F1 fans?

[iBanesto]

On 9/23/2024 at 10:04 PM, lefthack said:

I've been saying it for at least 2 years. He loves GT3 and wants to do Le Mans with Alonso. I knew he wasn't looking to top Hamilton with 8 titles,he has other championships to win. 

 

Didn't know Verstappen is a GT3 fan.

 

[lefthack]

2 hours ago, iBanesto said:

 

Didn't know Verstappen is a GT3 fan.

 

 

Now you know why Red Bull is pissed considering how much money they gave to TaylorMade. 🤣

[MB19]

6 hours ago, lefthack said:

 

Now you know why Red Bull is pissed considering how much money they gave to TaylorMade. 🤣

I picked up the Red Bull GTx putter last year after getting on the list.  Really cool looking putter, was a Christmas gift for my son.  The head cover could have been cooler, but small gripe.

 

Sometime a week or two before Christmas Day, I told the wife I was considering flipping it and not giving it to him for an easy double-up on our money.  I don't regret not flipping it, but may have to flip whatever I get this time around--TM sent out Red Bull merch invites a few days back, made sure to get on the list again..

[MB19]

Any thoughts on the Haas-Toyota partnership?  It couldn't hurt, is my general feeling.

 

Supposedly, Ocon wasn't told about it prior to signing.

[lefthack]

1 hour ago, MB19 said:

Any thoughts on the Haas-Toyota partnership?  It couldn't hurt, is my general feeling.

 

Supposedly, Ocon wasn't told about it prior to signing.

 

Toyota has been killing it in prototypes and they know how to develop an engine when they want to. Supposedly they aren't doing the engine yet as it's still Ferrari, at least for now. But I would love to see Toyota develop an F1 engine under the '26 guidelines. 

[MB19]

On 10/13/2024 at 4:43 PM, lefthack said:

 

Toyota has been killing it in prototypes and they know how to develop an engine when they want to. Supposedly they aren't doing the engine yet as it's still Ferrari, at least for now. But I would love to see Toyota develop an F1 engine under the '26 guidelines. 

Definitely exciting to see Toyota back in F1.  There's a big part of me that wishes each team had a different maker's engine, but I'll settle for how it could pan out in '26 with Ford (it will happen, right?), Audi and potentially Toyota entering the mix.  Caddy needs to step it up soon.

[lefthack]

26 minutes ago, MB19 said:

Definitely exciting to see Toyota back in F1.  There's a big part of me that wishes each team had a different maker's engine, but I'll settle for how it could pan out in '26 with Ford (it will happen, right?), Audi and potentially Toyota entering the mix.  Caddy needs to step it up soon.

 

They have also paired with BMW to make the next sports car motor, wonder if BMW might work on the F1 mill. 

Edited October 15, 2024 by lefthack

[MB19]

4 hours ago, lefthack said:

 

They have also paired with BMW to make the next sports car motor, wonder if BMW might work on the F1 mill. 

I need to step away from this chat before I get too excited.  The potential is huge!

 

The Supra needed to look less like a Miata/Z4 and more like the natural evolution of a Supra and it would have been money.  Not as bad as the RX-8, but the next Supra needs to be special.

Edited October 15, 2024 by MB19

[lefthack]

28 minutes ago, MB19 said:

I need to step away from this chat before I get too excited.  The potential is huge!

 

The Supra needed to look less like a Miata/Z4 and more like the natural evolution of a Supra and it would have been money.  Not as bad as the RX-8, but the next Supra needs to be special.

 

Yeah, I was way disappointed with the Supra considering just how awesome the Mark 4 was. But the prototypes they have built have been insane. That's why I had high hopes and then they gave into BMW.

[lefthack]

I can say I'm not a fan. I like the fastest lap. 

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c4g4qqg3jzlo

[MB19]

On 10/18/2024 at 12:33 PM, lefthack said:

I can say I'm not a fan. I like the fastest lap. 

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c4g4qqg3jzlo

Agreed, removing fastest lap feels like retaliation to me.

 

I have to say this--I think there are too many points awarded during races.  I'm not saying things need to go back to only awarding the top 8 points, but the amount of points given per season just seems too much.

[JimmyC59]

3 minutes ago, MB19 said:

Agreed, removing fastest lap feels like retaliation to me.

 

I have to say this--I think there are too many points awarded during races.  I'm not saying things need to go back to only awarding the top 8 points, but the amount of points given per season just seems too much.

Top eight? Top six back in the day!

Edited October 20, 2024 by JimmyC59

[lefthack]

That was a damn good USGP. I wanted to see Colapinto get fastest lap, but Alpine stole it. 

 

You can tell Lando is getting pissed and they are going to come together again before the year ends.

 

<edit> Ocon apologized on Twitter for stealing fastest lap, shocking. 

Edited October 21, 2024 by lefthack

[MB19]

20 hours ago, lefthack said:

That was a damn good USGP. I wanted to see Colapinto get fastest lap, but Alpine stole it. 

 

You can tell Lando is getting pissed and they are going to come together again before the year ends.

 

<edit> Ocon apologized on Twitter for stealing fastest lap, shocking. 

It really was a fun race.  Colapinto looks like he belongs on a good team, not as just a warm body keeping a seat warm.

 

Until Lando shows he is willing to wreck both he and Max, he may very well be destined to behind him.

 

Ocon is such an enigma.

 

I felt bad for Gasly getting stuck in the pits for a 6.9 stop--was running a real good race before that.

[lefthack]

1 minute ago, MB19 said:

It really was a fun race.  Colapinto looks like he belongs on a good team, not as just a warm body keeping a seat warm.

 

Until Lando shows he is willing to wreck both he and Max, he may very well be destined to behind him.

 

Ocon is such an enigma.

 

I felt bad for Gasly getting stuck in the pits for a 6.9 stop--was running a real good race before that.

 

Yeah, Oscar will take Max out if given the chance, that's the killer instinct Lando clearly doesn't have. I want to see Lando win, but he needs to get nasty. 

 

I hope Colapinto goes to Audi and they get a car that works, but I have a feeling it will take a while, if ever for them to be competitive. Audi was hot on F1 before VW had to pay all those fines. 🤣 

[MB19]

Both Mercs with major incidents in P1 and P2, Albon looking like Mazepin out there.

 

Good to see Schwartzman getting a run, even if it was in the worst *$#@box on the grid.  I would love to see that kid get a real shot, even if it is in Indycar.  It would probably help if he didn't get grid penalties during practice, though.

[lefthack]

McLaren looking fast in FP3, let's see how quali goes. 

[lefthack]

Damn, Checo out Q1 in his home race. Oscar couldn't put it together and Lando has the best seat on the grid. Tomorrow is gonna be good.

[MB19]

15 hours ago, lefthack said:

Damn, Checo out Q1 in his home race. Oscar couldn't put it together and Lando has the best seat on the grid. Tomorrow is gonna be good.

Lastly, Bottas fails to get out of Q1--maybe thanks to Yuki and that yellow flag.  He's had some really great races at Mexico.

 

Yuki just isn't stepping up, and Lawson looks like the most chill guy in the world no matter what happens or doesn't happen to him on the track.  I've got a feeling Lawson may be in that second Red Bull in '25.  Checo was rumored to announce something regarding his future this weekend, and retiring from F1 seems like it could happen.

 

Top of the grid is fascinating to me.  I always pull for Sainz, and I would love to see him take this one.  However, I could easily see LeClerc being opportunistic and taking advantage of what could be a heated scrap between Max and Carlos in the first sector.  If LeClerc (or Carlos) can avoid scraps, I don't see anyone beating that fast Ferrari today.  Max being sandwiched between those two is obviously the elephant in the ointment, not to mention Lando sitting in third place (who Max will be looking to cover up like his life depends on it).

 

I like Carlos to win this one, in a Kimi-esque farewell (read:F-U) victory to the Ferrari team that let him go in favor of securing their brand's financial future.

 

This has all the makings of a classic!

[lefthack]

I would love to see Carlos win this. He's been driving so well. I just hope Williams can get a car together for him next year. 

 

He said he is really disappointed thinking about Ferrari fighting for a title next year and him not in it. 

[MB19]

3 hours ago, lefthack said:

I would love to see Carlos win this. He's been driving so well. I just hope Williams can get a car together for him next year. 

 

He said he is really disappointed thinking about Ferrari fighting for a title next year and him not in it. 

Carlos owned it today--was great to see.  Williams--hard to see what they really have right now in terms of their car.  Bad luck with Albon becoming Yuki's latest victim today, but Franco drove the wheels off his car today... only to have his team leave him out 10 laps too long.

 

Max got what he had coming to him today, though it seemed punitively backdated to last week's incident.  20 seconds of penalties is crazy for the same lap.  I would have understood 5 seconds per incident, and maybe some SL points on top of it more.  Whatever, the drama keeps building, and Red Bull keeps fighting one-handed.  

 

Perez is a mess, Lawson looks quite a bit better in a worse car.  Fastest lap for him today, in the same car RIC snagged his fastest lap in.  

 

LEC slowing to the point where he was passed by Norris was a bit shocking.  That MCL rocketship has approached their 2005-level of fast with 2018 MERC-level reliability.

 

Lastly, K-Mag is going out with a bang this season--I love to see it.

[lefthack]

19 hours ago, MB19 said:

Carlos owned it today--was great to see.  Williams--hard to see what they really have right now in terms of their car.  Bad luck with Albon becoming Yuki's latest victim today, but Franco drove the wheels off his car today... only to have his team leave him out 10 laps too long.

 

Max got what he had coming to him today, though it seemed punitively backdated to last week's incident.  20 seconds of penalties is crazy for the same lap.  I would have understood 5 seconds per incident, and maybe some SL points on top of it more.  Whatever, the drama keeps building, and Red Bull keeps fighting one-handed.  

 

Perez is a mess, Lawson looks quite a bit better in a worse car.  Fastest lap for him today, in the same car RIC snagged his fastest lap in.  

 

LEC slowing to the point where he was passed by Norris was a bit shocking.  That MCL rocketship has approached their 2005-level of fast with 2018 MERC-level reliability.

 

Lastly, K-Mag is going out with a bang this season--I love to see it.

 

Just imagine being Max for a minute. Knowing you can seriously out drive everyone and yet you are stuck in a car that's 80% of the Ferrari and McLaren. 🤣 

 

The struggle is real.

[MB19]

7 hours ago, lefthack said:

 

Just imagine being Max for a minute. Knowing you can seriously out drive everyone and yet you are stuck in a car that's 80% of the Ferrari and McLaren. 🤣 

 

The struggle is real.

Yeah, I mean it's like going back to 2017 or 2018 for RBR--just change MCL to Mercedes.

 

I Horner is pondering a new PU for Brazil.  I wonder if it is worth the five-place grid penalty for them?

 

Figure Max qualifies top three, then kicked back 5 places--Let's say he starts 8th.  The first turn will be nuts--a mix of the usual cacophony and unusual caution from Max's 20-point message sent by the stewards.  Maybe Max can capitalize on all that and move up to top 4 after the dust settles?  High downforce track... maybe mix in rain.

 

Can Carlos keep his momentum?  Will LEC demand preference this race?  Will MCL rule the battle of downforce?  As Brazil's favorite non-native son, does HAM have a curtain call left in that car?

 

This could be a real spectacle.

[lefthack]

1 hour ago, MB19 said:

Yeah, I mean it's like going back to 2017 or 2018 for RBR--just change MCL to Mercedes.

 

I Horner is pondering a new PU for Brazil.  I wonder if it is worth the five-place grid penalty for them?

 

Figure Max qualifies top three, then kicked back 5 places--Let's say he starts 8th.  The first turn will be nuts--a mix of the usual cacophony and unusual caution from Max's 20-point message sent by the stewards.  Maybe Max can capitalize on all that and move up to top 4 after the dust settles?  High downforce track... maybe mix in rain.

 

Can Carlos keep his momentum?  Will LEC demand preference this race?  Will MCL rule the battle of downforce?  As Brazil's favorite non-native son, does HAM have a curtain call left in that car?

 

This could be a real spectacle.

 

I don't think Ferrari would try to call team orders and it's not like he has to listen. They gonna fire him? 🤣 

 

I would love to see Carlos win at least one more this year. I get why he chose Williams, I like what James is doing there. I could totally work for that dude.

[MB19]

On 10/28/2024 at 10:28 PM, lefthack said:

 

I don't think Ferrari would try to call team orders and it's not like he has to listen. They gonna fire him? 🤣 

 

I would love to see Carlos win at least one more this year. I get why he chose Williams, I like what James is doing there. I could totally work for that dude.

What happens with Ferrari strategy this week will definitley be interesting.  And yeah, there's not much leverage to keep Carlos from doing whatever he wants.

 

Vowles has all the makings of a very good TP, IMO.  He has the lineage and resume (related, but different things for sure), the muted (but not emotionless) demeanor, he's protective of his team and his engineering background is insane.  If he could have pulled Newey, one could only dream of the rocketship those two could put out on the track.  As is, he's built a pretty fast car and Carlos has to think he has a puncher's chance of getting some podiums over the next two years--something that just wouldn't have happened for him at Audi in the same time frame.

[lefthack]

So if Max starts last and can't score any points and Lando wins, that heats up the championship since he got a bonus points from Oscar in the sprint. 

 

I would have a tough time winning by team orders. It's hard to say as I've never been in that position, but wouldn't your championship have an * by it? 

[lefthack]

Holy hell, Max goes from 17th to win it. 🤣 

 

And Lando takes 6th, ouch. What a nutty race. 

[lefthack]

[MB19]

Just watching the race now, kids had a tournament yesterday.

 

The amount of grip Max has through Lap 25 in this rain is incredible.  I know he wins, but I can't stop watching.

 

Red Bull's hand is being forced here with Checo--they can't carry him anymore.

[lefthack]

Max passed 6 cars on that opening lap. After getting penalties for aggressive driving, he straight put it down yesterday. That was also likely the nail in the championship. The dude can drive.