F1 2023 Season

George Russell has expressed his growing safety concerns ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, where heavy rain is forecast over the course of this weekend. Conditions are expected to be wet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit just weeks after Dutch racing driver Dilano van 't Hoff was killed in a crash at the notorious Raidillon curve.

OK Its from the Express, but does he have a point ?

F1 LIVE: George Russell calls for Belgian Grand Prix to be cancelled after driver death (msn.com)
 
With regards to the predictions - Verstappen has his penalty, will pole be based on before or after the penalty is applied? So if I pick him for pole but he's moved back will I get the point?
 
United Hobbit said:
With regards to the predictions - Verstappen has his penalty, will pole be based on before or after the penalty is applied? So if I pick him for pole but he's moved back will I get the point?
Click to expand...
I was also wondering that.
I have just look at it says, Pole (front of grid after any grid penalties )
This makes pole harder to pick now, could be any one from half a dozen
 
pauldyson1uk said:
George Russell has expressed his growing safety concerns ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, where heavy rain is forecast over the course of this weekend. Conditions are expected to be wet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit just weeks after Dutch racing driver Dilano van 't Hoff was killed in a crash at the notorious Raidillon curve.

OK Its from the Express, but does he have a point ?

F1 LIVE: George Russell calls for Belgian Grand Prix to be cancelled after driver death (msn.com)
Click to expand...
Meh.. I'm with Max on this. Seems most drivers are.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/2276...herwise-we-can-t-have-rain-races-anymore.html
 
ArjenIsM3 said:
Meh.. I'm with Max on this. Seems most drivers are.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/2276...herwise-we-can-t-have-rain-races-anymore.html
Click to expand...
I also tend to agree with Max on this.
They have made changes to address the safety concerns, personally I love watching F1 in the rain, so long has its not extreme heavy rain, its what you have wet weather tyres for.
But I do see the FIA being red flag happy, if it does rain heavy.
Maybe Mercedes should tell Russell just to get on with it.
 
ArjenIsM3 said:
Meh.. I'm with Max on this. Seems most drivers are.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/2276...herwise-we-can-t-have-rain-races-anymore.html
Click to expand...

I agree with Max too. I don't think it helps that F1 is so sterile now that wet races bring some rare excitement. I can remember the 90s I'm sure they used to race in teeming down rain? The cars weren't as safe then. So what has changed that now if there's anything more than a bit of rain and it's being red flagged or cancelled? Spa a couple of years ago was an absolute farce and I felt for the fans who had dutifully sat there in the rain all afternoon to see a one lap procession

Would it work adding more lights to the cars? When you're driving your road car in the rain you usually put lights on - would there be a way of putting lights along the back wing for example that can be used in the wet?

There needs to be a solution because I and I'm sure a lot of fans enjoy wet races because of the unpredictability. Obviously we don't want to see someone die but these are also the best drivers in the world so should be able to drive in all conditions? Are the feeder series cars as safe? If not perhaps cancel these as it seems most deaths recently have been in these series, bar Bianchis freak accident

If it's that corner at Spa everytime could the side be widened and changed to gravel so the car goes forward for longer then gets stuck, so it can't come back on the track?
 
hobbers said:
Princess George being Princess George.

It is just down to bad luck that Spa has seen back to back tragedies. It's not that the corner has unique problems, it's just cars spinning, colliding and re-entering the track in no visibility, which could happen anywhere in heavy rain. Just look at Suzuka last year.

It's an aero outwash/spray problem with F1/2/3 cars nothing track specific.
Click to expand...

Of course it's not just bad luck, there is a reason two deaths happened in the same corner. Rest of the track is not dangerous.
 
United Hobbit said:
With regards to the predictions - Verstappen has his penalty, will pole be based on before or after the penalty is applied? So if I pick him for pole but he's moved back will I get the point?
Click to expand...

This is interesting. Now who to select on pole. And you do raise valid point.
 
As long as F1 sticks to the ground effect era, racing in the rain will carry a risk, it's not just the tires throwing up spray now it's the floor as well, the spray guards they tried for the tires failed.

Also alpine can get fecked moaning about engine homologation, if that happens it well and truly ends the point of manufactures.
 
christy87 said:
As long as F1 sticks to the ground effect era, racing in the rain will carry a risk, it's not just the tires throwing up spray now it's the floor as well, the spray guards they tried for the tires failed.

Also alpine can get fecked moaning about engine homologation, if that happens it well and truly ends the point of manufactures.
Click to expand...
"Look at us we suck at making engines"
 
hobbers said:
Princess George being Princess George.

It is just down to bad luck that Spa has seen back to back tragedies. It's not that the corner has unique problems, it's just cars spinning, colliding and re-entering the track in no visibility, which could happen anywhere in heavy rain. Just look at Suzuka last year.

It's an aero outwash/spray problem with F1/2/3 cars nothing track specific.
Click to expand...

Russell is a director of the GDPA so it's his job to protect drivers safety. He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't raise concerns on this, especially if it's come in conversations with other drivers.

I do agree with Verstappen here, we can't just stop racing in the rain but it would be great if we can make visibility better on the track so drivers can still see the other cars.
 
357810938_663218859172276_7416733829543703587_n.jpg
 
pauldyson1uk said:
one wet FP before a wet qualifying will mix things up a lot.
Click to expand...
Yeah teams have no idea if their setup is any good. Especially the likes of Red Bull who brought a big update package last race and couldn't get the balance right, Mercedes with their new sidepods, floor and wing. It's all going to be based on simulator data I guess.
 
pauldyson1uk said:
357810938_663218859172276_7416733829543703587_n.jpg
Click to expand...
:lol: what a load of bullshit. Used to be times in the FPs if qually couldnt be run. People pay money to go see F1. Make them go out. Get data as a minimum. Just look at the order right now. Zero chance of that being the order at end of FP if FP decided the grid if qually couldnt be run. Fecking FIA.
 
ArjenIsM3 said:
Probably due to the sprint format and teams not risking it in these conditions.
Click to expand...
It would have made sunday so much more interesting as those brave enough to go out would have been rewarded with a better grid slot. A mixed up grid would have been better for sunday. Just dont go racing on sunday if it rains and give max the win now. Sigh.
 
Tyre blankets to remain for 2024
A big topic of debate in recent weeks has been the subject of tyre blankets, and the Formula 1 Commission has voted to keep them on dry tyres for 2024.
The FIA said: "The results of the testing undertaken so far show that the change can be implemented to the requested target specifications for 2024, however it has been decided to postpone the introduction of a tyre blanket ban for dry tyres in 2024 and to continue this discussion and further testing into 2025."
 
Szafnauer leaving Alpine after Belgian GP
Breaking news from Alpine and the French team has confirmed team principal Otmar Szafnauer will be leaving after this weekend's Belgian GP.
Sporting director Alan Permane will also be leaving by mutual agreement, while as reported earlier, Pat Fry is leaving Alpine to take up a role at Williams.
Alpine have named Bruno Famin, VP Alpine Motorsports, as interim team principal from the Dutch GP onwards.
 
So they're saying if qualifying is cancelled they will use the current order of the drivers championship?!

So I could pick Max?!

Really don't know who to pick there's 3 I'm alternating between for pole if Max is being excluded from the equation. But the above declaration may bring him back into play...
 
United Hobbit said:
So they're saying if qualifying is cancelled they will use the current order of the drivers championship?!

So I could pick Max?!

Really don't know who to pick there's 3 I'm alternating between for pole if Max is being excluded from the equation. But the above declaration may bring him back into play...
Click to expand...
No dont pick Max, he wont be on pole. He has his grid drop even if Qualifying does not run .
Superbru has said pole is decided after any grid pens, so who ever finishes second if qualiy is run will be pole
 
pauldyson1uk said:
Szafnauer leaving Alpine after Belgian GP
Breaking news from Alpine and the French team has confirmed team principal Otmar Szafnauer will be leaving after this weekend's Belgian GP.
Sporting director Alan Permane will also be leaving by mutual agreement, while as reported earlier, Pat Fry is leaving Alpine to take up a role at Williams.
Alpine have named Bruno Famin, VP Alpine Motorsports, as interim team principal from the Dutch GP onwards.
Click to expand...
Alpine are a mess.
 
pauldyson1uk said:
No dont pick Max, he wont be on pole. He has his grid drop even if Qualifying does not run .
Superbru has said pole is decided after any grid pens, so who ever finishes second if qualiy is run will be pole
Click to expand...

Ooh thank you very good point of course he will have his penalty

I'm narrowed down to 3. One should be the easy pick but is somewhat unreliable and has fecked my fantasy many a time. There's one I'm leaning towards but...

I'd be disappointed if I had paid to watch the qualifying, isn't there some room for manoeuvre around times e.g. start earlier/later - check the radar unless it's constant rain.

Or use the sprint qualifying slot for the official qualifying then either use results from the last race or the same grid order for the sprint
 
You must log in or register to reply here.