*****OFFICIAL FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX THREAD***** (3 Viewers)

[Dickies]

Good to see Williams have some success. Curious how they would have fared if Sainz finished. For all the talk I’ve been hearing that Sainz is going to expose Albon as mediocre, Albon silenced them this weekend.

I've always rated Albon highly. This year's Williams looks like the best car he's had since his Red Bull days. Some people take him lightly because he doesn't seem ruthless enough for F1 but he's been quick since karts and is experienced and intelligent enough to maximize what's available.

Now watch him crash on lap 1 of Shanghai

I’ve always liked Albon. Seems like one of the few genuinely decent guys in a sport full of narcissistic primadonnas. I would imagine it’s hard to be ruthless in a car that constantly has issues. One thing he has done consistently at Williams is finish races, which few of his teammates can say.

 

[TennesseeJed]

A couple of thoughts:

McLaren are not prepared for a Driver's Championship. They are too focused on egos. This race in particular was one that called for strict team orders not to race each other - the wet conditions made driving dangerous, let alone trying to pass. McLaren allowing Piastri to put pressure on on Norris was inviting a mistake by one of them - when they had a 1-2 wrapped up. McLaren should have been firm - and effectively determined that Quali was the intra-team competition, and the winner would be supported in the race. Better conditions might open that up - but I suspect the team will struggle to have a strategy for pursuing a Driver's championship this year - could end up hurting both their drivers.

Ferrari - ugh - they need to smooth out Hamilton and his engineer within the next few races - Hamilton is always temperamental, and Mercedes knew how to handle that - not sure Ferrari are prepared. And, I would say every single strategist at the team, and just start fresh - it would surely be an improvement if they simply picked random Ferrari supporters who turn up at each track.

 

[Eephus]

A couple of thoughts:

McLaren are not prepared for a Driver's Championship. They are too focused on egos. This race in particular was one that called for strict team orders not to race each other - the wet conditions made driving dangerous, let alone trying to pass. McLaren allowing Piastri to put pressure on on Norris was inviting a mistake by one of them - when they had a 1-2 wrapped up. McLaren should have been firm - and effectively determined that Quali was the intra-team competition, and the winner would be supported in the race. Better conditions might open that up - but I suspect the team will struggle to have a strategy for pursuing a Driver's championship this year - could end up hurting both their drivers.

Ferrari - ugh - they need to smooth out Hamilton and his engineer within the next few races - Hamilton is always temperamental, and Mercedes knew how to handle that - not sure Ferrari are prepared. And, I would say every single strategist at the team, and just start fresh - it would surely be an improvement if they simply picked random Ferrari supporters who turn up at each track.

Tough crowd. It's only one race

I liked how McLaren called to hold positions as their cars were going through the lappers. An opportunistic move in traffic is often the best place to overtake but three cars going for the same corner has more potential for disaster than two. Once they got past the Haases and Lawson, they were freed up to race. Or were they? I don't trust Zac Brown and think it's entirely possible that the pitwall was giving different instructions while Brown and Crofty were yukking it up with the "let's go racin' boys" stuff.

As for Lewis and his relationship with his new race engineer Riccardo Adami, it's going to take a few races to figure out what both ends of the relationship need from their communications. The verbal sniping about the K1 button made for good TV but doesn't really matter in the end. Hamilton's important feedback happens in the debrief, not during the race. The whole team is going to improve in that regard.

I think it's more common in American motorsports but I thought Ferrari would have been better off splitting their strategies. They got caught by the worst case scenario of having both their cars on the wrong strategy. I guess it could have been worse if they had to double stack their stops under green.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Hard to do team orders when the score is 0 to 0.

Of course now it is 25 to 2 and if that stretches out a bit it will change the dynamic.

-QG

 

[Eephus]

Hard to do team orders when the score is 0 to 0.

Of course now it is 25 to 2 and if that stretches out a bit it will change the dynamic.

-QG

History repeats itself

Rewind: McLaren's 1998 switch sparks controversy

No surprise, but a seismic shock – McLaren's 1-2 Australian Grand Prix finish in 1998 was a result that most people saw coming, but definitely not in the…

www.grandprix.com.au

 

[The Gator]

Hard to do team orders when the score is 0 to 0.

Of course now it is 25 to 2 and if that stretches out a bit it will change the dynamic.

-QG

History repeats itself

We can only hope....

 

[TennesseeJed]

Its going to be an interesting week in China - with the FIA cracking down on McLaren's mini-DRS now instead of waiting for Spain.

Based on rumors, I think the 2 teams that will be affected the most are McLaren and Ferrari.

Hopefully a dry race so we can get a good comparison on where the teams are.

Unfortunately for us right-coasters - the race and most of the practices are not on at optimal times...

 

[The Gator]

Midnight start for me.....I'm already planning on my Sunday starting about 9 am after staying up for the race.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Dangit - FIA with a random rule change shoulda been the free space on prediction bingo.
-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

I do see my two terrible entries in the leeg now.

I like the massively punitive scoring system though.

-QG

 

[Eephus]

RIP Eddie Jordan. He was a throwback to a different time in F1 where a hustler with a dream could compete with the big manufacturers on almost even terms.

The team competed in 250 race weekends under his name with four victories and top finishes of 3rd in both the drivers' and constructors' championships in 1999. He had a keen eye for talent with a bunch of great drivers getting the F1 debuts in his cars including both Schumacher brothers, Alex Zanardi, Takuma Sato, Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine.

 

[Ted Stickles]

I chuckled at more than I'd like to admit.

Eephus your boy Yuki needs to chop that boy band look asap to grab that RB2 seat.

 

[The Gator]

I chuckled at more than I'd like to admit.

Eephus your boy Yuki needs to chop that boy band look asap to grab that RB2 seat.

Lawson and Alonso

Charles looks like a Three Musketeer

 

[Eephus]

@PIK95 needs to explain the ramifications of sprint races on fantasy scoring

 

[Eephus]

I chuckled at more than I'd like to admit.

Eephus your boy Yuki needs to chop that boy band look asap to grab that RB2 seat.

Don't touch a hair on my boy's head

 

[Skipdog77]

I chuckled at more than I'd like to admit.

Eephus your boy Yuki needs to chop that boy band look asap to grab that RB2 seat.

Lando looks like a 70's pron dude.

Then I got to Lance and my wife had to come in to check on me

 

[PIK95]

@PIK95 needs to explain the ramifications of sprint races on fantasy scoring

I will tell you that it's PROBABLY advantageous to save your chips for sprint weekends.

 

[The Gator]

@PIK95 needs to explain the ramifications of sprint races on fantasy scoring

I will tell you that it's PROBABLY advantageous to save your chips for sprint weekends.

No negatives activated

 

[Ted Stickles]

I chuckled at more than I'd like to admit.

Eephus your boy Yuki needs to chop that boy band look asap to grab that RB2 seat.

Lawson and Alonso

Charles looks like a Three Musketeer

The hair on Lawson and Oscar had me cackling.

Said the exact same thing about Charles.

Love they did Stroll dirty as the finale.

 

[Eephus]

A little over two hours til sprint qualifying.

F1 Academy at the top of the hour on YouTube to keep me awake.

 

[The Gator]

I'm here for it

 

[The Gator]

Top 3 Sprint Prediction

Norris
Charles
Hamilton

 

[The Gator]

RIP Lawson

 

[The Gator]

****ing Max

 

[Eephus]

RIP Lawson

Maybe the extra race laps in the sprint will help his confidence but he looks shot at the moment.

 

[Skipdog77]

RIP Lawson

Checo and Yuki be like, "we could have done that, bro".

 

[TennesseeJed]

RIP Lawson

Maybe the extra race laps in the sprint will help his confidence but he looks shot at the moment.

I’m not sure he was ever a good fit for the 2nd seat. I suppose they took his brashness and confidence as a good sign, but that 2nd seat, and all young drivers, need a bit of humility and ability to simply stay focused. He was always a bit overconfident and now he is getting smacked around


Max is a really good driver and Red Bull should have stuck with a veteran driver who might not reach Verstappen’s level but would do no worse than finishing in the points most weekends.

 

[TennesseeJed]

On a positive note, it’s good to see the field sorting itself out in dry conditions - looks like any of the top-4 teams could prevail in any given weekend.

I saw Williams was summoned to the stewards after Quali - over the wing flex issue, they did not submit their video in a timely manner. Be interesting to see if anything comes from that.

 

[PIK95]

RIP Lawson

Maybe the extra race laps in the sprint will help his confidence but he looks shot at the moment.

I’m not sure he was ever a good fit for the 2nd seat. I suppose they took his brashness and confidence as a good sign, but that 2nd seat, and all young drivers, need a bit of humility and ability to simply stay focused. He was always a bit overconfident and now he is getting smacked around


Max is a really good driver and Red Bull should have stuck with a veteran driver who might not reach Verstappen’s level but would do no worse than finishing in the points most weekends.

I have said it before but it seems like they do some strange things with that second Red Bull car. Checo was awesome in it until one day he never was again. Maybe they insist on setting it up like Max's, or just don't give that seat the attention it deserves in setup time, but there has definitely been something strange going on there for a while now. I'm not a Lawson fan, but he was a good driver until now. Now he looks lost. Sounds familiar.

 

[Eephus]

RIP Lawson

Maybe the extra race laps in the sprint will help his confidence but he looks shot at the moment.

I’m not sure he was ever a good fit for the 2nd seat. I suppose they took his brashness and confidence as a good sign, but that 2nd seat, and all young drivers, need a bit of humility and ability to simply stay focused. He was always a bit overconfident and now he is getting smacked around


Max is a really good driver and Red Bull should have stuck with a veteran driver who might not reach Verstappen’s level but would do no worse than finishing in the points most weekends.

I have said it before but it seems like they do some strange things with that second Red Bull car. Checo was awesome in it until one day he never was again. Maybe they insist on setting it up like Max's, or just don't give that seat the attention it deserves in setup time, but there has definitely been something strange going on there for a while now. I'm not a Lawson fan, but he was a good driver until now. Now he looks lost. Sounds familiar.

It seems like the same old story. Verstappen prefers a "pointy" car that's very positive at turn in. He's a car control alien who can handle that type of car without losing the rear end. RBR builds the car to favor his driving style because he's the champion. There are some things the team can do with set-up that can moderate these characteristics for the #2 driver but it's still going to have edgy handling.

I think Lawson is talented and will have better results but right now it's a bad combination to have a loose car and a driver who lacks confidence in it.

 

[QuizGuy66]

RIP Lawson

Checo and Yuki be like, "we could have done that, bro".

And Logan

-QG

 

[TennesseeJed]

There are some things the team can do with set-up that can moderate these characteristics for the #2 driver but it's still going to have edgy handling.

I think that is why Red Bull needed to stick with a veteran driver - who might never challenge Max, but could still deliver points on most weekends.

Asking a rookie driver to handle that pressure is a bit much.

 

[The Gator]

There are some things the team can do with set-up that can moderate these characteristics for the #2 driver but it's still going to have edgy handling.

I think that is why Red Bull needed to stick with a veteran driver - who might never challenge Max, but could still deliver points on most weekends.

Asking a rookie driver to handle that pressure is a bit much.

Is the reason they didn’t go Sainz because he’s out too much pressure on Max?

 

[Eephus]

There are some things the team can do with set-up that can moderate these characteristics for the #2 driver but it's still going to have edgy handling.

I think that is why Red Bull needed to stick with a veteran driver - who might never challenge Max, but could still deliver points on most weekends.

Asking a rookie driver to handle that pressure is a bit much.

Pressure to keep close to Max isn't limited to just rookies. Of course I'd prefer it was Yuki but I still think it's the right move for RBR to go with a younger #2 in the event they need a younger #1 in a couple of years.

Sainz is a race winner but he's 30 and on the downside of his career. The continuing success of Hamilton and Alonso is deceiving when it comes to drivers staying on top through their 30s. Sainz has never been that kind of talent.

 

[Eephus]

One hour til Shanghai Sprint

 

[QuizGuy66]

Let's go Lewis
-QG

 

[Eephus]

Let's go Lewis
-QG

The Scuderia can't mess up pit strategy

 

[The Gator]

Lewis
Charles
Lando


Let's have it!

 

[The Gator]

Firing up a double espresso so i can push through for Quali

 

[Ted Stickles]

Max
Lando
Lewis

Send it!

 

[Eephus]

Lewis
Charles
Lando


Let's have it!

Sorry, you've exceeded your $100M budget.

 

[Eephus]

Two stopper tomorrow?

 

[The Gator]

Two stopper tomorrow?

Has to be no? Tires were gone for a lot

 

[Eephus]

Two stopper tomorrow?

Has to be no? Tired we’re gone for a lot

I don't think anybody has run the hards yet. The track has been resurfaced since last year so I don't think 2024 strategies will be predictive.

 

[The Gator]

Two stopper tomorrow?

Has to be no? Tired we’re gone for a lot

I don't think anybody has run the hards yet. The track has been resurfaced since last year so I don't think 2024 strategies will be predictive.

Was FP1 almost entirely ran on hard? Not saying that’s what you meant as it’s not a race, but all the teams ran them a lot iirc

 

[Eephus]

Two stopper tomorrow?

Has to be no? Tired we’re gone for a lot

I don't think anybody has run the hards yet. The track has been resurfaced since last year so I don't think 2024 strategies will be predictive.

Was FP1 almost entirely ran on hard? Not saying that’s what you meant as it’s not a race, but all the teams ran them a lot iirc

My mistake. I thought they ran mediums and softs yesterday but I was switching between F1 & hoops.

They only have two sets of hards in the allotment and the mediums were falling off after 10 laps today on lighter fuel.

 

[The Gator]

Two stopper tomorrow?

Has to be no? Tired we’re gone for a lot

I don't think anybody has run the hards yet. The track has been resurfaced since last year so I don't think 2024 strategies will be predictive.

Was FP1 almost entirely ran on hard? Not saying that’s what you meant as it’s not a race, but all the teams ran them a lot iirc

My mistake. I thought they ran mediums and softs yesterday but I was switching between F1 & hoops.

They only have two sets of hards in the allotment and the mediums were falling off after 10 laps today on lighter fuel.

Perelli predicting the hard last 23 laps

 

[The Gator]

YUKI FASTEST IN P!


Stop th e count@

 

[TennesseeJed]

Good Quali.

Russell splitting the McLarens will be bad news for Norris - as it seems Russell often drops off the race pace of the leaders forcing Norris to get around him before Piastri runs away from the field.

 

[QuizGuy66]

China has quite the well organized cheering sections.
-QG