Formula One 2021

[Twist]

8 hours ago, JasonM said:

World Sports ban. Russia isn't allowed to be represented in world championship level sports due to them taking the piss with doping regulations for too long.

So Russian drivers aren't allowed to drive under the Russian flag, nor is the race in Russia allowed to be under the Russian flag. Now don't ask me why they still call it 'The Russian Grand Prix', because the whole ban is a bit of a mess.

At the same time Russia can partake under their own name in the Euros, but not in the World Cup. Because... reasons.

Unless they paint a car like the flag, of course.

Also, Bottas has been hit with a 3 place grid penalty for spinning while leaving the pit lane and nearly wiping out the McLaren pit crew. Christ.

 

[Chris2K]

10 hours ago, JasonM said:

At the same time Russia can partake under their own name in the Euros, but not in the World Cup. Because... reasons.

I assume it's because something to do with this, which I found when looking for why they were allowed in the Euros to begin with:

Quote

If the ban is upheld by Wada's executive committee at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 9 December, and backed by the Court of Arbitration should Russia contest it, it would not include the European Championship as Uefa is not defined as a 'major event organisation' in regards to rulings on anti-doping breaches.

And I assume FIFA is considered a major event organisation.

As for Bottas, he was leaving the pits from a standard pit-stop position, something he must have done thousands of times, and chose this weekend of all times to drop it and nearly take out a mechanic. He has to be mentally frazzled at this point.

[Twist]

Apparently he pulled out in 2nd and that caused it.

[Lineker]

Quote

Next year’s Russian Grand Prix will be the last to take place at its current home in Sochi before the race moves to a recently-built circuit near St Petersburg.

The Igora Drive circuit, which gained the necessary FIA grade one licence to hold Formula 1 races last year, will hold the Russian Grand Prix from 2023.
Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali revealed the decision in a recent visit to the area.

“I am pleased to confirm following joint intensive work with our Russian partners and detailed assessment of Igora Drive [that] Formula 1 will be racing at that amazing circuit from 2023,” Domenicali is quoted by the circuit as saying. “I am impressed by Saint Petersburg and believe that the Russian Grand Prix at Igora Drive will be an incredible event.”

F1 said in a statement it is “delighted to confirm that the Russian Grand Prix will move to the Autodrom Igora Drive in St Petersburg from 2023.”

“We will be providing more details on the race in the coming months and we are looking forward to racing in Sochi for the next two years,” the series added.

The four-kilometre, 15-turn circuit was designed by Tilke Gmbh. It lies around 50 kilometres from Saint Petersburg, the second-largest city in Russia.

Sochi’s temporary circuit, based around the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, will hold the Russian Grand Prix for the eighth time this year. Its deal to hold the race runs until 2025.

The recently-completed Igora Drive was due to hold a round of Germany’s touring car championship, the DTM, in May last year. However the event was cancelled four months before it was due to go ahead.

 

[JasonM]

On board of Igora Drive + map below.

It's a tilke track, but it's very narrow and windy. I think it's a fun looking track for racing, except it's probably too narrow and twisty for modern F1 racing to have a good time around it.

Sochi is a turd, but I don't think Igora Drive is an improvement for F1.

[Lineker]

Literally anything is a step up on Sochi.

[Lineker]

Russell misses out on Q3 by eight one-thousandths of a second!

[Twist]

5 hours ago, Lineker said:

Russell misses out on Q3 by eight one-thousandths of a second!

Worked out for him. Starts 10th after Tsunoda’s penalty and has free choice of tyres.

[Lineker]

 

[JasonM]

Good news for Mercedes, potentially very bad news for George Russell if they're adamant about having a clear #2 in place. Because then even if Bottas leaves, that makes George an odd one out who might not be a right fit next to their bonafide star.

I hope Georgie doesn't get Wehrlein'd here.

[Chris2K]

Exactly the same 5 drivers out in Q1 as were knocked out last week. I do have to question what the point of the double-races are when there is barely any difference from one week to the other, it just seems unfair to drivers and teams that don't suit that track.

Maybe we simply don't need 23 races, wouldn't 22 be enough?

 

That said, get in there George!

[Twist]

George Russell in to Q3! Good lad!

[Chris2K]

LANDO. What an incredible lap that was.

[Gazz]

LANDO!

GEORGE!

[Lineker]

F1 is so good right now. The young talent is outrageous. 

[Lineker]

Interesting rendition of the Austrian national anthem there!

[Chris2K]

Ridiculous penalty for Norris, even Horner said it was a racing incident.

 

It may just be me, but it always feels like when Derek Warwick is in charge of the stewards for a race the penalties get handed out left, right and centre.

[Lineker]

3 hours ago, Chris2K said:

Ridiculous penalty for Norris, even Horner said it was a racing incident.

 

It may just be me, but it always feels like when Derek Warwick is in charge of the stewards for a race the penalties get handed out left, right and centre.

 

[JasonM]

It's the usual rubberband effect of getting criticism over the past months for not acting and failing to dole out penalties when it's required (like when everybody just passed Stroll/Max on full blast when they crashed in Baku). And now they're taking the heavy handed approach by throwing penalties around to show they care about the rules.

Soon it'll chill out again and we'll go back to complaining about steward inaction.

[Lineker]