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2024 Formula 1 Season thread
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Boo, we need more races in a good Timezone for Australia.
Sorry... I wish they still ran at Adelaide...
Alex Albon has signed a two-year extension with Williams and will now drive for the team through the end of 2027. There had been media speculation of him possibly replacing Lewis at Mercedes or Perez at Red Bull, but looks like those doors closed (presuming they ever opened) and he came to the conclusion that staying with Williams was his best option.
I would imagine that there is some form of exit clause if one of the top teams tried to hire him. Nevertheless, good for him getting some job security for the next few years, he certainly deserves it.
If the car was as good as he's been the past two seasons they might a few more podiums.
The FW45 of last year had very low downforce which made it very quick on high-speed circuits and Alex was able to use this to qualify well and score points. Unfortunately, the car was nowhere everywhere else.
Williams tamed the FW46 a fair bit, resulting in a much more stable car that should perform better on more tracks than last year. They are, however, behind on their updates which has hindered their performance so far. The FW45 did not start scoring points until the first updates arrived at Canada, so hopefully Williams will be able to get them out faster this year.
As usual, The Race has a good video about it:
Imola has restored gravel traps in many run-off areas that had been previously paved.
On the one hand, I like that it will reduce opportunities for drivers to use the run-off area for passing. On the other, the asphalt seems to be much better at reducing an errant car's velocity than gravel so any offs could result in more severe impacts to driver and car.
www.motorsport.com
On the one hand, I like that it will reduce opportunities for drivers to use the run-off area for passing. On the other, the asphalt seems to be much better at reducing an errant car's velocity than gravel so any offs could result in more severe impacts to driver and car.
Imola brings back gravel traps to help drive away F1’s track limits problem
Imola has restored gravel traps in many run-off areas that had been previously paved.
On the one hand, I like that it will reduce opportunities for drivers to use the run-off area for passing. On the other, the asphalt seems to be much better at reducing an errant car's velocity than gravel so any offs could result in more severe impacts to driver and car.
Imola brings back gravel traps to help drive away F1’s track limits problem
One step forward, two steps backwards.
The gravel concerns me, tip overs is one, but at the same time, rain, with tarmac, you have the issue of aquaplaning, so if you have a gravel, there is no standing water..Not sure what the best is, that painted lines you get at the Frencg track, blue red lines, that has some sort of grit or something in the paint, that retards speed...Maybe that might work, but again water and puddles+cars+speed don't work...
Well when it’s grass and gravel (or a wall!) off the track we don’t see as many times deleted in qualifying at least.Imola has restored gravel traps in many run-off areas that had been previously paved.
On the one hand, I like that it will reduce opportunities for drivers to use the run-off area for passing. On the other, the asphalt seems to be much better at reducing an errant car's velocity than gravel so any offs could result in more severe impacts to driver and car.
Imola brings back gravel traps to help drive away F1’s track limits problem
Starting the VODs for FP1 and FP2 and everyone but VCARB have new updates (I believe VCARB had their updates at Miami and Piastri will have the same updates at Imola that Norris had at Miami). Ferrari and Aston have the largest amount of updates (as will Piastri), so it will be interesting to see how these upgrades play out across the field.
So far so good. Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all making good gains.
And Max looking downright ragged.
Hopefully he is still struggling in FP3 and qualifying is an actual fight.
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I can only dream. In the end I expect he’ll get it together though.
He usually does, but he changed his setup significantly between FP1 and FP2 and was still (for him) relatively nowhere. But I expect the CFD boys back at Milton-Keynes will be simulating all-night to try and create a useful setup for FP3.
He’s ’that good’ remember, not my words but they’ll probably find a setup for him by quali. An actual race like the last one is all I ask for, even if Max wins but has to fight for it, we haven’t seen that in years.
Can we as fans all agree to not use the term VCARB. I’m not sure what we call them but if we promote that utter nonsense they win 😂
Not sure what to call them if we don’t call them VCARB since Red Bull would intuitively be abbreviated to RB.
Surprised they made that change to be honest, after all their protests about Alpha Tauri and Red Bull being independent teams, going for RB and … RB makes it even more blatant.
Surprised they made that change to be honest, after all their protests about Alpha Tauri and Red Bull being independent teams, going for RB and … RB makes it even more blatant.