|
|
Post by René on Aug 31, 2023 16:09:34 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 1, 2023 16:42:57 GMT
Not looking bad from a Ferrari perspective! And McLaren also looking good so we might be in for some real racing. Please racing gods, just for once...   1. 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-23 1’21.355 2. 4 Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes MCL60 1’21.374 0.019 3. 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’21.540 0.185 4. 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren-Mercedes MCL60 1’21.545 0.190 5. 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’21.631 0.276 6. 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-23 1’21.716 0.361 7. 23 Alexander Albon Williams-Mercedes FW45 1’21.979 0.624 8. 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR23 1’22.071 0.716 9. 63 George Russell Mercedes W14 1’22.176 0.821 10. 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas-Ferrari VF-23 1’22.291 0.936 |
|
|
|
Post by chrisb on Sept 2, 2023 10:06:11 GMT
I haven't seen what is happening this morning, as my focus is elsewhere, but Carlos is also due some good fortune and having topped the second session maybe and as Monza has a special atmosphere to it, I mean who could forget Ayrton and Jo in what was it 88? a special magic consumes the place, ghosts of Ferrari pasts.
Ideally I would like to see McLaren win, there must be some sort of anniversary as the Guardian has printed an article including an interview with Howden Ganley and it is done quite respectfully to Bruce, which in itself for the Guardian these days is respect indeed.
Just really hope anyone wins but Max, he just seems to have an extra 100bhp compared to everyone else,
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 2, 2023 16:44:15 GMT
Wow, what an electrifying qualy! Forza Ferrari! I literally held my breath for those last laps when first Charles took pole, then Max by a few thousands and then Carlos taking pole by the smallest of margins. Great stuff. Carlos was on it all weekend en delivered when it mattered. Fantastico! Albon in the Williams looked strong all the time but fell short just a little in the end. Still a great result. The Alpha Tauris also did a good job in 11th and 12th and Liam Lawson shadowing Yuki all the time. Impressive. The race will be another story but the Ferraris do look strong on all tire compounds so hopefully they can give Max a run for his money. A Ferrari win at Monza would make up for the season so far.  |
|
|
|
Post by robmarsh on Sept 3, 2023 7:12:00 GMT
Chris it's the 60th anniversary of the McLaren team hence the articles in the media. A Ferrari 1-2 thus stopping Red Bull like they did to McLaren 35 years ago would be brilliant. It's all in the numbers.
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 3, 2023 9:30:27 GMT
Fingers crossed Rob, fingers crossed.  |
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Sept 4, 2023 0:48:43 GMT
There were some really close battles for position, apexes fiercely contested by hard contact and reckless moves under braking disallowed, but all the energy seemed to escape and lead inevitably to Verstappen on the top step of the podium.
|
|
|
|
Post by mikael on Sept 4, 2023 9:02:54 GMT
... Max, he just seems to have an extra 100bhp compared to everyone else
Yes, much water has passed under the bridge since those early days ...
I cannot help wondering what the Honda management now are thinking, in the light of this unbelievable success after they decided, in 2021, to essentially leave Formula One. At least it's good (for them) that their engines are again branded as "Honda" and not just as "Red Bull".
Of course, Max Verstappen drives absolutely brilliantly, and the Red Bull is the best car (most likely); but still, the Honda engine is fast and reliable as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 4, 2023 17:48:35 GMT
It wasn’t meant to be for Ferrari… so another Max win. Still, proud of what Ferrari showed at Monza with their all or nothing approach. And maybe a bit too exciting at the end between Charles and Carlos. But good they let them race.
I also think this race was again proof that DRS should go. The DRS effect was very low at Monza because of the low downforce setups of the cars. And that made overtaking much harder, at least for the Red Bulls. The first 12 laps were exciting. On another track, Max would have breezed past Carlos on lap 3.
|
|
|
|
Post by robmarsh on Sept 4, 2023 18:39:30 GMT
I thought Lewis Hamilton and Toto Woolfe could have been more gracious in their comments about Max' achievements. Small minded at best.
|
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Sept 4, 2023 19:51:41 GMT
I thought Lewis Hamilton and Toto Woolfe could have been more gracious in their comments about Max' achievements. Small minded at best. Rob, The well-adjusted would have been gracious, but Hamilton is perpetually infantile and I suspect Toto's more expansive but cynical mind may have focused on how Lewis would react to anything nice being said in this instance. Both teams must have diaper-changing stations in hidden recesses at every venue. |
|
|
|
Post by andyvvc on Sept 5, 2023 10:41:40 GMT
12 initial laps of great racing. Then the inevitable. However, the pitched battles between the two Ferrari's were excellent to watch  Since Spa in 1998 I've been convinced that ALL F1 races should take place in the wet. Far more thrilling (although perhaps Spa 1998 was TOO thrilling)  Mandatory sprinkler systems at all F1 circuits to force the use of Intermediate tyres (with race directors deciding when to turn them off so teams need to react laps later to switch to slicks). I may patent this idea. Does anyone have Stefano Domenicali phone number? I need to make a call |
|
|
|
Post by mikael on Sept 5, 2023 12:45:54 GMT
Since Spa in 1998 I've been convinced that ALL F1 races should take place in the wet. Far more thrilling
Looking at the present banner image of Schumacher in the early 00's (2002, it seems), and comparing with the Grand Prix car of some ten years earlier (early 90's - with proper wide tyres, just like now, once again), maybe one idea behind introducing those narrow, grooved/treaded tyres back then - rather than reducing the area of the wings - was that the cars should behave (a bit like) as if they were driving in the wet?
In hindsight, perhaps the idea actually worked? Perhaps the racing really was more spectacular back then, twenty years ago, with those narrow, grooved/treaded tyres (and before the aerodynamics got "too" advanced)?
Ferrari 1992 - with proper racing tyres
And ten years later, in 2002. Did those "skimpy" tyres give a feeling of "driving in the wet"? (relatively speaking)
Maybe the cornering speeds have become just too high to "support" proper wheel-to-wheel battles by the modern cars ...?
|
|
|
|
Post by andyvvc on Sept 6, 2023 9:39:46 GMT
You are quite correct Mikael. Those grooved, thinner tyres were indeed supposed to reduce traction and thus make races more interesting. If i recall, it was somewhat successful; but a lot of teams complained that the deg on the tyres was poor and (once the grooves had worn down) performance became slighty slick-like until the grip fell-off-a-cliff I recall Pirelli and Michelin having some decent battles in 1997 (Damon Hill at Hungary for instance: A TWR Arrows almost winning a GP - and by quite a margin too!) It's a shame there isn't a second tyre manufacturer/choice that teams could lock-into before each race to again add to variety/strategy etc. Costs were the biggest issue here if i recall with having two competing tyre manufacturers? So i doubt this will resurface anytime soon  |
|
|
|
Post by René on Sept 6, 2023 16:51:26 GMT
12 initial laps of great racing. Then the inevitable. However, the pitched battles between the two Ferrari's were excellent to watch Since Spa in 1998 I've been convinced that ALL F1 races should take place in the wet. Far more thrilling (although perhaps Spa 1998 was TOO thrilling) Mandatory sprinkler systems at all F1 circuits to force the use of Intermediate tyres (with race directors deciding when to turn them off so teams need to react laps later to switch to slicks). I may patent this idea. Does anyone have Stefano Domenicali phone number? I need to make a call Wasn't it Bernie who suggested this idea, maybe 10 or 15 years ago? Stefano's number is 0039 59 18275647. Don't call him around diner time, he always gets annoyed.   |
|
