Formula 1

[Leyland Bus]

They're trying!

That's very true! 2007 all over again!!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Excellent result for Williams Sainz really come alive at the end of the season

 

[Bald Rick]

Max has to be favourite now, McLaren are doing a masterclass in choking, Red Bull’s experience will be key.

Lando is favourite at the bookies, and by a long way. (Lando 1/3, Verstappen about 7/2, Oscar 15/1)

 

[Tetchytyke]

Max has to be favourite now, McLaren are doing a masterclass in choking, Red Bull’s experience will be key.

It’s not choking, it’s just the classic situation of having two good drivers in a team going up against a team which doesn’t.

Happens all the time. 1986 was a good example, so was 2007. 2010 was too, if we’re being honest, if Ferrari hadn’t done a classic Ferrari pit strategy screw up in Abu Dhabi then Alonso would have beaten both Red Bulls despite having a much inferior car.

The pit strategy was obviously about being fair to both drivers. If you have a clear number one then it doesn’t matter about being fair and you can just optimise everything. There’s a reason why Mercedes were content to replace Rosberg with Bottas, a solid driver who’d clock up the points but wouldn’t threaten Hamilton.

McLaren would be in a much better position if they had actually done what the Drive to Survive morons on social media claim they have done, and actually favoured Norris.

 

[JN114]

McLaren are simply doing the fairest thing for both their drivers…

And backing Max for the WDC title

 

[Mogster]

Without the engine failure at Zandvoort and the DSQ in Vegas Norris would be romping home.

 

[Tetchytyke]

McLaren are simply doing the fairest thing for both their drivers…

And backing Max for the WDC title

Brown said he'd rather Verstappen win the WDC than favour one driver ahead of the other. I think that's the best way to go racing tbh.

The team really care about the WCC which gives them the prize money and the status. That was sewn up months ago.

That's probably also why Red Bull have been able to catch up. With the cost cap and the wind tunnel cap, I would be amazed if McLaren have done any meaningful development on their car since the summer break.

Without the engine failure at Zandvoort and the DSQ in Vegas Norris would be romping home.

If Max's mum had wheels she'd be a motorbike and all that, but if Norris' engine hadn't gone boom boom at Zandvoort he would already be crowned World Champion.

 

[Mogster]

This not favouring one driver is all well and good. However, say on lap 56 this Sunday Verstappen ends up leading with Russell second, Piastri third and Norris fourth. I strongly suspect we’ll hear an apologetic call to Piastri asking him to back off. For the team it’s the only thing that would make sense.

 

[sannox]

It’s not choking, it’s just the classic situation of having two good drivers in a team going up against a team which doesn’t.

McLaren would be in a much better position if they had actually done what the Drive to Survive morons on social media claim they have done, and actually favoured Norris.

I agree with this- teams often get into a mess when they are fighting each other. That said it is an achilles heel for Verstappen to have no teammate near to help - think Perez in 2021.

I also think it is weak leadership from McLaren. I can't see some of this flying with Ron Dennis or other team leaders in the 90s - they'd have made strategy calls for the benefit of the team and accepted the consequences.

 

[Lampshade]

This not favouring one driver is all well and good. However, say on lap 56 this Saturday Verstappen ends up leading with Russell second, Piastri third and Norris fourth. I strongly suspect we’ll hear an apologetic call to Piastri asking him to back off. For the team it’s the only thing that would make sense.

Assuming Toto doesn't see an opportunity to get revenge for 2021 and move Russell/Kimi over.

 

[najaB]

I also think it is weak leadership from McLaren. I can't see some of this flying with Ron Dennis or other team leaders in the 90s - they'd have made strategy calls for the benefit of the team and accepted the consequences.

The team benefits very little from winning the driver's championship in the grand scheme of things. They certainly benefit more from having two drivers who feel that they've been treated fairly going into next year than having one who feels that they were knifed in the back.

 

[PG]

Assuming Toto doesn't see an opportunity to get revenge for 2021 and move Russell/Kimi over.

Unlikely. I think Toto wouldn't wish to jeopardise future driver negotiations for 2027...

 

[Mogster]

Assuming Toto doesn't see an opportunity to get revenge for 2021 and move Russell/Kimi over.

As much as that would bring a smile to my face I can’t see it happening. Hamilton isn’t likely to be troubling the podium either…

 

[Tetchytyke]

I also think it is weak leadership from McLaren. I can't see some of this flying with Ron Dennis or other team leaders in the 90s - they'd have made strategy calls for the benefit of the team and accepted the consequences.

Ron Dennis was in charge in 2007 and Frank Williams had it in 1986. That finale in 86 cost Williams his Honda engines.

Most teams try and have a clear number one and a clear number two for this very reason. Ferrari in the 00s understood it but McLaren also did. In the 90s/00s McLaren had Coulthard as team mate to Hakkinen and Montoya and Raikkonen: DC was good enough to score regular points but not good enough to challenge the number one driver.

Hamilton isn’t likely to be troubling the podium either…

Perez was able to be a road block in 2021 and that bought Verstappen enough time that it meant Hamilton couldn’t pit during that last safety car.

If Hamilton doesn’t take the chance to nerf Verstappen off whilst being lapped then he’s a better man than I.

 

[D365]

Ron Dennis was in charge in 2007 and Frank Williams had it in 1986. That finale in 86 cost Williams his Honda engines.

My understanding was that Honda wanted Williams to back Piquet throughout, and that it was his refusal to prioritise Piquet which was the catalyst for Honda departing with Piquet after 1987.

 

[DarloRich]

Least surprising story of the season: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c5y0rlx05l4o

Red Bull will promote Frenchman Isack Hadjar to their senior team and hand 18-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad a debut Formula 1 season in 2026.

Lindblad, who has a Swedish father and a mother of Indian descent, will be team-mate to New Zealander Liam Lawson at second team Racing Bulls.

The shuffling of Red Bull's driver line-up sees Japanese Yuki Tsunoda lose his seat on the grid after five seasons.

Hadjar, 21, will become four-time champion Max Verstappen's team-mate after an impressive rookie season at Racing Bulls

 

[gswindale]

What are the odds on him still being Max's team-mate at the end of the season?

 

[sannox]

Unlucky Hadjar.

Lot of people suggested RB made a mistake picking Lawson over Yuki at the start of the season, yet Lawson still has a seat..

 

[SynthD]

What are the odds on him still being Max's team-mate at the end of the season?

High chance of him staying, as the Red Bull driver program is weak on people with a super licence. Lindblad, to be the sixth British born driver on the grid, came up through F3 and F2 without finishing a year in the top three. That, even with his age, makes me think Hadjar is safe.

 

[Mogster]

High chance of him staying, as the Red Bull driver program is weak on people with a super licence. Lindblad, to be the sixth British born driver on the grid, came up through F3 and F2 without finishing a year in the top three. That, even with his age, makes me think Hadjar is safe.

Lindblad seems to be causing much more of a stir within the RBR academy than Hadjar ever did. Hadjar seemed to be almost an afterthought for the RB2 F1 seat while they seem to have been putting a real effort into getting Limblad a SL as soon as possible.

Lindblad has had an up and down season in F2, it is only his 3rd season in car racing, but his highs clearly suggest to the RBR academy that they can see something they feel is worth pursuing. His feature race win at Barcelona was dominant and impressive. It’s possible that RBR were on the fence and his positive FP1 sessions this year have turned heads. FP1 Mexico Limblad was faster than Tsunoda in Verstappen’s car with minimal changes.

 

[DarloRich]

Unlucky Hadjar.

Lot of people suggested RB made a mistake picking Lawson over Yuki at the start of the season, yet Lawson still has a seat..

Yuki Tsunoda will move with Honda to Aston Martin

 

[JamesT]

Yuki Tsunoda will move with Honda to Aston Martin

Both of the Aston Martin drivers are contracted for next year. You think Tsunoda comes with enough money to bump Alonso?

 

[DarloRich]

Both of the Aston Martin drivers are contracted for next year. You think Tsunoda comes with enough money to bump Alonso?

nope - but he does get a back up driver role.

 

[gswindale]

Yuki Tsunoda will move with Honda to Aston Martin

I thought he was staying at Red Bull in a reserve driver role?

 

[JD2168]

I thought he was staying at Red Bull in a reserve driver role?

He is which also smooths things over with Honda to continue an engine supply for TPC cars which could be useful for Lindblad & any other junior at Red Bull to enable them to get more mileage & quicker up to speed

 

[Jimini]

Are we all sitting comfortably?

 

[75A]

Why does Crofty have t shout?

 

[JamesT]

Congratulations to Lando Norris!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Brilliant Lando, by just two points as well!

 

[Leyland Bus]

Superb, a great race and Lando pulled off some great overtakes when needed, Tsunoda/RedBull getting just desserts for poor driving trying to keep him behind, enjoyed that one!