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I hear what you say DBond.

But for me they lack something.
Monaco as well. Really boring and the best qualifier wins for the most part.

Variation is good , but I choose to like the classic tracks that is built into the open terrain . They also have vertical challenges that most city tracks lack.

Yes, I see your point, these middle eastern tracks are a bit convoluted, built in a desert. You must love the Red Bull Ring, which is peak terrain, isn't it? And most of the tracks that have been around since before the 80's have this quality. Imola, Zandvoort, Spa and the like are all laid out as the terrain dictated, not unlike how old golf courses are, before the age of massive earth moving to sculpt the land.

If I assess the tracks just on the corners and straights, the layout, the flow, then I have to say I like all of these four middle eastern tracks. They are all good racing tracks I think. But of course that's not all there is to it, with the dangerous weather conditions just witnessed and the threat of attacks like we saw in Jeddah last year. Human rights issues and all that.

It was interesting to see comments from Horner where he said that Red Bull don't have a driver pairing any more like Red Bull's rivals have. He was saying that the other teams have a pair of well matched drivers, but not his team. Well, yeah, but to say it publicly like this is interesting, and I wonder why he did. I am starting to think Red Bull are looking at a plan B for 2024, but what could that be?

They want Norris. If they can't have him, DR is an option. But when, after 6 races, he still struggles for points while Max scores victories/podiums, what's plan C ?

I love the notion of Lando in that seat, but not Ricciardo.

McLaren would have to let Lando go early and why would they do that? Contractually, everything is tied up so I can't see it at this time. Would Zak let Lando go for a fee? Who would they then get that's anywhere near as good as Norris? Maybe they're high on Lawson, and if Lando tells them he won't sign an extension maybe something could be done so they aren't left holding the bag in 2025. Lando might be keen as he stands a good chance of getting that first win. It will be interesting to see what plays out here.

Being offered the second seat at Red Bull besides someone like Max must be considered the kiss of death unless you’re the new Senna-Schumacher-Prost-Fangio, all rolled into one.

You’d have to incredibly talented, mentally tough, be able to charm the knickers off Horner and Marko, and race Max to the extent of causing him to have a melt down.

Otherwise you’ll be destroyed within that team.

Unless you’re primarily looking towards pay-day.

Sorry for exhibiting a bit of schadenfreude but it seems like Lewis got out-Lewis’d by George.

Not sure Verstappen want Lando in the team. Even if they are good friends.

Norris is too good.

edit. Yes I like RB ring. A bit short though.

Is Andretti going to into F1? That would make 22 cars on the grid but less money per team.

Would it? That's what the existing teams are saying, but I think that is short sighted. Isn't there a chance the pie could get bigger with more teams? I think so. Plus the anti-dillution fee or whatever they call it will surely ease their pain in the short term. In the long term, more teams can mean more interest, more investment, more opportunities. I think the resisters are shooting themselves in the foot with their closed minds while they circle the wagons.

Andretti is not in yet. They still need to negotiate a deal with FOM for commercial purposes and that's not just a formality. If everything goes smoothly we may see Andretti Cadillac on the grid for 2026.

Back at it this week boys, COTA is the venue, and a good racing track it is. The first turn is a great overtaking spot, then in to the esses sections which is marvelous to drive. Another good overtaking spot is the braking zone for turn 11, which leads on to the back straight with more overtaking possible here with DRS and in to turn 12. And then it is possible to overtake in the slow section that follows. We will see how this translates to the current cars, but I expect an eventful race. It is another sprint. Get your fantasy sorted, it is coming down to the wire!

This week is, to me, as unpredictable as can be (bar Max's victory). Fez usually do good there, Mercedes got big upgrades, McLaren is in shape.... could be a very exciting WE.

The only thing that saddens me is

1/I fly early shifts four days straight and won't be able to watch anything but replays.

2/I can't get the fantasy I'd want to, because Gasly is now too expensive. So I'll have to pray for his demise, and hope my pick does better.

Good luck still, and have fun watching these !

What are your thoughts on the new infraction fine? 1,000,000 Euros

Good god, I tried to roll the dice, divine performance, predict the future and I think I got it all sorts of wrong. My fantasy charge is over I fear. I should have just maintained course. Not looking good.

What a quali eh?

The infraction fine is nonsense. These people running F1 are all getting high in a Qatari high rise and throwing darts at numbers on the wall. Someone hit the 1 million target with their throw and they all cheered and popped some more champagne. Make it so, it was said. And so it was.

If Max got 50,000 for touching a wing, what is worth a million?

HAAS changes for Vegas.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mo...519390c86b469682dc2797a96b15bf&ei=16

Not a good sprint race, which surprised me a bit. I thought the racing would be closer, but as the cars have evolved through this season, the dirty air has increased, making it more difficult to follow closely. I would expect more cars to fly by down the backstraight but most were struggling to pull even, let alone get past in to turn 12. A full grand prix of this might be too processional, but we will see about that.

Is it for any infraction ? I have no idea how it would impact RB or Fez, but it sure can be harsh for Williams or Sauber.

I'm pretty sure those fines are paid by the drivers, not the teams.

Not a bad race, that. Closer up front than we've seen for a while. I thought Max, Leclerc, Lando and Hamilton all were in for a win here at one point or another. Ferrari got it wrong for Leclerc which is a shame, he was fast all weekend. He should have been in the mix at the end. Hamilton too, I think Merc got it wrong. He had the pace to win today for sure. You can't always know when the right time to pull the trigger is, but a couple teams got caught in two minds and it cost them.

I don't know how fantasy is going to shake out. I made three changes this weekend. Haas in as constructor in place of McLaren. And I replaced both McLaren drivers with Checo and Russell of all people. After FP1 I thought I need to mix it up if I am going to have a shot at winning the season, and I thought Merc looked great and that McLaren would struggle. I knew Hamilton would be good and wanted to put him in but couldn't really afford to, so I took Russell instead, thinking he'd be right on his tail. But Russell didn't have a good weekend, not close to Lewis anyway, but did score points. I also gambled on Haas making strides, and that it would be good bang for the buck as second constructor, but they didn't. But both cars got to the flag and moved forward so not too bad.

After qualifying I was worried since McLaren looked so fast. But Piastri dragged them down and I needed that, as both rollnloop and Sintax have the full Mclaren lineup, so hopefully it paid off and lets me close the gap. We all have Alonso in our teams, so his late problem affects each of us. It takes too long for the site to update our scores, but maybe the gap has closed a bit? I have no idea

Hamilton an Leclerc disqualified from United States Grand Prix.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...and-prix-for.10nvuyvEPfMgoeWxWOhw0a.html

Yeah, how about that? That is very costly to Hamilton, not just for this race result, but in his quest to take second in the standings. He had gotten very close, and this is a big setback. And this decision promotes three of my drivers!

Wigean, have you done anything with your fantasy team this year? I'm guessing you stopped sometime around Miami?

This ruling also gives Sargeant his first point in F1. I was going to comment on how he had a pretty good race, and with two drivers DQ'd he gets 10th place. How about that?

My fantasy team. Haha.

My team is a result of stubberness decided before the season.

I`m not sure if I have changed anything during the season to be honest.

I have Leclerc and Russel on top now. Both candidates to be furure champipons.

The idea was to follow the developement of cars and drivers during the season. And see if they would be challengers at all.

That Verstappen would be champion this year was almost given. For me the interest lay in how the teams would manage after a disasterous season last year.

Red Bull excelled in building a new car after the new rules, the other teams did not.

Verstappen hasn`t been challenged until the last rounds really. Hamilton was close yesterday, but now we know he was disqualified.

Next year Norris will be interesting to follow. Ferrari as well. But they need to have a talk after the season how they can improve as a TEAM. Listening to the radio messages show that they have a long way to go.

Yes, the stick to your guns approach!

I, on the other hand, make changes every week. Sometimes I swerve in to a better result and sometimes I outfox myself and make moves that cost me more than if I had just left it all alone. But that's part of the fun. Hopefully you'll be in again next year and pay closer attention haha.

The battle at the top of the table is heating up. I'm just 26 points behind Sintax and I was a couple hundred behind earlier in the season. I don't expect to win, but at least I've made a game of it. I'm 104 points ahead of rollnloop now, but that's not much. Four races to go I think.

Yeah I hoped my Piastri would better your Haas, sadly he failed me (again). Only saw highlights, quite difficult to understand how Ham finished so close to Max. However, disqualified so.....