F1 2023 thread

Hijpo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289812#Comment_120289812

Makes sense to sell it. No driver at that team is going to get a seat in a RB.

Sell which cuts costs, remain as a supplier which generates revenue. Its a good PU and the car is setup for it.

artanevilla

Stellantis should buy it...

klose

Seems to be lots of paddock that Aston look the real deal, some even saying they'll be challenging Mercedes which is mad when you think about it. Alonso showed last year he still has it about him, could be good!

El_Duderino 09

Thst seems to be the chat alright. I'd believe it when I see it in a proper race weekend. Hoe alonso can keep it going. He's really surprised me with his performance in spite of his age. It would be class of he has a front running car again.

I'd imagine the big teams will sort out their problems and unlock the performance in te design faster than the small teams. So if AM is fast they need to make hay while the sun shines. Last time AM had a fast car (the pink mercedes) they really struggled to develop and moved back down the packing order throughout the season. Interesting to see if they can develop this time.

We only have to wait a week to find out.

Gremlinertia

I'm interested in the Alfa purely from what i can see on design and testing (understanding testing not being a benchmark)

Charlie-Bravo

Drugovich being lined up for a race drive next week if Lance is not fit to drive. Couple that with a car that might challenge the best of the rest, show up Alonso while he's at it, Drugovich might have the chance of a lifetime!!

McFly85

It all depends on Alonsos pace but if the rumours about how quick the Aston is are true, then Drugovich should be at least targeting a points finish.

He doesn’t have a chance at that seat long term, Lance probably has one of the most secure seats on the grid but a decent performance might have him in mind for Alfa/AT/Haas in future.

MadYaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120292328#Comment_120292328

No there probably isn’t space for him at AM but he’ll have seen how De Vries managed to put in a great performance when he was called in last year for Williams and it basically landed him a seat at Alpha Tauri. Drugovich will be keen to do the same I think. If Lance has one or two broken wrists he might miss more than one race.

Joeface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293084#Comment_120293084

Sim Run , Tuesday or Wednesday to prove Fitness for Lance then Drugovich will be confirmed or unconfirmed after that.

then again Button Raced with a broke hand , I can only imagine the pain of it , Wrist damage can be worse .

https://racingnews365.com/when-button-raced-with-a-broken-hand-at-the-japanese-gp

McFly85

Buzzing for quali this weekend now. I suspect the AM rumours to be slightly overblown but still should be a comfortable 4th.

McLaren and Alpine are the interesting ones, McLaren looks like a fair step backward, everyone at Alpine seemed relatively happy even though they had the slowest lap time recorded over testing.

Would hope to see Williams jump to start battling some midfield cars too.

Joeface

Yeah , Mclaren were supprising 2 years in a row as someone else above mentions with Front brake issues.

AM do look like the took a step forward ...a fairly big one. Alpine are a bit strange . Pit talk if you can believe what I say on SKY coverage was they were a team to watch , but never really showed anything smooth over the Test days , and In my boredom I watched a lot of it ..........way too much . Then again I read nothing , or watched nothing since the last race of 2022 :D

quokula

From what I've heard about Alpha Tauri it's not so much about any recent issues with the team or the young driver program, but more to do with the new management direction at Red Bull since Dieter Mateschitz passed away.

He was always a huge F1 fan and most of Red Bull's investment in the sport was more of a passion project than anything else. The sport has been really lucky to have a billionaire invest so much into it over the past few years the way he has, but suddenly we now have an energy drink company wondering why it needs to run 2 F1 teams along with maintaining one of the greatest F1 tracks while also supporting countless teams and drivers in feeder series.

Red Bull has been unique in recent years with the sort of passion, sportsmanship and culture of an old school privateer team combined with the finances to actually compete with the soulless manufacturers who are only there for a return on investment and who would otherwise dominate thanks to their wealth and political clout. I did wonder when hearing the news about Mateschitz last year if we'd start to see things changing and I suspect Alpha Tauri is just the start of that.

Joeface

I see no casts

https://twitter.com/crosaleny/status/1630148767583285248?s=21&t=yuzeHzLxeWgkN58tCilUiQ

flazio

Spanish Grand Prix is dropping the sector 3 chicane and going back to racing around the outside of the corners.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpKd_cFtqGX/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293084#Comment_120293084

If it's broken wrists he could be out for months. Wrists are notoriously tricky and slow to fix. Depending on the injury, a wrist might never get full movement back which could be a major problem.

I haven't heard and confirmed reports about his injuries so we'll have to wait and see what comes out next weekend.

Andrew76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293428#Comment_120293428

Delighted about that, that chicane ruined the lap imo. Back to proper fast final too corners, a bit like the Red Bull Ring.

quokula

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293525#Comment_120293525

I dunno, it was a dreadful circuit before they added the chicane too. I remember through the 90s and early 2000s the Spanish GP would routinely be the most boring on the calendar, with a few rare exceptions. The chicane was introduced to remedy the problem, it didn't really help but I don't think going back to the old layout is going to achieve much either. Maybe with the ground effect cars we'll see something different.

Andrew76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293597#Comment_120293597

That's true it did used to be a bore fest, although as long as schumi was winning I didn't care. 😁 I'm just happy they've gone back to challenging fast corners. Speaking of which, whatever happened to the Turkish grand prix, that had some great fast corners iirc.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Team rankings according to The Race, with adjustments for track conditions, wind, tyres etc:

1. Red Bull

2. Ferrari, +0.45s

3. Aston Martin, 0.66s

4. Mercedes, +1.00s

5. Alfa Romeo, +1.34s

6. Haas, +1.39s

7. Alpine, +1.62s

8. McLaren, +1.67s

9. Williams, +1.67s

10. AT, +1.91s

Take from that what ye will...

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293803#Comment_120293803

I would be surprised if the red Bulls are bookending the grid. Presumably they share a lot of the information they're allowed to share. And the engine is strong.

Lots of questions ahead of the race this weekend.

MadYaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293401#Comment_120293401

Probably not broken so.

muckwarrior

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294021#Comment_120294021

Alpha Tauri were pretty poor last season though, so obviously they can't or don't share all that much 🤷

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294267#Comment_120294267

Yeah. True enough.

Joeface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294267#Comment_120294267

I have an odd Theory on that . In 2020 the Alpha Tauri was a fairly netural car and Gasly was fast in it , some time around the Race in Spa Alpha Tauri made an update to the front end and steering and how that operated making the Car really compeitive ( That update was credited to feedback from Dani Kyvatt) . Gasly excelled in the even more after that, but Dani Kyvatt was also in the mix for points at nearly every race after that .

The Car didnt change in 2021 , Kyvatt out and Yuki , Gasly still flying it. New cars comes in 2022 and while every team would have issues their cars, The Alpha Tauri did not progress over the season in 2022 and Given what is been said about Nyck De Vries and his comments on how poor the car was and what needed to be sorted , It might be that Gasly weakness is actually the developent of the car . Still very fast as a driver . Each driver has a weakness maybe thats his. Yuki was still quiet new to it maybe he was unsure as well.

Sorry long winded .

quokula

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294267#Comment_120294267

Yeah there's a limit to what they can legally share and the teams have never been all that similar, at least not since around 2008 when the rules were more lax about it. Haas take as much as they legally can from Ferrari so those teams should have as much in common as AT and RB do.

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120290499#Comment_120290499

Chrysler F1.

Joeface

Lot of options for that Purchase of Alpha Tauri , Honda themselves for 2026 - a team already familar with their engines and staff , Porsche as a way in . & solves a lot of Andretti problems .

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294665#Comment_120294665

Was thinking for along the lines of a current title sponsor who happen to already be based in Italy, are shortly leaving F1, and have won championships before. Also wouldn't be much of name change.

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294737#Comment_120294737

Ah yeah.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294267#Comment_120294267

Last season the cars were all new do from the ground up so unlike previous seasons they could not just copy and paste Red Bulls previous car with a few differences to look like there own. Everyone even Haas, Aston Martin and Dilliams had to design there own car from the ground up. There engines and gearbox and other little bits like that from there supplier teams being the only exception.

Jordan 199

Race thread for Bahrain here.

flazio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120294267#Comment_120294267

I do wonder though, because Alpha Tauri get more wind tunnel time then the big brother is there anything stopping Red Bull from obtaining Alpha Tauri's wind tunnel data? I'm almost surprised we haven't heard that the chief aerodynamist has gone to AT on sabbatical followed by Red Bull starting to look like it's little brother.

Frank Bullitt

I can imagine Oscar Piastri will be doubting his move (right now at least) to McLaren over Alpine. Could be a tough year ahead for him and McLaren.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295889#Comment_120295889

The rules stop this. If they were caught there would be hell to pay...

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120296360#Comment_120296360

Given the fact that they look for ways around rules, there haven't been many scandals around sharing (or selling) that kind of information.

There was the pink Mercedes breaks but that was a case of selling a part which then became prohibited to sell. So instead of calling off the deal, they pretended they developed it themselves and mocked up designs for a part they didn't build.

Part of means surprised there haven't been more of these scandals. People leaving a memory stick behind when having a coffee with a friend from the other team. Ferrari and Haas share a design building. Red Bull and Alfa tauri share branding. But they don't seem to have similar cars and the performance levels aren't the same.

It would be strange that they respect this rule and not the others.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120295978#Comment_120295978

Yep I said he would last year and still think he will now. Even with the few problems in testing that Albine had I still think they look like they have the faster better car over Mclaren.

Any other up and coming driver would have been very happy to be getting a seat in the 4th fastest team on the grid but Piastri nope he decided to go for the worse team.

Hopefully it all makes for an exciting season.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297041#Comment_120297041

Once he was out of contract he was free to choose which team he went with. He chose not to be strong-armed into going with Alpine. Instead he went with Mclaren and presumable had the ability to negotiate a contract on his own terms.

Whether mclaren or Alpine are faster this year, he had a choice and he was in control of his decision. I can't fault him for that.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297079#Comment_120297079

Yes good point. Alpine did make a big mistake the way the went about it and it cost them to lose Piastri in the end to Mclaren. Maybe if they had negotiated with him he might have stayed.

McFly85

Yeah I can’t blame him at all at looking for what was best for him, Alpine completely dropped the ball there.

It’s a shame the car isn’t there because they have 2 excellent drivers.

I still think it’s mad that Lando agreed to a 5 year deal with McLaren in the first place. He’s highly rated and considering his family’s loaded money isn’t an issue for him, I would have thought he’d want his options a bit more open if a top tier seat opened up.

artanevilla

Contracts can always be bought out, there's probably even performance clauses in there should Maclaren not reach certain targets, Lando can go cheap etc.

It's better to have your seat guaranteed for 5 years particularly in the fickle world of F1.

MadYaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298021#Comment_120298021

If you look at the context of when he signed that deal it was probably a good move at the time. There was a bit of a buzz around them then, Zak Brown had just come on board and everyone thought they were on the up.

Obviously that hasn’t been the way it’s turned out. They aren’t off to a great start this season and if this season is like last season for him I can definitely see him looking elsewhere regardless of his contract. If another team wants him enough and he wants to go then an arrangement can surely be made there.

Is Lewis’s contract up at the end of this season? If it is that could get interesting but I think Merc will still want to keep him.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298021#Comment_120298021

I agree to a point - but such a long contract could mean that other teams who want him might decide it’s not worth the extra cost and hassle of buying his contract out.

He was young enough in fairness and still has plenty of time left in the sport. Just think you don’t want to be completely unavailable if a seat at a top team opens up.

Any driver who can command a 3+ year contract is obviously in a strong position on the negotiating table. Lando will 100% have a number of performance related clauses that allow him to walk away early in certain circumstances. If McLaren are 8th or lower going into the August break this season and Red Bull come knocking the door to replace Perez or Mercedes come knocking if Hamilton decides to retire then I'd imagine there would be clauses to allow him walk away for peanuts.

Hijpo

Would the RB suit Norris? Obviously he would be going in as No.2 but verstappen did say he didn't want to spend his racing life in F1.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298441#Comment_120298441

Verstappen is contracted to 2028 with RB so anyone coming in until then will be a no.2 driver you’d imagine.

Trampas

You can be sure the Norris contract swings both ways for release clause

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298493#Comment_120298493

There was a mention on The Races podcast that Merc are courting Norris and Leclerc for a longer term contract. Only a rumour of course.

Hijpo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298483#Comment_120298483

Jaysus, didn't realise that.

dulpit

There's also the rumour that Lando might go to Sauber when they become Audi. Andreas Seidl went from McLaren to Sauber and seemingly he and Lando have a great relationship. But big risk for Lando, while Audi have a good Motorsport pedegree, you couldn't really see them competing for championships immediately..

Would love to see him in Mercedes against George, hopefully he'd wipe the floor with him (I don't like Russell).

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298891#Comment_120298891

He has more character than Russell, mind you that wouldn't be hard. Russell is like a wax statue of himself, and with Hamilton being towards the ned of his career, Merc will be looking to seal that talent for the future.

As for Audi, they are a few years away from being in as a proper manufacturer, so for Norris he will have to weigh up his options because if he sits idle and McLaren are not really making the gains, he could be doing more damage to his career.