F1 2022 thread - see post 1 for rules

Their biggest issue is that they haven't got on top of porpoising in the way the other top teams have, making the car more of a handful. Their strategy seems to be to get the FIA to fix it for them, they've been wheeling out George Russell to say how it's dangerous and the FIA need to do something and the usual elements in the British media have been following up talking about how it could give drivers headaches and theorizing steps the FIA could take to stop it. The rest of the teams have got on with changing their designs to iron it out.

I predict a rule change "on safety grounds" a couple of races in and Mercedes to suddenly find a bunch of performance when it happens.

I'd agree, I don't doubt they'll get it sorted and be back to the front even if it's just Hamiltons car. Russell is a pr machine and do will whatever he is told. The British media is of course very much in the Merc park as usual but if RedBull,Ferrari and Mclaren are ahead of Merc then the British media will be even worse than usual and the fact its two british drivers, it will be even harder to listen too

Could happen, but I doubt it. The rest of the teams would most likely object to rule changes if they have got it sorted. Then it would be a Mercedes design issue and not a widespread issue.

The fix is simple right? Just raise the car. It'll slow you down a bit, so it's about finding the sweet spot. Doesn't need a rule change...

Although on the headache issue, I saw Ocon on Ted's notebook joking about needing paracetamol if it's bumpy...

Ah yes. That was it. Good correction

Mick Schumacher is a Ferrari driver so I assume they get a deal on the engine price.KMag comes with his own sponsors as well , Gene haas while not a Billionaire is a very wealthy man . Given the car performance at the Test and currently the only American team I am sure they will have a number of new sponsors added. Also smallest team on the grid I believe so that also helps the financial side.

Because the cheque is already cashed probably and they can't ask for their money back

R.I.P. the legend that was Vic Elford , passed away yesterday aged 86 . Tha man who could drive anything and win in it from international rallies to F1 . Tremendous guy in all respects. He will be missed and will never be forgotten. Thanks for the memories Vic , you were unique

Yeah Haas Automation is a machine tooling company and is a brand in and of itself that's emblazoned across the car, in the same way that Red Bull is a brand and Mercedes is a brand. People were talking about Andretti coming in and saving the team but Gene Haas' net worth is actually more than that of the Andrettis, and he's advertising his company on the car, something the Andrettis couldn't do as their only business is the racing team.

Now F1 sponsorship is almost certainly not producing a good return on investment to Haas Automation so obviously there is a need for a proper title sponsor, but they have the money to tide over for a while.

I wouldn't be too critical of Haas for accepting the Uralkali sponsorship. Nobody predicted a couple of years ago that the world would be where it is today. And they were no more shady than the various cryptocurrency sponsors that adorn a lot of F1 teams these days. Rich Energy though, I've no idea how there weren't huge red flags stopping them committing to that deal.

I'm not sure Haas were doing low fuel glory runs so much that the track conditions were much more favorable in the evening when they had the track to themselves. Headline lap times can't hurt in sponsorship negotiations but I imagine no potential sponsor will put pen to paper until they see what happens in competitive conditions - something that is less than a week away.

Serious boy who cried wolf vibes from Merc...or should I say...the team who cried Wolff?

I'll be off then.

I'd be fairly sure the Haas time was a classic, low fuel glory run by a team in need of a new title sponsor. They used the track conditions like temperature and rubber to actually get all the way to the top.

They're probably at the back again this year so they probably needed every advantage available to get to the top of the times. Ko chance Haas is anywhere near the top. Total glory run.

I'd love to see Haas do well.

Lewis Hamilton to compete in the 2022 season as Lewis Hamilton-Larbelestier, after his mother's surname.

At 37 years of age.

35 years after his parents split.

After 16 seasons in Grand Prix racing.

Let no one ever utter in this thread again that Hamilton isn't an attention seeking little tw....

^ This. Very personal decision, previous poster makes themselves look very foolish trying to ridicule it.