F1 2022 thread - see post 1 for rules

Had a look at this video's with analysis of the designs on the AM and MCL. The McLaren is so different to the others, they've either got this incredibly right or horribly wrong. Really looking forward to on track times between cars.

That's from a livery designer, they even cut off his watermark. Here's the original;

And Instagram post;

Very different side pods

Masi gone

Bit of a joke really

Would he had been moved on if Hamilton won the title and red bull made a fuss of the Toto safety car message from earlier in the race?

That Ferrari is a stunning looking car, really strongly reminds me of some of the beautiful machines they produced in the early 90s. Of course if you put them side by side you'd see what hilariously oversized barges the current cars are but still, it looks good. Some very interesting design elements on the car too, I love those aggressive looking sidepods. It's going to be fascinating to see how things play out as there's been a lot more variation between teams than anticipated.

Of course not. Mercedes ignored track limits 29 times at Bahrain and he only decided it was a problem when Verstappen did it once, but it was soon forgotten about. He told Verstappen to give back a place in Abu Dhabi and when they queried it he admitted he didn't even look at the incident and was just acting on what Toto told him. Just two of countless bad decisions over the year, but for once he does the right thing and ends a race under green flags since the track had been clear for more than 2 laps, and doesn't throw all precedent of letting back markers past out the window, but since this doesn't fix the race for Mercedes and instead allows a clean fight to occur on track he has to be removed to appease Toto.

The FIA have been in Merc's pocket for a long time. Having struggled to find competitiveness in the pre-hybrid era despite resorting to such tactics as intentionally running secret illegal tests with their race drivers in blackened helmets and being let off with a slap on the wrist when found out, Mercedes admitted that they threatened to quit if the V6 hybrid formula they demanded wasn't introduced. Renault wasted millions developing an I4 that was originally planned and were left on the back foot for years. Luca Di Montezemolo later admitted it was his greatest mistake at Ferrari to not stand his ground and to go along with Merc's demands for the new Formula.

In the years that followed Mercedes dominate under rules they basically wrote. The FIA use Mercedes safety cars and medical cars. The FIA's Managing Director of F1 was team principal at Mercedes before taking up the job. Within weeks of Toto Wolff buying shares in Aston Martin, the FIA announce Aston Martin will be sharing safety car duties with Mercedes. When Mercedes ask for an unprecedented change to the pitstop rules mid season this year, they got it. Not to mention countless others over the previous years.

But once, just once, the sport doesn't roll over and do exactly what they want, and they throw all their toys out of the pram and put their PR team and the sycophantic British media into overdrive trying to drag the sport through the mud until they destroy someone's career and have him replaced with someone who now knows their career will also be on the line if they ever cross Mercedes. It's utterly disgusting the disregard they have for the integrity of the sport.

The Ferrari looks the business. Most of the cars look good, but I’m itching to see them race!

I think they should have kept Masi on. Race Directors don’t exactly grow on trees and you could have considered last year a massive learning opportunity for him, I bet he would have come out the better for it.

Whoever the new guy is at least he won’t have the principals banging on at him about how to do his job.

Forgetting about red bull and Mercedes who will likely be up there, I think there is bound to be a surprise front runner this year given all the different takes on the regs.

Very interesting times ahead.

Masi moving sideways is ok by me because there were bad decisions all over the season.

Hamiltons first lap corner cutting in the decider well up there in terms of bad calls.

Why is nobody taking about Hamilton having retained the lead illegally and gained further advantage due to having gone off the track.

Masi is race director, a lot of thd decisions were made by the race stewards

Eduardo Freitas is apparently involved. His stewardship of the Sportscar/Endurance racing has been held in massively high regard to the point I hope it doesn't take him.away from that role

Otmar Szafnauer has been officially confirmed as team principal at Alpine.

The front nose on that Ferrari is very unique. I hope it is as fast as it looks.