2021 Formula 1 Thread

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by ZCanadian

But Red Bull did make the chassis work for the first half of this year. That, and whatever power improvements they may have made, paid off for 10 races. Mercedes wasn't the powerhouse that they were in the last two seasons. But for whatever reason (blame the Baku punctures), Pirelli has changed the design and it favours MB again. Not implying that this was intentional, but that is one change that I don't believe can be computer or wind tunnel modelled. And teams are trying to race and develop a whole new car under a cost cap this year.

Saying "make your chassis work" is oversimplifying things. Otherwise, all of the other teams would have been there already last year, with no cost cap to contend with. But nobody other than Mercedes really managed to in over 40 races until this year. IMHO.

The aero rules worked against low rake design. The cost cap and tire issue/redesign were pushed and agree'd by the teams. Yet they will bad mouth all of it lol. It is tiresome. Shut up and compete. Want to win develop now. They know what that means for 22.

I see Mercedes pushing and hoping RedBull throw lots of money to get this 1 title they promised Jos and Max. Its a game. Mercedes are long on the development and have no more updates in development per press yesterday. The real game is who does best next year early on.

For me this title is compromised given new rules next year. Sure Max can win it but its easily spun that real competition was ended due to rules change lol.

[ZCanadian]

Originally Posted by DLSTR

The aero rules worked against low rake design. The cost cap and tire issue/redesign were pushed and agree'd by the teams. Yet they will bad mouth all of it lol. It is tiresome. Shut up and compete. Want to win develop now. They know what that means for 22.

I see Mercedes pushing and hoping RedBull throw lots of money to get this 1 title they promised Jos and Max. Its a game. Mercedes are long on the development and have no more updates in development per press yesterday. The real game is who does best next year early on.

For me this title is compromised given new rules next year. Sure Max can win it but its easily spun that real competition was ended due to rules change lol.

2019/2020 tires seemed to work against high rake designs like RBR and Ferrari, though.

[DLSTR]

Japanese F1 GP cancelled due to rising COVID cases
By:
Adam Cooper
Aug 18, 2021, 4:00 AM
Formula 1 has announced that the Japanese Grand Prix has been cancelled at the request of the government due to ongoing COVID-19 issues.
Japanese F1 GP cancelled due to rising COVID cases

The race was due to take place on 10 October, as the third leg of a triple header after Russia and Turkey.

A decision on whether or not the race would go ahead was expected in August after all parties were able to review how the Olympic Games unfolded in Tokyo.

No further updates have been given on possible changes to the 2021 F1 calendar, which is understood to be very flexible at this stage, with various permutations under consideration.

However, F1 has options to keep up the numbers and will provide further news in the coming weeks.

An F1 statement said: “Following ongoing discussions with the promoter and authorities in Japan the decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country.

“Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks. Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest from locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond.”

Honda also issued a statement expressing its disappointment that the Japanese Grand Prix would not feature in its final season with Red Bull before departing ahead of the 2022 season.

"As Honda, we are particularly disappointed, because this is the final year of our Formula 1 project and we know that so many fans were looking forward to attending the event.

Qatar is one of the new events on standby, while a second race in Bahrain is also a possibility, and if they join Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi that would mean four events being run in the Middle East in the last part of season.

One of the big issues is that Turkey, Mexico and Brazil are all currently on the UK red list, and anyone returning within 10 days of being in one of those countries faces a 10-day quarantine in a government-approved hotel.

At the moment F1 does not have an exemption, and thus around 1000 UK-based team, F1, FIA, Pirelli, Honda and media staff members would be impacted by the rule.

The plan was the trip to Japan would take up a week of the 10-day window after Turkey, and that personnel would remain there for a few extra days before returning to the UK.

It’s understood it should not be assumed that Turkey is now in trouble without the buffer of the Japanese GP, so presumably efforts are underway either to re-jig the calendar so that another race falls after Turkey.

F1 hopes to run two races in Austin, with the second under the Texas GP name.

Although the USA is not a red zone for the UK matters have been complicated the city becoming a COVID hot spot, with hospitals reported to be full.

The Suzuka cancellation comes despite F1 promising to impose special conditions on all personnel travelling to Japan, including compulsory use of charter flights from Istanbul with testing on arrival, travel only between hotels and the circuits with no restaurants or shopping, security in each hotel to ensure that people could not leave, and eating only at the circuit in the evenings.

[abm89]

I think i've mentioned it before, but i'm pretty indifferent to Max. I'd be a hypocrite criticizing his behavior when my favorite drivers where the same way at that age.

I have no respect for Horner and Marko. They've always been twats.

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/al...ting-/6650308/

Alpine calls on FIA "to be all over" rival F1 teams collaborating
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Aug 19, 2021, 9:31 AM
Alpine Formula 1 executive director Marcin Budkowski says his team expects the FIA "to be all over" rival teams collaborating on their 2022 car designs.

Last season Racing Point caused a stir when it arrived in winter testing in Barcelona with a car that looked a lot like the Mercedes from 2019, the team it bought a gearbox, power unit and other unlisted parts from.


Its midfield rivals were alarmed about the design of the RP20, with Alpine - then called Renault - leading the charge against the Silverstone outfit by filing protests after the Styrian, Hungarian and British Grands Prix, arguing Racing Point's rear brake ducts were illegally copied from Mercedes.

The protest was upheld, and Racing Point was docked 15 constructors' points and fined €400,000 after Silverstone. Renault initially appealed the decision before drawing a line under the matter.

In the wake of the Racing Point controversy, F1 tightened its rules on reverse engineering, banning the use of 3D cameras and complex software systems to copy rival designs.

But Alpine has called on the FIA to remain vigilant ahead of the massive 2022 regulation changes, which provide a lot of scope for teams to benefit from collaborating with their partner teams.

"Clearly going into 2022, a massive change in regulations, big development slope, lots of performance being gained on these cars, very green fresh set of regulations, the benefits you can get from collaboration, whether it's legal or less so, are massive," Budkowski said.

"And if there's a year where these kinds of collaborations can pay off, it's this year, for 2022.


"So clearly, if there's a year where we expect the FIA to be really all over it, it's this year."

When asked if he was concerned a repeat of the Racing Point saga was possible or if he believed the FIA was now policing the matter sufficiently, Budkowski said it was a "difficult question" but admitted there was some concern.

"I don't know what's going on in other people's factories, and I don't know what level of scrutiny the FIA is putting on this," he explained.

"Us as an independent team, obviously we don't come under scrutiny of sharing anything with our competitors, because it would be against our own interests.

"The Formula 1 I think we'd all like to see is 10 teams or 11, or 12, in the future, that just fight each other mercilessly and are just there for their own sporting success.

"And from the moment that teams have a common interest in exchanging information, that's a problem, because it shouldn't be the case, you shouldn't be helping your competitors.

"So, there's a concern there but I can't say how much, I'm not going to accuse people because effectively I don't know. And I hope that there is nothing happening."

[ZCanadian]

In other words: "We're Alpine. We have no friends who will share with us. So we'll raise a stink if other teams do. Not that we know it's happening but we're paranoid. Which doesn't mean it's not happening,".

It's not Mercedes' fault, or Ferrari's or Honda's, that Cyril lost all of Renault's customer teams. Of course there will be some technology trading. Well, "sales" actually. It won't be as blatant as Tracing Point, but it'll be there. Who honestly believes that Alpha Tauri won't benefit from developments at Red Bull. Or that in order to fit the mechanicals from Mercedes into their own cars, customer teams won't be let in on some of the magic that Merc has come up with.

The FIA needs to understand that their cost cap does not exist in a vacuum, and teams agreed to it based on their own understandings of what they could and could not get away with. Renault/Alpine have to get over themselves, and just develop a very good car for next year. They have done a decent job this far in 2021. Even the engines have been decently reliable for the first time in years.

[DLSTR]

Progress LOL

Ferrari gained less than 0.1 second from extra F1 windtunnel boost
By:
Pablo Elizalde
Co-author:
Jonathan Noble
Aug 20, 2021, 10:11 AM
Ferrari gained less than a tenth of a second from having extra time to develop its 2021 Formula 1 car in the windtunnel, according to team boss Mattia Binotto.

[God-Speed]

I got nothing.

[God-Speed]

Only one thing worst than a rain delayed race is listening to Martin Brundle ramble on!!!

[God-Speed]

Just when you thought the 2005 USGP couldn't ever be topped!! Worst Race Ever!!!!!!!

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by God-Speed

Just when you thought the 2005 USGP couldn't ever be topped!! Worst Race Ever!!!!!!!

Pinnacle of Motorsport - Are you fkn kidding! P A T H E T I C................

[ZCanadian]

Originally Posted by DLSTR

Progress LOL

Ferrari gained less than 0.1 second from extra F1 windtunnel boost
By:
Pablo Elizalde
Co-author:
Jonathan Noble
Aug 20, 2021, 10:11 AM
Ferrari gained less than a tenth of a second from having extra time to develop its 2021 Formula 1 car in the windtunnel, according to team boss Mattia Binotto.

"Aerodynamics are for those who cannot build engines." (Enzo Ferrari)
- just thought that was appropriate here, LOL

But I am curious to see the engine upgrade package that Ferrari said they were bringing to Spa. They are going to need to take a lot of tenths of a second off at that circuit, if they want to make a meaningful push up the mid-field.

[ZCanadian]

How about this.
Read to the last paragraph, before making up your mind if just speculation.

https://racer.com/2021/08/20/andrett...team-takeover/


The United States could have another team in Formula 1 if the efforts of a former driver prove to be successful.

RACER has learned Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti has been actively pursuing an F1 team to acquire, with multiple sources pointing towards the 1993 McLaren F1 pilot being in discussions with representatives from more than one team, including Haas F1’s Gene Haas.

It’s understood the Haas conversation did not move beyond a basic outreach, which led to Andretti seeking another target in the F1 paddock. After Haas F1, it’s believed the two teams owned by investment firms – Alfa Romeo Sauber, which was sold to Longbow Finance S.A. in 2016, and Williams Grand Prix Engineering, which was bought by Dorilton Capital in 2020 – stand as the best options available for the 1991 CART IndyCar Series champion.

“It would be great, but there’s a long way to go if it were to happen,” Andretti told RACER. “If the right opportunity comes up, we’ll be all over it. But we’re not there yet.”

Haas has the obvious American link, but it has a close partnership with Ferrari, while Williams is a Mercedes customer – something it has in common with Zak Brown’s McLaren. Brown and Andretti are partners in other racing categories, having teamed up in Supercars, Australian GT and Extreme E. Independent of the McLaren CEO, Andretti fields a four-car IndyCar program, a two-car effort in Formula E, a four-car Indy Lights team and has an LMP3 entry in IMSA’s WeatherTech Sports Car Championship.

Alfa Romeo recently extended its title sponsorship in a deal that will have “yearly assessments”, but the F1 team is still run by Sauber Motorsport, based around a less-close partnership with Ferrari than Haas. The location of the Swiss-based team adds a further level of complexity to any deal, but it has an impressive windtunnel facility and a romantic link from Andretti’s point of view, as his father Mario drove for Alfa Romeo in F1 in 1981, as well as two separate stints with Ferrari.

Purchasing an existing F1 team – or at least a stake in one – is a far more economical approach since the signing of the latest Concorde Agreement in 2020 that introduced a $200 million buy-in fee for any new entrants. That fee would be split between the existing teams who would be losing a percentage of revenues as a result, but it had the impact of driving up the value of the 10 teams currently on the grid.

In March, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the new Andretti Acquisitions Corporation was revealed. In the document, AAC declared its goal of taking the company public in order to raise $250 million on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WNNR (winner).

[Spooler]

Food for thought...

[ZCanadian]

Originally Posted by Spooler

Food for thought...

Wish he had used real video instead of the simulation.

And the advice not to hit what you can see kind of goes both ways. He's blaming Verstappen solely, whereas the stewards blamed Lewis. So although he has a valid point from another racer's view, I'm not sure he's running with enough information here.


In other news, Perez will be back with RBR in 2022. Not sure why it took them this long to get here, and haven't seen any word as to whether or not this is a multi year deal, but at least the knives are back in their sheaths for now.

Sounds like there is a bump that has developed at Radillion / Eau Rouge after the two incidents of flooding at Spa this year. That might add some drama, but will probably take away from the speed with which this corner is taken.