F1 - GP (General Purpose)

Chode ^ | 8/5/2009 | Chode

[Chode]

This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.

[Bob434]

[[Richards said: “It is our duty to use whatever influence and leverage we might have to bring this wholly unjustified invasion of Ukraine to a halt.]]

Psst Richard’s, you useless gesture is worthless. It amount to an upset spouse saying “I’m not talking to you anymore” (and the spouse saying under their breath “YES! FINALLY!”)

[Chode]

what a mess...

and F1 being the paragon of virtue that it is, is equivocating at it’s best

[Chode]

https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/44565/red-bull-keeps-verstappen-through-2028-with-longest-contract-in-f1

Reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has signed what some would call a supermax contract extension to keep him with Red Bull through 2028. The value of this long-term deal has not been publicly confirmed, but some outlets are reporting it’s worth as much as $55 million per year. That would make him about equal with seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton as the sport’s highest-paid driver.

Verstappen has been with Red Bull since 2016, which means if he leaves when his contract expires in 2028, he’ll have driven with the organization’s A-team for over a decade. At that point, he’ll still be just 31 years old; he made his full-time debut with what was then Toro Rosso in 2015.

A few pieces fell in place to make this possible for Red Bull, including a five-year title sponsorship deal with Oracle worth half a billion dollars. Additionally, the team just inked a $150 million agreement with Singapore-based cryptocurrency platform Bybit. Not that the energy drink giant is hurting for cash otherwise; it just opened up some extra capital to retain Verstappen with what’s believed to be the longest contract of any driver currently on the grid.

Verstappen and Red Bull have largely been the only ones in the paddock who viewed last season’s championship outcome as a positive result. Just ask Michael Masi. But the Dutchman called it “simply incredible,” and said he loves the team he competes for. That includes his teammate Sergio Perez, who acted as an extremely capable wingman in his first year with Red Bull. Verstappen says his goal moving forward is to stay on top, something an energized and determined Lewis Hamilton will certainly use for motivation with once the 2022 F1 season begins in just 17 days.

Who will have the better car is nearly impossible to say right now thanks to extensive new regulations. Fresh aero designs should help the cars race more closely and also provide drivers the chance to provw themselves when the pack gets tight. Video and data from F1’s shakedown sessions in Barcelona showed Ferrari as having the edge over others, but until qualifying happens in Bahrain and the checkered flag is dropped, nobody will know for sure. A dominant driver like Verstappen and an excellent wingman like Perez are a combination to be reckoned with, though.

[Chode]

https://www.thedrive.com/news/44635/the-720-hp-mercedes-amg-gt-black-series-is-now-an-f1-safety-car

Formula 1's safety car has played a pivotal role in the championship for a long time. Last year, its role was maybe a little too pivotal. But the safety car is serious business, so it's cool to see Mercedes bringing its absolute top-end models to the races. For 2022, the safety car becomes an AMG GT Black Series while the medical car is an AMG GT 63 S.

The cars will share duties across the calendar with the Aston Martin Vantage and DBX that got introduced to do some of the work last season. Although, as with the Aston Martin F1 cars, what's under the hood is Mercedes power that the two brands have agreed to share again. Mercedes is set to take on the first two events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, while the Aston Martins will come in at the Australian Grand Prix.

Mercedes

F1 safety car driver Bernd Maylander with his new whip

F1 drivers constantly complain about the safety car being too slow because when you're behind the wheel of what might as well be a high-downforce rocketship, anything less than 200 miles per hour feels a bit sluggish. They do have a point, though, which is that when F1 cars slow down, their tires and brakes get cold, which causes problems on a restart with none of them being able to grip the track properly or, potentially, stop. So as important as the safety car is for slowing down the field, it has to stay ahead of them at a relatively reasonable pace.

That won't be a problem for the AMG GT Black Series, which has a top speed of 202 miles per hour and set a time of 6:48.047 'round the Nurburgring in 2020. Likewise, the AMG GT 63 S that will be first on the scene of any accidents, as the medical car, threw a 7:27.80 that made it the fastest luxury car round the 'Ring a couple of years ago. 

There's not a massive amount of adaptation to the cars, bar fitting them with all the transponders and equipment they need to do the jobs, except that the AMG GT Black Series has a cool new feature. To avoid disrupting the aerodynamics of the car, instead of putting the flashing light bar on the roof (as has been done with the GT 63 S), it's been fitted with LED lights in the top corners of the front windscreen and on the rear spoiler. This way the car can keep as much of its pace as possible ahead of 20 (or so) 1,000-horsepower monsters.

[BBB333]

Chode, have you seen this?

The new Mercedes W13 has no sidepods...

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-really-proud-of-striking-mercedes-sidepod-concept-after-it-debuts-in.7BxJRonubQTwBLfSTaxnYV.html

And is it legal:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w13-protest-chances-ross-brawn/

Interesting stuff!

[Chode]

was reading it here

https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/44681/how-mercedes-perplexed-the-f1-grid-by-running-a-car-without-sidepods

[Chode]

are you friggin kiddin me.... somebody please step on that roach...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10626901/Lewis-Hamilton-steps-kooky-structured-jacket-striking-print.html

[Chode]

[Yo-Yo]

Looks like "white privilege" to me.

[Chode]

white appropriation... is the boi finally coming out???

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Kunt Foo

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

I’ve seen him wear some pretty cool outfits to the track. He’s quite a clothes horse.

This ain’t one of them. This is just a costume.

[God luvs America]

don’t forget this:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-3521504/Lewis-Hamilton-admits-love-Bahrain-culture-arriving-Sakhir-circuit-ahead-race-wearing-regional-attire.html

[Chode]

lol, oooff...

[Chode]

lol... wanker

[mabarker1]

That needs to have “⬆️I AM (not with) STUPID ⬆️“ on the front and back IMNSHO (In My Not So Humble Opinion)...

[mabarker1]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=84O9nLv3sXM

[Chode]

Patrese and De Chrashery would top my list...

[EEGator]

Every black I know from Wilmington and Philly would beat & rob this cuck Oreo cookie.

[Lockbox]

What does it mean if the belt hangs on left side instead of the right?