2018/2019 Silly season

How things have changed... No Brazilians in F1 anymore but 3 Russians might get in for 2019.

 

That's because Brazilians sponsors don't come to F1 anymore to support their nationals.
They have made quite an impact in F1: Fittipaldi, Piquet and Senna, all multi-WDCs.

Russia is relatively a newcomer to F1, and they need to put Sochi as a regular feature on the calendar , like Interlagos is.
Quite a few Russian drivers and teams in Blancpain GT, WEC, GP3, F2, and now F1.
With the pool of Russian drivers increasing, a few are bound to be good, and maybe one exceptional one day, who knows.

 

Eerrrr
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Interesting mashup, but why does GRO look untouched? lol

 

Hockenheim confirmed for 2019 with title sponsor being....










Mercedes! Wow, who could've seen that coming,eh?

 

Vandoorne out and Lando Norris in. Step backwards IMO.

 

Agreed.

https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/team/lando-norris/lando-norris-drive-mclaren-2019/

 

Swapping out one beginner for another. Sad to see McLaren reduced to taking on rookies and behaving like a tail end team.

 

So that is another door closed for Perez/Ocon,Grosjean, even Kimi.

 

Vandoorne didn't show much. I think trying someone different is worth the risk. They don't have a lot to loose anyway.

 

There is that.

I'm just disappointed with Norris in F2. Really should've done a lot better than he has. Only 1 win so far.

 

Little OT and hope I’m wrong but think f1 is losing a lot of its aura lately. BBB, Bring Bernie Back!

 

He understood the sport a lot better.

Sure, liberty has brought Social media into the equation, but that's really about it.

 

Imo drivers shouldn’t be allowed to race in f1 until they’re at least 20

 

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kvyat-edging-closer-to-toro-rosso-return/

 

A

Absolutely! Thank you! I don’t want to watch children race cars anymore.

 

Ferrari to formalise Raikkonen news on Thursday

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018



Thursday is decision-day when it comes to Ferrari's driver choice for 2019.

At Monza, it was rumoured that after extended internal wrangling, Kimi Raikkonen had been told he will be replaced by Charles Leclerc next year.

It might explain why the Finn was suddenly arguably uncooperative on-track, receiving a slipstream from Sebastian Vettel in qualifying and then racing hard a day later.

"It is clear to me that I must now compete against three cars, including my own teammate," the Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport quoted a disgruntled Vettel as saying.

The German added: "I do not expect any help from anyone."

Sky Italia claims that Raikkonen's impending exit will soon become public, with a meeting at Maranello scheduled for Thursday to formalise it.

But Corriere dello Sport claims that the 38-year-old already knows his fate, following a call from new Ferrari chairman John Elkann.

However, Raikkonen's fellow Finn Mika Salo cannot understand why Raikkonen did not immediately announce that news to the world when Elkann told him at Monza.

"I would have expected Kimi to say it himself after Monza, but it didn't happen," the former F1 driver told Iltalehti.

 

Dear Liberty,

Dump Pirelli and bring Michelin back to F1!!!!!!!!! -- https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/138532/michelin-could-offer-tyre-war-if-f1-took-risk

Michelin says it could offer the spectacle of a 'tyre war' even as a sole supplier if Formula 1 took the "risk" to head in that direction.

The tyre manufacturer has kept a close eye on developments in F1 since it pulled out at the end of 2006, but decided against joining the FIA's tyre tender bid for 2020-23.

Michelin did not want to produce 13-inch wheels for 2019, ahead of a planned switch to 18-inch designs the following year, or create high degradation tyres.

Michelin's motorsport boss Pascal Couasnon says its interest is in taking a similar approach to MotoGP.

"Is F1 good today? That would be my question," Couasnon told Autosport.

"The sport and the [tyre] manufacturer would have to take a risk, but compared to today [it could be good].

"Look at MotoGP. We bring three types of tyres for the front and the rear, and the riders can choose. You then finish the race with three different combinations on the podium.

"The best compliment we have received from journalists is that Michelin has recreated a tyre war with one brand, and that is what we would love to do for F1.

"Let's not forget endurance racing for example. in GTs, we deliver specific tyres for each car because there is such a difference between a Ferrari, a Porsche, an Aston and a Corvette.

"And nobody complains because we work hard to give the best package possible, so everybody can fight. That is the philosophy we would like to bring to F1."

Couasnon added that Michelin was able to make a swift decision against attempting to rejoin F1.

"When we were informed of the key elements of the tender, we looked at it and fairly rapidly we saw that there might be some very serious roadblocks," he said.

"Obviously the first one was the fact that we had to start a development of 13-inch wheels [for 2019], which really didn't make sense. It would bring a lot of cost to something about which Michelin had a very clear position.

"Budgets are restricted and we need to make sure that we use the money on something that is useful for motorsport but is also useful for the car of tomorrow. So that was one very serious roadblock to start with.

"Nevertheless we were very encouraged with the fact that F1 has taken into account that proposal of Michelin [for 18-inch tyres] that we made in 2010 and that we have been able to implement in Formula E."

"The second issue in terms of philosophy was having tyres which degrade, and that again is something that we are not in favour of: spending technical resources and money for something that is not useful for the driver of tomorrow.

"The key thing is to really develop the package which helps the driver to express his talent and fight.

"We don't believe degrading tyres to build an artificial strategy is the way to go for tyres."

 

That last sentence pretty much sums up Michelins goal. They have a valid point.

Hankook MIGHT put in a bid for 2020. I wonder if they know the constant demands of F1???

 

The right attitude Michelin has. Let them race and not be worried of tires!

 

As long as you could swap suppliers race by race - then it would have my support.

 

Hmmmm....Kubica? I'd like to see this...even if just for the rest of the season.

https://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/path-clearing-robert-kubicas-return-formula-1-seat

 

Buemi seat fitting at Toro - https://www.planetf1.com/news/buemi-seat-fitting-fuels-toro-rosso-rumours/

 

True, but lamdo's team is not as good as the Prema in wich charles won so many...still i agree with you, expected more from him...

 

Toro Rosso creating some mist to hide their true intentions?