Formula 1 2024 – WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS

Mercedes 1 and 3 in first practice

Because Albon is their number one driver currently, and I’d imagine that Sainz wouldn’t be best chuffed to be number two at a team like Williams.

Mercedes 1 and 3 in first practice

Seems to be the pattern every weekend now. Starts well and by Qualis on Saturday, Hamilton will scrape into Q3 and finish 8th and Russell 6th after fighting it around a couple of corners.

Albon maybe #1 driver, but the team are at the wrong end of the grid. It would take pressure off him, Sainz won’t be staying for too long.

It says quite a lot about the unusual dynamics at Red Bull that Sainz hasn’t been signed to them already

Probably because he’s no better than Checo? And Checo will be cheaper.

And not forgetting they have donkeys years worth of Sainz data to look back on. He’s 2nd tier, not top tier IMO.

He’s 2nd tier, not top tier IMO.

Until last week he was the only non-RB driver to have won a GP in the last 18 months. He may not be the very tippity-top, but in an equal car I’d bet him against Perez every time, and RB really do need a driver that can routinely nailed 2nd on the grid now that Ferrari and Maclaren are there or thereabouts, and Perez can’t do that.

According to Twatter rumours Checo has already been offered a 1 year deal but turned it down.

Probably because he’s no better than Checo? And Checo will be cheaper.

More likely that he was teammates with Max at Torro Rosso and there was friction. Sainz was hired by Ferrari ahead of Ricciardo, who was considered to be a top talent. I think Sainz is considered to be a top driver by all the teams, but just not quite up there with the elite of Max, Lewis, and Leclerc. My guess is that Red Bull don’t want him back because they don’t want to upset Max.

Massively squeaky bum time in the F2!!

I ? my pants watching this , if it wasn’t for Hadjar this would’ve became a nightmare #F2 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/nPiWannNg2

— ahmed baokbah ???✈️ (@ahmed_baokbah) May 24, 2024

Until last week he was the only non-RB driver to have won a GP in the last 18 months. He may not be the very tippity-top, but in an equal car I’d bet him against Perez every time, and RB really do need a driver that can routinely nailed 2nd on the grid now that Ferrari and Maclaren are there or thereabouts, and Perez can’t do that.

This is how I see him too, Checo has his good days but Sainz has shown much better consistency

More likely that he was teammates with Max at Torro Rosso and there was friction

I was wondering if that was part of the decision making process, from either side

Verstappen (Sr or Jr) will have a clause stipulating who can drive the 2nd car I’m sure.

Do you think it has to be someone who can’t fight too well, just in case Jos gets a bit ‘overexcited’ again?

Do you think it has to be someone who can’t fight too well, just in case Jos gets a bit ‘overexcited’ again?

Very possibly!

Probably, can imagine Carlos being fairly handy.

Think the main problem is Red Bull Racing as a team cannot manage 2 competitive drivers, full stop. Vettel v Webber, Vettel v Ric, Verstappen v Ric. Horner is a crap team principal.

Sainz seems a safe pair of hands but seems to go missing if the weekend isn’t working out for him like last weekend in Imola. That was his first one this season but more will follow.

Verstappen is saying that Red Bull are struggling, but then again he said that last weekend and then went on to get pole and win

Last week actually reminds me of some of the weekends that Merc had when they were dominating but had a car that had a very narrow setup window. Often they would struggle on Friday but then send the data back to the simulator for an overnight session trying different setups, then Hamilton would come out on Saturday and put the thing on pole and cruise off into the distance in the race. Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen this time, I’d love to see Leclerc, Norris, and Hamilton battling it out at the front.

Great seats yesterday. Swimming pool today.

Omg amazing!

That’s awesome, great pic of the McLaren too.

Lovelt!

Some great stuff from Ferrari and McLaren there. Verstappen starts in 6th, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy lol

I know Monaco doesn’t produce the best races, but one of the things I like about the qualifying is that, because the track is so slow and therfore aero is less of an influence, you are more likely to see the best drivers nearer the top, which is broadly speaking what we had today

According to Twatter rumours Checo has already been offered a 1 year deal but turned it down.

Hmm. If the musical chairs stop with Sainz at Audi or Williams and then Checco decides to retire, then what? Tsunoda? Lawson? As much as I like Riccardo he’s not as good as he was and Yuki seems to have got himself together lately, performance has improved but mostly he now seems a bit more mature (how much of a bollocking did he get after swerving at Daniel?) Yuki moves up, Lawson to VCARB, would Riccardo want another season at VCARB?

I can believe Max is scared of having a truly top class teammate, he was pushed very hard by both Sainz and Riccardo and for some reason I can’t explain I just get the feeling he doesn’t like to be pushed like that, in 2021 for instance he just looked desperate against Hamilton, much less so now when he’s had the big car advantage. He is so far the only World Champ to have never had another World Champ as a teammate (yes, Hunt/Jones is a slightly contrived)

I can believe Max is scared of having a truly top class teammate

Max has said the following

Asked whether he prefers to come out on top of a tense to-the-chequered-flag duel with an equally-matched rival, or simply to crush all before him with wins of 20-second advantages, Verstappen smiled.

“At least 20 seconds!” he said.

“That’s for me… I’ve raced so much in my life in close combat. I enjoy a lot more if we can actually nail the car and are 100 percent sure that we can win by a big margin but, of course, that’s not what fans want to hear but I am honest, you know?

“I’m here to win and I’m here to create my own success.”

Havent all the F1 drivers spent their careers racing in close combat, no matter where you are in the field your fighting someone?

There is no way Max would want a top class team mate to disrupt his winning streak, dont think he would be scared but it must be a lot of stress, look at the toll it took on Hamilton and Rosberg

I think if most of them were honest they’d say the same thing.

Sainz has said that he will go to the team that values him most as a driver, so unlikely to be Red Bull then!

I’m predicting a Verstappen/Merc smash off the start. Can’t make me mind up which one.

LeClerc and Pastry to clash, Verstappen to be pitted under red, and out first

Checo’s car is ready for the bin!

KMag needs to be given his P45 with immediate effect. Total cock.

the-muffin-man

Full Member

KMag needs to be given his P45 with immediate effect. Total cock.

Checo could have avoided it too – he knew he was there

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Top ten finished in qualifying order lol. Super dull race but lovely to see Leclerc win

Well, that just goes to show that there are actually more boring things than watching Max drive off into the distance.

Were there any on track overtakes?

Were there any on track overtakes?

yes – Stroll did x2! 😳

F1 without Monaco just wouldn’t be F1. I bloody love it – yes, most years it’s dull but when it does throw up a good one it’s a bloody cracker.

Were there any on track overtakes?

Just a couple at the back