the-muffin-manFull Member
Undriveable, cars stepping out in corners and spinning on the straights – that would liven things up!… 🙂https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1s-2026-active-aero-plan-set-for-change-after-alarming-simulator-findings/10596682/
Posted 4 hours ago
Seems a bit late in the day to be making that discovery doesn't it 😂 The whole active aero thing sounds like it will be pretty complex and only necessary anyway because the new PU is going to be such utter shite.
I find it slightly alarming that the idea of dumping an absolute shitload of rear downforce even necessitated a simulator to predict those consequences. It’s not exactly the MG Metro Cup, what were they thinking?
Ditch the wings and add big fans to suck them to the ground. Fast round slow corners. Less dirty air for the cars behind if the force the blown air to exit upwards instead of out the back. Loads of new opportunities for interesting solutions...
WCA hovercraft racing was invented and done years ago…
WCA hovercraft racing was invented and done years ago…
Umm...
I'd pay actual money to watch 20 F1 drivers tackle the M25 in Vauxhall Astravans. Everyone of a certain age will have seen a smoking, grubby 1.6 litre Astravan being driven with gusto up the chuff of a fast moving Porsche 928 or similar on the M25 before speed cameras became a thing.
Ditch the wings and add big fans to suck them to the ground.
Bernie Ecclestone's team tried this once. Not much came of it IIRC.
Bernie Ecclestone’s team tried this once. Not much came of it IIRC.
Brabham. Banned immediately 😂😂😂
Technically, Brabham withdrew it as continuing to race it would have hampered support from the other teams for Bernie to conquer the entire world, although it would definitely have been on borrowed time if they continued to race it. But yeah, one race, one win. 🙂
"I’d pay actual money to watch 20 F1 drivers tackle the M25 in Vauxhall Astravans. Everyone of a certain age will have seen a smoking, grubby 1.6 litre Astravan being driven with gusto up the chuff of a fast moving Porsche 928 or similar on the M25 before speed cameras became a thing"
Fastest vehicle known to mankind. Fact!
.
[bin dun] 🙂
Just about to post that - the pesky Americans aren't giving up!!
F3 and F2 teams too...
Fan cars have been tried over the years and when they don't break then they tend to be quite successful. Unfortunately they break a lot because they are banned or withdrawn before they can be properly developed. Give the F1 guys a couple of years warning and I reckon they could be a feasible option this time around.
[b]Brabham BT46[/b]
[i]The "B" variant of the car, also known as the "fan car", was introduced at the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix as a counter to the dominant ground-effect Lotus 79. The BT46B generated an immense amount of downforce by means of a fan, claimed to be for increased cooling, but which also extracted air from beneath the car. The car only raced once in this configuration in the Formula One World Championship—when Niki Lauda won the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp.
The "fan car" concept was withdrawn by Brabham after one race even though the FIA had ruled it could be used for the remainder of that season. Murray, Brabham's chief designer, later said that the car was withdrawn by Brabham due to concerns from Bernie Ecclestone, the team owner. Ecclestone became chief executive of the Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA) in the same year that the Brabham BT46 appeared, and he was concerned that the upset from other teams over the fan car could collapse FOCA. Murray said in 2008 that Ecclestone "was working on getting his foothold in the Formula One Constructors’ Association and launching himself towards what he's doing now", with the words "what he's doing now" referring to Ecclestone's position as chief executive of the Formula One Group, which he held from 1987 until 2017.[3][/i]
[b]Chaparral 2J[/b]
[i]The 2J competed in the Can-Am series and qualified at least two seconds quicker than the next fastest car, but mechanical problems limited its success. It only ran in the 1970 season, after which it was outlawed by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). [/i]
So that is 1 win from 1 entry and 2 seconds a lap quicker in qualies which isn't too bad. Since then, fan cars have been absent from the motorsport world, as FIA regulations clamped down strongly against any form of movable aerodynamic device.
Alonso re-signed at Aston
Its not looking great for Sainz and Albon is it?
RB - Max + 1 (probably Checco now he accepts hes racing for 2nd every weekend)
Ferrari - Charles & Lewis
McLaren - Norris & Pistri
Mercedes - Russell +1 (sounds like they're going to take a chance on Antonelli)
Aston - Alonso & Stroll?
The only other reasonable seat is to take a punt on Audi (maybe for Sainz given his fathers connections)
Genuinely crushed that we're not going to see Alonso and Verstappen go head to head in the same car! I guess it might be a good opportunity at Audi for a relatively young driver though, maybe they could sign both Albon and Sainz?
Anronelli would be a huge gamble for Merc. When was the last time a top team took on a rookie? (Well, before Bearman) Hamilton at McLaren? They weren't really a top team when they signed Piastri, Norris, Vandoorne. Are Merc still a top team?
Surely Albon on a short contract at Merc and Antontelli to Williams would make more sense?
My thinking is that you want to sign the two best drivers available, leaving out Alonso who is just too disruptive to be worth it. For Red Bull and Merc, that would be Sainz alongside Max or George, with Albon getting the other seat. Red Bull need to find a seat for Lawson next year, so just let DR and Yuki scrap it out and drop whichever one comes second (which, sadly, I think is going to be DR). Sargeant just doesn't look like he's ever going to be a top driver so hoof him and give Antonelli a chance at Williams alongside someone experienced like Perez, Magnussen, Hulkenberg etc,
AML need to get shot of Stroll. I would like to think that Alonso may have had a caveat in his contract to that effect, but he has such an ego that it suits him not to have a competitive team mate.
"Surely Albon on a short contract at Merc and Antontelli to Williams would make more sense?"
This would make sense for Mercedes, Albon may even do well and beat Russell.
Albon has a Williams contract for 2025
[i]Albon has a Williams contract for 2025[/i]
Yes, but do they have a car for him?
simondbarnesFull Member
Albon has a Williams contract for 2025
and he could probably pick which release clause to use to head to Mercedes
“Surely Albon on a short contract at Merc and Antontelli to Williams would make more sense?”
Problem with that is Albon may find himself without a drive after only one season if Kimi did a stellar job in a Williams.
That Merc place is slightly tarnished. Any driver looking at Merc will see it as a one year only deal, with the new hot-shot lined up to take your seat. And Toto's best buddy George is going nowhere soon.
Sainz needs to sign with Audi now and play the long game, or he could be without a seat altogether.
Or Aston need to hoof Lance out and place Sainz there (but that's not going to happen).
It would be a risk for Albon but if he beats Russell and Antonelli fails to live up to the hype he could be there as long as he likes. If he doesn't beat Russell and Antonelli is indeed the next big thing then he would probably be out, certainly of the team, and maybe without a drive altogether.
I can't see what Audi can offer Sainz, he's probably getting a bit old to take on a long term project like that, and there's absolutely no guarantee they'll be quick (the BMW project was underwhelming for instance), if he wants a shot at a title he needs the second RB or Aston seat (and to beat a highly rated team-mate, but if he's genuine championship-material then he needs to be able to mix it with them, and he's doing ok against Leclerc) Personally I'd love to see Verstappen to Merc next year, them to still struggle and then a seven way title fight between Sainz and Perez in the RBs, the Ferraris, McLarens and Alonso, not sure how realistic that is though.
Sainz is only 29! 🙂
Just feels like he's been around forever.
lol wtf happened there with norris, usual fia shitshow
the-muffin-man
I struggle to get excited by anything Sprint Race related.
Same, it was quite a good session though. Looks like the highlights are up on the f1 YT channel now.
YT Highlights of the last Sprint in the rain looked fun for the drivers :
1) Can you avoid crashing?
If no then No Time Recorded
If Yes then:
2) Can you keep all 4 wheels on the track?
If no then No Time Recorded
If Yes then:
3) You made it? Blimey, I guess we better record the time*.
*Oh hang on, someone reckons the saw you off the track, time deleted**.
**Nah, you are all right, they were thinking about the previous lap, time reinstated.
AND another win for Verstappen. Hamilton second, good result for him. Perez third, think he's trying to keep his job.
13 second gap in ten laps! ☹️
after starting 4th
Russel once again highlighted the gulf in talent he needs to close to his team mate
Russell still finished closer to Hamilton than Hamilton did to Verstappen 😂
Great to see Hamilton take second, at one point I thought it might look like a win
Erm id wait till you watch qualy before saying that!
Well, they were running divergent setups for quali because Merc still don’t understand their car. That’s their biggest problem: not that they don’t have a good enough car, but that they’ve just been pissing in the wind for three years.
Interesting race so far! 😀
We need more Rosberg commentating! He’s great!
