F1 2020

[BANNEDFROMBAJA]

Big shake up at Haas both drivers out.

My guess Checo $$ and Mick Schumacher with Ferrari to help Haas out with the Power unit.

 

[Fifty]

Yea. Especially when each power unit is $15and you have to buy 6...

redbull said their PU bill for they and alpha tauri tops $200 million usd not including replacement parts...

12 power unit sets at $200+ million

merc was trying to keep theirs at $15m each

lolz

 

[Bricoop]

Who is going to take Albon's Seat? I have to imagine Checo is in the conversation.

 

[Fifty]

They say hulk

 

[Bricoop]

They say hulk

Good for him. Would love to see it.

 

[bajaherbie]

Rumors of a rich Russian kid (F3 driver I think) getting one of the Haas seats. Actually, his dad is the rich one and has been around the sport for a few years.

My guess is Mick and the rich Russian kid.

 

[BANNEDFROMBAJA]

Me thinks Hulk to Red Bull would be a good fit.

 

[Fifty]

The rumors today are:
-Grosjean to Renault (partner with ocon)
-hulk to RB
-Perez to haas

I know ocon is a merc junior driver and not showing his old abilities...
Albon has been told that if he doesn’t show near max pace today and tomorrow he will be told he is out.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Schumacher and Perez in haas, Even though its rumored that Perez payment has shrunk. Over the years it went from he paying $25m usd per season to to $20 then $15m last year and they say it dropped again.
So if Perez can only bring $5-8 million... that doesn’t make him any more value than the other Ferrari junior drivers.

people make fun of stroll and Latifi for being pay drivers but a couple years ago, there were only 3-4 drivers that were not pay drivers.

 

[Fifty]

Watching some of these new to this season tracks... got me thinking about Tilke tracks and if they are what has ruined the F1 spectacle.

ive Now come to realize it was the perfect storm of “let’s make tracks that showoff the technical diversity of the manufacturers”... and that is a Tilke track.

but at the same time was the beginning and full implementation of Fia trying to turn F1 into a primary drivers championship first, constructors second.

aka... a spec series.

the problem is when all the cars have essentially the same advantages and same weaknesses (down to tenth of second differences only) and the formula punishes driver manhandling a car (Nigel Mansfield)... you then can’t have a track that has no character...

so you then need artificial things like drs, tire limits and tires that are designed to fall instead of designed to be the best tire.

can you imagine if F1 had a fuel limit formula but open PU formula?
And Max Mosley makes an ok case for downforce makes dangerous speed... ok... but since you can’t get rid of the wings because they are the spectacle.
But the floor makes 70-75% of the downforce on these cars. So limit the ground effect or get rid of the wings. One or the other.
But open up development outside of that and then allow the teams to pick whichever pu they want.

image a v12 that’s an absolute speed freak but doesn’t turn, dog fighting with a turbo 4 or turbo straight 6 thatdoesn’t have to slow for corners but is 10% slower in the straights....

Adrienne newey made a great case for that in an IBree use that I can’t find, but mentions it lightly in his book.

 

[Bricoop]

I think it's the aero reliance that has ruined the quality of racing, not necessarily the tracks. I've only been a fan for 5 years, I'm really enjoying some of these "new to me" tracks.

I'm not sure an open rulebook doesn't just lead to someone finding some advantage and running away with the title for years. Maybe they could develop rules that could level the field?

I agree, get rid of the wings. Like you said the floor makes most the downforce. How many wrecks have we seen in the past couple years because of damage to a wing and loss of DF? Imagine not losing performance through a turn while on the ass of another driver. A better sounding car would be nice too. I was in Austin a couple of years sitting in T11 (u turn between 2 straightaways). I had never heard a performace hybrid before. The energy charging and release sound like fireworks going off.

 

[Fifty]

The problem is: every time they change the “formula” to reduce costs... it makes costs skyrocket.

every time the change the formula to reduce “cheating” and make it more of a spec series (aka a drivers championship), it reduces the ability of the poorer teams to maximize what’s allowed and makes cheating and development more expensive.

just look at the power units. V6 hybrid to bring costs down and bring factories. The power units went from a 20 power units a year at a cost of $10million total to $15-20 million for ONE power unit. And manufacturers not wanting to come in, and leaving, because the technology does not work on road cars. And the cost is too expensive. Again, Red Bull’s portion... read that again... their portion of the power unit costs for alpha tauri and redbull Racing if there are no failures and they don’t need any spares is $200 million usd...

thays just their date... Honda pays the rest.... for one season. That’s why FCA was thinking of pulling Ferrari out. They were weighing the costs of heritage vs the costs of racing and if Bernie’s new race series would take off or not. Todt Had just enough power to defeat that. Even with bernie owning enough race tracksand their being enough street circuits to tell the Fia to take a hike.

the 2026 engine change needs to come in 2022 and it needs to get rid of the hybrid.

 

[bajaxp]

Props to LH for his 7th championship. Major achievement. I hope QE knights him for his achievement. But................loved Checo getting his best result to date with a possibility of not having a drive in 2021. If he doesn't, I will be wickedly disappointed. Albon bad...Perez good.
Sainz...my favorite driver...makes up, what ten positions. Ferrari with a revised power unit next year, could be formidable.

 

[Fifty]

Ive never understood athletes getting Knighted. Especially the level he is requesting/demanding.

apparently there are different levels that have different benefits and entitlements.

one of the hushed up things (because if you question anything about him now, you are branded a racist) is that he is demanding a more exclusive award than is normally given athletes.

and that he insulted the Queen when he was invited after his first or second title. Maybe his third, I can’t remember. But he made a scene.

I don’t understand why you would demand a piece of tradition from an organization that you refuse to accept?

maybe he should ask for a knighthood from the Monaco principality or the Swiss Govt?

 

[bajaherbie]

Romain Grojean is one lucky Frenchman! The halo definitely saved him today!

 

[brad inch]

who in the hell ok,ed armco barriers,they are death just waiting.

 

[BANNEDFROMBAJA]

Going to be fun to see how Russell does in the Merc this weekend.

 

[Fifty]

What the media isn’t saying is that russels contract with Mercedes/wolf is ending soon. Like real soon.

this drive will ascertain wether or not he will be resigned and possibly moved.
If he doesn’t secure a top 5 result, (you have to understand the merc is designed around Hamilton’s driving style) he will not be in Williams, racing point or merc after 2021 nor will he receive any Mercedes sponsor money.

if he does land in the top 5, and the higher the better, he will find himself secure for either a hami/bottas replacement, a vettel replacement or a “he comes with free or reduced engine contract” at mclaren. (That’s the most likely.

 

[Bricoop]

What the media isn’t saying is that russels contract with Mercedes/wolf is ending soon. Like real soon.

this drive will ascertain wether or not he will be resigned and possibly moved.
If he doesn’t secure a top 5 result, (you have to understand the merc is designed around Hamilton’s driving style) he will not be in Williams, racing point or merc after 2021 nor will he receive any Mercedes sponsor money.

if he does land in the top 5, and the higher the better, he will find himself secure for either a hami/bottas replacement, a vettel replacement or a “he comes with free or reduced engine contract” at mclaren. (That’s the most likely.

If George out performs Bottas, is there any chance he could take Valteri’s seat? Based on practice sessions, George is faster in an unfamiliar car. I doubt this will happen as George would give Lewis a real run for his money and all indications are Mercedes is happy with a ‘second fiddle.’

I do wonder, does McLaren getting Merc power plants change their thought process? I expect McLaren to give RBR and possibly Mercedes some headaches next year.

 

[Fifty]

I think if Lewis stays next year bottas will
Stay.
Hamilton doesn’t want competition. Toto has said the team works. That he doesn’t have or want the niko Lewis problem again. It’s why he wouldn’t sign max.
If Lewis retires (I think he should after this year) russell would get the slot.

agter bottas contract is up, it will be two new drivers. Russell and whom ever.

I’m not sure if bottas will be demoted to Williams in 2021 (like Red Bull does) if he is beaten by russel this weekend. I think if russel drove in next weeks race as well and beat him in both then maybe.

mclaren being offered a deal: “take Russell and you get a discount off of your $19 million per power unit price tag”
... will be almost certain if he goes that route.
Williams gets thay deal. After all the merc engine price alone is larger than Williams budget.
It’s why haas uses ferrari jr drivers now.

 

[nimrod]

Holy Cow the kid is on fire in Hamilton’s ride! Bottas has gotta be losing his mind.