F1 2020 Season

First topic message reminder :

Thought I'd start this thread since no-one else has yet.

First glimpse of this season's cars as Haas unveil their entry for this year. Not really much difference visually from last season, but then there haven't been any major rule changes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51405017




Have to say I quite like this livery.

Feel free to add more pics as they are released...

GSC wrote:Not gonna lie, the 17 race schedule they've improvised is more interesting than the one they started with.

Like to see some circuits rotate yearly

Agree with this - shows really they can, and should, mix up the calendar more than they do year on year

Renault withdraw their appeal you would guess after some prodding by the fia

Basically, it was to clear up future copying loopholes for the next regs, and to get the Concorde agreement over the line.

As for the calendar, I wouldn’t hold your breathe on this becoming the new norm. Unfortunately, LM have taken a huge financial hit, so they will want a return to the usual calendar, where the promoters are paying big bucks.

Vettel move won’t be announced at Spa. Lawrence Stroll angry that Ferrari won’t drop their appeal. Wants to now announce Vettel at Monza or Mugello as revenge

All very petty. Longer it’s delayed, you feel it might never happen.

Hulkenberg now heavily linked with Haas seat for, 2021.

The 2nd Bahrain GP will use the "oval layout", essentially turning the middle sector into a straight. Lap times expected to be in the mid 50s.

If nothing else itll be an interesting experience

Looks like Haas might drop both Grosjean(not a surprise) and Magnussen(pretty surprised). As John states above Hulkenberg looks to be their main target.
Interestingly Perez says it’s Racing Point/Aston Martin or leaving F1. So he doesn’t want to buy a seat at Haas or Alfa Romeo. Perez would earn bucket loads in Indycar.
I can see a scenario whereby Haas could end up with Robert Shwartzman or Callum Illot as I believe Ferrari will put Schumacher at Alfa Romeo.

Jeff Navarro wrote:Looks like Haas might drop both Grosjean(not a surprise) and Magnussen(pretty surprised). As John states above Hulkenberg looks to be their main target.
Interestingly Perez says it’s Racing Point/Aston Martin or leaving F1. So he doesn’t want to buy a seat at Haas or Alfa Romeo. Perez would earn bucket loads in Indycar.
I can see a scenario whereby Haas could end up with Robert Shwartzman or Callum Illot as I believe Ferrari will put Schumacher at Alfa Romeo.

Perez would be a loss to F1. Many teams he could do a great job for such as Mercedes in place of Bottas, Red Bull in place of Albon, Racing Point in place of Stroll and probably do a better job than Sainz at Ferrari will next year.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:Looks like Haas might drop both Grosjean(not a surprise) and Magnussen(pretty surprised). As John states above Hulkenberg looks to be their main target.
Interestingly Perez says it’s Racing Point/Aston Martin or leaving F1. So he doesn’t want to buy a seat at Haas or Alfa Romeo. Perez would earn bucket loads in Indycar.
I can see a scenario whereby Haas could end up with Robert Shwartzman or Callum Illot as I believe Ferrari will put Schumacher at Alfa Romeo.

Perez would be a loss to F1. Many teams he could do a great job for such as Mercedes in place of Bottas, Red Bull in place of Albon, Racing Point in place of Stroll and probably do a better job than Sainz at Ferrari will next year.

Whilst I agree Perez is better than many on the grid, I also feel it’s refreshing to see a driver with self respect to realise that there’s no real benefit to wasting money acquiring a seat at Haas or Alfa then touring around as a back marker.
At least if he goes to Indycar with his marketability he could have a successful career.

Vettel & Leclerc scrape through to Q2

How do we rate Sebastian Vettel? He is a four times world champion. I seem to recall Ricciardo getting the better of him when Ricciardo joined Red Bull, but it was said that Vettel was a little bit burnt out after winning four consecutive world championships and he was looking for a ferrari move. I think that was also the year when there was a change in rules regarding car specs.

When Vettel joined Ferrari he consistently outperformed Raikkonnen and challenged for the world championship title in 2017 and 2018. Then when Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 he was immediately challenging Vettel - Vettel couldn't get the better of him. Now this year Leclerc is consistently outperforming Vettel.

Hamilton pole by half a second. Woeful from Bottas, but you’re vulnerable in pole round here. Possible rain, too.

This is a long lap but half a second is a mile off

Ricciardo and Renault pulled something out of the bag for qualifying.  Apart from Hamilton and Mercedes the rest look fairly close in performance.  With Bottas one has a feeling he is simply not good enough or bold enough to challenge Hamilton.  It would be far more interesting to have a younger hungrier as well as of course talented driver in the second seat at Mercedes.  The way things are heading Hamilton will win both this years and next years championships with little competition because he has the best overall car and a number two that is not good enough to challenge him.

Just John wrote:Hamilton pole by half a second. Woeful from Bottas, but you’re vulnerable in pole round here. Possible rain, too.

Well Spa and rain do kind of go together. A wet track would definitely spice things up.

Don't want to be too harsh on Bottas - Hamilton was on a different level today...has been for most of the season. Still, half a second behind your team mate is not good. Only fractionally quicker than Verstappen. Makes you wonder what it would be like if Max and Lewis were team mates.

So the questions to be answered tomorrow are who is going to join Hamilton on the podium?

Also, where did Renault's performance come from? While I'm pretty sure their race pace won't let Ricciardo and Ocon stay 4th and 6th, at least its evidence of some progress. Also good to see they can deliver the results when they have the car underneath them.

Expecting quite a scrap between the Renaults and McLarens. Surprised at how poor RP were, but reckon they will make progress up the placings during the race.

Ferrari must be just wishing the season was over already.

Just John wrote:All very petty. Longer it’s delayed, you feel it might never happen.

Hulkenberg now heavily linked with Haas seat for, 2021.

Urgh! He deserves better than that...but a seat is a seat I suppose.

GSC wrote:The 2nd Bahrain GP will use the "oval layout", essentially turning the middle sector into a straight. Lap times expected to be in the mid 50s.

If nothing else itll be an interesting experience

For the drivers maybe. As a spectacle I feel it will just be more boring than usual. Getting rid of the twisty, technical infield section just makes it 3 long straights and one section with a chicane. Basically a slightly more challenging NASCAR track. Low downforce, not much braking and even less overtaking.

Still, needs must when the devil drives, as they say. Just glad its a one-off.

News from Ferrari is that they couldn't get the tyres to work.  Last year they qualified first and second and won the race.   I wonder what could have changed ...

Yes their engine is a lot down on power relative to last year.

The car is also incredibly draggy so they're having to run Monza levels of downforce to compensate on the straights and as such are losing all their time in the corners (or the middle sector here)

It's a good thing the Tifosi can't attend Monza or Mughello

I thought it rather poetic that LeClerc was borderline in tears after qualifying yet Vettel shrugged his shoulders and laughed. Ferrari is my team but the team is dying.

No name Bertie wrote:How do we rate Sebastian Vettel?   He is a four times world champion.  I seem to recall Ricciardo getting the better of him when Ricciardo joined Red Bull, but it was said that Vettel was a little bit burnt out after winning four consecutive world championships and he was looking for a ferrari move.   I think that was also the year when there was a change in rules regarding car specs.

When Vettel joined Ferrari he consistently outperformed Raikkonnen and challenged for the world championship title in 2017 and 2018. Then when Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 he was immediately challenging Vettel - Vettel couldn't get the better of him.   Now this year Leclerc is consistently outperforming Vettel.

Vettel is only a Ferrari driver because Maranello can’t afford to pay him to leave Bertie. Vettel isn’t allowed into the technical debriefing either - much to LeClerc’s anger.

Vettel and Ferrari is like a satellite rider partnership in MotoGP.

I don't really understand the point of this. it's not like Vettel asked for the divorce and yet Ferrari insist on making it personal

GSC wrote:I don't really understand the point of this. it's not like Vettel asked for the divorce and yet Ferrari insist on making it personal

Ferrari lacks the mental capacity to have two top drivers. Look at how Raikkonen was treated at various times - people should remember he’s the last world champion for the Prancing Horse.

Ferrari previously did this kind of nonsense to Alain Prost as well.

Par for the course - unprofessional and lack of respect

It’s getting rather interesting in F2, Ferrari juniors Schwartzman 132pts, Illot 122pts and Schumacher 106pts. Could be anyone from those three.

Yes, a dominant win today for, Schwartzman. Kyvat’s days are numbered as the darling of Russian motorsport, if he ever was   

Am enjoying F2 this year, some good racing, and a real fight for the championship. Don’t think Schumacher quite has it in his locker just yet, seeing as he hasn’t won a race this year.

I think Schumacher has started to turn the corner tbh, obviously I’m a big fan - son of the king of Maranello . But just like his championship year in F3, it’s taken time for him to fully understand the tyre wear issues. But if he wants that Alfa Romeo seat he needs a couple of wins in these last 10 races.

As for Kvyat, the Japanese protege in F2 will take that seat I think he’s third in the championship. Looks a fine prospect

Any indications of rain?  Supposed to be a 60% chance of it from yesterday's forecast.  And if there is rain how heavy will it be ... enough for the race to be stopped?  Yesterday some drivers were hoping for rain, but I imagine not so much that would stop the race.

Sainz will not race after his exhaust failed on way to grid.

No name Bertie wrote:Any indications of rain?  Supposed to be a 60% chance of it from yesterday's forecast.  And if there is rain how heavy will it be ... enough for the race to be stopped?  Yesterday some drivers were hoping for rain, but I imagine not so much that would stop the race.

The forecast is pretty useless at Spa. The rain might miss the track or it could hose down for hours.

Mercs off into the distance, Max in his customary one man race for 3rd.

This race needs something to happen

Big crash for Russell and Gio. SC out

Red Bull aren’t competitive when Pirelli use the hardest compounds

Perez being left out on softs by RP. Mind-boggling, but we know why.

Time running out for Giovinazzi - Hulkenberg, Schumacher and Shwartzman vying for two those seats. Raikkonen likely to retire.

Hamilton complains of a loss of power then sets the fastest lap

Back to bed I think

Racing Point are truly an embarrassing outfit. Sergio being bent over, once more.

Perez getting screwed over badly...shock.

LeClerc being summoned to the stewards for driving slow on the recon lap pre race

Just John wrote:Perez being left out on softs by RP. Mind-boggling, but we know why.

If he wanted first dibs on preferential strategy, he probably shouldn’t have been lost positions off the start and been two positions behind Stroll when the safety car started...

Wasn’t about first dibs, it’s about everyone double stacking, and RP deciding not to.

Gasly might make this work. Everyone else gonna have to conserve tyres to the end whereas he can probably bolt on a set of mediums and slam through the field

Must've felt Perez in 9th was worth risking another SC rather than stacking in the pit stop phase and likely losing a bunch of places anyway.

Don't quite buy the conspiracy theories, mainly because they don't really stand up to scrutiny. Sabotaging Perez in a tight battle for 3rd in the constructors is a non starter

Also a smaller stint on the hards probably worth something

Likely ends up behind Norris at least having to wait for Stroll.

We'll see what he can do by the end, but might not be that far off where he started

Hold my hands up, like Brundle. It’s working, atm, for Gasly and Perez.

Binotto thought he was very clever when he got the factory to turn its back on Arrivabene and subsequently stole his job. Binotto is a deadman walking

Ocon does Albon. Must be an argument now for Gasly to swap back to RB.

Hamilton wins

RP - all’s forgiven, it worked out in the end.

Albon running out of time at RB you'd think.

Good results for Danny Ric and Gasly. Renault in particular with a strong race splitting the RBs

Jeff Navarro wrote:Binotto thought he was very clever when he got the factory to turn its back on Arrivabene and subsequently stole his job. Binotto is a deadman walking

Well he certainly will be if Ferrari have any more weekends like this one.


Time for some wake-up juice. Unusually for Spa a pretty uneventful race. Top 3 never changing position and Max fading away from the Mercs as the race went on. Interesting radio message between Bottas and the team about only having 1 push in the race and some sort of agreement not to use it against Hamilton. So much for Toto Wolff's constant claims that they are free to race. Valtteri actually got within a second of Lewis a couple of times, but each time Hamilton responded with better times to maintain the gap.

Sounded like the Mercs were having to do some serious tyre management towards the end...Max too.

Great result for Renault, with Ricciardo managing to bring his car home from where he started on the grid. Great job by Ocon to finish behind him, albeit some 20 seconds adrift time-wise.

Big shout out to Pierre Gasly. Started 12th on the grid but worked his way up to 4th on hard tyres, before pitting and dropping to the back of the field, then clawing his way back to finish 8th...just 5 seconds behind Albon. He was absolutely on fire today. The most interesting thing about the race and my driver of the day.

Another decent result for Lando Norris, managing to bring home some points for McLaren with Sainz sidelined with a broken exhaust.

RP's investment and development decisions are looking more questionable with every race - just managing to finish in the points this time out. Though to be fair, I think their race strategies aren't always the best either (just more evidence that they don't understand how to get the best out of the car).