Formula 1

[Tetchytyke]

Awful news from Italy about Alex Zanardi.

Alex Zanardi out of surgery after severe head trauma in handbike race

Two-time CART champion turned Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi is out of surgery for severe head trauma in a handbike accident during a race in Italy.

motorsports.nbcsports.com

ROME — Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi was seriously injured again in a handbike crash Friday, nearly 19 years after losing both of his legs in a horrific auto racing accident.


Zanardi was transported by helicopter to Santa Maria alle Scotte hospital in Siena following an incident near the Tuscan town of Pienza during a national race for Paralympic athletes, police told The Associated Press. He reportedly suffered severe head trauma.

A medical bulletin from the hospital said Zanardi underwent “a delicate neurosurgery operation.” His condition was “very serious” due to “severe cranial trauma.” Mutliple outlets reported Zanardi was out of surgery and had been transferred to intensive care by late Friday night.

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Even before his CART crash he was a hero of mine.

 

[JohnMcL7]

He's an incredible individual and I was amazed at his performance in the BMW WTCC car then he did so well in the Paralympics. This crash is terrible news and hope he can make it through.

 

[LOL The Irony]

This is horrible news and I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[KashmireHawker]

Mercedes has sent a bolt out the blue, with the announcement of a Black Livery for 2020 in support of diversity and anti-racism and pledging publicly to diversify there work force; from the 3% from Minorities and 12% of Women that it currently stands at.

Silver Arrows return to racing with renewed purpose

The Silver Arrows will run an all-black base livery for the 2020 season. A statement that we stand against racism and discrimination in all forms.

www.mercedesamgf1.com

 

[Domh245]

Ooh, I like that. A good showing from Merc, not only the 'we race as one' which is on all the cars, but a fundamental livery change from them away from their traditional colours is a big commitment!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Oof, that looks Good!

I imagine Lewis had some say in all of that. I've been impressed with the way he's handled himself recently.

 

[LOL The Irony]

It does look really good, however I would like a bit more silver in it (maybe dark chrome). I do hope it's not cursed like their white livery for Hockenhiem.

 

[Geezertronic]

Are they going to change their nickname from the Silver Arrows too?

 

[PG]

Are they going to change their nickname from the Silver Arrows too?

Maybe they should just drop the "silver" part though thats almost Arrows which didn't exactly have a glittering F1 history, even if it kind of morphed into the team now know as AlphaTauri.

 

[traji00]

Maybe they should just drop the "silver" part though thats almost Arrows which didn't exactly have a glittering F1 history, even if it kind of morphed into the team now know as AlphaTauri.

Slight correction there: it was Minardi which ended up as AlphaTauri (née Torro Rosso).

The final Arrows cars were bought by the Super Aguri team for their inaugural season in 2006.

 

[PG]

Slight correction there: it was Minardi which ended up as AlphaTauri (née Torro Rosso).

The final Arrows cars were bought by the Super Aguri team for their inaugural season in 2006.

I was under the, perhaps mistaken, belief that although Super Aguri got the final Arrows cars (and raced them) Minardi gained the intellectual property rights including the design of the following years Arrows car.

 

[traji00]

I was under the, perhaps mistaken, belief that although Super Aguri got the final Arrows cars (and raced them) Minardi gained the intellectual property rights including the design of the following years Arrows car.

My apologies, I stand corrected.

 

[Domh245]

First quali session of the year done, and some surprises in that session for sure!

 

[bearhugger]

First quali session of the year done, and some surprises in that session for sure!

Ooh, fingers in ears! Thats me keeping off social media until i watch the highlights show on Channel 4 later!

 

[LOL The Irony]

Biggest upset of the season has to be Ferrari. Only 1 Ferrari powered car made it into Q3 and Charles was beaten by a McLaren and a Racing point. Biggest surprise are Renault, who have 3 cars in the top 10. Lando had a flyer of a quali!

 

[Enthusiast]

Biggest upset of the season has to be Ferrari.

Oh Dear! How Sad! Never Mind!

(I'm not a big fan of the red cars!)

 

[LOL The Irony]

Oh Dear! How Sad! Never Mind!

(I'm not a big fan of the red cars!)

Yeah.

 

[KashmireHawker]

Happy Race Day! Also must give an honourable mention to Britain's Callum Ilott; the 21 year old from Cambridge, who clinched the Formula 2 Opener yesterday! The Ferrari Young Driver's Academy did his job superbly.

 

[Domh245]

What a thoroughly bonkers race. It's good to be back!

 

[LOL The Irony]

What a thoroughly bonkers race. It's good to be back!

Indeed it is. Well done Lando on getting his first podium!

 

[Butts]

Mercedes has sent a bolt out the blue, with the announcement of a Black Livery for 2020 in support of diversity and anti-racism and pledging publicly to diversify there work force; from the 3% from Minorities and 12% of Women that it currently stands at.

Silver Arrows return to racing with renewed purpose

The Silver Arrows will run an all-black base livery for the 2020 season. A statement that we stand against racism and discrimination in all forms.

www.mercedesamgf1.com

View attachment 80139

Colour reminds me of the old "Lotus JPS Car" - Ayrton Senna used to drive in the eighties

John Player Special Cigarettes - who remembers them, used to come in Black Plastic Tubs with 25/50 in.

 

[nlogax]

Really enjoyed that race, and I have high hopes for the consistent return of McLaren to the podium. Lando drove a fantastic race and the MCL35's reliability was immense during what seemed to be a punishing session for most of the teams.

Can't wait for the Styrian session to see what further mechanical melodramas the Red Bull Ring can conjure up!

 

[Tetchytyke]

What a thoroughly bonkers race. It's good to be back!

Delighted that Lando got his podium, but disappointed in the way he got it. That was never a penalty for Hamilton, that was just a racing accident. Albon was naive to try and hang it round the outside there. Just really annoying when you consider that Max Verstappen gets to play bumper cars every week without penalty or sanction.

Got to say I was impressed with Leclerc, getting a podium despite driving a donkey of a car shows a great deal of talent. He lucked into it, sure, but good to maximise the result from a bad weekend.

John Player Special Cigarettes - who remembers them

Obviously I never smoked (honest mum) and certainly not under the age of 18. If I had smoked, I would have said JPS cigs were horrible.

 

[Butts]

Delighted that Lando got his podium, but disappointed in the way he got it. That was never a penalty for Hamilton, that was just a racing accident. Albon was naive to try and hang it round the outside there. Just really annoying when you consider that Max Verstappen gets to play bumper cars every week without penalty or sanction.

Got to say I was impressed with Leclerc, getting a podium despite driving a donkey of a car shows a great deal of talent. He lucked into it, sure, but good to maximise the result from a bad weekend.



Obviously I never smoked (honest mum) and certainly not under the age of 18. If I had smoked, I would have said JPS cigs were horrible.

JPS were rank...very bitter John Player Blue were not so bad.

I've always been a Benson & Hedges man - Niki Lauda used to drive in a Jordan Peugeot emblazoned with the B&H Livery.

 

[Howardh]

Certainly was "bonkers" and the height of the bonkers was seeing a tyre racing down the track quicker than the cars! With it being a short season, Max's failure means he is virtually out of the title race already unless Bottas and Hamilton also have DNF's down the line.

Also couldn't see what Hamilton did wrong, he kept to the racing line. Maybe there should be a line in yellow painted onto the track which is the racing line, and any car being overtaken can legitimately stick to that line (ie the centre of the car being above the line) until passed. But you can see that from the cameras? But at least it gave Lando a podium, well done that man and his team!

 

[JamesT]

Also couldn't see what Hamilton did wrong, he kept to the racing line. Maybe there should be a line in yellow painted onto the track which is the racing line, and any car being overtaken can legitimately stick to that line (ie the centre of the car being above the line) until passed. But you can see that from the cameras? But at least it gave Lando a podium, well done that man and his team!

The racing line isn't an absolute defence. You're not allowed to run people off the road. If the overtaking car is alongside you going round a corner you're obliged to give them a car's width of space, at least under the current rules. If Albon was behind Hamilton then he'd be entitled to shut the door on him, but not when Albon was arguably ahead by the point they hit. Hamilton will argue that he was already committed to that line, but being committed to a line doesn't absolve you of responsibility to not run into someone else.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Albon should've bided his time until the next DRS zone rather than do it there. I think it's the attitude at red bull rather than the drivers.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The racing line isn't an absolute defence. You're not allowed to run people off the road.

Yet Albon did it to Hamilton at the same corner on lap one, and the less said about Max Verstappen playing bumper cars the better.

The decision making just seems so biased. Verstappen in a Red Bull runs Leclerc off the road at the Red Bull Ring and no penalty. Leclerc in a Ferrari runs Hamilton off the road at Monza, same. But that's worth a penalty?

I suppose its one way of stopping Mercedes run away with it...

 

[gswindale]

So Fernando Alonso is to make his return to F1 and Renault next year according to various souces

Fernando Alonso set for 2021 F1 return at Renault

www.motorsport.com

Alonso to return to F1 in 2021

Spanish two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is set to return to Formula 1 with Renault next year.

www.bbc.co.uk

Might make things interesting depending on how Renault manage to develop this year's car in comparison to their rivals.

 

[KashmireHawker]

And the confirmation, is about to be official!

https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team/status/1280813880873119744