The Motorsport Thread (Part 2)

[Blumf]

Yup, and here's some pics of why it wouldn't go through the barrier:
https://twitter.com/SomersF1/status/1302911304894681090?s=19

The other question is then, why Magnussen didn't just enter the pits instead of dumping himself just before the entrance?

[Ambient Sheep]

Because it wouldn't roll that far.  Dead as a dodo.

[Blumf]

He 'rolled' past several other marshal posts and was still rolling when he stopped (at a marshal post, not randomly because of the fault). I'm pretty sure he could have managed another 100m or so.

Not tin-foiling it, just think Magnussen made a dumb decision.

[Wonderful Butternut]

Perez to leave Racing Point / Aston Martin at the end of the season.

So Vettel in?

Or a curveball? Gasly maybe?

[Ambient Sheep]

He 'rolled' past several other marshal posts and was still rolling when he stopped (at a marshal post, not randomly because of the fault). I'm pretty sure he could have managed another 100m or so.

Not tin-foiling it, just think Magnussen made a dumb decision.

On the TV interview he said he'd tried to get it as far as the pitlane but it wouldn't go.

Have no idea if he's telling the truth, I'd have to watch the incident again.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Vettel in at Racing Point.

I think that's a bizarre move. Expensive and old, with a pretty cruddy track record in the last few seasons and question marks as to where his motivation is coming from if he was already jaded by Ferrari's failure to produce a front-running car.

By contrast Perez is 3 years younger, was happy there, was bringing in enough money from Mexico, wasn't underperforming, just doing his Perezy thing of finishing 8th then occasionally crashing and occasionally getting a podium.

I get that Racing Point think that Vettel is the man to squeeze a great result out of the car, but that seems to be based on declining evidence.

[Bently Sheds]

Perez to Alfa Romeo? He was highly regarded during his stint there when it was Sauber, grabbing a podium at Monza a few years ago. I'm sure Alfa would like his Mexian telecom sponsorship money, too.

[Bently Sheds]

Vettel's last year at Red Bull - consistently outperformed by his young, fast team-mate, regularly made mistakes/crashed.

Vettel's last year at Ferrari - consistently outperformed by his young, fast team-mate, regularly made mistakes/crashed.

[petril]

Vettel's last year in F1 - consistently outperformed by Lance Stroll, regularly made mistakes/crashed.

he's dialled into that trajectory now, that's how it ends. no big final title glorious ride into the sunset, just sat in a wet pit lane mentally checking out of the sport in Belgium in some season soon

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Perez to Alfa Romeo? He was highly regarded during his stint there when it was Sauber, grabbing a podium at Monza a few years ago. I'm sure Alfa would like his Mexian telecom sponsorship money, too.

If Ferrari can build a monster engine for next season they might leap back up the grid. Might be worth a punt for 1 season - if it doesn't work out the musical chairs might give him another drive. If not, then head to NASCAR probably.

[Ambient Sheep]

Christ, poor Perez only got a few hours' notice.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/perez-racing-point-exit-stroll-call/4871752/

Sergio Perez has revealed he only learned he would be leaving Racing Point hours before his exit was announced on Wednesday evening, saying "nobody told me anything"...

[Wonderful Butternut]

Vettel: Did we get through?
Engineer: Yes. We are P14.
Vettel: Oh.

A lot of shits given there.

[Ambient Sheep]

BBC F1 Radio coverage humorously speculating that he sounded disappointed because he won't have time to go out onto the circuit to car-watch like he did last week.

[Ambient Sheep]

RAI outqualifies VET by 4 1000ths. :-)

[georgetaylor]

What an amazing circuit, that sequence of four flat-out bends with gravel traps looks incredible.
When George went off at the second one I thought that's going to be a big accident, then he didn't even lift through the gravel trap and I thought he's definitely dead, then he regains the track and continues at full throttle through the next two flat out sweepers with gravel all over his tyres and completes the lap and beats his team mates time anyway. His reward: second to last!
Hope this circuit stays for next year, just cancel one of the other 15 boring circuits.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Ferrari now in with a serious chance of not finishing in the top 3 constructors.

[Wonderful Butternut]

They're going to have their worst constructor's finish since 1980. Even in 1992 when they had a double-floored truck of a car and one driver not at the races at all, they were still 4th.

I used to dislike Hamilton, but he's going up in my estimation by pissing off the Gammon with his BLM and Breonna Taylor t-shirts.

[Blumf]

That was fun. Could we have that track on the regular roster please? I don't think we'd always get the crashes, but the racing between the red flags was good.

Also, LOL at Raikkonen throwing a hissy fit at his +5s penalty. It was for pitting like a twat, mate.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I like parts of the track, but it does seem a bit too narrow in places.

[Ambient Sheep]

In case anybody's not heard[nb]Especially by now: I started writing this about 8 hours ago, then got distracted by CoViD-Trump and other things.[/nb], Honda are pulling out of F1 after the 2021 season, leaving Red Bull and Alpha Tauri in the shit.

According to the rules, Renault (as the engine supplier with the least customers) will have to supply them, which won't be fun for either party.

I reckon that Red Bull's best chance is to buy up the Honda engine operation (or at the very least, all their IP), then hire the currently-free ex-Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell...


Meanwhile, it also almost certainly scuppers Yuki Tsonada's previously-high chances of getting Kyvat's Alpha Tauri seat... doesn't mean that somebody else won't be getting it, though.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Saw that. What a truly odd few years of unrewarding hassle for Honda then. I guess they know a bit more about how to uncrease engine efficiency. Does that make it all worth it?

Honda should totally divest the IP and let someone else run with it, but are there any entities, outside big car manufacturers, able to deliver?

[Blumf]

Coventry Climax?

[Wonderful Butternut]

Brian Hart could surely be brought out of retireme- oh wait, he's dead. Nevermind.

[petril]

Saw that. What a truly odd few years of unrewarding hassle for Honda then. I guess they know a bit more about how to uncrease engine efficiency. Does that make it all worth it?

Honda should totally divest the IP and let someone else run with it, but are there any entities, outside big car manufacturers, able to deliver?

are Mugen still kicking about?

[Bently Sheds]

Honda should totally divest the IP and let someone else run with it, but are there any entities, outside big car manufacturers, able to deliver?

If I were Lawrence Stroll I'd buy Honda's IP & brand it Aston Martin, that would force Red Bull to go grovelling cap in hand back to Renault; the miserable, whining shits.

[Blumf]

Cosworth has worked with Honda on the NSX engine. Maybe they could pick up the F1 stuff and return.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Cosworth has worked with Honda on the NSX engine. Maybe they could pick up the F1 stuff and return.

I would enjoy it if we went back to an early 90s format with cheap entry (perhaps better regs and scrutiny though) lots of teams and engines involved. It would be good for the sport if the major manufactures sent out their IPs and a fixed price was agreed for manufacturing drive trains (if necessary) while all these tuning companies got involved. It seems like this engine formula has cleaved the biggest gap between the big manufacturers and the small ones now. Honda's inability to gain parity with the established engine manufacturers for 4 years is proof of that. Hardly like Honda weren't well financed.

Right now, Renault ought to have a pretty good hand in negotiations with Red Bull and with Formula 1 in generally.

[Bently Sheds]

Horner & Marko are putting the case of buying the Honda IP to Red Bull owner Mateschitz. Allegedly.

[Wonderful Butternut]

Top bantz in karting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoJQ5XzIGs8&ab_channel=DonutMedia

[Alberon]

What a wanker. He permanently quit the sport before he could get chucked out. I think his dad owns the circuit so the spoiled little turd will be fine.