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Post by René on Nov 14, 2022 17:27:58 GMT
Maybe it's just me  ... but I actually enjoyed Sunday's race! Big congrats to George Russell, always nice to have a first time winner (of the real Grand Prix ). And almost nice to see Mercedes doing well again... well, sort of... not really. But nice for George! But seriously, he drove flawlessly this weekend and showed he has what it takes to become Mercedes's new #1. This could also create tensions of course if Mercedes has their act together again next year. George on form will be another challenge for Lewis compared to Valtteri. Lots of frusration for the guys in red but both Carlos and Charles were actually excellent in the race. If Carlos had not had that brake duct isssue early in the race and Charles had not been pushed of the track by Lando, how close would it have been with the Mercs?
A bit disappointing to hear Charles asking to swap positions but it became clear after the race that exactly this scenario was discussed before the race. So I see where it was coming from but I also understand Ferrari's choice not to swap given a still possible penalty for Sainz at that moment and how close Alonso and Verstappen were behind Charles. A bigger issue was of course what happened at Red Bull. Max's decision to ignore Red Bull's request for a swap with Checo did not make him any friends. Not within the team but I've also read a lot of negative reactions from fans, also in the Netherlands. I was also not impressed I have to say. Making yourself more important than the team while you're actually an employee, does not come across very sympathetic. And certainly not the way he sounded on the radio. A typical Verstappen trait when things don't go his way. Makes a good match with his future father in law, who was also an excellent driver but not always the nicest guy.
Oh and by the way, that incident between Hamilton and Verstappen? Lewis could have given him a bit more room but you can also argue Max was going too fast to actually make the corner. A racing incident? Certainly no love lost between those two.
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Post by Carl on Nov 14, 2022 20:33:07 GMT
René, There was a lot of action and I see your point but would want less action in the pits and still think the venue outqualified the race itself. I was disappointed that Hamilton didn't repeat his classic complaint, "He hit me! He hit me!" instead of his dry observation that what happened was not a racing incident. No, but it was his fault and I agreed with Martin Brundle, who declared Hamilton hadn't given enough room, but let's face it: Formula One has an unusual abundance these days of babies demanding special treatment. Ferrari was once again hobbled by bad luck, despite which both drivers made excellent recoveries. The entire team has graduated to big-boy pants since the days of Schumacher, unlike Piquet and the Verstappens, vader en zoon, who favor the same brand of custom-tailored Nomex diapers. A recount may be due to Chris after he somehow neglected to predict his usual choice, George Russell, as winner. Maybe our administrator could grant him an exemption from time limitations...  Cheers, Carl |
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Post by René on Nov 14, 2022 23:21:19 GMT
Carl, I see what you mean about the pit stops. For me it’s mainly the artificial part that I don’t like. I have nothing against pit stops as such but a driver should be able to make up his own mind. Go for soft and fast tyres knowing you need to pit once or twice or play the long game on maybe one set of harder tyres. This should also play in the hands of specific qualities of different drivers. More variety and unpredictability.
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Post by robmarsh on Nov 15, 2022 10:08:22 GMT
Like you Rene I enjoyed the race. The track brought out the best in F1 and I found myself enjoying it. I have worked out what it is that makes me tired of F1 and it is all these banal, featureless tracks that GPs of nations with dubious human rights records or pots of money or both, are held on. Get rid of those races, bring back the old tracks like Kyalami, new Nurburgring and add some decent race tracks like Road America and all will be well.
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Post by chrisb on Nov 15, 2022 10:10:47 GMT
thank you Carl. yes I went against my normal prediction based on the thought, mmm Lewis hasn't won all year, he seems extremely popular in Brazil and wearing a tribute to Ayrton is bound to bring him some sort of luck, well it did sort of....so Rene......
I am with you re the pit stops, personally I would reduce the number of people involved involved, to one per wheel, it seems to work well in America, together with what you are suggesting Rene and for crying out loud get rid of DRS and again F1 could learn from Indycar with the overtaking 'button' and so many overtakes per race, thus putting more emphasis back on the driver and their brain power. One of the things that dismayed me was the ease of overtaking at such a wonderful circuit, well that is unless you are Max.
I watched the attempted overtake and read a few 'experts' views who all seem to suggest that Max was going in too fast anyway to effect a proper overtake, whilst there was no way Lewis was ever going to give him any more room, a case for obstinacy overruling sense. something I can relate to.
As for Piquet being photographed with the deposed right wing leader of Brazil, says it all really
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Post by René on Nov 15, 2022 18:03:10 GMT
As for Piquet being photographed with the deposed right wing leader of Brazil, says it all really
Nelson has been an avid supporter of the tropical trump for years, a very unpleasant person. Both from the same mould! |
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Post by Carl on Nov 15, 2022 18:15:57 GMT
Carl, I see what you mean about the pit stops. For me it’s mainly the artificial part that I don’t like. I have nothing against pit stops as such but a driver should be able to make up his own mind. Go for soft and fast tyres knowing you need to pit once or twice or play the long game on maybe one set of harder tyres. This should also play in the hands of specific qualities of different drivers. More variety and unpredictability. René, There is an abundance of knowledge and great love for motorsport around our table and racing has changed in ways that make little sense to us because our focus remains on racing as a sport, as it once was, as it should be. Palace intrigue worthy of Shakespeare haunted corporate boardrooms when Bernie Ecclestone and the vultures at CVC took turns as Richard lll searching for innocents to smother. The poison dwarf succeeded in taking much of the sport out of motorsport, replacing it with corporate malice, and the resultant preeminence of money transformed the sport into a business. Ecclestone should have been thrown in prison years ago for massive fraud, but was able to buy innocence. Our ideas are based on an ideal of racing as a sport, while corporate Philistines have no ideals at all. Racing as sport still prevails in smaller series around the world, but the crown jewels are enthroned on Wall Street in New York and Lombard Street in London, where money talks loudest.
However, if we were to have the go-kart challenge once discussed, with all of us in identical karts at Road America's infield track (see below), cheered on by the Hawaiian Tropic ladies, maybe we could turn the tide.
The challenging go-kart track is right of center near the top of the photograph
Cheers, Carl |
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Post by René on Nov 15, 2022 20:31:58 GMT
I agree with everything you guys have said. Road America 🇺🇸 would be fantastic. Just imagine us going to the F1 Grand Prix there and having the karting challenge with the Tropical ladies and then going to Siebkens for a beer and meal. Just imagine…  |
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Post by Carl on Nov 16, 2022 17:30:57 GMT
I agree with everything you guys have said. Road America 🇺🇸 would be fantastic. Just imagine us going to the F1 Grand Prix there and having the karting challenge with the Tropical ladies and then going to Siebkens for a beer and meal. Just imagine… That would be an experience to remember for the rest of our lives. Years from now, when youth has gone, our fondest memory as we drop the snowglobe would overshadow Citizen Kane's as each of us murmurs.... "Siebkens" |
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Post by René on Nov 16, 2022 18:40:33 GMT
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... but I actually enjoyed Sunday's race!
