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]

I've found out a bit more. The FIA only tested 4 cars. They looked at the skid pans on the floor. They looked at those in 1st, 2nd and 3rd and the pole sitter (Leclerc) who finished 6th. They found the skid pans on the floors of the cars of Lewis and Leclerc were a millimetre out. What they didn't do was test any other car. Many have suggested they should have tested at least the top 10. Sainz,Leclercs team mate was on fire, he finished 4th. Leclerc was running slow and finished 6th so he gained nothing via this infringement. Russell who started 5th ended up 7th. They didnt test the cars of the teammates!

Mercedes and Ferrari appealed the FIA decision. They said the track was bumpy and this could have caused the wear on the Struts. The FIA's decision stood.

Nothing more the teams could do.

Poor Lewis, no points from Qatar when he didn't finish and no points from the US GP. His chance of beating Perez for 2nd in the driving standings is diminishing. He lost 18 points from this disqualification

NB there has been NO driver disqualification since 1994!

Lewis lost 18 pts and Perez who moved from 5th (10pts) to 4th gained 12 points.

Sickening!!😭😂

[Cleoriff]

MEXICO GP

Practice 1

This session saw 4 F1 teams using newbies from F2 (just for Practice 1)

This is Sergio Perez home track so he really wants the win.

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PRACTICE 2

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PRACTICE 3

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QUALIFYING

This is as it stands but there are penalties to be dished out. The stewards are looking at Max and George for blocking cars in pitlane. Lewis and Logan Sargeant for not slowing under yellow flags when Alonso had a spin off track.

Very weird 3 sessions. Ferrari were nowhere in Q1 and 2. Lewis and George were top in Q2 and then the above happened. 😂

Bit shocking that Lando Norris went out in Q1. Very surprising looking at the time and position for Danny Ricciardo. A.T rarely make it out of Q1 let alone end up 4th on the grid!

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RACE MEXICO

What a race! Highs and lows. Poor Sergio Perez was out in a first lap crash much to the disgust of the home fans. It was his own fault though.

He had a cracking start until 1st corner when he ran 3 abreast with Max and Leclerc. 3 into 1 corner doesn't go. Leclerc hit him and off he went.

The race was red flagged after a nasty crash by Magnussen.

Lewis by this time had passed Ricciardo and both Ferrari cars and was up into 2nd.

Post red flag he went out on mediums (a big risk with this track and the heat) but he stayed on to keep 2nd and the fastest lap.

(Lets hope he hangs on to this result)

[Cleoriff]

BRAZIL (Sao Paolo) F1

The last of the triple headers and it's a Sprint race weekend.

PRACTICE 1

Just to note that the Top 3 drivers were on softs. The others were on hard tyres.

Next up is Qualifying.

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Q1

Q2

And now it's raining for Q3

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Q3

Session red flagged with 10 mins to go, due to black skies, lashing rain with thunder and lightning!!

Those drivers who got out early and 'banked' a lap were the winners.

Normally Stroll wouldn't be in the top 3! 😂

[Cleoriff]

GRID FOR RACE.

Tomorrow is the SPRINT and SPRINT SHOOTOUT.

Sunday is the Race.