I was amazed when Rea went green and blew Sykes away to be honest, but now I certainly don't believe Batista is faster than Rea at all, it's 100% bike. Ducati have just driven a coach and horses through the WSB rulebook IMO. If that bike isn't banned for next year no-one else will turn up.

Edited 29 April, 20197 yr by camelspyyder

Has F1 lost a pair of wheels ?

I think Kubica and Leclerc lost one each in qualifying.

 

 

Reading the BBC F1 web site Vettel interview today, you definitely feel that he’s a very sour Kraut at the min.

Is that the interview where its boring if Mercedes win for years on the trot but not if Red Bull do?

 

He'd still be at Red Bull if Riccardo hadn't completely burned him off.

 

Ferrari are fastest in testing, fastest in practice, but seem very prone to dropping the ball when it really counts this year.

 

If they don't win in Barcelona, where they were obviously way fastest 8 weeks ago, then they're in big trouble  -

and if Vettel is demotivated Charles will beat him more often just like Daniel did.

Barcelona looks like being replaced by Zandvoort from next year.

Not the classic GP track used up till 1985 (because some fool built a Center Parcs on the fast return section) but the modern compact layout. 

Max will have his own GP at one of F1's spiritual homes - Clark, Stewart, and Lauda won there 10 times between them and many of the greats won there too Ascari, Fangio, Moss, G Hill, Prost and others. 

Nice to see Liberty bringing back some F1 Heritage - and getting rid of a track notorious for boring races.

Edited 30 April, 20197 yr by camelspyyder

Well, as long as Winter testing stays at Barcelona anyway...

All of a circus. I was really interested in F1 but interest has flagged over the years. It is drowning in money and more of a business than a sport as others have gone the same way. I am just interested enough to watch the few live races and highlights on channel 4. I have no interest of spending money on the dedicated F1 channel on Sky. What a shame!!

Was F1 not a business 60 years ago when Lotus, Cooper and Ferrari were trying to win to sell their cars?

 

 

If, like me, you wont pay for Sky F1 there are other alternatives to watch live though:

 

You can look for streams of these worldwide F1 channels :  https://www.totalsportek.com/f1/formula-one-tv-channels/

 

or try Sport365.live

Think Christian Horner's decision to drop Renault engines after 12 years with Red Bull looks a smart one after 4 races of 2019. 64 points with Honda power. In 2018 after 4 races they had 16 points.Renault scored just 12 points after 4 races.

Edited 1 May, 20197 yr by shyVRS245
WRONG WORD

Force India owner Vijay couldn't run a sucessful Airline but thought he could run a Formula 1 team. Fortunately a rich billionaire with a son with an ambition came to the rescue the hardworking folks at HQ at Silverstone.

1 hour ago, shyVRS245 said:

Think Christian Horner's decision to drop Renault engines after 12 years with Red Bull looks a smart one after 4 races of 2019. 64 points with Honda power. In 2018 after 4 races they had 16 points.Renault scored just 12 points after 4 races.

 

Didn't Max crash in the first 5 events last year?

 

It wasn't all down to Renault.

1 minute ago, camelspyyder said:

 

Didn't Max crash in the first 5 events last year?

 

It wasn't all down to Renault.

Red Bull had 2 double retirements in the first 4 races of 2018. Christian Horner joked to Renaultsport MD would he have any money left to develop the 2019 engine having spent so much of the budget on Ricciardo's signing.

42 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Force India owner Vijay couldn't run a sucessful Airline but thought he could run a Formula 1 team. Fortunately a rich billionaire with a son with an ambition came to the rescue the hardworking folks at HQ at Silverstone.

 

Though more recent Mallya is typical of the fly-by-night operators that rocked up in F1 in '89 when we had 39-ish cars chasing 26 grid slots.

Not many of them survived in F1 as long as this cut-price James Bond villain though. He did employ good people though - who could do marvels on not much money.

However, given his alleged genius for creative accounting, maybe Force India weren't actually operating on a shoestring budget the way people thought.

14 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Red Bull had 2 double retirements in the first 4 races of 2018. Christian Horner joked to Renaultsport MD would he have any money left to develop the 2019 engine having spent so much of the budget on Ricciardo's signing.

 

2 x double retirements 

 

1 electrics failure + 1 gearbox failure

2 crashed into each other

 

How does that make Honda better than Renault?

 

RedBull Renault had 55 points after 4 races in 2018

 

Edited 1 May, 20197 yr by camelspyyder

1 minute ago, camelspyyder said:

 

Though more recent Mallya is typical of the fly-by-night operators that rocked up in F1 in '89 when we had 39-ish cars chasing 26 grid slots.

Not many of them survived in F1 as long as this cut-price James Bond villain though. He did employ good people though - who could do marvels on not much money.

However, given his alleged genius for creative accounting, maybe Force India weren't actually operating on a shoestring budget the way people thought.

Now can't go home to India to face his creditors so stays in the UK in his luxury mansion. Saved a few quid to put under  his pillow for the envitable rainy day. Currently hooked on the Drive To Survive series. Great all the swearing has been left in unedited.

Just now, camelspyyder said:

 

2 x double retirements 

 

1 electrics failure + 1 gearbox failure

2 crashed into each other

 

How does that make Honda better than Renault?

Look at this years points comparison. Honda 64 points, Renault 12 points. Hope Daniel is happy with the extra money with no chance of a podium this year. You can quote me on that later in the season.

So Redbull have 64 points now compared with 55 last year.

 

Without the Baku double crash last year They'd actually have more points last year than this.

 

You cant compare RBR to Renault in the points table - the chassis are light years apart with the same or different engines.

 

Riccardo is getting very rich mind you.

 

 

Edited 1 May, 20197 yr by camelspyyder

If RedBull are serious about the constructors title letting Riccardo go was really dumb. They'd be way over 100 points right now with him instead of Gasly.

 

2 minutes ago, camelspyyder said:

So Redbull have 64 points now compared with 55 last year.

 

Without the Baku double crash last year They'd actually have more points last year than this.

 

You cant compare RBR to Renault in the points table - the chassis are light years apart.

 

Riccardo is getting very rich mind you.

Yeah he's gone from the 3rd best team to the 7th best team. Show's that money is more important than success to him now. He saw Max as the chosen one at Red Bull and really wanted Mercedes or Ferrari to give him a ring but they were busy signing LeClerc and Bottas.

I think once you get regularly beaten by a team mate you're damaged goods in F1. 

Vettel got away with it - those 4 titles boosted his chances of a top drive after RedBull -  and Ferrari were desperate to bin Alonso so circumstances worked in Sebs favour.

 

Daniel's gone to Renault in hope more than anything else but it's a great pension plan.

I haven't heard Ocon gobbing off much lately. His "I will definitely have a Mercedes drive" soundbites were vaguely credible (if arrogant) last year, but he won't get a look in with Bottas going this quick. 

The only other guy who bigged himself up like that was Gasly who banged on about deserving a F1 drive when RedBull sent him to Super Formula instead and later on how he deserved a RBR drive. That "egg on the face" feeling good Pierre?

Must be a French driver attitude thing as a certain Haas driver has failed to collect a solitary point so far this year.

Haas having a "reality check" this year I think. Gary Anderson in Autosport says it's the 4th quickest car but they can't make it quick in the races on this year's tyres. Ferrari too complaining about keeping the tyres in the correct operating window. It seems like Mercedes history of tyre struggles over the last few years may have given them a head start with the 2019 rubber.

On 01/05/2019 at 11:35, edbostan said:

Interesting point of views

 

Edited 2 May, 20197 yr by edbostan