2023 Formula 1 Season thread

[Pezimak]

Sports always sells, it's why Sky have poured billions into it over the years for media rights. Only their business model is so outdated and a rip off, you have to have a fixed minimum term contract for Sky Sports but not Movies and they constantly change packages and pricing. And their Now TV streaming service charges you £35 a month for sports and then an extra £6 a month for 1080p. It doesn't offer 4K.

 

[JustinePaula]

Tim really wants to wave the flag again? He almost had a dozen heart attacks the last time.. Could not believe a grown man could be so weak and pathetic, worse than a limp noodle...

 

[CWallace]

So looks like F1's little brother - WEC - is going to be adding three new factory teams in HyperCar next year: BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine.

Have to say HyperCar was a brilliant idea. The racing this year in WEC has been fantastic and adding more major factory teams should only make it better. Not been this excited for endurance racing since the glory days on World Sports Car in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Also, it has been claimed by one of the failed entries that Andretti Global's bid for the 11th spot on the F1 gird has been accepted by the FIA. Of course, FOM has to approve the 11th entry, as well, and signs point to Liberty (and especially a number of current teams) not wanting to expand the grid beyond the current 10.

 

[Akrapovic]

Unfortunately the ACO has good ideas, but manages to somehow make bad decisions with them. The growth of the LMH class means we're going to lose LMP2 from WEC, sadly. They want to try and force the LMP2 teams into private LMH entries.

Additionally, GT (now GT3) spots will be granted to teams that have LMH entries first, and only two at a time. Therefore Manthey get the 2 Porsche entries, AF Corse get the two Ferrari entries, and everyone else has to scramble and switch cars to find BMWs and Lambos they can run. Also, despite being GT3 cars and therefore legal, Mercedes and Audis may not get slots as they have no Hypercar in the LMH class.

LMH is great. The knock-on affects for LMP2 and the GT class have been disappointing.

 

[CWallace]

FIA has formally approved Andretti Global's Expression of Interest to join Formula One: https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-approves-andretti-application-for-11th-f1-team-slot/10527926/

As noted, Andretti Global now needs to enter into a commercial agreement with Formula One Management (Liberty) before they would be allowed to race. The EoI just states that the FIA confirms Andretti Globalhas proven they have the sporting, technical and financial capabilities to join the F1 grid. It also affirm's the FIA's belief that they would "add value" to Formula One if allowed to race, which is one of the major conditions set by FOM to consider expanding the grid beyond the current 10 teams.

 

[Glideslope]

FIA has formally approved Andretti Global's Expression of Interest to join Formula One: https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-approves-andretti-application-for-11th-f1-team-slot/10527926/

As noted, Andretti Global now needs to enter into a commercial agreement with Formula One Management (Liberty) before they would be allowed to race. The EoI just states that the FIA confirms Andretti Globalhas proven they have the sporting, technical and financial capabilities to join the F1 grid. It also affirm's the FIA's belief that they would "add value" to Formula One if allowed to race, which is one of the major conditions set by FOM to consider expanding the grid beyond the current 10 teams.

If all goes ahead it will be interesting to see what Honda does. I wonder if the Cadillac branded Honda is still being considered? With Honda supplying AMR starting in 2026 supporting 2 teams will be a challenge. Although perhaps a Cadillac/Honda venture similar to what RBRE and Honda have been doing?

Honda has that new HV Prolog coming based on the GM's Global EV Platform. The thought of Honda working with GM makes me cringe though.

 

[CWallace]

I wonder if the Cadillac branded Honda is still being considered?

In February, Alpine (Renault) announced they would be the engine supplier should the team formally be accepted onto the grid.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Cadillac on the grid? That brand has zero presence outside of the US. Same as most US brands.
I guess that’s the idea. But you do wonder what a car brand gains unless it can win the WC?

 

[JustinePaula]

deleted

 

[pachyderm]

deleted

Quoted

 

[Apple fanboy]

Quoted

Confused!

 

[Abdichoudxyz]

Interesting to see if Max can break his own record for most wins in a season. I think it likely; he's only two short of the fifteen he got last year, with six races left. Never seen anything like it. Absolutely incredible.

 

[JustinePaula]

I wrote something, I did not like what I wrote, there is no delete post option/button, so I deleted the text, replaced with deleted, it is 2023, why there is no delete post button??

 

[danpass]

Cadillac on the grid? That brand has zero presence outside of the US. Same as most US brands.
I guess that’s the idea. But you do wonder what a car brand gains unless it can win the WC?

Cadillac has been trying to shift the public consciousness of the brand for decades now, from the "old people car" to the "young crowd's" car.

Mercedes has been able to make A shift, though not THE shift, through F1 exposure.

Personal opinion is that GM/Cadillac should have taken Cadillac to the next level UP and created a new brand for the 'young crowd'.

Honda and Toyota executed something similar with Acura and Lexus.

 

[Glideslope]

In February, Alpine (Renault) announced they would be the engine supplier should the team formally be accepted onto the grid.

Thanks, must have missed that.

 

[CWallace]

Cadillac on the grid? That brand has zero presence outside of the US. Same as most US brands. I guess that’s the idea.

It is indeed the idea. They also ran a WEC Hypercar program this year and will do so again for 2024 to help bring the brand's awareness to more foreign viewers.

But you do wonder what a car brand gains unless it can win the WC?

One can argue that just being on the grid gains exposure. Cadillac has been seeing sales growth in foreign markets and the F1 and WEC programs are part of the plan to continue the trend.

I wrote something, I did not like what I wrote, there is no delete post option/button, so I deleted the text, replaced with deleted, it is 2023, why there is no delete post button??

After you delete the content, you can use the "Report Post" button and ask the moderators to remove the post for "Housekeeping Purposes". That is what I do.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Interesting to see Cadillac entering as a brand, and a brand I associate with pretty crappy cars. These sorts of sponsors go as fast as they appear though I suppose.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I wrote something, I did not like what I wrote, there is no delete post option/button, so I deleted the text, replaced with deleted, it is 2023, why there is no delete post button??

Because if people delete posts half way through a chat it makes the context of later posts somewhat confusing. However you can report your own post (or someone else’s of course!) and ask the mods to delete it.

 

[headlessmike]

Because if people delete posts half way through a chat it makes the context of later posts somewhat confusing. However you can report your own post (or someone else’s of course!) and ask the mods to delete it.

Or write something really inappropriate. That works too.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Cadillac on the grid? That brand has zero presence outside of the US. Same as most US brands.
I guess that’s the idea. But you do wonder what a car brand gains unless it can win the WC?

Don't agree, as good as zero presence in the UK, yes fair enough. But it is relatively popular and measurably on the rise everywhere where there is a LHD market. The brand has a lot of history, very cool history, the rise, the fall, the rise again, together with their positioning for innovative, luxury performance is a great story for affluent millennials.

Even when you look at their model trim designations, there is some general consistency where it goes from Tech, Luxury (including all from Tech), to Sport (including all from Luxury). A great, simple progression.

And interiors are even stylish nowadays, when you look at the Escalade IQ, for example, that can easily play together where the Mercedes EQS SUV sits. And the rest of the line-up is great as well.

Entering F1 is a great thing to do, and to me, a clear part of the final pieces of the puzzle to rebrand and target their new audience.

In my opinion, it is the UK who are missing out on what is in 2023 a pretty cool brand with a great line up of car models and trims.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Cadillac has been trying to shift the public consciousness of the brand for decades now, from the "old people car" to the "young crowd's" car.

Mercedes has been able to make A shift, though not THE shift, through F1 exposure.

Personal opinion is that GM/Cadillac should have taken Cadillac to the next level UP and created a new brand for the 'young crowd'.

Honda and Toyota executed something similar with Acura and Lexus.

I think it may have half worked when Honda and Toyota did that, but it just doesn't work any more, and definitely not with the generation they are targetting. Everyone knows a Lexus is just a Toyota, they made it even worse by not having own developed models with just a Lexus logo on it, and basically soulless cars. And they followed Toyota's formula of soulless a-2-b cars with sometimes a special model that is a hit and excellent like the Toyota Yaris GR but that is really the exception to the line-up.

Diluting the brand to target a different segment is a very dangerous game. But granted, changing the entire brand perception is also a very difficult game. And that is the difference, Honda/Toyota knew who they were targetting; the reliable car ownership a-2-b crowd who aren't really concerned with cars, nor luxury, nor performance etc. And it sells.

 

[pachyderm]

Confused!

LOL!

 

[pachyderm]

I wrote something, I did not like what I wrote, there is no delete post option/button, so I deleted the text, replaced with deleted, it is 2023, why there is no delete post button??

Yeah and I was just having fun by making a one word reply...

ha ha ha ha... ahhh ... yeah.. we have fun on here.

 

[pachyderm]

Interesting to see Cadillac entering as a brand, and a brand I associate with pretty crappy cars. These sorts of sponsors go as fast as they appear though I suppose.

Don't agree, as good as zero presence in the UK, yes fair enough. But it is relatively popular and measurably on the rise everywhere where there is a LHD market. The brand has a lot of history, very cool history, the rise, the fall, the rise again, together with their positioning for innovative, luxury performance is a great story for affluent millennials.

Even when you look at their model trim designations, there is some general consistency where it goes from Tech, Luxury (including all from Tech), to Sport (including all from Luxury). A great, simple progression.

And interiors are even stylish nowadays, when you look at the Escalade IQ, for example, that can easily play together where the Mercedes EQS SUV sits. And the rest of the line-up is great as well.

Entering F1 is a great thing to do, and to me clear part of the final pieces of the puzzle to rebrand and target their new audience.

In my opinion, it is the UK who are missing out on what is in 2023 a pretty cool brand with a great line up of car models and trims.

@The-Real-Deal82 Crappy? Have you ever ridden in one? They're pretty nice rides.
But, I do agree they are what I'd call an old people's car. But I'd never say they were crappy. Maybe not a BMW etc etc but still a very nice car. They had, maybe still do, a "Corvette" crossover which from the outside seemed to be a Corvette with a cadillac logo. I forget what it was called and couldn't find it when I ran a search. I want to say they've even powered an IndyCar team before.
Again, maybe not up to European luxury/sport standards but I wouldn't say they were crappy.

@cyb3rdud3 - Agreed.

 

[JustinePaula]

I thought F1 was about branding, about sponsorship, who drives what and who wins, who whines, is not all that important, it is about the branding...I wonder if the owners of Liberty Media know anything about who Max is, or could tell you anything about driver of car 44.. Or what happened in Baku in 2021...