F1 2025 Spa - Francorchamps Pre-Race Thread

1-See the recent Jules Bianchi thread...2-The current rain tires are useless. 3-The cars create huge spray which the following drivers can't see through. Two years ago Ferrari tried wheel covers during a test at Fiorano; the wheels were literally boxed in. It was Ollie Berman and Arthur Leclerc doing the test; I happened to see Ollie 2 days later in pitlane at the Monaco Historic GP, only time I spoke with him; when asked he said it was completely useless. Two years later the FIA has not come up with any other solution so for now no go in heavy rain, particularly at places like Spa which are very fast and where the forest helps the mist projected by the cars stay suspended, same happened at old long Hockenheim and cost Pironi the use of his legs and his career when he arrived at top speed upon Prost at low speed but had not seen him.

 

Modern F1 rain tyres are too wide. They lift so much water that visibility is hazardous for followers, and also they don't enough reduce aquaplanning. The solution could be narrower tyres capable to whistand the power.
Motorcycle racing deals better with rain than F1 because they have narrow tyres in comparison.

 

Stroll LOL! The big first WIN

 

Yep.

Even though I disliked the engine spec of the 2014-16 cars, the narrower cars and especially tyres made for FAR better racing, and of course wet weather driving too.

 

Mclaren with a more aggressive front end pull rod suspension.

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75% chance of rain at race start Sunday. This forecast is forever changing.

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Track info.

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Race Stewards

- Garry Connelly
- Felix Holter
- Vitantonio Liuzzi [Driver Representative]
- Loic Bacquelaine [National Steward]

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Lol, so ALL of F1’s problems come from **** tires.

I’m no Adrian Newey but why don’t we just have better tires? Should be an easy fix to most of their problems.

 

The solution is named Michelin...far better tires and far more competent racing department but they are not interested to be the spec tire in F1. A tire war yes, they would spank Pirelli but it won't happen.

 

Jules Bianchi

 

And being Spa it’ll be pouring in some sections of the circuit and bone dry in others.

 

Dilano Van'T Hoff crash at Spa in F2 during the rain in 2023. The overspray makes it difficult to see ahead.

HORROR CRASH! Dilano Van 'T Hoff fatal crash ALL ANGLES at SPA FRANCORCHAMPS | Formula Regional

 

I’ve advocated this for years. Delete the silly tire rules and either fire Pirelli or allow other manufacturers to come in without exclusivity. Conveniently, the latter would have the identical effect to the former.

 

Antoine Hubert was in F2 when he was killed there in 2019, this kid was in a lower series.

One of my first racing instructors, Ian Taylor who had a school at Thruxton circuit in the UK which I frequented summer 1986, also died right there just a little up the Kemmel straight in a similar T bone crash in a Rover sedan cup race in the early nineties...

 

That and the ground effect venturis under the car lifts the spray up and turns it into a cloud. Niki Lauda talks about it in his book "Art and Science of Grans Prix Racing". He states the pre-and-post ground effects cars were better in the rain.

But the problem is not the tires, it is that Jules Bianchi created a stewardship of COWARDS for all future races.

 

q.e.d.

 

Progress comes with competition; F1 uses only one supplier, at the moment Pirelli has the contract.
When a supplier is given a monopoly, he has no reason to spend money on research to improve its product.

 

IMHO the tire situation sucks. Winning the race can come down to pit strategy and when to change tires BS. Races should be determined by skill of the driver!

 

See USGP 2005.

 

Yes, that’s always mentioned, it seems. That was a one-off cockup and a whole generation of drivers ago. There’s no getting around that current tire regulations have really diminished the luster of F1. It’s contrived, and further pushes F1 toward being a spec series, and more importantly reduces drivers to being tire managers. Competition between tire manufacturers would only elevate the sport and enhance competition.

And if there’s an occasional misstep, well, that goes with the territory. But at least with multiple suppliers the teams have the opportunity to change if they aren’t satisfied.

 

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he feels no difference with the Ferrari SF-25 car, even after the arrival of the team’s highly anticipated rear-suspension upgrade.

Ferrari will introduce a new rear suspension at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in an attempt to rescue its stuttering F1 2025 season.

 

In a conversation with the Austrian Kleine Zeitung, Marko discussed Horner's departure from the team and compared it to a football coach's dismissal: "In Formula 1, changes are just like in football. If things are not going well, the coach has to leave." Marko did not really address the aftermath of the dismissal and mainly focused on the qualities of the new team boss, Laurent Mekies.
’The transition went smoothly. Mekies knows people and approaches them; hopefully, this will have a positive effect.’’ Mekies was at the factory a lot over the last few weeks and immediately focused on the team's performance.

Mekies has already modified a few details in preparation for the simulator. He is more focused on the racing and is less involved with other departments. It's crucial that his responsibilities as a team leader are reduced compared to Horner's."