Re: 2024 discussion thread
Posted: 03 Mar 2024, 21:59
Prompted by a post from this weekend's GP - is Charles le Clerc any good?
A tribute to the heroic failures of Grand Prix racing
https://gprejects.com/forum/
He's better than most people on this planet. He's better than Al Pease or Yuji Ide. He is probably the best Monegasque driver of the 21st century. He's probably not as good as Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher or Juan Manuel Fangio however.Spectoremg wrote: ↑03 Mar 2024, 21:59 Prompted by a post from this weekend's GP - is Charles le Clerc any good?
If this is in relation to his performance in Bahrain, there do seem to have been some problems with his front brakes that would be a mitigating factor.Spectoremg wrote: ↑03 Mar 2024, 21:59 Prompted by a post from this weekend's GP - is Charles le Clerc any good?
I had to look that up... you made it sound like he was trying to fiddle the result retrospectively a year later, something that only the Ministry Of Truth could do.MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 13:06 In latest news, bin Suleyman is in trouble for altering the result of a race by ordering Alonso's penalty at Saudi 2023 be removed
It's a mutated version of Okayama, f.k.a. TI Aida in the days where it held the Pacific Grand Prix.And the Saudis have announced their new circuit will have a 20 storey opening corner... but actually the circuit just looks pretty much like every other circuit around... Turkey and Austin squashed together. In fact it seems to be almost identical to another track but I'm racking my brains to figure out which one it is...
And now it seems he is facing a second investigation (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049) which has accused him of instructing FIA personnel to fake problems with the circuit, with the objective being to deny the circuit a licence on artificial grounds.dinizintheoven wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 13:38I had to look that up... you made it sound like he was trying to fiddle the result retrospectively a year later, something that only the Ministry Of Truth could do.MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 13:06 In latest news, bin Suleyman is in trouble for altering the result of a race by ordering Alonso's penalty at Saudi 2023 be removed
It's a mutated version of Okayama, f.k.a. TI Aida in the days where it held the Pacific Grand Prix.And the Saudis have announced their new circuit will have a 20 storey opening corner... but actually the circuit just looks pretty much like every other circuit around... Turkey and Austin squashed together. In fact it seems to be almost identical to another track but I'm racking my brains to figure out which one it is...
I mean, that one might actually make him more popular rather than less, but I digress......mario wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 14:06 And now it seems he is facing a second investigation (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049) which has accused him of instructing FIA personnel to fake problems with the circuit, with the objective being to deny the circuit a licence on artificial grounds.
Well, it might make him popular with a certain section of the fan base, but it is the sort of move that could make him unpopular amongst parts of the FIA because of the potential legal problems it could open up.Wallio wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 16:03I mean, that one might actually make him more popular rather than less, but I digress......mario wrote: ↑05 Mar 2024, 14:06 And now it seems he is facing a second investigation (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049) which has accused him of instructing FIA personnel to fake problems with the circuit, with the objective being to deny the circuit a licence on artificial grounds.
With all the Horner/Jos news, the FIA prez being controversial again, and Andretti still "continuing their work at pace", I am reminded of the late great Colin Chapman:
"Formula 1 is backstabbing and political intrigue, interrupted every fortnight by a motor race."
The thing is, there are also a number of reasons why the woman in question may have been suspended on full pay for other reasons too, and one option does seem to be a case of protecting an individual against intrusion by the press.sswishbone wrote: ↑07 Mar 2024, 15:16 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68501426
This is not a good look. It says "dishonesty", however, no doubt many will interpret this as smothering a whistle blower. It will be interesting where this goes...
Here in the US, it seems weird to call it "suspended" with pay. If it isn't a sort of punishment wouldn't a description like "Leave of absence" or "temporary leave" be better? That is unless the terminology is used differently in the UK than here.
Alonso was doing his 56th race, finishing 2nd at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2005, the same day Oliver Bearman was being delivered! And *stolen from others in the Discord group* we reckon the biggest age gap was between Philippe Étancelin and Peter Collins in the early 50s - just about a 35-year difference.Paul Hayes wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 12:19 I know it's not good news for poor old Sainz, but the F1 authorities must be glad there is at least, if not a positive, a non-controversial story to get at least some attention today!
Good luck to Bearman. Ferrari's youngest ever driver, born the year Alonso won his first title!
Will this be the biggest ever age range on the grid...? I guess maybe not with some of the 1950s drivers, then later Graham Hill.
Alonso will have to try and hang on a fair bit longer to be part of that particular record, then!Rob Dylan wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 12:54Alonso was doing his 56th race, finishing 2nd at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2005, the same day Oliver Bearman was being delivered! And *stolen from others in the Discord group* we reckon the biggest age gap was between Philippe Étancelin and Peter Collins in the early 50s - just about a 35-year difference.Paul Hayes wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 12:19 I know it's not good news for poor old Sainz, but the F1 authorities must be glad there is at least, if not a positive, a non-controversial story to get at least some attention today!
Good luck to Bearman. Ferrari's youngest ever driver, born the year Alonso won his first title!
Will this be the biggest ever age range on the grid...? I guess maybe not with some of the 1950s drivers, then later Graham Hill.
Shite, he's the age of my daughter! Damn, I'm old
Looking forward seeing his performance in tomorrow's race after his strong showing in the qualifying.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 17:47 Oliver Bearman will be using #38. If memory serves me correct, that number hasn't been raced since Christian Danner in 1989 with Rial.
It looks like it would be the first time that somebody raced using that number since Danner in 1989, but technically we have seen that number used during a race weekend between 1989 and the present day.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 17:47 Oliver Bearman will be using #38. If memory serves me correct, that number hasn't been raced since Christian Danner in 1989 with Rial.
The term is more commonly used in the context of disciplinary action, but it seems that it's not exclusively used in that context. It also has to be said that, strictly speaking, we do not actually know if the woman involved was formally suspended by Red Bull - Red Bull themselves have not actually said anything about that incident, so we do not know the terms of the current arrangement.Row Man Gross-Gene wrote: ↑07 Mar 2024, 20:25Here in the US, it seems weird to call it "suspended" with pay. If it isn't a sort of punishment wouldn't a description like "Leave of absence" or "temporary leave" be better? That is unless the terminology is used differently in the UK than here.
I knew I should have said excluding DNQs/DNPQs/3rd Drivers/Drivers who only drove in practice sessions.mario wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 11:15It looks like it would be the first time that somebody raced using that number since Danner in 1989, but technically we have seen that number used during a race weekend between 1989 and the present day.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 17:47 Oliver Bearman will be using #38. If memory serves me correct, that number hasn't been raced since Christian Danner in 1989 with Rial.
Back in 2005, there was the rule that allowed certain teams to run an additional car during the practice sessions, and Toyota was one of those teams. The most recent time that a driver therefore appeared during a race weekend whilst using No.38 would be Ricardo Zonta in the practice sessions for the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix.
What about Kubica and Vettel in 2006? Max in 2014?mario wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 11:15It looks like it would be the first time that somebody raced using that number since Danner in 1989, but technically we have seen that number used during a race weekend between 1989 and the present day.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 17:47 Oliver Bearman will be using #38. If memory serves me correct, that number hasn't been raced since Christian Danner in 1989 with Rial.
Back in 2005, there was the rule that allowed certain teams to run an additional car during the practice sessions, and Toyota was one of those teams. The most recent time that a driver therefore appeared during a race weekend whilst using No.38 would be Ricardo Zonta in the practice sessions for the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix.
True, it looks like those would also be cases which count towards people using that number during a race weekend, albeit, as you note, those drivers did not then go on to compete in the race itself.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 15:50What about Kubica and Vettel in 2006? Max in 2014?mario wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 11:15It looks like it would be the first time that somebody raced using that number since Danner in 1989, but technically we have seen that number used during a race weekend between 1989 and the present day.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 17:47 Oliver Bearman will be using #38. If memory serves me correct, that number hasn't been raced since Christian Danner in 1989 with Rial.
Back in 2005, there was the rule that allowed certain teams to run an additional car during the practice sessions, and Toyota was one of those teams. The most recent time that a driver therefore appeared during a race weekend whilst using No.38 would be Ricardo Zonta in the practice sessions for the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix.
Now we can go with Maurice Trintignant - Chris Amon - Jacques Laffite - Gerhard Berger - Michael Schumacher - Alonso/Hamilton/Perez/Ricciardo/HülkenbergPaul Hayes wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 19:02 If Bearman goes on to have a long F1 career, his having overlapped with Alonso will be a good link for those "get from now to 1950 in the fewest possible career overlaps" games.
I did mean to say Bearman will be the first driver to actually race with the number 38 since Christian Danner in the 1989 Canadian GP.mario wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 19:24True, it looks like those would also be cases which count towards people using that number during a race weekend, albeit, as you note, those drivers did not then go on to compete in the race itself.Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 15:50What about Kubica and Vettel in 2006? Max in 2014?mario wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 11:15
It looks like it would be the first time that somebody raced using that number since Danner in 1989, but technically we have seen that number used during a race weekend between 1989 and the present day.
Back in 2005, there was the rule that allowed certain teams to run an additional car during the practice sessions, and Toyota was one of those teams. The most recent time that a driver therefore appeared during a race weekend whilst using No.38 would be Ricardo Zonta in the practice sessions for the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix.
Bonus point to Alonso for the only "original" Schumacher career overlap, I feel!Bleu wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 19:26Now we can go with Maurice Trintignant - Chris Amon - Jacques Laffite - Gerhard Berger - Michael Schumacher - Alonso/Hamilton/Perez/Ricciardo/HülkenbergPaul Hayes wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 19:02 If Bearman goes on to have a long F1 career, his having overlapped with Alonso will be a good link for those "get from now to 1950 in the fewest possible career overlaps" games.
If Amon had continued for one more year we could make it in one less step with Patrese.
Also see this...Paul Hayes wrote: ↑12 Mar 2024, 20:48Bonus point to Alonso for the only "original" Schumacher career overlap, I feel!Bleu wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 19:26Now we can go with Maurice Trintignant - Chris Amon - Jacques Laffite - Gerhard Berger - Michael Schumacher - Alonso/Hamilton/Perez/Ricciardo/HülkenbergPaul Hayes wrote: ↑08 Mar 2024, 19:02 If Bearman goes on to have a long F1 career, his having overlapped with Alonso will be a good link for those "get from now to 1950 in the fewest possible career overlaps" games.
If Amon had continued for one more year we could make it in one less step with Patrese.
That said, the main reason given for dropping the sanctions was that, because he was no longer being directly sponsored by his father's companies after ceasing to be employed by Haas, there was no longer a direct economic link between Nikita and those sanctioned entities.MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑20 Mar 2024, 19:18 In other news,the EU has lifted sanctions against Mazepin
His ability - or lack thereof - behind the wheel didn't stop him getting a seat the first time around as long as the money kept flowing.