Formula 1 Discussion - And favourite driver?

[WatterBottle]

True but with the Red Bull being on a knife edge for set up this year and a strong McLaren and Ferrari in the pack both with 2 good drivers, taking someone who keeps getting knocked out of qualifying and scraping minor points will mean struggling for that WCC.

That's not to say anyone else would be doing any better. Max likes his cars set up in a way that's near undrivable to other drivers so it's a poison chalace to try being his team mate.

Still I think trying to get Sainz back would have been A good move, but that's not to say they didn't try.

I really liked Albon’s interview here https://youtu.be/-ddEW_jHupA he said Max likes a very sharp front end on the car and as the year progresses it gets sharper and sharper leading to second seat drivers falling off a cliff trying to handle the car.

 

[LiveFromNS]

Peres got a shiny new 2 year deal. Ricci shit the bed hard on the Racing Bull return but surely they must have had other options like Sainz for example.

Still I think trying to get Sainz back would have been A good move, but that's not to say they didn't try.

I think the word on the street is that the Sainz/Verstappen relationship is "toxic".

But not Max and Carlos Jr., but Jos and Carlos Sr. I think Marko intimated that he never wants those two together in the same garage again.

Plus Sainz I rank above Perez (and has youth on his side, compared to Perez), so having Carlos in a car that is 90% likely to win the race would be like Senna/Prost back in 1988 and assuming Red Bull not wanting to have two alphas going at it. Perez doesn't match Max much at all, so harmony to some degree as no headaches like Senna/Prost or even Nico/Spook in 2016.

However, as noted, Perez isn't doing enough to keep Red Bull solidly locked in for the WCC. Ferrari only 24 points out of lead now and I expect their two drivers together will outscore Max and Checo more often than not. So, in some regards, keeping Checo, if he finishes behind the Ferrari and one or both McLarens for most of the remaining races will make Red Bull winning the WCC that much tougher. And that's assuming too that Max wins most of the remaining races which isn't so much of a foregone conclusion based on last few races.

As always, time will tell, but Canada is this weekend and if Max doesn't win, or Checo finishes 5th or worse, it could be game on big time for at least the WCC, if not potentially the WDC if one of the 2 or 3 behind Max goes on a run of wins.

Has RB locked in Tsunoda and Ricciardo for 2025? As much as I like Ric, RB really needs to let him go and give his seat to Lawson.

I don't think either are locked in, but Marko recently said both are doing good enough. I can't see Sauber signing Tsunoda over Sainz, but if they do, then Carlos is Williams bound which would suck big time unless they get in the mix with the top 4 teams (doubtful).

But yeah, I suppose either or both VCARB could go elsewhere, but my feeling is they will stay where they are, at the moment. Things could change over remaining races, but I don't feel it will. Lawson could slot in at Williams maybe, assuming Sargent is turfed and Sainz/Bottas doesn't end up there. But Liam may not be in a seat next year, sad to say. I think you will have to hope Ric or Tsunoda really fuck up big time for Liam to replace one of them.

 

[Coccxys]

They need to keep Tsunoda, he's really getting some good results now he's calmed a bit and got the experience.

Ricc on the other hand is 100% washed and if it wasn't for the broken hand in the Dutch GP I doint he would have a race seat for this season because that would have shown up in the races but with the injury there were too few races for him to show hes washed.

They need to get rid and get Lawson in, otherwise they won't keep him with so many open seats and Audi coming along.

Them saying vcarb is its own team rather than just red bull B just isn't true since all 4 drivers are on a red bull contract and they can shuffle them however they want. It's clearly a junior team and keeping someone who shot theor shot in the main team before sinking their entire career isn't going to develop RBRs future drivers nor give strong rookies in their junior program incentive to stick around.

 

[Thavidu]

True but with the Red Bull being on a knife edge for set up this year and a strong McLaren and Ferrari in the pack both with 2 good drivers, taking someone who keeps getting knocked out of qualifying and scraping minor points will mean struggling for that WCC.

That's not to say anyone else would be doing any better. Max likes his cars set up in a way that's near undrivable to other drivers so it's a poison chalace to try being his team mate.

Still I think trying to get Sainz back would have been A good move, but that's not to say they didn't try.

If Checo shit the bed , its means more time for RB's aero departement so win = win i guess because nobody cared that Ferrari is the wcc in 1999 and 2008 for example

 

[JoseRaulChupacabra]

The new car concept is out. I can't help but get the feeling they're over designing the game play.

 

[quaawaa]

The new car concept is out. I can't help but get the feeling they're over designing the game play.

The new car looks horrible with reduced downforce and lower sustained HP. I wouldn’t be surprised if Indycar takes F1’s place as the fastest racing series in 2026.

 

[Eadred]

Or that one race where the top F2 cars were lapping the circuit faster than the bottom of the F1 grid.

I am torn though, I like the direction of smaller and lighter cars, and the active aero could be fun. Engine-wise I don't know, the 50/50 split isn't the right thing to do.
I'd like to see a return of 100% combustion engines. One of the FIA guys hinted at it, once all fuel comes from "sustainable" sources and yada yada, they might consider it. Imagine the return of V8s, or even V10s.
But yeah, F1 should be the pinnacle circuit race series, would be a shame if Indy cars would go faster around the tracks.

 

[WatterBottle]

The car is marginally smaller then then the latest generation spec and still vastly larger then 2010 spec. All with less complexity and smaller engines. I truly don’t understand how they have to be long.

 

[quaawaa]

The car is marginally smaller then then the latest generation spec and still vastly larger then 2010 spec. All with less complexity and smaller engines. I truly don’t understand how they have to be long.

They’re long because of the hybrid system. Batteries and electric motors have to go somewhere.

 

[The Grognard]

Length also has benefits in terms of high-speed stability and they can get away with it due to better construction techniques.

 

[JoseRaulChupacabra]

From what I've read in more technical discussions, the cars are long because the engineers are making them so, for aero reasons.

 

[WTBOnlineFather]

I'd like to see a return of 100% combustion engines. One of the FIA guys hinted at it, once all fuel comes from "sustainable" sources and yada yada, they might consider it. Imagine the return of V8s, or even V10s.

I'm worried once that technology gets adopted they'll just switch to another fucking excuse such as "muh emissions." Keep in mind the FIA is European so the greenbrain disease runs deep.

 

[The Grognard]

I'm worried once that technology gets adopted they'll just switch to another fucking excuse such as "muh emissions." Keep in mind the FIA is European so the greenbrain disease runs deep.

Greenwashing is something that reliably gets both ESG money and allows FIA to operate with far less political pressure from Brussels nannystate types. That said, it would be trivial to just have those spectacular screamer V8s and 10s with biofuels and nobody would give a fuck because it's both actually beneficial for the petrochemical industry and doesn't interfere with the actual product.

 

[Balr0g]

I am a bit confused with the result so far. Hamilton fastest (by quiet the margin) and Ferrari is actually slow. Are they playing poker here? Imean usually Mercedes is fast on friday and then they begin to drop down. Maybe it's the same today? LEt's see how Qualifying goes. If it stays dry we might see a Mercedes pole. I can already see the headlines "On the track of his maiden win Hamitlon breaks the 300 GP curse!" (no dirver with 300 GP has won after reaching that milestone)

 

[blablabla]

what the fuck ferrari did on fp. car looks like shit

 

[WatterBottle]

I am a bit confused with the result so far. Hamilton fastest (by quiet the margin) and Ferrari is actually slow. Are they playing poker here? Imean usually Mercedes is fast on friday and then they begin to drop down. Maybe it's the same today? LEt's see how Qualifying goes. If it stays dry we might see a Mercedes pole. I can already see the headlines "On the track of his maiden win Hamitlon breaks the 300 GP curse!" (no dirver with 300 GP has won after reaching that milestone)

I think more along the lines of no one was really doing any quali runs till the last few mins and some didn’t do any at all. The teams seemed to be focused more race pace as the weather is going to be all over the place. Yesterday was a wash literally and nothing was gained. There might be rain, it might stay really cold so the cars are all over the place in timing.

Imagine if this was a sprint weekend and the total chaos.

 

[Coccxys]

The problem with the 50/50 engine split and only the kinetic mgu (heat mgu is going away) is where the charging is coming from. They will now only charge their batteries on braking.

Does that mean they're going to need to run on lower electric power modes at the likes of Monza where braking is infrequent compared to full throttle? I can't see how they'd balance the energy demands at those circuits without it being a huge compromise to performance.

 

[WatterBottle]

They’re long because of the hybrid system. Batteries and electric motors have to go somewhere.

I had always assumed the battery’s were stacked between the engine and the driver under the air box as there’s huge room. Looking at it tho the battery packs are massive and flat I guess leading to the length and the 2026 reg is moving the mguk to the battery box. making it even larger again in the name of safety to keep all high voltage stuff in one location.

 

[Coccxys]

Checo out q1, Max fastest.

 

[Balr0g]

And Sargeant makes it out of Q1. With quiet the time to boot. Ferrari meanwhile looks weak