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]

You can't beat a quick Brazilian - and as there's nobody to fill that slot, I guess Sao Paulo's as close to a Brazilian as it is possible to get 😆

😉

[Cleoriff]

Late news yesterday: Russell, Ocon and Gasly get a 2 place grid penalty for main race, for impeding in pit lane exit.

Same rule that Verstappen, Russell and one other broke last week. No punishment for those 🙄

SPRINT SHOOTOUT

This forms the grid for the 17 lap Sprint Race later tonight.

[Cleoriff]

SPRINT RACE.

Only the first 10 score points. Mercedes totally lost pace!

[jonsie]

I had been hoping that Mercedes and their modifications were coming good

I totally lost interest in this once Max stormed into the lead and the Mercs started dropping off the pace

I stopped watching half way through to be honest

I just hope the proper race tomorrow is more exciting and worth the watch

[Cleoriff]

---

@jonsie wrote:

I had been hoping that Mercedes and their modifications were coming good

I totally lost interest in this once Max stormed into the lead and the Mercs started dropping off the pace

I stopped watching half way through to be honest

I just hope the proper race tomorrow is more exciting and worth the watch

---

@jonsie 

Mercedes is doing too little too late! This season and last they started to come good about 6 races from the end and that's a waste of time. People moaned up until 2021 when Mercs were dominant but they always had competition with the Ferrari's and Red Bulls.

Max  has had no competition this season. The Red Bull has been built round him and it's an absolute rocket ship. He has no competition from his team mate as the car suits Max not Sergio.

I understood the new regulations from 2022 onwards were intended to close the pack up (Unless you are Red Bull!)

Brazil has always been a track where the Mercs run well. Hmmmm. Not this year. Lewis radioed his engineer during yesterday's sprint and asked where his speed had gone!? A bit insulting to be overtaken by a Ferrari and an Alpha Tauri.

At least he's beating his cocky teammate overall this season. He starts higher than him in todays race as well.

It must be a bit gutting for Merc to see McLaren doing well, knowing that they are running a Mercedes engine. 🙄

Maybe with all their money, Mercedes should poach Adrian Newey for a season to help them build a winning car. 😂

[jonsie]

Mayhem!

[Cleoriff]

Mayhem indeed @jonsie!

Leclerc's car failed with hydraulics on the formation lap. 1st lap an almighty crash involving the two Haas cars and the Williams of Albon. A flying wheel hit Ricciardo and Piastri's car so the race was red flagged.

They managed to fix those cars hit by the wheel. A rubbish race for Mercedes. They appear to be going 'backwards. George Russell did nothing but moan. He was behind Lewis and asking over team radio 'Tell Lewis to hurry up'. When Lewis did that, George was moaning that he had lost DRS.

Russells car was overheating so they retired the car. One funny guy on FB said Russell and his mouth have now retired. 😂

Super race between Alonso and Perez for 3rd, with Alonso just winning it on the line.

Interview with Toto Wolff at race end. I've never seen him so disappointed. He mentioned  two seasons ago they were dominating and from that, to one of the slowest cars on the grid this race!!

Oh well. Roll on Las Vegas in two weeks!

[gmarkj]

Looks like there are some teething issues at the Las Vegas track - manhole covers are being pulled out of place by cars as they go over them!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/67447322 

[Cleoriff]

Yes @gmarkj

FPI cancelled after 9 minutes. For all the hype and money thrown at Las Vegas it's turned into a real c**kshambles. Sainz went over a small manhole cover and due to the downforce of these F1 cars, it ruined his Ferrari. Massive damage sustained. Fred Vasseur the manager is raging. Ocon from Alpine also sustained   damage.

FP2 looked to be cancelled whilst they check every manhole. It has now been rescheduled for 10am.

So, they put on a real cringeworthy pre-race show (spending millions) and skimp on the track checks.

Of the 9 minutes running time, bearing in mind some cars never made it onto track, these are the results (which are worth nothing really!!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/67447322 

And to add insult to injury, Sainz will take a grid penalty for a new engine he needs due to track issues.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/63208918 

[Cleoriff]

FP2 Las Vegas. (EVENTUALLY!!)