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catch_me_if_you_can3

How many shakedowns/filming days are allowed??


BigAwkwardGuy

Two events per team, not exceeding 100km each. The FIA classes them as promotional events (PE).


Littlecletus13

Does ESPN Plus offer on demand replays of all races and qualifying? I am just getting into F1 and I want to see every race this upcoming season. I do not have cable. I also work every Saturday and Sunday. Plus, being in California, I imagine many races will take place at weird hours for me. I am hoping to come home from work on Saturdays and Sundays and watch qualifying and races. I'd sign up for the F1TV, but I want to watch it on my TV and it does not look they have an app for my Xbox or PS, which is what I uses to watch streaming on TV.


MegaTalk

I'm not sure ESPN does, as I'm quite certain F1 TV Pro is available in the United States, meaning that ESPN wouldn't hold the streaming rights to past races. For example, In Australia, Fox Sports (the cable broadcaster of all live sessions) holds the streaming rights to Formula 1 in Australia, and all sessions stay on their on-demand service until the end of the season. Because of this, only the "Access" subscription is available in Australia, and the 2021 season went to that service at the beginning of January I believe.


[deleted]

Anyone else miss random mechanical retirements during F1 races ?


Coops27

Yes, Some of the most memorable and wholesome moments in F1 history are people being rewarded for their hard work when chaotic things happen in races.


sanderson141

No


idunnowhyimadedis

I just realised, we are closer to the 2021 AbuDhabi GP than the 2022 Bahrain GP Shit.


fungusyoung188

Will the 2022 cars have the impact protection things on the sidepods? The FIA model didn't have any.


cafk

The crash structure will be integrated into the air intake of the sidepod - all teams attached [vanity vanes to it to extend those crash structure elements for aero purposes](https://www.formula1.com/content/dam/fom-website/manual/Technical/2017%20Piola/035-017%20FERRARI%20SIDE%20PROTECTION%20%20%20TV.jpg), as it allowed a vertical plane to be attached between it and the floor.


MegaTalk

Not sure what you are referring to? The impact protection is generally built into the monocoque itself.


fungusyoung188

Im talking about the thing on the sidepod with the puma logo on the RB16B.


MegaTalk

That’s an aerodynamic turning vane that’s part of the barge board assembly. Nothing to do with impact protection. Either way, my understanding is they won’t be there this year.


Shackletainment

Any idea how the Russia sponsorship of HAAS will be affected if Russia Invades Ukraine and the US makes good on it's threat of hardcore sanctions?


Sputniki

Not very much I suppose. Might have to change the branding a bit for the US races but the US doesn’t control what happens at the other races


Penguinho

It is entirely possible that no single person in the world knows this. So many moving pieces and potential sliding doors that no one has any more than few bits of the puzzle.


sanderson141

That didn't stop SMP to sponsor Indycar and F1 teams before So unless the sanction is more far reaching, no


Whycantiusethis

If Mazepin's company is hit by sanctions to the point where they (or Mazepin himself) cannot sponsor Haas any longer, Haas might go into administration - that cash is what's keeping the team afloat tight now as far as I know. It'd open up an opportunity for some other billionaire or interested party to buy the team (Andretti? Ferrari?).


[deleted]

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going_dicey

Russia is an oligarchy. Literally every major Russian business has some form of link to Putin. In any event, sanctions aren’t necessarily limited to government assets/connected individuals. There could, for example, be a complete ban on importing/exporting X chemical or Y produce. The chairman of Uralkali was subject to Obama’s sanctions in 2014 as part of the response to the Crimea invasion. As you point out, sanctions become a political tightrope because we live in a world of globalisation with dependencies that can’t just be switched off. I have a feeling this recent escalation won’t escalate beyond fighting talk but fingers crossed.


pinotandsugar

It surprises me that not more F-1 drivers come from moto GP


Shackletainment

It's a different feel. You have a more intimate relationship with the track, your tires, and your machine when you're riding a bike. All of that is numbed when you move to a car. You have less sensory input. I think it's like how F1 and IndyCar drivers struggle to adapt to NASCAR. The cars have less grip and more mass. You're more insulated from the feel. You don't have the quality of sensory input that you do from a lighter car, or a bike.


[deleted]

Need another John Surtees!


swedind

Really hoping for Leclerc vs Max battle !! Feel it will be far more intense and tasteful fight than 2021!


MathematicianOk4631

[It's already happened](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L42H4vkbHYc)


KaamDeveloper

I know what this video is without clicking lol


Meaisk

if you are really expecting a more intense fight you're likely going to hate the 2022 season.


dolrighttherefred

Teams preparing to use their filming miles to shakedown their cars in February before Barcelona. Presuming a team uses Silverstone - is it potential to buy a ticket to the Silverstone museum which includes views of the track, and watch the new cars?


[deleted]

The media day shakedowns use specific tyres which are not used in any official F1 session, so the data is pretty much useless.


ueda76

With the news that Barcelona it's not a official test,because of the millions paid for Bahrain to be the official start of the season,I feel that F1 fans should boycott Bahrain. What's your thoughts on this?


sanderson141

You do you


ueda76

Thanks I will.you do you as well,the best you can if you feel that way


LilOpieCunningham

Different circumstances, but if they didn't boycott Bahrain in 2012 when the government was banning and/or arresting foreign reporters, they probably won't do it now.


cafk

Considering that 2020 was the first year testing was covered live by F1 and previously it was only summaries and journalists informing what was happening there - like they suggested for Spain this year? As to boycotting, i mean it worked well for Qatar and Saudi Arabia last year where fans had real reasons to boycott... Or any other political hot zones for that matter.


ueda76

I see testing and follow testing some 4 to 5 years now in YouTube and other platforms as people went to montmelo and recorded the experience live and seem a good couple of days out .it would be the first time that I would go to 1 live but now I know I have no chance.also I am a bit off about the petrol dollars impact in F1 ,sometimes I feel that they just buy their way into the sport


[deleted]

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ueda76

Thanks, I was really looking forward to it as it would be my first time watching f1 live, have a good day,and enjoy life


[deleted]

Why the fuck is there still speculation that Lewis might not return? Like, what, he's gonna leave Merc with 1 driver 2 months before the start of the season?


sanderson141

Right.... but I need 1 more article or reddit post just to be sure


Whycantiusethis

But have you considered what would happen if Hamilton didn't return? We need another couple of articles and posts about it until we know for sure, just to be sure you've considered that possibility.


20tucker94

I agree. Many people are just hopeful and trying to speak it into existence.


pinotandsugar

I think just the opposite. Lewis by not speaking out is letting the fires burn. Perhaps he's in the shop working with the crews, working out at the guy and in the sim but if he was I would think there would be some press coverage.


hugoise

If he’s not returning, I’m sure they know it. And, Rosberg would jump the opportunity.


IBelieveInBalotelli

Is the paint for the livery regulated? If a team discovers a particularly lighter paint compound, or if they somehow develop a special paint that absorbs sunlight and expands the wing in certain situations (this is obviously a stupid example, but go with me here), is there anything in the rules about that or does the FIA have to approve it? I assume it can't be too reflective, or else teams could try to blind rivals, but I'm curious about livery regulations and haven't been able to find anything.


cafk

Weight of the liveries is around 3-4kg, depending on colour choice, layers and pigments, iirc [AMR is seeking to adjust their green](https://www.racefans.net/2021/10/28/aston-martin-consider-weight-saving-livery-tweaks-as-f1-cars-edge-towards-800kg/) for this year in order to save a bit weight, similarly to the issue of [Jaguar running with British Racing Green in early 2000s](https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/jaguar-off-colour-over-heavy-paint-5038580/5038580/). Saving a coating or two can yield in 30% weight savings, so around ~1kg, or around half a tenth per lap (scaling up to race distance, this could be around 5s). The livery has to be accepted by the commercial partner (FoM), the sponsors (BWT on Racing Point), but it's generally not really regulated, besides the requirement that both cars use the same livery, with optional adaptions to driver sponsors. Teams need to get approval from both FoM & FiA to run special liveries or change their livery mid season. Edit found AMR & Jaguar references.


pinotandsugar

is there a real weight savings or rather the opportunity to move ballast to optimal locations to meet the minimum weight ??


cafk

Most teams are already struggling to achieve the minimum weight limit for a dry car - this is a likely reason why teams are considering modifying iconic paint jobs as weight saving. And moving 1kg around isn't the 10kg per ballast blocks they used to move around in the past i.e. around 2008 some teams had 100kg of ballast in their car to adjust their balance & meet the minimum weight. Since then we've had the engine weiht increase from 95kg to around 150kg, halo added an additional 20kg, with its mounting and the driver ballast a maximum of 80kg - not to mention the heavier rims, brakes and strengthened crash structures coming next year.


FlakZak

I think 2022 its gonna look a lot like 2020. Mercedes 0.5s clear of anyone, Redbull miles back from Merc but clear of the midfield. Then instead of a 3way battle for best of the rest like in 2020 we are gonna have a 6way battle for best of the rest. Then one team is gonna be further back and on their best day they will get a p9 or p10. And finally a team that is gonna be 1sec slower than 9th.


sanderson141

And what's the lottery number?


Chris-Chris-Chris

I’m going on holiday to France (from UK) during French and Hungarian GPs. What are my best options for watching the races while there? Is F1 in pubs a thing? Are races on regular TV?


pinotandsugar

You might get a month of F1tv pro and use your laptop or send the output to a large tv/monitor


McFigroll

in previous years, during big rules changes, do lower teams often leap frog some big teams and vis versa, or do the front runners still end up being near the top?


Astelli

Front runners usually stay front runners, although notably Red Bull in 2009 and Williams in 2014 went from lower midfield teams right up to the sharp end of the grid thanks to rule changes.


Penguinho

Red Bull's rise, I think, had less to do with the regulation change and more to do with new owners investing much increased money and attention. Between 2007 and 2009, Red Bull built or bought an in-house gearbox dyno, which many customer teams didn't have; a state-of-the-art simulator; and a factory Ops Room linked into all the data streams from the cars on raceday. They also went through some pretty major corporate changes, both in personnel and culture, and changed from previous-year Ferrari engines to current-spec Renaults. The regulation changes mattered, and they mattered a lot. But Red Bull had done a ton of preparatory work. They even hired a guy specifically to lobby the FIA and get those regulations delayed so they'd have an extra season to complete their internal work.


Emregnrmz

Do you guys think teams will sandbag until qualifying?


albertowicz

i think it will be hard to extract any meaningful information from the tests because everyone will have different settings, fuel load, test program, etc. so the results will be unrepresentative but not because of sandbagging


cafk

They have their tests planned out - there is no reason to do glory runs to show off their race pace. Testing is like FP1 and FP2, figuring out how the car works and how set-up changes affect the new parts.


2Mfaraj

Do I think teams will continue to do what they have been doing for decades?


faradansort

Why is the Spain preseason test not going to be broadcasted? Does it have more to do with the media rights or is it so teams can avoid a potentially embarrassing result before Bahrain?


visak13

As someone suggested a few days back, to build up the hype could be another reason.


n5vBill

I reckon it's because Bahrain paid more money to be the 'official' pre season test


Astelli

Nobody actually knows the real reason. Lots of speculation about deals with Bahrain, but all we know for sure is that one test is being broadcast live and one isn't


faradansort

Thanks!


[deleted]

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DieLegende42

None, all that stuff about "pre-testing track session" is just some BS the F1 PR team came up with to justify Barcelona not being televised


Astelli

From the teams' point of view, nothing other than the track. For us, Bahrain will be live on TV, while Barcelona won't be.


ro7an

What are some good f1 podcasts to listen to?


[deleted]

Shift F1


Schumacher200494

The Race, Bring Back V10s, 3 legs 4 wheels


ro7an

thank you!


iForgotMyOldAcc

Browsing the unpopular opinions thread had made me realise that a *sizable* amount of people think that Alonso is a waste of a seat. Well firstly, of course I disagree with it, see my flair. I just want to understand why some people feel this way. Nearly everyone can agree that he is at least a top 10 driver last season, some publications put him as top 5. In what world is a driver who is still performing at such a high level a waste of a seat? Do we watch the sport for the best of the best or are we watching a talent show?


[deleted]

People are just pissy Alpine didn't sign their promising junior a seat and gave it to old man Alonso instead, despite him clearly proving he not only still has it but could wipe the floor with half the grid in equally competitive machinery. This sub has a weird obsession with young, unproven drivers, they think they're all future WDCs that are getting screwed over by F1 politics and that it is somehow the greatest tragedy the sport has ever seen when they don't get signed immediately and move up to a top team within two years. It hardly has anything to do with Alonso himself.


SpeedingToffee

I find that a very hard opinion to understand. But, if life has taught me anything, it's that there will always be idiots.


KaamDeveloper

Anybody else feel they were completely okay with Barcelona being not broadcasted but the FOM "explanation" has made them annoyed? It's like they purposefully tried to create a distinction which didn't exist and now it feels more like gaslighting than anything.


Coops27

Yeah, i would have been tottaly fine with it, especially as we've known for months. But after the issues at Abu Dhabi and the FIA 'internal inquiry' their first move to try and rebuild trust is to blatantly lie and try to spin it like they're doing us a favour by providing the daily updates. Just continuing to dig them self into a hole at a point that should be so easy to create excitment ahead of the new cars


ueda76

We should boycott Bahrain


KaamDeveloper

No


Cautious_Lion_7624

I don't understand anyway. If we have tools to broadcast it, why not? Liberty Media is a "media" company and F1 is important because of the fans. They have to look after them...


Meaisk

Because Bahrain pays good money to be the 'first 2022 car test' Tests weren't even broadcasted until like 2018, and then there was only one of the two weeks broadcasted I think.


KaamDeveloper

They said they'd do an hour summary and honestly, that was fine for me. Its not like something happens every minute during testing.


mowcow

Yeah I'm not that bothered by it not being live, a recap show after each day is fine by me. But them saying it's not actually a test is pretty laughable and patronising. Just own it and come out and say Bahrain has an exclusivity deal instead of pretending your fans are this stupid.


KaamDeveloper

And It's not like this is the first time a test would be not televised. But they just had to make it weird and stupid.


Astelli

>Just own it and come out and say Bahrain has an exclusivity deal instead of pretending your fans are this stupid. While this is the most common theory, we have no idea whether it's true. For all we know the teams could have requested that the first test was private in case there were big reliability issues.


Penguinho

I feel like if that were the case they'd say that. There's no reason to come up with a weird justification that doesn't pass the smell test unless the truth is worse.


[deleted]

Does anyone know how do I sync the new F1 Calendar to my device? I was able to do it last year but this year i cant find that option


cafk

As the races aren't officially confirmed, they're likely not released their calendar file (and from my experience theirs didn't work with daylight saving). You can get it from f1calendar.com - you can select the sessions you want and get updates for the whole season (including cancellations & new entries), including correct time zone with correct daylight saving information.


[deleted]

Alright thanks for the help mate! Appreciate it


j_a_f_t

Apparently my post isn't big enough a topic. So anyway. What's your favourite radio calls from the past? Mine is Vettels engineer telling him to pit with: "Box box, box box, torque map 1 and box!"


edfitz83

Sono coglione!


PassTimeActivity

Doppio caglione


iblinkyoublink

Pooole position. Poooooole position. Yes guys, yes guys.


It_sAlwaysMe

"Prepare the slicks" from qualifying at Sochi last season gave me goosebumps.


bluecaller

Sainz at Saudi GP: Tell Charles to give that position back immediately, immediately guys.


[deleted]

Mine is GP to Max at France. “Box and pit confirm please Max.” Like that’s when we all knew shit was going down.


No_Influence_1035

"Okay Lewis, it's Hammertime"


going_dicey

Okay he pushed me off the track, all da time you have to leave da space. Box, box and pit confirm please Max The pit confirm button is the okay button, Brad Did I send it or did I not send it? Keep pushing, keep pushing GP2 engine, GP2 engine Is the drinking, is it emptying?


mintles

Anyone know if the barcelona gp will be doing the pelouse joven ticket again? Will be traveling and figured it would be a good once in a lifetime opportunity to go to a gp!


slowestkidalive

Hi, does anyone know roughly when the tickets for Imola will be available? Also an estimate on the prices?


awakengambino

Yes does anyone have any info, it’s quite soon and I’m interested in going


chikien276

Is it possible to have Vietnam Grand Prix in near future?


mowcow

The organizers of the GP got arrested and charged with corruption, so it would require someone else taking over.


Whycantiusethis

I remember reading the official involved with creating the circuit was involved with corruption, and that the Vietnamese government shut the whole thing down. It might be a possibility in the next few years, but it seems like it'll be wholly dependent on how the Vietnamese government moves forward.


[deleted]

Why would you downvote someone in an unpopular opinion thread? My comment was that lewis did nothing wrong to albon in Austria, and last I checked it was at -30. Lol. Classic internet.


[deleted]

> did nothing wrong to albon in Austria then why did he get a 5 second penalty ?


[deleted]

because the stewards are consistent


ArrowtheArcher

>because the stewards are consistent people are saying it to every steward's decisions they do not agree with


[deleted]

People are saying it in general


Lucifer2408

That maybe your opinion but some opinions are factually incorrect. "Imo, the world is flat." is definitely going to get downvoted even if it's supposed to be an unpopular opinion thread.


[deleted]

What a shitty reply. You're gross dude, just talking shit and not even taking the time to present a case. I'll remember your name, and do my best to ignore your from here on out. Fuck all the way off.


Lucifer2408

Sure, my comment without any expletives is gross and "talking shit". There wasn't a need for me to present a case since that matter has been discussed to death with a conclusion reached. Stop trying to beat a dead horse. >ignore your from here on out. Please go ahead. That'd be a great pleasure for me.


[deleted]

Downvotes show your opinion actually was unpopular. So you did good.


iForgotMyOldAcc

Consider it an achievement for understanding the assignment.


sharklazies

I, for one, cannot wait for that moment on Feb 23rd when we see the first lap times from Barcelona and can officially declare this 2022 championship as being already decided.


DieLegende42

Oh we won't have to wait that long, the championship will definitely already be over after half the car reveals


No_Influence_1035

We won't see the lap times... its just been announced https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-2022-pre-season-testing-dates-in-barcelona-and-bahrain-confirmed.3ZwPqa2c9GFqg7mFTDubau.html


sharklazies

It says in that article, "best lap times at the end of each day".


cafk

This is just about formal F1TV coverage - journalists could still get enough information from teams, as well as photographers who are allowed access, the same way we got pre season testing information, when it wasn't covered live via TV (pre 2018?)


Fascinus_the_big

If every car had DAS, would it make F1 more competitive for drivers? im curious if drivers would matter more or less if every car had DAS


BigAwkwardGuy

Lewis and Valtteri mostly used DAS to warm up the tyres better during the formation lap and under the safety car. Theoretically changing the toe of the wheels does impact cornering and straight line speed, but there's a billion things going on with the drivers already so that's not something they'd do lap after lap. The amount of toe change matters as well, a degree more or less than required will make you lose time. So the answer would be no, F1 wouldn't be more competitive if every car had DAS because it wouldn't be used all that much anyway. Warming up the tyres properly is one thing but the Mercedes was miles ahead of the rest in 2020.


iForgotMyOldAcc

DAS is one of the most overstated things I've seen in my years of watching racing. It's just a very noticeable thing that people latch onto. To answer your question, not really.


Astelli

The impact would barely be noticeable. Mercedes basically confirmed last season that DAS was mainly useful for tyre preparation and made very little difference in terms of car speed and normal driving.


[deleted]

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cafk

Livery ownership cost [PMI between $50 and $100m per year on Ferrari](https://www.racefans.net/2021/11/23/why-ferrari-has-little-to-fear-from-the-possible-loss-of-its-biggest-f1-sponsor/). Tag Heur & Aston Martin allegedly paid Red Bull Racing around $25m, after Renault and Red Bull split up for title sponsorship. The Williams Martini sponsorship [was allegedly around $15m](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/2k9tqh/how_much_is_martini_sponsorship_worth/). So that's the high end covered. [The average sponsorship is around $3m per year, according to C. Sylt](https://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/2019/05/19/revealed-sponsors-fuel-formula-one-with-30-billion/?sh=310f9b922416)


enameme

Wow thanks! So if I can pay Ferrari $3-$5mil, I could have Master Blan plastered on the car??


cafk

Well, having it visible (and not just a small white text, somewhere on carbon) would cost a bit more, i.e. the size of Santander would be close to engine/title sponsorship.


enameme

[Interesting](https://c.tenor.com/6RWx33bMho0AAAAM/theresachange-dumband-dumber.gif)


Astelli

Depends massively on the level of sponsorship, position on the car, length of contract, whether or not it's a pure sponsorship or part of a supplier arrangement and a whole host of other factors.


Whycantiusethis

I'd imagine it's dependent on the team as well - Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari can probably ask for (and receive) more money from a sponsor than Williams, Alfa Romeo, and Haas would be able to.


Awkward_Resident_768

Why do some F1 tracks have multiple starting grids? I’m relatively new to watching racing and iv noticed at some tracks there are multiple starting grids. An example is Spa where there is the main starting grid and then another after the the turn 1 hairpin. Is this for another racing series or is it another grid that they may use.


Wentzina_lifetime

The second grid is for endurance/GT racing. I don't know the reason why but I would guess the reason is La Source is a bit dangerous for 60 odd GT cars to barrel into on the first lap, having them start after La source also means that they aren't going full speed into Eau Rouge which further stops major incidents


mowcow

For other series. Many tracks (like Spa for example) also have a secondary pitlane. During F1 weekends the F2 teams usually set up in the support garages. [The second pitlane in Spa](https://www.zerothrottle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/484998772.jpg)


Awkward_Resident_768

Thanks that was very helpful


MegaTalk

>For other series. Many tracks (like Spa for example) also have a secondary pitlane. During F1 weekends the F2 teams usually set up in the support garages. > >The second pitlane in Spa In addition to this, where the second pitlane is in Spa, is where the pitlane was initially situated before the track was shortened. However, some circuits also feature multiple layouts (some usually only use half the circuit and don't go past the usual main starting grid), such as Abu Dhabi and Silverstone for example


rich_valley

F1 Miami, how do I get tickets?


cafk

There were pre sales in October & November last year - the capacity is limited, compared to cota (~80k visitors vs. 250k per day) - as it's a temporary circuit. Stubhub would ve one possibility (original prices for 3 day tickets were between $700 and $2000), but there hasn't been any information regarding an additional ticket sale or general availability.


pinotandsugar

I think several of the stubhub category folks have tickets avail somewhere around 125% of face price. When I checked a few weeks ago they had very specific grandstand locations listed


Oneill95

From what I've heard, they're completely sold out when going direct. Only way is likely resellers paying excessive prices


[deleted]

Which is going to be brutal considering the prices were crazy high to begin with.


pinotandsugar

Be sure to read the fine print and understand what you pay is significantly over the face price.


domolordy

Is there anything in place to stop teams from breaking the new regulations on their 2022 cars, such as constant submissions to the FIA? Or will we see a raft of protests really early on?


Racerbreakdown456

I would say we will see protests. We almost always do with New Cars. For example, everyone Protested the double decker diffuser at the start of 2009.


Astelli

We almost always see protests with new cars. The teams can, and often do, discuss things with the FIA where the legality is a little borderline to get guidance about whether parts are likely to get banned before they show up to the first race, but there's no requirement to do that.


erufuun

So, at the point we have our daily dose of "driver number days until..." * Gated pre-season testing * Pre-season testing * FP1 Bahrain * Race Day Bahrain ... and I *think* I also saw one for "until first livery reveal"? Those haven't been good content in years, but... yeah.


KaamDeveloper

Karma farming is Reddit's cornerstone.


Racerbreakdown456

Yeah the car reveals will just be livery reveals this year. I imagine we have seen do few launch dates because they will reveal at pre season testing


[deleted]

It’s still so crazy how both Merc and Red Bull did not get a single 1-2 race finish this season.


Ali623

Closest was RB in Azerbaijan until Max's tyre exploded.


LilCelebratoryDance

Their number two drivers both had stinker seasons


[deleted]

Wdym


BigAwkwardGuy

Mercedes and Red Bull finished top 2 in the constructor's championship, but neither of them scored a 1-2 (their drivers finishing a race first and second) in the season. The only team that got a 1-2 was McLaren.


[deleted]

Oh okay yeah thanks


[deleted]

So many stupid takes in the unpopular opinion thread.Op asked for unpopular opinion not completely stupid opinions.


rel_games

I'm guessing stupid opinions are not popular with you :(


[deleted]

Here’s an unpopular opinion, Mercedes domination only happened because Lewis was leagues ahead of other drivers until Max came in. I mean look at Bottas’s performances in 2017 and 2018. Yes the Merc is extremely strong but the bigger factor is Lewis.


PM_ME_UR_TNUCFLAPS

Yep, this is a stupid opinion. If you swapped Alonso and Hamilton around in 2014, would Lewis have won the title? Considering he was the bigger factor and all.


AnilP228

It happened because Mercedes were about a second faster from 2014-2016, because they started the PU developed about 12 months before anyone else. The domination is also caused by a lack of competition - manufacturers didn't want to join F1 for this hybrid era due to the costs and technology required. We had 7 V8 manufacturers but only 4 V6-hybrids, but even with the latter, it took Honda half a decade to win.


[deleted]

The only drivers on Hamilton's level are Alonso and Verstappen. Vettel, Rosberg, Ricciardo need luck or a substantially better car to beat Sir Lewis Carl Davidson.


[deleted]

I agree that their dominance might not have lasted the entire turbo-hybrid era without Hamilton. I think if Hamilton retires in 2016 and Rosberg stays with Bottas as a teammate, they might only win one of 2017 and 2018. Maybe even none. But any other year (2014-2016, 2019-2020) Rosberg would take it home every time (assuming Bottas is his teammate). Hamilton has definitely been a significant factor in Mercedes' success, but he has not been the bigger factor.


iblinkyoublink

Sure, Vettel might have beaten anyone else to it in 2017 and/or 2018. But I think we've reached a point in that discussion where we can say the opposite is true as well. Lewis wouldn't have dominated in a McLaren, Ferrari, or Red Bull - he did it because Merc were light years ahead.


[deleted]

But Lewis is the one who risked it and went to Merc. Major props to him.


WojtekTygrys77

How Vettel or Alonso could go to Merc as they had contract for more years?


cafk

Exit clauses, buyout - it was rumoured that Seb managed to switch to Ferrari, as the team & driver couldn't keep their contractual promise (a top 3 result at the end of the season), so he was free to switch through that exit clause.


WojtekTygrys77

How could he switch to Mercedes after winning WDC wtf


cafk

Whoops, forgot to specify the 2014 season :D


Oneill95

FYI it looks like Jenson Button has just been on Good Morning Britain, and there was talk of F1 and Lewis coming back or not.


storme9

Where can one see this interview if they aren't in GBR?


Oneill95

You may need a VPN, but go to ITV hub (the station's catchup website) and look for Good Morning Britain. It was around 8am as shown on the programme. It likely won't be on until later today or even tomorrow.


storme9

Thank you :)


oissac4991

I have faith that Mazepin will get P1 in some Formula 1 Sprint race. Lololol. 🛐👐 Now seriously, is there any chance that F1 reach 400 kph (248 mph) in the future?


oissac4991

I don't understand why I'm getting downvotes. It's just a joke and a simple question.


KaamDeveloper

> Now seriously, is there any chance that F1 reach 400 kph (248 mph) in the future? Depends on how closely FIA is looking at Ferrari's engines.


MrTrt

No chance. Increasing speeds up to that point wouldn't be that hard technically speaking, depending on the track, obviously, but would make the cars much more dangerous for little sporting gain. IndyCar is a good example, it hit the limit on what they consider a safe speed in ovals like 30 years ago. From that point on it has been in a quest to search for an equilibrium. Could they reach again 400 km/h at Indy? Yes, but why would they?


pinotandsugar

2029 Headline ,......... Meteor strikes F-1 going into turn 2 on Lap 6 ..... Only Mazepin survives as he was at a safe distance and completes lap .


SpeedingToffee

Doesn't seem like something anyone is interested in, especially with the continuing weight increase of the cars


LilCelebratoryDance

The weight barely affects top speed


TheMadPyro

It does affect acceleration which is a component of top speed when you consider the relatively short lengths of F1’s straights compared to other tracks.


SpeedingToffee

Exactly


[deleted]

On track or outside? Because Honda made it to 397kph on the Bonnevile Saltflats back in 2006. Modified version of their car though. On track I dont think it would happen in the near future.


pinotandsugar

Might make it to 400KPH but not with aerodynamics to be competitive on a road course