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*****OFFICIAL FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX THREAD***** (1 Viewer)

Friday qualifying in Imola because of tomorrow's sprint race. The conditions were wet/day variable and there were five red flags in the three sessions so some guys got caught out.  Ferrari and Verstappen were fastest regardless of conditions but Sainz crashed again and will start P10. It'll be a different second row with Norris and Magnussen.  The Mercedes weren't helped by a wet track with both cars barely getting out of Q1.  Vettel took a step forward while Alpha Tauri was completely out to lunch.

Imola is s spectacular looking track but it doesn't usually provide close racing.  Sainz racing through the field should be worth watching tomorrow and there's a good chance for more rain on Sunday.

 
Davide Valsecchi is my favorite sports media personality in the world and it's not close.


It's too bad Valsecchi didn't have billionaire parents to help him in F1.  His junior formula results were comparable to Latifi's or Mazepin's although Valsecchi's GP2 championship came in his fifth season at that level.

 
Eephus said:
It's too bad Valsecchi didn't have billionaire parents to help him in F1.  His junior formula results were comparable to Latifi's or Mazepin's although Valsecchi's GP2 championship came in his fifth season at that level.


I was bummed that they didn't let him do much interviewing as the weekend wore on. I don't think Sky Sports used him at all on Sunday.

If you need a fix, he was on the pre-Imola episode of F1 Nation keeping me amused for the entire length of my commute.

 
What happened between Ricciardo and Sainz?
"I remember as soon as I got on it, I just started sliding right off," Ricciardo told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"I was just sliding up and then obviously, at some point, Carlos has to turn left to then make the right. We just came in and obviously, I collected his rear. As soon as I hit him, I saw him spinning and it's not fun. It ruined my race, but also his.

"I obviously have to be accountable for that. I don't think it was something where I was all locked up and just kind of ploughed into him – it was tricky conditions.

"I'll watch the onboard now and see if there's something I could have done, or if it was literally just that slippery.

"I'll go see Carlos and apologise. An apology doesn't change anything but, at least for now, that's all I can do."

 
"I remember as soon as I got on it, I just started sliding right off," Ricciardo told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"I was just sliding up and then obviously, at some point, Carlos has to turn left to then make the right. We just came in and obviously, I collected his rear. As soon as I hit him, I saw him spinning and it's not fun. It ruined my race, but also his.

"I obviously have to be accountable for that. I don't think it was something where I was all locked up and just kind of ploughed into him – it was tricky conditions.

"I'll watch the onboard now and see if there's something I could have done, or if it was literally just that slippery.

"I'll go see Carlos and apologise. An apology doesn't change anything but, at least for now, that's all I can do."


It's a track with little passing so everybody tries even harder than usual to make up positions at the start. The track was wetter at the start than at any time in the race. 

It sucks for two drivers who've gotten more than their share of bad breaks. I guess it's only fair that Ricciardo's race was ruined too. It's a thankless task to be the tire scout at the back of the field.

 
Bumping the thread before the circus resumes in Miami tomorrow.  The track is a typical modern F1 circuit with multiple DRS zones and lots of sweepers.  It's pancake flat and could just as easily be dropped somewhere in the Middle East but there should be more passing than at Imola.  The turns 1-2-3 complex looks like it should provide some wheel-to-wheel racing.

I'd expect the teams that did well in Jeddah will be quick here.  Mercedes is bringing updates to try to work out their porpoising issues during practice sessions.

In other F1 news, the Volkswagen CEO confirmed reports of Porsche and Audi joining the sport before 2026. The speculation is that Porsche will take over the Red Bull power unit project while Audi will invest in or acquire a team outright.

Also RIP Tony Brooks, who won 6 F1 races in 38 starts during the late 50s for Vanwall and Ferrari.  His career bridged the front and rear engine eras before retiring in 1961 at the age of 29.

 
Taking in practice this afternoon. Last few weeks I’ve been watching episodes of Drive to Survive on Netflix (finished S2 2019 last night) and caught the bug again. 

Used to really be into F1. Stopped around the time I moved to NYC. How long has it been? Williams was a top team, that’s how long.

Very much a casual for the last 23 years. Usually aware of results/standings, rarely watch.

Anyway, looking forward to getting back into it.

 
Taking in practice this afternoon. Last few weeks I’ve been watching episodes of Drive to Survive on Netflix (finished S2 2019 last night) and caught the bug again. 

Used to really be into F1. Stopped around the time I moved to NYC. How long has it been? Williams was a top team, that’s how long.

Very much a casual for the last 23 years. Usually aware of results/standings, rarely watch.

Anyway, looking forward to getting back into it.


While you were away, Hamilton, Vettel and Schumacher have combined for 17 out of 23 World Drivers' Champions.

On the Constructors' side, it's been Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari taking 20 out of 23.  Renault with Alonso won it in 2005 & 2006 and Brawn won with a proto-Mercedes out of the same factory in Brackley.

 
Ferrari locks out the front row with the Red Bulls lined up behind.  The midfield is scrambled and very closely matched.  It's still unclear how hard it will be to pass.

Even though qualifying was clean, I expect a couple of safety cars in the race.  It won't take a lot to obstruct that Mickey Mouse section under the freeway.

 
Pretty boring race overall.  Not sure if it was the track, or the stack rank.  Even with DRS, people couldn't get by.  I expected more action over the last seven laps after the virtual safety car.  Any idea what issue Checo was having?

 
Pretty boring race overall.  Not sure if it was the track, or the stack rank.  Even with DRS, people couldn't get by.  I expected more action over the last seven laps after the virtual safety car.  Any idea what issue Checo was having?


Perez was down on peak power from around mid-race on. I suspect it was something with the MGU where they store the recovered kinetic energy.

The late safety car improved the show but didn't affect the outcome back to Russell.  Mercedes maximized their points; the car's still not there but the team just executes.  Great performance by Bottas after missing all of Friday practice.  McLaren had a weekend to forget.  Lando won't wear the basketball helmet again.

 
Ferrari locks out the front row in Monaco. Q3 red flagged after Perez and Sainz blocked the track just before the tunnel.

The track is ridiculous for modern cars but it's still a tremendous spectacle.

 
Ferrari locks out the front row in Monaco. Q3 red flagged after Perez and Sainz blocked the track just before the tunnel.

The track is ridiculous for modern cars but it's still a tremendous spectacle.
I may not even watch.  It's beautiful,  but pretty boring. 

 
Pirelli is bringing the three softest tire compounds to Baku which seems like a bold move after the tire failures last year.

 
Pirelli is bringing the three softest tire compounds to Baku which seems like a bold move after the tire failures last year.
It’s the same tyres they ran in 2021.

Last year was really just Stroll on lap 30 of his first set - the only driver that started with the hardest compound - and Max’s misfortune on lap 46. Post race investigation analysis determined both were debris related and not durability issues.

I guess it makes sense to stay with C3-C4-C5.

Compound 3 strikes a very good balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is a very adaptable tire that can be used as the softest compound at a high-severity track as well as the hardest compound at a low-severity track or street circuit.

Compound 4 – works well on tight and twisty circuits.

In 2019, nobody used the hardest compound tyre, so they opted to go with the three softest when they returned to Baku City Circuit.

The race last year was 4pm local, moved up to Noon this year. That’s 3am in NYC, midnight on the West Coast.

Aside - Should be dry for all sessions, less than 10% chance of rain this weekend.

 
Nothing much new in Friday's practices.  Ferrari and Red Bull dominated with only Alonso within a second of them in FP2. 

Mercedes was uncompetitive with the double whammy of tire warmup issues in sector 1 and porpoising on the long main straight.  They and McLaren were losing a lot of time in sector 3 which seems to be more aero related than the power unit because Aston and Williams were faster on the straight.

 
The Race

11:23:10 AM

Potential issue for Perez?

"Why am I ahead?" Verstappen asks in terms of the running order.

"The other car has an issue," he is told.

The other car is Perez, who is released from the pits well after the two Ferraris and Verstappen.

 
Q3 results

1. Leclerc (Ferrari)
2. Perez (Red Bull)
3. Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Sainz (Ferrari)
5. Russell (Mercedes)
6. Gasly (AlphaTauri)
7. Hamilton (Mercedes)
8. Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
9. Vettel (Aston Martin)
10. Alonso (Alpine)

Eliminated in Q2
11. Norris (McLaren)
12. Ricciardo (McLaren)
13. Ocon (Alpine)
14. Zhou (Alfa Romeo)
15. Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

Eliminated in Q1

16. Magnussen (Haas)
17. Albon (Williams)
18. Latifi (Williams)
19. Stroll (Aston Martin)
20. Schumacher (Haas)

It's pole #15, pole #6 of the season and pole #4 in a row for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Driver comments

Verstappen says the start of his second lap was good but then it went away through "tiny mistakes". But "being second and third we have a good opportunity for tomorrow".

Perez says he "hit the wall a couple of times", says the engine wasn't turning on for that second Q2 run. "Certainly we lost a few tenths [without a tow]."

Leclerc says he didn't expect pole going by what he saw in Q1 and Q2, "but in the last lap everything came together". He feels Ferrari will get some tyre management "answers" - on whether it's made genuine progress - on Sunday.

 
Eephus said:
BobbyLayne said:
The race last year was 4pm local, moved up to Noon this year. That’s 3am in NYC, midnight on the West Coast.


How civilized of them :thumbup:
obviously, bad info - not sure where I read Noon start time but I suspect it was a UK paper or BBC (local start time in London will be 12pm.)

3pm start in Baku tomorrow, 6am EDT, 3am PDT

 
BobbyLayne said:
Hamilton under investigation by the stewards for driving too slowly

Only today?
#44 avoids the penalty

”unnecessarily slowly” wasn’t nearly as dangerous as everyone racing out of the pits to make it to their final Q2 lap

 
Red Bull has a 6 mph advantage in straight line speed over Ferrari which could be decisive if they can remain within DRS range in sector 2. 

Actually Alpine with their tiny rear wing has been fastest in the speed traps.  McLaren is at the bottom of the charts giving up a whopping 10.5 mph to Alpine at the top end.

It's Baku so there's likely to be a safety car or three during the race to shake things up but the top of the order looks pretty firm.

 
Ferrari locks out the bottom 

**************

four straight poles zero wins is a first

Leclerc has one more career pole than Verstappen

Max has twenty more wins than Charles 

**************

7:57:55 AM

Hamilton radio

"My back is killing me!" Hamilton tells Mercedes after a groan. Team boss Toto Wolff did express some worry pre-race over whether the Briton would be able to finish the race given how much his car is bouncing.

 
VEGAS 2023 QUESTION

ANY idea on the dates yet? Trying to pre-book lodging to get in before massive price spikes, but not seeing any leaked dates. May just need to book all 4 "weekends" then cancel when they announce.

Also curious if there are any good 2/3 BR units with balconies on the strip from Wynn to Cosmo. I know the wraparounds are cosmo are nice (1 BR tho?) but anything else? 

 
VEGAS 2023 QUESTION

ANY idea on the dates yet? Trying to pre-book lodging to get in before massive price spikes, but not seeing any leaked dates. May just need to book all 4 "weekends" then cancel when they announce.

Also curious if there are any good 2/3 BR units with balconies on the strip from Wynn to Cosmo. I know the wraparounds are cosmo are nice (1 BR tho?) but anything else? 


There was some early speculation that it was going to be Thanksgiving weekend which seems awfully late in the year to me.  I suspect the FIA will still want to end the season in the Middle East which would push the season finale into December.  The season ran into December in 2020 and 2021 out of necessity but the teams didn't like it.

 
New FIA technical directive issued regarding porpoising and driver safety. If the stewards decide a car is exceeding porpoising limits during practice, they will force the team to increase ride height until porpoising is within spec  I have no idea how this is going to work in Montreal but it probably won't be good for Mercedes and Ferrari.

 
New FIA technical directive issued regarding porpoising and driver safety. If the stewards decide a car is exceeding porpoising limits during practice, they will force the team to increase ride height until porpoising is within spec  I have no idea how this is going to work in Montreal but it probably won't be good for Mercedes and Ferrari.


They had to do something, we’re through round 8 and it’s now been deemed a medical issue. But where do we go from here?

It’ll start again, just like it has every weekend of racing, now they’ll raise the height, their pace will decrease, and the RB gap will increase.

I’ve watched a few different technical discussions and honestly I don’t know if there’s an equitable solution out there rn.  

According to the FIA, the short-term measures will include closer scrutiny of the planks and skids underneath the cars, both in terms of their design and their observed wear. They will also define a metric – the exact mathematical formula of which is still being analysed, and which the F1 teams have been asked to contribute to – to define a limit for the “acceptable level of vertical oscillations”.

 
Hamilton had a significantly different underside. Didn’t help him time wise, not sure about the bouncing.

Pre-session notes:

Mercedes struggled in Baku, despite coming home third and fourth. They had a car which was bouncing so much on the straights, team boss Toto Wolff labelled it a “*****box” on the radio after the race.

But Motorsport Strategy Director James Vowles has vowed the car won’t be pushed on set up as much as it was last weekend.

Roll the clock back a couple of races to Spain, and Mercedes had seemed to be making strides forward. Can they find that sweet spot in the set up that will enable them to fight for more than the odd podium? If not, they will likely have their hands full to stay in front of a very competitive midfield this weekend. 

14:37

This session isn't just about learning how the tyres fare here - a few teams have to gather some data about their latest upgrades. Speaking of, Hamilton's Mercedes is sporting a fairly large cut out on the edge of the floor, as he trials something new here this afternoon. 

 
Leclerc is taking a ten place grid penalty for a change of some PU component.  So at least it'll be fun watching him carve through the field at the start until Ferrari screws up somehow.

If I had my druthers on North American GPs, I'd choose Montreal over COTA, Miami, Vegas or Mexico City.

 

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