Not quite. The consensus was that any discussion of 2021 should be on the other thread, some discussion is allowed here provided it ends before the last page.

Nice 😂

Still and unconfirmed rumour, but would make sense. However, I don’t understand why Red Bull would be pouring money into an engine program based on the Honda IP if they’re going to use a Porsche engine. Also, what engine will Alpha Tauri use? I think this will be the end of McLaren as an independent team, hope they don’t end up like Sauber when BMW got bored with F1.

Audi and Porsche set to join F1 in 2026, powering McLaren and Red Bull:https://t.co/0ijdJfnicj pic.twitter.com/Cywn7MKjFs

— CAR magazine (@CARmagazine) January 7, 2022

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/mclaren/bmw-and-audi-in-bidding-war-for-mclaren/

Think the idea is that Red Bull put a load of development into the engine. Porsche/Audi/VAG provides cash and technological assistance but doesn’t initially have to go all in with manufacturing and personnel etc. Then in 4 years time they have a well funded engine manufacturing facility with 4 years of experience that is bought by or becomes a VAG facility for their full engine supply programme. The Honda IP is diluted or disappears in this time.

Watch out for Ferrari news tomorrow…

— Joe Saward (@joesaward) January 9, 2022

Just read Saward’s take on what happened in Abu Dhabi. He’s more than a little bit full of shit tbh. I get the feeling all the journalists are closing ranks to try and make the steaming turd of a situation look a bit less turd-like than it clearly does

Every time I read any of Joe Saward’s F1 jottings, I’m reminded of Trentham Sleaves.

shermer75
Free Member

Just read Saward’s take on what happened in Abu Dhabi. He’s more than a little bit full of shit tbh. I get the feeling all the journalists are closing ranks to try and make the steaming turd of a situation look a bit less turd-like than it clearly does

The problem is, if they are too critical then they might find their paddock pass mysteriously stops working.

The problem is, if they are too critical then they might find their paddock pass mysteriously stops working.

Quite. It’s also in their best interest to try and keep the sport, well, looking like a sport. It’s all getting a bit emperor’s new clothes now though

So Lewis – media silence since last race – and only 40 odd days till testing starts (less till car launches)…

• Will we see him back?

• Or is he producing his own range of tartan slippers ready for retirement?

…I think he’ll be back. There would be rumours from other drivers by now, phone calls would need to be made for a replacement and snippets would leak out.

Just as a thought experiment, who would be Hamilton’s replacement if he did quit (alongside George I mean)?

I guess in their immediate pool of drivers they have Bottas and could potentially buy Ocon’s contract out from Alpine. Rosberg but doubt he’d be fit enough now.

Kimi? 😃

Can’t remember if it was this thread or the old one where someone asked the same question – but I still think Vettel would be the perfect candidate. Can’t see how anyone would lose if he was dropped in. At best, a German going for the championship in a Mercedes. At worst, Vettel gets his swansong in (assuming situation normal) the leading car (as a German in a Mercedes)

I’m pretty sure he’ll be back, I think he probably just wants a break.

Bottas would be the least hassle choice but Vettel would be my pick. Gasly another obvious safe choice. Alonso would jump at it, not sure if Merc would jump at him though.
Norris would have to be on the list if they can buy out his contract, but I can’t see MCL letting him go cheaply.
Ricciardo might be easier to buy out than Norris.
Ocon is still managed by Toto, isn’t he?

Ocon, if they could buy him out.
Bottas, assuming they could buy him out and he would want yet another one year contract.
DeVryes, would they want a rookie alongside the new boy?
Would like to see Gasly get a shot in it but I can’t see that happening

Nyck de Vries from their Formula-e team?
He won the championship last season and was very quick when he drove the F1 car in the young driver session last year.

Button 😀 😀

Its idle speculation anyway, Lewis will definitely be back. I think avoiding the media during the off season was the sensible thing to do

Can’t remember if it was this thread or the old one where someone asked the same question

It was me..May have been on the 2021 thread

Failed to mention that (remembering this is just a thought experiment) I reckon Toto would want someone experienced in leading and winning races (and championships). In my little made up world, it would compliment the young hot shot coming through nicely

Nyck de Vries from their Formula-e team?

And the F1 test driver.

Get the Hulk back in a decent car.

Vettel has got to be the least value for money driver on the grid, hasn’t he?

If they want an experienced driver then Bottas makes a lot more sense. If they want an experienced driver who is out of contract then maybe Hulk? Or even Grosjean?!?

Spookily good timing!

Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver to decide on F1 future after Abu Dhabi inquiry – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59951382

Vettel has got to be the least value for money driver on the grid, hasn’t he?

I think he has suffered in toxic environments.

There is some kind of myth that has built up over the past 20 years or so that to be a success people/teams have to be assholes (I call call it the Armstrong effect). It has become a self fulfilling prophecy where those who “don’t display the right attitude” get churned out of the programs.

Vettel never sat well in that world, he even became part of it at times and it twisted him around mentally. But I still think he is a very talented driver and in the right atmosphere with a competitive car could still win another world championship IMO.

Didn’t he win his four world titles in arguably the most toxic team on the grid?

Didn’t he win his four world titles in arguably the most toxic team on the grid?

Golden boy was golden boy, much like Max is now.

It’s probably a bit like how Ron treated Hakkinen and Coulthard.
Iirc, in a meeting discussing strategy, whilst talking to Hakkinen it was ‘what are we doing’ and with Coulthard, ‘what are you doing’.

So he’s waiting for the results of an inquiry by the same people that kept the result of Ferrari’s cheating inquiry covered up!

Last we’ve seen of Lewis then! 🤣🤣

Vettel has got to be the least value for money driver on the grid, hasn’t he?

Probably Alonso or Ricciardo would be the current least value for money, but that’s only because they make huge money, not because they aren’t good drivers. Vettel reminds me of Damon Hill – very fast when the car is set up properly but not great at racing through the pack. Problem is, if you’re fighting your way through the pack, the guy who put it on pole will be 30 seconds ahead by the time you’ve fought your way into clear air. If have a good car, Vettel will cruise home with the championship. If you have a difficult car, Alonso will give you podiums that nobody believed possible. Merc want championships, not podiums.

not great at racing through the pack

most overtakes in the 2021 season.

From the BBC link – But he has also said that there is a bigger problem for the FIA to solve than just finding a new race director.

“It’s not only a decision to change the race director; the whole system of decision-making needs to be improved,” Wolff said. “The race director is certainly under big pressure and some of that is due to our own faults.”

Back when I was at university I wrote a semi-AI program containing the basic rules for a car race to try and predict pit stop strategy. It was quite simple but I ‘played’ each race of the year against it and where there were anomalies caused which the program didn’t deal with, I added the correct rule to deal with them. I am pretty sure the current teams have stolen my idea 🙂

The same style program could be used to log the racing rules and then act as an automated Race Director reacting in real time and because it would have access to every car at all times the rules would be consistent from the back to the front of the grid. There could even be a live feed of the decisions and the rules that were used to apply them.

From BBC again – One major change expected as a result of Abu Dhabi is for team principals to no longer be allowed to contact the race director during a grand prix. Both Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner lobbied for actions that favoured their teams in the course of the race, as has become normal practice in recent seasons.

Response? Sorry Karen – Computer says No

most overtakes in the 2021 season.

But that just shows that he was at at the back when he shouldn’t have been!

Does anyone on here go to the races? I’ve only every been to the European Grand Prix when it was at Donington in ’93. I couldn’t afford tickets for Sunday at the time so we went down for Qualifying on the Saturday and had a ball. I’d switched off over the last few years but my interest was renewed with Drive to Survive on Netflix. I’ve also been lucky enough to have a tour of the Renault factory at Enstone too has also upped my interest.

My son’s 15 now and loves F1, he’s a big Max fan. When I’d looked at the dates for Silverstone it would have meant taking him out of school so I’ve managed to book tickets, accommodation and the ferry for Spa in August instead. Any tips from folk that’ve been?

Been to Silverstone twice, would love to go to Spa but not got it organised yet

we are going to Silverstone this year, my girls are Lando fans (including the wife!) never been, really looking forward to it. We looked at Austria but the cost of accommodation killed that idea.

5 of us going to Spa this year. Expensive but not been to a race since Mansell dummied Piquet in 1987.

When I looked at Silverstone originally there seemed to be plenty of tickets left but when I had a check this morning all the grandstands are sold out. They’re so pricey too! Grandstand (uncovered – eek!) tickets for the pair of us at Spa came to £450 for the weekend for me and the lad, that would have been the cost for my ticket for the British GP. Add the ferry and the accommodation plus fuel etc (we’re staying about an hour from the circuit, over the border in Germany) and it still feels pricey but not outrageous in comparison. And it’s Spa! Obviously hoping for less rain this year than 2020 🙂

We are going in the motorhome and staying on site, but even that is a fortune. Tickets for Eu Rouge Grandstand for the full weekend. Hope we actually get a race this year.

Does anyone on here go to the races?

I used to live at Syresham. (the next village along from Silverstone) It was relatively easy to exchange weekend parking for a spare ticket. We would routinely get leaflets dropped through the letterbox from transfer companies asking to borrow the driveway or the “resident pass” that you’d get from the cops. I think from about 94-’05 or so, I went every year never once actually bought a ticket.

lowey
Full Member
We are going in the motorhome and staying on site, but even that is a fortune. Tickets for Eu Rouge Grandstand for the full weekend. Hope we actually get a race this year.

Pricey tickets but the view should be awesome there and at least you’ve got a roof for when it starts to chuck it down….

Latest Masi development

Michael Masi Not Named on FIA Organisation Chart for January 2022

Spa is a fabulous track with a lot of elevation changes = a lot of different viewpoints – worth scoping out on the early days to find a preferred spot if going on general admission. It’s a cliche but…..take waterproofs; when it’s wet it’s wet and it hangs around.
Main downside is the length of the lap means the number of times the cars pass is lower with some longer gaps in the action

Latest Masi development

That’s a bit of a clumsy way to release that info!