The official Formula 1 and general motorsport thread for 2019

[floydfreak]

New Quali & race feature will be introduced in Monaco

All car's will set their qualifying lap on Lap 2 of the race, grid for the start determined by their last race position.

After 10 laps car's will stop in tunnel to be re gridded for the next phase of the race going by the lap time they set on Lap 2

An extra 10 lap's added to race distance because of the Quali lap and 10 lap's completed before being put into their position based on lap 2 time
1 point will be given to each car in top 10 position on who set their time in quick succession to set grid for the new race.

Car's will face 10 second penalty for being 107% off pace at end of 10 laps

Parc Ferme rules apply to 1-5 times and from positions 15-20

If wet race after 10 lap's of Quali race and after reformed grid. Safety Car will stay on track until a dry line is visible and sun is out

If it rains in main race cars are mandated to stop on the grid and all get their tyres changed from slick to dry before race continues under the safety car until Bernie say's it's ok and the DHL Budweiser fastest tyre change result's have been awarded to the team for quickest tyre change. Short presentation on podium with ad's sponsored by Rolex

Mr Blobby will give the drivers & teams their trophy's at each race and provide entertainment for the fan's and guest's during the pre race build up

The way F1 has been going lately, i wouldn't have been surprised had this actually not been an april fools.

I know & i agree, but would be hilarious if they did attempt it though

[Peter Crisp]

I just had a thought that could be stupid or great.

Rallycross has a joker lap could F1 do something similar?

Maybe they could somehow make it so the cars can have a single laps worth of super boost they can use when they want. It would be a full lap and start at the start line so be predictable even though the usage is at the discretion of the team or driver and maybe they have to announce it to other teams a lap or 2 in advance so they can warn drivers in front that a fast moving car may be coming through as a safety issue.

Could it work?

[floydfreak]

Rallycross it work's but would not work in F1

[Victor Mildew]

I just had a thought that could be stupid or great.

Rallycross has a joker lap could F1 do something similar?

Maybe they could somehow make it so the cars can have a single laps worth of super boost they can use when they want. It would be a full lap and start at the start line so be predictable even though the usage is at the discretion of the team or driver and maybe they have to announce it to other teams a lap or 2 in advance so they can warn drivers in front that a fast moving car may be coming through as a safety issue.

Could it work?

That was banded around in the 00s when Schumacher was dominating as a way of spicing things up, along with overtaking lanes. Iirc it didn t go further due to dangers of two speeds of corner merging in to one, plus the artificial nature of it.

It works in rally cross becuase of the differing surfaces making the joker tricky to nail and there being an element of excitement coming from that. An f1 joker lap would be so consistent in it's timing that you could predict the outcome every time, and you may as well just stick time on a pit stop or something.

[Robbo-92]

Business as normal in qualifying then, thankfully Bottas looks up for a season long fight which is what we’ll need if this Mercedes keeps going like they are.

[Victor Mildew]

Sky's constant commentary felating of Hamilton is getting tiresome now. Botas leading going in to the final laps, and it's not 'can Botas extend his lead?' But 'what does Hamilton have to do to take pole?!'.

[Robbo-92]

Yeah the bias towards Hamilton is slightly tiring, but thats probably more down to the commentators rather than Sky themselves as while they won’t admit it they clearly are fans of his (as am I when he’s in the car, out of it is another question), similar on channel 4 with Ben Edwards, I find he’s far too much pro Hamilton as well.

[floydfreak]

[Victor Mildew]

That looked so fast, so many wobbles in the middle of every corner.

[floydfreak]

So fast don't forget no electronic's at that time with 1,200 hp engine with 12,000 rpm. Such a committed on rails lap

[floydfreak]

Senna's lap

[Victor Mildew]

God this is dull. Switch to the rescue.

Also, mcLOLrens

[Robbo-92]

It still baffles me how Ferrari are so obsessed by team orders this early into the season, they’ve lost positions currently as well due to them.

[Snowcannon]

FeLOLri

[Victor Mildew]

"Mercedes did NOT expect this result"

DOUBT

[Robbo-92]

I’d like to think I don’t really complain too much about the quality of racing, but my goodness has the 1000th Grand Prix been very, underwhelming. A very predictable 1-2 (nothing against Mercedes, year in year out they just seem to find more and more performance, honing every aspect of the car), Ferrari being Ferrari by using team orders when they didn’t need to, no real challenge to Mercedes so far this year (Bahrain aside). Red Bull are to Ferrari what Ferrari are to Mercedes, near enough to challenge at points but again no real challenge throughout the race (I think Leclerc and Vettel would have probably ended up ahead of Verstappen if not for team orders). Midfield is close but they’ve not really provided any great racing today except at a few points. Gasly doesn’t seem up to the job at Red Bull, I know he's only been there 3 races (and got the fastest lap point today) but so far this season I can’t actually remember a time he has been ahead of Verstappen. At the moment Bahrain is seeming like the anomaly.

If Ferrari or Red Bull haven’t won by Canada I think they can safely write 2019 off, it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if Red Bull pass Ferrari shortly as they develop much better in season than Ferrari.

Probably overreacting a little so don’t mind me too much

[Jam-Master Jay]

I fell asleep during the race and can't be arsed to watch my recording as I know Hamilton won yet another Mercedes 1-2 snoozefest. It's hard to get behind Ferrari as they often compromise one car with dodgy strategy calls and team orders. Let Vettel through by all means if he had the pace, but he clearly didn't so what do Ferrari do? Leave Leclerc out on a long stint which enables Verstappen to build a gap.

I'm just going to follow the midfield battle as I've had enough of the big 3, though I suppose it's really the big 2 + Verstappen right now as Gasly is completely out of his depth.

[Mini E]

I think I've officially lost interest in this sport now.

[jiggles]

I think I've officially lost interest in this sport now.

I'd recommend giving MotoGP a shot if you haven't already. Incredible racing. Overtaking everywhere, no "pit strategy" or "team orders", super exciting, races are less than an hour long.

3rd Grand Prix of the season is at 8pm this evening, and the team on BT Sport have good chemistry. It's brilliant.

[Mini E]

I think I've officially lost interest in this sport now.

I'd recommend giving MotoGP a shot if you haven't already. Incredible racing. Overtaking everywhere, no "pit strategy" or "team orders", super exciting, races are less than an hour long.

3rd Grand Prix of the season is at 8pm this evening, and the team on BT Sport have good chemistry. It's brilliant.

Thanks mate - I'll check it out tonight.