Crown

Charles needs to start calling the shots harder from his cockpit.

Its his future career at the end of the day. Drivers are here today gone tomorrow, teams do not give a crap.

Max was class. He paced out his tyres well in the race.

throt

"I Have Done It!".

991 GT3 pick up in October 2014.

991 GT3.2 pick up April/May 2018. ( Hairy Chest Spec ).

Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Exclusive pick up June 2013. ( Shit Box )

Rennteam Hairy Chest Advisor.

Alonso signed with Aston Martin for 2023 with a multi-year contract... just imagine how many championships could this guy have racked up already if he wasn't so flawless at always picking a losing team 

Carlos from Spain:

Alonso signed with Aston Martin for 2023 with a multi-year contract... just imagine how many championships could this guy have racked up already if he wasn't so flawless at always picking a losing team 

I blive that at some stage when you know that you will not get a winning car then it's just all about the money!!! He enjoys driving and he can't win.... so let's have have fun and fill out the pocket!!! 

Choosing the wrong team has been Alonso's downfall... right till the end !

Two potential explanations :

1. Alpine was not willing to pay him what he was asking but AM did and as he is at the end of his career he does not care what car he drives anymore.

2. (most plausible ) Alpine wants to bring in a new gun. Alonso is a good and constant driver, but bringing in new talents into Alpine is the future. 

Gnil:

Choosing the wrong team has been Alonso's downfall... right till the end !

Two potential explanations :

1. Alpine was not willing to pay him what he was asking but AM did and as he is at the end of his career he does not care what car he drives anymore.

2. (most plausible ) Alpine wants to bring in a new gun. Alonso is a good and constant driver, but bringing in new talents into Alpine is the future. 

I tend to believe that it's option no. 1, as Alpine has already got a young gun with Ocon, and he does quite a decent job so why let Alonso go, he has experience like no other and he brings hope points. IMO it can only be the money as you said! He will not get a title anymore so what is the difference... take as much cash as possible and say goodbye!

Yeah #2.

Very likely Alpine urges Alonso to go to another team.

Quite possibly Williams has informed Alpine they won't have room for Piastri next year, and/or Alpine isn't keen on loaning Piastri to Aston. 

Stroll Senior wants a experienced driver to help develop the car, with Vettel gone he only had so many options, which is like not much, Alonso was almost the only choice.

https://streamable.com/egvcqn

https://streamable.com/ut1asc

Whoopsy:

Toto said in the interview, typical analytical German, pointed out that Leclerc didn't have another set of mediums left after Saturday, so they are stuck with using soft or hard for the pitstop, in a way Ferrari is stuck giving Leclerc the hard, unless they had extended his stints on the medium. Which Leclerc could well have. 

 

 

Nick, Toto is a fellow countryman from Austria 🇦🇹 😇

As an Austrian myself, I thank you for the correction! Enough said 

Lord_Driftalot:

Whoopsy:

Toto said in the interview, typical analytical German, pointed out that Leclerc didn't have another set of mediums left after Saturday, so they are stuck with using soft or hard for the pitstop, in a way Ferrari is stuck giving Leclerc the hard, unless they had extended his stints on the medium. Which Leclerc could well have. 

 

 

Nick, Toto is a fellow countryman from Austria 🇦🇹 😇

German as in Germanic, not German from Germany. I believe Austrians mostly are descendants from the Germanic people. 
 

Not unlike being Chinese doesn’t mean straight from China.

But I can see the distinction someone wants to emphasize, Austrian is Austrian and not German. Same with Chinese from most places that they want to point out they aren’t from China.

And it is indeed Piastri that Alpine wanted, signing just announced.

gonna be a bloodbath between him and Ocon fighting it out. 

or maybe not. Piastri hasn’t said anything yet, maybe he is the one that doesn’t want to drive for Alpine?

--

Whoopsy:

And it is indeed Piastri that Alpine wanted, signing just announced.

gonna be a bloodbath between him and Ocon fighting it out. 

or maybe not. Piastri hasn’t said anything yet, maybe he is the one that doesn’t want to drive for Alpine?

 

--

 

 

 

 

Just saw Piastri's response to Alpine   How could they mess that up so badly?

lexs4:

Whoopsy:

And it is indeed Piastri that Alpine wanted, signing just announced.

gonna be a bloodbath between him and Ocon fighting it out. 

or maybe not. Piastri hasn’t said anything yet, maybe he is the one that doesn’t want to drive for Alpine?

Just saw Piastri's response to Alpine   How could they mess that up so badly?

Seems to be the rolling theme for most teams this season 

lexs4:

Whoopsy:

And it is indeed Piastri that Alpine wanted, signing just announced.

gonna be a bloodbath between him and Ocon fighting it out. 

or maybe not. Piastri hasn’t said anything yet, maybe he is the one that doesn’t want to drive for Alpine?

 

--

 

 

 

 

Just saw Piastri's response to Alpine   How could they mess that up so badly?

My take, McLaren.

They already did that with one of the Indy driver. One team announced a lineup and then another announced the same driver also. 
 

There had to be a loophole in the contract somehow that no they can exploit.

All we know is Piastri had to be in a F1 seat by next year for his ‘contract’ with Alpine to be ‘valid’. But there had to be details we don’t know yet. 
 

Edit:

it would seems the contract Alpine had with Piastri said he needs to be placed in a seat before Aug 1st. But the days was being occupied by Alonso’s decision and Alpine forgot about Piastri before the deadline. McLaren seems to have known that, or Webber who figure out something 

--

And Williams have locked up Albon with a multi-year contract.

Alpine is standing firm on signing Piastri, while also say they are open to taking back Ricciardo. The plot deepens.

If I must, I’ll make the sacrifice and drive for Alpine. 

Really only 3 teams matter, and Ferrari really such a joke, perhaps Chuck will replace Lewis when he retires......

watt:

Really only 3 teams matter, and Ferrari really such a joke, perhaps Chuck will replace Lewis when he retires......

Leclerc has a contract through 2024, though reportedly he has an exciting clause for next year.  If I were him it would be on my mind for sure.  But I think Lewis will be back next year.

I am surprised that Lando signed the extension through 2025 as I think he would have been a hot property as well and I wouldnt have minded him taking Lewis's seat as well when he retires.

Lando is hot property for sure, he is up there with Russell, Leclerc and Verstappen. 

But there just isn’t room at Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes. Ferrari has 2 #1s, so is Mercedes, and Red Bull is only looking for a #2 driver, McLaren is the next best thing, and they do have potential and he is the #1 there.

Aston is a mess as a team, so is Alpine, it’s only natural for Lando to stay where he is.

Hopefully Lando could replace Carlos, he’s a 2nd VB, very fast if everything is on his terms, BUT…

Very looking forward to the next changes to the floors after summer break and if Merc can from now on catch up on RB & Ferrari.

Since Merc seems to better understand their car and Lewis doesn’t need to make lots of trial’n error-test drives/ sessions he outpaced GR63 in the last races, what’s more to come?! 

HoHoHo

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-daniel-ricciardo-oscar-piastri/

If you don't shoot me, I'll kill my driver.  Scumbag of the year award for toto.  What a disgrace, should be banned from f1.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11083969/Lewis-Hamilton-develop-BRAIN-DAMAGE-porpoising-Mercedes-principal-...

watt:

If you don't shoot me, I'll kill my driver.  Scumbag of the year award for toto.  What a disgrace, should be banned from f1.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11083969/Lewis-Hamilton-develop-BRAIN-DAMAGE-porpoising-Mercedes-principal-...

He never mentioned Hamilton in his reply, it wasn't a direct quote, just a fabrication from reporters to make sensational headlines. 

He just said his cars have 6-7Hz over several hours. 

But his point of pushing for revising the regulations was to get rid of the illegal floors from Ferrari and Red Bull, and maybe some other teams also.

Those flexy bendy floors are different than the end plates on the Aston Martin, or DAS from Mercedes. While Aston and Mercedes worked WITH the FIA to develop their unique interpretation of the rules, and modified along the way to make them legal, the bendy flexy floors were not consulted with the FIA beforehand. There is a big difference there. 

--

But no one is stopping Toto from eliminating the porpoising, they can do it right now but they don't want to because it will sacrifice some performance, so Toto doesn't really give a crap about brain damage in his drivers, he cares more about his car's performance, period.

Like I have said before, these people in F1 are pathological liars and don't care about their driver's or others, and this includes RB and other team managements not just Toto et al.

Carlos from Spain:

But no one is stopping Toto from eliminating the porpoising, they can do it right now but they don't want to because it will sacrifice some performance, so Toto doesn't really give a crap about brain damage in his drivers, he cares more about his car's performance, period.

Like I have said before, these people in F1 are pathological liars and don't care about their driver's or others, and this includes RB and other team managements not just Toto et al.

+1

well said Carlos, it’s just about business and not about sportsmanship

But keep in mind that Toto is at least one of the few (remaining) owners nut just an (well paid) employee like Christian Horner and Helmut Marko  

They didn't see this problem coming when they was writing the new rules, as much as I know there was no bouncing in the simulations, so F1 was hit by surprise... what to do ? It was to late to make changes,... so now there must be something coming, and yes this is a business first and foremost.... so the train is on its way and now there needs to be a solution. At least Toto is addressing this all the time and yes Mercedes was suffering a bit more form this in the beginning. Now it seems that they have git it a bit more under control, for me it seems that even the Ferrari has bigger issues at the moment with bouncing even though they are fast. I am sure that they are looking for workarounds and I am also quite sure that everybody cares they just don't speak out loudly like Toto.

Toto is the one complaining the loudest only because his car has been affected the most, if it were the RedBull instead of Mercedes it would be Horner complaining the loudest and appearing all hot and bothered and Toto would be quiet.

Toto has zero credibility in complaining about driver safety when he can get rid of the porpoising if he wants to but chooses not to in favor of not loosing any performance, he doesn't care about his employed drivers, he is complaining about the porpoising because of the performance aspect, and I have no doubt Horner would do the same in his place, it's not a Toto only thing. 

Toto is no different than any other team principal. Always trying to find and angle that benefit them and hurt others.

But here is a rare case where Toto's comment make absolutely no sense, a la whenever Marko speak.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolff-audi-new-entrant-more-value/10349427/

How is Audi going to bring in more value than another American team as in Andretti. Basically he wants Audi to fork up the entry fee to all of them instead of Andretti.

F1 is trying to expand the American market, not the German market. 

Perhaps he thinks Audi can be an engine supplier also for the grid and hence they don't have to have as many customer teams as it is now. 

But as far as I know, Porsche and Audi will be running the same engine, just one badged as Audi and the other Porsche.

More news during the silly season/break of F1.

It is reported that McLaren had already told Ricciardo he is being given the boot even when he is still under contract for 2023. In doing so they are opening up the seat for Piastri.

Haas has stopped contract negotiation with Mick now that it is confirmed Mick can't move to Aston with Alonso taken up Vettel's seat. Haas think they hold all the cards on contract talk. Would Ferrari let Mick slide off the grid after this year? I don't believe so. They either gonna put extra pressure to Haas to keep Mick, or move him to Alfa. But the Alfa seat seems more secure for Zhou as he brings in Chinese dollars. Sauber also have Theo Pourchaire in the waiting room from their own academy program if they wanted to go a different direction.

Who could Haas sign if they want someone else? Surely they can't afford Ricciardo, and Ricciardo may not want to drive for Haas. Piastri is already spoken for, twice. 

Another wild card is Zhou, while he doesn't have a contract with Alfa next year, as I understands, he signed with Alfa for 2022 while retaining his link with Alpine. unlike when Albon signed with Williams where he had renounced his Red Bull link. Could Alpine tap Zhou to fill in the empty seat for 2023? Or would Haas grab Zhou?

Williams have a 'empty' seat. Latifi is gone for sure after this year, but Williams already have the American Logan Sergeant lined up. But maybe Haas wants to incept for the American? Haas/Williams, hmm, Williams made the investment but Haas seems like they have a faster car. Tough choice for Sergeant. 

One thing I know for sure, future of F1 is gonna be full of young guns that's full of potentials. 

Say Max wins the WDC this year, very likely, but someone else wins it the year after, say Leclerc. And Hamilton retired after this year or next. 2024 there will only be 2 drivers with multiple WDC, Alonso and Max with 2 each, plus whoever wins 2023, say Leclerc. F1 has never had a grid with less champions on the grid since like forever. 3. Or 2 if Max wins a 3rd instead of Leclerc. By the time Alonso retires after the 2024 season, potentially there could only be one active WDC on the grid. Max with 4 titles.

Carlos from Spain:

Toto is the one complaining the loudest only because his car has been affected the most, if it were the RedBull instead of Mercedes it would be Horner complaining the loudest and appearing all hot and bothered and Toto would be quiet.

Toto has zero credibility in complaining about driver safety when he can get rid of the porpoising if he wants to but chooses not to in favor of not loosing any performance, he doesn't care about his employed drivers, he is complaining about the porpoising because of the performance aspect, and I have no doubt Horner would do the same in his place, it's not a Toto only thing. 

Only thing I would add is that Horner is not being quiet, the technical directive to deal with the porpoising will potentially cause RedBull and Ferrari to have to change their flexible floors.  So Horner has repeatedly argued against its implementation.