F1 2017

[owen1r]

Who's going to be at Sepang?

Heading over on Tuesday!

[hako]

Few of us heading there, will be staying at the PARKROYAL

[owen1r]

For those that don't know, Havana Bar has the AFL Grand final playing on Saturday. Food/Happy Hour Drinks etc. from 10am.

Should have enough time to watch the game and get to Quali.

[Greg Rust]

Good stuff Owen. It's a great day. If you find yourself on the main centre concourse, grab the 12 can esky bag with ice and some satay sticks and enjoy.

[crabman]

I had this crack pipe idea when booking that going against traffic flow would be better so staying at Avani Sepang haha

[TJ]

$1.20 tiger beers go down a treat!

[owen1r]

grab the 12 can esky bag with ice and some satay sticks and enjoy.

This I can get around!


$1.20 tiger beers go down a treat!

Where may I find these?

[TJ]

Everywhere

[waxdass]

They ran out of water last year . It was a fkn nightmare, forced to drink warm beers to stay hydrated.

[masTers]

They ran out of beer before Quali as well. Worst 30 mins of my life waiting for them to crack open Sundays allocation. Amazingly I was the most well behaved when delivered the news, some English blokes lost the plot.

[crabman]

So pack ice bricks and a cooler bag and stock up early for maximum risk aversion?

[TJ]

some English blokes lost the plot.

Stunned at that

[TJ]

20 years since Williams won a world title :(

Should have been 14, but the early 2000's FerrarIAssitance denied them 03.

[TJ]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/132030/gasly-poised-to-replace-kvyat

Not surprising really

[anton]

well kvyat probably wasnt supposed to be without a drive as sainz was rumored to be in a renault in malaysia taking palmers seat so now STR has 3 drivers signed stuck inbetween a rock and a hardplace

[TJ]

Not from my understanding.

Evaluating him to see if he's good enough for 2018.

Can't take sainz seat as he's the one scoring their points.

[anton]

I should have probably typed that better. Basically I read that sainz was rumored to be in a renault in Malaysia and if that was suppposed to be the case,
you wouldnt need to bump kvyat you would just let him drive his car and then put gasley in sainz's car.

[urabus]

I should have probably typed that better. Basically I read that sainz was rumored to be in a renault in Malaysia and if that was suppposed to be the case,
you wouldnt need to bump kvyat you would just let him drive his car and then put gasley in sainz's car.

Article i read said renault offered palmer $3m to get out for malaysia and the rest of the year and his old man came back at $7m.

They told him to piss off.

Brendon

[owen1r]

If any of you fellas are in malaysia hit up the Sepang Go Karts, 10/10 would risk my life for again.

Walked around the circuit for awhile, was surprised at how rundown it was. Something you don't really see on tv.

[TJ]

Place is nearly 20 years old.

Humidity kills the metals and the dwindling numbers means no desire spend $$

[dmanvan]

dan trading infiniti in for a plusher ride.........

http://media4.speedcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Red-Bull-Aston-Martin-640x427.jpg

............ red bull will have some extra cash in the kitty for extra upgrades ...hoping ..:rolleyes:

[Greg Rust]

Article i read said renault offered palmer $3m to get out for malaysia and the rest of the year and his old man came back at $7m.

They told him to piss off.

Brendon

Wow that must suck for Clive to have been told that.
Kyvat will struggle once Gasly shows his speed.

[TJ]

dan trading infiniti in for a plusher ride.........

http://media4.speedcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Red-Bull-Aston-Martin-640x427.jpg

............ red bull will have some extra cash in the kitty for extra upgrades ...hoping ..:rolleyes:

All they are doing it becoming naming rights sponsor like infiniti was - doubt anything will come of it yet.

[Sebdullah]

If any of you fellas are in malaysia hit up the Sepang Go Karts, 10/10 would risk my life for again.



Especially if it rains

[djr81]

Wow that must suck for Clive to have been told that.
Kyvat will struggle once Gasly shows his speed.



Clive needs the money more than Jonathon. To help out I would have not driven for Renault for a lot less than $7M. Still can for that matter.

Hard to know why RedBull bothered with Kvyat at all this year.

[Brockas]

If any of you fellas are in malaysia hit up the Sepang Go Karts, 10/10 would risk my life for again.
+1

Still one of the best experiences of my life. 2am semi-naked wet go-karting then the 600km 4 hour drive back to Singapore. Best.

[dmanvan]

All they are doing it becoming naming rights sponsor like infiniti was - doubt anything will come of it yet.

possibly, but 'infiniti red bull racing' did seem like just a name and provide car sponsor....

Think they already have Aston's due to their collaboration since last year being an 'innovation partner' , and as of next year the whole team will be called "Aston Martin Red Bull Racing" (just to keep the commentators honest :D ) ..... pretty sure infiniti never had bulk staff involved either. Apparently over 100 Aston staff will be on site with red bull working on various projects and I have seen somewhere in a motor show video/podcast some top Aston Martin guy talking about them looking to develop powerplants as part of the partnership. Which I think will benefit both as they don't have hybrid tech like a lot of other Marque's.

some here, from last month. https://www.ft.com/content/6fb99586-8b73-11e7-9084-d0c17942ba93?mhq5j=e6

[Sebdullah]

+1

Still one of the best experiences of my life. 2am semi-naked wet go-karting then the 600km 4 hour drive back to Singapore. Best.

Think everyone present would do again, was probably the best side event of those trips

[crabman]

Don't forget Blastacars Drift Go-Karts close to Sentral

[dmanvan]

at least there is still ACE stream........


https://www.speedcafe.com/2017/09/29/free-air-formula-1-coverage-slashed/


:p ......

[TJ]

Struggling all weekend and bang outta nowhere.

70 poles, not a bad birthday present

[TJ]

Shame it's the last race - some great moments have been here.

[TJ]

Oh Kimi :(

[TJ]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLCh741XkAAtpL0.jpg:large

[ALEX.]

Not a bad race! A worthy way to end Malaysia's run.

Glad Vettel finished in a decent position to keep the title fight alive; especially as Merc are worried about their performance going forward.

Stroll's run-in with Seb... bit shit. Should've checked his mirrors. Hopefully Seb doesn't need to change the box & cop a penalty.

Oh and well done Max!

[Sebdullah]

Did lol at Alonso cutting Seb off "Oh c'mon Alonso, I thought you were better than that"

[Brockas]

What a great race. It seems a tragedy that, for economic reasons, tracks like this and Turkey are on the bench and we have to ensure shit like Sochi.

[TJ]

What a great race. It seems a tragedy that, for economic reasons, tracks like this and Turkey are on the bench and we have to ensure shit like Sochi.

Liberty came in a year late - I reckon they would of saved it had they been talking terms last year, not Bernie.

It's a great track, always produces something

[summoner]

Malaysia may well come back in future seasons.. The track doens't mysteriously vanish and Liberty will no doubt try and work something out. Singapore managed a deal after umming and aahing.

Overall race was good especially with some proper attempts at overtaking and wheel banging rather than constant DRS shenanigans. Vettel stormed through the pack and RBR did enough to get those places.
Palmer showed once again why he is done and dusted.

Stroll asleep at the wheel at the end was a shame especially if it causes Vettel to take a gearbox penalty.. and yes I fully believe it was Strolls fault as Vettel held his line around the outside and Stroll drifted away from the apex as was seen by the chase cam.

[Wrexter]

Did seem like it was Vettel's fault initially but seeing camera footage from cars behind showed Stroll wasn't using his mirrors and veered off his line.

[adrenalin]

Anyone else happy to see Kyvat gone ?

[Wrexter]

Anyone else happy to see Kyvat gone ?

Who?

Feel sorry for the kid but its time to go. Along with Palmer, Ericsson and Grojean/Groanjean

[summoner]

Anyone else happy to see Kyvat gone ?

To an extent yes.. although I do feel sorry for him as he's just another corpse of the Red Bull grinder..

But he had his chance and couldn't capitalise on it.

[TJ]

Without the grinder Vettel wouldn't be a 4x WDC

They pay your way and expect results to back it.

[Buckets]

List of tired pingpingpingpings who need to get out of F1 and make room for new blood?

ASAP: Massa / Kyvat / Palmer / Ericsson / Grosjean

Next season Wehrlein is most likely out of a drive which is a shame. I also hope Raikkonen / Alonso either deliver or fuck off next season; they've had their time (I'm a McLaren fan and know Fred's done well...) but there's people who need the step up and experience prior to the 2021 rule changes which these guys won't be around for. Perez is also another one I can't see doing fuck all in spite of the cash he's got behind him and I hope to fuck Bottas keeps getting owned by Lewis so either Max or Danny can get his seat for 2019 / 2020.

[summoner]

List of tired pingpingpingpings who need to get out of F1 and make room for new blood?

ASAP: Massa / Kyvat / Palmer / Ericsson / Grosjean

Next season Wehrlein is most likely out of a drive which is a shame. I also hope Raikkonen / Alonso either deliver or fuck off next season; they've had their time (I'm a McLaren fan and know Fred's done well...) but there's people who need the step up and experience prior to the 2021 rule changes which these guys won't be around for. Perez is also another one I can't see doing fuck all in spite of the cash he's got behind him and I hope to fuck Bottas keeps getting owned by Lewis so either Max or Danny can get his seat for 2019 / 2020.

I'm all for Alonso going.

[dmanvan]

I'm all for Alonso going. FASTER ............:p

[TJ]

List of tired pingpingpingpings who need to get out of F1 and make room for new blood?

ASAP: Massa / Kyvat / Palmer / Ericsson / Grosjean

Next season Wehrlein is most likely out of a drive which is a shame. I also hope Raikkonen / Alonso either deliver or fuck off next season; they've had their time (I'm a McLaren fan and know Fred's done well...) but there's people who need the step up and experience prior to the 2021 rule changes which these guys won't be around for. Perez is also another one I can't see doing fuck all in spite of the cash he's got behind him and I hope to fuck Bottas keeps getting owned by Lewis so either Max or Danny can get his seat for 2019 / 2020.

Perez, dollars or not - delivers

Alonso - delivers

Kimi - does not

Grojean - delivers the whinging on the regular

Palmer - gone

Massa - needs to retire

[Adr3naL1N]

agree with tj, spot on

not sure why you thought perez does fuck all, he has put in plenty of performances. And on top of that the $$$ does not hurt

Alonso also is still on point, masa not so much and needs to go. He was gone don't forget and got pulled back once bottas flew the nest to replace rosberg at Mercedes.

Palmer and Kyvat I had been wanting gone since last year and finally are on the out. Grosjean isnt quite as bad but I cant stand him so want him gone although I wouldn't say he delivers a whole lot either. I get the feeling grosjean thinks he is better than he actually really is.

[Kaido]

Perez, dollars or not - delivers

Alonso - delivers

Kimi - does not

Grojean - delivers the whinging on the regular

Palmer - gone

Massa - needs to retire

granted Kimi has had a average season, but he is starting to come on strong again, i think Ferrari are buying their time and waiting for one of their junior drivers to get a season under their belt before they pick them a seat. I was really hoping sainz would get a Ferrari drive

[TJ]

Sainz isn't a Ferrari junior however?

Also - Kimi has? Yet to see that.

[Wrexter]

Yeah so im gonna go back and say Vettel's fault 100%.

<iframe width="3112" height="1005" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GAXZQlOG3Kg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[summoner]

I'm sticking with both at fault as Stroll still moves away from the apex of the turn towards Vettel.

Also FP1 looks like it will be a 3 team battle come race day if it continues.

[Brockas]

I'm sticking with both at fault as Stroll still moves away from the apex of the turn towards Vettel.
Agreed. Stroll doesn't follow the racing line he's on, he moves onto the marbles as Vettel is coming around.

[summoner]

This could have been avoided if they had more guns

[SimonR32]

Realistically it's just an unfortunate accident, they tend to happen when the adrenaline has been up for so long and then all goes calm.

[TJ]

That is on Vettel

[TJ]

Button also making mutterings about wanting a return.

[masTers]

Thought Button said the exact opposite that he was done?

[Greg Rust]

Agreed. Stroll doesn't follow the racing line he's on, he moves onto the marbles as Vettel is coming around.

I didn't see it that way, the side by side shows Stroll with the same steering lock coasting around the corner, yes he may be drifting towards the marbles, they even reckon he tried to move at the last second when he saw red in his mirrors.

Seb is a tool and ultimately it was good that the stewards said it was a racing incident (even through they had stopped racing)

[TJ]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DLa66V3WAAEn7Yt.jpg:large

Singapore - retires lap one

Sepang - retires before race

Suzuka - retires 2 days before race.

[TJ]

Palmer is gone after Japan!

[Gleeso]

Palmer is gone after Japan!

Any facts to back it up?

Edit:


Jolyon Palmer is to leave the Renault Formula 1 team after the Japanese Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz Jr replacing him from the next race in the United States.

Following months of speculation regarding the future of the Briton, he revealed after qualifying that Sunday's race at Suzuka will be his final one with the team.

A statement from Renault said the decision had been reached "mutually".

"The Japanese Grand Prix will be my last race for Renault," said Palmer.

"It's been an extremely challenging season and I've been through a lot in the last three years, but it's been a tremendous journey overall with the team.

"I can look back proudly at the performance in the second half of last season, my first point in Malaysia and of course reaching a career high of sixth place in Singapore this year.

"I wish the team all the best for the future.

"My immediate focus is now on achieving the best possible result in the Japanese GP, and then I can assess my options for the future."

Sainz, who was going to replace Palmer for next season anyway, will be drafted across from Toro Rosso.

His switch will then give an opportunity for Daniil Kvyat to return to action if Pierre Gasly elects to race at Austin rather than return to Super Formula, where he is fighting for the title.

Palmer has faced doubts about his immediate future at the team ever since it emerged that Sainz had been signed for 2018.

However, his sixth-placed finish in the Singapore Grand Prix initially appeared to ease pressure on Renault regarding Palmer's place at the team.

Renault Sport managing director Cyril Abiteboul said: "I would like to thank Jolyon for his commitment to the team and his professionalism.

"Since Renault's return to Formula 1, Jolyon has been highly dedicated in an evolving environment.

"He has shown great personal qualities and we wish him all the best in his future career."

[Gleeso]

Another disappointing weekend for Ferrari and Vettel with Hamilton extending his lead.

Rave was pretty meh, first time I've been able to watch it live and it wasn't the most exhilarating.

[Tocchi]

Bathurst > Suzuka

[TJ]

Was a boring race today - Ferrari will be in meltdown behind close doors

[adrenalin]

Yep start was good then got boring very quickly.

[Sebdullah]

glad I decided to stick with Bathurst by the sounds of things

[TJ]

So, what is Dan going to do to make up his speed difference to Max?

[ED40]

move teams..?

[adrenalin]

Riccardo and Bottas should switch places.

Interesting to see what would then happen between lewis and Ricciardo.

[TJ]

Might happen in 2019 as is - Dan to go, Carlos to take his seat.

Depends if the Honda comes good next year.

I am biased, many will be biased the opposite direction but I feel Lewis would handle Dan - not by much.

[Buckets]

Dan's by far the most ladsy bloke in the paddock and we love him for it but...

Max is faster than Dan albeit Dan is more reliable / stable. If Dan moved to Merc with Lewis being ingrained in the team Dan's only hope of beating Lewis is to unsettle him mentally.

Either way I think Dan will never win a WDC.

[TJ]

Hamilton's race time: 1h 27m 31s
Hamilton's pole time: 1:27.31
Hamilton's WDC lead: 1+27+31 = 59 points.

Illuminati for sure

[Gleeso]

glad I decided to stick with Bathurst by the sounds of things

Me and my mates just watched both, swtiching to F1 and finishing Bathurst off after. Was amazed how enjoyable Bathurst was, especially with it being so wet.

[summoner]

Congrats Lewis on his WDC. Shit's a given now unless he has some DNF's

[adrenalin]

Congrats Lewis on his WDC. Shit's a given now unless he has some DNF's

We can all only hope

[TJ]

We can only hope he gets congrats? Definitely

[SimonR32]

Bit of a fizzer now :(

Maybe Dan can catch Bottas for 3rd...

[Missile]

Second place in the constructors championship could also be a good battle to watch

1 Mercedes 540
2 Ferrari 395
3 Red Bull 303
4 Force India 147
5 Williams 66
6 Toro Rosso 52
7 Haas F1 43
8 Renault 42
9 McLaren 23
10 Sauber 5

[TJ]

http://www.essentiallysports.com/rosberg-thinks-bad-career-choices-blame-alonso/

Nico is enjoying taking shots off the grid these days

[Sebdullah]

I actually agree with him to an extent

[TJ]

Kubica is testing a 2014 Williams in "secret" today at Silverstone.

Hope it goes well!

[TJ]

I know this is way out of character, but I have a link talking positively about Lewis Hamilton.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/41576209

[TJ]

US this weekend, shitty times for us but can't win them all.

I rate the Austin track.

[TJ]

Sean Bratches, @F1 commercial chief: “We’re looking at doing a deal with Netflix for next year”. Speaking at a conference at #COTA

Streaminnnnnnnnnnnng?!?!?!

[waxdass]

Sean Bratches, @F1 commercial chief: “We’re looking at doing a deal with Netflix for next year”. Speaking at a conference at #COTA

Streaminnnnnnnnnnnng?!?!?!

That would be cool. But what will we be getting the proper Sky Sports F1 team or ITV 4 shitty package?

Can't beat Crofty/Brundle.

[TJ]

Sky owns the rights so would have to be sky surely

[Gleeso]

A lot of good ideas were thrown around at an official F1 account on Reddit. It's great to see some progress already, not to say it's solely down to that post, but Liberty are open to fans ideas.

[fourseven]

Where’s that quote from TJ? They’re saying it will be entirely in-house, no Netflix or Amazon etc. Which means it’ll be overpriced, but there’s a lot of focus on content outside of the race weekend too.

Crofty/Brundle commentary will be the default world feed.

Edit: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/132542/f1-plans-to-launch-live-streaming-service


The live stream offerings will only be available in markets where it would not clash with pre-exiting television deals that have guaranteed exclusivity.

Counts us out because of Foxtel doesn't it?

[dmanvan]

Where’s that quote from TJ? They’re saying it will be entirely in-house, no Netflix or Amazon etc. Which means it’ll be overpriced, but there’s a lot of focus on content outside of the race weekend too.

Crofty/Brundle commentary will be the default world feed.

Edit: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/132542/f1-plans-to-launch-live-streaming-service



Counts us out because of Foxtel doesn't it? only counts out those that can't think outside the square and VPN it or similar..... I have used supercars pass for years paying for it and being as if I was on holiday // it is a shame they don't offer a similar package to people in country.. be interesting to see how this pans out .

[TJ]

Mercedes -

Turbo era - simply brilliant. 2014, 2015, 2016, massive reg change and again champs.

What a pass by Max... well nearly.

A great race.

[dmanvan]

lol. max. you muppet, keep doing the same things and you will get pinged for it, I guess being entitled means you don't have to actually heed any rules...

from 2014 he was pinged for almost the same thing and got same penalty and was in third before penalty.....

https://www.autosport.com/f3/news/115248/verstappen-penalised-for-illegal-pass :D ....

[summoner]

Surprised Vettel didn't get blamed as usual for Verstappens fuck ups.

[TJ]

https://streamable.com/mi32j

That awkward moment.

Mark, to be fair, I could reach REAL hard and include Vettel - he slowed on the last lap to give Kimi draft down back straight - this stopped Max from passing as it kept him far enough ahead. Pass there = no illegal overtake later in lap.

So Vettel like usual is to blame :D

[JME]

No risk no reward, he risked a little too hard and lost out on that one. At least he had a crack, lost nothing for trying.

[Buckets]

Sometimes you just gotta send it...

The RBR lads have a go at least.

[Brockas]

Loved the Max pass, but agree with the decision. Only annoyance is the inconsistency. If you're going to say "4-wheels off the track = illegal" then that's fine, but enforce it all weekend.

Max & Dan are making F1 at the moment. The aggressiveness on the track is really fantastic to watch.

[Buckets]

So what are peoples thoughts on how Brendon Hartley got on.

When you factor in the Porsche + RBR rumors in to his out of nowhere recall to open wheelers you've got to wonder (in spite of whats been said publicly that he called Helmut Marko) if Porsche had a hand in getting him the test given their LMP1 program is over now and they don't want to completely lose him.

Would be very keen to see him & Gasly together at Torro Rosso for a season, he was putting in quicker laps than Kyvat even though he's not driven an open wheeler since 2012. Given they're going to be powered by dreams next year surely it wouldn't matter a fuck either way so STR can afford to take the gamble on them both for a season with no real risk.

Here's hoping the torpedo is done?

[TJ]

Hartley drove well. Biggest issue for him would have been learning the tyres. WEC tyres are so hard so dealing with the degradation wouldn't have been easy.

As an aside he is still linked to RBR, they continued to sponsor him during his time with Porsche.

Problem is Kyvat drove damn well. 3 races left, give him at least one more and assess from there.

[TJ]

Brendon Hartley will retain his seat with Toro Rosso in Formula 1 following his debut in the United States Grand Prix, with Daniil Kvyat making way for Pierre Gasly in Mexico.

Toro Rosso drafted in Porsche World Endurance Championship driver Hartley to replace Gasly last weekend so the Frenchman could try to win the Super Formula title in Japan, while Kvyat returned to the line-up in place of Renault-bound Carlos Sainz Jr.

Gasly, who missed out on the Super Formula title after the finale was cancelled because of the threat of a super typhoon, was expected to return for the remainder of the season.

But the second seat in Mexico was less certain, with Toro Rosso undecided on whether to keep Hartley with an eye on 2018 or retain Kvyat, whose experience would help in its battle for fifth in the constructors' championship.

In a one-line statement released on Monday, Toro Rosso said its Mexican Grand Prix line-up would be formed by Gasly and Hartley but chose not to reveal its plans beyond that.

Kvyat's future in F1 remains uncertain, with the Russian having said he remains confident he can have a future within Red Bull and planned talks with its motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.

Hartley finished his debut grand prix 13th at Austin, in what was his first single-seater race since 2012, while Kvyat finished 10th - only his third points finish of the season.

There you go!

[TJ]

https://i.redd.it/4os137o5kltz.png

[djr81]

There are some positive articles on his driving (See motorsport magazine for example). The position he was in didn't light the world up but he has a gig for the next round. Not like Kvyat has a future anyway.

Sainz did well in the Renault too. NFI what was going on with Hulkenberg so hard to measure but Carlos' young bloke finished in the points so good, good.

[Greg Rust]

I reckon Dan will be in a Merc for the start of next season. Hammo will win the title and retire, Leaving a seat open for Dan even though he's got a year left.

That or RBR will take Valteri in exchange for Dan plus cash their way.

[Wrexter]

I reckon Dan will be in a Merc for the start of next season. Hammo will win the title and retire, Leaving a seat open for Dan even though he's got a year left.

That or RBR will take Valteri in exchange for Dan plus cash their way.

lol i dont think so. I reckon Hammo will be chasing Michael's 7 titles. Even if he says he isnt. Realistically Mercedes can dominate for 3 more years until the engine regulations change (2018/19/20). He can match the 7 (Not saying he will but he has the machinery).

I would like to see him then head to Ferrari and win a championship there. Would that make him the only driver to of won with 3 different team?

[TJ]

I reckon Dan will be in a Merc for the start of next season. Hammo will win the title and retire, Leaving a seat open for Dan even though he's got a year left.

That or RBR will take Valteri in exchange for Dan plus cash their way.

Doubt it - he extended contract. Dan would struggle to get out of RBR atm - they can barely fill the seats at TR.


lol i dont think so. I reckon Hammo will be chasing Michael's 7 titles. Even if he says he isnt. Realistically Mercedes can dominate for 3 more years until the engine regulations change (2018/19/20). He can match the 7 (Not saying he will but he has the machinery).

I would like to see him then head to Ferrari and win a championship there. Would that make him the only driver to of won with 3 different team?

Dominate - unsure. At some point their engine reaches max ability, while others still have A LOT of room to move - add to that the fact it is clear RBR and Ferrari have built damn good chassis this year means I would hope the fight up front means less dominance.

Whether he gets 4, 5, whatever WDC he has cemented himself as a legend of the sport.

The above makes me even happier when people get salty about it "omg he's a flog" - when you break down his career he is a fast fair racer who has won in peak aero groove tyres era, kers era, turbo era, new aero era.

[MadDocker]

Sean Bratches, @F1 commercial chief: “We’re looking at doing a deal with Netflix for next year”. Speaking at a conference at #COTA

Streaminnnnnnnnnnnng?!?!?!

If this happens I'm cancelling Foxtel immediately.

[Buckets]

. The above makes me even happier when people get salty about it "omg he's a flog"

He's still a flog.

[TJ]

:D Perfect!

Also, LOLLL - someone tried to steal a merc nose from COTA during the podium celebration

https://imgur.com/a/V5rwl

[Buckets]

Is that guy carrying the Merc nose wearing a Red Bull mechanics outfit?

[TJ]

Red Bull staff member got the wing off the fat dude in red t-shirt trying to steal it - was returned to them.

[masTers]

Marko has confirmed Kyvat won't be back for Toro Rosso this year.

[Greg Rust]

TJ you forgot the 'Wu tang clan era'

But seriously I wanted to have a risky punt on Dans future but it'll really be a Merc seat for 19 and RBR Honda for 19 and old mate won't have a bar of that.

[TJ]

Legit chance Honda come good next year.

[Greg Rust]

That's the part that makes me nervous, he will jump ship, some obscure rule change and the Merc will be a dog and suddenly Max is WC.

Fucken F1.

[TJ]

That's the part that makes me nervous, he will jump ship, some obscure rule change and the Merc will be a dog and suddenly Max is WC.

Fucken F1.

You make some good choices, you make some bad ones.

See - Mark Webber to Williams instead of Renault 2005

Fernando Alonso - since 2007

[TJ]

http://kepkezelo.com/images/sugq3fsr4ymj2311truz.jpg

Back to backs - Viva La Mexico!

[Buckets]

Legit chance Honda come good next year.

Not a fucking hope in hell.

Honda will be nowhere until the engine rules change.

[Buckets]

AWD F1 cars?

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/132637/fourwheeldrive-cars-part-of-crunch-f1-talks

F1 really has lost the plot hasn't it...

[esky]

yep, they have no idea what they want to be

[Buckets]

Maybe F1 is the Motorsport equivalent of people who aren't sure what their gender is even though the answer is fucking obvious but they seem intent on ignoring basic facts and go looking for proof reality isn't real.

[Greg Rust]

Here we fucken go just like I said this morning

[TJ]

Danny with a 20 place penalty

[TJ]

4 for #44

http://e0.365dm.com/14/11/16-9/20/brazilian-gp-interlagos-mclaren_3229042.jpg?20141114150213

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/23/236E98A100000578-2846205-image-6_1416762041078.jpg

http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/galleries/x701/75802.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNVW1XJXkAAcv49.jpg:large

As a fan it's been a wild ride - a ton of downs, but the ups are becoming more and more worth it. All time status slowly but surely creeps up.

[TJ]

The BEST

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--pEosDO43--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/hbtmfkqryrniwgcswdqk.gif

[dmanvan]

I do laugh at events you go to these days the amount of people all FILMING THE SAME THING (90% of them in portrait mode FFS)...... :D ..... baaaaa baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[TJ]

The key features of the proposals presented to manufacturer representatives at Tuesday's meeting:
- 1.6 Litre, V6 Turbo Hybrid
- 3000rpm higher engine running speed range to improve the sound
- Prescriptive internal design parameters to restrict development costs and discourage extreme designs and running conditions
- Removal of the MGUH
- More powerful MGUK with focus on manual driver deployment in race together with option to save up energy over several laps to give a driver controlled tactical element to racing
- Single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits

[Kaido]

The key features of the proposals presented to manufacturer representatives at Tuesday's meeting:
- 1.6 Litre, V6 Turbo Hybrid
- 3000rpm higher engine running speed range to improve the sound
- Prescriptive internal design parameters to restrict development costs and discourage extreme designs and running conditions
- Removal of the MGUH
- More powerful MGUK with focus on manual driver deployment in race together with option to save up energy over several laps to give a driver controlled tactical element to racing
- Single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits

without addressing the fuel flow limit and restrictions increasing the rpm won't make a difference. Pretty sure teams are allow to run higher than they currently are.

[kris]

I think they could go to 14,000rpm but most limit themselves to 11,000 rpm to for fuel flow, fuel saving and protecting the unit.

[TJ]

15 000 rpm currently, but no one goes beyond 12ish as per above

Naturally there will be changes to make that work

[summoner]

They really need to fuck off fuel and flow limits.. This is F1.. not economy trials.

Stop trying to "green" the sport and turn it back into a balls out sprint from start to finish.

[TJ]

Autosport plus about Williams - they do mention his insurance payout as a stumbling block.


"The problem with leaving your Christmas food shopping too late," mused a Formula 1 bigwig in Mexico last weekend, "is that you can end up with the last turkey on the shelf..."

This metaphor elegantly summarises the Williams team's quandary as it contemplates the scarcity of candidates to fill the second seat alongside Lance Stroll for 2018 - a season that could be make-or-break for the legendary British outfit, since its high-profile sponsorship deal with Martini is up for renewal at the end of it.

That commercial imperative is riding in tandem with another pressing matter that's freighted with major financial implications: the urgent need to do better in the constructors' championship. Having finished third in 2014 and '15, Williams slumped to fifth in '16 and can now finish no higher than that this season. Each dropped place brings a further squeeze on earnings.

Trouble is, all the surefire aces have been taken, leaving only the scraps that others have passed on: the incumbent Felipe Massa, Robert Kubica, Paul di Resta, Pascal Wehrlein and Daniil Kvyat. The team wrote off development of its current car and switched focus to its 2018 offering in September, which was prudent, but by leaving the vital business of signing a star to drive it until far too late, Williams has throttled its own options.

Rarely since the famous Cambridge horse rental magnate Thomas Hobson pointed at the nag nearest to the stable door and remarked, "Take it or leave it", thereby embroidering the term 'Hobson's choice' into the tapestry of English idiom, has a customer been presented with such a scrawny bill of fare.



Massa 'retired' from F1 last year when Williams chose Valtteri Bottas ahead of him to partner Stroll for the 2017 season, and duly bade his home fans an emotional farewell at Interlagos, but had barely warmed the cushions of his rocking chair when he was called back after Mercedes plucked Bottas away following Nico Rosberg's shock retirement as world champion.

Now, just as Barry Manilow tearfully embarked upon a farewell tour only to announce a fresh set of gigs months later - and he's hitting the road again in 2018, crooner fans - Massa believes he is both rejuvenated and the man for the job next season.

So far as the team is concerned, though, he is just one of admittedly few candidates. Chief technical officer Paddy Lowe, signed from Mercedes last winter, has said the team is "not in a hurry" to reach a decision, and that "Felipe is very much in the frame".

But that didn't stop rumours circulating during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend that Massa might not see out the season, and that Williams might evaluate one of its other driver options in his place for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and subsequent Pirelli tyre test.

"Where are you coming from?" was Massa's response when this was put to him during a team press conference. "I'm doing all the races under my contract, and with pleasure. About the future I cannot say anything at the moment, but this is completely..."

Sometimes a human sacrifice is required whenever a project is deemed to be failing. Someone has to carry the can
He signed off his response by doing a fine impression of an 'expletive deleted' beep. Emotions notwithstanding, it seemed fair to follow up on my colleague's question, so I did, asking, "If you had the opportunity to carry on, would you?"

"Man, I did a perfect lap today [in qualifying]," was his unequivocal response. "I did a perfect lap last race. I'm doing a great job.

"Sometimes you guys just look at the numbers [Massa is currently on 36 points, Stroll on 40]. Are you saying Alonso isn't up to Formula 1 because he's behind his team-mate in the championship? Does that mean he isn't doing a good job?

"To be honest, in my point of view, I'm doing a great championship. Unfortunately I don't have the points I'm supposed to have, but not because of my fault - that's clear.



"Russia, I had a puncture at the end of the race while I was running in sixth, 15 seconds ahead of the guy in seventh. Barcelona [pictured], I had an amazing start, passed Fernando, then he touched my tyre. Baku, but for a mechanical issue in the car I could even have won the race.

"But people forget that very quickly. I'm a professional and I'd be the first person to say if I wasn't having a good season, but I've been happy with my pace."

This is a compelling enough argument from a driver who has proved himself, over the years, to be an extraordinary sportsman. But it neglects to factor in an unfortunate but inevitable truism about life in a sport that's also a big business: a human sacrifice is often required whenever a project is deemed to be failing. Someone has to carry the can.

Massa believes he could have doubled his present haul of 36 points had those sundry misfortunes not struck, but even that would have left Williams well short of fourth-placed Force India's present tally.

It's for that reason Williams is shopping around, even though Massa has outqualified Stroll 15-2 and is on average three-to-four tenths faster on Saturday afternoons. Stroll has a three-year contract and brings a budget, and although he struggles for confidence when the back of the car is unstable, and he is yet to deliver consistently in qualifying, when he has track position and a decent strategy he executes races very well.

Stroll is therefore a fixed asset, and one from which the team must extract maximum value; it follows, then, that it must create an environment that enables it to extract his full potential for at least the remaining two years of his contract. That means not pairing him with a potentially destabilising influence in the garage next door.



Let's consider the remaining choices, then. Both Kvyat and Wehrlein bring their own baggage and would require the kid-glove treatment. As Autosport revealed last week, Kvyat's departure from the Red Bull young driver programme came about through mutual frustration, his generated by his car's unreliability and fluctuating performance, Toro Rosso's by his apparent inability to race for more than a handful of laps without hitting something.

Wehrlein is part of the Mercedes family, but has yet to deliver on his promise. It will not have gone unnoticed at Grove that both Mercedes and Force India passed on Wehrlein when seats came up, preferring Bottas and Esteban Ocon respectively. Force India evaluated both Wehrlein and Ocon, and insiders say that while it was a close contest, the team's eminences grise concluded that Ocon had more personal development potential and was the hungrier of the two. It may be a question of perception, but indubitably perception is all in Formula 1.

Beyond that, for Wehrlein there's also the question of Marcus Ericsson, about whom you could charitably say that he occasionally has a strong race. On several recent occasions Wehrlein has been outqualified by his team-mate, which - given the team's position at the back of the grid, with the least competitive car - usually entails Wehrlein being put on outre strategies involving long stints on the harder compounds in a bid to regain track position lost on Saturday afternoon. For the sake of maintaining sanity we'll discount the conspiracy theorists' view that Ericsson is getting better equipment because his personal sponsors also own the team.

So while Williams is keeping Wehrlein and Kvyat in the frame, they remain outside candidates, especially since they are both under 25. Martini would prefer at least one of the drivers to be older, for legal compliance reasons when using their image for marketing in certain regions. It's not an unbreakable rule, Autosport understands, but - if you'll pardon the pun - it sets a high bar for Wehrlein and Kvyat.



Di Resta is old enough not to bruise the gin, as it were, but according to team insiders he is preferred in his present role as a reserve driver, a job he discharged perfectly in Hungary this season. He will, though, act as a benchmark for the most likely challenger for Massa's seat: Kubica.

Williams made a play for Kubica in 2010, only for him to choose Renault, largely through loyalty (he had been part of Renault's driver development programme in the early 2000s). He's made a cautious return to the F1 cockpit this year, also supported by Renault, as part of his rehabilitation from the serious injury he sustained in a rally car in 2011.

But while he's shown an impressive turn of speed in a variety of machinery - including a current F1 chassis - enough questions remained for Renault to pass on him in favour of securing Carlos Sainz Jr on a medium-term loan from Red Bull when the opportunity arose.

Why not give Kubica a shot in Abu Dhabi? If he isn't fast enough, he eliminates himself from the running, but if he is he could easily lead the charge in the constructors' championship
Given how hard a number of senior Renault personnel worked to make Kubica's tests happen, this must at least warrant a yellow flag. It's believed that while the strength in Kubica's injured arm is still in question over a race distance, a bigger stumbling block exists in the form of the insurance payout he received after his accident, which assumed he would have no future earnings as an F1 driver. If Kubica does race an F1 car again, therefore, he may have to reach a settlement with his insurers.

Kubica has now tested a 2014 Williams car twice, at Silverstone and the Hungaroring, which the team described as "successful" and "productive", though it didn't release lap times. But we know from previous outings that pace isn't a problem.



With that in mind, why not give Kubica a shot in Abu Dhabi? As a classic no-bullshit racer, he fits perfectly with the team's historic values and wouldn't play politics with the kid in the garage next door. And, since Williams' nearest rival for fifth in the constructors' championship, Toro Rosso, is facing multiple engine-change penalties for both drivers at Interlagos, there's some breathing space at the end of the season.

If Kubica isn't fast enough, or can't handle a race distance, he eliminates himself from the running and gives the team an even narrower field of options - from which it would probably choose Massa.

If he is fast enough, Kubica could easily lead the charge back into constructors' championship contention in a new Paddy Lowe-era car. It would be the feelgood F1 story of the century, and a fantastic new narrative thread that would delight both the fans and the sponsor that's up for renewal.

Because as everyone but James Bond knows, a good martini should be stirred - not shaken.

[kris]

They really need to fuck off fuel and flow limits.. This is F1.. not economy trials.

Stop trying to "green" the sport and turn it back into a balls out sprint from start to finish.

I don't even mind fuel loads, but why limit flow. If they still use max 120L or whatever it is, who cares how if they choose a part of the race to accelerate the useage.
It was ridiculous when they Penalized DR for exceeding the fuel flow limit. They still consumed the same amount as anyone else!

[TJ]

No it wasn't - it was the rules - quite clear, and they were broken

[TJ]

Massa retires again.

[Wrexter]

Keen to see Kubica return but dont think he will be able to match the speed he once had unfortunately. Hope im wrong.

Di Resta had his time so keen to see someone else take the Williams seat.

Kyvat, his time in F1 is done.

[kris]

No it wasn't - it was the rules - quite clear, and they were broken

Obviously, still hurt to see it happen.
But if you are limiting total fuel usage across a race, why limit the fuel flow rates? You'll run out of fuel if you abuse it, so it becomes a strategic tool.
Was it Merc who made a work-around with this by creating a chamber to build up fuel and dump at higher rates behind the fuel flow meter?
Regardless, I agree with Summoner, they need to get rid of this stuff all together and back to creating the best of what could be done, not the best of what should be done.

[TJ]

No, it was Renault.

It was mainly done to keep peak power down and reliability up - imagine how many engines would go bang if they were cranked to 150 litres per second for a 1200 hp quali mode.

[summoner]

Latest Motorsport Magazine has an interview with our lord and savior Bernie Ecclestone and it's pretty good.

[Buckets]

It was mainly done to keep peak power down and reliability up - imagine how many engines would go bang if they were cranked to 150 litres per second for a 1200 hp quali mode.

Yes but that's what we want to see. Maximum risk, maximum reward.

[kris]

Yes but that's what we want to see. Maximum risk, maximum reward.
Just like the ol bmw 4cyl turbo era, pump out 1400 hp and discard after qualifying.

[TJ]

Sure, but the reality of the world is that teams don't have a million dollars 20 times a year to turf an engine.

[TJ]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOBVIs8WkAAfzjE.jpg:large

Class of 93

[Wrexter]

Some big names in that photo!

[TJ]

Last Brazillian gp for massa.. take 2.

Lewis from the back, Alonso near the front, should be a good one

[mr_rotary]

I missed the race and read this in the news:

Daniel Ricciardo let teammate Max Verstappen pass him to take fifth after an order came through from Red Bull. The Aussie sits behind his 20-year-old counterpart in sixth.

What was the reasoning behind this?

[dmanvan]

^ something to do with turning his engine down I think... (ric's engine).

[TJ]

I missed the race and read this in the news:

Daniel Ricciardo let teammate Max Verstappen pass him to take fifth after an order came through from Red Bull. The Aussie sits behind his 20-year-old counterpart in sixth.

What was the reasoning behind this?

Aussie news I assume? Because that is total horseshit.

Max came out behind Dan after his stop, he was told to not him up, but he was never in contention to beat Max.

Good race - and Dan was on fire with his overtakes!

[Brockas]

Aussie news I assume? Because that is total horseshit.

Not really, it's 100% accurate. I don't think they were implying that Dan was competing with Max as they were on completely different strategies and Dan finished 15 seconds behind him in the end (which is still pretty awesome considering he was facing the wrong way on the first lap and last).

[TJ]

Yeah actually he did just dive out of the way into T1 so maybe I mistook it as him being forced to ceed position like it was a tight thing.

[POH73]

I saw the news story too but they were in different races, Max would have finished 40 seconds up the road if he didn't take a second 'why the hell not' pit stop.

[djr81]

Sure, but the reality of the world is that teams don't have a million dollars 20 times a year to turf an engine.
But that is the problem. Engines don't have to cost a million bucks each but the current gen with all the kers (Sorry, MGU-K) and fancy heat recovery turbines and drives do cost a million odd bucks a throw. Next year with three engines per car will be a joke for penalties by mid season. Expect to see what MB did for Hamilton in Brazil, poor quali results means new engine and gearbox etc etc for a bulk penalty that ends up meaning shit.

[TJ]

I saw the news story too but they were in different races, Max would have finished 40 seconds up the road if he didn't take a second 'why the hell not' pit stop.

Dat fastest lap bonus.

[Brockas]

But that is the problem. Engines don't have to cost a million bucks each but the current gen with all the kers (Sorry, MGU-K) and fancy heat recovery turbines and drives do cost a million odd bucks a throw. Next year with three engines per car will be a joke for penalties by mid season. Expect to see what MB did for Hamilton in Brazil, poor quali results means new engine and gearbox etc etc for a bulk penalty that ends up meaning shit.
Which means hamilton starts from the back and works his way through the pack, making for interesting racing.

I agree though, the penalties are shit and we should go back to $100k V12's that they can turf every weekend.

[TJ]

Would be funniest if all teams agreed to take penalties immediately after quali, lodging them in the order they qualified, to negate the penalty.

[jr]

the most important question of the weekend is who is this?

<a href="https://ibb.co/bTorfw"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/cE6cLw/Screenshot_20171113_154724.png" alt="Screenshot_20171113_154724" border="0"></a>

[summoner]

Halo and 3 engines.. 2018 is going to be sad

[Scousey]

the most important question of the weekend is who is this?



<a href="https://ibb.co/bTorfw"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/cE6cLw/Screenshot_20171113_154724.png" alt="Screenshot_20171113_154724" border="0"></a>

Marina Ruy Barbosa. You're welcome. :)

[summoner]

Aus GP next year, who'll be there?

[anton]

http://www.mclarenstore.com/stores/mclaren/EN up to 70% off

[anton]

wow Savage

https://twitter.com/F1/status/933659446823215104

[anton]

ok

http://www.foxsportsasia.com/formula1/748431/hamilton-sign-new-120m-mercedes-deal-report/

ok cool but that comment about Verstappen earning 40M per year at redbull so the same as a 4 Time WDC and more than Hamilton the current guy setting all the records? i think that rumor has to be BS i cant beleive it thats outrageous to me

[fourseven]

Redbull have never paid high salaries. Their bonuses are where drivers make their money. Vettel after his second WDC was on 8 million pound a year, not including bonuses.

Verstappen was paid 3m this year without bonuses.

Sudden jump to 40m? Bullshit.

[iluv2moan]

http://www.mclarenstore.com/stores/mclaren/EN up to 70% off


Thanks for the link. Not a fan or the current drivers but have always been a mclaren fan so bought a couple of items.

[anton]

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/934798341053009920/bR__9rV4_400x400.jpg

F1's new Logo is so bad. some internet rando already made a version i think is better

https://i.redd.it/rrbseieoke001.jpg

[summoner]

Trying to separate themselves as much as possible from Bernies F1.

Hopefully it doesn't go full retard/American in the process

[TJ]

Yup and yup.

[SimonR32]

I don't think it's too bad... Orso you won't notice after about 2 races so who cares

[Brockas]

Honestly it took me like 6 years to realise there was a "1" in the original F1 logo, so new logo probably wont affect me much.

Looking forward to next year already. Really hoping everyone catches up thanks to minimal changes in the rules, but who knows. Unless we see Ferrari / Renault / Honda close that ICE power gap to Merc, not much will probably change.

[ALEX.]

As a graphic designer, I completely understand the want/need to change the logo to go with the 'fresh' new look and approach F1 is going through.

...It's just a shame that it happened to be such an iconic, recognisable and good logo to begin with. There aren't too many opportunities to create a logo that works as well as this does with negative space; the F and the 1 are perfect. So getting rid of that is a shame.

But basically by Rnd 2 we'll all be used it it / over it, life will go on and Lewis & Merc can go win another championship.


Like everyone, Im also looking forward to hopefully a closer season due to regs not changing much and 'the others' catching up.

[TJ]

I don't mind it TBH

[TJ]

https://i.imgur.com/fEZUopc.png

[summoner]

Brendon Hartley did well considering the few races he participated in.. 4th in the championship! Di Resta proved once again why he didn't last.. not 1 single penalty point.

[Sebdullah]

So Alfa returns, thoughts anyone?

[djr81]

Its good to see the name back. Shame to think they will never have an opportunity to win a race. Ferrari will see to that.

[summoner]

I'm glad the name is back, had some nifty cars back in the day and it means Sauber gets to live on with more healthy funding.

[TJ]

Also aligns Ferrari with a 3 team "gang"

Sauber
Ferrari
Haas

Merc
FI
Williams


Renault RBR but likely to be Renault alone in a year

TR Honda

[djr81]

You are forgetting McLaren.

[Gleeso]

For fuck sake. Marcus 'I constantly mumble through my teeth' Ericsson gets the seat for next year, what a waste!

LeClerc better wipe the floor with him.

[TJ]

Livery looks amazing though - he would of been financially tied to the longbow deal. LeClerc will eat him alive

[Gleeso]

I really love the metallic Red, although Saubers '17 livery was also quite nice. It is a shame the his financers came into it, when he does get eaten alive all the way up to the summer break they'll bring Gio in to take over.

[dmanvan]

any DanRic gets the championship for the most overtakes........ :D

""The number of passes during this year’s Formula 1 season was barely more than half that of the year prior.
According to new data released by F1 tyre supplier Pirelli, there were 435 completed passes during the 2017 season, the first of the new generation of wider, faster cars.
In 2016, when there were 21 races instead of this year’s 20, there were 866 completed passes, the highest since records began in the early 1980s.
This season’s 49 percent drop to 435 is the lowest since the 211 passes that took place in 2009, which was before DRS was introduced to help overtaking.
This year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku accounted for the most overtaking moves in one race, with 42 in total.
At the other end of the spectrum was the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi when just one pass was recorded.
Daniel Ricciardo ended the year as F1’s top overtaker, pulling off a total of 43 passes during the campaign.
An impressive 13 of these came at the British Grand Prix, when he charged his way through the field after taking a grid penalty for a new gearbox and power unit components.
Ricciardo’s team-mate Max Verstappen pulled off 22 moves himself, which meant Red Bull Racing cars completed the most overtakes over the course of the season.
Lance Stroll’s strong recovery from poor qualifying efforts was reflected as he was the driver who pulled off the most passes on the first lap of races, with 36 over the course of the season.""

ref: https://www.speedcafe.com/2017/12/06/overtaking-halved-f1-2016-2017/

///

[Brockas]

any DanRic gets the championship for the most overtakes........ :D

""The number of passes during this year’s Formula 1 season was barely more than half that of the year prior.
According to new data released by F1 tyre supplier Pirelli, there were 435 completed passes during the 2017 season, the first of the new generation of wider, faster cars.
In 2016, when there were 21 races instead of this year’s 20, there were 866 completed passes, the highest since records began in the early 1980s.
This season’s 49 percent drop to 435 is the lowest since the 211 passes that took place in 2009, which was before DRS was introduced to help overtaking.
This year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku accounted for the most overtaking moves in one race, with 42 in total.
At the other end of the spectrum was the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi when just one pass was recorded.
Daniel Ricciardo ended the year as F1’s top overtaker, pulling off a total of 43 passes during the campaign.
An impressive 13 of these came at the British Grand Prix, when he charged his way through the field after taking a grid penalty for a new gearbox and power unit components.
Ricciardo’s team-mate Max Verstappen pulled off 22 moves himself, which meant Red Bull Racing cars completed the most overtakes over the course of the season.
Lance Stroll’s strong recovery from poor qualifying efforts was reflected as he was the driver who pulled off the most passes on the first lap of races, with 36 over the course of the season.""

ref: https://www.speedcafe.com/2017/12/06/overtaking-halved-f1-2016-2017/

///

Can we please fuck Sochi off now?

[TJ]

I actually really enjoy driving it in Sims

[mr_rotary]

I think a new 2018 thread now needs to be started since this has been released.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DQY8X83WkAAsyjF.jpg:large

[TJ]

Calendar year - still got the Williams seat to solve :p

[hako]

Can we please fuck Sochi off now?

Really cannot understand why it's still on the calendar with no Kyvat. He was basically the only drawcard for locals to buy F1 tickets.

While the infrastructure around the track is decent, there is zero atmosphere there (it's not in Sochi but in a city called Adler which was purpose built for the Winter Olympics) and the track is shit.

[Gleeso]

It's a shit track layout, looks like a carpark, no properly exciting corners, too many 90° corners.

We lose Malaysia but still have Sochi, not cool man.

[TJ]

Autosport top 10 of 2017


10. Sergio Perez

Team Force India
Starts 20
Best result 4th
Championship position 7th
Perez could make a case to be higher up this list after another excellent campaign with Force India. He is now undoubtedly one of the F1 midfield's most consistent drivers.

With Nico Hulkenberg moved on to pastures new, Perez became the undisputed reference for Force India, and its new driver Esteban Ocon - and didn't disappoint. There was no podium this season, but Perez amassed a three-figure points tally again and fell just one point shy of matching his 2016 peak of 101.

Perez was narrowly Force India's faster driver across the balance of the campaign too, and proved he is much more than a good tyre manager. He has flourished into a properly fast, super-consistent, utterly dependable performer. Force India feels he is operating at his peak.

The big question then is whether Perez has reached his ceiling. Ocon began to turn the tide on familiar circuits and will only get better. If Perez cannot retain the balance of power against Mercedes' star junior, hopes of another shot at the elite end of the grid will surely never materialise.



9. Esteban Ocon

Team Force India
Starts 20
Best result 5th
Championship position 8th
Ocon was not definitively better than Perez, but gets the nod in this ranking because of just how close he came. To be within 0.075% of Perez's qualifying pace throughout the year, and to fall just 13 points shy of Perez's points total, was a truly outstanding effort for a driver of Ocon's inexperience.

Ocon slotted in at Force India so seamlessly, and was so accomplished, it was easy to forget he'd started only nine grands prix before this season got under way. Remember, this was Perez's seventh year in F1, his fourth with Force India, and he's contested well over 100 races in that time.

The early part of the year was tough, as Ocon found his feet, but his progress massively impressed the team, and once back on circuits that had featured in his part-season with Manor in 2016, Ocon evened out the qualifying battle, pretty much matched Perez point for point, and was narrowly the faster Force India driver after the August break.

If Ocon continues this rate of development, he will surely become a serious contender for a works Mercedes drive in 2019.



8. Carlos Sainz Jr

Team Toro Rosso/Renault
Starts 20
Best result 5th
Championship position 9th
The Toro Rosso was a tricky car, which did not develop well and lacked power, but Sainz did extraordinary things with it, which is why he beats Felipe Massa and the Force India drivers in this ranking.

Sainz's race to seventh in China - miles faster than the other midfield runners in difficult conditions - was something special, as was beating Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes to sixth in Monaco. Fourth in Singapore, Sainz's best result in F1 yet, was another example of overachieving in tough circumstances.

Sainz scored 48 of STR's 53 points, and the team added only one more after he left, which says a lot. Finishing seventh on his Renault debut at Austin - passing Perez around the outside at high-speed - was Verstappen-esque in its audacity.

Red Bull clearly ranks Sainz third in its talent pool, behind Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, which is fair enough, but Sainz continues to suggest he is simply too good to ignore.



7. Nico Hulkenberg

Team Renault
Starts 20
Best result 6th
Championship position 10th
This was Hulkenberg's most impressive Formula 1 season since 2013, when heroic drives for Sauber made him a contender for a Ferrari seat. The ambitious but nascent Renault works project represents Hulkenberg's final realistic shot at the big time, and he so far hasn't disappointed.

He was the only driver not to get outqualified by a team-mate all season - though Jolyon Palmer was on course until his Renault broke at Spa - and Hulkenberg would have scored many more points but for poor reliability.

The Renault was not definitively the fourth best on the grid, but there were occasions when Hulkenberg took it to places it did not belong. He was outstanding at Silverstone, and was pushing Valtteri Bottas for a podium in Singapore before it broke down.

Crucially, it was Hulkenberg's feedback that led Renault down the development path that transformed its fortunes mid-season, proving he is a leader as well as an extraordinarily fast driver.



6. Valtteri Bottas

Team Mercedes
Starts 20
Wins 3
Championship position 3rd
Bottas had one of the toughest tasks on the grid: stepping up from a midfield team late in the day, into a seat vacated by the reigning world champion - a driver so exhausted by fighting Hamilton he decided to retire rather than defend his title.

Bottas acquitted himself superbly - pole in his third race, two wins from the first nine, a title contender before the August break. When Mercedes most struggled with the W08 on smooth, low-speed tracks during the first half of the season, it was Bottas who looked more assured than his multiple world champion team-mate.

But Bottas's form dipped as the car improved, and Hamilton stepped up his own game. Bottas started to look second rate, admitting his confidence took a battering. Arguably the most impressive aspect to Bottas's season is the fact he eventually found a way to turn things around.

His strong finish to the year, showcasing impressive mental resilience and capacity for self-improvement, elevates him back into the top six in this ranking.



5. Daniel Ricciardo

Team Red Bull
Starts 20
Wins 1
Championship position 5th
Last season's outstanding driver struggled to reach the same heights this year, mainly because of the leap forward Verstappen made on the other side of the Red Bull garage. Ricciardo is the same super-smooth, fast and classy racer of recent seasons, it's just Verstappen's superlative form made it tougher for Ricciardo to stand out.

Whenever the RB13 was a bit loose, Ricciardo looked less comfortable than his team-mate, and there were a couple of uncharacteristic slumps and errors. When the car became a genuine victory contender at certain circuits during the final part of the year, it was Verstappen and not Ricciardo doing the winning.

There were still some brilliant performances: holding off Hamilton to finish on the podium in Austria; burns from the stern in Britain and Italy (including a trademark lunge pass on Kimi Raikkonen); and a brilliant weekend before the car broke in Abu Dhabi.

But although Ricciardo scored more podiums in one season than ever before, and finished fifth in the championship, he was definitively the second-best driver at Red Bull this year, which is a new experience for him.

Ricciardo remains one of the best on the grid, but now he is discovering what it's like to exist in Verstappen's shadow. Finding a way to emerge from it will be Ricciardo's next big test.



4. Sebastian Vettel

Team Ferrari
Starts 20
Wins 5
Championship position 2nd
After a troubled 2016, Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel rediscovered their mojo this year. Having a car underneath him capable of fighting for the championship seemed to galvanise Vettel.

His qualifying form was outstanding. He made the front row 14 times in 19 attempts (discounting Malaysia, where the engine failed in Q1) - including four pole positions - which represents a superb effort in a car that was not often the fastest on the grid over one lap. Raikkonen threatened Vettel's superiority last season, but was pummelled into submission this year.

While Mercedes struggled to consistently unlock the full potential of the W08 early on, Vettel brilliantly capitalised on every mistake to assume the championship lead. Hamilton suggested Ferrari favoured Vettel, but Vettel's consistently excellent performances were also worthy of any favouritism on offer.

Given their inferiority to Mercedes and Hamilton at most circuits, Ferrari and Vettel could not afford mistakes. Ferrari's bizarre unreliability streak in Malaysia and Japan cost Vettel a heap of points, but so did his mad moment behind the safety car in Azerbaijan, and that ill-advised chop on Verstappen at the start in Singapore.

They were needless errors, which cost Vettel his title shot - even allowing for Ferrari's engine problems. That susceptibility in moments of extreme pressure is the chief reason Vettel is not better placed in this ranking.



3. Fernando Alonso

Team McLaren
Starts 20
Best result 6th
Championship position 15th
It will remain an enduring tragedy of the ill-fated McLaren-Honda revival that Fernando Alonso's talents spent three seasons going to waste. If you factor in Ferrari's woeful 2014 campaign, at least 79 grands prix have passed since Alonso last sat in a car worthy of his abilities.

But he is still driving like the champion he is. Enthused by 2017's enhanced aerodynamics and faster cars, plus McLaren's impressive rate of development, Alonso was consistently excellent and regularly overachieved in a car lacking serious straightline speed.

There were some comedy moments of radio frustration, and a few petulant outbursts - including retiring an apparently healthy car at Spa - but they are far outweighed by the way Alonso manhandled a difficult package and bent it to his iron will.

Alonso was superb over the first four races, before Honda got the engine's woeful driveability under control, and qualifying seventh in Spain was outstanding - as were the laps that got him into Q3 in Brazil and put him fifth in Q1 in Mexico.

Amazingly, Alonso almost scored a point in Canada, and was denied a big result in Singapore by Vettel's startline crash. The way Alonso clung to Massa in Brazil, and beat the Williams in Abu Dhabi, were classic examples of a fierce racing intellect undimmed by years of uncompetitive machinery.

Alonso remains an irrepressible force to be reckoned with.



2. Max Verstappen

Team Red Bull
Starts 20
Wins 2
Championship position 6th
Verstappen was brilliant in 2017. Sixth in the world championship, 32 points behind Red Bull team-mate Ricciardo, simply doesn't do justice to Verstappen's season. Poor reliability ruined too many of his races, robbed him of points, and tested his patience to breaking point, but that couldn't disguise how consistently excellent he was.

With more experience and a proper winter of preparation under his belt at Red Bull, Verstappen stepped up his game on Saturdays, comfortably beating Ricciardo - renowned as one of F1's elite qualifiers, and last year's outstanding driver - across the balance of the campaign.

There is a very strong argument to be made for putting Verstappen at the top of this list. He won two races in the third-best car, and was roughly a match for Hamilton by pretty much every measure. That Verstappen misses out is down to the lower-pressure nature of his fight, plus the fact he continues to take major risks in battle - asking other drivers to jump out of his way or court calamity.

It undid him in Spain, almost destroyed Red Bull's race entirely in Hungary, and Verstappen was fortunate not to puncture a tyre in collisions with Vettel in Canada and Mexico. Verstappen's instincts are highly attuned, and impressive, but they will be his undoing in a title fight if they are not tempered.

This is arguably Verstappen's only weakness as he continues what appears to be an irrepressible rise to the summit of grand prix racing. He is not there yet, but it is surely only a matter of time.



1. Lewis Hamilton

Team Mercedes
Starts 20
Wins 9
Championship position 1st
Hamilton became a four-time world champion, broke Michael Schumacher's pole position record, and became Britain's most successful grand prix driver in 2017, but it was the way he achieved this success that stood out - and that elevates him to the #1 spot in these rankings.

He stayed resolutely ice cool under pressure, in a way vanquished rival Vettel did not. Hamilton clawed back his early points deficit, and visibly raised his own game as the season wore on - leaving new team-mate Bottas trailing and Ferrari scrambling.

Hamilton won six of eight races from Silverstone to Austin - dominating when he could, defending when he needed to, coming from behind if he had to, making the most of others' mistakes when they made them. This was Hamilton's little-heralded, Prost-like versatility and capacity for calculation on display.

There were some wonderful performances. Hamilton was on another level in Britain, and his pole lap in Malaysia, despite having to revert to a dated aero package, was remarkable.



Hamilton's stunning qualifying form was the foundation of his success yet again - 11 pole positions and 13 front row starts - and his well-established formidable skill as a racer was there whenever he needed it. What elevates this Hamilton season is the capacity he showed for self-improvement.

It wasn't a perfect campaign by any means. Ferrari was faster in race trim early on, and Hamilton struggled with the W08's initial recalcitrance more than Bottas did. But Hamilton found a way to dig himself out of trouble.

He focused on the weaknesses of his car, on his own weaknesses in driving that car, and neutralised them. He found a way to drive a car that wasn't always the best on the grid and made it look like it unquestionably was.

Hamilton was as fast and as ruthless as ever this year, but he was also clever, and humble enough to recognise his own flaws. Finding a way to turn his season around, making himself stronger than ever before, is why he was F1's most outstanding driver in 2017, as well as its deserving champion.

Below the bubble



Of the drivers to miss out on the top 10, Felipe Massa has the strongest case for inclusion. F1 2017's faster cars suited his committed driving style and he destroyed rookie Williams team-mate Lance Stroll in qualifying.

Without a couple of unfortunate failures, Massa would have finished ninth in the world championship. He drove well enough to deserve further postponement of his retirement in all honesty, but he can leave with his head held high.

Kimi Raikkonen enjoyed flashes of inspiration again this year - including a rare pole in Monaco - and earned yet another Ferrari contract extension. But in truth this was another underwhelming season for the 2007 world champion, who was twice called out by company president Sergio Marchionne for underperformance.

Kevin Magnussen won few friends with his uncompromising approach to battle, but managed what predecessor Esteban Gutierrez could not by scoring points frequently for Haas. Magnussen also gave qualifying specialist Romain Grosjean the hurry-up. Grosjean dazzled on occasion again, but struggled from mid-season as the Haas picked up understeer.

Mercedes junior Pascal Wehrlein made Q2 three times and scored five points in the worst car. Sadly, that wasn't enough to guarantee him a seat for 2018. Sauber duo Wehrlein and occasionally error-prone Marcus Ericsson were the most closely matched pairing on the grid in qualifying. Ericsson was unlucky not to score at least one point during his best season yet in F1.

Of the rookies, McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne was the most impressive, once Honda got its engine to run cleanly and Vandoorne found a way to adapt his driving to the car and not be overawed by his hero Alonso. Stroll endured a tough baptism at this level, struggling particularly to get up to speed in qualifying. He raced well several times, and qualifying fourth fastest in the rain at Monza suggests he is capable of special things, but there were far too many Q1 exits in a car that was consistently able to challenge for Q3.

Sophomore Jolyon Palmer had it worse. His car was plagued by woeful unreliability, but he struggled to score and failed to put Renault team-mate Hulkenberg under any real pressure, so was dropped with four races left.

Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat finally ran out of last chances with Red Bull and was also dropped before the season finished. Kvyat was undoubtedly fast at times, but inconsistent, didn't score enough, and finally got axed after crashing out in Singapore.

Kvyat reappeared at Austin, signing off with a points finish, ironically, before making way for Super Formula graduate Pierre Gasly to return alongside Porsche World Endurance champion Brendon Hartley. Both did a solid job in difficult circumstances as Toro Rosso's season tailed off.

[TJ]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/133521/sirotkin-favourite-to-get-2018-williams-drive


No no no no noooooooooooooooooo

[Gleeso]

I thought they needed at least 1 driver to of the age or older than 25 years. Why wouldn't Pascal be in the picture? He's a solid driver.

[TJ]

Pascal doesn't bring 15 million Euros

Those 15 negate any loss and some from Martini if they have a sad re age.

[djr81]

You have to wonder given how good the Force India driver line up is relative to Williams what the hell is going on in Grove? It is a half decent car with some half decent people running the show (Paddy Lowe, for starters) but they under perform year on year. Maybe the low drag/low downforce thing has run its course and they need to go high rake like MB is rumoured to be doing for next year.

[Gleeso]

My mistake, I stopped reading the article, was getting too annoyed.

Of course it's Russian money if Kyvat is on the cards.

[TJ]

You have to wonder given how good the Force India driver line up is relative to Williams what the hell is going on in Grove? It is a half decent car with some half decent people running the show (Paddy Lowe, for starters) but they under perform year on year. Maybe the low drag/low downforce thing has run its course and they need to go high rake like MB is rumoured to be doing for next year.

This will be Paddy's first year with the car under him - keen to see how he goes

[Buckets]

All Williams needed to do was give Kubica 1yr in the car, milk the fuck out of the free publicity and media fawning over this comeback story then we could all be happy even if he wasn't the quickest out there.

Glad Di Resta didn't get the seat though. Could not deal with the Sky commentators gobbing off another UK driver constantly.

[hako]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/133521/sirotkin-favourite-to-get-2018-williams-drive


No no no no noooooooooooooooooo

And now it's clear why Sochi is still on the calendar.

[TJ]

https://www.autosport.com/top-50-drivers-of-2017/page/6

[Gleeso]

Williams has insisted throughout the process that its decision on the driver to partner Stroll will be based purely on performance.

I mean, there's probably some truth to this, but money is definitely a deciding factor.

New rumours regarding Rosberg proposing a deal, getting tired of the rumours but we'll all have to wait til January for Williams' decision.

[TJ]

If they are both the same pace wise there is 30 million reasons to go the Russian...

[Gleeso]

Precisely, but if there is a performance clause for Kubica for 7 races, that would be ideal, so as to at least see KUB on track and stop the hype train.

A lot of folks will be quite annoyed with Williams if the just go with the money, but I do understand the decision if it takes place.

[TJ]

Yes and no.


Younger, no risk with arm, same speed, all valid reasons.

[TJ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ2B3U3HjoQ

Good viewing

[Sebdullah]

Possibly worth viewing

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