Arena FIA Formula 1 Racing

I've got a feeling this is the final year of Merc's dominance. Have a feeling Red Bull will be back on it next year.

British Grand Prix was fun, though I felt the safety car was out a couple of laps too long at the start.

Hamilton well and truly back on it now as expected... World Championship number 4 imminent...

 

Oh yeah, next year will totally end it for Merc. Aero becomes a priority again, so Red Bull with Sir Adrian Newey, and Ferrari with James Allison, will be big. Ron Dennis thinks McLaren have a package for 2017 that will give them a constructors.

 

I really, really hope so because I'm getting so bored of seeing the Mercs win all the time. I hope it'll be a lot more competitive next year with Red Bull and Ferrari, and that McLaren and Williams become more consistently competitive.

Hungary was the dullest race ever. Hope Germany gives us a more exciting race.

 

Next years new regulations won't make the racing any better though. Wider cars with more down force will mean even more reliance on the increased DRS for overtaking. There is also the chance that one team interprets the regs differently and has a big advantage over the others, just like Brawn in 2009, winning the championship with their domination of the first half of the season while Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren rushed to develop their own version of the double diffuser.

 

Well Ron Dennis certainly believes McLaren will be the first team after Mercedes to win a constructors... So...

Yeah, I can't stand Rosberg. I'm just happy my boy Danny Ricciardo got that third place. Well managed race with a mature drive.

The penalty for JB was ridiculous though.

lol @ Rosberg.

 

WTF?

Bernie Ecclestone's mother-in-law, kidnapped in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

£36.5m being demanded.

 

Team-to-driver communication rules have been loosened. Drastically.

To be specific: "With the exception of the period between the start of the formation lap and the start of the race, there will be no limitations on messages teams send to their drivers either by radio or pit board."

In other words, the way it should be, IMHO.

 

Oh, look, a Mercedes won. Again. That being said it was great to see both Red Bulls on the podium and Rosberg messing up his start. As for the whole incident with forcing Verstappen off track, did he seriously think he was going to get away with that?

Glad to hear the radio rules have been relaxed, but I'm hoping this doesn't mean we'll hear excessive driver coaching again.

 

Expert level: STRAYAN

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/125961/why-massa-chose-the-right-time-to-stop

Massa's retired. FINALLY.

So:

Button from McLaren to Williams
Vandoorne to replace him

?

 

Perez says he is making an announcement before the next race about his future, which has got to indicate he is staying, right? No way he races half the year as a lame duck, of sorts. His empty Force India seat would be the only other possible plausible landing spot for Vandoorne, so I don't see how McLaren doesn't end up promoting him.

 

Perez is talking next year I believe, as Renault have been courting him to lead their resurgence to 2005 levels of dominance?

 

But why the haste to make an announcement before even the next race if he isn't just staying? Vettel is an example of someone making such an announcement, but that was such a high profile situation it could hardly be avoided.

 

Didn't Christian Horner announce it for him?

 

So no Button to Wlliams after all. At least everything resolved quickly, I guess.

 

It was like this from 2000 to 2004 with the Ferarri/Schumi package. I remember when Renault and Alonso won in 2005 it was such a breath of fresh air.

These periods of dominance always come and go in F1. Merc have had a good run but I'll be surprised if it goes on much longer.

 

Looks like Bernie's says could be numbered!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37284386

 

Good. I have no respect for a man who, when charged with bribery, essentially bribes the court to end the trial without a verdict. His comments about women being domestic appliances and Hitler getting things done are the icing on the (spoiled) cake.

 

Yeah, disappointing about JB. I'll miss having him racing next year.

 

I have mixed feelings about Bernie.

There's no doubt he, pretty much alone, is largely responsible for making F1 what it is. The fact that driver deaths are now a very rare and exceptional event as opposed to having at least 2-3 a year, as was the case in the 1970's, is down to Bernie (with Dr Sid Watkins and Max Mosley as well) pushing the technology and demanding the teams make the cars safe.

The way he broadened out the sport into developing markets also revolutionized the sport.

But we can't overlook the fact he has always been cozy with "dodgy" regimes, had a decade long campaign to try and get rid of the British grand Prix and is probably personally and morally corrupt.

So a mixed bag but if this is the end for Little Bern I'll probably miss him overall.

As far as JB is concerned, sad that he's retired but given he started racing in F1 in 2000 you have to say he's had a very good run.

 

Bernie to stay on for three more years;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37298242

He'll be 88 by then!

 

I don't think I've ever been so frustrated by Rosberg winning. Just one more lap and Dan would've probably done it. Anyone else hoping Rosberg would make a mistake those last couple of laps? Oh well, at least it wasn't a Merc 1-2...

Regarding JB, I'll be sad to see him not on the grid next year, especially since he's my favourite driver, but hopefully we'll still see him around since he'll still be with McLaren and there's always the option for him to return in 2018.

 

Yeah, I tell you, watching those last few laps where my boy, Danny ****ing Ricciardo, managed to get nearly 30s off the Merc laptime - let's just say when the race is 10pm to midnight my time, it's not good to be that hyped that late.

Still, Facebook reminded me today that 2yrs ago on this day I was watching FP3 at Sepang, and at that race Mercedes have brake issues and Danny's on the podium. Same for here.

Max, too... he's not set the world on fire since joining RBR, but he's learning and that overtake on Kyvat... he's a multi world champion in the making, for sure.