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]

So long as the post-rave reviews of performance don't detect any anomalies. 😖

[Cleoriff]

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@pgn wrote:

So long as the post-rave reviews of performance don't detect any anomalies. 😖

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This is Silverstone, not Austria! 😂 All penalties were handed out during the race.

PS Norris was on his last warning for track limits. One more and he would have a 5 second penalty. Good job this was 2 laps from the end 😋

[Safwan]

Where on Earth has this Mclaren been hiding? Great to see Lando P2 and Piastri just outside podium spot. Great race as one can expect from Silverstone, a track that increasingly stands out in a sea of snoozefest street circuits that have swamped the race calendar

[Cleoriff]

McLaren had some major upgrades this weekend and that was the result. I expect Merc, with all the money available to them thought WTH!! I mean they had upgrades but did nothing for the straightline speed just helped on corners.  I was very conflicted yesterday. On one hand, I wanted Lewis to take Lando for 2nd. On the other hand I thought No, McLaren have been in the wilderness for years, this is their time.

Lets face it, if not for the safety car, it would have been the 2nd McLaren of Piastri who got 3rd.

I agree @Safwan,Silverstone is a superb, 'old school' circuit. One which allows every size of F1 car over the years, to race as they should.

Wasn't impressed with the actor Damian Lewis, singing the National Anthem. As for model Cara Delevigne's snub of Martin Brundle on his grid walk, I say get off the grid! 1000's of 'normal people would have treasured that experience...so don't come here, surrounded by bodyguards and refuse to open your mouth. Ridiculous

Best race of the season so far and nice to see Max NOT putting in a lead of 20seconds, the McLaren cut that to just under 4 secs.

What the hell happened to Ferrari??

On to Hungary in 2 weeks.

[Safwan]

Yeah, Sir Lewis very much hinted at the Mclaren surprise and the need to do better. Ferrari need to stop the early pit stops, being behind a Williams is embarrassing, no disrespect to the amazing Albon. Hope to see the gap continue to the RB disappear, but let’s be honest we're overdue for a RB 1-2

My first season of F1 was 07, so I am a big fan of McLaren, and Sir Lewis. I  was conflicted too, but  with how things ended, I was fairly happy with it. 

IMO if you snub Brundie, you should not be allowed in F1. I hate these snobby celebs, good to see Brad Pitt show respect though. 

[Cleoriff]

HUNGARY F1

Oh what a surprise, it chucking it down at the Hungoring

Checo Perez put his car into the barrier.

Ricciardo is back after MArko sacked Nyck De Vries after Silverstone. Alpha Tauri have brought some upgrades this week.

With the rain and Sainz Beaching his car, a couple of drivers decided they would learn nothing by going out in this session. Hamilton was one of them (Pity as Russell topped the leaderboard) 😂

[Cleoriff]

PRACTICE 2

Not so good for Merc, or Verstappen but Ferrari  had reason to smile.

[Cleoriff]

HUNGARY P3

Well well well. The track has dried out and warmed up. Lewis leads P3.

[Cleoriff]

QUALIFYING

It's been 33 races since his last pole but what a lap. Great to see Lewis back on pole.

A great lap by Zhou as well. The grid looks like this tomorrow.

[pgn]

Woohoo!  At least the racing's kept your mind off the weather, although we've been unable to not have the lights on in the house today it's that dim and grey - p*shed-down all day here, even the cats are depressed...