Posted on 08/05/2009 7:57:45 PM PDT by Chode
This will be a general purpose thread for F1 news and pings that really don't require a thread of their own.
Team Drivers laps Km
McLaren Norris 149 806
Ferrari Leclerc 139 752
Racing Bulls Lawson
Lindblad 133 720
Williams Albon
Sainz 131 709
Haas Bearman 130 704
Audi Hulkenberg
Bortoleto 114 617
Cadillac Perez
Bottas 109 590
Aston Martin Alonso 98 530
Alpine Gasly 97 525
Red Bull Hadjar 87 471
Mercedes Antonelli
Russell 57 309
Driver Team Time Laps 1) Charles Leclerc* Ferrari 1:34.273 139 2) Lando Norris* McLaren +0.511 149 3) Oliver Bearman* Haas +1.121 130 4) George Russell Mercedes +1.193 54 5) Isack Hadjar* Red Bull +2.288 87 6) Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +2.397 67 7) Pierre Gasly* Alpine +2.450 97 8) Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +2.551 67 9) Alex Albon Williams +2.956 62 10) Nico Hulkenberg Audi +2.993 47 11) Arvid Lindblad* Racing Bulls +3.197 83 12) Carlos Sainz Williams +3.319 69 13) Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +3.744 50 14) Fernando Alonso* Aston Martin +3.975 98 15) Sergio Perez Cadillac +4.380 42 16) Kimi Antonelli Mercedes No time set 3 *Drove in both sessions
<;-)
The propaganda wars are getting intense.
OBTW, Mercedes were #1-#2 for fastest lap time today at Bahrain, with Antonelli on top.
Despite that, Verstappen says Merc is sandbagging. Bigly.
Leclerc agrees with Max.
Pierre Wache, RBR’s technical director, claims the only team whose engine isn’t stronger than theirs is Audi.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/why-red-bull-thinks-its-2026-f1-car-is-fourth-fastest-at-best/
Russell, to the contrary, claims Mercedes has “taken a step back.” Both Mercedes drivers claim the Red Bull is even faster than Toto Wolff lets on.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260213-mercedes-have-taken-a-step-back-russell
The last event of the day today was a ‘simulated’ race grid start so the FIA could check out their starting system. They aborted the first attempt and made the cars do another formation lap.
When they were doing their burnouts before queuing on the grid, Colapinto lost it and nearly crashed into the startline bleachers. Then when the lights went out, four of the seven cars stalled on the grid.
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1089447/1/messy-end-first-f1-test-adds-concern-over-race-start-chaos
And Hambone ended his day walking to the pits because he ran out of sustainable synthetic fuel (which costs $775-$1475 per a gallon) half way around the circuit.
https://www.sportbible.com/f1/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-bahrain-test-car-stopped-034141-20260213
The start procedure must have been decided upon by gits!
Rev the engine for 10 seconds to keep the turbo on boost...the back end of the grid will be a shambles, Mate!
Are you taking the mickey out of me?
The stuff posted on F1 oversteer is the ‘edgiest’ I have found. They’re claiming Ferrari expects the FIA to ban Merc’s hi-compression engine before Melbourne.
I can’t see it because PU homologation date is 1 March, so FIA has less than two weeks to act before then. And what’s the point of homologating an engine and then turning around and banning it?
This whole mess is getting really weird.
Toto downplays the possibility of Mercedes suing the FIA to allow the engine but if it’s banned I don’t see they’ve got any choice if they want to be ready before Melbourne. It’s just not possible to come up with a retooled ICE that quickly.
On the one hand, how could they not win the suit when they already had explicit approval from the FIA’s head of powerplants? But on the other hand, when the UK’s High Court disallowed part of Felipe Massa’s lawsuit against the FIA, part of their reasoning was because they said they weren’t responsible for making or enforcing the rules for a sports promotion.
Ecclestone advises Mercedes to sandbag until the season starts to reduce their engine’s profile. If they sandbag any more, they’ll be driving in reverse!
George Russell sees so much difficulty in keeping a charge on the battery that they’ll be going through turns in a ridiculously low gear to keep the revs high. He likens it to driving to the grocery and using 1st gear around the roundabouts.
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/russell-uses-everyday-analogy-to-explain-new-f1-driving-headache
The only factor I can see that might save Hambone’s bacon is if the cars are such crap that no one can go fast. If they’re all driving piddly, he probably can keep up and might accidentally steal a podium.
She was unhurt ... this time.
Who in their right mind would decide it was a good idea to go auto racing with the certain knowledge that they are the fruit of The Hamster's loins? I'm pretty sure he's used up all the luck his progeny might have for the next 11 generations.
I got those same tires!
Just having fun.
I’m open season:
What’s the longest word in the Montana dictionary?
CanIgetacanofcopenhagen.
CanIgetacanofcopenhagen."
Where I'm from it's "Howsyamama'nem."
By my reckoning, the folks that most resent having fun poked at 'em are the ones that deserve (and need) it most.
Verstappen hit 206 mph at Bahrain 1. Which is well shy of Toto Wolff's prediction back in December that the 2026 cars might hit 240 mph but it's 14 mph faster that his top speed in the qualies for the 2025 GP of Bahrain.
He only qualified 7th but was just six-tenths off pole.
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28226
https://www.gpfans.com/us/f1-news/1071171/toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-engine-claim-400-kph-incredible-2026/
Maybe Piastri and Norris are being honest when they say the RBR is scary fast, but I think it's more likely they just haven't un-corked the Mercedes yet.
It's got too many pitchers in it for me to post them all here.
It also highlights the most absurdly expensive part of the sport, all the fiddly aero bits hanging off the car. I don't think it would hurt the spectacle of the sport one iota if the FIA were to crack down on this extravagance and drastically limit all the protuberances they choose to decorate their cars with.
The FIA has proposed a solution to the Mercedes compression trick controversy.
FIA’s “Power Unit Advisory Committee” has come up with a new static compression test protocol it thinks will satisfy the competing engine manufacturers without requiring any new (real-time) sensors be installed in the car. Their proposal is that beginning on 1 August, the static compression check will be done, not at ambient temperature (as currently specified in the TR), but at 266°F.
I just learned earlier this rear that the F1 teams have equipment for circulating ~175°F water through the car’s cooling system without starting the ICE. So the engine is warmed before it’s started for the first time on Friday, and remains warm until after the race on Sunday (unless of course it breaks down before that). So the only change to the test procedure is to heat the cooling system to higher than the usual ‘warming’ temperature before conducting the test.
Delaying the change until August gives Mercedes five months to modify its engines to keep them compliant (and the same five months to run riot over the rest of the field).
The five engine suppliers will be given ten days in which to vote on the procedure, and will cast their votes online. Passing the resolution requires a ‘Yea’ from four of the suppliers PLUS the FIA AND Formula One Management. So the FIA and FOM must unanimously support the proposal or it’s a no-go.
If the FIA crawfishes on this one, after their head of power units specifically gave it the OK, that’s pretty cheesy.
https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/47964742/f1-fia-vote-engines-amid-mercedes-controversy
Came across this video of the warming/starting procedure for a Leyton House March, so you know it’s a bit dated, but still interesting.
F’rinstance, they don’t pre-heat the engine oil in the car. They remove it, heat it, and put it back in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIt20DAVbwI
Details straight from the FIA of their proposal to appease the whiners:
Chode; AAABEST; al_c; arbitrary.squid; arderkrag; atc23; Augie; BBB333; Bad~Rodeo; bajabaja; BatGuano; BenLurkin; Betis70; Big Red Badger; biff; Blueheron; bobby.223; Bob434; bobt7818; bosco24; BreezyDog; brf1; briankk; bugseye; Bullish; Candor7; Captain Jack Aubrey; Carriage Hill; chud; cld51860; clintonh8r; ColdOne; ConservativeChris; cowboybob; Cruising Speed; cweese; Daffynition; daltec; DanielRedfoot; darthxenu; devane617; DigitalVideoDude; Drago; dragonblustar; Doogle; doorgunner69; EEGator; ellebee; Felis_irritable; fourpeas; frithguild; Frantzie; FreedomPoster; glasseye; God luvs America; goodtomato; Greetings_Puny_Humans; gura; gymbeau; hannibaal; henkster; hotshu; huntsvilletxveteran; Huskrrrr; i get it; Imjustanotherokie; InsidiousMongo; Intar; InvisibleChurch; ironman; IYAS9YAS; jeffc; jim macomber; jonascord; jps098; KingOfVagabonds; larrytown; Leo Farnsworth; Lockbox; lormand; LurkedLongEnough; mabarker1; MarineMom613; Mechanicos; military cop; MistrX; mojo114; MoJo2001; moltke; motorracer; MtnClimber; nascarnation; Nasher; NFHale; OldDeckHand; palmetto; PalominoGuy; paintriot; pelican001; Perdogg; Per-Ling; PfromHoGro; Pikachu_Dad; proudusarepublican; Puppage; rappini; raygun; Rashputin; Reo; RoadTest; ROCKLOBSTER; rodamala; rwreactionairy; Seaplaner; shoptalk; StayoutdaBushesWay; Stevenc131; Sergio; Seruzawa; SmokingJoe; solitas; Son of Redleg; Spktyr; stump56; SunTzuWu; swampfoxofva; sweeperboy; TexasM1A; The Bishop; thecrow; The Louiswu; Tony in Hawaii; Trajan88; trueknightgalahad; truth_seeker; TWohlford; umbagi; umgud; USAF1985; Vermont Lt; W.; wardaddy; WayneS; West Texas Chuck; wita; Wurlitzer; xp38; xsrdx; Yo-Yo; ZirconEncrustedTweezers; Zman516; 9thLife;
If anybody wants on or off this list, please PM me and I will update the list on my home page.
R.I.P. Chode.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-f1-radical-wing-active-aero-bahrain-test/
Thank you.
First time I have ever seen the full list.
RIP Chode, he was one of the best.
WOW. It’s brilliant.
Like something ACBC, early Bernie or Russ Brawn would do (remember when Brawn Racing was reprimanded for a false fuel tank and had to sit-out Monaco?).
I wonder what the FIA thinks of this..
Thanks for the ping!
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