The Official Formula One Thread!

[piratfisk]

I love ALO's steadfast determination & how, no matter his age, he still has the stamina & agility of all of the younger drivers.

Super sad to see HAM's twilight tour with MBZ continue to circle the drain.

STR into RIC seemed like a Three Stooges sketch... One muppet can't get out of the other muppet's way. Dad keeps baby boy in the car despite his inability to podium. I do think that 2024 is the last we'll see of RIC in an F1 car. I could see him being successful in IndyCar & take the Marcus Erickson/Romain Grosjean career path.

I don't know how many more seasons BOT has in him. I've said this before: He's taken the Kimi Raikkonen career path... Does very well in some great cars with great teammates, then goes to a backfield marker & fades out.

McLaren has definitely been my team to watch this season. NOR & PIA are a great combo in a car that seems to get 1% better every week.

[Doc Savage]

Fun race weekend. The Sprint Qualy was probably the most entertaining F1 event I've seen since 2021. The Sprint race wasn't bad, either.

[1st amg]

This is becoming monotonous. I think F1 is having issues selling tickets to races this year from what I heard. People are getting tired of Max/Redbull. As far as Hamilton, wth? Is it me or is his car not setup like he wants it too? It seems like oh well Lewis, just do the best you can..I knew this season was a waste at Mercedes. When announcing the move to Ferrari, you knew he was going to be waaaay behind George.

[piratfisk]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

This is becoming monotonous. I think F1 is having issues selling tickets to races this year from what I heard. People are getting tired of Max/Redbull. As far as Hamilton, wth? Is it me or is his car not setup like he wants it too? It seems like oh well Lewis, just do the best you can..I knew this season was a waste at Mercedes. When announcing the move to Ferrari, you knew he was going to be waaaay behind George.

Yes, I concur. It seems MBZ has really put its eggs into the RUS basket & let HAM just coast through the season so far, putting together however many points he can...

The RIC vs STR he-said-she-said during the post race interviews was priceless. I get the feeling that people in the midpack generally have a bit of a disdain for the kid born with a silver steering wheel in his hand.

[jatco]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

This is becoming monotonous. I think F1 is having issues selling tickets to races this year from what I heard. People are getting tired of Max/Redbull. As far as Hamilton, wth? Is it me or is his car not setup like he wants it too? It seems like oh well Lewis, just do the best you can..I knew this season was a waste at Mercedes. When announcing the move to Ferrari, you knew he was going to be waaaay behind George.

Monotonous .. Yeah I concur and probably accounts for my lack of interest, but I also remember when Hamilton was winning consently but there was more 'racing' going on then...imo.

[piratfisk]

Originally Posted by jatco

Monotonous .. Yeah I concur and probably accounts for my lack of interest, but I also remember when Hamilton was winning consently but there was more 'racing' going on then...imo.

I've heard Max fans make this same comparison before... about how when Lewis was winning race-after-race, no one complained. I do seem to recall that the racing "action" from 2001-2018 being a lot more entertaining. The biggest drama now is whether or not Checo will keep his seat. There are three classes of teams right now as I see it: 1) RBR: boring, just expected podiums now; 2) FER, MBZ, MCL, AM: this is where the action is; 3) SAU, WIL, HAS, ALP, TRO: honestly who cares? I do like ALB, BOT, HUL & MAG, but they're all tied to woefully underperforming vehicles (for now).

[rmlovett1]

Headed to Miami next week, sitting in the Liquid IV Racehouse Club, right across from the podium.
It’s my fiancé and I’s first F1 event. We’re excited to go to experience the whole atmosphere, as both of us have been to races, but not an F1 event.

[SMD]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

This is becoming monotonous. I think F1 is having issues selling tickets to races this year from what I heard. People are getting tired of Max/Redbull. As far as Hamilton, wth? Is it me or is his car not setup like he wants it too? It seems like oh well Lewis, just do the best you can..I knew this season was a waste at Mercedes. When announcing the move to Ferrari, you knew he was going to be waaaay behind George.

I think that's part of it, but I also think it's the pricing as well. Vegas tickets were pure cash grab nothing more. Triple the cost of many European races. This is even more so for the paddock, champions club tickets. Anyone remember the 40k per ticket garage seats? I think they are down to 30k but they sold almost none of them last year and had to use them for media to try and promote them.

[SDGT3]

I saw something last year where for the price of one race in Miami or Las Vegas, you could fly to 3 specific European races (Spa, Monza, Zanffort) for the same price.

My friend in Portugal is going to Imola next month and the GA tix were 160 Euros for Fri, Sat. Sun.

[jatco]

Originally Posted by SDGT3

I saw something last year where for the price of one race in Miami or Las Vegas, you could fly to 3 specific European races (Spa, Monza, Zanffort) for the same price.

My friend in Portugal is going to Imola next month and the GA tix were 160 Euros for Fri, Sat. Sun.

I agree...that the prices for US GP is ridiculous imo and I would never spend that kind of coin to attend. I'd go to Europe first...!

[Andad]

I record the races and fast forward at x60 until I see a position change or a safety car.

They should have two races at each meeting with no stops.

Lap numbers to be decided based on fuel consumption.

Something has to change.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by SDGT3

I saw something last year where for the price of one race in Miami or Las Vegas, you could fly to 3 specific European races (Spa, Monza, Zanffort) for the same price.

My friend in Portugal is going to Imola next month and the GA tix were 160 Euros for Fri, Sat. Sun.

I paid 140€ for Sat-Sun in Austria this year. It's cheap.

[1st amg]

Originally Posted by Andad

I record the races and fast forward at x60 until I see a position change or a safety car.

They should have two races at each meeting with no stops.

Lap numbers to be decided based on fuel consumption.

Something has to change.

Jesus Eddie, I do the same thing. I feel like I am cheating on my passion, but this year is a grind.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Andad

I record the races and fast forward at x60 until I see a position change or a safety car....

OMG i love it!!! Yes, FF'ing an F1 sport exhibit is their only saving grace for some viewers. Wanna LOL, the F1 app on Ruko has the s--l--o--w--e--s--t FF ever (max FF speed 3 = only 1 minute of race per one second of FF).

Something has to change.

While i agree with you, F1 may VERY MUCH differ with our opinions.

The BUSINESS of F1 and Liberty Media ... the money train and political influence / financial strength of the sporting exhibition game that is modern F1 is doing the best it ever has. In other words, they're making Big Bank plus have influence... and perhaps (for some) that's the perceived pinnacle of today's entertainment business.

jmho ymmv

PADI has a thread about aggressive marketing... he very much might be on to something.

[SDGT3]

Originally Posted by SearChart

I paid 140€ for Sat-Sun in Austria this year. It's cheap.

Wow, that is cheap. When did you get those tickets because we looked into crossing the border from Germany during our trip to see some games in the Euro Cup and the only remaining tickets for the Austrian GP were T8 and T9 for roughly 600€. The lodging in the areas was spare as well so we decided not to go.

[Jackie Daytona]

Adrian Newey will no longer be designing for RedBull. That will make things interesting.

He cites the controversy with the Horner investigation oddly.

They already sound to have quite the back office drama going on there. I’m curious what prompted this in reality, as well as the future implications.

Possibly Max going to Mercedes and bringing Newey along for the ride possibly with Red Bull not removing Horner as it seems to be desired from the Marko/Verstappen family crowd?

I would really like to see Max in a car not designed by Newey ultimately. Could bring racing back…

[77T]

Newey's been in the middle of a power tussle that had nothing to do with him. An uncomfortable position for a tech wizard - he's not the grinder for Helmut - Thai owners - Horner sausage-making.

Good on him for saying sayonara.

But a couple of blocks must fall in place for him to leave without penalty before the end of 2025.

BTW, he undoubtedly knows that the lady has been terminated and she is lawyering for an imminent appeal.

Don't know the particulars but I expect VER to leave as soon as he can too. If Helmut leaves, Max also gets a chance for early release.

Wouldn't it be a hoot for VER & HAM to be at the Scuderia?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Talon84]

Suspect Newey will go to one of 2 places

Aston Martin - big money move plus the option to play with his baby Valkyrie when it goes to le mans next year

Ferrari - Newey openly admitted last year that he regrets never having the chance to work with Hamilton

Max? Suspect he will stay at Red Bull. Sure hes a great driver but driving for and representing a major manufacturer would require his attitude to be adjusted some what. His outbursts and tactics under pressure work well for an energy drinks company but not sure it would sit well in a corporate environment like mercedes.

Interesting silly season ahead

[Jackie Daytona]

I saw that with Ferrari.

I would actually love to see him move over there. They’ve been struggling realistically towards the back end of Schumacher and Vettel days. Schumacher and Ferrari F1 got me into it all I would love to see them really back up at the top consistently again.

[joli160]

F1 will be very exciting next season with Newey going to Ferrari and Hamilton the lead driver.

Seriously doubt that Red Bull has any chance without its lead designer and the support of Honda.
Perhaps Toto’s flirt with Verstappen will end up in a marriage after all.
Interesting times for the F1 enthusiasts

[Talon84]

Originally Posted by joli160

F1 will be very exciting next season with Newey going to Ferrari and Hamilton the lead driver.

Seriously doubt that Red Bull has any chance without its lead designer and the support of Honda.
Perhaps Toto’s flirt with Verstappen will end up in a marriage after all.
Interesting times for the F1 enthusiasts

If Newey goes to Ferrari next year, earliest you will see some serious impact is 2026 car designs.

Big question is, will Red Bull allow him to do it? In theory he’s contracted until the end of 2026 so could make him take gardening leave until then.

It’s on reason I think Aston may be a better fit. Go play with Valkyrie at Le Mans next year, think about the 2026 regs in Aston Martins new wind tunnel and come out with a cracking new car for the new regs