F1 2022: French GP - Le Castellet (July 24)

[NYG]

I thought Miami GP the track was one of the better tracks on the calendar. It's not Suzuka or Spa but it's certainly better than at least half the tracks. The way they handled tickets/venue was a bit too much, that I agree with.

I think Ferrari and Red Bull are going to be close here. I'm starting to agree with some commentary about Ferrari being superior on rear limited tracks and Red Bull on front limited tracks. I think Red Bull will dominate Hungaroring but France is pretty balanced front and rear.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by NYG

I thought Miami GP the track was one of the better tracks on the calendar. It's not Suzuka or Spa but it's certainly better than at least half the tracks. The way they handled tickets/venue was a bit too much, that I agree with.

I'm not talking about the track itself, although the aspects that were the most intregueing imho were the imperfections in that track (the sharp corner before the straight and that piece of questionable asphalt). For the rest it was nothing special.
I'm talking about the venue itself. The only reason to have a 'street' track is that you can race through a city, giving awesome visual spectacles and deal with its infrastructual challenges. And Miami failed 100% in that.
I mean look at Monaco, where they drive right through the the city, along the harbour, everything. Or look at Baku, driving next to the 1000 year old fortress or along the wide boulevards with beautiful old buildings; the track changes from extremely narrow to extremely wide because it's a 1000 year old city.
Really, Miami was one great letdown as far as F1 races/street circuits go.
An improvised track on a parking lot outside the city...what a treat....
As a street track not good and also certainly nothing special as a dedicated track. In that regard it certainly brought nothing new racewise imho. In that regard COTA is a much more interesting track.
That there's a lot of money in Miami.... well there's also a lot of money in the middle east and that has also resulted in some GP's I'd rather see gone (and for example have Hockenheim back)
The only thing good in Miami was the race result for MAx
For the rest it's only interesting moneywise. But I'm not watching F1 for that.

[Killed by Death]

Also posted in the British GP thread but too good to miss

Lego stop motion of the start at Silverstone

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by 3798j

Ferrari: "Our DRS push has wiped out Red Bull’s top speed F1 advantage."

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...tage/10337998/

Not really . MAX took the pole and won the sprint race and pulled the fastest lap .

By the new upgrades the RB18 got extreme tire degradation during the race and meanwhile RB investigates what the issue was in Austria .

It was very clear ,the Ferrari could brake so much later , that's why the Ferrari is still faster in the turns because the 18 is still too heavy .

It won't be easy, but in France it won't happen again .

[kring]

Is this the week when they will be inspecting and measuring the RB & Ferrari floors that were out of spec? Sounded like a failed inspection might be automatic disqualification from the race. That might give MB a little more closure. From what it sounds like; the RB was farthest out of spec and Ferrari was just a bit so RB could loose a tenth or two to sort out their floor situation, hopefully it doesn’t introduce porpoising. If DQ is the penalty, they might have to really bring it into spec and not chance getting caught out of spec.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Not really . MAX took the pole and won the sprint race and pulled the fastest lap .

By the new upgrades the RB18 got extreme tire degradation during the race and meanwhile RB investigates what the issue was in Austria .

It was very clear ,the Ferrari could brake so much later , that's why the Ferrari is still faster in the turns because the 18 is still too heavy .

It won't be easy, but in France it won't happen again .

We know Sainz will almost certainly start at the back using a fourth new PU that is the same config as the one that failed,the question is what's happening with Lec's one and all the PU's in Italy for inspection that surely can't be modified in time for Ricard,surely it's impossible and I read there are new spec modified PU's being built that won't be ready until Monza so they must chance Lec with his used one unless they have both Ferrari's at the back.
All they can do is just to replace with a new current one like Merc was doing last year turning up boost to max for the race and hoping for the best.
Max and Checo in the meantime can have new PU's with no worries just shaving off the weight, * Ferrari have no ad's on the rear wing.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

We know Sainz will almost certainly start at the back using a fourth new PU that is the same config as the one that failed,the question is what's happening with Lec's one and all the PU's in Italy for inspection that surely can't be modified in time for Ricard,surely it's impossible and I read there are new spec modified PU's being built that won't be ready until Monza so they must chance Lec with his used one unless they have both Ferrari's at the back.
All they can do is just to replace with a new current one like Merc was doing last year turning up boost to max for the race and hoping for the best.
Max and Checo in the meantime can have new PU's with no worries just shaving off the weight, * Ferrari have no ad's on the rear wing.

Some of the rumors is : At Austria Ferrari released even more ponies in Sainz PU , probably by power mappings and increase the Turbo boost .

If it is true , then Sainz was the Ferrari test mule at Austria .
They must be very careful with Charlies's PU in France because it will be extremely hot !
One more DNF and Charlie's WDC is completely gone ...

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Some of the rumors is : At Austria Ferrari released even more ponies in Sainz PU , probably by power mappings and increase the Turbo boost .

If it is true , then Sainz was the Ferrari test mule at Austria .
They must be very careful with Charlies's PU in France because it will be extremely hot !
One more DNF and Charlie's WDC is completely gone ...

I was thinking that too of Sainz's PU that was only 2 races old.
If that's the case then Max and Checo should be fine at Ricard where Lec will have to turn his testarossa down a mite to get through the race seing his recent blow up and Checo must learn not to attempt an overtake on a Merc on the outside of a bend, no way.

[///M Power-Belgium]

*****

[3798j]

Some more new wing talk...Mattia Binotta: "We closed the gap we had in terms of speed." Then from The Racer: "Charles Leclerc had the pace to catch and pass Max Verstappen on three occasions at the Red Bull Ring, backing up Carlos Sainz’s win at Silverstone a week before. That came after Sainz pressured Verstappen all the way to the flag in Canada, and Binotto says a new rear wing that was introduced in Montreal – on Leclerc’s car – has played a big role in the recent form."

[NYG]

Originally Posted by kring

Is this the week when they will be inspecting and measuring the RB & Ferrari floors that were out of spec? Sounded like a failed inspection might be automatic disqualification from the race. That might give MB a little more closure. From what it sounds like; the RB was farthest out of spec and Ferrari was just a bit so RB could loose a tenth or two to sort out their floor situation, hopefully it doesn’t introduce porpoising. If DQ is the penalty, they might have to really bring it into spec and not chance getting caught out of spec.

I think they're all equally out of spec, at least those who are doing it. I think whoever stated that they're using planks of non-uniform stiffness didn't really understand what they were saying. From all the underside shots of the cars it looks like all they did was split the plank into two pieces allowing motion at a joint past the 2nd measuring point.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I was thinking that too of Sainz's PU that was only 2 races old.

I expect both LEC and SAI having to take maybe 3 new PU's for the rest of the season, so having to start quite a few times lower on the grid.
Now is an interesting point to review as we're exactly at the middle of the season (11 GP's completed from the total of 22):
Checo has been on his 2nd PU for a while now
Max has been on his 2nd PU for maybe 2 races?
LEC has been on his 4th PU for a while now (since montreal)
SAI gets his 4th PU in France.

So if this useage is linear, LEC needs another 4 PU's (4 grid penalties), SAI needs at least 3 PU's (3 grid penalties), Checo maybe 2 PU's (so maybe 1 grid penalty) and Max might be the only one to finish the season without grid penalties (from these 4 drivers)
So this might become a championship deciding factor.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by NYG

I think they're all equally out of spec, at least those who are doing it. I think whoever stated that they're using planks of non-uniform stiffness didn't really understand what they were saying. From all the underside shots of the cars it looks like all they did was split the plank into two pieces allowing motion at a joint past the 2nd measuring point.

RB said they were in spec, and I wouldn't put it past MB to be bending the rules (no pun intended). I would bet Ferrari are bending too as they're known to do the same (ie fuel from a couple years ago).

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

RB said they were in spec, and I wouldn't put it past MB to be bending the rules (no pun intended). I would bet Ferrari are bending too as they're known to do the same (ie fuel from a couple years ago).

The most flexing floor of the field is the well-known (tipped) Mercedes (FIA) floor that's why their floor needs supports (floor stay)

Same for the Mercedes front wing : It's the most flexible front wing of the field .

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

The most flexing floor of the field is the well-known (tipped) Mercedes (FIA) floor that's why their floor needs supports (floor stay)

Same for the Mercedes front wing : It's the most flexible front wing of the field .

Agreed.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Agreed.

Thank you mate !

[Killed by Death]

Don't know what I despise worse? France or hammy

[NYG]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Don't know what I despise worse? France or hammy

HAM with a baguette?

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Don't know what I despise worse? France or hammy

Probably both

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Don't know what I despise worse? France or hammy

$1.9 Million ?!?! Good Lord !

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

$1.9 Million ?!?! Good Lord !

I'm partial to Breitling...It will save me some cheddar

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

$1.9 Million ?!?! Good Lord !

Chas was already robbed of one in front of journos? i think the gang were caught though.