Formula 1 2023.

[Cleoriff]

I'll run a Formula 1 thread for one more season. Hopefully there will be some new members who are interested? If not, I'll spend a lot of time talking to myself 😂

A fair amount of changes this season with the driver line up but I'll discuss that later.

Kicking off in Bahrain on March 5 and concluding in Abu Dhabi on November 26, the season will feature a planned, record-breaking 24 races, with Qatar set to return and Las Vegas arriving as the penultimate round for a Saturday night race. China has been dropped due to the ongoing Covid situation.

CALENDAR

*Pre Season testing will take place in Bahrain on Feb23-25th

DRIVERS 2023

No change in the top three teams of Red Bull,(Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez)

Ferrari, (Charles LeClerc and Carlos Sainz and

Mercedes  (George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Alpine team, Pierre Gasly moves to drive with them as Alonso has moved out

McLaren Team. Oscar Piastri replaces Ricciardo and Lando Norris remains.

Alfa Romeo Team. No change in the line up with Valtteri Bottas and George Zhou.

Aston Martin Team. Fernando Alonso replace Seb Vettel who retired last year. Lance Stroll remains.

Haas Team Another change. Mick Schumacher was sacked last year and has been replaced with Nico Hulkenberg who will have his arch enemy Kevin Magnussen as a team mate.

Alpha Tauri team. Nyck De Vries (a rookie) replaces Gasly who moved to Alpine. Team mate Yuki Tsunoda (no change)

Williams team. Alex Albon remains and Nicholas Latifi (one of the worse drivers on the grid), resigned before being sacked, is replaced by another rookie Logan Sargeant (who was 4th in F2 last season)

So lots to look forward to this season. There have been changes in Team Principals. For Ferrari, Fred Vasseur replacing Mattio Binotti, McLaren has changed but the most shocking change (for me) is James Vowles Chief Strategist for Mercedes has taken on the team principal role for Williams!!

I hope Merc have got a damn good replacement!

[pgn]

That time of year again? 😂

Wonder who the sponsors are this year? Some interesting names on Alfa Romeo last year 😉

[Cleoriff]

I never really think of the sponsors @pgn unless it makes news. 😂

I know Mercedes dropped crisis hit crypto currency company FTX as a sponsor last year just before Brazil F1 and removed all their logos from the cars.

Then there was Rich Energy who dropped their sponsorship of the Haas team due to poor performance. This was a couple of years back. I hear they are making a comeback in the superbike discipline.

[Cleoriff]

PS Not REALLY that time of year yet.

We have the teams revealing this years cars. Staggered over the middle of February dates

Alfa Romeo, Haas and Red Bull dates still to be confirmed.

Rumour has it that Red Bull are planning a 'spectacular' reveal in the USA.

[jonsie]

All within legitimate budgets presumably....

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

All within legitimate budgets presumably....

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Ha!! After Red Bull exceeded the cost cap @jonsie and were punished with a slap on the wrists!

The FIA are NOW saying they are tightening up the system.

Makes me sick actually because Ross Brawn said when the cost cap was introduced... 'Championships could be lost if people exceeded the cost cap'. I didn't notice Verstappen losing his WDC (either in 21 or 22)

Obvious bias towards RBR to stop Mercedes running away with another constructors championship and Lewis beating their beloved Schumacher to an 8th WDC.

They certainly managed that. So excuse me for showing my bias!!

[jonsie]

It was Red Bull I was alluding to 😉

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

It was Red Bull I was alluding to 😉

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I know, it just allowed me to have yet another rant @jonsie 😂

"Let it go" people say. "It's over", (referring to 2021) Pfffttt. I'll never let it go.

Which is a bit sad as the grandson has watched F1 with me since he got very interested about 8 years ago.

A Lewis fan initially, then decided Max was his driver, so now he picks and chooses the races he will come and watch. 😂

[pgn]

Emotions run high, like the stakes 😂

[pgn]

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@jonsie wrote:

It was Red Bull I was alluding to 😉

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