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Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread (Read 1st post rules)

Cork Trucker

This is the official Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread

Any posts that should be in the race weekend threads that are posted in here will get deleted without warning

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quokula

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Isn’t it supposed to favour whoever is fastest and shouldn’t the fastest score the most points?

It’s a gimmick to make qualifying a two stage process (quali sets the grid for the sprint race and the sprint race sets the grid for the actual race). And points are awarded for the actual race.

It would mean there’s really two starts. And that starts are often amongst the best bits of a race( and it would probably suit Stroll who tends to gain places off the start).

No the plan is that qualifying on Friday decides the sprint race grid, like normal Saturday qualifying for a Sunday race. Then the sprint race gives points, in addition to setting the Sunday grid. So as the fastest team you get two wins for the price of one. Well it's 1.5 wins as the sprint race is half points, but you get the jist.

While other teams might pull off the odd win here and there due to perfect strategy, taking advantage of the safety car, on track overtakes or Mercedes' mistakes, those races will make less headway overall in the championship compared to the double-victories Mercedes will get. The fact that the shorter sprint race will have zero opportunity for strategy variance will only compound this further.

Original proposals for reverse grid sprint races and other more interesting formats all got vetoed by Mercedes. Rules don't get passed in the current era of F1 if there's a chance they can hurt Merc's dominance.

El_Duderino 09

quokula wrote: »

No the plan is that qualifying on Friday decides the sprint race grid, like normal Saturday qualifying for a Sunday race. Then the sprint race gives points, in addition to setting the Sunday grid. So as the fastest team you get two wins for the price of one. Well it's 1.5 wins as the sprint race is half points, but you get the jist.

While other teams might pull off the odd win here and there due to perfect strategy, taking advantage of the safety car, on track overtakes or Mercedes' mistakes, those races will make less headway overall in the championship compared to the double-victories Mercedes will get. The fact that the shorter sprint race will have zero opportunity for strategy variance will only compound this further.

Original proposals for reverse grid sprint races and other more interesting formats all got vetoed by Mercedes. Rules don't get passed in the current era of F1 if there's a chance they can hurt Merc's dominance.

Ah I didn’t know that. Cheers.

No chance f1 will make a change like that and fans will hate it. I really think they just make these proposals so everyone rejects is and stops asking for changes for a few months.

duploelabs

While I love the idea of sprint races instead of the existing three part quali. It favours the drivers race craft rather than just having the fastest car, there's one major issue that's unique to F1 over most of the other divisions is the fragility and cost of the parts of the cars.

Sprint races promotes close races which leads to the chance of damage to the cars, as opposed to hot lapping. Take out a front wing and that's about €300k to replace.
In the age where costs are being tried to be kept down, it doesn't reinforce that idea if you've a greater chance of damaging your car, and what are the FIA offering to each teams to offset that cost of damage to their cars in those sprint races?

€50k

It just doesn't make sense

Fwox

Looks like Red Bull have achieved getting the engine freeze implemented with all the other teams in agreement. Be interesting to see if they can continue to develop the Honda PU further when Honda do pull out at the end of the season.

El_Duderino 09

Fwox wrote: »

Looks like Red Bull have achieved getting the engine freeze implemented with all the other teams in agreement. Be interesting to see if they can continue to develop the Honda PU further when Honda do pull out at the end of the season.

If that's true, then i imagine cost cutting was a big factor.

When wold the freeze happen? The end of this year or start of next year or what? Puts a lot of pressure on Ferrari to get the new engine right, pretty much first time. And i wouldn't bet the house on Ferrari getting things fight first time.

Fwox

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

If that's true, then i imagine cost tutting was a big factor.

When wold the freeze happen? The ned of this year or start f next year or what? Puts a lot of pressure on Ferrari to get the new engine right, pretty much first time. And i wouldn't bet the house on Ferrari getting things fight first time.

Saves all PU manufacturers a huge amount for sure, easy decisions. Comes into effect for the start of 2022 season. I’ve heard Ferrari are taking a similar approach to Merc in their power unit design at the moment, be nice as a RB fan to have another team to fight other than Mercedes.

El_Duderino 09

Fwox wrote: »

Saves all PU manufacturers a huge amount for sure, easy decisions. Comes into effect for the start of 2022 season. I’ve heard Ferrari are taking a similar approach to Merc in their power unit design at the moment, be nice as a RB fan to have another team to fight other than Mercedes.

That gives Ferrari a year to get the engine working. That's much more realistic.

Harika

Alonso in cycling accident

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1359954932800061441

Not much information, only that he is concious

El_Duderino 09

Hope Alonso’s ok.

There seems to be a good chance of some sprint races this year.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.broad-support-from-f1-teams-for-new-sprint-race-format-at-some-races.7o0u5or8wIxY62OgYYjtcY.html

mickdw

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Hope Alonso’s ok.

There seems to be a good chance of some sprint races this year.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.broad-support-from-f1-teams-for-new-sprint-race-format-at-some-races.7o0u5or8wIxY62OgYYjtcY.html

Reports of alonso be hit by / colliding with car.
That cant be good for pre season testing and season start.

SureYWouldntYa

Hulkenberg back? Others who’ve left recently like KMag and Grosjean are driving in other series, can’t recall seeing anything about Kvyatt so maybe he’s free

AMKC

Harika wrote: »

Alonso in cycling accident

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1359954932800061441

Not much information, only that he is concious

I really do not like the sprint race idea. I hope it does not happen. It just sounds like a gimic.

I really hope Alonso is ok. Really looking forward to seeing him race this year.

duploelabs

mickdw wrote: »

Reports of alonso be hit by / colliding with car.
That cant be good for pre season testing and season start.

https://www.gazzetta.it/Formula-1/11-02-2021/f1-alonso-indicente-bici-fratture-volto-serve-un-operazione-400603303162.shtml
Translation (DeepL)

Cycling accident for Fernando Alonso. The Spanish driver of the Alpine Renault is said to have been hit by a car while training by bike on Swiss roads near Lugano. He was immediately rescued and taken to a local hospital, but initial X-rays showed possible fractures. Alonso, two-time Formula 1 world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, may have to miss the start of the 2021 season.

barryribs

Andrew benson saying it's a broken jaw. Hopefully it's nothing more serious than that

Cool_CM

Jaysus, glad to hear it wasn't worse and hope nothing is broken.

SureYWouldntYa

barryribs wrote: »

Andrew benson saying it's a broken jaw. Hopefully it's nothing more serious than that

Might keep him quiet in the cockpit, Alpine mightn't see it as a bad thing :pac:

It one of few broken bones that mightn't keep him out for too long, he might even make testing on March 12th

Frank Bullitt

God damn it, one thing I really am looking forward to for 2021 is Alonso coming back.

I hope he will be fit and ready for the season.

Harika

https://www.racefans.net/2021/02/12/first-details-of-red-bulls-new-operation-to-run-ex-honda-engines-and-aim-for-works-status-in-2025/

Red bull plans for the engine until 2025 then eying Porsche who either are thrown there for fun or actually tipping their toe back again.

El_Duderino 09

While I’m mot a fan of Paul Richard , and I do t think anyone else is a fan either. This must be good news.

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/racefansdotnet-2021-02-10-23-03-29-4.jpg

They reprofiled almost the entire track, all the corners except one. They had to work within the confines of the existing layout, but hopefully it will improve things a bit.

muckwarrior

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

While I’m mot a fan of Paul Richard , and I do t think anyone else is a fan either. This must be good news.

https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/racefansdotnet-2021-02-10-23-03-29-4.jpg

They reprofiled almost the entire track, all the corners except one. They had to work within the confines of the existing layout, but hopefully it will improve things a bit.

Needs more stripes.

Jordan 199

Those stripes at Paul Ricard are like those found in a tube of Aquafresh toothpaste.

El_Duderino 09

muckwarrior wrote: »

Needs more stripes.

Presumably that's what they were doing. Maybe if they can give viewers a full on migraine, they'll forget how boring the race was?

ELM327

I hate the track in real racing but have gotten to enjoy it in game
Just remove the chicane in the midlle of the back straight!

Top Dog

Alpine seem optimistic that Alonso will be fine for testing - https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-injury-update/

El_Duderino 09

Top Dog wrote: »

Alpine seem optimistic that Alonso will be fine for testing - https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-injury-update/

4 weeks to testing and 6 weeks to the first race weekend. Hopefully he can recover from whatever injuries he has.

ELM327

Here's hoping. He's one of the main reasons I want to keep watching this season as the WDC is a foregone conclusion.

robinwing

Bet he will be back for all training , its his jaw not arms or legs . Its Alonso who had the balls to run at Indy 500 remember. The crash reminded me of poor Nicky Hayden and poor Alex Zanardi. Heard nothing about Zanardi for some months. Anybody have news on him ?

[Deleted User]

The pre-season hype is really wearing on me this year. The constant "Ooooh things could be shaken up with the aero changes" nonsense. The only wildcard is McLaren with the new engine but best case is they'll solidify 3rd in the championship. Aside from that it's gonna be as-you-were.

recyclebin

A McLaren win would make my season. Perez doing well, and Vettel beating both Ferraris would also be fun. I don't expect anyone to challenge Mercedes over the course of the season.

El_Duderino 09

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The pre-season hype is really wearing on me this year. The constant "Ooooh things could be shaken up with the aero changes" nonsense. The only wildcard is McLaren with the new engine but best case is they'll solidify 3rd in the championship. Aside from that it's gonna be as-you-were.

Yeah it’ll most likely be as-you-were. Ferrari will probably be back in The battle for third. Maybe AM will be good with a load of Mercedes parts - the green Mercedes. And it’ll be good to see if they can maintain it or do they fade into the pack as the others start to develop.

It’s the off-season. There’s nothing else to speculate about.