2026 as Barcelona fights for F1 future
The Formula 1 Spanish GP will move to Madrid in 2026 with a 10-year contract, leaving the rival Barcelona venue fighting to remain on the calendar.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/madrid-lands-spanish-gp-from-2026-as-barcelona-fights-for-f1-future/10568327/?_ga=2.42003171.734413932.1704790774-350596123.1678063326

Great. The “premier” racing series in the world that can’t be bothered to race on actual tracks. F1 needs to resist the urge to making the season one long PR event and remember it is a sport. 

[wood 11225]

1 hour ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Great. The “premier” racing series in the world that can’t be bothered to race on actual tracks. F1 needs to resist the urge to making the season one long PR event and remember it is a sport. 

They have zero fucks to give about the soul of the sport. That much has been clear for a while. They're doing what they think will make them the most money. The soul of the sport isn't even a consideration. If they thought putting giant Mickey Mouse ears on the drivers' helmets would lead to making more money, then there would absolutely be giant Mickey Mouse ears on the drivers' helmets.

Remember when people said "It can't get any worse than it is with Bernie?". I 'member. That was cute. As some of us said at the time, 'Be careful what you wish for. It can always be worse'.

[NoName 16351]

17 hours ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I haven't been watching long, but never really been that excited by the Catalunya race track.

the next time i am excited by one of these new "only exists during race week" street tracks will be the first.

[NoName 16351]

Luke Smith at The Athletic:

Smith: With Madrid race, F1’s street-race push reaches a saturation point

Spoiler

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been among the least popular circuits on the Formula One calendar for many years.

Fans were tired of the underwhelming races with limited on-track action. Drivers agreed, lamenting the lack of overtaking opportunities due to the track layout – especially, to quote Lewis Hamilton, the “Mickey Mouse” chicane in the final sector that has since been removed. Given the number of test days Barcelona has hosted through the years, it’s probably the one track they’d have a shot at driving blindfolded.

The at-event experience had also been sorely lacking. Traffic is a recurring issue each year in Barcelona with only two main roads into the circuit — three hours for a 20-minute journey is my personal record — and proved so inadequate in 2022 that F1 warned the promoter to resolve the problems. The same year, fans struggled in 100-degree Fahrenheit heat at the outdated facility, dealing with water shortages (many had bottles confiscated) and cramped trains commuting to the track.

But in the wake of F1’s announcement on Tuesday that the Spanish Grand Prix would be moving to a new track in Madrid from 2026 — one of the paddock’s worst-kept secrets — sparked a change in tune among fans.

It wasn’t so much the potential loss of the Barcelona track itself, more that it may come at the expense of another street circuit, and especially one with a layout some fans on X (formerly Twitter) called “horrible” or compared to a Formula E track.

According to F1, the Madrid track, which will be 5.47km long across 20 corners, will “incorporate both street and non-street sections.” The track map released shows it will pass under a highway and also include a roundabout through its route outside of the main IFEMA exhibition complex, which will presumably be the “non-street” section. Similarities with Miami are inescapable. That track was designed to weave around the Hard Rock Stadium and surrounding parking lots.

Even with the caveat that the track retains some permanent elements, Madrid’s addition to the calendar means there are currently nine street or street-style circuits set to host races in 2026. Madrid will join Jeddah, Melbourne, Miami, Monaco, Montreal, Baku, Singapore and Las Vegas in that category. Over one-third of the calendar would be made up of street tracks.

It has reached a saturation point.

Street races can be great. They pose a totally different challenge compared to the more ‘traditional’ circuit layouts in F1, punishing even the slightest of mistakes and requiring drivers to lean on a very different skill set. Tracks like Baku, Jeddah and Las Vegas have also bucked the trend of street circuits being all about slow-speed performance, throwing in some long straights and high-speed corners to create a thrilling challenge.

Yet the natural hurdles of designing these tracks – roads aren’t exactly movable – and making them practically viable means they are often not conducive to good racing. Street races can sometimes become processional affairs without the incidents or strategy offsets we saw in Singapore and Las Vegas last year.

The proliferation of street tracks on the calendar is also a consequence of Liberty Media’s push for more “destination cities” on the schedule since acquiring the sport in 2017. It wants to take F1’s spectacle to the biggest cities in the world, something achieved with the events in Miami and Las Vegas in particular, helping the bid to crack America. To stage a race along the Las Vegas Strip was a powerful statement for F1 to make. Incorporating the Strip to the track layout was identified early on as an essential aspect of the race, even if it came at the cost of awkward session timings and plenty of disruption for the city.

It remains entirely possible for Liberty to achieve its goal of taking F1 to these major cities to tap into the burgeoning fanbases with permanent circuits, as has been done at Zandvoort. The old-school track was brought up to modern standards while retaining its unique features. A packed program of concerts complements the on-track action and shows at the track, while the short train ride to Amsterdam — destination city, check — gives fans plenty to do around the race. It is now a blueprint for European F1 events.

Grands prix are now so much more than grands prix. In the statement confirming Madrid’s addition to the calendar, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the proposal “truly epitomizes Formula 1’s vision to create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment”. It’s about everything surrounding the on-track action, too. It’s the stage shows, the accessibility, the food options. Promoters are well aware of this and prioritize those seemingly supplementary aspects. F1 wants the Super Bowl vibe of taking over a city 24 times yearly.

But nothing is more critical than F1’s on-track spectacle. If the show on the circuit isn’t exciting or compelling, people will lose interest. When writing about F1’s health in the United States earlier this month, I touched on the importance of a competitive sporting product and the impact of Max Verstappen’s domination. The comments — more than 170 of them — doubled down on that point as being the decisive factor to sustain interest. “If you don’t have competition, you have nothing,” read the most-liked comment.

When Madrid joins the calendar in 2026, F1 may look very different. New regulations will be introduced that year, which could shake up the competitive order. The budget cap will also be into its sixth season, hopefully leveling the differences between the grid’s haves and have-nots. The track around IFEMA, which, at first glance, doesn’t appear to offer many overtaking opportunities, could be a surprise hit among drivers and fans alike.

Even if that is the case, it feels like F1 has reached its ceiling regarding the number of street tracks on the calendar. Drivers love the challenge of old-school circuits, pushing their cars to the limit of their capabilities. They may no longer make tracks like Spa, Silverstone or Suzuka, and new purpose-built facilities are rare. But we can still get close, something proved by the popular Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.

Maintaining the presence of these kinds of circuits on the calendar is essential for F1 to stay in touch with its history and roots. Speaking about Barcelona’s future at last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton said: “We’ve got to make sure we hold on to those, the pillars of what this sport is, in my opinion.”

F1’s senior leaders know the balance they need to strike between old and new. There’s always excitement about going to a new city in the form of Madrid, particularly when Spanish interest is high, thanks to Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz. But the event must carve out its appeal beyond being another street race. Elements such as a banked corner and two tunnel sections planned for the track may help the layout stand out, while the 10-year deal gives time for the event to find its identity.

And the Barcelona race isn’t dead yet. It has a contract through to the end of 2026, meaning two Spanish races are under contract for that year. Domenicali told F1’s official website there were “discussions in place to see if we can really extend our collaboration with Barcelona” beyond that deal. If the event fits F1’s vision for the calendar moving forward, it could stick around.

Would the paddock miss Barcelona? Probably not. But it would miss one of the dwindling number of traditional European tracks on the calendar.

 

 

 

 

[NoName 16351]

also the new AT name is official. it's dumb.

text

Spoiler

The Red Bull-owned Scuderia AlphaTauri Formula One team will be renamed ‘Visa Cash App RB’ for the 2024 season.

The new name was announced on Wednesday as part of a series of changes at Red Bull’s sister team in a bid to lift it up the F1 grid after finishing eighth in last year’s constructors’ standings.

Visa will serve as a global partner to both the senior Red Bull Racing team and Visa Cash App RB as part of a multi-year agreement. It has a number of existing sponsorship deals in place with international tournaments and federations including FIFA, UEFA and the IOC.

Visa Cash App RB will reveal its new look for the 2024 season at a launch event in Las Vegas on Feb. 8 alongside drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, promising a “newly designed Visa and Cash App-inspired car livery”.

“It’s fantastic to reveal the new identity and to welcome new partners as we embark on the next phase of the team’s Formula One story,” said Peter Bayer, the team CEO. “Faenza is entering a new era of racing, staying true to our roots as a hothouse for talent but now with an even greater focus on competing for the biggest prizes in F1.”

Visa and Cash App will also support the Red Bull-linked entries for F1 Academy, the all-women’s racing championship that will feature on F1’s undercard at seven grands prix this year.

Major changes continue at Faenza

The rebrand of the team is the latest in a series of changes for Red Bull’s sister F1 team. It has previously served as a junior squad to develop young drivers before promoting them to the senior Red Bull Racing team, with world champions Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel among its alumni.

But since its shock victory at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix courtesy of Pierre Gasly, the team based in Faenza, Italy has not enjoyed a great deal of success. It failed to finish a race any higher than seventh last year, and only avoided finishing at the foot of the standings thanks to a late-season upswing as it scored 20 of its 25 points in the last five races.

Visa Cash App RB will enter the 2024 campaign under new management after long-serving team principal Franz Tost stepped down at the end of last season. Bayer, who started at the team last July and previously held senior positions at the FIA, will work alongside ex-Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies, who joined as team principal at the start of January.

The team also plans to expand its UK base in Bicester, something it hopes will appeal to more British-based personnel, as well as strengthen its technical ties to the senior Red Bull team.

The return of Ricciardo midway through last season also marked a move away from the team’s approach of always taking on young drivers, instead leaning on the experience of an eight-time Grand Prix winner.

Another name change

Visa Cash App RB is the third different name for the team in the past six seasons.

Red Bull christened the team Toro Rosso when it acquired the minnow Minardi operation ahead of the 2006 season, and rebranded it as AlphaTauri — Red Bull’s in-house fashion line — for 2020.

A new name was teased as early as July last year by Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. In December, the team registered for the 2024 season with the FIA as “Scuderia AlphaTauri RB” and named its chassis “RB”, which was rumored to stand for “Racing Bulls”.

But a premature change of the team’s Instagram handle last week to ‘visacashapprb’ foreshadowed the announcement, retaining “RB” within the name.

It also marks the second major F1 team name change for the 2024 season. Following the expiration of its agreement with Alfa Romeo, Sauber rebranded both its team and its chassis after Stake, the crypto betting company. It will race this year as ‘Stake F1 Team’.

it gets worse, somehow. V-CARB

---

spanish version of the f1 theme from the 2026 announcement. honestly, kind of awesome

 

---

just tacking this on at the very end. dude spent a ton of time breaking down a bunch of different teammates (i assume he will do everyone on the grid) with quali and race pace gaps

https://old.reddit.com/user/Isfahaninejad/submitted/

example, HAM and RUS

quali:

race:

 

Edited January 24 by NoName

[Guest]

V-CARB? My first question was what will commentators call them.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

the next time i am excited by one of these new "only exists during race week" street tracks will be the first.

Just looked at the schedule. There are only 10 tracks in total -- street or dedicated -- that I get excited about:

Bahrain
Japan
Monaco
Austria
Silverstone
Spa
Monza
Azerbaijan
COTA
Interlagos

And Monaco is really only there for the prestige/setting. 

Edited January 24 by FirstTimeCaller

[Mittens 8282]

21 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

V-CARB? My first question was what will commentators call them.

[utee94 15823]

That's gotta be about the worst F1 team name i can recall.  Headed toward NASCAR territory.  What's worse, Visa Cash App, or Goody's Headache Powder?

[elfenix 34240]

faenza team: did visa buy square/cash app?

vred bull is my entry

 

 

madrid:

let's race through a business park, the spanish equivalent of a feeder road, and through a quarry.  sounds like a top gear challenge and so they should do it using spanish cars that they each spent no more than 500€ on

 

 

and the spanish F1 song is amazing. 

Edited January 24 by elfenix

[faps 806]

Won't be the first shitty street circuit in Spain they raced on, Valencia was garbage.

[RiverwalkMiner 247]

I'm pretty sure my  Cardiologist told me my V-CARB score was high on my last set of labs. 

[ConferenceRoom 6141]

I liked Valencia. Maybe just because it had a fun first sector in the games. Maybe too many drugs (unpossible). 

Regarding Red Bull's second team I remember the days of STR and then Toro Rosso was adopted. 

[G650 14256]

8 hours ago, utee94 said:

That's gotta be about the worst F1 team name i can recall.  Headed toward NASCAR territory.  What's worse, Visa Cash App, or Goody's Headache Powder?

Getting Mark Martin Viagra sponsorship vibes

[VABuckeye 2472]

Quote

The at-event experience had also been sorely lacking. Traffic is a recurring issue each year in Barcelona with only two main roads into the circuit — three hours for a 20-minute journey is my personal record — and proved so inadequate in 2022 that F1 warned the promoter to resolve the problems. The same year, fans struggled in 100-degree Fahrenheit heat at the outdated facility, dealing with water shortages (many had bottles confiscated) and cramped trains commuting to the track.

I was at that race. The weather was brutal and the lines for the buses back to Barcelona were 2-3 hours long. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

I've always thought of CashApp as the most ghetto of the digital payment apps. The stuff of strippers and drug dealers. Seems like there will be some good 'shops if CashApp is prominent in the livery.  

[Slacks 6821]

Drug dealers using cashapp?

Sounds like prison. 

[blacklab 11929]

yeah, they cater to and encourage black market transactions.

is it the visa card from cash app? or does Visa have a app called cash?

[Slacks 6821]

2 minutes ago, blacklab said:

yeah, they cater to and encourage black market transactions.

is it the visa card from cash app? or does Visa have a app called cash?

So they document and enable money laundering? This does not sound like a wise long term strategy. 

[blacklab 11929]

Can't find the article I read a while back, but they marketed to non tax paying citizens and scammers, ignoring complaints of scams and allowing people to create hundreds of accounts and completely ignoring banking/KYC laws.

[blacklab 11929]

To answer my own question, both visa and cash app are sponsoring it.

[wood 11225]

10 hours ago, ConferenceRoom said:

I liked Valencia. Maybe just because it had a fun first sector in the games. Maybe too many drugs (unpossible). 

Regarding Red Bull's second team I remember the days of STR and then Toro Rosso was adopted. 

Yeah I thought Valencia was a cool circuit too, and yeah, I'll be calling the team Toro Rosso. 

[wood 11225]

FWIW re: the Madrid circuit, there's a mockup already out on Assetto Corsa and people are saying it has potential. The designer is my boy Jarno Zaffelli, the guy COTA didn't want to hire to fix their track issues, but who fixed Silverstone's bumps, did the recent work at Spa, and a lot of other stuff. So who knows ...

And I know we don't really want more street circuits, but only about 1/4 of it will be on streets. On another board they started an interesting discussion yesterday about many dedicated tracks of today that began as something else. Spa was roads that they closed and raced on, part of which later became a dedicated circuit. Same with Hockenheim. The Nurburgring has always been a public-use toll road. Le Mans/Circuit de la Sarthe started on roads and still uses public roads in areas of the circuit. Bathurst began as a park road built so people could see the great views from Mt. Panorama. Montreal CGV was built on spectator walkways for the 1967 World's Fair. Albert Park is a mix of streets and park roads. Silverstone was access roads around a WW2 airfield. Watkins Glen was area roads and streets, including a RR crossing. Suzuka was (and still is?) a Honda test track. Etc ...

4 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

I've always thought of CashApp as the most ghetto of the digital payment apps. The stuff of strippers and drug dealers. Seems like there will be some good 'shops if CashApp is prominent in the livery.