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Post by René on Apr 3, 2024 15:54:38 GMT
 It takes some getting used to, but this year the Japanese Grand Prix will be held early in the year. But bundled with Australia and China, this makes sense from a logistics and environmental point of view.  The beautiful Suzuka circuit will certainly make it clear how the balance of power lies between the teams. Red Bull is of course the favourite, but it will be interesting to see how close Ferrari actually comes. Analysis of the Australian Grand Prix showed that Ferrari would probably have won the race even with Verstappen still in it. But Suzuka is a completely different circuit with different conditions, so it remains to be seen. This of course also applies to McLaren, which scored well here last year with two podium places. And for Mercedes it seems to be a matter of waiting to see how the 'diva' behaves. It is actually incredible that the Mercedes engineers have not really mastered the ground effect principle for the third season in a row.  ___ Suzuka 2024 also marks two important moments at this track that took place 10 years ago. Although later in the year, but still. First, the tragic and ultimately fatal accident of Jules Bianchi. Let's not forget Jules. A great talent with a bright future ahead of him. He had already tested for Ferrari several times and it seemed only a matter of time before he would be a Scuderia Ferrari driver. Let's hope that Charles Leclerc, Jules' godson, can win that coveted title with Ferrari. For Jules.  And then 2014 was also Max Verstappen's debut year. It seems unbelievable, but it has been ten years since a 17-year-old Max drove the FP1 session for ToroRosso at Suzuka. The rest is history as they say...  |
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Post by René on Apr 5, 2024 8:40:01 GMT
Not much going on in Japan so far. Verstappen fastest in FP1 and damp conditions in FP2 made for almost no running. Unfortunately, Logan Sargeant crashed quite heavily in FP1 damaging the Williams’s gearbox. They say the chassis is okay. I don’t think Logan will set the F1 world on fire any time soon but I do believe he is better than this. This must be in his head, the pressure is getting to him and I can’t see him keeping his seat for next season if he doesn’t perform a few miracles. He brings a lot of money though…  |
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Post by Carl on Apr 5, 2024 18:41:30 GMT
Logan Sargeant may have a complementary element somewhere, but it's not Formula One. A change is necessary for all concerned, but he has nothing to do with the overall failure at Williams, a derelict team kept alive by artificial ventilation and the desperate pipedreams of management and sponsors.
Money is padding someone's bottom line while leading to insolvency for a team that should consider dissolution.
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Post by René on Apr 5, 2024 19:14:13 GMT
I couldn't have said it better, Carl.  I saw Logan drive at Spa in GP2 a few years back and he drove pretty well. But it's clear he's not good enough for F1. And Williams, I don’t know. It’s not the ‘real’ Williams team anymore but it would still be a shame if they were to be dissolved. |
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Post by René on Apr 5, 2024 19:16:51 GMT
Charles wears a Jules Bianchi tribute helmet this weekend.  |
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Post by mikael on Apr 5, 2024 20:32:43 GMT
Charles wears a Jules Bianchi tribute helmet this weekend.
Very nice indeed; but all those special-occasion helmets continue to puzzle me. It's 20 years ago now that the sales-price for a F1-standard helmet (e.g. Shoei's premium-level helmet - the best you could buy) was 10.000 USD (approximately). It must be much more now, considering the non-negligible inflation ... So just one new helmet is quite an expense.
But perhaps all those special-occasion helmets are sold at auctions, making it a good business in the end ...? (Or are some helmets just repainted ...? I wouldn't think so ...)
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Post by Carl on Apr 6, 2024 0:54:58 GMT
It makes perfect sense on several levels that Charles Leclerc would honor his friend and mentor, Jules Bianchi, with a special helmet at Suzuka, a tribute emblematic of love and emotion.
Most are tributes to frivolous insignificance. Compare the expense to that of the plain white helmet with blue tape accents applied by the driver in the banner image, seven times Grand Prix motorcycle world champion and 1964 Formula One world champion, John Surtees. There's been no change in the importance of achievement in motorsport since then. What's changed is the amount of money tossed around like penny candy.
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Post by mikael on Apr 6, 2024 8:52:27 GMT
Compare the expense to that of the plain white helmet with blue tape accents applied by the driver in the banner image, seven times Grand Prix motorcycle world champion and 1964 Formula One world champion, John Surtees. There's been no change in the importance of achievement in motorsport since then. What's changed is the amount of money tossed around like penny candy.
Indeed!
Yes; and even top Grand Prix drivers continued using their helmets until they (the helmets) were completely battered and almost looked like "rags" ...
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Post by robmarsh on Apr 6, 2024 9:39:17 GMT
I don't think that drivers were that worried about safety in those days, may have been due to lack of awareness or just that the chances of surviving an accident big enough to damage one's head were very slim anyway.
I think JYS was the first to realise the importance of having a proper helmet and looking after it. I know if he dropped his helmet he replaced it during the last few years of his career.
When I was karting, back in the mid eighties, we had a saying if you value your head at 50c then buy a 50c helmet. In those days if you dropped the helmet we replaced it.
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Post by René on Apr 6, 2024 19:16:16 GMT
Great posts and all good points! Nothing to add, except that the image that Carl posted of Surtees's helmet is actually a 1:5 scale model and I have it in my collection (and a few others)  . _ Well, Max on pole with Checo right behind. A bit disappointing qualifying for Ferrari and certainly Leclerc but not all is lost. Ferrari's race simulation was very strong again in free practice, actually the strongest so who knows. Lewis seems back in form now he has a new engine and great to see Yuki doing well in front of his fans. Go Yuki!  Sunday's grid1 Max VERSTAPPEN 1:28.197 2 Sergio PEREZ +0.066 3 Lando NORRIS +0.292 4 Carlos SAINZ +0.485 5 Fernando ALONSO +0.489 6 Oscar PIASTRI +0.563 7 Lewis HAMILTON +0.569 8 Charles LECLERC +0.589 9 George RUSSELL +0.811 10 Yuki TSUNODA +1.216 11 Daniel RICCIARDO 1:29.472 12 Nico HULKENBERG 1:29.494 13 Valtteri BOTTAS 1:29.593 14 Alexander ALBON 1:29.714 15 Esteban OCON 1:29.816 16 Lance STROLL 1:30.024 17 Pierre GASLY 1:30.119 18 Kevin MAGNUSSEN 1:30.131 19 Logan SARGEANT 1:30.139 20 Guanyu ZHOU 1:30.811 |
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Post by Carl on Apr 7, 2024 20:06:23 GMT
Because I had low expectations, I wasn't greatly disappointed by the race. The early graphic on Sky TV labeled "Race Strategy" focused only on tyre choices and pit stop timing, which says it all. Drivers are to maintain a fast pace in order that clever team strategy puts them in position to pass someone else. The cut and thrust of outbraking someone into a turn has become undercutting with a dull blade. I was more entertained by the cheering Japanese fans dressed in support of their favorites, pretty girls wanting a photograph and smaller kids with a sign explaining to their teacher that they're studying F1 Less charming was an apparently hungover Toto Wolff perched on his stool and Christian Horner's shifty eyes revealing self-awareness of disgrace. If David Croft had been struck dumb falling from the ferris wheel, the rogue's gallery podium would have been complete. |
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Post by Carl on Apr 8, 2024 17:27:09 GMT
We have to admire our administrator for his devotion and also sympathize. It can't be easy to love Ferrari 
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Post by René on Apr 9, 2024 17:50:30 GMT
We have to admire our administrator for his devotion and also sympathize. It can't be easy to love Ferrari It’s easy to love Ferrari, Carl. There simply is no other (car) brand and racing team more evocative, beautiful, melancholic, sensual, classy and successful than Ferrari. But yes, this also comes with drama and pain. All part of the passion and beauty. As I told here many times before, the first season that I followed from start to finish and also the first year I actually visited a race track, was 1979. A very successful year for Ferrari in Formula One. Jody Scheckter World Champion, Gilles Villeneuve second and Ferrari constructors champion. On top of the world. I had no idea then that I had to wait 21 years for another driver’s title, 21 years. My support for the team never wavered though. I love this team. And when they do win…   |
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Post by René on Apr 9, 2024 17:55:18 GMT
And oh, by the way, Ferrari did a good job in Japan. Qualifying was a bit disappointing but the race was executed very well by both drivers. Fred Vasseur will lead this team to new title success. I have no doubt. |
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Post by mikael on Apr 9, 2024 19:13:22 GMT
It's thought-provoking, also, that Ferrari have managed to remain successful with base in Italy while otherwise, all of the Formula One know-how has become concentrated in England, essentially, over the years. Even a proud German company like Mercedes-Benz, and a proud American company like Haas, have base in England. There is just Red Bull's "junior team" (also in Italy) as "the exception that proves the rule". I find it interesting to muse on that Toyota - for some reason or another - chose to place their F1 base in Germany, investigated massive in it - and failed quite badly (as it is generally agreed, considering the magnitude of the investment).
In recent years, on the engine side, Honda developed their F1 engine in Japan (mainly, at least), and managed to obtain great success, eventually. I do find this very impressive. (In this relation, it's my understanding that Mercedes developed their F1 (V6 hybrid) engine also in England.)
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