Formula 1 2020 (4 Viewers)

[Saddlebrains]

I know the majority on here can't stand the sport, however i remember a thread on here regarding the F1 last year.

My question is, how the fuck is it going to work this year with it being such a global sport? Will there be any races at all since the first 10 were postponed or cancelled? If so, would it even count as a proper championship in anyones eyes?

Football, golf etc can get back to normal, domestically at least. Cannot see at all how F1 can

 

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[BarryBoy]

Plan is for them to start in Europe with 2 races in Austria then 2 at Silverstone, all behind closed doors.

Not much more announced but they are trying to squeeze in a 16 race or so season between now and Abu Dhabi

 

[Corrado]

I hope Austria goes ahead- Sunday’s aren’t the same without a race

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Given the massive differences in how the season would be done I don't think the Championship should be awarded this year.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Given the massive differences in how the season would be done I don't think the Championship should be awarded this year.

I agree with this. Missing it massively but there's part of me that feels it should be shelved for this year now. Start 2021 earlier and have a larger season

 

[Paul Anthony]

Williams could be up for sale.

 

[Corrado]

Strong rumours coming out saying first race 5th July at the Redbull ring and UK government signed off Silverstone to go ahead

 

[Saddlebrains]

Strong rumours coming out saying first race 5th July at the Redbull ring and UK government signed off Silverstone to go ahead

I hope this is true!


Shame about Williams, would hate to see them go tits

 

[Houchens Head]

I hope this is true!


Shame about Williams, would hate to see them go tits

The thing with Williams is, since the mid 1990's, they've just been there making the numbers up. Bit like teams such as Sauber, Force India etc.

 

[Paul Anthony]

The thing with Williams is, since the mid 1990's, they've just been there making the numbers up. Bit like teams such as Sauber, Force India etc.

Williams are never going anywhere without a major manufacturer backer. Like they had with BMW at the start of the millennium. Such is the way of the sport these days, it's increasingly hard for independent teams to survive, let alone thrive.

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Strong rumours coming out saying first race 5th July at the Redbull ring and UK government signed off Silverstone to go ahead

BINGOOOO

Formula 1: Eight races revealed for revised F1 calendar Formula 1: Eight races revealed for revised F1 calendar

July 3-5 Austria
July 10-12 Austria
July 17-19 Hungary
July 31 - August 2 - Silverstone
August 7-9 Silverstone
August 14-16 Barcelona
August 28 - 30 Spa
September 4-6 Italy

 

[Saddlebrains]

Im glad its back but still jot keen on these double races at 1 circuit.

Feel it's going to be a tainted championship

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

I get where you're coming from but I can accept it if it gets us to a decent number of races. I'd rather a few duplicate races and get to 16 overall say, rather than all single visits and 10 overall. There's a chance the weather could make it a bit more interesting too, could be a scorcher at Silverstone one weekend and a monsoon the next

A lot of titles will have to come with an asterisk, such as our promotion after only 75% or a season (if it ever gets announced!). Will be strange if Hamilton wins to draw level with Schumacher. I'm not saying it would take away from the achievement exactly but it definitely wouldn't feel quite right.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

I get where you're coming from but I can accept it if it gets us to a decent number of races. I'd rather a few duplicate races and get to 16 overall say, rather than all single visits and 10 overall. There's a chance the weather could make it a bit more interesting too, could be a scorcher at Silverstone one weekend and a monsoon the next

A lot of titles will have to come with an asterisk, such as our promotion after only 75% or a season (if it ever gets announced!). Will be strange if Hamilton wins to draw level with Schumacher. I'm not saying it would take away from the achievement exactly but it definitely wouldn't feel quite right.

Over current years we have got used to a lot more races than there used to be as it expands in search of more money so fewer races shouldn't be a huge issue. I'd actually prefer fewer single races than more than one on a single track BUT with the virus it would be far more prudent to visit as few places as possible, especially if no crowds.

I was actually wondering if they could do many races at a single track but altering the track layout for each as many of them have a variety of layouts just to make it different for them. Especially as you say somewhere like here, or even better Spa, where the conditions can be very changeable too.

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

One of the podcasts I listen to made the same point, it's only fairly recently they've really ramped up numbers of races: 2003 was the last time we had 16, 2009 we had 17. So if we could hit 15/16 there's no reason to discount it as a full championship. Like you say, if it helps to limit the spread of covid then fine, we might as well suck it up for a season.

If the races at Paul Ricard hadn't been so bad I'd have said there, it's got something like 200 variations hasn't it?

 

[Saddlebrains]

Fair responses on the calender length.

Any feeling on who will win the title?

You've gotta fancy Max considering the tracks left, some good red bull circuits

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Calendar up to 10 races now, Ferrari's track in Tuscany and Sochi added

Formula 1 adds Mugello and Sochi to revised 2020 F1 race calendar | Formula 1®

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Last weekend got us off to a bang as well! Missed it live but managed to avoid the result and caught the rerun on Monday evening

 

[Saddlebrains]

Landos last lap shows he is a champion in waiting.

Hopefully the Mercedes gearbox shakes itself to bits again. Ferrari are a horror show

 

[Paul Anthony]

Calendar up to 10 races now, Ferrari's track in Tuscany and Sochi added

Formula 1 adds Mugello and Sochi to revised 2020 F1 race calendar | Formula 1®

Mugello is a beautiful track in a beautiful part of the word, a few long apex corners which works well for Motogp. I'm not so sure F1 cars will be able to do much overtaking there, but as it's something of an unknown it could throw up an interesting race. Been a while since teams have tested there (Ferrari aside) I don't think this current generation of cars have ever gone round there.

Sochi is a track that just needs to not exist. It's a horrible, flat, characterless track. Bland would probably be my choice of word for it.

I'd still like to see Imola back on the calendar, especially after it's been revamped and the last chicane is gone. A long blast from the Ravazza to Tamburello with DRS could be interesting. Looks unlikely though.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Imola looks fantastic nowadays, a race there would be class. Portimao aswell is in the running apparently.

Hockenheim ready to step in if need be

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Landos last lap shows he is a champion in waiting.

I've got a lotta love for Lando! Me and my brother are McLaren fans so he fast became a favourite. We went to Spa last year and were the only people cheering for him where we were sat, hoping that changes over the next couple of years

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

Don't know anything about Mugello other than what I've read briefly since it was announced but I'm excited to see a new track on the calendar, even if only for this season. Agree that Sochi can do one, bland barely does it justice

 

[hill83]

The talk around Mugello is there is going to be pretty much no opportunity for overtaking. Still be interesting to see new tracks though.

Just the total lack of running at that track for all the teams will cause some drama.

 

[Saddlebrains]

I'm quite suprised no ones fully looked into force Indias car. Is there anything that can be done? Its clearly last years Merc painted pink. Shows how little anyones progressed seeing last years front runner still being possibly the second quickest team

 

[hill83]

I'm quite suprised no ones fully looked into force Indias car. Is there anything that can be done? Its clearly last years Merc painted pink. Shows how little anyones progressed seeing last years front runner still being possibly the second quickest team

Not sure any rules were broken and they would be running it by the bosses and the FIA at every stage throughout production.

Could be sportsmanship issues but nothing can be done about that now until 2022 realistically.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Where do we see Vettel Next year?

For me its retirement or one last hurrah at Mercedes, head to head with Hamilton. Lewis would then proceed to wipe the floor with him (pains me to say it) and they both head off into the sunset leaving George Russell and Max Verstappen at Mercedes 2022

 

[covcity4life]

Anyone but Hamilton

Come on botta!

 

[Saddlebrains]

Lewis pissed quali.

Cant be arsed with a snoozefest of him having a Sunday drive, lets hope for a decent race

 

[Paul Anthony]

Think Verstappen will run him close. Mercedes are also supposed to be nursing some kind of gearbox issue which is made worse by the curbing around the circuit.

 

[mark82]

Think Verstappen will run him close. Mercedes are also supposed to be nursing some kind of gearbox issue which is made worse by the curbing around the circuit.

It's something to do with a sensor, but talk is they've resolved the issue. Suspect if it's dry tomorrow that Hamilton will disappear into the distance.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

To be honest the Merc could probably avoid those curbs entirely and still be quicker than everyone.

 

[olderskyblue]

It was an amazing qualifying session, and Lewis was brilliant.

 

[Saddlebrains]

No denying Lewis is fantastic. A phonemal driver. But for me, will always be second to Schumacher, purely on the basis that Michael won 2 World titles with Benetton in inferior cars both years to the Williams.

Also, he turned ferrari from mediocre to world beaters. Lewis hasnt done that. Mercedes plans for turbo hybrid from 2014 onwards were going to put them front for years even with a Lance Stroll driving it

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

To be honest though with Ferrari's resources it shouldn't have been that difficult for a very good driver to make them competitive. Not like he joined Lola and made them champs - he joined the biggest, most well-known motor racing team on the planet. And with some of those he did do some pretty dastardly things to win and had the entire organisation set up to help him win. The other driver was just his wingman, The Benetton wins were impressive.

Hamilton moved at the right time, but he or his advisors had to be aware enough to take advantage of it, so you've got to admire his savvy.

I don't think I could say who was better overall. I think Hamilton is impressive in a lot of conditions - leading from the front, coming from behind. It doesn't seem to matter - he ends up in the mix by the end.