Motorsports 2020/2021

[andyscoot]

F1 can decide if it wants to be an entertainment company first and foremost ala WWE and then it can use all the reverse grids to manufacture entertainment it wants. If it wants to be a legitimate sport then it won't go anywhere near reverse grids.

Reverse grids work only on spec series, where the driver and set up make the difference. The reason F2/F3/lower use this is to develop drivers skills (so no matter what, they're always fighting other drivers in the mix in at least 1 race per meeting) and also show who the better drivers. All the F1 guys showed that they had the superior ability because they were able to put it on pole, race into the sunset in the first race and then start the second race mid pack and still fight to the front.

Worth pointing out that after the red flag there was basically no overtaking. Stroll messed up the restart and dropped places and Raikkonen fell back but there was no legitimate overtakes. Sainz was chasing Gasly for about 15 laps and didn't really get anywhere close.

[Tommygilf]

Interesting race at Mugello!

I think we should have mystery tracks put into seasons. Proper race tracks, not rich governments wanting to stage events. Its great to see teams tested on an arena they have no data on (which contrasts with the decade plus amount of data they have for every other track).

I think we'll see another exciting race weekend at Imola with the lack of data accentuated by only having Saturday morning practice.

[Futtocks]

A long overdue win for John McPhee in Moto3, and coming from a 17th place start too!

Some spectators were allowed to attend for the first time in 2020. Obviously, most of them were wearing Rossi yellow, and the Doctor almost got a podium place (which would have been his 200th). Unfortunately, he got passed in the final few laps and finished a close 4th.

[andyscoot]

21 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Interesting race at Mugello!

I think we should have mystery tracks put into seasons. Proper race tracks, not rich governments wanting to stage events. Its great to see teams tested on an arena they have no data on (which contrasts with the decade plus amount of data they have for every other track).

I think we'll see another exciting race weekend at Imola with the lack of data accentuated by only having Saturday morning practice.

At the risk of being a debbie downer, that was a perfect storm at Mugello - there's no way you get another safety car restart like that ever again. 

That said I do agree that teams should have to disregard whatever data they collect that weekend. They can rely on data, but only data that they collect at the track that weekend. I think it throws a bit of unknown and risk for the teams - they don't truly know how the tyres deg and fuel usage will go. 

[Tommygilf]

18 minutes ago, andyscoot said:

At the risk of being a debbie downer, that was a perfect storm at Mugello - there's no way you get another safety car restart like that ever again. 

That said I do agree that teams should have to disregard whatever data they collect that weekend. They can rely on data, but only data that they collect at the track that weekend. I think it throws a bit of unknown and risk for the teams - they don't truly know how the tyres deg and fuel usage will go. 

Yeah in fairness that was madness. I think the racing was fairly good though and was helped massively by it being an unknown track to virtually everyone.

I agree that would be a good start. Will be interesting to see how it works at Imola with only 1 practice session.

[andyscoot]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Yeah in fairness that was madness. I think the racing was fairly good though and was helped massively by it being an unknown track to virtually everyone.

I agree that would be a good start. Will be interesting to see how it works at Imola with only 1 practice session.

That huge straight helped; I could be wrong but I think I only saw overtakes into T1? I'm hoping Imola, with the lack of practice and data will cause some upsets - it's not a wide track but it has some strong braking so it could get really tasty. It's a long run to T1 but not straight either so could be fireworks there. Seeing the Merc's in qualifying tackle Imola at full tilt will be something to see.

[Futtocks]

Cal Crutchlow's back in MotoGP. He's 50% Monty Python's Black Knight and 50% the Fast Show's Unlucky Alf.

He went for a COVID test and managed to tear his ankle ligaments while leaving the clinic.

[Futtocks]

Valentino Rossi has signed for the Petronas team, swapping places with Fabio Quartararo. So we get at least one more year of the Doctor in MotoGP.

[Futtocks]

Honda, who have dominated MotoGP for so long, either champions or damn close, look utterly lost without Marc Marquez. Normally you'd see the Repsol livery in the running for every podium finish, and very often a runaway win. Today's race saw them finish 13th and 17th.

[Tommygilf]

Good to see these 3 getting a shot. Both Alfa and Haas seats look up for grabs and whilst I don't expect either to go with a rookie pairing next season they're in a prime opportunity to get 1 fantastic young driver each.

Shame the ferrari power is so poor this year.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On 27/09/2020 at 13:56, Futtocks said:

Cal Crutchlow's back in MotoGP. He's 50% Monty Python's Black Knight and 50% the Fast Show's Unlucky Alf.

He went for a COVID test and managed to tear his ankle ligaments while leaving the clinic.

One of the most amusing things I remember Cal doing was back when he first entered MotoGP. He lives on the Isle of Man and there was a race coming up at a circuit he had never ridden round before (I can't remember which circuit now) because it wasn't on the Superbike calendar so he went on his social media and was putting a plea out to people on the island to see if anyone had the MotoGP PlayStation game so he could go round to their house and play it with them to learn the circuit! 

[M j M]

Hamilton is World Champion for the seventh time - and a bit of a masterclass in the rain, coming from 24 seconds down from the front to win the race, lap his team-mate and secure the title with three races in hand.

Some people seem to not take to him for various reasons but he really is an immense driver and today's drive proves just how good he is.

[M j M]

Huge, fiery crash involving Romain Grosjean at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Grosjean was inside the fireball for almost 20 seconds before leaping clear and appears to have only relatively minor injuries.

The car was split completely in two and some of the images are astonishing.

 

[M j M]

This is the incident from start to finish.

 

[Bleep1673]

Hamilton out of this weekends GP, due to coronavirus/contract negotoations/not giving a toss because he has already bored everyone already.

[M j M]

He definitely gives "a toss". Every opportunity to further expand his greatest-ever catalogue of results should be taken as he approaches the final few years.

However it does make this weekend's race much more interesting - Bottas really should be sweeping up here as Mercedes team leader but Verstappen will no doubt be up for it and even the hapless Albon might jag a win if those two encounter problems. Mclaren or the pinkies for a podium maybe.

Who ends up in the other Mercedes is interesting - I read somewhere they might try to get George Russell but Williams would be reluctant.

[andyscoot]

20 hours ago, Bleep1673 said:

Hamilton out of this weekends GP, due to coronavirus/contract negotoations/not giving a toss because he has already bored everyone already.

Or because he tested positive? He's won 7 titles, and has continued to race after winning each of the 6 before (well, ignore 2008 cause that was last race) often going on to win more races after wrapping up the title. It's amazing the lengths people will go just make up lies about him and spout them as if they're true. Why do you think it's a drivers fault that they win - do you think they owe you entertainment like a WWE wrestler or something?

Anyway,

15 hours ago, M j M said:

He definitely gives "a toss". Every opportunity to further expand his greatest-ever catalogue of results should be taken as he approaches the final few years.

However it does make this weekend's race much more interesting - Bottas really should be sweeping up here as Mercedes team leader but Verstappen will no doubt be up for it and even the hapless Albon might jag a win if those two encounter problems. Mclaren or the pinkies for a podium maybe.

Who ends up in the other Mercedes is interesting - I read somewhere they might try to get George Russell but Williams would be reluctant.

George Russell announced as his replacement. Will be interesting to see how he goes. On one hand, it's a new car so I don't expect him to be absolutely on it, but then given he's talked up as the next Merc superstar and potential future WDC, does that damage his reputation. Or if he does perform and even goes on to win, does that support people who say it's all the car and so does that damage Lewis' repuation?

Trouble with RB and therefore Verstappen/Albon is this track is basically an oval; top speed will be key and they were losing a few tenths per lap on last weeks configuration on the straights and this one will exacerbate this even more. I think Racing Point/Renault could be in the mix because they've had big top speeds all season.

Hasn't been mentioned, but Mick Schumacher announced as Haas driver next year. On one hand, nice to see that name in F1 again, on the other, Haas going into 2021 with 2 rookies and a problematic car that 2 very experienced drivers couldn't sort. Could be looking at nil points next year barring a mad race which takes 9 or more cars out.

[M j M]

6 minutes ago, andyscoot said:

.Hasn't been mentioned, but Mick Schumacher announced as Haas driver next year. On one hand, nice to see that name in F1 again, on the other, Haas going into 2021 with 2 rookies and a problematic car that 2 very experienced drivers couldn't sort. Could be looking at nil points next year barring a mad race which takes 9 or more cars out.

Yes I find this very puzzling in anything other than a cost saving/driver brings money with them point of view. Two rookies is a huge risk when it would make so much more sense to pair one of them with an experienced one who can help - or try and help - fix up the car. Given who doesn't have a drive next year yet they could be relatively cheap.

[andyscoot]

2 minutes ago, M j M said:

Yes I find this very puzzling in anything other than a cost saving/driver brings money with them point of view. Two rookies is a huge risk when it would make so much more sense to pair one of them with an experienced one who can help - or try and help - fix up the car. Given who doesn't have a drive next year yet they could be relatively cheap.

Looking at who is without a drive (that realistically could/should be driving next year) and you've got Perez, Hulkenberg, Gorsjean and Magnussen. Of those, only Perez brings any sort of decent sponsorship and I doubt it could match the money they are making/saving going with the rookies.

Mazepin is like Stroll x10. His father is significantly wealthier than Lawrence Stroll who is himself ludicrously wealthy, so there will be huge sums of money being paid to Haas to let him drive; especially as he's not that good and would be nowhere near a seat on merit alone. Then you have Schumacher who is a Ferrari academy driver and will attract sponsors cause of his name and is likely bringing money into the team by way of engine discounts from Ferrari, similar to what Merc did with Russel/Williams. 

It feels like Haas have basically given up and are just existing now, available to the highest bidder rather. 

[M j M]

1 minute ago, andyscoot said:

It feels like Haas have basically given up and are just existing now, available to the highest bidder rather. 

Yeah it's sad. I mean they always seemed like a bit of a fake team but at least early on they were relatively competitive. I suppose if you tie yourself that closely to Ferrari's engine and car bits that when Ferrari do badly you're just going to do abysmally.

But a decent driver who could develop the car could bump them one or two places up the team points rankings which starts to get you more money so, even without the core motivation of achieving better results, there is a financial payback from being better as well.

But who knows, maybe these kids will bring technical and car development savvy with them. It just seems more likely to be a skill you'd learn over several years and the first year will just be trying to get to grips with F1.

[GUBRATS]

What a brilliant race today , so is it the driver or the car ? , Russell pretty much did everything Hamilton could/would have done today 

Funny when Toto Wolf was asked what went wrong , " we fcuked up " was the reply 

Feel for Russell , good to see Perez get a win after 190 races , so much down to luck and who you get to drive for 

[M j M]

I find George Russell annoying in the way he reminds me of some entry level middle manager who's been on a course on how to motivate reluctant team members.

So I wasn't that fussed that he didn't win but to be fair to him he did everything right today so it's harsh for him that Mercedes chose this race for their annual **** show. Bottas must be utterly depressed by how the whole thing went.

Best thing was obviously the win for Perez. How Albon can keep his seat when Perez does that whilst he is a nonentity once again beggars belief. Red Bull are so handicapped by having a dud in one car. With the top three cars missing out on the podium that should have been the second Red Bull's race for the winning.

[M j M]

 

[GUBRATS]

Oh how I wish we'd see Russell in the Merc and Lewis in the Williams , now that would be interesting 

[M j M]