Headlines away from the track: F1

[Retroram52]

You might be right 46&2. We shall see what Haas is going to finally settle on as the F-1 season winds down.

 

[IndyAndy]

I guess that you could call this "unofficially official":

Ferarri driver to get one Haas seat - maybe both?

Looks like that engine supply deal came with strings attached. I'm okay with one seat going their way, but not both.

 

[Retroram52]

This is sort of like a under-handed blackmail of sorts. You can have our engines for a price and that includes one of our drivers. You can bet Haas is going to go along until he gets more advanced and then he'll make his own engines.

I agree Indy, Haas would do himself favors and shake-up the status quo by putting a dynamic American driver in the other seat and make it successful. It would be good for F-1 and send a message to F-1 that the series needs growth-stimulating moves and not this bland BS go-along-to-get-along crap we now see where you're pretty much guaranteed to be able to pick the podium each race with consistent success.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Interesting:

Mercedes decision on Red Bull narrows Aston Martin options

 

[IndyAndy]

Melbourne secures the rights to host the Australian GP through 2023:

www.abc.net.au

Manor is taking bids for new minority investors:

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Retroram52]

That's pretty cool, Indy.

 

[forty_three]

Interesting:

Mercedes decision on Red Bull narrows Aston Martin options

What the heck is Audi/Porsche/VW waiting for?


Also; minor change to the Singapore layout;

 

[IndyAndy]

Speaking of the upcoming Singapore GP... :

dense haze shrouds Singapore; will likely still be there for the GP

 

[forty_three]

Two things:
1) Lewis:


Holy crap. Lewis can equal Senna this weekend in wins, and in the same number of races.

2) Alexander:

Sorry for the facebook link. Manor has signed Alexander Rossi and he will drive Singapore, Japan, Mexico, US and Brazil. Mehri will run Sochi and Abu Dhabi.

I can't wait to see what he does.

 

[Retroram52]

Lewis is primed. F-1 is sort of designed to feature one guy. You'd never have this type of dominance in the IRL. Frikin' F-1 and their obsession with appearance.

 

[IndyAndy]

^ Yeah, but these things ebb & flow: Today it's Mercedes/Hamilton's turn at the top. - In another season or two, it'll be somebody else's.

 

[forty_three]

Lewis still has to drive it.

I wish F1 would put the drivers back in charge of the outcome more. Some ideas I would love to see implemented:

- Raise the minimum pre-race weight of the car/driver. Let the teams decide if they want to add aero parts or go with more fuel so they can push harder for longer. Or maybe hire a 6ft driver with some skill.
- Make DRS available anywhere on the track, but make it a finite number of uses (62 laps = 62 DRS uses) and eliminate the 1 second behind rule. Push the button, you get 3 seconds of DRS. Kind of how Indy Car does Push to Pass.
- Bring three tire compounds, and only make them use two. Mix up strategies.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree with most of your suggestions 43, but the last one. You don't want to go down the road of NASCAR where competition among manufactures is so regulated and neutered it is essentially non-existent because, in the case of tires, there is only one option. I get that you don't want the opposite scenario either where the series has too many options. A nice balance is what you maybe suggesting

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

What the heck is Audi/Porsche/VW waiting for?

As a VW owner and Red Bull fan, I am asking the same thing!!!

I have heard some Aston Martin talk with Red Bull as well. My guess is they sign a 2-3 year deal with Ferrari at this point and play the wait game with the other options. Breaking in takes time, even with a monster team and class A drivers as we have seen with Honda this year so who knows if RB has that patience.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Two things:
1) Lewis:
View attachment 29806

Holy crap. Lewis can equal Senna this weekend in wins, and in the same number of races.

2) Alexander:

Sorry for the facebook link. Manor has signed Alexander Rossi and he will drive Singapore, Japan, Mexico, US and Brazil. Mehri will run Sochi and Abu Dhabi.

I can't wait to see what he does.

Awesome for Rossi especially since he will be in Austin! As far as Haas, we kind of all expected Gutierrez and Verne is solid. They will be a Scuderia minor league team for a few years but those are some good solid drivers to learn the sport with.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

guys

Guys

GUYS!!!!


Volkswagen close to buying Red Bull F1 team


I hate to be crass but it moved a little!!! :cheers:

 

[IndyAndy]

^ I wonder where - if it happens - that leaves Scuderia Toro Rosso.

 

[forty_three]

As a VW owner and Red Bull fan, I am asking the same thing!!!

I have heard some Aston Martin talk with Red Bull as well. My guess is they sign a 2-3 year deal with Ferrari at this point and play the wait game with the other options. Breaking in takes time, even with a monster team and class A drivers as we have seen with Honda this year so who knows if RB has that patience.

I'm a VW group believer as well (Have owned VWs, currently drive an Audi, would kill for a Porsche -80's 928 please - and when the Mrs' Mazda goes up, she is getting a Touareg). I have been chomping at the bit for them to get in. My daughter has a beetle, and my son wants a GTI when it's his turn.

guys

Guys

GUYS!!!!


Volkswagen close to buying Red Bull F1 team


I hate to be crass but it moved a little!!! :cheers:

Yeah, that's more like it. Red Bull Porsche/Audi/VW/Bentley/Lamorghini...Whatever they call it. I would be in heaven. And for them to have Horner, Niewy AND Daniel Riccardo out the gate? Holy hell.

^ I wonder where - if it happens - that leaves Scuderia Toro Rosso.

I would imagine that Toro Rosso becomes factory Renault and Lotus becomes Lotus Renault. Either that or Aston Martin moves in with one of them.

Toro Rosso would lose Red Bull backing though. Guaranteed.

 

[IndyAndy]

^^^ I'm not so sure that Dietrich Mateschitz would necessarily pull out of a sponsorship roll all together (Red Bull was a sponsor on other teams in the pre RBR days), but maybe we'll see soon enough.

 

[forty_three]

^^^ I'm not so sure that Dietrich Mateschitz would necessarily pull out of a sponsorship roll all together (Red Bull was a sponsor on other teams in the pre RBR days), but maybe we'll see soon enough.

There was a bit of a rumor a while back that Red Bull would become a title sponsor and major investor in F1.

They already run a few major sporting series. Global Rallycross, X Fighters, Air Race.

They have the experience to pull it off. Their eyes might be on a bigger prize.