Formula One ( F1 )

Christ that's terrifying

Second Bahrain race layout looks interesting (now confirmed here: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-to-use-bahrains-high-speed-outer-track-for-sakhir-grand-prix.6niLbb2btc0IrscR1BMpx8.html):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXz79BtfwI

Can't say I'm a fan (possibly just the sub-conscious realisation that this is another track where Ferrari's engine will be laughable), but good to see them trying some interesting things with filling out the calendar. Damn happy to see Turkey back too, one of the very few Tilke circuits that isn't garbage.

You're in the middle of a desert with all the space and money in the world and you design a track as a square?

Yep, out of all the possible track layouts, that's the one they went with (normal circuit highlighted below). Event the plain oval around the pits would've been a better choice IMO

realisation that this is another track where Ferrari's engine will be laughable

Did you see Lando’s comments on a stream saying that if Leclerc got through Eau Rouge in first place he’d be last by the end of the first straight. Charles didn’t have much to say in response either

Just when you thought life couldn't get any worse for Sebby V...

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I would not like to be a high-ranking member of the Ferrari F1 team after Monza that's for sure.

I dunno, with Leclerc in 15th I don't think a significant portion of the blame can be directed at Vettel. If anything I'd say things are looking worse for Leclerc given that Vettel is at least about to flee the sinking ship.

Agreed. Difficult to see them doing well there. Not a circuit which will play to their strengths. Whatever they are.

I know, but being a former WC and being slower than a Williams (at present) must be pretty depressing. And once again being slower than Leclerc.

Your only real race in motorsport is with your team mates. If you fail at that then you’re doomed as a team lead

I don't think you can draw too many conclusions from free practice. It is just that - practice. You don't know what old engine they've put in the car for the session, what strategies they're trying out, aero testing, brakes, tyres etc etc.

For sure they've dropped right back due to their engine TD, and for sure the Mercedes engine is such a killer this year that it's making all the Mercedes powered cars a lot faster on single lap pace. But Sunday is the day to see who is fastest!

I don't think you can draw too many conclusions from free practice. It is just that - practice. You don't know what old engine they've put in the car for the session, what strategies they're trying out, aero testing, brakes, tyres etc etc.

That's true, of course. It's like pre-season testing - it's not a reliable guide to how things will work out when the lights go off. Even so, they're out there doing quali and race simulations to try and work out how the car will react under those conditions, and to see what the tyre wear/temps will be like. Pootling around at 80% speed won't serve any purpose. I'm sure they'll have turned the wick down on the engines a bit, but it still doesn't look good for Ferrari. Chuckles.

Is the Mercedes engine such a killer though? The thoroughly unscientific impression I get is that the Honda unit isn't that far behind, and the Renault unit not too far behind that. The Ferrari PU, on the other hand, seems utterly pants at the moment. Seems to me that the Ferrari cheat/cheats (whatever it was/they were) caused the other engine manufacturers to massively increase their engine development rate, and now that Ferrari have been made to stop cheating by whatever shady agreement they've reached with the FIA, they're left miles behind.

Either way, I've been irrationally ill-disposed to the Red Team ever since the Schumacher era, so I'm happy come what may.

So when was the last time neither Ferrari made it out of Q1 due to pace? Has that even happened with the new quali format?

As a long-time Ferrari hater, this is a time of joy.

That is bad

Personally I don't get the hatred towards teams in motorsport (one of the big draws of motorsport for me has been that it's not a zero-sum game, so you tend not to see the same tribalism as you would in football, rugby and other two party sports). Do people feel that to the extent that they'd rather have a single team dominating (granted Verstappen is occasionally a fly in the ointment) and see a one-time championship contender limping around at the back of the pack, as opposed to a close championship fight?

And on Ferrari specifically, is it the Schumacher dominance years that's the reason? Or the questionable FIA judgements back in the Mosely era?

Assuming Russell had issues with his quali simulation run (heard him complaining of the backed up traffic at the bus stop, and would not expect to see him almost half a second behind Latifi), that would've been all Ferrari engined cars bringing up the rear. Pretty damn embarrassing. Not as embarrassing as the next 2 weekends are going to be, but pretty damn bad.

As with football, or any other sport, I can’t help but hate teams / sportspeople who think they have a divine right to success.

Vettel and Ferrari are the Stephen gerrard and mid 00s Liverpool of F1.

That is another possibility that I forgot to mention, Ferrari's special share of the money pot due to their heritage in the sport (not sure if that's still a thing, haven't looked at anything regarding the newly resigned Concorde agreement).

sportspeople who think they have a divine right to success.

Yeah, but people still adore Senna (always baffled me with people's different opinions of Schumacher and Senna, to me they're incredibly similar)

Testament to the fact that sporting greatness is at least 50% achieved off the field/track/whatever.

I used to find the lack of respect for Schumacher's achievements baffling as well, but now I understand that just being technically superior and racking up record numbers does not endear or elevate you to the status of legend. And I was a major Schumacher fan. Still am.

Makes me wonder what Lewis's legacy will be. He's such an unlikeable character I don't think he'll ever occupy the place in people's affections that previous (far less successful) Brit champions have.

Watching him and Bottas having a massive and obvious sulk on the podium at Silverstone after coming 2 and 3 instead of the 1 and 2 they felt they deserved in the 70th anniversary GP being a prime example.

On a related note (and an anecdotal one at that), but I've definitely noticed fewer instances recently of people writing off Schumacher's success as merely being in a good driver in a dominant car.

oi

Mansell was unlikeable. Moss was unlikeable. Stewart was unlikeable. Hill Jr was dull but probably likeable. Most F1 champs are not terribly likeable human beings.

I saw Lewis Hamilton race a few times in F.Renault and he was a massive arsehole. I don’t see him as a difficult character but British people don’t seem to have much affection for people who win too much for some reason.