Formula One 2022

[Cleoriff]

This is the year of the change to regulations and a new look for F1 cars. According to the FIA, 'it's to level the playing field'. I'm not happy with that, it's killing innovation and turning an elite sport into F2.

I may be wrong but that needs to be proved.

Anyway the 'confirmed' calendar is here.

In other news, various sports articles are showing concern that Lewis Hamilton has maintained a social media blackout since the fiasco of Abu Dhabi.

Depending on your point of view, this race was 'nearly' won by Hamilton who was 12 seconds ahead of Verstappen until 5 laps from the end when a crash by Latifi brought out a safety car. The race director who was being harangued by Toto Wolff (Mercedes manager) and Christian Horner (Red Bull manager), made some very controversial decisions in order to 'get one lap of racing'.

The outcome was, Verstappen won the race and his first championship.

Hamilton who was within 5 laps of an historical 8th WDC, behaved with utmost dignity at race end. Congratulated Verstappen and Horner. Was interviewed by Jenson Button and refused to be drawn on any comment regarding the controversy. Stood on the podium and continued to go through the motions of the celebration.

Since then nothing has been heard from him.

According to his brother Nicholas 'Lewis is fine. He's having a break Social Media can be a very toxic place'.

Further rumour is Hamilton was the one who stopped Mercedes from taking this case to the F1 Court of Appeal, which was their intention after their appeal was dismissed by the FIA in Abu Dhabi.

Anyway roll on February when the cars are revealed and March when testing begins.

[pgn]

No Sky, never had it, @Cleoriff - but I shall ask some of my work colleagues who are based in Singapore for a candid photo or two of the venue if not of the cars or the drivers and teams next week 👍

[Cleoriff]

@pgn 

The last time we were at Singapore was 2019. Here's a clip of that race Just click on the 'Watch on You Tube'

[Cleoriff]

Practice 2

Both Mercs were doing well. Lewis abandoned his last lap.

[Cleoriff]

P3, not started yet as it's been lashing down.

As I write the safety car has done a few laps and the rain is stopping. The water clearing truck is doing a few laps now.

P3 has now started....

[Cleoriff]

P3.

The track was still wet. Mercedes waited until the last 15 mins of Qualy to come out. (A bit foolish if you ask me, as they take ages to warm their tyres up

Oh well, on to Qualifying....🙄

[Cleoriff]

Qualifying

Wow Wow Wow...what a qualifying! Lewis was on pole until just 2 mins from the end. Then Leclerc and Perez just pipped him by a few 10ths of a second. Max had to abort his lap because he was running out of fuel. He's 8th.

George Russell didn't make it into Q3.

PS, if the FIA can't extract 1 litre of fuel from Verstappen's car, he will start at the back.

[Cleoriff]

What a disappointing race. The track area had lashing rain an hour before the start so it was delayed by over an hour. It didn't really dry for the whole of the race.

2 safety cars, 3 Virtual safety cars, 4 crashes, 2 cars broken down

At the start Perez overtook Leclerc and Sainz overtook Lewis.  So Merc were expecting a good result. Forget that! Lewis crashed but kept going and then pitted for a new nose cone and tyres.

[pgn]

Bit of a washout, then, @Cleoriff.

Where next? Japan?

[Cleoriff]

@pgn 

Yes, Japan next weekend.

Would you like to see all session timings?

Here you go!! (Start at the bottom for P1) 😂. Think I'll be missing a couple of those!

[pgn]

SKY Box can record, n'est ce pas, @Cleoriff 😉