The Official F1 Thread

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Special mention to Stroll for losing it on the warm up, then driving into the gravel trap. What a fucking muppet.

Very Alain Prost-esque.

[fishfoodie]

The Omni-shambles caused by MBS's F1 Leadership has now started fucking up races, as him kicking out the experienced Race Directory & replacing them with a rookie fucks up Ferraris tilt at the constructors

[Guy Smiley]

Absolutely farcical. Who could see that coming?

[fishfoodie]

Absolutely farcical. Who could see that coming?

With all the penalties drivers will get for not slowing under the yellows, it'll be next week before we know the result.

There's no way Norris is alone

[Guy Smiley]

Absolutely farcical. Who could see that coming?

With all the penalties drivers will get for not slowing under the yellows, it'll be next week before we know the result.

There's no way Norris is alone

Coming on the tail end of MBS telling the drivers that the way he runs the FIA is none of their business.

What a clusterfuck.

[fishfoodie]

Absolutely farcical. Who could see that coming?

With all the penalties drivers will get for not slowing under the yellows, it'll be next week before we know the result.

There's no way Norris is alone

Coming on the tail end of MBS telling the drivers that the way he runs the FIA is none of their business.

What a clusterfuck.

He's just a complete cunt of an individual; & he has the emotional intelligence of a SS guard.

[assfly]

A very entertaining race, if nothing else!

[Guy Smiley]

With all the penalties drivers will get for not slowing under the yellows, it'll be next week before we know the result.

There's no way Norris is alone

Coming on the tail end of MBS telling the drivers that the way he runs the FIA is none of their business.

What a clusterfuck.

He's just a complete cunt of an individual; & he has the emotional intelligence of a SS guard.

Piastri seems to agree...

https://dubz.co/c/ad47b9

[fishfoodie]

Coming on the tail end of MBS telling the drivers that the way he runs the FIA is none of their business.

What a clusterfuck.

He's just a complete cunt of an individual; & he has the emotional intelligence of a SS guard.

Piastri seems to agree...

https://dubz.co/c/ad47b9

Good on ya Oscar

[Guy Smiley]

2 outlets (Canal+ in France and Sky Germany) reporting Checo is gorn from Red Bull and Lawson has the seat. Could well just be both quoting from the same source and it's as yet unconfirmed. There's been so much chat out of the paddock relating to Checo going that it seems to be a foregone concusion, while his results haven't done anything to support his claim to the spot.

Has to be the most toxic team environment in top level motorsport.

[sturginho]

2 outlets (Canal+ in France and Sky Germany) reporting Checo is gorn from Red Bull and Lawson has the seat. Could well just be both quoting from the same source and it's as yet unconfirmed. There's been so much chat out of the paddock relating to Checo going that it seems to be a foregone concusion, while his results haven't done anything to support his claim to the spot.

Has to be the most toxic team environment in top level motorsport.

How long will they give Lawson before ditching him?

[Sandstorm]

2 outlets (Canal+ in France and Sky Germany) reporting Checo is gorn from Red Bull and Lawson has the seat. Could well just be both quoting from the same source and it's as yet unconfirmed. There's been so much chat out of the paddock relating to Checo going that it seems to be a foregone concusion, while his results haven't done anything to support his claim to the spot.

Has to be the most toxic team environment in top level motorsport.

How long will they give Lawson before ditching him?

First time he out-qualifies Max?

[Guy Smiley]

Some sort of stage managed season launch held at the O2 arena last night... teams not allowed to leak livery details beforehand, a red carpet, etc etc. In a NZ claiming relevance on the world stage themed post, my man Liam Lawson dropped in straight from the milking shed at home....



In other news, MBS continues with his personal campaign to FUCK around with the sport like a FUCKwit, the FIA have announced penalties for swearing on team radio that could escalate as far as banning radios. On top of all the on track action, this season is going to provide no shortage of personality based drama with this persistent egomaniac getting in the way of a good time. My money says Verstappen will refuse interviews and the like with others to follow.

[Insane_Homer]

Day 1 of 3 pre-season testing started today.

[Enzedder]

Well, that sucks. First race of the season and Red Bull cannot even present a workable car to Liam Lawson.

Official practice has finished and he managed 2 laps in a misfiring car.

[sturginho]

Ferrari 7th and 8th on the grid, it's gonna be a long year

[Sandstorm]

Ferrari 7th and 8th on the grid, it's gonna be a long year

Yup, Lewis will spend many laps trying to get passed the rookie who took his vacant Merc seat.

[Slick]

Ferrari 7th and 8th on the grid, it's gonna be a long year

Yup, Lewis will spend many laps trying to get passed the rookie who took his vacant Merc seat.

My boy is just getting into it this year and is expecting Lewis to clean up. Could be tough keeping him interested!

[sturginho]

12 hours of sebring starting now, depending on how badly the rugby goes I may have to switch over

[Enzedder]

That was a bloody interesting race. Tactics, skill and luck all combine - and McLaren picks up the first one. Yes!!

Thought Red Bull were so dumb leaving Lawson out on slicks in the rain.

[Sandstorm]

Several rookies found out that F1 is harder than it looks!!

[Insane_Homer]

Several rookies found out that F1 is harder than it looks!!

+ Sainz and Alonso making them feel better...

[Sandstorm]

Ferrari starting 2025 tactically the way they played 2024 and lost. Muppets.

[fishfoodie]

Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 alongside LeClerc.

Ferrari back office continues to look for bigger guns to shot at their feet .....

WTF does Hamilton bring ?

And aged driver, who for the last couple of years has struggled to beat his co-driver, on the same equipment. He should have just retired with some dignity when Verstappen won.

If Ferrari wanted to poach anyone from Merc, it should have been people from the back office to fix the continual fuckups on strategy, or to get their drivers heads in the zone.

* cough *

[assfly]

I thought that was a great race. Rain always adds to the drama, and luck plays a big part.

McLaren look good. Very mature drive from Norris; if it was 2024 or 2023 he would have lost his nerve at the end.

Mercedes also look pretty solid.

[Enzedder]

I thought that was a great race. Rain always adds to the drama, and luck plays a big part.

McLaren look good. Very mature drive from Norris; if it was 2024 or 2023 he would have lost his nerve at the end.

Mercedes also look pretty solid.

Absolutely. A test of skills, tactics, ability to think on their feet with a nice amount of luck as well.

[Enzedder]

McLaren win - Red Bull don't.

F1 are not going to have that.

FIA announce major rule change ahead of Chinese Grand Prix
However, ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, the distance has been reduced to 0.5mm.

An official statement from the FIA read: "Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.

"More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm."

It continued: "From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit. The Teams were informed of this revised test early Monday 17th of March.

"The FIA wishes to further confirm that during the Melbourne event all cars tested against the requirements of Article 3.15.17 and found to comply, therefore all cars raced in Melbourne were deemed to be legal."

[Kawazaki]

McLaren win - Red Bull don't.

F1 are not going to have that.

FIA announce major rule change ahead of Chinese Grand Prix
However, ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, the distance has been reduced to 0.5mm.

An official statement from the FIA read: "Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.

"More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm."

It continued: "From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit. The Teams were informed of this revised test early Monday 17th of March.

"The FIA wishes to further confirm that during the Melbourne event all cars tested against the requirements of Article 3.15.17 and found to comply, therefore all cars raced in Melbourne were deemed to be legal."

These cars produce far more than 75kgs of downforce though don't they?

[Big D]

Eddie Jordan has passed away. One of the sports characters.

[Yeeb]

[sturginho]

RIP Eddie, some of my favourite F1 memories from back in the day involved that yellow car, it really was a thing of beauty

[Yeeb]

RIP Eddie, some of my favourite F1 memories from back in the day involved that yellow car, it really was a thing of beauty

Wasn’t the first Jordan to have airbags fitted as well as a black box

[Hugo]

That 7Up Jordan was one of the iconic F1 cars and was of course where Michael Schumacher got his start in F1 1991.

Over the past few years I seem to recall seeing Eddie at so many sporting events when the camera panned to the crowd. Maybe my brain is over exaggerating that memory but it seems he was living his best life.

[fishfoodie]

That 7Up Jordan was one of the iconic F1 cars and was of course where Michael Schumacher got his start in F1 1991.

Over the past few years I seem to recall seeing Eddie at so many sporting events when the camera panned to the crowd. Maybe my brain is over exaggerating that memory but it seems he was living his best life.

Yeah I got to see it up close in '91 when they launched, & were at a car show in the RDS; it was beautiful.

He was a real charmer & one of those people who remembers every name, & personal detail, & while living life to the full, he didn't neglect the important things in life, like family & friends.

[fishfoodie]

Ferrari shambles continues; both cars DQ'ed for technical transgressions

[Biffer]

Ferrari shambles continues; both cars DQ'ed for technical transgressions

Hilarious isn't it

[Guy Smiley]

2 outlets (Canal+ in France and Sky Germany) reporting Checo is gorn from Red Bull and Lawson has the seat. Could well just be both quoting from the same source and it's as yet unconfirmed. There's been so much chat out of the paddock relating to Checo going that it seems to be a foregone concusion, while his results haven't done anything to support his claim to the spot.

Has to be the most toxic team environment in top level motorsport.

How long will they give Lawson before ditching him?

First time he out-qualifies Max?

Not even....

holy shit, what do they do if Tsunoda struggles?

Tox Ick

[Thor Sedan]

How long will they give Lawson before ditching him?

First time he out-qualifies Max?

Not even....

holy shit, what do they do if Tsunoda struggles?

Tox Ick

I hope Yuki does struggle. Partly because it will prove that Red Bull as a team is the issue - and that Lawson is a good driver.

If Lawson does well back in the RB - I wonder if another team might come calling - Aston Martin?

[Guy Smiley]

Red Bull are a sick joke, I hope Lawson can find a way to exit that mess. Can't see Aston replacing Stroll (who has managed some good laps this season so far) while Alonso is probably assured of a seat as long as he wants it... the other teams have shored up their young talent so there aren't really any spots that stand out unless...

Cadillac.

As for Yuki, his behaviour over the Ricciardo situation leaves me cold on him, good luck to him but fuck him as well. That RB seems to be a really highly strung package developed around the concept of drivers like Max and probably suffers from his input to the package, by that I mean he seems to operate in a very intense, narrow margin type of way that others struggle to emulate.

I remember when Mick Doohan arrived in the HondaGP outfit way back in the day and Gardner had been the main influence in the bike's development. It was a brutal pig of a thing that handled more like a rodeo bull than a GP bike and Doohan's feedback (and superior talent) soon had massive improvement in the bike and race wins... I think RB are at a similar juncture with machine development, they've had a Newey concept and a superb driver combine in a refinement process that has delivered something no-one else can use properly. Of course, Yuki could go out there and slay it to prove me wrong, I'm just guessing from the couch, but fuck RB and Horner and the whole toxic shambles.

[fishfoodie]

Red Bull are a sick joke, I hope Lawson can find a way to exit that mess. Can't see Aston replacing Stroll (who has managed some good laps this season so far) while Alonso is probably assured of a seat as long as he wants it... the other teams have shored up their young talent so there aren't really any spots that stand out unless...

Cadillac.

As for Yuki, his behaviour over the Ricciardo situation leaves me cold on him, good luck to him but fuck him as well. That RB seems to be a really highly strung package developed around the concept of drivers like Max and probably suffers from his input to the package, by that I mean he seems to operate in a very intense, narrow margin type of way that others struggle to emulate.

I remember when Mick Doohan arrived in the HondaGP outfit way back in the day and Gardner had been the main influence in the bike's development. It was a brutal pig of a thing that handled more like a rodeo bull than a GP bike and Doohan's feedback (and superior talent) soon had massive improvement in the bike and race wins... I think RB are at a similar juncture with machine development, they've had a Newey concept and a superb driver combine in a refinement process that has delivered something no-one else can use properly. Of course, Yuki could go out there and slay it to prove me wrong, I'm just guessing from the couch, but fuck RB and Horner and the whole toxic shambles.

It's a pretty common story for the Lead Driver/Rider to suck all the oxygen out of the team, & the 2nd driver to be screwed, until that day when the lead driver is out of the picture & they get full focus.

Why did they catapult Lawson straight into the lead team, when they were in the happy position of always having their academy & sister team ?

They should have promoted Yuki, & moved Lawson into the sister team so he could get up to speed in F1.