F1 2023 Season

Battery power I would love to get removed but it will never happen, in fact its more likely the ICE gets eventually removed. DRS on ground effect cars indeed could be looked into at least for some sort of limitation if not outright removal.
The rest I disagree with. Engines modes have been in F1 for a long time. I don't think it's a competion for button pushing at all.
I'm not on about removing battery power I'm on about the management of battery power, make it part of the ICE power not a switch to gain a boost, more like a hybrid.
 
I'm not on about removing battery power I'm on about the management of battery power, make it part of the ICE power not a switch to gain a boost, more like a hybrid.
But you are talking about KERS which was button triggered. Currently its indeed more like a hybrid.
 


There are 25 buttons on a F1 steering wheel, with sub menus within submenus. I think there a few hundred different combinations which is why drivers get confused during races when they have to troubleshoot.

Below isnt a mapping of the pic above but does explain some of the buttons. This is why alonso likened current F1 to being a aircraft pilot rather than a racing driver.

1. The button 'N' for Neutral.

2. ‘DRINK’ manages the drink bottle.

3. Radio.

4. Scroll down the dashboard.

5. Scroll up the dashboard.

6. ‘P’ is the pit limiter. When operated, it appears on the screen as ‘PIT LIMITER’ with the instant speed shown together.

7. ‘K2’ activates the DRS.

8. The rotary switch that manages the differential in the middle of the corner.

9. Manages engine braking.

10. 'OIL', activates an additional oil pump to increase lubrication.

11. The rotary 'TRQ' manages engine torque.

12. The clutch on the right side

14. Manages multiple functions, among them the ERS, REC (recovery), Mix (mixture fuel /air).

13. + 15. Number 13, 'ENGINE', manages the engine maps. It operates together with 15), that manages the ICE modes. Among them are 'WU' (warm up), 'PSH' (pre start heating), 'PSHQ' (pre start heating qualifying), 'BOX INTERS/XW' manages some torque modes related to the use of inters and wet tyres.

16. Manages the strategies of the hybrid part of the PU.

17. Is a multifunctional rotary switch: eg. 'SPK' manages the spark plug ignition, 'TUR' (waste gate pressure) and preset recovery programs labelled A, B, etc.

18. Together with 'TRQ', manages the throttle response.

19. Manages the output of the energy storage.

20. 'SLO' is a button that activates the virtual safety car mode

21. 'SOC' manages the maximum level of charge desired or possible related to the specific conditions of the moment.

22. 'OK’ copies the information received by the pit.

23. Manages the differential slip at the corner entrance.

Do you know how many buttons Senna's steering wheel in the 80s had? None. Theres a reason why the 80s were the golden era of F1. It was actual racing.


Dump half those buttons, realistically summer of the settings should be set before the race and let the drivers drive, oil to increase lubrication really, pit lane limiter
 
Has anyone been to, or know anyone who has been to, Suzuka to see the F1 race? Any thoughts on whether it’s worth it / good / bad / where one might wish to sit / too risky due to climate?
 


There are 25 buttons on a F1 steering wheel, with sub menus within submenus. I think there a few hundred different combinations which is why drivers get confused during races when they have to troubleshoot.

Below isnt a mapping of the pic above but does explain some of the buttons. This is why alonso likened current F1 to being a aircraft pilot rather than a racing driver.

1. The button 'N' for Neutral.

2. ‘DRINK’ manages the drink bottle.

3. Radio.

4. Scroll down the dashboard.

5. Scroll up the dashboard.

6. ‘P’ is the pit limiter. When operated, it appears on the screen as ‘PIT LIMITER’ with the instant speed shown together.

7. ‘K2’ activates the DRS.

8. The rotary switch that manages the differential in the middle of the corner.

9. Manages engine braking.

10. 'OIL', activates an additional oil pump to increase lubrication.

11. The rotary 'TRQ' manages engine torque.

12. The clutch on the right side

14. Manages multiple functions, among them the ERS, REC (recovery), Mix (mixture fuel /air).

13. + 15. Number 13, 'ENGINE', manages the engine maps. It operates together with 15), that manages the ICE modes. Among them are 'WU' (warm up), 'PSH' (pre start heating), 'PSHQ' (pre start heating qualifying), 'BOX INTERS/XW' manages some torque modes related to the use of inters and wet tyres.

16. Manages the strategies of the hybrid part of the PU.

17. Is a multifunctional rotary switch: eg. 'SPK' manages the spark plug ignition, 'TUR' (waste gate pressure) and preset recovery programs labelled A, B, etc.

18. Together with 'TRQ', manages the throttle response.

19. Manages the output of the energy storage.

20. 'SLO' is a button that activates the virtual safety car mode

21. 'SOC' manages the maximum level of charge desired or possible related to the specific conditions of the moment.

22. 'OK’ copies the information received by the pit.

23. Manages the differential slip at the corner entrance.

Do you know how many buttons Senna's steering wheel in the 80s had? None. Theres a reason why the 80s were the golden era of F1. It was actual racing.



The actual racing ceased the moment DRS arrived. The rest is fine but there should be no push to overtake button. That's the single biggest failure of F1 since its heyday. KERS was OK because everybody could use it but DRS is killing the sport.
 
Not all drivers get worse, but most do.

World class drivers who can adapt their style will naturally last longer.

The question is are the drivers all world class or are there better ones out there that are not the sons of rich fathers?
 
Yeah, that was lovely. I think he had another one a few laps before or after that was pretty tasty too. Was it him & Albon battling through a few corners?

Norris had a cracking one hanging it around the outside of Rivage (I think) when it started raining.

Albon had one or two good moves. Think Yuki had one on Albon, too. Great race by Yuki, actually. I like him as a driver, and obviously all the talk has been about Ricardo coming in, so it was nice to see Yuki just remind everyone that he's there too.

I thought the first half of the race was really good, actually.
 
Haas to rebrand next season to Haas-Alfa Romeo

Where that leaves the current Alfa Romeo (to become Audi in 2026), hasnt been explained.


Alpha Tauri to rebrand to Hugo Boss or Orlen
 
Plenty of commentary/ analysis suggesting that Max was forced to drive around 2 seconds a lap slower than he could in Spa.

It’s becoming clear (if it wasn’t already) that the tensions on the radio are more caused by the team sandbagging him for fear of repercussions, than tyre/ engine preservation.
 
Plenty of commentary/ analysis suggesting that Max was forced to drive around 2 seconds a lap slower than he could in Spa.

It’s becoming clear (if it wasn’t already) that the tensions on the radio are more caused by the team sandbagging him for fear of repercussions, than tyre/ engine preservation.
That’s pretty shit if true, all F1 drivers want to go has fast as they can.
Let’s be honest it’s not Max’s fault that RB have built a car round him that is so much better than the rest.
OK Iam not a RB or Max fan, they have built a car that embarrasses the rest of the grid, it’s up to them to catch up, not for RB to slow down, makes a mockery of F1
 
Mercedes is still trying to get to the bottom of the bouncing issues it experienced at Spa last weekend, and it now believes that a set-up issue – not the car's upgrades – or the circuit itself caused the problem.

Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell reported a return of porpoising on their car at the Belgian Grand Prix, a problem the team had largely mitigated with this year's ground-effect design.

After last Sunday's race, team boss Toto Wolff suspected that the upgrades implemented by Mercedes at Spa – a revised sidepod and small changes to the W14's floor – had caused the manifestation.
 
Plenty of commentary/ analysis suggesting that Max was forced to drive around 2 seconds a lap slower than he could in Spa.

It’s becoming clear (if it wasn’t already) that the tensions on the radio are more caused by the team sandbagging him for fear of repercussions, than tyre/ engine preservation.

So rather than being 1 second/lap faster than Perez around Spa, Max is actually 3 seconds/lap faster?
 
That would be unheard of in recent times. I find it bit hard to believe.
When you look at his lap times it doesn't seem that far fetched. It is very obvious Max is one of those drivers who can drive to a delta with scary precision. Last year's Mexico race was insane as proof thereof. However, I also think the team would rather minimize the number of pitstops and has him drive in tyre preservation mode and/or knows more about the deg he d otherwise put any of the parts of the car under if he would actually push. In fact, I feel like just about every team does that this season and as a result we re on track for one of the, if not the -lowest amounts of DNFs in a season.
 
I saw some analysis of the RB sandbagging. Apparently they were lifting heavily in Eau Rouge . The reason for this is that they might have set up the car for wet weather and were bottoming out heavily and the skid plate might have worn out more than what is legal. So to be on the safe side both drivers were asked to lift.

Perez was also lifting, both RBs were. Which is what Max was confirming on the radio. So yes, they were lifting and losing about 7 tenths down the straight to Hamilton.
 
I saw some analysis of the RB sandbagging. Apparently they were lifting heavily in Eau Rouge . The reason for this is that they might have set up the car for wet weather and were bottoming out heavily and the skid plate might have worn out more than what is legal. So to be on the safe side both drivers were asked to lift.

Perez was also lifting, both RBs were. Which is what Max was confirming on the radio. So yes, they were lifting and losing about 7 tenths down the straight to Hamilton.
Ah yes good point I forgot about that. And sector times confirmed that RB were some of the slowest cars on the grid in sector 1. In fact - they only topped sector 3.
 
Everyone was saving some energy now and then, and Verstappen is 1-2 seconds a lap quicker than the rest, but there is no way he is quicker 3 seconds per lap than Perez, only kids would believe that.
 
I saw some analysis of the RB sandbagging. Apparently they were lifting heavily in Eau Rouge . The reason for this is that they might have set up the car for wet weather and were bottoming out heavily and the skid plate might have worn out more than what is legal. So to be on the safe side both drivers were asked to lift.

Perez was also lifting, both RBs were. Which is what Max was confirming on the radio. So yes, they were lifting and losing about 7 tenths down the straight to Hamilton.

Yeah, this is what it was. They wasn't sandbagging. If you listen to Perez after the race he makes comments that allude to this.
 
I saw some analysis of the RB sandbagging. Apparently they were lifting heavily in Eau Rouge . The reason for this is that they might have set up the car for wet weather and were bottoming out heavily and the skid plate might have worn out more than what is legal. So to be on the safe side both drivers were asked to lift.

Perez was also lifting, both RBs were. Which is what Max was confirming on the radio. So yes, they were lifting and losing about 7 tenths down the straight to Hamilton.
All of this conjecture has come because on lap 34 or something max did a 1:20:xx which was 2 seconds faster than he went during the rest of the race. Whats being forgotten was on new tyres with low fuel. There was some lifting on eau rouge but martin brundle explained that was done by max to get better drive on the long straight.

Is losing 7 tenths to hamilton correct? As both mercedes were litfing on the straights due to porposing.
 
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All of this conjecture has come because on lap 34 or something max did a 1:20:xx which was 2 seconds faster than he went during the rest of the race. Whats being forgotten was on new tyres with low fuel. There was some lifting on eau rouge but martin brundle explained that was done by max to get better drive on the long straight.

Is losing 7 tenths to hamilton correct? As both mercedes were litfing on the straights due ton porposing.
I thought it was more like 4 or 5 tenths from what I remember seeing but I'll stand to be corrected on that.
 
I thought it was more like 4 or 5 tenths from what I remember seeing but I'll stand to be corrected on that.

I might be mistaken. Here is the video.



The thumbnail and title are a bit sensational. But it is a fairly reasonable and well researched video.
 
I might be mistaken. Here is the video.



The thumbnail and title are a bit sensational. But it is a fairly reasonable and well researched video.

Good video. Max was lifting enough that if he didnt lift he would have been 50 seconds ahead if leclerc. Fecking hell.
 
I might be mistaken. Here is the video.



The thumbnail and title are a bit sensational. But it is a fairly reasonable and well researched video.

Haven't watched the video but is this about RB lifting through Eau Rouge because they were afraid their car was setup too low so the plank would degrade too much if they didn't?
 
Red Bull have been sandbagging all season, I don't know why Belgium has suddenly become this revelation.
 
Red Bull have been sandbagging all season, I don't know why Belgium has suddenly become this revelation.
It happens Mercedes admitting to sandbagging (well turning the engine down for the entire of the 2014 season when hybrid engines were introduced).
 
F1 will never take off with american audiences for long. They hate "dynasties" (serial winners), 7 years of Mercedes and now probably 4 years of RedBull will see to that.

Besides they have NASCAR and Indycar
Haven't all US F1 weekends been sold out? I can't fact check it atm myself.
 
I know ESPN got more viewers for Spa last weekend that they did last year. I was reading that somewhere.

Edit: 1.17 million viewers for Sunday's F1 race CircuitSpa, up 11% from 1.05 million last year
 
Haven't all US F1 weekends been sold out? I can't fact check it atm myself.

Probably. F1 is always the biggest event of the year at any circuit. The overall viewers appear to be taking a hit though. This is the third time in my lifetime F1 has attempted to break America, they can't maintain interest beyond a few seasons. I doubt the DTS audience are going to be the ones to crack it.
 
An Article in Arkansas Gazette on why F1 is becoming snooze fest for Americans.

It's OK to feel duped by Formula One and the splashy Netflix show that sucked you into the globetrotting racing series at the height of the pandemic.

The behind-the-scenes "Drive to Survive" docudrama packaged F1 as sexy and sophisticated, a highbrow alternative to beer-soaked NASCAR and its crash-cheering fans. The epic 2021 championship fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton made for must-watch racing, with Americans setting their alarms for ungodly hours to watch one of the fiercest battles in series history.

F1 had finally captured the elusive American audience and Liberty Media, its rights holder, added stops in Miami and Las Vegas to the schedule to give the United States three races this year. With Canada and Mexico City, that's five stops total in North America on a 22-race calendar.

But here's F1's dirty little secret: the racing has never been great and 2021 was an anomaly of a season.

Since Verstappen controversially beat Hamilton in the Abu Dhabi season finale, only five drivers have won races in the 31 races since.