2024 F1 General Discussion Thread

quokula

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122632662#Comment_122632662

The problem is that they falsely claim to be unbiased despite being virulently so. When you turn on international football on a British channel they don't pretend they're not in favour of England. Same with the Olympics and Team GB, or most other sports. But Sky are the de facto international provider of F1 coverage around the globe, constantly claim to be neutral and unbiased, while frequently pushing biased narratives that demonise foreign drivers and lionise British ones under the completely false pretence that they're just reporting facts.

The UK print press is the same, and between them they have inordinate power where the narratives they fabricate permeate the entire English speaking world from the US to Australia, and inevitably get picked up in other countries too where they don't always have journalists on the ground and just translate and summarise the narrative being pushed in the British press or simply get gaslit into believing the story.

If you go back to the days of Murray Walker there was just a different level of integrity there. He never pretended to be unbiased, he openly supported Mansell and in particular Hill. His reaction when Damon won the title is absolutely legendary and yet nobody ever had a problem with this. The reason being is that he was vastly more honest than Sky in acknowledging his own biases while simultaneously taking them into account and treating other drivers and teams fairly. He had no problem admitting he supported Hill while also openly acknowledging the incredible job Schumacher was doing in a dog of a Ferrari at that time.

Crofty would have been the absolute opposite if commenting then, constantly claiming to be completely unbiased while incessantly praising Hill's brilliance and trying to generate controversies to paint other drivers in a bad light.

dulpit

From this video it really seems to me that we could be looking at Ricciardo's last race this weekend...

All the Liam Lawson stuff has gone very quiet and, if this contract says he needs a seat or he can walk to a different team is true, then he'd be out there making a big noise unless he knew he was sorted.

Such a shame how Ricciardo's career went...

https://youtu.be/LJnCN_EbCuE?si=vSmS_RHIckw9ByAn

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122632970#Comment_122632970

"Such a shame how Ricciardo's career went.."

Yes a pity alright.

I could see him in Extreme E though and maybe even Formula E.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122632031#Comment_122632031

Probably better to use "british media" over Sky. When Schumacher was ruling the roost, they really loved twisting the knife at times.

Dont be at yourself

Not many options left for Ricciardo. Audi the only open seat now?

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122635430#Comment_122635430

Why would anyone want him? He's not good anymore. Results from a decade ago are no use on his CV for 2025.

I'd thank him for the entertainment he gave in the past and wish him well in his career after F1

Andrew76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122635499#Comment_122635499

Yeah it's time for him to make space for someone else. Great personality and a marketing dream but not good enough for F1 anymore (not the only one that falls into that latter category). 8 wins and a load of money in the bank, he's done very well.

Jacovs

Bottas and Riciardo to be a team of alternative presenters, grid walks, pit interviews and in race coverage. It will be serious but at the same time not so serious.

flazio

Riccardo is made for NASCAR IMO.

dulpit

Ya, if Ricciardo does decide to keep driving outside of F1 you have to imagine he'll go to the states (either Indycar or NASCAR).

bennyx_o

Talk of him remaining in the Red Bull driver pool (not sure for how long) but that might restrict him driving in the US, although I agree he'll end up there at some stage

Sheeps

Ricciardo is just not a good driver anymore. He really shouldn't have been allowed back into the sport following his "break".

Gamb!t

Rear wing now to be modified for McLaren.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c1e8legl4g2o

AMKC

So I watched this this morning on You-Tube. By that brings back memories. What a race.

Lewis had a lot to learn back then. One has to Wonder though if Schumacher had of stayed another year at Ferrari would he have been an 8 time WDC champ? I think it was possible. The Ferrari was a good car that year. Also if Alonso had of stayed with Renault he possibly could have been a 3 time WDC instead of still looking for it. The Renault was not a bad car that year just needed better drivers. I think Alonso and Lewis are the only two drivers from that race still in F1.

MadYaker

So is Daniel Ricciardo gone or what’s the story? The media are convinced that was his last race but there’s been nothing official.

Captain_Crash

@MadYaker Judging by his post race interview he is yeah! He was very emotional.

Harika

It's like everyone knows, all that's missing is officially confirmed

MadYaker

The way RB have handled it is a disgrace imo, he deserved better treatment than that, having to face those questions over and over with it all up in the air.

Andrew76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122643414#Comment_122643414

Here it is for anyone who didn't see it. Sad to see but it's time for him to move on.

https://youtu.be/7vTGFqzVVC4

AMKC

All the fastest laps so for this year,

https://youtu.be/Wan7H30mlho?si=yFmoJ90poSR7K5EO

Frank Bullitt

Sad to see it end like this, he just hasn’t delivered and it sounds like Red Bull as a company can’t afford to lose Lawson.

I’d like to see Daniel get to Indycar or WEC, he might not have much to give for F1 but he does for motorsport.

mickdw

Ricciardo looks almost ill there. Very gaunt looking.

dulpit

I was thinking about how red bull have handled their drivers over the last few years, and apart from Verstappen they have been horrible.

Checo is under constant pressure, probably shouldn't be in that seat but has had Helmut Marko make racist references about him.

Yuki seems to be in a position where he could win multiple races and still not get a promotion to red bull (although I reckon the way he carries on over radio like he did yesterday points to a wider issue with his temperament behind the scenes).

Ricciardo has been brought it but looks like he's going to be bombed out with a few races left in the season, and it seems to be just hanging there over him rather than it being a done deal.

Lawson has been blocked from a seat for a year now.

Red bull have 4 seats and they can't seem to look after their drivers or have themselves set up either. What's that about?

Jacovs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122644387#Comment_122644387

RedBull have 4 seats, but I think they only have proper control over 1 of those at the moment.

Verstappen not going anywhere unless he wants to.

Perez brings the money.

Tsunoda tied to Honda.

Only seat they really have to work with is Ricciardo in the RB, and if he wasnt so well liked he would be gone already, or might not even have had the seat this season at all.

Only movement in the rankings after this weekend is Hulkenberg moving to equal points as Stroll, but is ranked above Stroll.

MadYaker

I wonder if Lawson and his team are threatening to go elsewhere if he isn’t on the grid before the end of the season. RB can’t really afford to lose him.

Jacovs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122644683#Comment_122644683

What options does he have to make such threats?

Only RB and Sauber/Audi with seats available for coming season. So if he threatens RB then he needs to be sure he can get the Sauber/Audi seat if RB decide to call his bluff. The seat might be coming his way without having to threaten anything.

quokula

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122644387#Comment_122644387

Not sure what they should do massively differently. Checo is under pressure but surely he should be, they're fighting for the constructor's title. The only way to take pressure off him is to provide a more competitive car which is no easy task when they're operating with a development handicap. I don't think there's anyone on the grid who's available that would do better in that seat, the car just isn't where it needs to be.

Tsunoda seems to be doing pretty well. Worthy of a promotion to the top team? Maybe if Perez chooses to retire, but not as a replacement for Max. I can see why they're keeping him around as a back up plan. He doesn't seem to be courting other teams or agitating to get out of his current position so don't see the problem here.

Then you're simultaneously complaining that they've gotten rid of Ricciardo too quickly and haven't put Lawson in the car quickly enough. Surely you can see that you can't have one without the other? Personally I'd have ditched Ricciardo at the beginning of the season and had Lawson in from then but it is what it is. Daniel is a big PR draw and I can see why they've kept him around and tried their best to nurture him and bring him back to his former best as that would come with a huge upside, but ultimately he just looks like he's past it the same as he did at McLaren before they dumped him, and his performances can't justify keeping that seat any longer, while participating in the final leg of the season is the perfect opportunity for Lawson to get prepared for next year.

Frank Bullitt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122644405#Comment_122644405

I think the times to Honda are also limiting Tsunoda though, with Honda leaving and going to AM I don't think Tsunodas long term future is at Red Bull.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122646228#Comment_122646228

My point was about how red bull have treated the drivers. They don't seem to have any plan for any of them (apart from max, obviously)

Busman Paddy Lasty

If they think they might have a 10% chance of losing Max in 2026 then Lawson needs to be prioritised. And another driver too.