F1 - 2024

Started by Brit_in_TX, December 05, 2023, 07:28:28 AM

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MiniDave

#125
Mexico:

Strong rumors going around that Checo is going to announce his retirement this weekend. I expect it will largely be based on how his weekend goes!

A couple new faces on the grid this weekend - Pato O'Ward will be driving Practice 1 for Big Mac, and Drugovich will stand in for Alonso who's not feeling well. Unknown right now whether Drugo will be driving in the race too. (Edit - Alonso ran FP2, so probably not)

Swartzman filled in for Zhou on Kick Sauber's FP1, and Kimi Antonelli did the same for Mecedes in Hamster's car.....so lots o rookies running this weekend.

I've also read that due to Honda's influence Tsunoda will be driving the post season test in the Red Bull, so that will be his chance to show the varsity team what he can do in the big car.....if he does well and Checo retires, his chances of driving for Red Bull next season will have improved dramatically. That will also open up the junior team to take on some new drivers, which is what they claim the Vcarb team is supposed to be doing, not running experienced drivers like Tsunoda (5 years) and Ricciardo (many more years)

Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

We got to hear another new national anthem this weekend!

Carlos took pole, Max got a tiny bit better start, but Carlos drove deep into turn one and came out ahead. Meanwhile Max and Lando were going at it, Max pushed him off and got a 10 sec penalty and a couple corners later they got into it again, letting Charles get thru into 2nd, and Max gained yet another 10 sec penalty!

Seems there were a lot of guys using Max's "dive the corner and push them off" tactic, I have a feeling there will be a new rule about this kind of driving soon. Everyone points the finger at Max, and he may have been the worst about it, but I saw a lot of that all race and all down the grid.

So, back to the action, the two Ferrari's rolled off into the distance, but they were having to manage their brake temps and as the race wore on, when Lando pitted for hard tires to go the rest of the race his car came back to him and he started closing on Charles. It took him a while but Charles finally made a mistake on his worn tires and Lando was thru for 2nd. He set off for Carlos but he ran out of laps. Charles came in for fresh tires as he had an easy pit stop's distance over the two Mercs and got fastest lap on the last tour.

Piastri started way back since he didn't make it out of Q1, but he had a much better race than Perez who finished well out of the points and Piastri managed to finish 8th.

So Ferrari is now in 2nd in the constructors and can't be ruled out to win it all with 4 races and another Sprint yet to be run. Brazil is next weekend, and it's great seeing four different teams having a shot at the race win this late in the season, and seeing a real fight for the Championships. I don't think anyone can take the driver's from Max, but it's not impossible at this point.
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

#127
So, McLaren has been sold to an Abu Dhabi investment firm, including the racing divisions.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a62761943/mclaren-set-to-be-sold-to-abu-dhabi-based-investment-firm-cyvn-holdings/

Oh and good news for Lando, Max will have a grid penalty in Brazil due to getting a new motor. Apparently the one in the car in Mexico was shit (worn out, at the end of its useful life and had "issues" like a leaking intake) and that's why his race was also shit.
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

Brit_in_TX

Looks like Max will be champion this year.  He has become one of the true greats of the sport.  In Brazil he showed his level when he drove at a level above everyone else in the wet.

Sauber have picked a random rookie for next year to race in their final season before they become Audi.  So both of their current drivers are out of F1 next year, unless something out of left field happens.

MiniDave

#129
Max has pretty much won it all right, and his race in Brazil was both spectacular and due to some good fortune with timing of the safety car - but either way it's been a hell of a season for him and the Red Bull teams. I think the constructors is still a three way race....

I think it's time for a driver shake up......some of these rookies have shown some real talent, and I think it will be interesting to see some new faces on the grid. It's not exactly fair what's happened to some of them - like Drugovich - but that's racing.

I wonder just how long daddy bigbux can justify having sonny boy in the Aston? He spent a ton of money to build a good team, top notch facilities and hired the best race car designer out there - having a driver who's several steps below the others just can't be justified in my mind, but maybe there's something there we just haven't seen yet?

I'm wondering if the Audi F1 project will be stillborn, and Sauber will become what it's mostly been, a backmarker team. Good to get some rookies on track and experienced, but that's about it.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/qatar-poised-for-buy-in-of-audis-f1-team/10671928/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGgjYVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYiwy3ioVDPUrcJOpo4UCV9PrINScdtZWPZ65jUWAguRQKUiI7OU7XQeRw_aem_r7ZV4EwwhDNRmTl0kMs7Ng
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

Perez stays at Red Bull in 2025 with a lucrative sponsorship deal:
– According to Spanish outlet MARCA, Sergio Perez is set to remain as Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing for the 2025 F1 season. Despite recent performance struggles, Perez has reportedly secured a new, lucrative sponsorship deal, which will support his place in the team.
"It is a kind of agreement that precedes a production process and has received all the approvals from the economic team, after approval by [Christian] Horner."
– Perez is heavily backed by sponsors from Mexico, including companies associated with billionaire Carlos Slim, such as Claro, Telcel, and Infinitum. These partnerships cover his salary and contribute an estimated $30 million annually to Red Bull.
MARCA reports, "Those who consider him written off will have to wait a little longer, as he has a contract through 2025."
– If Perez stays, it could mean Yuki Tsunoda will remain at Visa Cash App RB for 2025, with Liam Lawson likely favored as his teammate. However, unlike Perez, neither Tsunoda nor Lawson brings substantial sponsorship backing, which could influence Red Bull's final decision.

As always.....it all comes down to the money  $$$$$$$
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

Flavio Briatore 'wants' to sign Colapinto for 2025
Alpine opted to replace Ocon with reserve driver and F1 rookie Jack Doohan, who is the son of racing legend Mick Doohan.

The 21-year-old is all set to get his first taste of a full-time F1 seat with Alpine, partnering Frenchman Pierre Gasly in 2025.

However, recent reports suggested that the move could be in doubt, with Williams star Franco Colapinto instead tipped to replace Doohan before the season has even begun.

Colapinto has excelled in his role with Williams since replacing Logan Sargeant earlier in 2024, scoring five points with the struggling outfit and providing a real challenge to much more experienced team-mate Alex Albon.

Now, Blick are reporting that Alpine F1 boss Flavio Briatore phoned F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to tell him that he 'wants' Colapinto to sit in the Alpine seat for 2025.
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

#132
US Grand Prix - Las Vegas.

This was actually a pretty good race, lots of overtaking and strategy changes as the race went along. Mercedes were clearly the class of the field with Hamster in particular having a strong race - I think if he hadn't screwed up in Q3 he would have been in position to win it, as it is he went from 10th to 2nd and was closing fast on George at the end. The funny thing is Mercedes did not think this race would be good for them, and they still don't know why their car works so well at some tracks and so miserably at others.

George had a typical F1 race, get out in front and just manage the pace from there -which he did well and deserved the win.

Things at Ferrari were in their typical crazy state - I think LeClerc was supposed to finish ahead of Sainz for points reasons, but somehow Carlos must not have gotten the message   :grin:   After the race LeClerc quipped "maybe they should have told him in Spanish".....I don't blame Sainz, with two more races to go he doesn't need to make LeClerc look good for the sake of appearances. He took third, fair and square. But anyway you cut it the red cars were the next best class of the field and finished 3rd and 4th, taking some more points out of McLaren's lead in the championship. I think it could come down to the last race this year.....

Verstappen finished ahead of Lando and sealed his 4th straight driver's championship, so well done to Max. They're not out of the constructor's championship either, tho mathematically it's not looking good, especially with Checo only able to contribute one point by finishing 10th. But it could get exciting here at the end.....

Oh, and it looks like Cadillac will be on the grid in 2025 or 2026 - with Ferrari engines! -- til 2028, when they expect to have their own power plants online. Andretti apparently will not be part of the team, or will take a very backseat role.

The announcement from F1 as follows -  Formula 1 announced today that it has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to support bringing GM/Cadillac as the 11th team to the Formula 1 grid in 2026.
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

Abu Dhabi - last race of the season.

McLaren were in the perfect place to win the constructor's and the race with Norris on pole and Piastri 2nd, but Max wasn't having it as he and Piastri came together on the first turn and spun each other out - although both were able to continue - both got a 10 sec penalty.

That left Sainz in 2nd behind Norris....which is where he finished. I think the real story was LeClerc, who went from 19th to finish right behind Carlos. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to win the constructors, and that went to the Big Macs.

The Hamster also had a terrific race to go from 18th to pass Russell on the last lap and finish 4th.

Gasly stayed just ahead of the Hulk so Alpeen finished ahead of HAAS in the championship too. I wonder where Alpine got Gasly the performance these last few races, with a supposedly underpowered engine by over 30 hp?

It's been a long season and next year promises to have a few surprises too, what with new drivers on the grid and new teams in Audi and Cadillac, plus Alpine with Mercedes power and Honda coming back in to power Aston Martin. Should be an interesting grid, but a long wait till March of 25 when things get going again.
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

Brit_in_TX

Worst kept secret of the season, Checo is out at Red Bull for next year.  Replaced by Liam Lawson.

MiniDave

Did they make Liam official? So, not Yuki?

I really think it's time for Lewis and Alonso both to take their many billions and find something else to do, some new faces will make things more interesting.

I expect the Big Macs to be right at the front again next season, but I'm not sure Liam is ready for prime time with Max.

Time to start the F1 2025 thread?
Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

MiniDave

#136
no comments.....   :grin:

Complete failure at retirement - but getting better!

1972 Mini Racing Green
1972 Mini ST hotrod
2017 Audi Allroad - Glacier White - His
2018 Audi Allroad - Floret Silver - Hers

Brit_in_TX

Quote from: MiniDave on December 19, 2024, 04:18:00 PMTime to start the F1 2025 thread?

Or re-name this to be the ongoing F1 thread!