F1 tyre blanket ban is set for 2024, but it’s not confirmed yet. And WEC cars launching themselves off the track on cold tyres in Spa may make them have a rethink…

Didn’t F1 turn down the max permitted heating tyre temperature? Or am I imagining it?

Surely “managing” cold tyres is a skill F1 drivers should be able to master fairly quickly – after all, they are the best drivers in the world

Didn’t F1 turn down the max permitted heating tyre temperature?

Yep, and how long they’re allowed to be heated for.

They say it’s being done to reduce emissions but I’m sure it’s just being done “for the show” with cars just coming out of the pits several seconds slower than those on hot tyres.

So Spain this weekend – let’s have your Red Bull winning margin predictions!!…

I’m going for – Max wins with a 43 second lead, Checo second who will be 14 seconds ahead of 3rd place.

Who’s in 3rd I’ve no idea! Probs Alonso though!

With Merc and Ferrari left making excuses for being slower despite their upgrades.

🙂

Imagine the party if FA managed to pull out a win!

Surely AMs strategy is to use LS to take out Perez at some point so FA can weave some spells on max?

Actually I think quali will be close there’s some long straights and the Aston is pretty quick in a straight line

…and Nick DeBris will be the first to launch into the barriers out of the last corner, now it’s back to a proper corner! 🙂

 let’s have your Red Bull winning margin predictions!!…

Seems about right, this morning I read that Max thinks there’s a better than evens chance that they could win every round, and I don’t think he’s wrong.

Mercedes to bounce around turn 3, Toto seen crying in the pits.

With the chicane gone someone is going to make an arse of the last corner. I’m calling Sargeant

Without the chicane it will make it easier to tee up people for DRS assisted passes down the start/finish straight.

Votes for next corner to de-sanitise?
Woodcote at Silverstone, though that would need Farm Straight reinstating.

someone is going to make an arse of the last corner. I’m calling

Leclerc to drop it either on a pole lap or when (somehow) leading the race. Soz Charles but you need to sort that out as much as the team need to sort out their strategy calls.

New Ferrari Red Bull sidepods revealed… 🙂

Más de los nuevos pontones de Ferrari

More pics of new Ferrari's sidepods. #f1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/JTuBBoS1uJ

— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) June 2, 2023

They say it’s being done to reduce emissions

thats the funniest idea I’ve heard today. I’m sue those tyre warmers made a big impact on the emissions of you average F1 race

Every little helps!…

F1 cut carbon emissions by 17% in three years after announcing “net zero” goal

I can’t believe Max Verstappen has more wins at Red Bull than Sebastian Vettel. Bonkers!

I hope Mercedes are doing a lot of testing during this session! 😳

Waaaaay off the pace.

I can’t believe Max Verstappen has more wins at Red Bull than Sebastian Vettel. Bonkers!

19 of those wins have come since the start of 2022 though during the Red Bull catering years. 🙂

Talking of which – when do we find how who bought the most cucumber sandwiches and cup-cakes last season!?

the-muffin-man

I hope Mercedes are doing a lot of testing during this session! 😳

Waaaaay off the pace.

Not entirely sure, but weren’t they running the hard tyres for Pirelli testing? If so, then the times aren’t particularly representative.

 If so, then the times aren’t particularly representative.

De Vries being 4th seems to suggest that practice times don’t mean very much.

Any bets on when RB will stop developing this years car and shift focus to next years? Going on current form I reckon they could give the RB19 the chop after about Italy or so and still comfortably win both titles* 🤔
The damned thing just seems to be in a completely different league to the others!

*probably first and second in the drivers one at that

Any bets on when RB will stop developing this years car and shift focus to next years?

I was wondering the same. Red Bull have a lot less windtunnel time available so I think they will probably finish off any updates they already have in the pipeline, then just focus on next year’s car.

Actually, I suspect Merc are already doing that. Their big update is compromised by having to work around the limitations of the current car. I suspect they will be wanting to use it to see if windtunnel gains are replicated on track in order to help with next year’s car more than in the expectation that they can catch Red Bull this year.

Leclerc out in Q1, Perez & Russell out in Q2 as well as Hamilton & Russell hitting each other! What will happen in Q3?

It’s better than the race will be!! 🤣🤣

How basic is the underside of that Williams? 😆

Does anybody actually like Red Bull?

I did drink it once when I was doing a solo 24hr race. I got handed a can by the promo person and foolishly drank it. I spent the next two laps trying not to throw up. Never again.

Does anybody actually like Red Bull?

No, vile stuff.

trying not to throw up

This!

Excellent – some proper racing on a proper circuit – amazing how that happens!

So, 8 min YouTube highlights all I need then?

Apart from Max disappearing I thought it was a good race, the Mercs were strong and the Ferraris were awful!

I thought it was worth watching. Seen worse.
Some surprising form/lack of form, caused by the track temperature I think.

Lovely to see the Mercedes upgrade working so well there! It’ll be interesting to see how it works out for the rest of the season. I’m guessing it will be back and forth with Aston Martin and possibly even Ferrari, if they do well by mistake

Sounded like the Mercs were having a much better time with the tyres than everyone else; it’ll be interesting to see whether that carries across to other circuits. That Red Bull is still 20 seconds up the road, though… eek. But at least now they’ve done Barcelona they’ll have a solid understanding of what the upgrades are doing.

Many commentators have pointed out that Mercedes were pretty good in Spain last year, and thought they’d taken a big leap forward…..then went to Canada and were shit

Leclerc thinks that Ferrari are doing something wrong.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.were-doing-something-wrong-leclerc-perplexed-by-his-and-ferraris-spanish-gp.4ttqBi9h9lfkWYZ4cwMNjx.html

Ferrari are being Ferrari!! Nothing new. 🙂

Seems they tried (but not quite hard enough) to drag Newey away from Red Bull last year too.

<p>its. That Red Bull is still 20 seconds up the road, though… eek.</p>

<p>At least everyone knows what their trick floor looks like so can adopt it</p>

knows what their trick floor looks like

indeed, I wonder how much difference that might make next year

knows what their trick floor looks like

Problem is, that’s just one part of the puzzle. It seems that getting the suspension sorted so that it provides a stable platform is also very important. Just sticking a Red Bull floor on the McLaren probably wouldn’t help much because the rest of the car would have to be redesigned around that floor.

Seems they tried (but not quite hard enough) to drag Newey away from Red Bull last year too.

And Karen…

“It took me a whole night to convince Horner to stay at Red Bull,” Marko told Blick.

“And that cost us extra millions!”

Sounds like that will going on the catering budget then.