F1 2022 season - Michael Masi sacked

First topic message reminder :

Rumours suggesting Fernando Alonso's deal with Aston Martin could be up to 4 years long. 2 years guaranteed. Third year is driver side option and fourth year is team side option.
Alonso might never retire at this rate LOL

Ferrari was unable to run at max power in Mexico due to altitude. The issue will carry over to Brazil as well but shouldn’t as bad.

Credit to Red Bull for getting everything right and being the overwhelming dominant force of this season. However without Verstappen maybe things may have been different - he has completely dominated Perez. Ferrari started off very strongly but were unable to keep up with developments and became a distant second. Mercedes seemed to have improved through the season but it is unclear whether or not they are going to start from scratch with next years car. The FIA have implemented a sweeping set of new regulations in order to minimize the chances of a long reign by a single team.

Legend has it Mercedes are still waiting for some deg on the Red Bull mediums.

Even if they did, Max could've just slapped on a set of softs at the end and won easily. Mercedes told Lewis the hards come in nicely when Latifi was the only driver on them

A very Ferrari strategy

Ferrari hasn’t been able to resolve the engine issues, we’ll be third best in 2023…embarrassing.

Vandoorne joins AM as a reserve

Probably safe to assume Hulkenberg will replace Schumacher

Not sure what they can try for next year. Maybe extend the drs zone. Altitude makes it less effective

The stadium section ruins the lap…

As much as any slow speed section

Weather looks terrible in São Paulo this weekend…

Just a heads up, sprint weekend. Qualifying is tonight.

Somewhat interestingly, Verstappen says he’s ‘happy’ to help Perez secure P2 in the championship.
I would’ve thought winning 16 races in a season would’ve been a big motivation…

KMAG starts on Pole for the sprint

Wet quali all about timing.

Doubt Max is devastated, p2 with a Haas ahead and Hamilton/LeClerc outside the top 5.

George takes p3 before binning it

Perez is too far back for Verstappen to help him. However Perez just needs to beat Leclerc who starts behind him. In Q3 Magnussen was first out to set a fast lap and Leclerc was second out, however Leclerc was on inters whereas everyone else was on softs. P2 Verstappen, p9 Perez (apparently stuck behind Leclerc or something), p10 Leclerc.

If the Red Bull’s straight line speed is as usual, Perez should be looking at P3 and the main event is still tomorrow.
Ferrari are embarrassing themselves…LeClerc is looking for a way out…

The next few years will see the affect of the cost caps (leveling the playing field) and the affects of the wind tunnel increases for poorly performing teams (closing the gap between teams). Ferrari for a number of years (since about 2017) have shown they are unable to keep up the pace through the season - first against Mercedes (Hamilton) then against the Red Bulls (Verstappen).

Odd decision by RB to put Max on mediums, had nothing to fight with as the field had no issues on softs. Still, be a fool to bet against him tomorrow.

Will be a Mercedes 1-2 when Sainz takes his penalty.

Disastrous for Alpine. Ocon Vs Gasly should be entertaining given Ocons reputation as a teammate

Verstappen had unexpected degradation on the mediums.  Presumably it would have been worse with the softs.   Suggests that maybe Verstappen's car hadn't been set up well at least for the track conditions pertaining to the sprint race.

Stroll gets 3 place grid pen and 2 penalty points for trying to put Vettel into the barrier. Stroll really in an embarrassment.

Alonso gets 5 second penalty for hitting Ocon on the straight, dropping the Spaniard to 18th.

Ocon's car burst into flames after the sprint race, in the pitlane. Fortunately no one was hurt.

I think for next year they have to decouple sprints from the race. Too much jeopardy in going off and starting the race from last.

Ricciardo causes mayhem on lap 1. Wipes out KMag. Safety car.

Verstappen and Hamilton hit each other at the restart.
Norris crashes into LeClerc

Well that didn't take long

Norris is clumsy but it's a clear penalty

Not sure on Max and Lewis. Maybe Max should back out and not sure hes taking that corner shallow enough at all. But equally he's held it clean around the outside of T1 and Lewis left him no room at all on the apex

Verstappen gets a 5 sec pen for Hamilton crashing into him.
Norris 5 secs as well

I can see why, I don't think he was taking the corner in a way that both were getting through it. Do think Lewis is a tad lucky there though

Sainz brake literally on fire

This has not been a classic since the opening laps. George should have it in hand on better tyres now.

Vsc upgraded to a SC because the stewards were bored I guess?

If they needed a full SC why have 2 laps under VSC?

Yeah I'm slightly confused, but it was a procession without a SC so

Sainz might have a chance here

Not sure why RB haven't put new softs on Perez

Sainz will have the best tyres in p4

This is a bit of a mess

Yuki making a mess

Becauae RC didn't let him through...

Perez struggling

Bit of a weird race, kinda fell into Russell hands by default as all the contenders had their own incidents/Perez was just slow. But he still had to deliver it after the SC under no small pressure.

Messy weekend for RB all round. Their worst of the season by a distance.

Ferrari limit the damage while it's a disaster class for McLaren.

Russell 265
Hamilton 240

Hamilton has to win Abu Dhabi and get the 1pt for FL with Russell DNF, other then younger Brit will beat Hamilton in the championship

Jeff Navarro wrote:.... Somewhat interestingly, Verstappen says he’s ‘happy’ to help Perez secure P2 in the championship...

Well that was short lived. Verstappen was asked to let Perez through and he refused. Subsequently Leclerc now leads Perez for second place (same points but more race wins).

Mercedes 1st & 2nd (+ fastest lap). Ferrari 3rd & 4th. Alonso Alpine 5th. Red Bull 6th & 7th. Mercedes made up 17 points against Ferrari in the constructors but Ferrari still lead Mercedes by 21 points with one race to go where presumably Red Bull and Verstappen will be back. Mercedes did seem to have a car to challenge for the win given the tyre degradation for the Red Bulls. Should have been Perez's opportunity for the win but he didn't have the pace.

Jeff Navarro wrote:Verstappen gets a 5 sec pen for Hamilton crashing into him.
Norris 5 secs as well

Lol behave. Hamilton was clearly ahead. Correct call by the officials.

Verstappen showing his true colours at the end of this race and putting his team in its place.

Clearly ahead and turns into a the other car LOL

Anyway irrelevant in the grand scheme off things.

Hopefully Checo finds his inner dog over the winter and we get some Mercedes 2016 vibes in 2023.

The other car LOL whose front wheels were well behind his own, therefore putting him ahead. So yes.

Anyway Max, as we know, is incapable of lifting when he should, so things like this are bound to happen.

But his actions at the end of the race are unreal. After how Checo has protected him in the past, to refuse to give him that place when it had such massive implications for his championships standings is something else. The place was meaningless for Max and meaningless for the team.

I see why Max got penalised but I do see the argument for both. Lewis runs Max to the edge of the road then cuts across like he isn't there. He's not entirely innocent of causing that collision.

All seems rather unnecessary at the end. Wonder what his actual issue is

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/35025176/why-did-max-verstappen-defy-red-bull-brazil

LMAO Verstappen’s camp believes Perez crashed deliberately at Monaco.
Perez is one of the most honest and respected drivers on the grid

Been a while since the sport has had a good old fashioned heel - Max taking on the mantle nicely

This is probably going to be the first and last time that Red Bull have an opportunity to finish 1st and 2nd in the drivers championship.   They have already matched the achievement of winning the  drivers and constructors championships in the same year achieved 2010 through to 2013.  With Verstappen's refusal to allow Perez through and with one race to go - if both Leclerc and Perez have a DNF in the next race - e.g. they collide with each other, then Leclerc gets second place. Does Perez deserve the second place - probably not - but you finish where you finish - and whether one "deserves" it is a mute point. Leclerc finishing second would be well merited.

ps: that was probably the last opportunity Verstappen had to help Perez. I imagine in the final race Verstappen will be too far ahead of Perez to help out.