F1 2021 Season

[Kytabu]

Red Bull are running a livery tribute to Honda this weekend, the weekend that was originally set for the Japanese Grand Prix.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.revealed-check-out-red-bulls-honda-tribute-livery-for-the-turkish-grand-prix.Cz19wsw5xrsRNBfGTdWps.html

I read that AlphaTauri will also be running a tribute livery but have not seen anything of it yet.

[CP]

Zak Brown and Michael Andretti are United in Supercars and Extreme E, and fierce rivals in Indycar, so why not also take on your business partner in the highest form of open wheel racing?

https://racer.com/2021/10/08/andretti-set-for-further-sauber-f1-takeover-talks-in-austin/

[mikeamerica84]

No rain this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas.

Or so they say today.....

The Andretti announcement is not to come this weekend.  Not off the table, just 'delayed indefinitely'.

https://racer.com/2021/10/19/no-andretti-f1-announcement-planned-for-cota-weekend/

[skaifeman]

You heading South for the race, Mike?

[mikeamerica84]

You heading South for the race, Mike?

No.  Too far.  Never planned on it

[Kytabu]

Big win for Verstappen and Red Bull in Texas at one of Hamilton's favourite circuits. Very intense finish but it seemed like Lewis got within 1.5 seconds the dirty air was too much. Red Bull have won in Mexico and Brazil even when they had the second- or third-best car so they will be expecting to build a bit of a points buffer heading into the final three rounds in the Middle East.

Leclerc was awesome again. The guy deserves to have more than one podium against his name this season. Good weekend by Daniel as well. Very much looking forward to the Ferrari/McLaren fight for third in the constructors' as well as the championship battle.

More controversy over track limits. Alonso was taking the piss when he launched down the inside of Giovinazzi with no chance of making the corner and then tried to maintain the position. If they just put grass on the outside no driver would even think of making a move like that.

[skaifeman]

You heading South for the race, Mike?

No.  Too far.  Never planned on it

3 races planned by 2023, you'd have to get to 1! F1 really attacking the US market off the back of the Netflix success.

Really enjoyable Austin race, the two at the front are deservedly there, 40s ahead of 3rd!
And you're right Ky, Alonso is having a laugh at track limits - I think he's trying to prove a point, but his argument against Kimi was completely incorrect. If it was his way we have tracks lined in concrete walls.

[Sonic]

You heading South for the race, Mike?

No.  Too far.  Never planned on it

3 races planned by 2023, you'd have to get to 1! F1 really attacking the US market off the back of the Netflix success.

Really enjoyable Austin race, the two at the front are deservedly there, 40s ahead of 3rd!
And you're right Ky, Alonso is having a laugh at track limits - I think he's trying to prove a point, but his argument against Kimi was completely incorrect. If it was his way we have tracks lined in concrete walls.

F1 has let the drivers do whatever they want for so long now with track limits it is absolutely a joke.

I don't give a damn what the driver thinks is the 'best line' or whatever for a particular corner. The track is defined by the white lines, drive within them or get out of the car if you are not sufficiently professional enough to drive and let someone else do it.

If they can drive within the confines of Monaco they can drive within the confines of any track anywhere!

[Kytabu]

It doesn't help that some corners are heavily policed, with a lap time deleted if a car is a few centimetres over the line, while other corners see cars going a metre past the line with no consequence.

F1 can keep their miles of tarmac run-off. All they need is a five-metre strip of grass immediately off the edge of the circuit to stop drivers deliberately driving off track during a battle to maintain position. They also need to adjust their racing room rules. Max on lap one and Kimi in his battle with Alonso should both have been entitled to room on the exit of Turn 1, but because of the rules Lewis and Alonso are entitled to just run them straight off the circuit.

[Sonic]

It doesn't help that some corners are heavily policed, with a lap time deleted if a car is a few centimetres over the line, while other corners see cars going a metre past the line with no consequence.

F1 can keep their miles of tarmac run-off. All they need is a five-metre strip of grass immediately off the edge of the circuit to stop drivers deliberately driving off track during a battle to maintain position. They also need to adjust their racing room rules. Max on lap one and Kimi in his battle with Alonso should both have been entitled to room on the exit of Turn 1, but because of the rules Lewis and Alonso are entitled to just run them straight off the circuit.

absolutely! the whole thing of running your opposition off the track is stamped out and frowned on... except in the supposed premier category with the best of the best drivers...

give me a break!

[mikeamerica84]

It doesn't help that some corners are heavily policed, with a lap time deleted if a car is a few centimetres over the line, while other corners see cars going a metre past the line with no consequence.

F1 can keep their miles of tarmac run-off. All they need is a five-metre strip of grass immediately off the edge of the circuit to stop drivers deliberately driving off track during a battle to maintain position. They also need to adjust their racing room rules. Max on lap one and Kimi in his battle with Alonso should both have been entitled to room on the exit of Turn 1, but because of the rules Lewis and Alonso are entitled to just run them straight off the circuit.

One of the best races I ever saw on TV from COTA was an IMSA race.  They waved track limits.  No policing involved.  It went off like clockwork.

You heading South for the race, Mike?

No.  Too far.  Never planned on it

3 races planned by 2023, you'd have to get to 1! F1 really attacking the US market off the back of the Netflix success.

I have no interest in going down to Miami in May.  Now, if they held it as the season opener it might get my attention.  Texas is too far of a haul.  If they run Indy again.... that's 2.5 hours away.  But after the 2005 debacle there and the way the fans were treated at Spa this year, I am letting watching F1 live chill in the back of the fridge for now.  I'd rather go to my local dirt speedway.

I did see one F1 race once.  The streets of Detroit in 1987.  Now rumor has that it looks like Indy Car will be moving back to downtown Detroit and off of Belle Isle in 2023.

[Kytabu]

If Verstappen is able to win in Brazil that will make it difficult for Hamilton, as Max would then only need to finish second in the remaining three races if Lewis won all three. Mercedes will be glad that Bottas has found some pace recently, but of course Perez has too. Throw in two unknown circuits with Losail and Jeddah and it is going to be a fascinating finish to the season. I'm hoping now that all of the top drivers have taken their fresh engine we get through without any mechanical DNFs to affect the championship. I can see Verstappen and Hamilton clashing again before the season ends.

[mikeamerica84]

This next round at Interlagos is the last of the Sprint Rounds for 2021.  Yet another variable in the F1 stew.

https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2021/Brazil.html

More to come in 2022.  Five, I think.

[Kytabu]

Hamilton was fastest in sprint qualifying but under investigation for a DRS infringement, which could lead to exclusion from the session.

In the 24-lap sprint I think he could still get back to the top five, but then he also has a five-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix.

Waiting for news of the stewards' investigation.

[skaifeman]

Hamilton was fastest in sprint qualifying but under investigation for a DRS infringement, which could lead to exclusion from the session.

In the 24-lap sprint I think he could still get back to the top five, but then he also has a five-place grid penalty for the Grand Prix.

Waiting for news of the stewards' investigation.

Wonder if that's Mercedes realising that the title is starting to slip away and pulling out all the tricks?

My gut feel is that Max has it from here. An "accidental crash" between them one more time will likely end any comeback from Lewis.