The Formula 1 Thread 🏎

Sweepslag · June 20, 2018, 6:53am

Well well, this is one for the books… Not entirely unexpected, but you have to wonder how nervous Honda will be about a partner that likes feeding their engine supplier to the sharks in public. They’ll have to win races next year, or Red Bull will give everyone an earful about it.

Wyvern · June 20, 2018, 7:03am

Oh there is no way for the forseeable future that I will be able to get it. It’s ok, one day when I win the lotto I will have a gaming room with a proper race setup

Snowbeast · June 20, 2018, 9:16am

If I can get a wheel I’ll build one. Not as fancy but just sturdy and functional

GregRedd · June 21, 2018, 7:10am

Vive la France! race fans! It’s been 10 years since the last French GP, and 28 years since the last time Circuit Paul Ricard has hosted a F1 Grand Prix. It’s the first leg of F1’s first ever triple header of race weekends, which has Austria and Great Britain squeezed into 17 days of F1 fun.

Here’s the weekend schedule, tyre info and circuit map.

Capture

(Number of race laps should be 53, Race Distance = 309,63km)

Interesting note: Mercedes-Benz as a company has never played any part in a Paul Ricard-hosted French Grand Prix before. After pulling out of the sport in 1955, and thus missing the first ever race at the circuit in 1971, Mercedes didn’t return to F1 in any capacity until 1993, three years after the last Paul Ricard race.

Also, “Hamilton has made no secret of his dislike for the Paul Ricard track.”

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:18am

And here I loooooooooooooove this track! Its a golden oldie and I miss old tracks, they just have a something special

Sweepslag · June 21, 2018, 7:27am

Merc are under pressure, no doubt about it. I’m looking forward to practice to see who dials their car into the circuit best.

PsychoFish · June 21, 2018, 7:31am

Yeah, it’s going to be interesting. It’s a “new” track for most of the teams as they have little to no prior data to go on. I’m not a huge fan of the Paul Ricard track, but it’s nice to mix things up. I’d rather have a French GP at Paul Ricard than no French GP at all.

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:34am

Exactly, the French GP has been missing for so long. I am more excited about the triple header than anything else.

I loved watching all the guys on insta (the few I follow to be honest) that all where practicing in their fancy setups to get to know the track.

Sweepslag · June 21, 2018, 7:35am

Anything that adds a bit of spice at this point would be welcome. Here’s what worries me about the racing this year: If you look at the points table you see Hamilton and Vettel separated by a single point. You could be forgiven for thinking: “Wow, epic, it’s finally competitive at the top!” Yet, how many wheel to wheel battles have Vettel and Hamilton had so far? Nada. They’re so close only because their respective teams have taken turns being off the pace of the other. Doesn’t make for an exciting spectacle at all.

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:38am

Or having Ferrari strategies fail epically!

But we have some good news - Spa has signed till 2012

this is my second favourite track of all time

GregRedd · June 21, 2018, 7:39am

What’s your first?

Mottamort · June 21, 2018, 7:41am

Sweepslag · June 21, 2018, 7:41am

2021, I assume?

PsychoFish · June 21, 2018, 7:47am

Honestly I’d like to see tracks like Estoril (Portuguese GP), Nelson Piquet (Brazilian GP) , Zandvoort (Dutch GP) and Kyalami (South African GP) return at some point in the future

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:49am

Imola, there is just something about Imola it has always been the one race I never miss and yes its lately not the most “interesting” but its one of the historic tracks. Same goes for Nürburgring. It is the layout, the corners the loops and sweeps. Its basically those two and Spa that will forever have a piece of my heart.

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:50am

yea lack of coffee sorry

Wyvern · June 21, 2018, 7:50am

I doubt we will ever see the F1 again. just a feeling I have

PsychoFish · June 21, 2018, 7:50am

Nürburgring is special

PsychoFish · June 21, 2018, 7:56am

Oh I strongly doubt it as well. Keep hearing rumors of bringing F1 back to SA; But from the myriad of proposals nothing has come to fruition. Kyalami needs a MAJOR upgrade in terms of on track safety to even be considered, and its money they just don’t have. Even after the upgrade they have to host a certain number of international events and secure certain sponsors to be considered. There was talks of building a GP circuit near the Cape Town airport, but nothing has come from that. Then there was the proposal for a street circuit in Cape Town, effectively this :

Sweepslag · June 21, 2018, 7:59am

The old Nordschleife, yes, not the watered-down thing they raced on a few years ago.