F-1, Formula-1, Top Dedicated Racing

[mbmoehl]

Hamilton's experience and better strategy shined. Russell is great, but has a learning curve to catch up to Hamilton's experience.

Red Bull as a team are just dialed. Don't know what happened to Perez.

Ferrari have two incredible drivers, but they need to replace their strategists. They keep losing they're own race even when the car isn't suffering reliability woes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Have to hand it to Max, from 10th on the grid to first. Surprised to see Mercedes out pace Ferrari. Russell is my favorite, just edging out Hamilton. Then Leclerc.

 

[trudger]

Ugh, Ferrari strategy continues to baffle.

 

[Sonorisis]

I watched the race pretty carefully and I have absolutely no idea how Verstapin ended up in first. He didn't have the fastest car, he wasn't the best driver today, how did he get up there? Apparently, Red Bull's tire changes came at just the right time. Five more laps, or rain, and Lewis would have gobbled him up.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Ok race but some rain would've really livened it up. Next up is Spa?.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I watched the race pretty carefully and I have absolutely no idea how Verstapin ended up in first. He didn't have the fastest car, he wasn't the best driver today, how did he get up there? Apparently, Red Bull's tire changes came at just the right time. Five more laps, or rain, and Lewis would have gobbled him up.

Max pitted at the right time and made great use of the undercut. He also had the right tires on. Leclerc couldn't get those hard tires to work and it was another example of Ferrari not getting the strategy right.
Max is now 80 points clear at the top and unless Red Bull have a total meltdown I can't see anyone catching him.

 

[mbmoehl]

Those hard tires were a struggle for everyone.

Max's pirouette was pretty slick, such good handling. I'm not a fan of Max given the way things played out between him and Hamilton through the end of last season, but he is a incredibly skilled driver.

The real mystery of the weekend was how in the world did Latifi get the fastest Sector 1 time during qualy?

 

[Flatfish]

Alpine. One stop.
Can't they afford tyres?

Good race though.

 

[trudger]

Fernando goes to Aston Martin for 2023. I don’t expect him to quietly ride along with the Stroll family, should be interesting. I feel it is a bad move but what do I know.
Media frenzy is always fun during the summer break trying to fill gap with the shutdown.

 

[jpmcwjr]

What don't we have a rich American buy a team for his spoiled grandson...Or make it real interesting, granddaughter??

 

[trudger]

What don't we have a rich American buy a team for his spoiled grandson...Or make it real interesting, granddaughter??

Maybe Gene Haas can adopt?!

 

[mbmoehl]

I find it really fascinating that drivers prefer multi year contracts over drive higher up in the standings. Bottas to Alpha from Merc, now Alonso to Aston Martin. I don't know the circumstances of how Vettle wound up at AM, after drives in a charging bull and prancing horse. I would have thought a driver would always want to be in the quickest car possible.

Question for you guys, how long can Latifi stay at Williams given his record? I know his daddy is a sponsor, but over the last three years that I've been watching F1, he hasn't ever deserved a seat. (Same with Stroll, but his daddy is the owner). If Nick was in a better car like Russell, do you think he would perform any better? My gut says he couldn't handle a better car.

I'd like to see Jamie Chadwick get a seat in F1, she's smashing the W Series.

 

[trudger]

Money makes the wheels turn in racing as you know. Guys like Fernando, Kimi, and Seb bring sponsorship money with them and their names (and records) bring more sponsors to teams that wouldn’t generate it on their own merit.

As to Latifi, his father owns 6% of Maclaren and In April 2020, Latifi came to the Williams rescue during the pandemic with an extension of his $62m line of credit with a loan of $22m through his Latrus Racing company.The loan was secured against the team’s headquarters, its race entry, and much of its fleet of historic F1 cars.

Even with his loss at buying Williams it is rumored he is looking to buy Sauber (Alfa Romero). Nicks seat tho is uncertain for 2023 with Williams. Follow the money.

 

[jpmcwjr]

On a serious vein, I wonder how much a Yankee driver- one who's competitive- would boost sales in the US.

 

[--dante--]

On a serious vein, I wonder how much a Yankee driver- one who's competitive- would boost sales in the US.

The problem is most Americans wouldn't know he was a competitive driver unless he had a competitive car. An upcoming American driver isn't likely to get a Red Bull/Ferrari/Mercedes seat right off the bat. Ideally, for a Yank team, he'd be a Haas driver, but then of course he can't compete. That said, I think many of us in the states are becoming more fluent in F1. Too bad Michael Andretti is pushing 60, he'd have been a great choice some years back (and drove open-wheel).

 

[--dante--]

On a serious vein, I wonder how much a Yankee driver- one who's competitive- would boost sales in the US.

To follow up, a supremely talented American driver has the US racing world open to him/her. They would have a choice of becoming successful and rich in an American racing league, or they could (if offered) drive a Williams or an Aston Martin in F1, hoping to get a seat in a better car. That's a no-brainer to an American driver. I just don't see it happening.

 

[Flatfish]

Speaking of rubbish drivers. Does anyone remember Taki Inoue?
i think he's the only driver to be run over by the safety car during a race.

 

[mbmoehl]

Colton Herta (currently in Indycar) seems to be the American with the best chance at an F1 drive and testing an older McLaren recently. However with how the super license works (not claiming to know) and the tough market, that seems to be a long shot. He might have to wait for Andretti to start his own F1 team.

I don't believe an American driver would draw that much more of a US audience, Netflix seems to have that covered pretty well.

 

[gubbyduffer]

The problem is most Americans wouldn't know he was a competitive driver unless he had a competitive car. An upcoming American driver isn't likely to get a Red Bull/Ferrari/Mercedes seat right off the bat. Ideally, for a Yank team, he'd be a Haas driver, but then of course he can't compete. That said, I think many of us in the states are becoming more fluent in F1. Too bad Michael Andretti is pushing 60, he'd have been a great choice some years back (and drove open-wheel).

I was at Knockhill in Scotland on Sunday enjoying the British Touring Car series. There were a couple of F4 support races with some F1 junior drivers at the wheel. Mclaren junior driver Ugo Ugochokwu from New York won one of those. Perhaps someone to look out for.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Just a reminder that F1 is back after it's summer break.