Formula 1

[birchesgreen]

Toto was unimpressed with Bottas, i think he wishes he could sack him again.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I have no clue what Bottas was doing at Turn 1 though. Almost seemed liek he gave up the position to Verstappen.

There's certainly some murmurings that it was intentional. I wonder if he was ordered to block Max, only to refuse to comply?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There's certainly some murmurings that it was intentional. I wonder if he was ordered to block Max, only to refuse to comply?

I think that's possible; only a few races ago he let Max pass very easily and in the same race, I think it was, he ignored a team order to let Hamilton past didn't he? I wondered at the time why he wasn't sacked on the spot; a few days later came the news that he was leaving Mercedes anyway.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I don't know about the rest of you, but unless Hamilton and Mercedes get things straight, or Max has some incredibly bad luck, Max has this in the bag.

 

[birchesgreen]

I think there is still a few twists and turns (possibly literally) to go yet.

 

[RailWonderer]

Mercedes were always drip feeding Bottas with one year contract extensions and never showed faith in him with a 2 or 3 year deal. Given, he wasn't winning the championship every year like LH but still that increases a driver's stress and lowers his motivation because he is not secure. Drivers with multi year deals mostly perform better.

I don't know about the rest of you, but unless Hamilton and Mercedes get things straight, or Max has some incredibly bad luck, Max has this in the bag.

My heart wants Hamilton to win it so he can surpass Schumacher's seven but my mind says Verstappen has it this year. He has had more DNFs than Hamilton (Britain and the recovery drive in Hungary lost him points) yet has won more races and has not made any mistakes. The RB is simply the better car, Merc being good on some tracks is useless, they need to be good on all of them or most.

 

[GB]

My heart wants Hamilton to win it so he can surpass Schumacher's seven but my mind says Verstappen has it this year. He has had more DNFs than Hamilton (Britain and the recovery drive in Hungary lost him points) yet has won more races and has not made any mistakes. The RB is simply the better car, Merc being good on some tracks is useless, they need to be good on all of them or most.

If not this year then he will get number 8 at some point, but I'd prefer Mercedes not to win every constructor of the 2014-2021 Hybrid Era. With 4 races remaining, both championships are still well up for grabs though.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I think that's possible; only a few races ago he let Max pass very easily and in the same race, I think it was, he ignored a team order to let Hamilton past didn't he? I wondered at the time why he wasn't sacked on the spot; a few days later came the news that he was leaving Mercedes anyway.

There is the counter argument that Bottas has always been very good at qualifying, but he's not very good in race situations. He's made plenty of mistakes in previous seasons too, so it's very hard to say if it's just bad driving or intentional on his part.

Bottas has been clearly uncomfortable with the #2 role since 2019 at least, and I do think it was a mistake to retain him for this year.

 

[DelW]

My heart wants Hamilton to win it so he can surpass Schumacher's seven but my mind says Verstappen has it this year. He has had more DNFs than Hamilton (Britain and the recovery drive in Hungary lost him points) yet has won more races and has not made any mistakes. The RB is simply the better car, Merc being good on some tracks is useless, they need to be good on all of them or most.

I have to agree with all of that. The way Max managed to keep the Red Bull on the track around the outside of turn one under apparently heavier / later braking than the Mercedes was quite unbelievable. Obviously he's full of confidence (he always has been) but the car is delivering for him now too.

I think it's Max's championship to lose, if he keeps going as he is then Lewis doesn't have any way to pass him, either on track or on the leaderboard.

 

[najaB]

I think it's Max's championship to lose, if he keeps going as he is then Lewis doesn't have any way to pass him, either on track or on the leaderboard.

Brasil and Abu Dhabi favour Mercedes over Red Bull in recent years. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both unknown quantities. There's a lot left to play for.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Brasil and Abu Dhabi favour Mercedes over Red Bull in recent years. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both unknown quantities. There's a lot left to play for.

Max took pole and won the last brasilian grand prix in 2019.

 

[najaB]

Max took pole and won the last brasilian grand prix in 2019.

As I said, "over recent years" - since 2014 Mercedes have won 4 times, Red Bull have won once. One swallow doesn't a summer make.

 

[Non Multi]

Brasil and Abu Dhabi favour Mercedes over Red Bull in recent years. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both unknown quantities. There's a lot left to play for.

Having seen clips of the building site of a circuit in Saudi two weeks ago, it reminded me of the visible bare concrete shells of Crossrail stations at ground level in early 2018.

Spokesperson: "It's definitely opening in December '18!"

Yeah, right...

 

[LOL The Irony]

Having seen clips of the building site of a circuit in Saudi two weeks ago, it reminded me of the visible bare concrete shells of Crossrail stations at ground level in early 2018.

Spokesperson: "It's definitely opening in December '18!"

Yeah, right...

Korea and India all over again.

 

[KashmireHawker]

Talking about new races, LONDON might just actually be a goer!

Funding secured for London Grand Prix but will it become a reality?

A London Grand Prix appeared to edge closer to reality after funding was reportedly secured for a circuit in the East End of the capital.

www.standard.co.uk

There had been talk previously that the race could be on the calendar as soon as 2023 and take place in Docklands as an addition rather than a replacement for the current British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Josh Wanders, of US firm 777 Partners, which is behind the ambitious rebuild in Newham, told the Daily Mail: “We are hopeful that it is coming. We are hugely excited about it.

 

[najaB]

Talking about new races, LONDON might just actually be a goer!

Now that would be interesting! Have there been any proposed track layouts shown anywhere?

 

[GB]

From the Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...-Prix-plans-place-Britain-second-F1-race.html

looks like a DRS bore fest though.

[H]

 

[Class172]

From the Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...-Prix-plans-place-Britain-second-F1-race.html

looks like a DRS bore fest though.

View attachment 105402View attachment 105403

I would suggest that's just an indicative outline of the area the track may fall within. It wouldn't surprise me if the journalist has no information about the track itself so has just created the map to make the article more impactful.

BTW the first attachment linked doesn't appear to go anywhere.

 

[najaB]

looks like a DRS bore fest though.

I thought that DRS was going to disappear in the new regs? Agreed that the layout is a bit underwhelming on first glance.

I would suggest that's just an indicative outline of the area the track may fall within.

True, it does say "site" rather than "track" or "layout". Plus, looking at the area in Google Maps there aren't roads where most of the red line goes!

 

[Class172]

I thought that DRS was going to disappear in the new regs? Agreed that the layout is a bit underwhelming on first glance.

The new regs have been designed such that hopefully the need for DRS will be negated with the new aero design, however it's effectively been left in as a contingency measure should it still be required. That is my understanding at least.

 

[swt_passenger]

Now that would be interesting! Have there been any proposed track layouts shown anywhere?

I reckon two laps of the M25 might do.

 

[75A]

I reckon two laps of the M25 might do.

On a Friday evening......................

 

[baz962]

Now a London circuit would be great. Trouble is you would have to get round insulate Britain .

 

[najaB]

Okay, this might get split off as a separate thread but for a bit of fun. What would you propose for an F1 track in your home city or a city of choice? Rules are that for street circuits they have to mostly follow existing roads, minor alterations that would co-exist with regular, every day usage are allowed (e.g. a route that goes through the centre of a roundabout as that could be reinstated afterwards).

For a starter, here's my route for a Dundee Grand Prix:


Zipped .KML file attached. Yellow line is the track, red area is where the pits would go (on a floating structure). Track length is just over 7km so long, but not the longest track in existence. Don't know if maybe the straights are too long though...

 

[birchesgreen]

Now a London circuit would be great. Trouble is you would have to get round insulate Britain .

Remember the British GP a few years ago when a protestor ran onto the track?

 

[75A]

Remember the British GP a few years ago when a protestor ran onto the track?

Indeed I do, I was the post Chief on Stowe corner who phoned it in to Race control.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Okay, this might get split off as a separate thread but for a bit of fun. What would you propose for an F1 track in your home city or a city of choice? Rules are that for street circuits they have to mostly follow existing roads, minor alterations that would co-exist with regular, every day usage are allowed (e.g. a route that goes through the centre of a roundabout as that could be reinstated afterwards).

For a starter, here's my route for a Dundee Grand Prix:

View attachment 105424
Zipped .KML file attached. Yellow line is the track, red area is where the pits would go (on a floating structure). Track length is just over 7km so long, but not the longest track in existence. Don't know if maybe the straights are too long though...

Interesting.... the climb up to the bridge over the railway by the airport and the double sharp right turn there would be some spectacle. I notice a similar sharp double right at the other end, so you have a mixture of serious high speed straights interspaced with two much slower portions exactly half way apart. that would give the strategists in the teams some nice headaches trying to work out which set ups they should go for.

 

[birchesgreen]

Indeed I do, I was the post Chief on Stowe corner who phoned it in to Race control.

I still remember the steward who ran on and rugby tackled the protestor, total hero!

 

[Cloud Strife]

What would you propose for an F1 track in your home city or a city of choice? Rules are that for street circuits they have to mostly follow existing roads, minor alterations that would co-exist with regular, every day usage are allowed (e.g. a route that goes through the centre of a roundabout as that could be reinstated afterwards).

Okay, I'm going to have to go out any minute, so I'll make a simple sketch for now: I present the Aberdeen Grand Prix:



The pitlane would be created on Wellington Street on the grassy area across from Burger King. Cars would go clockwise, and turn by turn:

Turn 1: Wellington Street onto Waterloo Quay. A hard right hander after a cobblestone section. With some rain (inevitable), the cobblestones would turn incredibly slick, creating overtaking opportunities.
Turn 2: Regent Quay - a small right hand kink, taken flat out.
Turn 3: Regent Quay lights - a nasty left hander that requires concentration.
Turn 4: Virginia Street left hander. Taken flat out, the track is much wider at this point.
Turn 5: A nice wide run up to Guild Street by the train/bus stations, and another cobblestone section designed to catch out unaware drivers. At the end, a wide sweeping left hander onto College Street.
Turn 6: College Street into Springbank Terrace - a 90 degree turn, but nice and wide.
Turn 7: Quick run down Springbank Terrace into Willowbank road, followed by a hard 90 degree turn into Holburn Street.
Turn 8: Holburn Street into Union Street. A nasty fast right hand corner.
Turn 9: At the bottom of the flat-out Union Street down the hill, cars turn into King Street while preserving as much speed as possible.
Turn 10: Wide right hand turn into East North Street.
Turn 11: The Justice Port roundabout. Kept in place so that the downhill section of the Beach Boulevard will favour cars with quicker acceleration. Local boy racers from the 90s will finally see their dream: the Bouley being turned into a race track.
Turn 12: Beach Esplanade - a nightmare if it's raining and windy, which it probably will be. The spray from the beach will hinder drivers, while seagulls will probably attack the cars.

DRS zones on Union Street and the Beach Boulevard. The track itself is varied, but the two cobblestone sections are designed to catch drivers out.

 

[swt_passenger]

Okay, I'm going to have to go out any minute, so I'll make a simple sketch for now: I present the Aberdeen Grand Prix:

View attachment 105432

The pitlane would be created on Wellington Street on the grassy area across from Burger King. Cars would go clockwise, and turn by turn:

Turn 1: Wellington Street onto Waterloo Quay. A hard right hander after a cobblestone section. With some rain (inevitable), the cobblestones would turn incredibly slick, creating overtaking opportunities.
Turn 2: Regent Quay - a small right hand kink, taken flat out.
Turn 3: Regent Quay lights - a nasty left hander that requires concentration.
Turn 4: Virginia Street left hander. Taken flat out, the track is much wider at this point.
Turn 5: A nice wide run up to Guild Street by the train/bus stations, and another cobblestone section designed to catch out unaware drivers. At the end, a wide sweeping left hander onto College Street.
Turn 6: College Street into Springbank Terrace - a 90 degree turn, but nice and wide.
Turn 7: Quick run down Springbank Terrace into Willowbank road, followed by a hard 90 degree turn into Holburn Street.
Turn 8: Holburn Street into Union Street. A nasty fast right hand corner.
Turn 9: At the bottom of the flat-out Union Street down the hill, cars turn into King Street while preserving as much speed as possible.
Turn 10: Wide right hand turn into East North Street.
Turn 11: The Justice Port roundabout. Kept in place so that the downhill section of the Beach Boulevard will favour cars with quicker acceleration. Local boy racers from the 90s will finally see their dream: the Bouley being turned into a race track.
Turn 12: Beach Esplanade - a nightmare if it's raining and windy, which it probably will be. The spray from the beach will hinder drivers, while seagulls will probably attack the cars.

DRS zones on Union Street and the Beach Boulevard. The track itself is varied, but the two cobblestone sections are designed to catch drivers out.

Very thorough, but will there be suitable berthing available for the rich and famous to park their gin palaces in Aberdeen Docks?