First 8 race dates confirmed…

F1 officially confirms first eight races for start of 2020 season

And as luck would have it, 8 races is the minimum requirement for a World Championship season so that means F1/Liberty fulfils a lot of contractual requirements and gets some revenue. I’m hoping for some stable conditions between the double header races so we can see how much extra performance the teams can bring in a week.

I’m hoping for a mix of dry/wet over the doubleheaders so that it rewards the best driver rather than the team that can nail the optimum setup fastest.

I’m kind of thinking that this is the ideal season to try new ideas too, one straight race then something to mix it up a bit. Don’t know what but seems a good opportunity to play around at the edges. This season won’t be classed as normal anyway so why not use that to improve the next few seasons?

Have they sorted the quarantine issues yet? I’ve seen no mention of a special dispensation for the teams.

I’m kind of thinking that this is the ideal season to try new ideas too, one straight race then something to mix it up a bit.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11998633/f1-2020-reverse-grid-qualifying-races-unlikely-as-red-bull-say-mercedes-are-opposed-to-variable

To be fair it’s a rubbish idea.

The Williams drivers’ most prudent approach to the proposed double header plan would be to not take part in qualifying for race 1, thus being at the back of the grid, then to stall the car at the start so as to be the first retirement so that they qualify on pole for race 2. Doing anything else would be as irrational as Mercedes deciding that they’d like to start half the races from the back of the grid.

When do teams turn up at sure usually guys?
We’re at Silverstone on 29th on motorbike trackday, but wondering if that may move now or not?

Bikes on full gp layout use old pits not the new wing, so may be ok there too

Have they sorted the quarantine issues yet? I’ve seen no mention of a special dispensation for the teams.

Just realised that the approval was granted yesterday (D’Oh!)

Bez
Subscriber

To be fair it’s a rubbish idea.

The Williams drivers’ most prudent approach to the proposed double header plan would be to not take part in qualifying for race 1, thus being at the back of the grid, then to stall the car at the start so as to be the first retirement so that they qualify on pole for race 2. Doing anything else would be as irrational as Mercedes deciding that they’d like to start half the races from the back of the grid.

Sadly for Williams that’s not how it’s proposed to work, the drivers start the qualifying race in reverse championship order. Then the result of that quali-race decides the starting order for the main race on Sunday. So if you retired from the quali race you’d start the main race last.

Toto buys 5% stake in Williams

Toto Wolff Purchases Stake in Struggling Williams F1 Team

It says in the article that it’s a security, not the shares themselves. Is that because it would be a conflict of interest with him being a top bod at mercedes?

I don’t think so, there is precedent.
Red Bull and Toro Rosso are in common ownership for example, although different team principals. The last team boss I recall being involved in two at once was Flavio Briatore with Benneton and Ligier, and I’m sure he wouldn’t have done anything questionable…
Maybe the rules have changed since then.

Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan GPs officially cancelled now but there’s a suggestion that Imola could be on the cards – anything must be better than two races in Russia.

Russia is not that bad, is it ? They could run it backwards to make it different.

Trimix
Subscriber

Russia is not that bad, is it ?

For me it’s p there with France in terms of boring races.

If they are running races behind closed doors all of this season then that opens up a few more circuits they could use. Some have a safety grade (grade 1?) to allow racing but not the facilities to hold all the fans.

Noo – Zanardi involved in hand bike crash. Front of the queue for talent, back of the queue for luck. Hope he can come back from this.

https://www.motorsport.com/general/news/alex-zanardi-accident-hospital-handbike/4809326/

Shitbiscuits!!! That is terrible news.

Is is sad that I’m thinking of booking next Friday off work so I can watch all the free practice coverage!? 🤔😀

I’ll be “working from home” but doing the same 🙂

Williams new livery – smart – I like it!…

Williams reveals new livery after split from Rokit

An improvement on the messy Rokit livery.

Looks good, but a bit “we really liked the Martini livery so here’s another version even though they’re not paying us”

Perhaps one inspired by the old Hispania livery would be more appropriate!…

The running races “backwards” idea is nice but doesn’t realty work because of the barriers and runoff areas.

Some tracks, however, have alternative layouts. Bahrain, for example has different alternatives including using part of a banked oval. This sounds awesome.

Fat Bike anyone! 🙂
…

https://drivetribe.com/p/this-awesome-bike-has-formula-1-YhO_dbHyTj2WILIr5lHliA?iid=HTrQC78ERzyzchUJmyG0iw

I loved the ’92 block blue, white and yellow livery on the Williams. I think ‘cos it was clear what it was on Microprose Grand Prix on my Amiga 🙂

Re the FatF1Bike, they have mastered the art of understatement.

In terms of handling, it’s not much better

Problem is, you do one commute to work and you need a new set of tyres. 😉

Fat Bike anyone!

Would be better as a trike.

Mercedes running Black livery for #BLM

That merc looks stunning

Mercedes running Black livery for #BLM

With bonus points for trolling Bernie Ecclestone.

Did I hear there’s a race this weekend?

Did I hear there’s a race this weekend?

Well there’s an F1 event in Austria, we can hope it turns into a race 🙂

..and another in Austria the weekend after – very convenient! 🙂

Mercedes running Black livery for #BLM

#BlackLive…ryMercedes 🙂

The froth some people are having over the Merc paint job is quite something. You really don’t have to bother hiding your racism these days it seems

You really don’t have to bother hiding your racism these days it seems

You have heard about Germany in the 1930s and 40s, right? They were pretty open about it, so I’m told.

It’ll be interesting to see how Vettel bears up this season. I can’t think of a time when a multiple world champ has been forced out like this before, instead of retiring. Has this happened before?

I can’t think of a time when a multiple world champ has been forced out like this before, instead of retiring. Has this happened before?

Damon Hill dumped by Williams, ended up defending title in an Arrows. Like Vettel, he was very fast when he had the car set up how he liked it, but just didn’t seem tough enough to race wheel-to-wheel with Schumacher, or Villeneuve for that matter.

It’ll be interesting to see how Vettel bears up this season.

He ‘s now perhaps the perfect excuse, with Ferrari having to take their car back to base 2020 spec quickly before practise starts tomorrow.  Bit of a shit shower in that garage, getting worse.