F1 2022

[RadioactiveWaste]

I think Masi was always likely to go, as much for political reasons as for any failure on his part, but, I do think there were failures by Masi and also systemic problems with race direction since Charlie Whitting died. Always struck me as it wasn't a problem before because Charlie was the one person on the planet who absolutely knew how to do it and had the respect of everyone to do it, then when he wasn't there "oh...bugger" (and F1 teams being F1 teams all went mad for "let's use this to our advantage")

I'm glad that Masi has been shuffled rather than just thrown under the bus, he was frequently in unfair positions without the support he should have had.

In other news, I like that Ferrari.

[RadioactiveWaste]

Spa track works well under way. Interesting that some of the work is to get bike racing back at the track - Eau rouge might be easy flat in a modern F1 car but christ it must terrifying on a motorbike. Doesn't look like they're horribly neautering the track though and the eau rouge changes are more run off based.

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

New Mercedes looks nice. 2nd gave design after those seductive Ferrari side pods.

Very different approach to the front of the floor.

It's silver.

Georgy boy isn't going to be Lewis's little helper (at least that's what I took from the launch "banter" ) - at least in intention.

And we still wait the actual redbull car.

And I still harbor hopes Alpine will have done something novel as well.

 

[Comrade 86]

On 17/02/2022 at 14:54, RadioactiveWaste said:

I think Masi was always likely to go, as much for political reasons as for any failure on his part, but, I do think there were failures by Masi and also systemic problems with race direction since Charlie Whitting died. Always struck me as it wasn't a problem before because Charlie was the one person on the planet who absolutely knew how to do it and had the respect of everyone to do it, then when he wasn't there "oh...bugger" (and F1 teams being F1 teams all went mad for "let's use this to our advantage")

I'm glad that Masi has been shuffled rather than just thrown under the bus, he was frequently in unfair positions without the support he should have had.

In other news, I like that Ferrari.

Agee with every word on Charlie Whiting, who was a class apart, but I'm afraid Masi put himself front and centre stage rather than being put there unfairly by others. He chose to reinterpret the re-start laws completely independently, nobody forced him to do so. If you've not the backbone to stand up to a whiny biatch like Horner, then you've no business being a race official in the first place.

[RadioactiveWaste]

7 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Agee with every word on Charlie Whiting, who was a class apart, but I'm afraid Masi put himself front and centre stage rather than being put there unfairly by others. He chose to reinterpret the re-start laws completely independently, nobody forced him to do so. If you've not the backbone to stand up to a whiny biatch like Horner, then you've no business being a race official in the first place.

Agree with that. I think what I'm saying is I'm glad they didn't just go "bin Masi, lets move on" because there's far more to it than that. I also don't think Masi is someone with nothing to offer, he's clearly a capable man in many respects, but his decisions under pressure let him down and i don't think there was any way he could continue in the role. There'd also have been a hige strop from Mercedes (and to be fair, probably others) if they'd tried.

[Comrade 86]

3 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Agree with that. I think what I'm saying is I'm glad they didn't just go "bin Masi, lets move on" because there's far more to it than that. I also don't think Masi is someone with nothing to offer, he's clearly a capable man in many respects, but his decisions under pressure let him down and i don't think there was any way he could continue in the role. There'd also have been a hige strop from Mercedes (and to be fair, probably others) if they'd tried.

You got a 'like' buddy but partly because you are a deal more charitable in your assessments than I will ever be. I'd not even have Masi directing traffic ?

[RadioactiveWaste]

3 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

You got a 'like' buddy but partly because you are a deal more charitable in your assessments than I will ever be. I'd not even have Masi directing traffic ?

You see it all the time some people are just not cut out for the head boy role, doesn't mean they're of no use to an organisation. He must have some abilities to have been given such a high profile job and wasn't so horrifically bad he got papped after 3 races, but the growing concerns over him were justified, there's far more than Abu Dhabi that he got wrong. I'm still fuming they awarded half points for Spa for example and that's one where Masi was partly to blame but I don't think he decided that just on his own (oh, you've had 2 laps under SC, no refunds, no contract issues about not having a grand prix, lovely)

[Comrade 86]

15 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

You see it all the time some people are just not cut out for the head boy role, doesn't mean they're of no use to an organisation. He must have some abilities to have been given such a high profile job and wasn't so horrifically bad he got papped after 3 races, but the growing concerns over him were justified, there's far more than Abu Dhabi that he got wrong. I'm still fuming they awarded half points for Spa for example and that's one where Masi was partly to blame but I don't think he decided that just on his own (oh, you've had 2 laps under SC, no refunds, no contract issues about not having a grand prix, lovely)

Get what you're saying bud but you've kinda undermined our own argument there citing examples as to precisely why he could and maybe should have been 'papped after 3 races'.

I do admire your charitable assertion however, that he 'must have some abilities to have been given such a high profile job' but would refute that argument by simply citing Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and the cherry on the cake, Messr. Rick Parry ?

[RadioactiveWaste]

12 minutes ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Get what you're saying bud but you've kinda undermined our own argument there citing examples as to precisely why he could and maybe should have been 'papped after 3 races'.

I do admire your charitable assertion however, that he 'must have some abilities to have been given such a high profile job' but would refute that argument by simply citing Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and the cherry on the cake, Messr. Rick Parry ?

I think that's game set match to you my friend.

[RadioactiveWaste]

Well, the Alpine launch was a bit underwhelming, given the amount of management restructuring at that team it's not that surprising.

The car is BWT pink or BWT pink with blue. I'm not a fan, although the blue and pink one has grown on me slightly. The design was all done under the old management. It's quite tidy but not wow, and probably another midfield season (not in El Plan, I can see grumpy Fernando returning) 

I do however rate Otmar very highly and I think he'll help Alpine to "punch above their weight" a bit like the old force India days.

It's always a weird one how Renault keep the F1 team but never love it enough to really back it.

 

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

I appreciate there's bigger things going on, but, the Haas team are going to run a plain white livery tomorrow and it's very possible Uralkali will be a company hit with sanctions.

This could be very difficult for Haas, who were dependant on the Uralkali money.

On the other hand, asuming they can get a different sponsor sorted, it could also hopefully be the end of the F1 career of Nikita Mazespin.

In other testing news, McLaren and Ferrari look decent, Merc and Red bull probably sandbagging a bit, it's the first pre-season test though, so times are pretty meaningless.

Oh and there's some good noises about the cars being easier to follow.

[TigerTedd]

43 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

 

I appreciate there's bigger things going on, but, the Haas team are going to run a plain white livery tomorrow and it's very possible Uralkali will be a company hit with sanctions.

 

Oh no, there goes this thread. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

7 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

Oh no, there goes this thread. 

Oh and Vettel said he wasn't going to go and race in Sochi (in the case that F1 doesn't pull it anyway)

Apparently the teams are having a meeting tonight about Sochi.

[RadioactiveWaste]

Sochi GP is cancelled. Won't really change anything, but it is the right thing to do.

[Gaspode]

Mazepin may be banned - FIA holding an emergency meeting....

[RadioactiveWaste]

11 minutes ago, Gaspode said:

Mazepin may be banned - FIA holding an emergency meeting....

Good.

Not because of who he is and where he comes from, mostly because he's not an F1 level of driver.

The fact he's also horrible (breaking rivals jaws behind the paddock after losing in junior series, getting gropey and putting it on social media) makes his departure a little better.

In terms of unity across sports refusing to play Russia, this would be in line.

As Haas have taken the Uralkali branding off, and daddies Dosh was the thing that put mazespin in the seat, Haas have no incentive to fight to keep him.

 

[I am Ram]

19 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Good.

Not because of who he is and where he comes from, mostly because he's not an F1 level of driver.

The fact he's also horrible (breaking rivals jaws behind the paddock after losing in junior series, getting gropey and putting it on social media) makes his departure a little better.

In terms of unity across sports refusing to play Russia, this would be in line.

As Haas have taken the Uralkali branding off, and daddies Dosh was the thing that put mazespin in the seat, Haas have no incentive to fight to keep him.

 

These rich 'daddy boy' racers are ruining the sport.

[RadioactiveWaste]

26 minutes ago, I am Ram said:

These rich 'daddy boy' racers are ruining the sport.

True. The root cause being just how much money Motorsport takes, but it has always been that way I guess.

It takes something like a million quid a season to race in British F3 !

I think we're going to see more and more drivers given a shot out of eSports eventually - there'd be the data to see if they're worth a try in a real car (in some very junior series) and you can evaluate thousands rather than picking from the three guys whoes parents could afford it.

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

53 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Good.

Not because of who he is and where he comes from, mostly because he's not an F1 level of driver.

The fact he's also horrible (breaking rivals jaws behind the paddock after losing in junior series, getting gropey and putting it on social media) makes his departure a little better.

In terms of unity across sports refusing to play Russia, this would be in line.

As Haas have taken the Uralkali branding off, and daddies Dosh was the thing that put mazespin in the seat, Haas have no incentive to fight to keep him.

 

Wouldn't threaten the existence of Haas though? not that i am bothered about the team itself but more the fact that I want to see a grid with lots of cars (good ones preferably...)

[RadioactiveWaste]

2 minutes ago, EtoileSportiveDeDerby said:

Wouldn't threaten the existence of Haas though? not that i am bothered about the team itself but more the fact that I want to see a grid with lots of cars (good ones preferably...)

Apparently Gene Haas has promised Gunther that he'll keep it afloat this season. The car is better this season, not reliable at the first test but not seemingly an abjectly bad car when it was running.

I quite like the Haas team, although the rich energy adventure has seriously screwed them, and now wider circumstances are piling on them.

It's an opportunity to get another sponsor/pay driver as long as they move quick.

I think Andretti will buy the team off Haas - it's a whole lot easier then him setting up a new team.