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!

[jonsie]

Quite like the idea of racing down the strip. I've driven down it many times but unfortunately not in an F1 car

Seems the drivers are split on the razzamattaz of it all though

[Cleoriff]

FP3 Vegas

People were allowed back in to watch FP3. Albon clipped the wall but his car is ready for Qualifying

[Cleoriff]

QUALIFYING.

(Bear in mind Sainz takes a 10 place grid drop)

Hamilton went out at the end of Q2, lost speed in car apparently. Perez also went out in Q2. However Sainz drops to 12th, moving everyone up before him by one place. Look at Williams, first time ever in hybrid area and both cars in top 10.

Albon moves into 5th and Sargeant into 6th. Brilliant mix up of different cars.

[Cleoriff]

What a start to a race, a virtual safety car and a true safety car within two laps. Lewis dropped to 14th, and made his way to 6th before getting a puncture. Max  did his usual pushing Leclerc off track on the first bend and got himself a 5 second penalty. Plenty of overtaking so far, Norris crashed and is out of the race.

[Cleoriff]

Much better race than anticipated. Plenty of action and occasional crash. Only one safety car needed though.

Max and George got a 5 second penalty. Didn't affect Max but George dropped behind Lewis in final race standings.

[Cleoriff]

ABU DHABI (FINAL RACE OF SEASON)

PRACTICE 1

NB Most teams had to run P1 with a rookie driver.

[Cleoriff]

So the rookie ( Drugovich) for Aston, beat Lance Stroll.

The Ferrari Drivers were 7th and the rookie, Robert Schwartzman in 8th.

Red Bull ran 2 rookies and they were 16th and 17th.

Interesting. Impressed with Drugovich.

[Cleoriff]

P2 Red Flagged after 6 minutes with Carlos Sainz hitting the wall!!

Then Hulkenberg crashed. So very scappy..

[Cleoriff]

P2 Session

Due to two red flags none of the cars had a chance to do any long runs or real hot laps

[Cleoriff]

FP3

One Merc doing well, Hamilton's car not so much!