Formula 1 2023 and general Motorsport

[Alph]

43 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

He's certainly not James Hunt.

He had a massive mantrum about connection issues in one SIM race I seem to remember.

I still can't get excited about sim racing. I know it's valid as a training tool, especially as testing has been massively reduced, but, if I'm going to watch people play computer games of rather watch games that are fantastical than games that mimic real events.

You never know, maybe max just doesn't feel emotionally connected to his partner with all the pressure that comes with being a world champion driver and the presumed leader of the next Dutch golden age.

 

I do watch some sim racing. There are quite a lot of crossover guys from sim-real and real-sim. 

I tend just to watch the biggest events though and not any daily races or league races. 

And only iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. 

I'm trying to like Verstappen because hating on such a talent seems wrong. It's so hard though because he always comes across arrogant and spoilt. Even when he's winning the praise and thanks he gives out seem a bit like they're read off autocue

[RadioactiveWaste]

2 hours ago, Alpha said:

I do watch some sim racing. There are quite a lot of crossover guys from sim-real and real-sim. 

I tend just to watch the biggest events though and not any daily races or league races. 

And only iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. 

I'm trying to like Verstappen because hating on such a talent seems wrong. It's so hard though because he always comes across arrogant and spoilt. Even when he's winning the praise and thanks he gives out seem a bit like they're read off autocue

To me Max is a lot like Schumacher in that I respect rather than love him, but having gone through a "schumacher hater" phase when I was young which mellowed a lot over time and with perspective I'm not really inclined to hate on him the way some folks do, however, I certainly have had some issues where I think his driving has been over the line (and to be fair, he's driven better since 21 although having a faster than everyone else car might help that aspect).

It's also the case that most racing drivers can be big babies when things go against them.

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Your occasional reminder that motorsports are dangerous, and the Isle of Man TT is especially dangerous:

https://the-race.com/motorcycle-racing/raul-torras-martinez-isle-of-man-tt-fatal-accident/

 

[Comrade 86]

3 hours ago, Alpha said:

I do watch some sim racing. There are quite a lot of crossover guys from sim-real and real-sim. 

I tend just to watch the biggest events though and not any daily races or league races. 

And only iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. 

I'm trying to like Verstappen because hating on such a talent seems wrong. It's so hard though because he always comes across arrogant and spoilt. Even when he's winning the praise and thanks he gives out seem a bit like they're read off autocue

 

52 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

To me Max is a lot like Schumacher in that I respect rather than love him, but having gone through a "schumacher hater" phase when I was young which mellowed a lot over time and with perspective I'm not really inclined to hate on him the way some folks do, however, I certainly have had some issues where I think his driving has been over the line (and to be fair, he's driven better since 21 although having a faster than everyone else car might help that aspect).

It's also the case that most racing drivers can be big babies when things go against them.

 

Don't worry lads, I hate him enough for all three of us. As you were...

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Well done Ferrari for winning Le Mans 24hrs. Nice to see Toyota being properly challenged.

 

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

On 07/06/2023 at 13:24, RadioactiveWaste said:

Your occasional reminder that motorsports are dangerous, and the Isle of Man TT is especially dangerous:

https://the-race.com/motorcycle-racing/raul-torras-martinez-isle-of-man-tt-fatal-accident/

 

Still amazes me that the TT is allowed to continue when there are fatalities almost every single year. I know that the racers know what they are getting in to but it just seems mad.

[RadioactiveWaste]

10 hours ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

Still amazes me that the TT is allowed to continue when there are fatalities almost every single year. I know that the racers know what they are getting in to but it just seems mad.

It's the doozie of all high risk extreme activities - at what point is it acceptable for society to so "no, we can't let that happen even if you want to"?  I don't think there's a "right " answer on that one, only what the general consensus is at that time.

[RadioactiveWaste]

It's time to look ahead to this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

It's one of the best loved races for good reason and although if i were a betting man it's still hard to bet on anything other than the flying dutchman there is still plenty of racing to be had. Will ferrari be less ferrari and make the upgrades work? Is the Mercedes improvment in spain real or just another illusion? Will Baby stroll bring joy to all Canadia by finishing a solid 6th?

There is apparently rain in the foreast for this weekend. Usually spices things up.

and, a bit late, but congratulations to Ferrari on winning Le Mans 24 hrs last weekend. It's nice to see toyota knocked down a peg and hopefully ferrari learn the lesson that leaving the folks doing the car and racing to do it without insisting on getting all ferrari about it might just work (although i suspect they'll take the lesson that the ACO/WEC changing the BOP so ferrari wins is exactly what F1 should do.)

 

[Srg]

Verstappen will win. As normal.

[RadioactiveWaste]

1 minute ago, Srg said:

Verstappen will win. As normal.

It's very dull but he's leaps ahead of Perez and the car is leaps ahead of everyone elses. I try to get excited, but..........

[Srg]

4 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

It's very dull but he's leaps ahead of Perez and the car is leaps ahead of everyone elses. I try to get excited, but..........

I'm not a massive F1 fan, admittedly, but do see most of it as the missus likes it. Have to say, this season is worse than paint drying.

[RadioactiveWaste]

8 minutes ago, Srg said:

I'm not a massive F1 fan, admittedly, but do see most of it as the missus likes it. Have to say, this season is worse than paint drying.

Always the way when there's a dominant team. I have to admit even as a long term F1 fan I drifted away during the Merc/Lewis domination apart from the 2016 season, same as the Ferrari/Schumacher years.

It often happens although this season is particularly bad for it, seasons like 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2021 are the exception rather than the rule.

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

......A crazy rain affected qualifying session has left us with.................

yeah, Max on pole again.

But Hulkenberg is P2 and Alonso P3 <so P2 once he blows past the haas>

Another oopsy day from both Perez and Leclerc.

Merc and Mclaren did OK.

Baby Stroll doing his best to take on the mantle of "The new Latifi" whilst Daddy stoll no doubt continues the adoption process with Fernando.

[Gaspode]

Lots of penalties applied so Hulk now down to P5 with Lewis and Russell locking out the second row - Sainz somehow only given a 3 place penalty for driving like a t*** through the entire qualifying session. Checo yet again letting the Max factor get to him and somehow ending up 12th in the best car on the grid…

[RadioactiveWaste]

The rain has blown away and with it much of the hope of an interesting race.

Let's watch the first 10 laps anyway to be sure.

[RadioactiveWaste]

Alex Albon P7!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and some other stuff, max wins, obvs, Alonso and Lewis had a decent race, then the Ferrari's maanging to not ferrai it up and kept Perez behind them in P6 quite easly.

Not a classic by any means but not too bad for F1 23 (if you accept the race is behind max).

 

[ThePrisoner]

Quite enjoyed that race, next to nothing really happened but there was a few battles along the way. A few years ago it would've been a very boring race but compared to the rest of this season it was a little more interesting. This season has been painful for me so far. The only ray of light is watching Alonso being around the front positions again.

[Alph]

I do think the season might be improving slightly? Now we all accept it's a Verstappen victory parade and focus on the Aston v Merc v Ferrari battle. 

Then there's Haas, Alpine and McLaren that keep throwing in a spoiler here and there. 

Monaco really came at a bad time. Everyone realised Max was going to breeze the season and then we go to Monaco to pretend there's going to be anything exciting. 

Now Merc have pushed on then we get to see Russell v Hamilton v Alonso which is exciting even if it's only an award for who gets to see Max celebrating first. 

Also, Perez has made things a little interesting by showing he's completely lacking whatever attributes make a world champion driver. So having him mixing it up with Merc/Aston/Ferrari battles adds some extra excitement. 

Just need Ferrari to stop self sabotage so we can get Leclerc and Sainz in some meaningful battles instead of damage limitation every week. 

Ignore Verstappen, endure the boring street tracks and I think there's some enjoyment. We've got 3 cracking tracks in a row now? 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Alpha

[Comrade 86]

Wasn't too bad. I think Max was on cruise control for large periods, but there was some good dicing in mid-field, with Norris in particular, throwing a few up the inside and out into the chicanes, he's certainly a brave lad!

Thought the Alonso - Hamilton stuff was good too. Wanted Hammy to prevail, but nobody is going to begrudge Alonso a good season in a car he clearly adores and they both appear comfortably quicker than Russell. Just a shame for Fernando fans that there's a car that makes even the Aston look a tad off it.

As for Lewis, well he looks pretty racy this year, doesn't he, in the last year of his current contract... 😋 Be interesting to see what further upgrades they can deliver to this new 'build', but more with a view to closing the gap next year really, as Verstappen has now slipped the field completely. Fair play to the lad really, he's driving supremely well, even if he is a bit of a knobber.

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Take your mind off England collapsing like a Ferrari title challenge for a bit and cheer yourself up with a lookahead to the Austrian Grand Prix.

Now, I love this track, but 8ts still very hard to get against more Max verstappen domination.

But, surely there must be some interesting stuff to see.

McLaren have some upgrades, Marko is giving his motivational support to nyck de vries (let's see how that goes), Alpine have decided to be the Wrexham, Perez appears to have recovered from eating the bag of prawns that Danny had put in his trailer marked "special prawns for Perez only"

It's a silly sprint weekend, so qualifying is at 4pm today.