dkmura

iTrader: (64)

After watching a replay of the Singapore GP, I came to appreciate the way Carlos Sainz won that race. While the Ferrari was fast, he realized he was vulnerable to the undercut, or early pit stop by the opposition if he pulled away too soon. In the latter stages of the race, he called for precise interval timing to Lando's McLaren so he could keep the field bunched up behind him. This meant none of his pursuers could pit early and come out without losing too many positions. Sainz had to drive fast, but not too fast, to keep Norris behind him and allow him a bit of DRS to keep the Mercedes team from overtaking the McLaren and putting pressure on him. It seems all the teams were aware of this strategy, but none could come up with an alternative to this tactic.

Chess on wheels- I love it!

In the end, the tightly packed set of cars had only one casualty. George Russell made a mistake and clipped a wall on corner entry that sent him into a barrier and out of the race. This was a well-driven and judged race by Carlos Sainz and he deserved the win. It was also a demonstration of how modern F1 rules and cars can be used by a skilled driver to take a win that might not have been possible without a deliberate (and precise) driving strategy.

Escobar

iTrader: (27)

yes that was a awesome race for sure. George gave it everything and I think just got lulled into the car in front and clipped the wall. I love how nobody knew who was going to win the race, unlike the last 20 or whatever with max winning everything. Hopefully this continues. Sainz and lando on podium was refreshing.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Order restored in Japan. Verstappen and RBR take pole with McLarens in 2nd and 3rd. Suzuka seems to suit the RB19 well and they and Honda could clinch the Constructors title here.

MicVelo

Hmmmm, might just watch it now that King Max is on the verge of three straight. 🤣

MicVelo

Anti-climactic but.... Congrats Red Bull Racing. Guess Max will have to wait a couple of weeks.

What kind of irritates me is that the US rounds of F1 are now both after the championship is (or will be) decided; with this being a foregone conclusion that Max "can't lose" it.

But it would be interesting if he falters in the next few rounds to give others an actual mathematical shot of shooting past him in points and creating some real race tension. But given the low likelihood of that, guess all the attention will now focus on the championship positions behind him.

On other notes....

- There's been talk about driver changes (this thread was created during Silly Season), I would love to see Lando racing on RBR with Max. They're good buddies and Lando, IMO, is one of the best "competitive drivers in a somewhat non-competitive car" although McLaren has been redeeming itself this season. Lando would give Max some real competition, unlike Perez. Nothing against Checo, just the thought of a Verstappen/Norris team up intrigues me.

- Glad to see that Alfa Romeo finally inked a deal with Zhou. He's an immensely talented driver that hasn't been given enough credit, IMO.

- Mixed feelings about the Alphatauri squad for '24. No, not Tsunoda I'm referring to - I believe he's proven his value to the team. It's about Ricciardo. Don't get me wrong, he was my favorite F1 driver for many years. But that's the thing.... "many years". I'm still skeptical about his move between teams for so long. And frankly, not sure if he's the right choice, particularly given Lawson's performances in the wake of the Honey Badger's injuries.

- Then there's Team Daddy's kid Lance. Go pursue your tennis career. Snort snort.

- And Mercedes-AMG.... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..... just go away. Hahahahaha.

Why yes, I'm opinionated, why do you ask?

Escobar

iTrader: (27)

I get your not a mercedes fan but we need them for competition. Its trash to know the outcome of every race before it beings and max have a 200 point lead in the standings with several races to go. 2021 was the best year I can remember in F1 due to him and lewis going at it. Love or hate him he gave max a run for his money and made the races interesting. With max 20+ seconds ahead every race it sucks to watch. The midfield is where all the action is lol

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Hey, I love Mic's opinions on F1- gives us something to talk about here besides wheel specs and "why is my car BROKE and will you FIX it from behind a keyboard" threads. But let me throw out a few opinions of my own- first, it's been a forgone conclusion for quite awhile that Max Verstappen would win a third straight driver's title this year. Heck, he's got a 175 point lead over his teammate with six races to go! I'm curious to see if this will cool ticket sales in Austin and Vegas a bit. Probably not, as F1 has become a "lifestyle" type event and is marketed as such. Still, unless we delve into Sergio Perez's deepest dreams, there's no way he's gonna catch Max for the title this year.

And on that topic, I still think Perez remains a good match for the RBR team. While not a pure driving match for Max, he is usually consistent enough to score points while not being an actual threat to him for the championship. Yes, he says all the right things about "fighting for the championship", but after three seasons, it looks like he's happy just to be a RBR driver. His salary isn't a problem and he does all the public appearances the team wants. As for Lando, McLaren isn't going to let him walk anytime soon, and he seems to get along well with Oscar Piastri (who isn't a bust as a rookie). Both teammates are quick, but haven't developed a grudge feud that can tear apart a team. That could happen if you team Senna/Prost, I mean Verstappen/Norris.

With the Sauber name reappearing for 2024, I wonder if Zhou is still bringing some huge funding from Chinese sponsors, or is it really his driving talent they're trying to nurture? I thought Audi (new name for the cam covers) might want to give a recognizable German driver like Mick Schumacher a chance.

I do agree with Mic on the second Alpha Tauri seat. Get Lawson in there ASAP. Same for the Aston Martin F1 team, I think they need to move on from Lance, no matter what daddy says. But Mercedes F1 remains a legitimate threat in this series, with two good drivers and a capable design staff. Don't write 'em off so easily, Mic!

BTW- I'm glad there's no longer any Infiniti badging on the Alpine, nee' Renault, team cars. Their results didn't improve after sacking their former team manager, Omar Szafnauer, who'd been busy working to set them up for future success.

MicVelo

HOORAY MAX!!!

(Like we didn't know #3 was pretty much a foregone conclusion. Haha!)

Oh, and you guys got me all wrong. Mad respect for Lewis and, for that matter, anyone who's worked up through the Formulas and EARNED their coveted seat amongst the 20, er, 22 seats in the F1 circus! But, doesn't mean I can't root against the (perceived) whiners among them. Haha!

I mean, you'd think I'd be all about PETRONAS AMG what with having owned three of them but when I listen to Toto (and their drivers) casting shade, uh, just can't get behind them.

And, while he's proving himself well (especially with a sprint win now), I'm still not a fan (nor likely ever will be) of Piastri due to his team diss last year. Yeah, the grudge is strong with this one. 🤡

In any event, with only a few races left, it will be interesting to me to see how many of them will go to Max. And actually would like to see Ham, Lando, and Fernando take a W. I mean, variety and all that. 🐥

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Yeah- clinching the driver's title with five races left is reason enough for celebration, but also means F1 rules have not been as successful in bringing parity to the sport. We all got bored with the Mercedes period of domination, and now RBR-Honda and Verstappen are getting to the same spot. I too, hope we'll see some variety of winners in the remaining races, but won't be surprised if Max takes them all.

MicVelo

I woke up and looked up results and saw that indeed, LewHam won!!!! Went on and on with wife and friends about my being right!!!

Yup, Ham beat Max!!!






In 2021.

Doy! I hate Google for making me (look) stupeed.

Then there was me cursing the network for changing the broadcast network Qatar was on so my VCR service failed to record it!!! "Wait!! Whudya mean it starts in five minutes?!?"

Oh.

On my game today obvously. 🤣

MicVelo

So, just curious..... anybody going to Vegas or COTA?

My wife asked me why we weren't going.

Honestly, have no desire to sit in a grandstand seat and watch the cars go zipping by on one small section of track. We did that in Europe. Ended up leaving our seats, paying the extra to roam the paddock area (and that was only to the limited areas spectators were allowed to go). SOOOOO not worth it. Unlike Indycar or IMSA or just about any other form of motorsport where you're free to roam about anywhere, F1 is indeed the "pinnacle of motorsports". Fancy phrase for "elitism".

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Honestly, why would you want to go to COTA or Vegas when you have much better coverage from TV? That's the conundrum of F1 today- it's become so BIG commercially that the only ones with a truly unique (and possibly better) view are the team or FIA guests in the pits. Checking those tickets reveals they are about $15K if they're available at all. My wife Kathy thinks she can schmooze her way in, and I just say I'll be waiting outside the fence when they throw her out!

On my last trip to Europe, I noticed excellent F1 TV coverage from multiple channels. I particularly liked watching German TV to see more in-depth coverage of German drivers and marques, Same for French and, of course Sky TV, for UK drivers and teams. What about modern F1 in the USA, you ask? Gotta be a high-roller in Vegas to get a decent seat, although one of my racing buddies is going to COTA next week on a grounds pass. COTA has multiple good places on the track where you can see quite a bit, but it can be packed.

Yeah Mic, it may be "elitism", but in the US it's still dressed up as "get rich quick" and commercialism at it' finest (and lowest).

MicVelo

Wholeheartedly agree on all points.

Especially the last one.... I'm curious to know just how much Vegas expects to make out of this. Unlike COTA, with its infrastructure (track, facilities, stands, etc) all in place already (and year 'round), Vegas is putting big money INTO hosting the temporary race and I do hope that they come out of it making some big dollars to keep it on the F1 calendar. And not have it just disappear like it did the last time they hosted F1 way back in 1981ish - when it was a stupid "parking lot grand prix" with the lamest course ever designed.... kind of like a very fast slalom/autoX course for Formula cars in the Caesar's parking lot.

There is something about attending an F1 race live - the environment, the sounds, the people watching - but having gone to Long Beach, Vegas, Europe F1s, I have no desire to ever go again because as David said, coverage is better on TV.... at least for the people who watch it as race fans and not viewed as a "spectacle to behold". Laff....

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Mic- you know Vegas, they've done all the calculations and they'll make their money back. No worries there!

Speaking of past Grand Prix, The last one I attended was way back in 1983 when the USGP was held in Detroit. A grounds pass not only allowed you to walk most of the circuit, it also allowed you to watch the teams work on their cars in Cobo Hall. That was back in the days when mechanics would strip down the chassis and drop the titanium nuts and bolts on the floor. They also held impromptu "auctions" of damaged body parts (like wings and noses) to help fund the after race party for the teams. SCCA had the TransAm as a support race, so road race fans really got some bang for the buck. Now it's like the NFL, NBA or NHL, do you really want to spend those kind of bucks to sit in the rafters?

MicVelo

Exactly. Back before they figured out they could charge $10 grand to afford an up close and personal with real people. 🤣

MicVelo

Well, in less than a day, the F1 circus will hit the new Las Vegas "track" for the first time with FP1 starting at 10:30pm PST.

I'll say that this race just seems to be a big show (as drivers have said) with night sessions starting at the weirdest times (to advantage the lighting of the strip and the nightlife in full swing.) And, never mind the fact that those poor cars will likely be on a slip n' slide, rather than a race track. Haha. But ya, with night time ambient temps in the low 40s (F, single digits in C!), long straightaways, not much turning challenge, those Pirellis are gonna be mighty unhappy never reaching temperature. Watch that first turn on lap 1, fellas.

I am at least glad that they didn't repeat the debacle that was the Caesar's Palace Grand Prix of 1981-2, That was run on a makeshift track on the backlot of Caesar's Palace, causing it to become known as the "Parking Lot Grand Prix of Las Vegas". I went to the first one in '81 and while it was, IMO, more fun to watch in person then (as compared to now) because of the availability of going into the paddock, inclusive access to all areas. I still have my doubts about this event being a success and providing enough profits to keep it alive beyond the contracted couple of years. There's talk of it being contracted to 2030 but I doubt it will run that long. I'll say this: I hope they prove me wrong.

Friends are surprised I'm not going, given it's an hour flight and prices have come down on accommodations and such; but honestly, going to this event and being locked into one seat in a single grandstand unless I pay for access to many more areas, I have no interest in watching one part of the track. My comparo.... at least when I go see the Indycar Finale at Laguna Seca, I'm all over the track, in/out of the paddock, up close and relatively personal to drivers/teams. Go to Vegas and go to one grandstand.

But either way, like it or not, the spectacle goes on and I'll be recording it because when the actual race goes on, I'll be at the areana watching/listening to Gabriel Iglesias instead. Will watch F1 on Sunday morning after I read the results. Laff...

i8acobra

iTrader: (6)

Vegas is demonstrating that F1 is the new Sport of Kings, replacing horse racing. The cheapest race day tickets are $1300. Some VIP packages were being sold for as much as $1M. All 3 of our airports are sold out for FBO private plane slots. I'll be working late Saturday, so I won't even see it on TV. Can't wait until Monday.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Checked with one of my Las Vegas friends, who said they've been avoiding the strip all week (and into the weekend) due to construction and running of the race. He also mentioned all the other sporting events (football, hockey, etc.) going on at the same time as the GP, so this weekend will be busy.

MicVelo

Was going to ask how it was all going for the locals, Aaron, News coverage say the "local residents are pi$$ed at the delays and constant construction", which was an obvious factor when first discussed. Admirable that the organizers pulled it off (so far). I usually don't bother recording FP1 (or 2 or 3) because no care; but this time, I want to watch the first dalliances on track just to get a feel for the circuit (versus all of the simulator coverage). Apparently not a driver challenging track but still interested in seeing how it all comes together going through streets I'm familiar with (having spent quite a while on the "tech show" circuit in town).

There's talk that Williams might actually contend for podium or at least top 5 given that they're fast on the straights with dog-slow speed in turns. (Well, Albon, anyways; appears Sargeant is driving himself out of a ride similar to DeVries and Mazepin)

So, in a typical MicTangent, gotta say that I like Alex Albon and really think he got a raw deal at RBR (as a driver for Toro Rosso and then RBR itself) but at least was able to land at Williams. To me, he is a leading contender but unfortunately, saddled with being part of a mid-pack team. This is the case with several other drivers whose full potential is "unrecognized" because of team, not talent. Look at Fernando. While at Aston Martin, he did a great job during the first half of this season; driving the wheels off his car(s) around the likes of Russell and Hamilton. And speaking of Lewis, his results this year, while promising, actually demonstrate something I've wondered about during the Hamilton years... would be be as good in a mid-pack car? No doubt he's worthy of the seven (six if Felipe Massa has his way) championships but the TotoTeam's cars have sadly fallen almost out of contention. And this also illustrates that while Max is obviously very talented, he also has the benefit of a superior car.

Enough idle and opinionated ruminating (bench racing as it were).

Final comment until the end of this weekend's action.... Bring on the Andretti F1 Team. That should make things interesting. The Cadillac car is (at least on paper) going to be an interesting addition to the mix. That, along with all the engine changes coming, time for F1 to get interesting!

i8acobra

iTrader: (6)

Yep. Local media keeps talking about the millions of dollars it's bringing to the city, but the locals are all out of f***s. Locals keep asking what we're specifically getting out of this and the best answer we can get is, well the casinos will make millions and they pay taxes and pay the workers. Well, they'd still pay the workers even without F1 and the taxes they pay are insignificant compared to the headache it causes. Local media is very out of touch with local sentiment. It's enough to think someone threatened their ad revenue if they speak out.