Formula One ( F1 )

I still think it's Toto making CH look boring/pathetic for a laugh, but anyway...

Going to be a weird weekend with the race on Saturday - what do we think is going to happen tonight? Everyone going to turn their engines up so the quali result will be Red Bull > Ferrari > McLaren > Merc?

I still think it's Toto making CH look boring/pathetic for a laugh, but anyway...

"Everyone, I just sent you the emails, with diagrams, did you receive that?"

I'm betting for a Red Bull (not RB...) > Ferrari > Merc > Alonso > McLaren.

I'm fairly sure Ferrari are top of the top-midfield group, I imagine Merc/McLaren/Alonso will be chopping and changing in there.

Seems bizarre that everyone has suddenly jumped on the Merc hypetrain after FP2, while ignoring the fact that Haas were up in P7. If anything that's a marker for an unrepresentative session.

But with Ferrari/Merc/McLaren/Alonso & Minardi/Sauber/Williams squabbles, I'm optimistic for a good season's racing. I'm betting on Alpine & Haas bringing up the rear this season.

What the fuck is that one in file 76?😂

I haven’t looked through em all, honest, a random cock pic, or a weird finger?

The second is that surely these days this sort of 'evidence' is completely useless given stuff like this is a 2 second search away: https://www.fakewhats.com/generator

Harder to fake a selfie of CH singing American Pie.

Thankfully I've not been exposed to that so I'll have to take your word on it!

Awesome effort from Hulkenberg it seems. I was massively surprised that Magnussen was kept on for this year (even my Danish in-laws were baffled!).

Stroll the first spinner of 2024. Well I'll be damned...

Edit: Granted, if anything, that was probably more on Hulkenberg

Thing is that the pic from the hotel pool is a quite well known pool at a certain race.

Fairly sure Tsunoda's shooting himself in the foot with regards to any potential Red Bull promotions with that driving after the flag yesterday. Will be interesting to see who gets the seat, still seems like a Ricciardo/Lawson fight IMO.

And good to see Sainz continue his role of most anonymous podium finisher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7F5emhbK5U

Quite possibly, I haven't looked into it beyond the original imgur link to the weichat. Honestly I couldn't care less about the drama being stirred up, I'll leave that for Craig Slater & co.

Though I've gotta admit, I do enjoy the comic speculation that these sorts of photos provide:

Tsunoda will never get an RB seat.

Even though he’s faster than Dani

Not sure what they were trying to achieve with a swap either.

Yeah I think that potential ship has sailed. And if RB (sorry, Red Bull...) are as strong as they look for the rest of the season, Perez is probably safe for another year.

I think the swap made sense when they originally called it as it was a soft tyre vs hard tyre offset (I think it took Tsunoda 2-3 laps to actually let Ricciardo through), and Ricciardo was quickly catching Magnussen & Tsunoda (who'd been unable to pass for 10 laps or so). But after being stuck behind Tsunoda, then having to move over for Max, who then gave Magnussen DRS, it was too little too late for Ricciardo.

Sticking with the power struggle at Red Bull, Horner supposedly didn't wan't to keep Tsunoda at RB for this season, but Marko wanted the Honda money, and good will, that he brings. Simliar to Horner didn't want De Vries last year.

Hard to disagree with Horner's apparent position on either of those to be fair. And of course it's easy to disagree with pretty much any thoughts Marko seems to spill.

Kate Wagner visits the Grand Prix and writes an article that was published then rapidly deleted by Road and Track magazine

Thanks for posting that! Enjoyed reading it.

anonymous podium finisher

Read that as flasher but the video still made me chuckle. Carlos livened up an otherwise processional race, going to be awks for Charles if he keeps up that form. Still not a paid up Ferrari fan but already looks like they'll be providing a lot/most of the entertainment this year.

A lot going on there, but enjoyed it, despite not one mention of Fernando. Worth posting in the long reads thread if not posted already.

Why did they delete that? She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true or controversial?

I don't think this strapline:

"If you wanted to turn someone into a socialist you could do it in about an hour by taking them for a spin around the paddock of a Formula 1 race. The kind of money I saw will haunt me forever."

is a great fit with the marketing approach of F1, Ineos, or Road & Track magazine. In America if you you call someone Socialist you are basically calling them a communist and a traitor

Honestly, as a Ferrari fan, my favourite thing in recent years has been Sainz benefitting from ignoring Ferrari's utterly shit suggestions (something that Charles only recently seems to be learning from).

Of course it goes without saying that Hamilton is one of the best F1 drivers in history, but outside of marketing potential, I think it's a massive mistake to let go of Sainz. Obviously we haven't seen them in a proper championship fight, but I still maintain that Sainz & Leclerc are the strongest pairing on the grid. Can't imagine the Leclerc/Hamilton pairing will be so harmonious.

Just hoping the Audi/Sauber project is a success and he gets a seat there.

I also really enjoyed reading that. A great perspective on the whole circus.

Spotted this, had a chuckle.

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Spent 20 mins trying to find somewhere to place a bet for the 2025 WDC, at this point my money would be on Alonso or Sainz.

Jos seems to be doing everything he can to get Max out of RB and I can definitely see that coming to a head with RB still trodding along with the fastest car next year. I just hope for their sake that they don't end up searching around for engine providers again only to be stuck with the Alpine lump.

Hard to disagree with any of that, it's an odd prospect for sure. As you say without seeing either Charles or Carlos in a proper title fight it's hard to know how they'd fare. With Hamilton he does bring some assurances if the car is competitive. So many potential champions but outside of Max, Lewis and Alonso i'd say Norris is the only one willing to drive over his own pit crew to win.

Annoying that we won't get to see Carlos develop with Ferrari (Charles safe because of his manager?) but i rate Fred for the move. Can't see the Tifosi embracing Lewis quickly so plenty at stake!