F1 season start - Austria

Harika

Race thread.
Bad weather expected for Friday, but nice and warm on Sunday.

skipper_G

God it is good to see cars on track

Harika

First flying lap for Perez engine smoking failure

pjohnson

That Mercedes is fcuking gorgeous.

Harika

Early indications: pink and black Mercedes fast. McLaren too. Williams back in midfield.

Petyr Baelish

Croft and DiResta are very hard to listen to on Sky. I might try the BBC commentary in the next session.

Harika

Hamilton with same time than last year, Ferrari a second slower than last year. Red Bull three tenths slower.
Still first training. Qualifying the reality will be seen

skipper_G

Mercedes 1-2. Everyone's just finding the rhythm still but it's obvious that the Mercs are ahead. Bottas 4 tenths behind Hamilton

eviltimeban

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

Croft and DiResta are very hard to listen to on Sky. I might try the BBC commentary in the next session.

I thought Croft was great when he started, probably because he replaced Leggard. Now I find him tough to listen to, he's just too "jocular" and radio DJ like. Di Resta is just boring.

Really the only one worth listening to is Brundle but he only really shines when he's got someone good beside him. The last really good pairing was Brundle / Coulthard.

flazio

Ben Edwards and David Coulthard are a great pairing IMO. Ben has been around about since the mid 90s and is an amateur race driver himself. Motorsports man through and through.
Sadly all of channel 4 are working remotely, presentation is coming from a museum in Silverstone.

Those who have practice on one screen and work on another. Shame on you.
You should have timing information on the second screen, not your job.

quokula

Ben Edwards is great and undisputedly my favourite main commentator, going all the way back to when he was teamed up with John Watson at Eurosport. Coulthard is good 95% of the time but every now and then he comes out with some sexist innuendo or toilet humour - I can't think of an example, but often enough that I've noticed it and it puts me right off. Mark Webber is the same, they play off each other like two teenage boys in the paddock.

Not a big fan of Crofty, a bit too much forced excitement, while Brundle sometimes seems to be heading into bitter old man territory - he's a great commentator but with each passing year he seems to get a bit more opinionated and a bit less knowledgeable.

I think Anthony Davidson is one of the best when he steps in. Like Di Resta, he has a bit more up to date and in depth knowledge about how recent F1 cars operate, but unlike Di Resta he's also got a bit of personality.

All of the F1 commentators pale in comparison to Davide Valsecchi in Formula 2 though.

Jordan 199

Carroller16

Alex Jacques and Martin Brundle would be the dream scenario


Check out Alex Jacques commentary on the last lap of last years Brazilian GP

https://streamable.com/c1ik1

eviltimeban

Carroller16 wrote: »

Alex Jacques and Martin Brundle would be the dream scenario


Check out Alex Jacques commentary on the last lap of last years Brazilian GP

https://streamable.com/c1ik1

Meh, he has the same overexcited quality that Croft brings.

I KNOW Murray was the same. But Murray was Murray.

HighLine

Sickened seeing Mercedes so far in front. As expected but still... :mad:

Inquitus

Free Practice 2 results:

#1 2020 Mercedes
#2 2019 Mercedes
#3 2020 Ferrari

BikeRacer

https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1279004315756175360

https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1279067548223451136

quokula

BikeRacer wrote: »

https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1279004315756175360

https://twitter.com/wearetherace/status/1279067548223451136

That's stark. The Mercedes car may as well be in a different formula to the rest. As usual.

quokula

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-lodges-protest-against-mercedes-das/4824313/

Red Bull are protesting Mercedes' steering system. It's hard to see how any objective reading of the rules can possibly define the system as legal, but we will see.

Inquitus

quokula wrote: »

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-lodges-protest-against-mercedes-das/4824313/

Red Bull are protesting Mercedes' steering system. It's hard to see how any objective reading of the rules can possibly define the system as legal, but we will see.

It was developed with the knowledge and feedback from the FIA, hard to see how it can be banned given it already has been for 2021.

Top Dog

Inquitus wrote: »

It was developed with the knowledge and feedback from the FIA, hard to see how it can be banned given it already has been for 2021.

As it was banned due to new regulations, which have now been postponed for a year to 2022, would that not suggest that if its legal this year then it will still be legal next year? Or have I missed something?

Buttonftw

Probably said it most of the last 5 years but I can't get excited about the start of this season at all. Looks like it's going to be an even clearer run for Mercedes this year if they're well clear in Austria of all places.

Hijpo

Buttonftw wrote: »

Probably said it most of the last 5 years but I can't get excited about the start of this season at all. Looks like it's going to be an even clearer run for Mercedes this year if they're well clear in Austria of all places.

Can you read that much into the cars so early?
Surely they will be tweaking this and that to find the right setup, is it a case that they just want the drivers to get the cars around the track while they gather data before a good stint in FP3 but with the reluctance of showing their hand early?

*relatively new to motorsport*

Buttonftw

Hijpo wrote: »

Can you read that much into the cars so early?
Surely they will be tweaking this and that to find the right setup, is it a case that they just want the drivers to get the cars around the track while they gather data before a good stint in FP3 but with the reluctance of showing their hand early?

*relatively new to motorsport*

Well Ferrari sound like they've written off this year and next year already. Mercedes usually hold back at least as much as anyone so if everyone else has time in their pockets Merc likely do too.

Frank Bullitt

Carroller16

eviltimeban wrote: »

Meh, he has the same overexcited quality that Croft brings.

I KNOW Murray was the same. But Murray was Murray.

Unpopular Opinion.

Murray Walker is/was overrated.

Rodney Bathgate

Carroller16 wrote: »

Unpopular Opinion.

Murray Walker is/was overrated.

Agreed, he made far too many mistakes in his later years. He should have retired 5 years earlier.

Buttonftw

Gintonious wrote: »

Watching it right now, uncanny. :L

Frank Bullitt

Buttonftw wrote: »

Watching it right now, uncanny. :L

The midfield is tighter, but Hamilton will waltz this season.

H3llR4iser

quokula wrote: »

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-lodges-protest-against-mercedes-das/4824313/

Red Bull are protesting Mercedes' steering system. It's hard to see how any objective reading of the rules can possibly define the system as legal, but we will see.

Well that didn't take long.



Roll on tomorrow and see what happens in qualifying - if Perez sticks it in second / third row, wait for Renault and McLaren to lodge their own protest against the Pink Mercedes...off to a great start we are.

seamusk84

With the short length of the track I think the question now is how far up the field will Hamilton put a lap on the rest of the field on Sunday.

Watched P2....Merc are streets ahead. Even Merc Junior (Racing Point) look more hooked up than the rest!