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Are we doing that fantasy F1 thingy on GridRival again this year?
I’m sure that Ricciardo has been propelled by Renault power ever since the start of the hybrid era, so there will be some acclimatisation for him getting used to the Merc engine.
You mean like not bursting into flames after two race distances?
Just noticed that the "new" redbull has been launched. How many teams have sacked off the whole launching thing this year and will just roll the car out into the pit lane at the first test session - unless you've got particularly picky sponsors I can't see much wrong with that approach this time.
I'm sure another reorg will sort out what's been holding them back for the last 15 years.
https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1364907361777967105
I’m sure another reorg will sort out what’s been holding them back
Rearrange to form a well known phrase or saying;
Titanic the deckchairs the on rearranging
Interesting article on Planet F1 saying Ferrari's punishment for cheating in 2019 was that they weren't allowed to use as much fuel in 2020, but the engine would be permitted full power/fuel in 2021...Testing is going to be interesting.
My prediction is that the 2022 F1 thread will start some time in November
This is supposed to be an F1 thread, I'm sure there are others for deluded, attention seeking fatasists...
oomidamon
Full MemberThis is supposed to be an F1 thread, I’m sure there are others for deluded, attention seeking fatasists…
Okay, just for my future reference where are you drawing the line? At around the Bernie-mark or closer to EJ?
Scary thing with the RE thing, is that it is going to be much cheaper for an independant to join for this season as the joining fees have effectively been waived.. There's been rumours of 1-2 new joiners floating around. That said, i cant see who it will be, they will need a major fuel and lubriant sponsor as well as someone to supply the PU, which can only be Renault or Ferrari..
There’s been rumours of 1-2 new joiners floating around.
A small F1 team has 200 or more employees. The top technical staff need to have experience running an F1 team and designing F1 cars. Plus they need access to a wind tunnel and a factory, not to mention an engine supply. To set up a team for the 2022 season, they would have to have the design team in place now and working in the wind tunnel, which means they would need an engine supply contract already signed. If they were that far advanced, everybody would already know. There might be people exploring the possibility, but they won't be on the grid before 2023 at the very earliest. Not to mention, it's probably cheaper to buy Haas or Sauber than to start from scratch.
Perez starting to subtly turn the screw on verstappen
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-red-bull-driver-struggles/
I did wonder about that.
If Max likes a weird car set up, which doesn't suit Gasly or Albon, were RB thinking 'well it works for Max, and did for Ricardo, these guys are just making excuses?' Possible, given their lack of experience.
Checo might have an advantage here in that they may think 'he does know what he's talking about so if he asks us to make more like this and less like that maybe it's worth a try'
How different can you make the two cars? Can Max have a weird front end and the other driver a more normal feeling one or will set up changes only go so far, would they/could they use totally different components, say front wings or suspension or whatever makes it feel like that?
mercedes car reveal in...
woah the sidepods look tiny!
(obviously could be decoy from whatever other tasty stuff they've stuck on)
If F1 car wheelbases get any longer, we'll see cars covering a race distance as soon as the rear wheels cross the start line.
One of the most interesting things I think about "Mercedes" at the moment is that the team is only 1/3 owned by Mercedes
Surely you mean "Mmmmmmeeeeerrrrrrrccceeeeeddddddeeeeesssss", not "Mercedes"?
Okay, just for my future reference where are you drawing the line? At around the Bernie-mark or closer to EJ?
I certainly wouldn't describe either of those as fantasists (or fatasists!) but they are both prone to bouts of attention seeking. However, both have far more rights to be talked about in terms of F1 than a shady bloke who didn't pay his sponsership deal but still claims to be coming back to F1, like he said he was buying Sunderland FC. Talk is cheap.
The Alpine looks nice.
Indeed it does. Just to recap the potted history of the team over the last forty years:
1981-1985: Toleman
1986-2001: Benetton
2002-2010: Renault
2011-2015: Lotus
2016-2020: Renault
2021- : Alpine
The Mercedes is a bit meh - don't think the black background helps show much though.
Love the livery on the Alpine.
Airbox looks huge in this pic
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eta; closeup image nabbed from f1technical, comparing to the macca
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Too much green on the merc for me (I especially hate the green wheel rings). The alpine livery looks so much better.
The massive airbox is where Alonso keeps his dummies - he needs to throw at least one out every lap. I heard there's a direct auto-dispenser feed to the cockpit!
[i]I especially hate the green wheel rings[/i]
I am not totally up on F1 tech but aren't they there to stop them kerbing the rims when they park?
Covers are off the AMR21:
Some interesting nose designs this year - whether they are 'final' is yet to be seen though.
Can someone post a pic of last year's merc from the same angle as that Aston Martin photo above. Just want to make sure 😉
Well it's got last years Mercedes rear end. Nose is different though - more pinched in.
https://twitter.com/ScarbsTech/status/1367130704182657029
Thank goodness there's no such thing as monochrome television any more, otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell the Merc and Aston apart. Even the Aston's pink swadge thingy looks exactly the same as the turquoise one on the Merc. At least we're starting to see a divergence in nose shape between the Aston and the Merc, but I am disappointed that they've stayed so faithful to the historic Aston racing green, I'd have liked a more lurid Jaguar-eque tone that would've played better on a screen.
A small F1 team has 200 or more employees. The top technical staff need to have experience running an F1 team and designing F1 cars. Plus they need access to a wind tunnel and a factory, not to mention an engine supply. To set up a team for the 2022 season, they would have to have the design team in place now and working in the wind tunnel, which means they would need an engine supply contract already signed. If they were that far advanced, everybody would already know. There might be people exploring the possibility, but they won’t be on the grid before 2023 at the very earliest. Not to mention, it’s probably cheaper to buy Haas or Sauber than to start from scratch.
F1 is going in the right direction with the cost caps, but they really need to simplify the power units to reduce their development costs and entice more engine manufacturers/teams back to the sport.
I know we'd all like to go back to big wailing NA V10s, but that'll never happen as it'll be a backwards step for the sport and it certainly wouldn't promote a "green" image for the sport.
I reckon the PU needs to be simplified by keeping it a hybrid, but remove the complex MGU-H unit and turbos, leaving the MGU-K (Basically the KERS system). Change the engine to say, a 3.0 NA V8 with a larger, more powerful MGU-K unit than before would bring back some of the noise that we love as fans, whilst still promoting a "green" image for the sport.
This would appeal to new engine manufacturers, as development costs would be way less than the current PU, whilst still allowing them to use the hybrid system to help develop and market hybrid/electric systems for their own road cars.
This would appeal to new engine manufacturers, as development costs would be way less than the current PU
They'll still spend as much money as they have available, they'll just be chasing smaller gains. The long-term problem is that mass-market car makers are focusing on electric vehicles, so internal combustion engines have no marketing value, that's why Honda are quitting. For a company the size of Toyota or VW, $250 million a year for an engine program is a small part of their marketing budget. The problem is just that it's not going to be an effective marketing strategy because most of their customers don't give a rat's arse about F1 engines.
Can anyone spot the Russian influence on an American car!?...
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Look at the size of that airbox!! 😱😱
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Can anyone spot the Russian influence on an American car!?…
Ooh let me guess. Is it having an unpleasant shit for a driver because his daddy is rich and Russian?
Funny how red, white and blue on a US car can look so Russian. 😁
Look at the size of that airbox!!
Will need to find some other photos of that from the front or rear - it looks like there like the whole engine cover is massive!
Just looking at the pics of the Alpine, it is indeed rather swollen around the airbox and the sidepods. I wonder how that will affect the aero?
I think that it's fair to say that Mazepin Snr has sunk quite a lot of cash into Haas who are short of a few bob. It's going to be an interesting battle of the rookies between Mazepin Jnr and Mick, who'll need no reminder as to who's father has bankrolled the team.
Surprising there are none of Schumacher's sponsors on the car. Unless they only want to be associated with him and not the Haaski* team.
(*blatently nicked from Racefans comments, but seems very appropriate!)
Theyve had that HAAS logo for ages but it does have a kind of russian vibe about it.
Is Big Gene a soviet sleeper?
A kind of a vibe? It’s basically one big motorised Russian flag! 😳
the-muffin-man
Surprising there are none of Schumacher’s sponsors on the car. Unless they only want to be associated with him and not the Haaski* team.
1&1 is Shumi Jr's sponsor - rear wing end plates and barge boards.
I suspect they'll be finishing dead last this year as other than the mandatory changes they've done nothing to the car.
It's worth noting that the Haas(ski!) in the pics is the 2020 car wearing a launch livery as can be seen when you look closely at the floor area behind the sidepods. I can't confirm whether removing the bodywork of the VF-21 will reveal a slightly smaller VF-21 inside though.
I suspect they’ll be finishing dead last this year
The Rich Energy thing obviously hurt them badly and they've obviously resigned themselves to conserving resources this year and doing the best they can next year once their drivers have some experience. I suspect all the midfield teams will look at how things stand after a few races and others might make the same decision if there's a big pace gap to the teams ahead of them.
Season 3 of Drive to Survive is released on Netflix on the 19th of March
Looking forward to more of Gunther swearing
I wonder how many teams will be phoning it in from the pub and concentrating on their '22 cars? That's for another thread I guess.
With two rookie drivers, empty coffers and a the building blocks of a woefully underdeveloped car it's difficult to see Haas having anything other than a transitional year. The team mate battle is going to be fascinating though.
Looking forward to more of Gunther swearing
So much this. I really want to see him telling Mazepin that "you've made us look like a bunch of vankers". I try to be unbiased about these things, but Mazepin's conduct on and off the track has left much to be desired.
Which leads us on to Williams. New owners, the return of Jenson Button as a special advisor (after snubbing a driving return to the team twice during the noughties) and a highly regarded team boss with Jost Capito. Obviously, the 2021 car is going to be rubbish given that the 2020 car was rubbish, but they may be out-rubbished by Haas if Williams have found enough resource to develop their 2020 concept enough. George Russell proved himself beyond any doubt last year subbing for Hamilton, will he score his maiden points with Williams at last?
mashr
Will need to find some other photos of that from the front or rear – it looks like there like the whole engine cover is massive!
I posted it earlier in the thread, here's a closeup, she chonky
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F1 2021 – spoilers here
Bez
Full MemberA kind of a vibe? It’s basically one big motorised Russian flag! 😳
Yeah, at first glance i thought it was a sort of abstract stars and stripes vibe looking at the side shots, then i saw the front - nope!
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Breaking: Alpine design team refuse to deny reports that they "spent hours studying photographs of Jacques Laffite".
she chonky
Yes...... yes she is 😳
Doubt we've heard the last of the Haas livery... I can't see how they can get away with it, the whole front wing is basically a Russian flag! They sure love a bit of controversy in that team...
I was wondering about that with the whole 'no Russian flags etc.'
"Currently I’m still in a discussion on how I will be classified. There is no decision yet."
How about last and a spoilt, misogynistic pay driver?
Aston looks nice on track...
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As Seb was driving, did it look as good when it's pointing the wrong way? 😉
How about last and a spoilt, misogynistic pay driver?
Not sure that’ll fit on the TV; I’d offer a far more concise classification.
Anyway… Portimao is go! Woohoo!
I've forgotten - who was Aston last year? Force India, or whatever they were called? Racing Point?
I can't keep up!
Apparently the Haas colour scheme has been judged to be legal. End of debate.
As far as Mazapin goes, I tried to explain to a friend about him and what a **** he is. My friend just said, "Ahh, the guy that pissed off John Wick." I couldn't have summed him up better.
Not over yet by the sounds of it!
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/wada-looking-into-haas-f1-livery-after-russian-flag-ban/5589751/
Haas don't have much luck with sponsor inspired colour schemes do they.....
Haas really haven't bought much to the F1 table since their arrival. They had a decent first season basically using a Ferrari car and it's been downhill since then.
Premium content for Netflix has been their biggest contribution! 🙂
I’ve forgotten –
from memory: Jordan, Midland, Spyker, Force India, Racing Point, Aston Martin...
might even missed a couple
Apparently the Haas colour scheme has been judged to be legal. End of debate
I thought the debate was still on? The rules apparently say you can't use the Russian flag, but you can use the colours of the flag...I think the jury's still out isn't it? happy to be corrected if you've more up to date news than me.
from memory: Jordan, Midland, Spyker, Force India, Racing Point, Aston Martin…
Ok, can you list all their engine suppliers without looking on the internet?
haha, I Think Jordan must have had 6 or 7 alone...Ford, Peugeot, Mugan-Honda, Honda, maybe a few others...No idea on what Midland used...Honda maybe? Spyker used Ferrari...Force India Ferrari and Mercedes, and have done ever since I think.
How's that for nerd points?
How’s that for nerd points?
You did better than me. I checked on Wikipedia. You missed Yamaha, Toyota, and Hart. Midland used the Toyota engine.
Check me out...That's better than I expected, didn't realise Yamaha made F1 engines!
I think you can do the same sort of "Who were they before" with quite a few teams. Mercedes has quite the history as well...
Where was the spoiler alert? I was gonna chuck in Hart and Yamaha. 🙁
didn’t realise Yamaha made F1 engines
They didn't for very long - some might argue they never did... 🙂
didn’t realise Yamaha made F1 engines
They took over the Judd V10 engine. It was very small and light, but unreliable and underpowered. It nearly won a race with Damon Hill in Hungary in the Arrows in 1997. Hill led most of the race but had a hydraulic failure on the final lap and came second. That was the pinnacle of their results IIRC.
https://f1i.com/magazine/262215-10-worst-engines-formula-1-history.html/7
I remember watching that race in a bar in Gran Canaria - I was shouting at the TV willing him to win...
It was a 50p seal that failed - Tom Wilkinshaw told him not to change up a gear but he already had - if he'd stayed in the lower gear he might have just been able to hold off JV.
They took over the Judd V10 engine.
Jordan's Yam was a V12, wasn't it? Five valve heads?
The V12 in the Jordan - stunning looking car even with then engine cover off...
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_192
I think you can do the same sort of “Who were they before” with quite a few teams.
From memory.
Ferrari - always Ferrari, but they started out running Alpha Romeos
McLaren - always McLaren, but multiple changes of ownership.
Williams - always Williams, first change of ownership last year
Haas - always Haas
Mercedes - originally Tyrrell, then BAR, then Honda, then Brawn, then Merc. Won championships as Tyrrell, Brawn, and Mercedes.
Red Bull - originally Stewart, then Jaguar, then Red Bull.
Renault - originally Toleman, then Benneton, then Renault, then Lotus, now Renault again.
Aston Martin - already done
Alpha Tauri - originally Minardi, then Torro Rosso, now Alpha Tauri
Alpha Romeo - originally Sauber, then BMW, then Sauber again, now Alpha Romeo
Williams – always Williams, first change of ownership last year
Frank William's ran some customer teams before setting up his own with his name on it, don't know if that counts?
Technically haven't Sauber always been Sauber? Even during BMW days they were BMW Sauber and Peter Sauber had a stake in the team.
Yes Sauber are still Sauber - they're still using the same naming convention for the chassis that they always have too.
It's just a partnership with Alfa rather than a complete sell out/rebrand etc.
Impressive knowledge there @thols2
What's the most successful team that isn't on the grid anymore?
Lotus probably?
From the modern era is probably Toyota
What’s the most successful team that isn’t on the grid anymore?
Lotus probably?
Or maybe Brabham. It's easy to forget how many once dominant teams disappeared.
According to Wikipedia it's Lotus with 79 wins - Brabham had 35 wins.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_constructors
Williams have cancelled the livery unveiling after their app was 'hacked' (i.e. somebody dumped the assets from it and posted them on Reddit).
Shite - even CAD models as well according to this tweet!...
https://twitter.com/Ste_Rumbelow/status/1367767507004760067