2023 Formula 1 Thread

ATWG · Apr 6, 2023

Scarecrow Boat
Max threatening to quit over new weekend formats.

Let’s hope he does

MRC · Apr 6, 2023

7th April.

I would like to remember Jim Clark, who in this photo didn't know he had just won the 1964 Belgian GP because he had run out of fuel soon after crossing the line and had to wait for the loudspeaker announcement. Waiting here talking to Dan Gurney.

But also the photo has a 50/50 chance of being have been taken by my recently deceased friend Laurie Morton who was chief photographer for Motor Sport magazine in the 1960s. Laurie never had any copies of what he had taken because they all formally belonged to the company London Art Tech.

RIP Jim and Laurie.

Evitzee · Apr 6, 2023

texasmade
Clearly gets it from his dad. I hope he doesn't pick up dad's habit of assaulting women.

A son is not responsible for the actions of his father or potential father-in-law. Get a grip.

texasmade · Apr 6, 2023

Evitzee
A son is not responsible for the actions of his father or potential father-in-law. Get a grip.

Lighten up Francis. I never called Max a domestic abuser. Only his dad.

I'm only calling Max a spoiled prick which is just like his dad.

arturo7 · Apr 7, 2023

MRC
7th April.

I would like to remember Jim Clark, who in this photo didn't know he had just won the 1964 Belgian GP because he had run out of fuel soon after crossing the line and had to wait for the loudspeaker announcement. Waiting here talking to Dan Gurney.

But also the photo has a 50/50 chance of being have been taken by my recently deceased friend Laurie Morton who was chief photographer for Motor Sport magazine in the 1960s. Laurie never had any copies of what he had taken because they all formally belonged to the company London Art Tech.

RIP Jim and Laurie.

He must have an asbestos arse.

MRC · Apr 11, 2023

A bit of a blast from the past....

30 years ago almost to this day on the Lotus Mailing list (founded 1990) we were discussing the GP at Donington Park (11th April) that a couple of us had attended -- we failed to meet up because everyone was unrecognisably heavily wrapped up in waterproofs. The report in Autosport mentioned that Lotus had a secret weapon in their ability to change all four wheels in 4 seconds. Lotus were the only people running an "active" car and their technique was to have a plank slightly thinner than the ride height of the car. The car was driven on top of the plank and the suspension system picked up the wheels so the car dropped onto the plank with the wheels off the ground. It was a cracking race, I was in the perfect place to watch Senna's run down the Craner Curves overtaking half the field.

TheorPhys · Apr 11, 2023

I might become a center of the storm, coming at me from all sides, but just to spice up the conversation, and with all due respect and regret, I have to say that F1 has become a shitshow. Cost control, overly intrusive regulations, and most of all - banning those glorious V10's (and earlier V12's) just look like a "dance macabre", as this great sport is going to its grave.

TheorPhys · Apr 11, 2023

MRC
A bit of a blast from the past....

30 years ago almost to this day on the Lotus Mailing list (founded 1990) we were discussing the GP at Donington Park that a couple of us had attended -- we failed to meet up because everyone was unrecognisably heavily wrapped up in waterproofs. The report in Autosport mentioned that Lotus had a secret weapon in their ability to change all four wheels in 4 seconds. Lotus were the only people running an "active" car and their technique was to have a plank slightly thinner than the ride height of the car. The car was driven on top of the plank and the suspension system picked up the wheels so the car dropped onto the plank with the wheels off the ground. It was a cracking race, I was in the perfect place to watch Senna's run down the Craner Curves overtaking half the field.

I like your avatar 😀 Cheers!

MRC · Apr 11, 2023

TheorPhys
I might become a center of the storm, coming at me from all sides, but just to spice up the conversation, and with all due respect and regret, I have to say that F1 has become a shitshow. Cost control, overly intrusive regulations, and most of all - banning those glorious V10's (and earlier V12's) just look like a "dance macabre", as this great sport is going to its grave.

I've been following F1 since cars were built in a shed behind a pub (Lotus) or in a regular motor repair garage (Cooper). To me it is still fascinating, but I believe that a lot of the dislike of the current era stems from an individual's source of information. I know what a field of cars with open wheels and wings looks like from the driving seat, although with better side vision than they now have. What I don't need is long-lens views from the far end of a straight taking away sense of speed, nor the lack of ear-shattering noise that viewers suffer on TV. Nor do I need commentators who have only been covering the sport for a couple of years. What I need is information -- shades of The Prisoner here. For live coverage an F1.com subscription for about 1 Cowrie Shell per race gets lots of timing screens, live circuit maps and the ability to pretend to be on the pit wall with six screens running different displays. For commentary I use BBC Radio Five, which until 2023 was also the R1.com live commentary. Haven't tried what F1 they now have but must do sometime. For summaries and analysis I use two sources, Jolyon Palmer the official F1.com analyst and Peter Windsor's U-tube channel. Peter has even better contacts than Jolyon's official ones. And I avoid the "social" media channels where the Hamilton/Mercedes haters slag off the Verstapen/Red Bull haters. Don't need it 👎

But I would live to have the 22.000rpm V10s back again, hell even a 1970s DFV sounds better than the current V6s.

rob#1 · Apr 11, 2023

At Melbourne the Porsche Carrera Cup cars were the loudest, followed by the F2 and F3 cars which sounded about the same. The F1 cars sounded smooth and didn’t look like they were going as fast as they were, but I did miss the throaty roar of the past. It was interesting to watch the cars live though; Max looked and sounded like he was out for a Sunday drive in the country whereas the chasing cars seemed to be trying harder and going faster, but in reality they were much slower…

RI Omega Fan · Apr 11, 2023

MRC
7th April.

I would like to remember Jim Clark, who in this photo didn't know he had just won the 1964 Belgian GP because he had run out of fuel soon after crossing the line and had to wait for the loudspeaker announcement. Waiting here talking to Dan Gurney.

But also the photo has a 50/50 chance of being have been taken by my recently deceased friend Laurie Morton who was chief photographer for Motor Sport magazine in the 1960s. Laurie never had any copies of what he had taken because they all formally belonged to the company London Art Tech.

RIP Jim and Laurie.

Indeed, those were truly the good old days. Admittedly very dangerous good old days, but what memories!

Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark

rob#1 · Apr 11, 2023

MRC
7th April.

I would like to remember Jim Clark, who in this photo didn't know he had just won the 1964 Belgian GP because he had run out of fuel soon after crossing the line and had to wait for the loudspeaker announcement. Waiting here talking to Dan Gurney.

But also the photo has a 50/50 chance of being have been taken by my recently deceased friend Laurie Morton who was chief photographer for Motor Sport magazine in the 1960s. Laurie never had any copies of what he had taken because they all formally belonged to the company London Art Tech.

RIP Jim and Laurie.

There’s a great article in the F1 app about Dan Gurney and his relationship with Jim Clark, well worth reading. The article also has this picture, taken from a different angle:

Vercingetorix · Apr 21, 2023

https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a43667643/taylor-swift-and-fernando-alonso-dating-rumor-f1/

lillatroll · Apr 24, 2023

I have just been to do some food shopping. I thought I would take some photos of the preparations for the Baku F1 race while I was out and about.

The first one is taken from my balcony and shows some of the track and the park which functions as the fan zone for the whole weekend. It also happens to be where my wife and I run. It will not be possible to use it from Thursday until the race is packed up and gone.

The next two pictures are of people checking the track, making sure the fences are secured etc, they will do this all week.

While on my way to the shop l walked past the pitstop. Ferrari unloading their equipment.On my way home from the shop, I took some photos.There were twice as many pallets there then as there are in these photos.

Here are some views from my balcony. I am not a huge F1 fan in any way shape or form but friends, colleagues and associates are more than welcome to come to my apartment and watch the races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The last photo is of the hotel where the Mercedes/Maclaren team stay. It is across the road from my building complex. Last year I got speaking to some of the mechanics, in fact many of them drink in my local bar, which is a very small quiet pub that is a bit out of the way.

I will take some more photos over the weekend and post them here.

DrmexicoII · Apr 24, 2023

These pics are fantastic! Can't believe you've got that view of the straight from your apartment!

Scarecrow Boat · Apr 24, 2023

lillatroll
but friends, colleagues and associates are more than welcome to come to my apartment and watch the races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Remember that time we used to work at that one place where we became great friends? 😁

Im sure on one hand, being that close to the track can be a bit of an inconvenience as things are closed down and swarms of people descend for the weekend.

But on the other hand, that’s so cool to have to have that view of the straight and take in the ambiance of screaming F1 engines. To me at least 😀 Thank you again for sharing perspective each year. It’s neat to see a bit of behind the scenes like this.

lillatroll · Apr 24, 2023

Scarecrow Boat
Remember that time we used to work at that one place where we became great friends? 😁

Im sure on one hand, being that close to the track can be a bit of an inconvenience as things are closed down and swarms of people descend for the weekend.

lillatroll · Apr 24, 2023

If you find yourself in Baku when the F1 is on, you will be more than welcome

It is a bit of a pain in so far as trying to get to some parts of town take about three times as long, but better to embrace it than be annoyed by it, after all, it's not going anywhere. It's over by 7pm latest, so people only drop by for a couple of hours, and it's nice to share the experience with others,especially if they would not have the chance to see it otherwise.

asloper6001 · Apr 24, 2023

Baku is such an awesome race (my favorite street circuit)! Seems like a fun place to live too? Please share some race day pics too!

lillatroll · Apr 27, 2023

The circuit has been locked down now in preparation for the race. In the first photo you can see s truck that is spraying some kind of liquid on the track. I am guessing it is some kind of sealer. This truck was working from around 8 pm until the next day. It went past my apartment when I was getting ready for work at 6am