FORMULA 1 2024

[Cleoriff]

So breaking news before the start of the 2024 season:

Lewis Hamilton appears to be making a move to Ferrari for the 2025 season

A major shock as he signed a two year contract with Mercedes last season. So whether it was one year with an opt out clause for 2025 is anyone's guess.

This seems to be anything but a silly season rumour!

MOTORSPORT: HAMILTON TO FERRARI 

SKY NEWS: HAMILTON TO FERRARI FOR 2025 

A lot more news happening but I'll post that later. For now, I need to go and have a lie down 😂

NB As Charles Leclerc has just signed a contract extension with Ferrari, it looks as if Lewis would be replacing Carlos Sainz.

It won't be a popular move. Also, not sure how Mercedes will handle that news THIS year as Lewis is driving for them until the end of 2024.

Will they put all their eggs in George Russells basket? (Hamilton came 3rd in the drivers championship last year and Russell came 8th)

Questions Questions!!🤔

[Cleoriff]

PRACTICE 3

Mercedes suddenly started to show some pace in P3.

[Cleoriff]

Qualifying Japan

Q1

Q2

Q3

[Cleoriff]

FINAL GRID FOR JAPAN F1 TOMORROW

FIRST TIME IN 4 races that Lewis has outqualified his team mate.

However, considering their pace in Practice 3 the overall results were disappointing.

[Cleoriff]

Race Results Japan

A nasty crash on the 2nd lap. Ricciardo was tapped on the rear wing , pushed forward and crashed into Albon. Both cars crashed into the barrier. The race was red flagged whilst they cleared the cars and fixed the barrier. Both Merc cars changed to hard tyres from Mediums. A stupid strategy as it happened, as the track was hot. They both had to change tyres again.

LH was still in 7th and GR in 9th. Anyway it was obvious that Russells car was faster than Hamiltons so he let him through.

Not a particularly interesting race:

[Cleoriff]

CHINA F1

First time since 2019 that we have raced in China. Last time it was a 1 and 2 win for Mercedes.

It's also a Sprint weekend.

So currently only Practice 1 has taken place. The session was red flagged due to a fire on the grass.

Practice 1

Probably the weirdest results I've seen for a long time!

[pgn]

Grass fires (rarely), rain (often, especially Singapore - although Oman and Dubai have had severe floods this week!), I don't suppose F1 has ever had ice and snow to contend with...?

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT QUALIFYING 1

The bottom 5 are out.

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT QUALIFYING 2

The rain came 3 minutes from the end. George Russell is out.

All cars from 11th down are out.

[jonsie]

Hamilton scraping through

Hope he can be more competetive next season because it's same old same old this year

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT QUALIFYING 3

Last 10 drivers are all on track on Intermediate tyres due to rain.

Leclerc into the barrier  but no damage just to tyres. Norris got pole but time was deleted. Hamilton then took pole...then the stewards reinstated Norris' run!

This is the grid for the Sprint Race tomorrow.