F1 2017: News/Calendar/Updates

[CarMadMike]

How confident are they in each other?

 

Very. Best of friends supposedly.

 

There is a saying in Premier League football, if a football club comes out and says they have full confidence in the team's manager and support them fully, it usually means that the manager will be sacked within a month. I'm hoping a similar rule applies to Honda here.

 

The only issue is that these cars are designed so closely around an engine that i'm not sure how feasible it is to put another power unit in it.

[CarMadMike]

It is the final week of testing before Melbourne, there are two things worth noting from today:

 

1. Things are really not looking great at McLaren, Vandoorne was 25km/h off the front runners through the speed trap

2. Red Bull have debuted a new front wing design:

[CarMadMike]

Has McLaren Broken Down?

 

Much needed site nowadays, the McLaren has broken down twice this morning on track, with Alonso behind the wheel :ytwh: Today is the last day of testing before Melbourne, absolute shambles.

 

If fixes aren't found before Melbourne, heads surely have to roll?

[CarMadMike]

Yikes.... and yikes:

 

Nico Hülkenberg on Twitter:

[TimBud]

Why were the aussies booing hamilton on the podium?

...Did he take a turd on someones bbq?

[Ryzza5]

I think they were booing at whatever governmental minister was presenting the trophy - they tend to do that all the time in V8 Supercars

[TimBud]

Ah right, that makes sense.

 

It was certainly nice to see a change a different winner this time (even if I don't like him). It certainly makes for an exciting season (potentially) although the concerns about the lack overtaking and been proven correct again.

[Ryzza5]

There's an F1 survey going around

 

Global Fan Survey 2017

 

Our promise to you is threefold:

* We will take your feedback and have them independently analysed by one of the world’s leading sports research companies, Nielsen Sport.

* We will prepare a summary of the key findings and make them available to you the fans, first and free of charge through our global media outlets.

* We will present the full results of your feedback to Formula 1’s key stakeholders – the teams, drivers, host circuits, the sport’s governing body (the FIA) and F1’s new commercial rights holder Liberty Media.

 

I've basically let them know how boring it is :lol:

[TimBud]

Pretty much did the same.

 

China was a bit better, but was overall still pretty dull... even the highlights I watched didn't live up to the name.

That said if things continue like they are the season will get pretty exciting. Potentially even a 3 0r 4 way title battle could be on the cards.

[CarMadMike]

Alonso has told McLaren he won't be available for the Monaco GP in May as he'll be racing in the Indy 500. That's hilarious, it says a lot about the situation at McLaren, good on you Nando.

[TimBud]

Excellent.

Funny that he's accepted backing from a Honda engined team when's its almost entirely their fault that McLaren are in the hole they now.

[CarMadMike]

I was just reading that we might end up seeing an Indy driver in Alonso's seat for the Monaco GP, that would be quite interesting to see and would generate interest from both sides of the pond.

 

I think there's a test day in Bahrain sometime next week, so we might be seeing whoever they intend to replace Alonso with for the race sat in a McLaren during that test.

[TimBud]

Button's also gossiped... which would be almost a 'fun' as Massa's return.

 

I can't see n Indy driver being up to speed in time though...

[CarMadMike]

Button's also gossiped... which would be almost a 'fun' as Massa's return.

 

I can't see n Indy driver being up to speed in time though...

 

Yeah Button is technically McLaren's reserve driver so he's the most likely to get the seat, considering he resides in Monte Carlo it's not the biggest inconvenience for him to take part is it? How much would he want to do it though? Yes, it's like a home GP for him but when you take into account how unlikely it is for him to actually finish the race due to the piece of junk he'll be driving, I can't imagine he is very eager to jump behind the wheel.

 

Alonso is very unhappy at McLaren Honda at the moment, a lot of people are questioning whether this Indy 500 jump is a sign he'll be leaving the sport before the end of the year, and I'm not sure i'd rule it out.

[TimBud]

I don't think Alonso will jump to IndyCar... All his fans are F1 based and he still has real motivation to win. He's just had crappy cars recently (remember Ferrari were pretty dire when he was with them too).

 

Besides Indycar (or any american racing for that matter) is career suicide for F1 drivers

[superhyper]

I doubt Alonso will make the jump to indycar, I think he's just trying to win the triple crown (monaco gp, indy 500 and le mans). I wouldn't be surprised if he skipped the baku gp in favor of le mans this year :hmmm:

[hassan1995]

I think every driver would jump to le mans to avoid Baku :lol:

[CarMadMike]

I'd quite like to go to the Baku GP though, it looks like it would be an interesting experience. Similar to Monaco, it might be boring on the TV but in person it is much more enjoyable than Silverstone and some of the other big tracks.

[superhyper]

Of course there's the street race atmosphere but why not go to Monaco/Singapore then, Baku circuit is literally the biggest pile of garbage Hermann Tilke has ever produced and that's saying something :lol:

[TimBud]

Its Button: Jenson Button will replace Fernando Alonso for McLaren at Monaco Grand Prix - BBC Sport

:)

[CarMadMike]

 

Live Stream for Alonso's first tests in the indy car, he's been driving for a few hours now, 50+ laps I think, it's all gone smoothly.

[CarMadMike]

So as we're 5 races into the championship, where do y'all predict this one is going?

 

It has been quite competitive at the front, but it's clear Vettel and Hamilton will most likely be the two frontrunners, not sure who will win, I predict Hamilton will get it but I think i'd prefer Vettel as it'd be a nice change and it would make Ferrari happier within the sport, the sport needs Ferrari to be happy. It also looks as if Bottas and Raikkonen will end up taking some important points throughout the season, even potentially being on the top of the podium, so hopefully it won't become a predictable championship race.

 

How did people rate the Spanish GP?

[TimBud]

I really hope Raikkonen is able to push more... I love his style and if Ferrari stop favouring Vettel at all costs, he could do some amazing things. Raikkonen can beat Hamilton, but Vettel can only do that when he has a better car.

[superhyper]

Yeah Kimi is definitely being bashed way too much these days. It's true that he needs the car 100% to his liking to do well but whenever that happens, he's bloody fast. He almost got the pole in Sochi (which he would have deserved imho) even though he's never been magical in quali. Sadly I'm afraid that Bottas can't keep up with Hamilton and Ferrari can't keep up with Mercedes throughout the season, making this an easy one for Hamilton. Won't mind being wrong though :hmmm:

[TimBud]

I don't think that Bottas can match Hamilton either, but I don't mind that...

Its strange reading all the Hamilton "hate" that goes on here, he is the best driver and most consistent driver at the moment.

Hopefully ferrari will become stronger but they try too hard and then whine like babies when it doesn't. I know they're massively important for the sport but at the same time their also massively detrimental.