F1 2020 (spoilers abound)

Red Bull. There’s no way McLaren would have beaten Ferrari even if Ferrari had to lose whatever trick thing they were doing with their engine.

And how many other teams lost points due to Alfa and Haas?

Yes, Red Bull will care about the difference between 2nd and 3rd for sponsorship purposes, but there’s no way that McLaren would have beaten Ferrari so it’s a moot point for the rest of the grid. There may still be people at McLaren (and other teams) who remember the 2007 spying scandal and see this as an opportunity to serve a bit of that back at Ferrari. Can’t blame them really, this does look pretty dodgy.

I’m not sure on this “technically legal” thing…

The legality is determined by the fuel flow meter. If that says that it never exceeded the limit, then the case won’t stand up in court. It’s definitely very fishy, but if the FIA can’t prove it was illegal, they can’t disqualify the car.

hols2
There may still be people at McLaren (and other teams) who remember the 2007 spying scandal and see this as an opportunity to serve a bit of that back at Ferrari. Can’t blame them really, this does look pretty dodgy.

Yes, and RB who were DQ’d for exceeding fuel flow a few years ago even though the meters were not reading consistently.

RedBull (well, Helmut anyway) have said they want $24m in compensation – what they and Torro Rosso (I assume) would have got for finishing one place higher

It doesn’t matter where Ferrari would’ve finished had they not exploited this particular loophole – the rules governing fuel flow are clear and the precedent has been set with Red Bull being disqualified before for a transgression.

If Ferrari have done a quiet deal with the sport’s governing body then this does not bode well.

It’s always been one Rule for the Red Team and another set for the others.

Onboard of verstappen going round the refurbed zandvoort. Turn 4 looks pretty tasty, not too sure how many overtaking opportunities without DRS there will be though.

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/race/modern/2020/3/video-max-verstappens-formula-1-hot-lap-of-the-new-finished-zandvoort/

the precedent has been set with Red Bull being disqualified before for a transgression.

In that case, there was clear evidence that Red Bull had transgressed. I this case, it looks like the FIA couldn’t prove that there had been a transgression. Corpus delicti.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-not-satisfied-ferrari-engine/4719698/

As many suspected, FIA thought they were cheating, couldn’t definitively prove it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/formula1/51789298

No spectators allowed at Bahrain due to bat flu.

The F1 2019 game is currently 70% off on Steam.

The F1 2019 game is currently 70% off on Steam.

Does the 70% off include the Ferrari cheat mod or do you have to pay extra for that via a private agreement???

escrs

Does the 70% off include the Ferrari cheat mod or do you have to pay extra for that via a private agreement???

The specifics of the agreement will remain between the parties.

Don’t forget to join the STW Fantasy league!

The web site is now working as well as the app

https://gridrival.app/join/7YWSKN

8 F1 team members now in quarantine and being tested for Coronavirus…if positive, the Victoria State chief health officer says they may cancel the race

Can’t they just hook their simulators up to the net and have an e-race? To even the playing field, everything must be driven off a single extension cord plugged into a socket with a 10 amp fuse.

LOL – I was just about the post the same thing!!

Kick those spotty kids out of their gaming chairs! 🙂

I can see the Australian race going ahead dispite the virus. The Australian governement seem to have quite a different attitude to sport/money than a lot of others. The ticket holders will just turn up anyway.

However, Vietnam has cancelled visa entry to most European countrys, so I reckon thats going to stop that race happening, even if its without spectators, the team cant fly there.

Team member tested positive – McLaren withdraw from Aus GP

Will see what happens with Haas, and whether any other teams withdraw.

If it goes ahead it won’t be classed as a championship round – so whats the point of it happening?

I reckon the race will be cancelled now

Was just coming to say that I’d wager it’ll be cancelled if the teams get twitchy – that McLaren news will be enough (never mind that it still doesn’t seem clear how Ferrari intend to get half the team and kit out of Italy)

Well it looks like I’ll be getting a lie-in on Sunday morning!

If it goes ahead it won’t be classed as a championship round

You have a very short memory.

Well if they have a race with just some teams, then it cant be a championship round. Those that dont race will say they were disadvantaged as they will end up with less practice, ontrack development etc.

So the organisers will have to cancel the whole thing. I can imagine a whole load of pissed-off Aussies.

I think Ross Brawn said it wouldn’t be a championship round if all teams couldn’t get there….they have all got there, so presumably it could be

I can imagine a whole load of pissed-off Aussies.

I’m sure they’ll find a way to forget about it.

F1 managing director Ross Brawn previously stated that a World Championship round would not be held if all teams weren’t present.

Indy was different though as all teams took to the grid and started the formation lap.

IIRC, at Indy the teams said it would be dangerous to race but the FIA insisted that they were contractually obliged to, so they did the formation lap and withdrew so they met the legal requirement. I can’t see them trying to hold McLaren or any other team to that obligation now. Thing is, Merc, Red Bull, and Ferrari won’t withdraw unless they know the other two also will.

Also some of the smaller teams will be desperate to get just one point, so if Hass pull out Williams would love that chance to get the one and only point they are likely to get all year.

Andrew Benson is tweeting that senior F1 sources has said the race is off

Yup, just saw that. Feel a bit sad but it is probably the right thing to do.

postponed rather than cancelled, but when they think they’ll fit it in is a mystery

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

Latest but still a very evolving situation. I can’t see anything running for the next month at least. Bahrain is supposed to be behind closed doors but if workers within the F1 paddock have tested positive, surely it means the whole thing needs shutting down?

BBC says it’s off; Sky say not.

Clear who is still signing people up to watch it live.

Nothing on the official F1 website either…..

Sky news now saying Australian GP is cancelled.

On the F1 site now.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-fia-and-agpc-announce-cancellation-of-the-2020-australian-grand.KKpXZDcd77WbO6T0MGoO7.html

Bahrain and Vietnam also now “postponed”. Talk of season running into 2021 and delaying introduction of the new cars by a year!

Times jorunalist reporting that the next two GPs are also postponed.

Confirmed: Bahrain and Vietnam GPs postponed.

— Matt Lawton (@Lawton_Times) March 13, 2020

Given that it’s ~10 weeks until we see some action it would definitely be interesting if they were to set up a mini e-sports championship for the drivers in the meantime. Or even better a karting series 🙂

Would be very disappointing if (assuming they can start in late May) this had a knock-on effect for next season. Even if the four postponed GPs are completely abandoned there’ll still be more races than most of the past years of F1.