Mercedes have said repeatedly that they are still understanding the car as it's currently configured, and they expect rapid gains once it clicks. I could see it being a McLaren 09 scenario. But they have a better platform to work with.
F1 2022 Season
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
Totto said they are 0.5 off in race pace at the moment, which is huge. However they have alot of speed to find on the track to match the simulation predictions. There is a huge amount of untapped potential in the car apparently.
Of course Ferrari and RB will improve, but improvements will depend on the design of the car and how much more can squeezed out of them. The ceiling potential of each car on the grid will be different and theres the cost assoiciated with the upgrades and the aero/CFD time.
Damn, Ferrarri is back? I have been suffering for years 
Sainz is the better/more consistent driver
Sainz is the better/more consistent driver
Turns out the sandbags were a feature to counter the porpoising 
Disappointed in Renault / Alpine the most, they are a manufacturer and were fully focused on these new regs. To be that far off with no clear issues like Mercedes and McLaren is poor. I was really hoping to see Alonso at least challenge for podiums but I think his time is done.
Max and Leclerc are the future of F1 and looks like they have solid cars to fight the next few years. Amazing they are only separated by a tenth after completely new regs.
Max and Leclerc are the future of F1 and looks like they have solid cars to fight the next few years. Amazing they are only separated by a tenth after completely new regs.
Worth a mention that on june 30th, depending on constructors standing the CFD/Wind Tunnel allocation will be modified.
It will then be reassessed at end of the season. So in theory if ferrari were leading the Constructors by June 30th, they would see their allocation reduced for the rest of the season.
It will then be reassessed at end of the season. So in theory if ferrari were leading the Constructors by June 30th, they would see their allocation reduced for the rest of the season.
It will be interesting how much a factor the new regs which are designed to allow for 'better racing' ie less dirty air will have in voiding out or making the qualis less relevant -- other than for Monaco and possibly Singapore.
Back in 2005, the Ferrari was still a ripper car. The difficult was that the Bridgestone rubber was trash and they couldn’t make a tyre that could heat up quick enough and last the race distance.
Similarly the McLaren in 15/16 purportedly had the best chassis on the grid but was let down by the Honda engine.
The issues may be fine in simulation, but it doesn’t always translate to on track performance and there could just inherently be flaws in the merc design which they’ll be chasing for the rest of the season.
I still hold my opinion to the fact that they’ve well and truly fecked up somewhere with the design and pretty much had to start from scratch hence the two different side pod layouts.
I also think the Merc engine last year made McLaren slightly better than where they really should have been and perhaps we’ll see them drop back to the alpine/hass/Alfa fight… which is tremendous for viewers.
Ted Kravitz in his notebook, mentioned that Totto Wolff said that today was the first day this season that Mercedes have been able to concentrate on the car for this season and not the porposing issue.
They have 5-6 big issues to resolve on the car, but expect a significant improvement in performance when they do.
He also said seperately which was quoted in a article on The Race website, that Mercedes dropped the ball with the porposing issue after the first test as they were concentrating too much on the upgrades for the second test and not analysing the data correctly for the porposing issue as they should have. Therefore they have been playing catchup ever since.
There is no inherit design flaw with the car, the porposing is an indication that the car is producing alot of downforce and that it needs to be controlled.
The two different sidepod designs isnt because of a cockup in design. To run slim sidepods requires alot of rework of the cooling of the car and the powertrain. Mercedes were working on the cooling of this year's car a year ago as explained by the head of Mercedes F1 Powertrains. So they always had the slim sidepods in their plans. They just didnt want to give away their idea too early to the competition hence delaying the thin sidepods till the 2nd test. RB did similar with a host of upgrades to the car for the 2nd test.
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You’re aware these regs were suppose to start last year right?
These cars have been in development far longer than the last 12 months hence the reason there was a development freeze for last years cars.
Youre also misconceived in regard to the difference between Redbull changes and Mercedes. Redbulls changes are largely evolution not materially changing the design of the aero flow over the top of the car… Mercedes had no reason to hide those side pods because there is zero chance of anybody copying them between the shakedown and today-this year. A few weeks makes feck all difference for that kind of change and the level of work required (as you admitted) to redevelop the car.
Merc will never come out and admit they fecked up their design but its pointing right now to the idea something went very wrong in late 2020 and they threw out their design and started again. Even now it’s clear they have aero flow issues with the current car and are struggling to deal with it. Hidden potential my arse, this is a Ferrari circa 1996 with Barnards wack arse design.
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They've moved from a high rake philosophy which is what they've had for the last 12-13 years, to a low rake philosophy. It's an revolution by their standards.
I am so happy that Ferrari got a 1,3. Hope this is the year that the Scuedria are finally back in the big picture, but don't want to get my hopes up too soon. Another Team in red, already does this to me every year.
Was talking about the changes they brought to the new car at pre season testing.
Difference between wing updates and whole body section is pretty massive.
I have 4 teams in red doing it to me on a yearly basisI am so happy that Ferrari got a 1,3. Hope this is the year that the Scuedria are finally back in the big picture, but don't want to get my hopes up too soon. Another Team in red, already does this to me every year.
not a chance, hell will freeze over before that.
The actual CFD and wind tunnel work only began last season. Thats why teams like Haas did no upgrades last season to their car and devoted all their resources to this years car.
The CFD and Wind tunnel time scaling allocation started last season as well.
Also these are the biggest changes in F1 in 49 years, completely different aero philosophy to last season, so every car on the grid is a revolution not an evolution.
But start your Mercedes bashing early, dont even wait for the first race to start.
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Struggling to watch this season after what happened last season. Crazy that after such an incredible season Masi has made me fall out of love with formula one
I can relate.
That sentiment is completely understandable.
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And by the way, I simply do not buy the human error bit. It was deliberate.
It was getting better again for me until that "report" just regurgitated all the bull shit they have come up with over these past months.
I'm glad Ferrari looks to be on pace but to be honest I don't really care anymore. It doesn't mean anything if it can be decided on the whim of a "official" and the governing body then insists that that's fine. It's more action entertainment than a sport now anyway. Luxury family sedans have more horsepower than these cars and stuff like the IDR are technically more advanced (despite being years old). Marketing is the only thing it's still the pinacle of.
Totally get that. Lets hope we get the outcome we want at the end of this season and we can all move on.
Sometimes a line has to be crossed for things to become better. Hopefully the authorities learn from the outrage and ensure it doesn't happen again.
I’m looking forward to later today but have a nagging feeling that I want merc to do well and Hamilton to win the championship just because of last year so can’t quite find the excitement of seeing Ferrari doing well or of it being a close year.
And I say this as someone who was never a fan of Hamilton or him winning every year, its just the way he had it taken from him last year.
The issue is that the bad feeling doesn't go away. The FIA have just confirmed how gutless and corrupt they are. We like our sport to be scrupulously fair, some of us have appreciated so many drivers over the years it would be impossible to pick one driver or even one team but this continues to leave a bad taste and so far I can't see anything changing that. It's left me wondering why I would bother really.
The decision to let them race that last lap has undoubtedly increased the profile of the sport and added extra drama to the following season, helping to change the perspective of F1 as a predictable and monotonous watch to one of jeopardy and excitement. But what Masi done was the equivalent of awarding a penalty in the 90th minute for a clean tackle intentionally to let the underdog win the premier league. The fact he needed to sacrifice the integrity of the competition to satisfy the narrative really damages the sports reputation and just to how serious it can be taken. It risks being made to look like WWE.
Very much agree.
If there is any justice in the sport, which of course there is not, he will get his hugely deserved 8th WC. But unlike Max, he will be a proper winner. Not a contrived one.
I can understand the feelings of some on here, last season still leaves a nasty taste and always will , but you have to accept it.
I dont buy the human error part, I am saying that Masi was told that if there was a way to give it to Max than it had to happen, the crash , they way Mercedes had to leave Lewis out instead of pitting him, gave Masi that chance. Was it was fixed, not thats not what I am saying, manipulated yes thats just what I am saying, if Latiffi had not crashed then there was nothing Masi could've done.
I dont buy the human error part, I am saying that Masi was told that if there was a way to give it to Max than it had to happen, the crash , they way Mercedes had to leave Lewis out instead of pitting him, gave Masi that chance. Was it was fixed, not thats not what I am saying, manipulated yes thats just what I am saying, if Latiffi had not crashed then there was nothing Masi could've done.
The last lap was not a race. It was a walk over. That is the point.
It was clearly manipulated for the drama and excitement. I don't buy that it was manipulated for Max to win. If the drivers were swapped at the Latifi crash, I see the same thing happening. What does everyone expect with the American showrunners now?
Fair point.
This talk of a fix is utter nonsense. If it was fixed or manipulated then Masi would surely have made Lewis give first back when he overtook off the track, as he should have done.
What blatantly happened is that Masi realised he messed up sending the safety car out rather than red flagging it, tried to correct that mistake and instead managed to pour fuel on the fire.
Also the idea Max is a paper champion based on one incident on the last lap of the last race, ignoring he was leading the championship at the start of the last race is actually quite funny tbh.
What blatantly happened is that Masi realised he messed up sending the safety car out rather than red flagging it, tried to correct that mistake and instead managed to pour fuel on the fire.
Also the idea Max is a paper champion based on one incident on the last lap of the last race, ignoring he was leading the championship at the start of the last race is actually quite funny tbh.
We'll never really know what the motivation Masi held, we can definitely know what was in Horner's mind and that was to persuade the Race Director to make a decision that was inconsistent with the rules and in his driver and teams favour.
The FIA chose this weekend to present a fait accompli, what was their motivation in this? The investigation can't have taken much longer than an afternoon, ok, let's be generous, give them a week. This should have been announced last year if they wanted to draw a line under it, the PR now is that Shenanigans have been allowed.
Why it would be funny that a guy was not winning a race that would have meant losing the Championship and then, amazingly did with assistance from the chief official? Well it's only funny if that's the way your mind works I guess.
Why we should expect better from the FIA is actually a bit of a mystery, I've seen them do this sort of thing before, I've seen drivers that needed another driver not to finish in the points so that they would win the Championship take those drivers out, on the track. The FIA are gutless and corrupt, that's not funny either really.
The sport has been soured, he ignored the rules to hand Max the championship after being nowhere in the race after Hamilton put in a brilliant drive to lead and deservedly win the title. Hamilton came back very strong at the end of the season all for it to be taken away, months of effort to get back to be on the brink of winning, extracting the maximum out of the car to bring it back into contention was incredible, that was the sport at its best, a super human effort of hundreds of laps at full tilt only for some cnut to ruin it at the end. there was no need, the comeback and battle between them had taken place, Lewis had won.
Masi was poor in pervious races though, all this soppy back and forth on air and negotiating things, taking suggestions from team bosses. Apply the rules, don't give me this soppy bartering on air.
I wonder if the drivers feel a bit off, maybe it's the other things going on but they look subdued like there's a bad atmosphere
Masi was poor in pervious races though, all this soppy back and forth on air and negotiating things, taking suggestions from team bosses. Apply the rules, don't give me this soppy bartering on air.
I wonder if the drivers feel a bit off, maybe it's the other things going on but they look subdued like there's a bad atmosphere
The report has done nothing but annoy, if you read it in full I think considering the magnitude of the issue in front of a global audience, it’s a poor effort with factual errors.
I’ve watched the sport for a long time, every single season I’ve had the buzz for it and this includes years of following teams/drivers that had no chance of winning (BAR/Honda in particular), I can’t muster the enthusiasm I had before and I don’t think that will return in full. F1 failed itself that day.
Ferrari being competitive is good though and I do think Leclerc/Sainz is a likeable pairing, we just need Ferrari not to revert to type after about 4 races and actually sustain this performance level.
That being said, Max will win today.
I’ve watched the sport for a long time, every single season I’ve had the buzz for it and this includes years of following teams/drivers that had no chance of winning (BAR/Honda in particular), I can’t muster the enthusiasm I had before and I don’t think that will return in full. F1 failed itself that day.
Ferrari being competitive is good though and I do think Leclerc/Sainz is a likeable pairing, we just need Ferrari not to revert to type after about 4 races and actually sustain this performance level.
That being said, Max will win today.
And that time he knew what Schumacher would be prepared to do and was ready for it.
Living in Italy I'm pleased for my neighbours that they'll be in amongst it now. I'm a McLaren fan, have been since the 70s and it would have been tough if winning was everything. There's a lot to enjoy in F1 and motorsport in general quite apart from being a one driver one team fan, but this has been bad for the sport.
Ffs, can you stop talking about last season. Last race was far from the only thing Masi and co fecked up.
I'm in a similar position.