F1 2023 thread

I think we need the full quote:

“Even if it is not great for the show that the same guys win all the time, it is because they have done a good job and we haven’t,” the Mercedes team principal said. “We shouldn’t down talk it, because I remember hearing questions like that between 2014 and 2020. What makes the sport so special is that you need to work hard to win and you deserve it as a matter of fact. Entertainment follows sport, it is maybe not good from the commercial side but it is what makes F1 so special.”

That's the reason the 107% qualifying rule came in for 1996, to keep slow teams like Forti out of the race.

That's a pity. Am i right that Red Bull is partnered up with Ford for 2026 anyway?

Watched a sim comparison overlay of the AM in Bahrain. It compared last years fastest AM lap against this years.

Time difference is 2.5s quicker this year.

Drivers were Alonso this year Hulkenberg last year.

Corner exits seem to be where they gained the most (maybe alonso is better?), fast corners were improved, didnt look like there was anything major in straight line speed.

Yes you are right there.

I guess no one else interested Porsche

That's a pity.

Not really, I'd far rather only have more outfits like Cadillac come in for some varied competition that actually bumps up the grid size and adds something than lose a team with a soul so VAG can have 4 cars with logos on the grid.

Porsche also joining would be a situation of "which Volkswagen subsidiary should I support?"

The choices... how would i ever make such a tough emotive decision!

James Key leaves McLaren, his executive role is being split into 3 separate departments.

Deck chairs on the Titanic spring to mind.

When Sky emphasise Mercedes, they're wrong. And when they emphasis red bull, they're still wrong. Maybe they should just focus on Haas for the rest of the season and only mention the top few cars or british teams and drivera in passing.

Would have been handy to replace the Chinese GP, 4 weeks is a bit of a slog.

They could hold another race in Melbourne. A candlelit reverse circuit race.

Just seen this,

only right.

There is a saying.

If you have got nothing good to say then say nothing at all.

Well that's what he should have done there instead of saying the horrible things he said.

Were there fans at that race?

It's not as simple as racing 20 cars. They have to make money too. Back in 2020 there were no fans and the FIA paid $5mn so it was profitable and came without all the administrative bits that it takes to actually make it profitable. If you put up the $5mn then they would make the race happen in a couple of months.

We'd all prefer if there wasn’t a break but organising a well run, profitable race probably takes far longer than they had to fill this gap.

Except they knew even when they announced the calendar that it was unlikely to go ahead. And it's not like they haven't had more than enough time to find a replacement since it was cancelled. I remember discussing this a good few months back, discussing the likes of Portimao, Istanbul, Paul Ricard and Malaysia as possible replacements. The reality of the situation is now that we're faced with the first of two four-week breaks.. That's crazy for a top level sport to not have any product on show for two full months during the season. And a knock-on effect in a decline in viewing figures would be a logical conclusion to two month long breaks. I can't think of any other top level sport that has such a long break during the season, and it's not like there's F1 every week besides.

will be interesting to see if there are many tech leaps after the 4 week break