F1 - 2023

[MiniDave]

Well, somehow the shenanigans didn't seem to be a problem and the grid mostly stood, except Stroll's Aston started from the pitlane as they decided it was better to make some changes to the cars and as they were so far back it didn't really matter. Yuki also started from the back due to power unit changes.

So, starting from 17th now, Lando drove like a man possessed all race long and provided most of the entertainment of the race, especially in the closing laps as he chased down and passed Russell and Ricciardo.....

Checo made a great start but both Ferraris didn't, and as they arrived at the first corner Charles found himself the meat in a Red Bull sammich, with no where to go Checo tried to turn in but Charles was already there......they clashed and poor Checo's race was done, to the extreme disappointment of a million Mexican F1 fans that had come to cheer him on.

In the meantime Max - who had gotten a great start - simply did what he's done all season and drove off into the sunset - at least till Kmag had his rear suspension break, clouting the safer barriers. They red flagged the race so they could repair the wall.....this allowed the teams to change tires (those that had any left) and repair some of the damage they might have gotten in the course of the first half.

This set the stage for the second race, as they had another standing start. Max again got away clean and the rest followed....Hamster was behind both Ferraris and made his way thru to 2nd place, Charles in 3rd and Sainz in 4th with Russell closing hard, but unable to make the pass work. They went on like this till Russell's tires began to fade.....in the meantime Lando had been driving thru the field making pass after pass.....he closed in and passed Ricciardo, then Russell but that was as far as he could get in the remaining laps.

So Max wins from the Hamster with Charles coming third after starting on pole - and for all the talk about how much better the Mercs are going Hammy still finished 16 second behind Max, in basically half race distance - so the Red Bulls still have at least 20-30 secs on the field over race distance.

Despite Horner's arm around Checo's shoulders to console him, if Ricciardo continues to have race weekends like he did in Mexico, I think Checo will "retire" next year and DannyRickyBobby will be Max's teammate.....he clearly was in his old form this weekend!

Both Aston's retired before the end of the race, only Stroll was able to make anything of his race getting as high as 11th at one point, but falling back as the race went on till he also crashed. Alonso retired earlier and I don't see any way they can finish higher in the constructors than 5th now, with McLaren 20 pts ahead and charging forward, while they seem to be heading backward and all Alonso's great work at the start of the season falling aside.

The Mercs are still some 22 pts ahead of Ferrari in third place due as much as anything to the consistent points finishes by both drivers. I think the only way Ferrari can make up this deficit is if the Mercs have a double DNF, which is very unlikely.

[Brit_in_TX]

There seems to be loads of rumors that could create "silly season part 2".
- Alonso has a performance clause in his contract and could leave.  Could head to Red Bull!
- As Dave mentioned, Checo could "retire" and Danny Ric gets the second seat, this opens up the 2nd Alpha Tauri seat for Liam Lawson.
- Lawrence Stroll is going to get bored with F1, and sell Aston Martin.  This leads to Lance Stroll "retiring".

All of these seem pretty far fetched!

[MiniDave]

Yep the rumor mill is in high gear! Yet every one of these ideas has merit.....whether any of them come true or not remains to be seen.

I thought the idea of Lance going to the LeMans team was a good way to get him out of the F1 team and to get someone in that could perform - if not on Alonso's level, at least score points on a regular basis. That would also make it easier for Daddy Bigbux to ease himself out of the F1 team too, and yet still keep his hands in Aston. Although I read today that they think Daddy Stroll sold his stake in Aston to the Saudis

I feel for Checo......just as when VW says they fully support the current CEO that means he's at that very moment cleaning out his desk and on his way out the door.....I think all the "support" Red Bull is showing Checo is the same idea, and he'll decide maybe it's time to "retire" on his own. With a little push from Horner et al.

DannyRickyBobby needs to have three more races like Mexico before that will have any teeth IMHO.

[MiniDave]

Wow, that was a stunning race - from 3rd place on back! Alonso and Checo goin at it, poor George had an up and down race - mostly down, the Mercs seemed to be really off the pace with an 8th the best the Hamster could do.....even Lance had a decent race to finish 5th. I heard Aston ditched all their updates and went back to the earlier spec car - seemed to work with Alonso on the podium once again.

Both Alpines in the points, Yuki too tho Ricky Ricciardo got caught up in the first lap kerfluffle.....Sargeant York finished 11th but I think that was mostly due to the 6 cars that DNF'd.....including LeClerc on the formation lap!

Next up a 2 week break then on to the spectacle that I expect the Las Vegas "race" to be.....which may turn out to be the final race of the season due to the "unrest" in the middle east......

[BruceK]

Perez was in such a better form than he's been in the last races easily passing so many other cars. But even with the most capable racecar on the track and with DRS (!) Alonso was just incredible in holding him off for so many laps!!  I literally jumped out of my seat when Fernando was able to pass Perez and then hold him off (just barely!) on the final run to the checkered flag.

[MiniDave]

Too bad they weren't racing for the lead!

I speculated way back when that Red Bull could run the table, and they almost have with the one exception that Ferrari won. Their cars have been dead reliable too, all season long, which has to contribute to their success this year as well.....

So with one race to go - the Hamster says they will probably dominate next season too, and maybe even 2025 as well. I hope not - and it does look at times like Ferrari or McLaren or maybe even Aston or the Mercs can challenge them. But I don't expect anyone to make any magical huge leaps forward - there already have been some pretty impressive improvements. Alfa Tauri has stepped up their game, Albon is able to get into the points for Williams frequently and about the only team still languishing in the basement is HAAS. They have shown the speed from time to time but their race pace is nowhere to be found.

But here we are at the end of the season and Red Bull still seems able to win with ease, and often by as much as 30 seconds on the field.

Las Vegas could be anyone's game tho, as no one has been on the circuit, it's a street race, it's at night and who knows what can happen! I'm looking forward to it......

[Brit_in_TX]

I saw this somewhere on the interwebs, it puts Verstappen's dominance into context.  Perez (currently 2nd) is closer to Logan Sargeant than he is to Verstappen!

[MiniDave]

Are you planning to stay up late Saturday night to watch the race?

I'm undecided, since Google will record it for me, but I don't have anything pressing on Sunday so I might.....it starts at midnight here I think?

One thing the race organizers didn't think about is that it gets cold at night in the desert in winter! They're expecting track temps around 40*F! Won't be any overheating issues, but getting the tires warm enough to work is a real problem. That alone could make this anyone's race. I'm pretty sure Vegas is the only place they could throw a race at midnight in winter and 120,000 people will still show up!

Still haven't heard if they're having the other race in the desert, or if Vegas will turn out to be the season ender. I know they like to do next year's tire testing after the AbuDabi race, so that could be interesting

[Brit_in_TX]

I won't be staying up the watch the race.  Having a toddler means that sleeping late is not an option.

It being cold should help some of the teams that have high tire wear issues - looking at you Haas.

What do you meant about them cancelling the final race?

[MiniDave]

Because of what's going on in Israel - plus there have been demonstrations in Abu Dabi - lots of unrest in the area is what I'm hearing. They don't know if it would be safe to bring such a high profile bunch into the area....I mean, having a race in the middle of a war would be strange, and hard to justify.

[Brit_in_TX]

Israel is over a thousand miles from Abu Dhabi. In context Budapest is around 500 miles from the Ukraine/Russia front line.

Whilst the protests might be a cause for concern, the Saudi GP  last year took place after a terrorist missile strike during FP1 on a nearby oil facility.

At this stage I would be surprised if they cancel it.

[MiniDave]

Vegas practice 1 did not go well, especially for Carlos Sainz and Ocon ........as sometimes happens on street circuits they don't understand the incredible amount of downforce these cars generate especially at higher speeds - the suction didn't just lift a manhole cover out of its hole - they're bolted down - but literally tore the support ring out of the asphalt. I haven't heard yet whether Sainz' car can be repaired in time for tonight's runs or not as it was torn up pretty bad. In-car video you can hear it hit and see the car lift up.....it was crunched but good......reports are that it damaged not only the floor but also the battery and engine itself and will be a real hit on the cost cap this late in the season to repair it.

So FP1 lasted all of about 10 minutes, and FP2 might not happen either as they have to ensure that none of the other drain covers can come off. If that's the case....qually should be really interesting as the only other team that got any laps in was HAAS.

I just read that neither driver will be able to run FP2 either, so they are definitely on the back foot when it comes to qually, with no real actual track time or set up time. It's been suggested that the FP3 time be extended to compensate.....to add insult to injury, Sainz is given a 10 place grid penalty for changing his "energy source (battery), even tho it wasn't a failure of the car - the track caused the problem.

Edit: FP2 did take place and was extended to 90 min

Edit2: it was not a manhole cover but a water valve cover, only about 6" in diameter

[MiniDave]

FP3 things were pretty much back to normal, the track improving as the session closed, and drivers becoming more used to the layout.

Today was qually, and a little later we'll see the race, by morning it will all be back to normal Vegas traffic.

LeClerc and Sainz topped the charts, but since Sainz will get a 10 spot penalty, it will be Verstappen along side him into the first turn. The Ferrari still has the one lap pace over the Red Bull, but we'll see if LeClerc can translate that into a win. Tire graining is an issue, especially on the rear, so I expect to see a lot of "drifting" around the track - some guys are better at it than others.

It's great to see both Williams in the top 10, Sargeant seems to have come to grips with his car and is running every bit as fast as Albon now.

The Big Macs had a terrible time of it, not getting out of Q1. The Hamster didn't make it out of Q2 but because of Sainz' demotion, he'll start 10th, while Russell will start 3rd. Kmag also had a good run, he will start 8th.

Overall I expect it to be a fun race, with lots of position changes, some banzai passes at the end of the long straight and lots of wild angles coming out of the corners as they try to get the power down on cold tires. I'm going to try and stay up for it, but I may not make it and may have to watch it on the "VCR" tomorrow.

I just hope LeClerc and Verstappen make it thru the first corner!

[BruceK]

Underestimating the cold weather by having the Vegas race in late November reminds me of the original, provisional dates for the first Austin race. If I remember right it was to be in July. It could have been about 105°F had they done that.  I think they got enough feedback about Austin to realize how stupid that would've been. But apparently they didn't get that needed feedback about Vegas.

[MiniDave]

Well, while it might have had a hand in some of the spins and such, ultimately the cold weather had no real effect on the race - no more so than at any other track IMHO....but the track itself made for some really interesting battles!

I think overall the race went off really well, tho taking a Rolls to the Bellagio for the interviews and podium ceremony was a bit odd. I wonder if this will move to a different casino each year?

Checo has to be feeling a bit of deja vu only this time it was a red car instead of a green one that passed him on the last lap and held him off to finish 2nd ahead of him. Still, a Red Bull 1-2 in the driver's championship has to be a powerful instigation for them to keep him next season.

There are a lot of close points battles both in the drivers and the constructors championships - and a lot of money on the line in those finish places.

For example, it's possible that if he were to win in Abu Dhabi, LeClerc could go from 7th to 4th.....for that matter LeClerc, Norris, Alonso and Sainz are all close enough in the pts that a good or bad race could really affect their final standing.

So while both championships are already sewn up, there is still a lot to race for in the final round.

Once again, I thought Vegas turned out to be a good race, with lead changes and lots of different strategies. I thought it interesting that in the qually and prelims the announcers said that the hard tire wouldn't feature in the race, and yet it turned out to be the winning choice.

[BruceK]

Sometimes I think I enjoyed watching the sphere as much as the race.

[MiniDave]

It's pretty cool!   

I'm still hearing rumblings about terrorist threats in UbbyDubby, threatening not only the race but synagogues, churches of all denominations, shopping malls, sports stadiums and all sorts of places where large crowds might gather.

F1 says "piffle" and they're going ahead with the race this weekend - period.

Still a lot to race for, especially between Merc and Ferrari to be #2, Big Mac and Aston going for the #4 slot.....as always, there is a lot of money involved to those who can step up. I personally would like to see Ferrari smack down the Mercs just this one more time, then all bets off for next season. There have been a number of places that could have gone to either team over the course of the season, I can't really say either team has performed well, tho they both have had good sections where they did. Right now it seems like Ferrari have a little better form and strategy, but I don't know if that's really true or if the other teams have just done worse allowing them to look better.

We'll know more tomorrow, but I expect a pretty good fight come race day.

[BruceK]

Argh!  I am watching, but not listening to, the Abu Dhabi race.  Am I the only one whose DVR recorded the "F1 Kids" version of the race!?  It's got simplistic race graphics and unfortunately it's dumbed down with literal adolescents doing the race commentary.  What fresh hell is this!?

Was there a grownup version of the race also broadcast?

[MiniDave]

Just turned it on.....what the sam hill???? I've never seen this before, something they're trying out? 

I don't think mine recorded an "adult" version.....I wonder what school of broadcasting has determined that the announcers must talk constantly with hardly a breath.....even the kids?

I also wonder what age group they're trying to appeal to with this broadcast?

ADNOC = Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, in case anyone was wondering......

MSC Cruises = MSC Cruises is a Swiss global cruise line based in Geneva, with operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice. It was founded in 1970 in Naples, Italy, as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. Wikipedia.

YAY! Found the "Adult" version on ESPN vs ESPNU?  U for Utes? As in - the two utes? 

[MiniDave]

Wow, well.....the winner was pretty easy to figure, but some interesting shenanigans going on in the last lap, but unfortunately for Ferrari it didn't finish out in their favor.

Still.....some really close finishes in the points after 23 races, and next year there could be 24 !

[BruceK]

I see that the Abu Dhabi race will be rebroadcast at 7:30 this evening, (hopefully the adult version ), so I'll watch that. I only got about five laps in with the kiddos, and I decided to bail. Couldn't stand it.  I had turned it to mute, but I really did not enjoy watching the race that way.

If it turns out the 7:30 PM broadcast is the kiddos again I will just give up entirely on watching it and assume Max won. Again. 

[MiniDave]

It was a decent race, lots of different strategies, some worked some didn't.....lots of passes for position. Look for it on ESPN, the kid race was on ESPNU for me.....never heard of the "U" before.....

[MPlayle]

I ggogled "What is ESPNU?" and got this from Wikipedia:

"ESPNU is an American multinational digital cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and the Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). The channel is primarily dedicated to coverage of college athletics, and is also used as an additional outlet for general ESPN programming. "

The Disney connection plus targeting college sports audiences would go a long way to explaining the "kids" flavor Bruce encountered.

[Brit_in_TX]

They have been doing the "kids" option at a few races. 

https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-and-sky-to-create-bespoke-f1-hungarian-gp-coverage-for-children/10476216/

And they rolled it out across different geographies. Apparently was well received to get new audiences engaged.

Totally annoying that your DVR recorded the wrong one.  My virtual DVR did record both and I got to watch the adult version.

[Brit_in_TX]

Just turned it on.....what the sam hill???? I've never seen this before, something they're trying out? 

I don't think mine recorded an "adult" version.....I wonder what school of broadcasting has determined that the announcers must talk constantly with hardly a breath.....even the kids?

I also wonder what age group they're trying to appeal to with this broadcast?

ADNOC = Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, in case anyone was wondering......

MSC Cruises = MSC Cruises is a Swiss global cruise line based in Geneva, with operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice. It was founded in 1970 in Naples, Italy, as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. Wikipedia.

YAY! Found the "Adult" version on ESPN vs ESPNU?  U for Utes? As in - the two utes? 

F1 has been battling an aging audience, so they are trying to get more kids engaged to build the future generation fan base.