F1 2021 Season

Will the teams be penalised if they spend too much?
Put simply, yes. There are three categories of potential breaches. The first is a procedural breach, such as a team submitting their accounts late or inaccurately. The second is a minor overspend breach, when a team’s report shows they have exceeded the cost cap by less than 5 percent or the Cost Cap Administration finds they have exceeded that percentage. The third is a material overspend breach, where a team’s submission of their accounts or an investigation by the panel shows they have exceeded the cost cap by more than 5 percent.
Once a breach has been identified, three forms of penalty are possible. The first is a financial penalty. The value of the fine will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The second is a minor sporting penalty which could be a combination of a reprimand, deduction of constructors and/or drivers points, a ban for a certain number of races, limitations on testing – both CFD and on-track – and/or a reduction of their cost cap.
The third is the material sporting penalty, which is the most serious as it can involve all of the above plus exclusion from the World Championship.
They should just make the penalty be a cap on the total points you're able to score. For example, if Red Bull exceeds the cap by 20%, their points total will be decided by 1.2.

That'll keep the big boys compliant to the budget quickly.
 
There's a difference when the Japanese government and Japanese tax payers had money at stake in terms of funding for the olympics.
No, they actually lost money on the Olympics. The difference is that they had no control- it was fully in the IOC hands.
 
No, they actually lost money on the Olympics. The difference is that they had no control- it was fully in the IOC hands.

My point is that the tax payers are not footing the bill for the Japanese GP which makes the decision to cancel much easier and less political.
 
My point is that the tax payers are not footing the bill for the Japanese GP which makes the decision to cancel much easier and less political.
Sure, but it's also much less risk involved, that's why I question the decision.
 
Sure, but it's also much less risk involved, that's why I question the decision.

Risk for what though? The government were going to put it on behind closed doors like the Olympics, and Liberty aren't subsidising promoters this season like they were through covid last year. If there's no fans at the race, then it's pretty much a loss making event and pointless to run, the decision was already made to a certain degree.

Wouldn't be surprised now if Mugello makes another appearance, and possibly another visit to Bahrain.
 
Japan probably won't be the last cancellation yet, I would guess the US, Mexican and Brazilian GP's are all a bit risky.
 
Japan probably won't be the last cancellation yet, I would guess the US, Mexican and Brazilian GP's are all a bit risky.
The US grand prix is in Texas; I'd say that's very unlikely to be cancelled. (Even if that would make no sense when the time comes.)
 
The US grand prix is in Texas; I'd say that's very unlikely to be cancelled. (Even if that would make no sense when the time comes.)
Theres talk of a double header at texas to make up for losing the Japanese GP. I hate back to back races at the same track with the same layout. Bahrain being the exception. Normal layout and the awesome short layout.
 
The Losail International Circuit in Qatar is reportedly set to replace Melbourne as a replacement venue on Formula 1's 2021 calendar.

The cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix due to the Covid-19 pandemic has left F1's schedule with a free slot in November. Formula 1 has been considering alternative venues, in both November and in October following the annulment of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, also due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to preserve F1's 23-race agenda, a double-header at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin has reportedly been tabled as well as a return to Bahrain.

But according to multiple sources, Qatar has come to the forefront as a probable replacement venue for November
The peninsular Arab country has been on MotoGP's map since 2004, while the Losail International Circuit, which holds an FIA Grade 1 licence, has also staged rounds of the World Superbike series as well as of the World Touring Car Championship.
The venue's addition to the calendar in late November would concentrate Formula 1's final leg in the Middle-East, with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi hosting the final two rounds of the 2021 F1 season.


After F1's upcoming Spa-Zandvoort-Monza triple-header, teams are scheduled to head to Russia and then to Turkey. However, the latter is still currently on the UK's red list - countries from where returning travelers need to quarantine for 10 days in a government hotel in the UK - a status that puts the event in Istanbul in jeopardy.

The same applies for Mexico and Brazil, the second and third rounds of F1's leg on the American continent.
 
Losail would be a boring circuit for F1. I'd rather see anther circuit do a double header and mix it up with tyre choices.
 
Losail would be a boring circuit for F1. I'd rather see anther circuit do a double header and mix it up with tyre choices.

Agreed, amazing how they managed to create a circuit with literally no redeeming features.
 
Agreed, amazing how they managed to create a circuit with literally no redeeming features.
It's more of a MOTOGP style circuit. Lots of flowing, sweeping corners that transition into each other.

It's not really that it's a bad circuit, it actually looks very fun to drive.

It's more the fact modern f1 cars only work on certain style of tracks. With the dirty air issue right now cars just wouldn't be able to get close to eachother, and I don't see many late braking areas that they could lunge into.

Anyway, needs must - if there's nowhere else that'll be safe enough or work logistically then it'lll have to do.
 
It probably is fun to drive because its lovely sweeping stuff but that is boring unless you break it up with some big stopping zones or... well anything. I couldn't remember a single corner on that circuit, it just exists.
 
Never seen any race at it.
But it looks like it could be OK , couple of fast straights, 16 corners, looks like a few good overtaking places.
This vid is only a sim but gives you an idea


You think? I thought the opposite - I cant see many, if any, overtaking places on that track since as someone above pointed out, I cant see how cars will be able to stay close to the car ahead without a huge speed advantage because of dirty air.
 
Lewis Hamilton says a very uncomfortable bump that has appeared at Spa's Eau Rouge has "kind of ruined" the daunting corner, the Mercedes driver speculating that the issue may be linked to recent mudslides.
Then this crash , he could be right.
This crash was shocking

 
Belgium GP Free Practise
Belgian GP Practice One Timesheet
DriverTeamTime
1) Valtteri BottasMercedes1:45.199
2) Max VerstappenRed Bull+0.164
3) Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri+0.500
4) Charles LeclercFerrari+0.619
5) Carlos SainzFerrari+0.736
6) Sergio PerezRed Bull+0.928
7) Sebastian VettelAston Martin+0.978
8) Lando NorrisMcLaren+1.138
9) Esteban OconAlpine+1.298
10) Fernando AlonsoAlpine+1.413
11) Lance StrollAston Martin+1.450
12) Daniel RicciardoMcLaren+1.484
13) Antonio GiovinazziAlfa Romeo+1.556
14) George RussellWilliams+1.573
15) Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri+1.729
16) Nicholas LatifiWilliams+1.902
17) Kimi RaikkonenAlfa Romeo+2.926
18) Lewis HamiltonMercedes+3.025
19) Nikita MazepinHaas+3.506
20) Mick SchumacherHaas+3.860

Belgian GP Practice Two Timesheet
DriverTeamTime
1) Max VerstappenRed Bull1:44.472
2) Valtteri BottasMercedes+0.041
3) Lewis HamiltonMercedes+0.072
4) Fernando AlonsoAlpine+0.481
5) Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri+0.493
6) Lance StrollAston Martin+0.708
7) Esteban OconAlpine+0.830
8) Sebastian VettelAston Martin+0.864
9) Lando NorrisMcLaren+0.914
10) Sergio PerezRed Bull+0.932
11) Carlos SainzFerrari+1.045
12) Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri+1.286
13) Antonio GiovinazziAlfa Romeo+1.317
14) Kimi RaikkonenAlfa Romeo+1.495
15) Daniel RicciardoMcLaren+1.646
16) Nicholas LatifiWilliams+1.726
17) George RussellWilliams+2.193
18) Charles LeclercFerrari+2.364
19) Nikita MazepinHaas+2.863
20) Mick SchumacherHaas+3.057
 
Lewis Hamilton says a very uncomfortable bump that has appeared at Spa's Eau Rouge has "kind of ruined" the daunting corner, the Mercedes driver speculating that the issue may be linked to recent mudslides.
Then this crash , he could be right.
This crash was shocking



Halo potentially saved a few lives there.
 
Lewis Hamilton says a very uncomfortable bump that has appeared at Spa's Eau Rouge has "kind of ruined" the daunting corner, the Mercedes driver speculating that the issue may be linked to recent mudslides.
Then this crash , he could be right.
This crash was shocking


Damn. Thankfully everyone seems to be alright. Incredible they all walked away from a crash like that with just a little soreness.
 
Belgian GP Practice Three Timesheet
DriverTeamTime
1) Max VerstappenRed Bull1:56.924
2) Sergio PerezRed Bull+0.947
3) Lewis HamiltonMercedes+1.072
4) Lando NorrisMcLaren+1.585
5) Esteban OconAlpine+1.989
6) Lance StrollAston Martin+2.281
7) Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri+2.400
8) Sebastian VettelAston Martin+2.512
9) George RussellWilliams+2.568
10) Fernando AlonsoAlpine+2.689
11) Valtteri BottasMercedes+2.884
12) Nicholas LatifiWilliams+3.057
13) Daniel RicciardoMcLaren+3.532
14) Carlos SainzFerrari+3.825
15) Mick SchumacherHaas+4.345
16) Charles LeclercFerrari+4.446
17) Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri+4.586
18) Antonio GiovinazziAlfa Romeo+4.588
19) Nikita MazepinHaas+4.868
20) Kimi RaikkonenAlfa Romeo+7.458