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!

[Cleoriff]

Sprint Qualifying.

I hate this track. Totally spoilt by all the lap deletions.

Lewis was knocked out in Q2 for exceeding track limits but the whole sessions Q1, Q2 and Q3, went like this after stewards changed track limits this morning. The teams were only informed an hour before they put the cars out for the sprint.

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT SHOOTOUT

Have to say I don't like the Sprint weekends but this was a great race. Only 19 laps but 2 safety cars!

Well done to Oscar Piastri (who is a rookie) who won. Max achieved his 3rd WDC.

Lewis did well to go from 12th to 5th. Perez didn't finish. Only the top 8 got points

 Just hearing that Leclerc exceeded track limits 5 times which means he has a 5 second penalty and drops out of the points.

[Cleoriff]

RACE

What a weird 'contrived' race. All drivers told pre-race that no matter what tyre compound they were running, they had to pit every 18 laps for a tyre change. What with penalties for track limits and all drivers suffering with dehydration I wish we could drop this damn trrack.

Lewis in 3rd started on softs and made a brilliant start. Sadly he didnt take a good position during the attempted overtake and left George with nowhere to go. The two Mercs came together on the first lap. Lewis's race was over. George pitted for a new wing and tyre change and did very well to finish 4th.

Lewis, after watching the replay, took 100% responsibility and apologised to the team and George.

[Cleoriff]

More news post Qatar race.

Apparently 9 drivers attended the medical centre post race to be treated for exhaustion and dehydration.

Ocon actually vomited inside his helmet during the race. All drivers questioned said the heat was unbearable and it felt like being in a Sauna for over 2 hrs. Logan Sargeant retired as he was unwell.

The FIA have said they will have a review of the Qatar race and take action required.

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/38620592/fia-take-action-qatar-gp-extreme-weather 

[Cleoriff]

THIS WEEKEND is in the US (COTA) Circuit of the Americas)

It's also a Sprint Weekend.

Practice 1.

Qualifying is next at 22.00

[Cleoriff]

QUALIFYING

Q1

Q2

Q3

THE RACE GRID

Not sure how Lando Norris got out of Q1 as he exceeded track limits which the stewards totally missed!

In Q3 Max had an awful last lap. Red Bull sent Perez out when Max was on a hot lap but even so he managed pole.....for all of 10 seconds as the stewards DID notice that he exceeded track limits and he dropped down to 6th.

Aston Martin had upgrades but neither car got out of Q1.

Mercedes had a new floor and it suited them well at this track.

SPRINT and SPRINT SHOOTOUT TOMORROW EVENING.

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT QUALIFYING (sets the grid for the Sprint later tonight)

Just points available for the 19 laps of the Sprint later.

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT SHOOTOUT

George Russell was given a 3 place grid drop prior to this Sprint for impeding Charles Leclerc in the sprint qualifying.. So he started 11th. He moved up to 8th quickly but then given a 5 sec penalty for leaving track and gaining a position.

This race is for points down to 8th. Winner gets 8 points, 2nd 7pts, 3rd 6points etc.

[Cleoriff]

US GP RACE

Mercedes appear to be back. Great race pace. They failed on strategy and length of time for pitstops. For a top team they have to get as good as Red Bull 2 seconds, McLaren 1.8 secs against Merc today 3.6 sec. They also should have brought Lewis in 2 laps earlier! Max had brake issues and at the end there was only 2 seconds between the two.

George lost out at the start and dropped down 3 places.

RACE RESULTS

[Cleoriff]

Oh my god!

My excitement was premature. Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified for some technical breach!!

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-hamilton-and-leclerc-disqualified-from-united-st... 

Needless to say, I could weep!

Ub-bloody believable! Didn't help Leclerc much though as he started first and ended 6th. 2 places behind teammate. Lewis started 3rd and ended up second.