homepage Forums SimHQ Motorsports Sim Racing - General Formula 1

Not sure there will be penalties. In F1 22 I get four gearboxes per season. Only three of everything else, so assuming that's how it works then there's a good chance a new gearbox for Max will not exceed the allocation. But I haven't been counting them either

The longer DRS zone should definitely make overtaking easier down the pitstraight in to turn 1. Combine this longer zone with improved ability to stick close coming out of the turn with the new regs and I think it will certainly be easier to overtake here.

Merc look strong. Not sure what upgrades they may have brought, and they have new ones every week it seems. I suspect the track characteristics are just suiting the W13 better, in the same way as Hungaroring.

I don't know if the race will be exciting, and there's a chance of rain. I'd be fine with a boring Red Bull one-two.

So it is official.

Oscar Piastri to McLaren.

I have only a norwegian source, so I won`t bother to link it.

Yes, that's true. Piastri had better hope he hits the ground running. His reputation has taken a hit in the paddock and he'll need to prove he's worth all of this.

FP1 and 2 done and dusted and Ferrari, McLaren and Merc all looking good here. Red Bull have had a lousy practice. I was watching FP2 on F1 TV Pro without sound. Why was Verstappen doing his final flying laps with no DRS?

The Mercedes engine does good on this track.

Will it last?

I think so. I expect Merc to be right in the hunt. High down force circuits suit the W13 best, and I think this is a good chance for Mercedes' first win of the year. I think Ferrari look best here, when considering both race pace and single lap pace, but Max and both Mercs are right there, along with McLaren. McLaren's single lap is a bit off the top teams, but they might be able to hit back in the grand prix.

It's all to play for, and rain may mix it up. Red Bull just need to keep it clean. Score both cars, and move on to Monza. A win would be great, and you know Max is motivated on home shores, but the key is to finish in the points.

Max by name. Max by nature

With Alfa perpetually letting me down each race, I needed to try and shuffle up my fantasy team. So I sacked Bottas and replaced him with Magnussen. I don't expect anything out of either one, so that's a wash. But KMag's lower price meant I could sack Alfa too, and install Aston martin and of course Vettel goes straight out in Q1 with a big mistake. Stroll however is possessed by demons or something and did great. Unfortunately i forgot to shift my Turbo Driver back after Spa, and left it on perez. That's gonna cost me.

I finally tried this circuit in F1 2020, and really I have no idea where to overtake cleanly with a slightly faster car. Seems the AI doesn't know either. Qualifying third in a Mercedes (that's 2020 but Max is already on pole), either I overtake before 1st turn, or I stay behind the whole race (or crash into the leading car). Once I'm in front AI only sometimes gets close at the end of the 4 right hand turns in succession, so maybe we can see some action there with different tire strategies, but then closing the door is quite easy too. I really wonder if new aero rules change something on such a racetrack, to me it's another Monaco.

Fantasy I kept Haas and changed Kmag for Mick for next week, he needs to perform much if he wants to still have a drive next year, I sense he can do it.

I watched the F2 race earlier today. Completly chaos.

Rather hectic first laps. Some started with soft tires, some did not. So those on soft could better overtake when the tires were fresh.
Several incidents that required safety car. A couple of red flags as well.
After the red flags they decided to do running starts which also caused mayhem as the leader waited to the last second to pass the line. The drivers behind got nervous and went on and off the throttle
On some safety cars they also closed the pit lane.

The commentators called it circus.
May be a hint of what to come in the F1 race?

Let's hope so!

I like my F1 chaotic.

Is F1 2020 the year before the most recent track changes? A few turns got some refinement, like the hairpin, but maybe that was before the version in F1 2020. Yeah, there aren't many spots to get by. This year turn 1 for sure, or even before the braking zone with the change to the DRS zone. Maybe the exit to the hairpin since there are two viable lines through there, and also at the end of the second DRS zone. But with the cars being able to stick a little closer and the pitstraight DRS zone starting in the final turn instead of on the straight I expect we'll see quite a few overtakes in to turn 1 today.

I talked about it after Spa, how Red Bull are the tightest team. They get it right most often, and have the fewest mistakes. Again today, this was the difference, because the win was on for Merc, who got it wrong. In my view Merc should have pitted both Hamilton and Russell for softs on the last safety car. This would have left Max out front, but both Mercedes would have been on the same tire as Max and it would have been a straight fight. I still think Max would have won, he was at least as fast and ahead. But Lewis didn't stand a chance this way and it was Abu Dhabi all over again, wasn't it?

But even if you dismiss this and think that leaving Hamilton out on the mediums is the right call, then you have to leave Russell out too, or you end up with exactly what we saw, Max right behind on much faster tires. Merc were caught in two minds and minimized their chance for a win today at the last SC I think.

Perez was a disappointment, and it's good that Red Bull have such a lead, because running sixth just doesn't seem good enough to me in that particular car. Whatever good vibes he was generating through Monaco have dissipated, and it's not quite good enough, even though it will indeed in the end, prove good enough if Red Bull win the title. I was as happy as anyone with Checo when he won Monaco and was genuinely in the title fight. But I still thought Red Bull jumped the gun with the extension. I would have preferred they waited and see what options there might have been. No guarantees a better option emerges, but locking themselves in so early seems a misstep. Maybe Perez had offers from elsewhere and Red Bull needed to make a decision, I don't know. But right now it feels premature to sign that new deal in May.

Ferrari were bungling again. I said after Spa that the 'we don't need to change anything' refrain out of their camp was worrying, and Binotto was saying the same thing again after Zandvoort. Something needs to change and honestly I think he's the one to go.

Alpine did it again in the very good battle for fourth. Lando's doing his bit but Ricciardo is not, and Alpine are slipping away. Alonso continues to impress, and Ocon had a good race too. McLaren are running out of time and I think with just one car in it they are done.

Need a few more F1 fans here to join the conversation!

Not a great fantasy week for me but at least I had no negative scores this week. Good week for rollnloop who is chipping away each weekend. Sintax is gunning for me he says, but I edged him this week. Gotta remember to swap back my TD before Monza quali.

Merc gambled for victory and lost, they didn't want to play safe for 2/3 but really I don't bame them, it's not binoclown level. Looks like ferrari strategists were moved to pitstop mechanic, same result.

I'd really like to have Gasly/Ocon next year for Alpine, and a good car to join the 3 way battle that I hope Merc/RB/Ferraclowns will stay in.

i' too much behind for fantasy but I'm glad my man george doesn't fail me, you took the very best early year compo and I didn't want to full mimic it.

I want to see Gasly and Ocon too. Gasly's way is blocked at Red Bull, that ship has sailed, so it would be good for all parties if he found a new seat. And also because the two Frenchmen don't get on well, and that's always better from my point of view, a little animosity and tension is good for the entertainment. But of course they could bury the hatchet and become a formidable team.

Since you didn't play week 1 I think for our purposes I need to deduct Bahrain, 192 points, putting me on 2,477 and that's not out of reach.

Merta seems to be in the mix as well.
Wouldn`t it be great for F1 to have a american driver?
I don`t know much about Merta, but the commentators here in Norway mention him in almost every race.

It would be nice to have an american driver at Haas, and I'd love Haas to be able to run for an occasional podium in the next few years. Having an american team fighting for victory (Haas, Andretti ?) would be great, but I can't see it coming soon.

Why is it so hard for Andretti to get a team in F1?
Is it only politics?

Liberty Media is american so I wonder what is stopping Andretti if they can comply with all that is needed.

Your story checks out since it's Herta

Son of former Indy Car driver Bryan Herta.

Yeah, I was a little surprised to see Horner's comment that Red Bull will only allow Gasly out of his contract if they can sign Herta. There's been a lot of smoke coming out of the paddock about Herta over the past two months, but that's quite a statement. I doubt any of the Red Bull juniors are enjoying hearing that.

Problem is Herta only has 32 of the 40 points required for a superlicense. There's talk of force majeure due to the pandemic limiting his opportunities. But the teams and the FIA president have come out against it. I'm OK with sticking to the rules. But those rules suck with F2 awarded double the points of Indy Car so it makes it unreasonably difficult to achieve unless you race (and spend your money) in the European Formula ladder.

Some of the comments I’ve read regarding Andretti’s trouble being accepted as a new team coming to Formula 1 state that the current teams don’t like sharing the money due to them from the Concorde agreement with another team. It follows from the Concorde agreement that a new team cannot be created unless all teams agree on welcoming a new entrant.

This leads to rigid rules for how new teams can come into Formula 1, when not accepted as a completely newcomer. A team entering F1 either buys the competition license from an outgoing team, or buy into an existing team, e.g. Force India becoming Aston Martin, or Tyrrell becoming bar becoming Honda, becoming Brawn becoming Mercedes, or Stewart becoming Jaguar becoming Red Bull.

A bit of a shame I think, considering that in my opinion 20 cars on the F1 grid is too few.

Now regarding Colton Herta, he is a brilliant natural driver, very fast but in my opinion presently too inconsistent and too reliant on coaching from his pitwall. He argues with his dad during races. Perhaps a team with no family affiliations would do him good?

Has he got the cool overview, the strategic cunning? A certain maturity is needed in Formula 1 to lead a team, because that is a quality very much desired in Formula 1 drivers. They must be a able to play a significant part in getting the team to strive for excellence. A motivator will unite mechanics, factory, etc. To unite behind their driver. Mansell was famous for inspiring loyalty in his mechanics, and a Scuhmacher (the elder) was able to make Ferrari his team, with a little help from Brawn and Todt. A driver like Alonso is more a destabilising factor.

At any rate, FIA in my opinion ought to be more generous towards IndyCar when bestowing super license points.

I agree. Herta's been driving in Indy Car for years and still doesn't have the points. The super license is there to ensure some fool doesn't pay his way on to the grid with no skills.

The Andretti thing in my view is a case of the established teams circling the wagons to protect their slice of the pie.

Merta?
Now where did that come from?