Formula 1 - 2018 Season

Just photoshop the '77' to '44' in an image of Vettel cutting across the front of Bottas just as they collided. Within seconds you'll have a response claiming that the '44' driver should be banned from the sport for not backing off and letting the driver in front take the line he wants to take, as is his right.

Replace Vettels car with Hamiltons, and you'll get a response within seconds claiming that Hamilton should be banned from the sport for crowding another driver off the road, not giving them the appropriate amount of space when they were significantly alongside etc. etc.

I really wish we could make Kaotik watch F1 with the car/driver identities stripped, and he is only allowed to know who is involved after he has published an un-editable opinion about which driver he believes to be at fault.

 

I think the penalty from the 2nd crash was pretty much justified, though I wouldn't put it 100% to Bottas' fault either. No penalty for either from the 1st crash was pretty logical too, the space Vettel gave him (or lack there of) would have been enough if Bottas had even half the grip you should have

 

RIC goes next year to Renault, https://redbullracing.redbull.com/article/daniel-leave-team
Wow!

 

It's a bold move, but it is a factory team and the racing spirit is strong at Enstone.

 

That's pretty sad. Love the guy, I'm guessing next season he won't be in such a competitive car

 

Won't affect the driver markets a lot though, as Sainz will no doubt return to home at Red Bull and take Ricciardos spot.
Hopefully Honda can offer better power unit than Renault next season, I want to see his face when Red Bulls are passing him left and right while he's stuck at Renault for 2 years because he wouldn't agree to stay on Red Bull for 2 years, instead demanding just 1 year contract

 

Well Daniel's move seems misstimed if done purely for performance reasons; the big regulation changes happen by 2021 so it's at least an year earlier .

So my theory is that there are other reasons besides that. Hence he shouldn't feel all that upset if passed by a succesful RBR - Honda

 

Stroll's dad saves Force India: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/force-india-bid-stroll-consortium-administration/3155471/

Force Canada?

 

Will be interesting to know the details. What I've read is that Stroll doesn't want to truly own the team and that there will be loans granted. However, Stroll will have leverage now to parachute Lance into Perez' seat.

 

A Mercedes 'B' team? Like Red Bull and Toro Rosso?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula-one/45105296

Interesting tidbit ...

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/45026461

 

There are intricacies regarding what is considered an insolvency wrt. the Concorde agreement (and also which entity holds the F1 license) which Joe Saward has covered earlier
https://www.motorsportweek.com/joesaward/id/00287

 

Seems like Fernando's done with F1 after this year.

However, per the BBC:

 

Yeah, but I'm not holding my breath. At least DannyRic is still going strong, let's see where Renault are next year (spend monies on PU plox, Renault. Enstone, do what you do best)

 

https://www.motorsportweek.com/joesaward/id/00294

Spa this weekend, possibility for rain. Force India gone but Racing Point Force India has been granted an entry, with 0 points, and 0 dollars in prize money edit: racefans is reporting that the other teams have voted to let Racing Point keep column 1 money. There must have been some liabilities connected with the original legal entity which they weren't thrilled with (probably Vijay Mallya-related but that is pure speculation on my part), but they were also blocked by some teams fearing this was becoming a Mercedes B-team.

Who knows, at least the team is still a going concern even though Bob Fearnley (deputy team principal under Mallya) is out (probably too close to Mallya). Otmar Szafnauer is now team principal and CEO.

Also Joe writes about the silly season, who will end up where for 2019 (or even during 2018). I think Stoffel is out at McLaren, but I don't know who will partner Sainz there. I think Kimi is safe at Ferrari (due to Marchionne's tragic death) and because Vettel wants him there. I think Lance Stroll is probably going to Racing Point (though it doesn't look all that good for Lance that his dad had to buy a whole racing team for him, but let's see what he can do in a - presumably - faster car). I think Grosjean is out at Haas and that Leclerc will replace him.

 

Force India had $208 million in debt to their parent holding company. Possible price money where in the $150-$210 range, dependent on season's result.

Cheers

 

Yeah, but do we know that for sure? It's plausible, but it's Mallya ...

 

Did Alonso just slip out that Kimi already has Ferrari contract for 2019 and possibly further?
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2018/8/fia-thursday-press-conference---belgium.html

 

Looks like it. Ferrari likes to announce things like this at Monza which is the race after Spa, so it's not far off.

 

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/0...-911-restoration-turns-williams-f1-engineers/

While not strictly F1 related, it is pretty neat.

I'd love to see Porsche in F1. I'm not a big fan of Porsche or anything, but it is an iconic manufacturer and it would enhance F1 for sure. Williams Porsche F1 anyone?

 

If Volkswagen Group would enter F1, they would probably do it under Porsche or Audi name, but I can't imagine them being only a engine supplier when Mercedes is there with their own team