2022 Formula 1 Thread

[ZCanadian]

Originally Posted by abm89

Woo! new thread!

I guess to lightly touch on some of the things already said:

Most of us long-time fans are used to RB complaining and just ignore it. I think it's causing more of a stir now thanks to the increased fan-base and recent influx of interest due to DTS. It's actually genius by RB to take advantage of that and try to use their new following of fans to paint Mercedes as some type of "cheater". I agree with Jar's point that it's the governing body who is to blame for entertaining these ******** tests, but I also agree with DLSTR that Horner and Marko suck.

On Lewis retiring, only he knows what he will do. He has literally said nothing and everyone is throwing a fit. It's quite hilarious. IMO, he's doing the right thing. Anything he says will just fuel idiocy.

Bet LH is lying back somewhere, reading all these speculative articles with a sh!t-eating grin on his face. There's no such thing as bad publicity. And anything he might say would only be twisted around and used against him by half the F1 fan base and journos anyhow.

[Spooler]

Originally Posted by ZCanadian

Bet LH is lying back somewhere, reading all these speculative articles with a sh!t-eating grin on his face. There's no such thing as bad publicity. And anything he might say would only be twisted around and used against him by half the F1 fan base and journos anyhow.

If you think about it, it is funny as hell. LH wins by not saying anything. By default.

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by Spooler

If you think about it, it is funny as hell. LH wins by not saying anything. By default.

He did his job. He owes us nothing. No driver does. Amazed that his silence is news. Those who do not like him now have their dream - no talking from LH and yet they still attack him for that.

LH owns so many people LOL. He owns so many that hate him. They wont shut up. The Max maniacs in particular. Pathetic.

All that matters is the FIA and F1 clean up the rules for some better decision making going forward.

[ZCanadian]

Originally Posted by DLSTR

He did his job. He owes us nothing. No driver does. Amazed that his silence is news. Those who do not like him now have their dream - no talking from LH and yet they still attack him for that.

LH owns so many people LOL. He owns so many that hate him. They wont shut up. The Max maniacs in particular. Pathetic.

All that matters is the FIA and F1 clean up the rules for some better decision making going forward.

Haters gonna hate. Doesn't matter who or why.

As for the FIA and F1M, all that matters is money.
This inquiry won't resolve anything, a few changes will be made and some people forced to throw themselves on their swords, but then it will be back to very much business as usual.

The only way to truly get better decision making would be to to delegate it to some very advanced AI and hope for the best. Very few humans would be able to take all of the factors into account, weigh them, and process and communicate an answer in the kinds of time constraints required. If they did hire someone (say a military commander - perhaps a combat seasoned warship captain), they teams would have him fired in a heartbeat because the "right" answer for the race would never be the "right" answer for at least half of the grid.

The first thing that I would suggest is that communication between teams and Race Control be one-way only (from the Stewards room outbound). The teams can fill in a form or something to point out an infraction, but they should never have been allowed to be in the ear of those directing the race, in real time. There needs to be a buffer in between. Either a person, a system, or time.

EDIT: Then, superficial rule changes (the kind we are likely to see as a result of this inquiry) are not the answer. The problem at Abu Dhabi wasn't that some of the cars got to un-lap themselves, or that Masse took initiative based on the spirit of the rule, but rather that the un-lapping rule exists in the first place. Same with red flag work on cars, and safety car pitting. None of these should be looked at in a vacuum. The rule book is already too thick, but a lot of it doesn't seem to make sense anymore.

[DLSTR]

https://motorsport.tv/embed/3yo6gJWE...ines-explained - Video


How Do F1 Power Units ACTUALLY Work? | F1 Engines Explained

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team: Technical Features Video:

[DLSTR]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/al...plete/7471371/

https://motorsport.tv/embed/5Lz9zQs5...works-complete - Video link

Albert Park modification works complete ahead of F1 return
By: Andrew van Leeuwen
Jan 21, 2022, 4:17 AM
Modifications to the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix layout at Melbourne's Albert Park have been completed ahead of this year's race.



Australia is due to return to the F1 calendar with the third round of the 2022 season on 10 April, the first time it will have hosted an F1 race since 2019 due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 event was cut short by a positive COVID-19 case at McLaren before a wheel was turned in practice, and it was called off last year altogether due to the country's closed borders.

The break in racing has allowed the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to complete significant works to the Albert Park layout aimed at creating more overtaking opportunities.

Changes to the layout include Turns 9 and 10 being turned into a fast, sweeping complex, while a number of other corners have been widened to increase apex speed.

Paired with the new-spec cars due to be introduced this year, its expected the layout will be provide improved wheel-to-wheel racing and faster laptimes.

The circuit, mostly made up of public roads around Albert Park lake, has also been resurfaced for the first time since it began hosting F1 back in 1996.

"Five seconds a lap quicker, but [with] the new-spec cars, closer racing," said AGPC CEO Andrew Westacott when asked what to expect from the new layout.

"You can actually tail the car in front and expect to be able to overtake and be in a competitive position.

albert-park-modifications-1.jpg
Albert Park modifications

Photo by: Australian Grand Prix Corporation

"The main location is Turn 11 at the south end of the lake near Ross Gregory Drive and Ross Gregory Oval. We expect that to be a major overtaking opportunity.

"The widening of five other turns, particularly the increase of speed at Turn 6 where they're going to go from about 90 km/h to 150 km/h, that really does set it up for speeds in excess of 330 km/h around Lakeside [Drive], pulling four and a half Gs.

"Making sure the racing is going to be as exciting as possible is the reason why Formula 1 has changed the specification of the cars for this season. And it's the reason why we've resurfaced the track for the first time in 25 years."

Newly-signed Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas won the last Australian Grand Prix for Mercedes in 2019.

[abm89]

Press X to doubt.

[Austin90]

What's going to be very interesting to watch over these few months is whether the sprint races will happen again this season.
From what I've read here https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...Prix%20weekend, some teams are requiring F1 to get more money to fix the broken parts that went into these races.
What do you think about that?
Are you in favor of sprint races being held at some tracks this season as well?

[DLSTR]

Originally Posted by Austin90

What's going to be very interesting to watch over these few months is whether the sprint races will happen again this season.
From what I've read here https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...Prix%20weekend, some teams are requiring F1 to get more money to fix the broken parts that went into these races.
What do you think about that?
Are you in favor of sprint races being held at some tracks this season as well?

I dont like it. The current qualy format generates alot of interest and drama. Personally Id like them to go back to 1 lap qualy. Given a qualy slot, go out and run your lap. Better for the sponsors and alleviates the silly lack of traffic management clogging qualy needlessly. Some tracks simply do not allow all or even 10 cars to circulate well.

They need to tailor qualy for a circuit at times. The sprint is a joke. There is a race on Sunday. Thats the race.

[ZCanadian]

Agree, the sprints are rubbish.
They aren't contested because it’s better to start one or two places further back than have a DNF on Saturday and start the race from the back or pit lane, and potentially have a compromised car.
I’m not for gimmicks. They are obviously meant to increase viewership / ticket sales on Friday when they run quali on sprint weekends. The only way they would be interesting to me would be if they started the sprint in reverse finishing order from the previous weekend. This might encourage real racing on Saturday, but would eliminate Friday qualifying so it would defeat the purpose for F1.

[Austin90]

Originally Posted by ZCanadian

Agree, the sprints are rubbish.
They aren't contested because it’s better to start one or two places further back than have a DNF on Saturday and start the race from the back or pit lane, and potentially have a compromised car.
I’m not for gimmicks. They are obviously meant to increase viewership / ticket sales on Friday when they run quali on sprint weekends. The only way they would be interesting to me would be if they started the sprint in reverse finishing order from the previous weekend. This might encourage real racing on Saturday, but would eliminate Friday qualifying so it would defeat the purpose for F1.

You are absolutely right. There isn't much space you can do on such sprint races because they to short and on the other hand you risk a crush to completely damage your car.
I assume that you added the sprint races to bring something completely new to F1

[DLSTR]

Ferrari making the effort!!

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/fe...orano/7569046/

Ferrari to run four-day F1 test at Fiorano
By: Jonathan Noble
Ferrari is to conduct a four-day test at its Fiorano test track this week as part of its build-up preparations for the new Formula 1 season.

While work is continuing on its 2022 challenger, which has a codename of 674 and is being launched on 17 February, the Maranello outfit wants to ensure its drivers and team personnel are back up to speed after the winter break.

It has therefore slated in a four-day run with last year's SF21 at its Maranello test venue for regular drivers Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc, as well as Robert Shwartzman, who is its official test driver.

Shwartzman, who took part in last year's post-season Abu Dhabi tyre test, will start the test on Tuesday before running again on Friday. Leclerc will test on Wednesday, with Sainz getting an outing on Thursday.

As well as being an opportunity for the drivers to get back up to speed with F1 cars, Ferrari mechanics and engineers will also be on hand to get themselves best prepared as possible for the challenges ahead.

Ferrari finished third in the 2021 constructors' championship and it hopes to further close the gap on Mercedes and Red Bull this year.

[DLSTR]

Video--

Road to 2022: Setting the Scene for F1’s New Era
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team: Our Year

https://motorsport.tv/embed/csGWlXeD...r-f1-s-new-era

[DLSTR]

F1 confirms no fans, TV coverage at first pre-season test
By: Jonathan Noble
Jan 26, 2022, 6:47 AM
Formula 1 has confirmed the first pre-season test in Barcelona will run behind closed doors, and won’t feature live timing or television coverage.

While the dates for the first two-pre season tests had been agreed several months ago, the details of the runs in Barcelona and Bahrain had still to be finalised.

On Wednesday, however, F1 confirmed that its contract with both venues had been agreed, as it laid out the plans for the two three-days tests.

The Barcelona test will take place from 23-25 February, while the event in Bahrain will run from 10-12 March, ahead of the season opener on 18 March.

While there will be tremendous hype surrounding the first running of 2022 machinery at Barcelona, F1 is treating it as nothing more than a shakedown run – which normally take place as private events.

In a statement explaining the plan, F1’s official website said: “The first outing is a lower key, pre-testing track session at Barcelona on 23-25 February, allowing the teams to shake down their all-new-for-'22 cars for the first time in the same place.

“However, as is traditional with teams’ pre-testing-type events, the running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya won’t feature live, race-style coverage or live timing, but will include content and best lap times at the end of each day.”
hile fans will not be allowed in, media and broadcasters will be in attendance at the event to provide news and updates, and teams will be able to post their own content on social media.

Furthermore, F1 will also distribute their own official content and updates at the end of each day.


While the decision to treat the Barcelona test like a shakedown will disappoint fans who have attended testing at the venue in the past, it is understood that the decision was made after prompting for teams to change pre-season running for 2022.

With the regulations having whittled down preparations to just a single official test from 2021, a push was made to expand running for 2022 because of the change of rules.

That move has been accommodated by adding the private test in Barcelona, which F1 and teams want to treat as nothing more than a shakedown for them to better understand the new car.

F1 wants to treat the second test in Bahrain as the official pre-season event – so it will feature the more regular live timing and television coverage, and will be open to fans.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1...-test/7620852/

[DLSTR]

So this is 22 in effect but relates to last season obviously.

This is yields a literal permanent asterisk on the Max title. Period!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60160969

Formula 1's governing body is planning a new race-management structure in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the problems at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

There is widespread acceptance across the sport that race director Michael Masi failed to follow the rules correctly during a late safety-car period in the title-deciding race.

That resulted in Red Bull's Max Verstappen passing Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to beat the Mercedes driver to the title.

Governing body the FIA has been seeking the teams' views on the matter.

The inquiry launched after Abu Dhabi is still ongoing and no concrete conclusions have yet been reached.

But sources have told BBC Sport that the FIA's plans are to introduce a series of safeguards that will leave the race director freer to make decisions in a calmer environment.


Many insiders admit that Masi made a series of operational errors in the closing laps at Yas Marina that were contrary to the rules and accepted protocols - and there remain serious questions about his future in the role.

At the same time, it has been accepted that the Australian was left exposed, isolated and under too much pressure in the final laps of the race.

A support structure is being planned for the race director, insiders say.

This is likely to include a barrier between that role and the teams to avoid the direct lobbying to which Masi was subjected from the team bosses of both Mercedes and Red Bull in Abu Dhabi.

Revisions to the operations of the stewards - who are independent of the race director and decide on penalties for breaches of the rules - are also being considered.
Will Masi keep his job?

Removing Masi and finding a new race director is a recommendation some of the teams have made to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, BBC Sport has learned.

Some senior insiders say they cannot see how Masi can credibly remain in his role into another season, arguing not only that Abu Dhabi fatally undermined his credibility, but that the errors he made there were merely the biggest and latest of a series over the course of the 2021 season and before.

And high-level sources say that the most likely scenario is that a new race director will be installed for the 2022 season.

However, there is far from unanimity on the matter. Other teams are said be either ambivalent as to whether Masi stays or would have no problem with it, as long as a more effective support system was put in place around him.

Red Bull denied that they had called for Masi to go. Ferrari said they were not aware of any such request. Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo and Haas were unavailable. Williams said it "does not believe it is for teams to decide FIA personnel".

The drivers' views on Masi remain unclear, although a number complained over the course of last season about the inconsistency of decisions, particularly in the context of some of the battles between Hamilton and Verstappen.

The FIA was unavailable for comment but Ben Sulayem said in a letter to FIA member clubs after his election that he "will take all the necessary decisions after examining the findings of the detailed analysis on this subject decided unanimously by the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris last 15 December.

"I will do so in complete independence, refusing any pressure from any quarter, in the sole interest of our sport."
Why is this a big deal?

The fallout from Abu Dhabi remains the single biggest topic facing F1 and the FIA.

The credibility of the sport has been called into question - the FIA itself has admitted it was "tarnishing the image" of F1.

And Hamilton, who is said to have lost trust in the FIA, will not decide whether to return to F1 this year until he has an understanding of the actions the governing body plans to take to address the concerns that arose during 2021 over race management.

There is a feeling that the FIA initially believed the furore over Abu Dhabi would die down with time.

But one influential senior figure told BBC Sport: "Anyone thinking this would go away has not realised the gigantic size of this event."

Where is the FIA's inquiry?

Ben Sulaymen has consulted with all the team bosses to seek their views on what went wrong in Abu Dhabi and what changes could be made to militate against a repeat.

The FIA's secretary general for motorsport and executive director of single-seaters Peter Bayer last week took part in a meeting of the teams' sporting directors, which the FIA says was part of the inquiry into Abu Dhabi.

Masi chaired the meeting, but insiders say he recused himself when the subject turned to the operation of the safety car in Abu Dhabi and the consequences and ramifications of that.

It was agreed at the meeting that, in future, the race director's actions have to be predictable - it was Masi's improvisations around and failure to follow the rules in Abu Dhabi that led to the outcry after the race.

Bayer is next expected to meet the F1 drivers to seek their views on Abu Dhabi and other matters, although no date has yet been set for this meeting.

Following that is a meeting of the F1 Commission - which involves the teams, the FIA and F1 - on 14 February, at which it is expected that the changes the FIA proposes as a result of Abu Dhabi will be discussed.
What is the fuss about

Hamilton lost out in Abu Dhabi after Masi over-rode the rules with regard to the operation of the safety car, having come under pressure from the bosses of the two title-contending teams.

Masi's motivation, it is said, was an apparent attempt to ensure the race did not end under caution. It had been previously agreed by the teams that, in the event of a late safety car, ending grands prix under racing conditions was a preferable outcome where possible.

But the result was that Masi failed to apply the rules correctly in two separate areas - over dealing with lapped cars, and in the timing of the restart.

In doing so, Hamilton, who was on course to win the race and the world title, was left a sitting duck on old tyres when the race resumed for just one final lap and Verstappen, on fresh tyres, passed him to take the race and the championship.