Formula One

[Cyborg322]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Formula 1 has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix.

The sport's commercial arm, which controls the calendar, has decided racing in the country is impossible following the invasion of Ukraine.

The race in Sochi scheduled for September this year has already been cancelled. There will now no longer be a race in St Petersburg, where it was due to move in 2023.

Everything is being banned even the The Fédération Internationale Féline is feline the pressure
Russia’s Cats Are Now Banned From International Competition and they can't drive or hold an AK

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture...ition-1315925/

[Jimbuna]

I doubt Vladolf Putrid will either know or care.

[mapuc]

The Danish F1 driver Kevin Magnussen has return to HAAS

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/kevi...s-haas-f1-team

Markus

[Threadfin]

Testing is over, and now it kicks off for real.

My analysis of every team at this stage, in order based on where I think they are at the moment

1. Red Bull. Probably a toss-up with Ferrari, but take top spot because they turned the fastest lap, which is the point right? They ran a lot of laps and turned the fastest time, while having few reliability issues. They progressed through their programmes like clockwork, and both drivers impressed. It could hardly have gone better. Red Bull were the most deceptive team in the run-up to the season, essentially hiding everything until the last moment. They sort of did the same by making big design changes overnight Friday. But what they did worked, and the RB18 looks like it has a title challenge in it. Red Bull look relaxed and confident.

2. Ferrari. I'd really put them at 1a, their pre-season has been that good. Even though Red Bull pipped them at the line for fastest lap, there no way to know if any team was running at maximum pace. And like Red Bull, Ferrari had a great testing phase, looking composed and quick. Like every team they suffered from the porpoising, maybe more than most, but seem to have gotten it under control. The F1-75 (75th anniversary) looks great, is quick and seems robust based on the pre-season. Both drivers seem quietly confident, while downplaying any hype. Like Red Bull, their programme could hardly have gone better once the hopping was solved. Ferrari look like genuine title contenders heading in to the first race at Sakhir.

3. Alpha Tauri. The top two spots seemed clear based on results so far. The rest is more muddled. But of those teams, Alpha Tauri seemed to have the best package in terms of pace, reliability and having everything go to plan. My gut tells me they won't be third at the end of the season, but they head in to the first race in good shape. in some ways as Ferrari goes, so goes AT. And those signs are bright. I think Gasly is underrated and set to turn some heads. That is counterbalanced by Tsunoda being the other driver. But all signs are that he is more focused and well aware of what he needs to improve to be a top driver. I wasn't impressed with his driving last year, he struggled to score most of the season. And he is a bit of a hot head. But he's the most refreshing interview in the paddock, and I expect a sharp improvement from him. So everything looks in place for the AT-03 to get a hot start. But can they maintain that as other teams get their acts together?

4. Alpine. Few are talking about Alpine, but they put both cars in the top six on the time sheets on the final day of testing. Both drivers seem optimistic. The A522 sounds great, is obviously quick and was sporting Racing Point's 2020 livery. What can go wrong? Alonso made me eat my words last year, and seems even more confident now. It wouldn't surprise me to see this team as 'best of the rest' come the end of the year. They will be happy about how things have gone so far.

5. Mercedes. They only sit fifth because of all the teams, none seem more off-balance than Merc. There's obviously pace in the W13, but surprisingly, Mercedes have been unable to unlock it. They ended testing with as many questions as answers, and are still suffering from porpoising with testing now over. Both drivers sound concerned, and Merc will start the season on the back foot to a degree. But this is Mercedes, and you don't win eight titles on the bounce unless you can engineer the sh!t out of it. And they looked out of sorts after testing last year too, and went on to win the first race. But because everyone has gotten a do-over, and it looks like the field is compressed as a result, a slow start for Merc would be more difficult to overcome.

6. Haas. Seriously. Haas basically mailed it in last year, declining to upgrade their car and spending all of their resources developing this year's VF-22. It looks to have paid off. The car looks to have genuine pace, and the team will be thrilled at their prospects of fighting for points this year, having finished last at every race last year. At a glance, the disastrous off-track events could seem dibilitating, but I think are a blessing in disguise. If Haas can sort their funding, then replacing Mazepin with Magnussen is a big upgrade. Schumi Jr will look to improve and I think we will be seeing Haas scoring on a regular basis this year.

7. Alfa Romeo. Heading in to Sakhir last year I was saying AR were the grid's most-improved team. That faded quickly and they ran the entire season just out of the points. This season they look better, the C42 has genuine pace based on testing times, although they suffered quite a bit from niggling reliability issues. Bottas shrugged it all off and will be looking to storm out of the gate. Zhou is an unknown, but didn't look out of place or awed by his new situation like Tsunoda and Mazepin did a year ago. If AR can get control over their mechanical reliability I think they will make some noise this year.

8. McLaren. The most disappointing team for me after testing. Little went right. Like other teams McLaren suffered from reliability issues, but theirs were not so niggling. Front axle and brake issues are more fundamental than leaks and that sort of thing. I think the MCL36 is probably quick, but they didn't really get a chance to show it. With Ricciardo missing Bahrain with Covid, McLaren will be hoping things improve in a hurry. I don't expect them to finish this far down, but they don't kick it off from a position of strength.

9. Aston Martin. Again, this is all sort of muddled, and AM could be third, or eighth, or anywhere. They quietly went about their business, but I don't think AMR22 has title pace in it at the moment. But it looks great, and Aston Martin have reason for optimism. Vettel was a better driver last year, but I'm not sold on him and Stroll making much noise this year. We will see.

10. Williams. When they revealed the FW22 it felt like maybe Williams was back. But the car doesn't look all that quick at this stage, and they had trouble with reliability. The pairing of Albon and Latifi doesn't inspire me and right now it just feels like WIlliams are the back markers. But these things can change quickly.

I think this season we will see every team scoring points, and maybe a six or seven car midfield, if you know what I mean. So much is still unknown, and Bahrain will show us more clearly where things stand. But right now, I'd predict a Red Bull and Ferrari battle for the title, especially if Merc don't get a handle on things straight away.

Bring it on!

[Buddahaid]

I really don't know what to think mainly because I don't have any takeaway over how the new aero will change overtaking, plus the power units being frozen.

[Jimbuna]

Three months on from the tumultuous climax to the 2021 championship, a new one begins with the shadows of that day in Abu Dhabi still hanging over the sport.

After losing an eighth world drivers' title in controversial and painful circumstances, Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team are trying to move on, at least in public.

The man who beat him, Max Verstappen, probably starts the new season as favourite, but his Red Bull team principal Christian Horner continues to snipe, throwing various accusations at Mercedes. That they "bullied" the sport's governing body into making changes; they mounted a campaign to discredit Verstappen's title, and so on.

Meanwhile, the ramifications of a day on which the sport's referee made up the rules as he went along continue to reverberate. The FIA, recognising that errors were made at Yas Marina, has indeed made changes.

A report into the events of the day is expected to be published this weekend. But already race director Michael Masi has been moved into a different role, his freestyling with the rules under extreme pressure at Yas Marina judged to have made his position untenable.

In his place, two people will alternate in a role that is not meant to be so high profile. A more robust structure has been put in place around them. And a face from the past has been brought back to try to add a little gravitas and experience.

The new race directors will be advised by Herbie Blash, F1 veteran and long-time associate of the late FIA F1 director Charlie Whiting, whose death on the eve of the 2019 season saw Masi elevated into the role he has now lost.

As if that was not enough to be going along with, the sport's rule book has been ripped up and rewritten from scratch. An all-new set of technical regulations has been introduced in the hope of producing cars that are closer in terms of performance, and can race more effectively, too.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60724378

[Skybird]

Think I continue getting my fix on the Nord in VR.

[Buddahaid]

Mercedes did get outperformed by a large margin and start the year on the back foot.

And look at Magnussen and HAAS! Last years last place team solidly in the midfield.

[Buddahaid]

Oh boy what a difference a year makes!

[Jimbuna]

A pretty good start to the season for Hamilton, Russell and Mercedes, all things considered.

[Buddahaid]

Ferrari would appear to have the edge over Mercedes in the power unit for now and the Red Bull Honda unit seems to be suffering on reliability.

Also the Ferrari aero package looks to be working better with Mercedes fighting harder for grip.

Magnussen and HAAS are clearly the best of the rest after Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull which makes me think the Ferrari power unit is the best so far with McClaren Mercedes apparently finding themselves swapped with HAAS.

The new era cars do seem to keep the pack closer and with DRS allowing for a wonderful bit of tit for tat lead changes between LeClair and Verstappen.

Next race will be very interesting now that the teams have a race day's worth of data to digest.

[Jimbuna]

Way far too early to be reading this sort of rubbish.

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team have rubbed salt into Max Verstappen's wounds after they took to social media to taunt Red Bull following the retirement of both their drivers from the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday. Hamilton took advantage of the Red Bull chaos by securing a third-place finish.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/moto...out&li=BBoPWjQ

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Way far too early to be reading this sort of rubbish.

It seems to have backfired since Lewis didn't even get to Q2 and Perez takes pole by just 0.025 s from Ferrari with Max coming in fourth.

Horrible wreck for Schumaker destroying his HAAS but he looks like he escaped any serious injury and then Ocon nearly repeats it on the last lap.

[Buddahaid]

Very exciting race with the winner being Max after a lap by fight in the end. Ferrari take the other two podium positions.

Russel outperforms Lewis again coming in fifth with Lewis just getting in the points at tenth with Magnussen beating him at ninth.

It does look as if Mercedes are gaining performance and that Lewis is getting a better handle on the new car.

EDIT: I forgot to mention Perez gets hung out when a safety car comes out right after he pits.

[Red October1984]

This year is our year






-A Ferrari Fan watching since 2014