The long wait to the first grand prix of the season is almost over.
Times:
Friday: FP1 - 12:00. FP2 - 15:00.
Saturday: FP3 - 12:00. Qualifying - 15:00.
Sunday: Race -15:00.
Bring! It! On!
Wasn't this the year they were supposed to be challenging for wins and championships, and here we are with the car literally falling apart at the first race weekend.
It's very early but I am 99% certain Alpine have over promised and under delivered yet again.
Mercedes still porpoising. Not as bad as last week but still there. Bits falling of their car. They definitely have a fundamental issue.
Another part falling off now, this time a Merc, a sign of things to come?
Most of the cars are nice to look at, but for me the Ferrari is the pick of the bunch, its just gorgeous.
The Mercedes is nice from the front, but from any angle that shows the side pods it's ugly as sin.
The Merc sidepods look like a child played with Play Doh or something. Some bits ya can see what they were trying but a dimple or two and a few meeting points from finger impressions make it look unfinished and horrible.
Maybe that was originally there plan and should have been but at the car reveal they said it would still take at least 4 to 5 years before they are really competitive which is just not good enough. It will nearly be time for the next set of changed by then. Maybe they were just not trying to over deliver and then not meat expectations. Best to under deliver and beat them. Looks like Alonso's chance of getting a third title is slipping away do :(
I agree with Damon hill that Perez won’t be challenging max on a regular basis. Max will want to remove the way last season ended and leave no doubt should he win it again.
Any alternative to sky coverage?
For the practices I don’t think so.
Yeah Perez is a big step down from Max. Like Bottas but with a bit more charm and a lot more money. Then only way he'd be in a top team is as a no.2.
Just found F1 pit channel with different commentators
I mean how many times did we say it after qualifying last season “Sergio, that’s not going to be much help to max.” when max is at the front of the grid, and in danger of getting mugged by the two Mercs ?
There’s something aesthetically pleasing with Red Bull drivers having numbers ‘1’ and ‘11’
Yeah his quali pace is such a huge weakness. I wonder if he can improve it this season or if that's just his pace.
Why did Valterri Bottas do so few laps? Something wrong with his car?
Heard him say he had misfiring on his first lap. Probably lost time fixing that.
Must have been some misfiring. He did not even get to set a time.
Sky were saying Bottas was likely going to have an engine change before second practice.
Mercedes either playing it slow, or genuinely having problems getting the speed on the ground.
Big problems with porpoising apparently. Really compromising them. The other teams need to make hay while Mercedes is pissing about, because they'll undoubtedly sort it out quickly. Cost cap might slow down their progress a bit but they're the best team on the grid by a long way.
That's a bit of a hyperbolic statement. This is the first year since the start hybrid era (and since Toto Wolff has led the team rather than inheriting baked-in success from Ross Brawn) that Mercedes have had to actually had to actually design and build a new car and not just carry over the previous year's dominant car with a steady evolution. So far it's looking like they've failed at the first hurdle, though they undoubtedly have enough money to get up to speed.
Who said Ferrari car looks the best? Looks awful. Ferraris should be bright red, not burgundy.
It looks so different under the lights than in daylight.
Merc looks undriveable
How is FP2 going?
Max and LeC look great. Merc is porpoising badly for Hamilton, causing brake issues
Haas look respectable
Two ferraris definitely have competitive pace.
Russel doing a bit better than Hamilton but they don't seem to be showing him and rather replays of Hamiltons head bouncing around. Definitely plenty of opportunity for Merc if porpoisong is sorted.
Two HAAS are close, Schumacher being the better.
Alpha Tauris supsiringly poor?
Williams very very poor.
Danny Ric out of the rest of the session with a water leak, +2.230 off the lead in P18
All on softs.
Haas might actually not be awful this year
Mclaren having another mare
Helmet cam is unreal.
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