F1 2023 season

[blueinsa]

Pleased for Alonso but his team has previous and it was both hilarious and telling to hear Checo say it was great to have 3 Red Bull cars on the podium.

 

[Metal Biker]

I jest, but I am pleased that Aston Martin are mixing things up a little. Hopefully Ferrari can get their reliability issues sorted otherwise we're looking at a Verstappen/Perez rivalry.

 

[jimharri]

Looks like Lewis's best days are a thing of the past. Over two years now since his last world championship, and it doesn't seem likely that he'll win it this year. He's had a great run, though. 7 championships in 13 years (six of them in seven years). Most race wins, most pole positions and most podium finishes. If he does walk away next autumn, he can go with his head held high.

 

[Slipper One]

Hopefully Ferrari can get their reliability issues sorted otherwise we're looking at a Verstappen/Perez rivalry.

Unfortunately Metal Biker, it won't even be that.........it'll be Max vs Max.

• Red Bull have the superior car and more to come.
• They have a superior driver who is now much more mature these days.
• They appear to have a reliable car.
• Tactically they rarely make mistakes.

Checo is a solid driver and will be on the podium more this season, but taking the second spot with Leclerc, Sainz and Alonso battling mostly for third place points.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Metal Biker]

Unfortunately Metal Biker, it won't even be that.........it'll be Max vs Max.

• Red Bull have the superior car and more to come.
• They have a superior driver who is now much more mature these days.
• They appear to have a reliable car.
• Tactically they rarely make mistakes.

Checo is a solid driver and will be on the podium more this season, but taking the second spot with Leclerc, Sainz and Alonso battling mostly for third place points.

Just my thoughts.

I always look at F1 from a variety of angles beyond the whole "who will be champion" argument.

For me, i'll be concentrating wholly on the Aston Martin vs Mercedes battle for my enjoyment. The reality of the sport being too fixated on who the WDC is has never gripped me, not since 90's, although i'm fully aware that is the basic point of the sport.

We all love the sport for our own reasons after all.

 

[Slipper One]

I always look at F1 from a variety of angles beyond the whole "who will be champion" argument.

For me, i'll be concentrating wholly on the Aston Martin vs Mercedes battle for my enjoyment. The reality of the sport being too fixated on who the WDC is has never gripped me, not since 90's, although i'm fully aware that is the basic point of the sport.

We all love the sport for our own reasons after all.

Agreed, but I do like a bit of competition at the front end of the race............as long as Max is in front at the chequered flag. :)

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Looks like Lewis's best days are a thing of the past. Over two years now since his last world championship, and it doesn't seem likely that he'll win it this year. He's had a great run, though. 7 championships in 13 years (six of them in seven years). Most race wins, most pole positions and most podium finishes. If he does walk away next autumn, he can go with his head held high.

It looks like Mercedes have fucked up with the aerodynamics in this regulation you mean.

Stick Hamilton in the red bull and he’s beating Verstappen every single week.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I always look at F1 from a variety of angles beyond the whole "who will be champion" argument.

For me, i'll be concentrating wholly on the Aston Martin vs Mercedes battle for my enjoyment. The reality of the sport being too fixated on who the WDC is has never gripped me, not since 90's, although i'm fully aware that is the basic point of the sport.

We all love the sport for our own reasons after all.

I agree.

People moan about domination like it hasn’t always happened. In the 90s you had races won by gaps of minutes!

 

[jimharri]

It looks like Mercedes have fucked up with the aerodynamics in this regulation you mean.

Stick Hamilton in the red bull and he’s beating Verstappen every single week.

I was referring to him at the moment. Yes; give him an equal car to Verstappen, and it's a fascinating contest. But the Mercs are cnsiderably behind the RB right now.

 

[Metal Biker]

I agree.

People moan about domination like it hasn’t always happened. In the 90s you had races won by gaps of minutes!

Yeah... I have to admit I do find it very hypocritical when people are lamenting the Red Bull dominance as making the sport 'boring' when we had to endure several years of Mercedes dominance, Vettel's Red Bull era, McLaren, Schumi's Ferrari, 90's Williams etc, and they said nothing at the time. It's only 'boring' when your team/driver isn't dominating.

There's always a team that 'gets it right' and has the others catching up, which is why there has/d been such a buzz around Ferrari; capable cars, fast, determined young drivers, but for their reliability issues, there's been a dampener. I'm sure people think the same of City making football boring by being dominant, but if that's the case why do other teams fans still watch the sport?

I'm a fan of the British teams, (McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams), and seeing the potential of Aston has me fully engrossed in F1 for the next year. But McLaren man, damn!

 

[supercity88]

Looks like Lewis's best days are a thing of the past. Over two years now since his last world championship, and it doesn't seem likely that he'll win it this year. He's had a great run, though. 7 championships in 13 years (six of them in seven years). Most race wins, most pole positions and most podium finishes. If he does walk away next autumn, he can go with his head held high.

Alonso is still doing it despite being 41 now so Lewis could certainly keep going for a couple of years. He needs the car of course, and it's not going to happen this season, but hopefully he's over the mental anguish from being robbed of his 8th title and still has the hunger to try and secure that record for himself.

Overall I do hope that Red Bull have some reliability issues, or something, which makes for a more interesting battle at the top. The battle between Verstappen and Hamilton was thrilling, and didn't end the way it should have, but someone just walking away with it never makes for good sport. However, we know from supporting City (and for those of us who want Hamilton to win) we don't complain too much if we like the guy on top!

 

[jimharri]

Alonso is still doing it despite being 41 now so Lewis could certainly keep going for a couple of years. He needs the car of course, and it's not going to happen this season, but hopefully he's over the mental anguish from being robbed of his 8th title and still has the hunger to try and secure that record for himself.

Overall I do hope that Red Bull have some reliability issues, or something, which makes for a more interesting battle at the top. The battle between Verstappen and Hamilton was thrilling, and didn't end the way it should have, but someone just walking away with it never makes for good sport. However, we know from supporting City (and for those of us who want Hamilton to win) we don't complain too much if we like the guy on top!

That's true (re Alonso). Would Hamilton still have the incentive, though. I'd imagine that, after so long at the pinnacle of his sport, not being a realistic contender would be difficult for him to get used to. Also, I'd imagine the fitness regime he has to adhere to is extremely demanding. Does he need that at this stage? He has more money than he'll ever need. If he wants to stay involved in the sport, maybe get into a role in team management?

 

[denislawsbackheel]

It looks like Mercedes have fucked up with the aerodynamics in this regulation you mean.

Stick Hamilton in the red bull and he’s beating Verstappen every single week.

Really?
As soon as they put Russell in a Merc he started out racing Hamilton…

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

That's true (re Alonso). Would Hamilton still have the incentive, though. I'd imagine that, after so long at the pinnacle of his sport, not being a realistic contender would be difficult for him to get used to. Also, I'd imagine the fitness regime he has to adhere to is extremely demanding. Does he need that at this stage? He has more money than he'll ever need. If he wants to stay involved in the sport, maybe get into a role in team management?

Hamilton has been here before when he has gone through lean periods of not being in a competitive car, his first world title was in 2008 and the next one came in 2014. He realised he was in a shopping trolley of a car at McLaren and took the calculated gamble of going to Mercedes who weren’t competitive but had a big budget to develop the first turbo hybrid engines.

He hasn’t committed to next year with Mercedes and they will have to do a lot of work on this year and next year’s car to convince him to stay. He would be more than marketable if he went to Ferrari or does he see where the Aston Martin bandwagon ends up at the end of the season?

 

[Uwe's 80s mullet]

Really?
As soon as they put Russell in a Merc he started out racing Hamilton…

Hamilton was on different setups last year trying to figure out the balance etc of the car. When they improved towards the end of the year i think hamilton was bettering him more often than not when they had figured it out more.

I agree with others on here, stick him in a redbull and i think it would be extremely close. The sport is crying out for those 2 to go at it again

 

[Metal Biker]

Hamilton was on different setups last year trying to figure out the balance etc of the car. When they improved towards the end of the year i think hamilton was bettering him more often than not when they had figured it out more.

I agree with others on here, stick him in a redbull and i think it would be extremely close. The sport is crying out for those 2 to go at it again

I thought it was the most toxic, obnoxious period of racing I can remember in a long while. It was more about the fanbases going at it than the drivers. The events at Silverstone and Monza were too much of a close call and everything needed calming down or someone would end up getting seriously hurt.

I'd rather just have teams become more competitive and allow the talent to shine through rather than a social media enduced, ramped up faux rivalry dominating the sport headlines.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

I agree. The future is about Russell’s generation anyway snapping at the heels of their elder statesman Verstappen.

 

[Metal Biker]

I agree. The future is about Russell’s generation anyway.

Leclerc, Sainz, Russell, Norris all have the potential to challenge Verstappen over the next few years and we're in for an exciting period, especially if we start seeing more advances in progress from the likes of Ferrari, Aston and McLaren.

We want new challengers and rivalries, not tired ones that have been done to death and put to bed.

 

[Uwe's 80s mullet]

I thought it was the most toxic, obnoxious period of racing I can remember in a long while. It was more about the fanbases going at it than the drivers. The events at Silverstone and Monza were too much of a close call and everything needed calming down or someone would end up getting seriously hurt.

I'd rather just have teams become more competitive and allow the talent to shine through rather than a social media enduced, ramped up faux rivalry dominating the sport headlines.

I not necessarily talking about them smashing each other off the track, it was stupid and dangerous. A lot of the toxicity came from the 2 principals in fairness. But that 2021 seasons was one of the best rivalries I’ve seen in sport. It was just ruined on the last day when Hamilton was robbed in front of world. It was like the senna/ Prost, Schumacher/ hill days. Epic

I’d love to see them racing each other again (fairly) and with the Ferraris and alonso in the mix

 

[Slipper One]

Is this the first sign of a rift starting in the Mercedes camp? (From the BBC).

"Wolff has dismissed suggestions Hamilton could change his mind about staying with the team beyond the end of his contract this season as a result of their lack of performance.

"Lewis is an integral part of the team, picking the team up and we are all sticking together and I don't think that is going to change just because we had a start that was really bad," Wolff said."


"Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes "didn't listen" to him over the development of their 2023 Formula 1 car.

"Last year, there were things I told them. I said the issues that are with the car," said the 38-year-old Briton."


If Hamilton is an integral part of the team with extensive experience in driving for Mercedes, why do they ignore his development input?