F1 2023: Saudi Arabian GP - Jeddah (Mar 19)

[Roman]

Originally Posted by E92inNC

They’ve beaten the crap out of my faith these last 15 years. I came to the realization I’m rooting for the Cowboys of F1 with my “this/next year is our year” thinking

Funny. In texting with a friend, I just called Ferrari the NY Jets of F1.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

No more fluffy girl for hammy

Yeah Angela is gone , by LEW's bad mood because his Merc is too slow . She couldn't stand it (him)! anymore .
LEW's bad mood can be very nerve wracking

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Ferrari 9th & 10th in FP2

This is gonna be a fun season

Both Ferrari ICE's (Internal combustion engine) have been replaced .

I really wonder what Ferrari has done during the winter break ?

Probably hibernating

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Autobacs

Max Verstappen lay down an early marker ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by finishing first practice nearly half a second up on Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Reigning champion Verstappen already looks a comfortable favourite for this year's championship and looks set to dominate the second race of the season.

Verstappen was 0.438s up on Perez, while Aston Martin pair Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were the only two other drivers to finish within a second of his lead time.

Alonso was 0.6s down, while Stroll was 0.9s off the pace.

ESPN F1

*****

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Hammy and Angela Cullen stop working together:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...llen/10444672/

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...es-partnership

Tell-tale sign of a swan song for Hamilton at Mercedes AMG ?

"Brundle: Not great news for Hamilton
Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle said that Cullen's departure is "not great news" for Hamilton, as he continues his quest for a record eighth drivers' title.
"It's not great news for Lewis, because whenever you saw Lewis in the pit lane or paddock Angela was with him supporting him. When he was off training, she'd be with him as well," Brundle said.
"So he'll have to find somebody new, but nothing's forever, as we know.
"I'm sure it won't detract from his overall performance, but it's such a treadmill now the Formula 1 season, and Angela wants to go and do something else - you can completely understand that.""

"Wolff: 'If things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it'
Toto Wolff spoke glowingly of Cullen as a "cheerleader" but said that "if things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it".
"Angela was a part of the gang for a long time," said Wolff.
"I think in every team, this is not a static situation that you can freeze because we all develop as people and as an organisation and if things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it and bring change.
"Angela will always be a cheerleader of the team - she is the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car.
"But if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him whatever direction he wants to take."

[G30M]

Originally Posted by NYG

Ferrari head of aerodynamics has just resigned. Killed by Death

https://www.formu1a.uno/terremoto-fe...le-dimissioni/

Pasta la vista.

i read that he was sacked by the new boss

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Tell-tale sign of a swan song for Hamilton at Mercedes AMG ?

I think that mainly the moment is very strange. I would expect someone to quit at the end of a season.
Why she quit can be a very normal reason, like not wanting to be away from home for so long anymore or something like that. But that is something you decide and announce in advance, also to the press (Cullen was more or less a mercedes mascotte and probably the only personal assistant that was in (TV) shot pretty much every race).

So maybe she wanted to quit already for a longer period of time, but maybe wanted to experience an 8th title with Hammy, but seeing the performance last race that might not come for a long long time.
It's still a strange situation, quitting the day before race 2.

[yco]

race looks like if Max will pull a 2 second or 3 second gap on the first lap..

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I think that mainly the moment is very strange. I would expect someone to quit at the end of a season.
Why she quit can be a very normal reason, like not wanting to be away from home for so long anymore or something like that. But that is something you decide and announce in advance, also to the press (Cullen was more or less a mercedes mascotte and probably the only personal assistant that was in (TV) shot pretty much every race).

So maybe she wanted to quit already for a longer period of time, but maybe wanted to experience an 8th title with Hammy, but seeing the performance last race that might not come for a long long time.
It's still a strange situation, quitting the day before race 2.

Timing of the announcement is indeed strange: during the second race weekend of a new season, for legendary F1 driver Hamilton, a week after International Women's Day, no replacement announced, unspecified what Cullen will do as new job.

Just like that, gone. No time-out for a couple of weeks or months, no "soon" or "later", but it looks like a termination with immediate effect (remains to be seen whether Cullen will still be spotted at the Jeddah circuit). If this had been planned for months or weeks, it would have normally been announced in the past and a successor would have been presented by now.

What happened to cause so suddenly a clean break after 7 years of close collaboration ? She is married with children, so it could be family related (a lot of time away from home). Did she get tired of being 'lived' by the whole FIA F1 traveling circus and constant media exposure ? Or health reasons ? Or moving out as someone else is already inside the waiting room ? Or Mercedes AMG interfering in the best interests of one of them ?

Cullen was, apart from being a popular mascotte for Mercedes AMG (very visible and often filmed during race weekends), not only Hamilton's physio since 2016, but also his confidant and loyal servant. They went through winning (2016-2020) and losing (2021-2022) WDC titles. And IMHO, after a 2022 season without victory, Hamilton needs a trusted person like her more than ever. Cannot believe that she could have done anything that requires change - she knows Hamilton's body, health and mindset more than anyone else worldwide and we may assume that she's excellent in her job.

Toto Wolff seems to suggest that Hamilton took the decision to part ways ("if things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it and bring change. But if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him whatever direction he wants to take."). OK, complimentary social media messages on both sides, but that's a way of keeping it professional. None of the messages state that the decision results from the spontaneous willingness of both to end the collaboration - looks like one of them pulled the plug, with immediate effect.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

*****

Clean sweep for Max from all the FP's with the quali coming up at 5pm (6pm Europe)

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Tell-tale sign of a swan song for Hamilton at Mercedes AMG ?

"Brundle: Not great news for Hamilton
Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle said that Cullen's departure is "not great news" for Hamilton, as he continues his quest for a record eighth drivers' title.
"It's not great news for Lewis, because whenever you saw Lewis in the pit lane or paddock Angela was with him supporting him. When he was off training, she'd be with him as well," Brundle said.
"So he'll have to find somebody new, but nothing's forever, as we know.
"I'm sure it won't detract from his overall performance, but it's such a treadmill now the Formula 1 season, and Angela wants to go and do something else - you can completely understand that.""

"Wolff: 'If things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it'
Toto Wolff spoke glowingly of Cullen as a "cheerleader" but said that "if things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it".
"Angela was a part of the gang for a long time," said Wolff.
"I think in every team, this is not a static situation that you can freeze because we all develop as people and as an organisation and if things don't work out anymore then we need to be honest about it and bring change.
"Angela will always be a cheerleader of the team - she is the only one who has a louder voice than a starting car.
"But if this is what he decides, we will always absolutely support him whatever direction he wants to take."

LEW has said he'll probably stick it out at Merc AMG for the time being.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yeah Angela is gone , by LEW's bad mood because his Merc is too slow . She couldn't stand it (him)! anymore .
LEW's bad mood can be very nerve wracking

At least no wall kicked in like Danny did

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Both Ferrari ICE's (Internal combustion engine) have been replaced .

I really wonder what Ferrari has done during the winter break ?

Probably hibernating

Too many strawberry sundaes?

[M5Rick]

Some comments from the quickest drivers in FP
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...?minutetv=true

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Some comments from the quickest drivers in FP
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...?minutetv=true

#UnLeashTheLion !!!

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

#UnLeashTheLion !!!

I'm trying to find a song with the words ''What you gonna do now' for Checo

[Fliplegend]

Is this HAAS pace in Q1 real?

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Fliplegend

Is this HAAS pace in Q1 real?

Experienced Hulk makes a difference

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I'm trying to find a song with the words ''What you gonna do now' for Checo

MAX is driving his RB19 with scalpel sharp precision !
As I said : MAX can win all the races in this 2023 season ...

Let's not forget what Lauda said : MAX is the talent of the century !
I knew it from day 1 and what would come !
That's what I said 100 + times to MKSixer..
Too bad MKSixer disappeared. But I'm pretty sure he's watching MAX and our posts ..

Can't wait to see some races in the rain like Suzuka 2022 !
It's in the rain where MAX really shines !

[OG Shark]

Well I guess Max wins from 15th now instead of cakewalk from pole…

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

At least no wall kicked in like Danny did

Q-2 : Damn ! MAX in trouble with his PU or gearbox !!!


It's his PU and he's out of the car ! It's a DNF in QF-2 ...Dammit !

[Rono63]

Max out in Q2, p15. Sounds like a transmission problem.