The F1 thread

Fretwired

Are Mercedes in trouble? Hamilton let slip that the new mandatory tyre pressures are what was behind the team's problems at the weekend. If this is the case Mercedes will have the same problem in Japan ... Vettel is only 49 points behind Hamilton so Rosberg's long face maybe an acknowledgement team orders are on their way.

ESBlonde

With 6 more races and Vettel winning them all and Hamilton second doesn't get Vettel to the top. Another DNF and second place x 5 would do it though. Despite the dominance to date Mercedes have not yet got this one in the bag. To finish first, first you have to finish and all that. Now where's the fat lady?

Fretwired

ESBlonde said:

With 6 more races and Vettel winning them all and Hamilton second doesn't get Vettel to the top. Another DNF and second place x 5 would do it though. Despite the dominance to date Mercedes have not yet got this one in the bag. To finish first, first you have to finish and all that. Now where's the fat lady?

But if you look at the last race both Ferrari's and one Red Bull were ahead of Hamilton and the second Red Bull would have been ahead were it not for the virtual safety car. Add Rosberg into the mix and Vettel could win all the races whilst Hamilton suffers fifth place or worse.

Majorscale

Uncle Bernie meddling to make it all appear more exciting perhaps? ;-)

HAL9000

Majorscale;789351" said:

Uncle Bernie meddling to make it all appear more exciting perhaps? ;-)

Doubt it. However, mandating minimum tyre pressures midway through the season is going to mess up any team that was running tyres below that pressure. I'm sure Bernie won't be too upset about this.

ESBlonde

Fretwired said:

ESBlonde said:

With 6 more races and Vettel winning them all and Hamilton second doesn't get Vettel to the top. Another DNF and second place x 5 would do it though. Despite the dominance to date Mercedes have not yet got this one in the bag. To finish first, first you have to finish and all that. Now where's the fat lady?

But if you look at the last race both Ferrari's and one Red Bull were ahead of Hamilton and the second Red Bull would have been ahead were it not for the virtual safety car. Add Rosberg into the mix and Vettel could win all the races whilst Hamilton suffers fifth place or worse.

Exactly, hence my 'to finish first' etc. If the techs and Merc have had it easy without understanding how it really worked then they have some catching up to do. If the other teams have found ways to negate the strength of Mercs who it turn have not sought greater advantage then we might yet have a race season on our hands. The slow (relatively) start off the line of Rosberg and Hamilton was not really and issue this season until now, but being down the grid it could mean the race.

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

Are Mercedes in trouble? Hamilton let slip that the new mandatory tyre pressures are what was behind the team's problems at the weekend. If this is the case Mercedes will have the same problem in Japan ... Vettel is only 49 points behind Hamilton so Rosberg's long face maybe an acknowledgement team orders are on their way.

I too, am smelling a rat. It's just too coincidental.

stickyfiddle

"Mr Hembry, wouldn't it be a fascinating act 2 to the season if Mercedes suddenly had trouble keeping in front of the Ferraris for a couple of races? And on an unrelated note, don't you have a contract about to be renewed that could still be awarded to Michelin? Would you like to come for dinner this evening...?"

Wouldn't be the first time and won't be the last. Maldonado's in a shitbox of a Williams on Sir Franks's birthday springs to mind...

Fretwired

Bad news for Bernie. Red Bull to quit F1 .. could be announced at the weekend. You can't race without an engine. Mercedes have said no and Ferrari have said they don't have the resources to supply another team. And Renault have said they may quit F1 - the Lotus takeover is not completed.

Unless Bernie can convince Mercedes to play ball in return for letting Hamilton race on lower tyre pressures .. :-)

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

Bad news for Bernie. Red Bull to quit F1 .. could be announced at the weekend. You can't race without an engine. Mercedes have said no and Ferrari have said they don't have the resources to supply another team. And Renault have said they may quit F1 - the Lotus takeover is not completed.

Unless Bernie can convince Mercedes to play ball in return for letting Hamilton race on lower tyre pressures .. :-)

Qu:

1. Red Bull saber-rattling?

2. Why on earth would Ferrari supply factory engines to a team who could well beat them?

3. Why on earth would ANY engine manufacturer supply engines to a team that could beat them?

4. Or is it all about money?

Fretwired

chillidoggy said:

Fretwired said:

Bad news for Bernie. Red Bull to quit F1 .. could be announced at the weekend. You can't race without an engine. Mercedes have said no and Ferrari have said they don't have the resources to supply another team. And Renault have said they may quit F1 - the Lotus takeover is not completed.

Unless Bernie can convince Mercedes to play ball in return for letting Hamilton race on lower tyre pressures .. :-)

Qu:

1. Red Bull saber-rattling?

2. Why on earth would Ferrari supply factory engines to a team who could well beat them?

3. Why on earth would ANY engine manufacturer supply engines to a team that could beat them?

4. Or is it all about money?

Red Bull won't have an engine and if they don't reach a deal soon (like in a week) there won't be time to modify their car. Rumour has it Renault are going to quit - Romain Grosjean has jumped ship from Lotus to Haas which seems to indicate the Renault takeover has stalled.

5redlights

The disappearance of engine manufacturers is a massive crisis, and it doesn't seem anything being done to attract new manufacturers to the sport. Honda should have been given freer scope to develop their engine this year, as their plight is hardly a good advert for persuading other manufacturers to jump in to a sport which now has extremely complex and expensive PUs. 

The lack of competition is really killing it for me. Even if you look back at the dominant Schumi years, there was a better range of engine providers and teams, and still a bigger variety of winners and podium finishers (accepting Ferrari were always there). However, when you get to around 2009/2010, engine suppliers start to drop away. This is clearly a reaction to the recession, but why didn't F1 noticed this and tried to keep suppliers involved and interested in the sport? 

Fretwired

Here's a long shot that's gaining momentum .. Red Bull quit F1. Renault buys the Red Bull team and renames it Renault.

Looks like Red Bull are out as they will only take Ferrari engines if they get the same engine and support as the works team which isn't going to happen. The only other engine is a Honda ... no chance.

fretmeister

Fretwired said:

Here's a long shot that's gaining momentum .. Red Bull quit F1. Renault buys the Red Bull team and renames it Renault.

Looks like Red Bull are out as they will only take Ferrari engines if they get the same engine and support as the works team which isn't going to happen. The only other engine is a Honda ... no chance.

Momentum?

That's lifted from a crazy comment on Planet F1.

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

Here's a long shot that's gaining momentum .. Red Bull quit F1. Renault buys the Red Bull team and renames it Renault.

Looks like Red Bull are out as they will only take Ferrari engines if they get the same engine and support as the works team which isn't going to happen. The only other engine is a Honda ... no chance.

Momentum?

That's lifted from a crazy comment on Planet F1.

No .. here .. http://thejudge13.com/2015/09/17/could-renault-be-about-to-buy-red-bull-racing/

Yet TJ13 has learned there is a strong feeling amongst senior Red Bull personnel that the team will in fact still be using a Renault F1 power unit in 2016 and today in Singapore, Christian Horner was careful with his words.

Paul_C

I've only watched it the last few years out of habit, I'm not sure I'm really bothered if it disappears up its own exhaust pipe.

Fretwired

Paul_C said:

I've only watched it the last few years out of habit, I'm not sure I'm really bothered if it disappears up its own exhaust pipe.

It's something to do on a Sunday afternoon. I no longer follow the practice sessions or qualifying.

Ianpdq

I think F1 is losing quite a lot of fans if Button goes I think it will lose a lot more

chillidoggy

These days I watch it in the hope that I'll see a decent race. I have been disappointed on occasion, but I still find it exciting. My wife loves the start, then after about five minutes, I glance over, and see she's nodded off.

LoFi

stickyfiddle said:

hotpot said:

http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/volkswagen-could-face-18-billion-fine-from-us-environment-watchdog-1219468 I wonder if VW will be buying Redbull after this fiasco!

18bn is pocket change for a company the size of VAG. They've known it's coming for a while and will be likely closer to 10bn if they make a deal

They have a current market cap of 56Bn EUR, a fine of 18Bn USD is ~16Bn EUR, or over a quarter of the value of the entire company.