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]

Problem is @Bambino, when you are married to someone who doesn't share the same passion as me re motor sports, there has to be some give and take. My other half busied himself doing other things when F1 was on, so I left him to it once F1 was over. In fairness I was a bit tired anyway. 😉

[Bambino]

I understand. @Cleoriff 😉

The NASCAR race was rained off. They don't run in wet weather. They'll run it tomorrow.

[Safwan]

@Cleoriff That’s fair, in the past I’d given Monaco a free pass since we didn’t have so many ‘spectacle over race’ tracks like the new Miami street track. I’ve soured on Verstappen too, personally I’m a neutral and would just like competition in the sport 

[Cleoriff]

Spain F1

Practice 1

[Cleoriff]

Practice 2 Spain

[Cleoriff]

P3 SPAIN

Not bad for Lewis ...

[Cleoriff]

Qualifying SPAIN

George didn't make it into Q3. Then knocked into Lewis causing him to have a new wing. Lewis was 2nd in Q1 and Q2. Gasley may have a penalty for impeding

[Cleoriff]

New grid start after Gasly was awarded a 3 place drop (Twice) for two lots of impeding. So he drops 6 places

[Safwan]

Was quite looking forward to this weekend : GP, FA Cup & NBA finals The gulf in class between the winners & their competition though, wowza.

At least the battle for podium was fun. I’m still of the belief Aston Martin needs to get rid of Stroll to compete long term. 

[Cleoriff]

A good race, particularly for the two Mercedes.

I think this is the first time Stroll has beaten Alonso. Though I did hear Fernando say over his radio 'I won't be fighting with Lance' (when it's obvious he could have taken him.