I think there was/is no formula 1 thread yet? If there is I can merge it.
Since the season is about to end with the last race coming this weekend, I thought it nice to start a thread.
I’ve always loved watching formula 1 since I was a kid. At the time I remember it was on free TV and, well, that has changed for sure. I remember at first rooting for Michael Schumacher, but since he won so many times in a row, I actually remember thinking that it’s rigged and all staged so that he can win lol. Then for a long time I actually stopped watching or following up until that season in 2021 I think where Max Verstappen snatched that championship away from Lewis Hamilton in the last few corners of the last race. Highly recommend everyone to watch that season’s Netflix show Drive to Survive - I think that’s the name.
Also highly recommend the 3 part documentary about Brawn GP who won the championship as a new team in …2009? Was it? The documentary is narrated by Keanu Reeves who is a big fan and also interviews all the people from that time.
Anyways, I made my childhood dream come true by actually attending a race in the beginning of this year. It was really cool. Most surprising was how freaking loud the cars are, all like little airplanes. The start of the race was the loudest for sure. The coolest was definitely the pit stop where they complete the entire tyre change and whatnot in 2-3 seconds. I actually only came for the race while my colleague went completely hardcore attending the entire weekend and watching all the training and qualifying sessions.
Yeah anyways, do you like F1? What do you like about it? Who do you think is gonna win this year and next year?
Awesome! I love F1 and am learning a lot about mindset of the drivers and the actual skill it takes to drive those twisty-turny corners all over the globe. Regardless of whether they are ranked 1st or 20th it takes considerable skill to drive one of those cars on the circuit. Media denigrates some of them simply because they don’t have the car or the official win standings, but they are true heroes to get out there and drive F1 cars.
Many of them have to start with karting when they are kids and their parents have to pay all the way through the circuit. Until they get to F1 they do not get paid. Plus there are only 20 seats at the moment, so staying in a seat is a real job as there are other drivers who sit reserve just waiting for a chance to prove their worth and get a permanent seat. It’s an expensive sport to be in, as to get paid well you have to be a winning driver.
There’s a lot of politics involved but I filter that bit out. I am just amazed at the skill and the mindset it takes. Many of the guys on the current circuit have known each other for years since they were in go-karting together. come even starting at age 5 or 6. Some drivers have parents who were drivers or karters and I imagine that comes in handy for advice over the years.
I am sure I will have more to say on this later.
Here’s my favorite shot from the podium winners in Las Vegas getting chauffered in a pink lego cadillac!
I think I wanna drive an EV version that is manual lol
Same for a rally car… N I wanna do a rally race or something maybe
I think I can do it! With some practice
I just wouldn’t do anything in a motorcycle lol
Those guys are the true MVPs…
I hear their forearms get so tired and blown up from handling the motorcycles that they may need surgery for their forearm muscles after possible over “training”
Which sounds hardcore considering that’s the least of your worries when participating
Probably would have the best time doing a motor cycle one…
Or a dirt bike thing with hills
I’ve never watched a race
I’ve only seen clips
I just know it takes incredible skill
Worthy of the respect it’s been credited
Would love to do them all under different intensities… Any thing motorcycle related I’m going slow… Relatively slow compared to others I mean lol
But… I can drive no doubt, so rally is my keen interest
I hear those are way tougher than F1
Ive heard this:
“F1 best racers”
“Rally best drivers”
I dunno how to race
But I can drive mean
Side quest bucket list lol
Not a big deal if I never do these
Thinking about flying something too
And captaining a ship or boat
Something dimensionally big would be dope
Maybe some one will let me man (mayne) their crane one day with fame
lol
Lewis Hamilton will not participate in the first practice session (FP1) at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as he has been replaced by Arthur Leclerc, the brother of Charles Leclerc, for that session.
This decision is due to a mandatory FIA rule requiring each full-time driver to hand over their seat to a rookie driver with fewer than two races in Formula 1 for two sessions per season.
Hamilton will return to the SF-25 for second practice, which is considered the most representative session of the weekend.
Ferrari somehow has that kind of charm where, even if the drivers know it isn’t a good team, they still want to come.
It’s like Real Madrid during the Galácticos era: no trophies, but an allure that other teams just don’t have.
I feel like Max got much more grounded after the red bull new team leader and I think he also became a father recently? He doesn’t have this lashing out anymore and turned more into an ice cold killer.
I think he can do it, but it also still requires kinda luck. Ideally he wins that’s +25 points, but then Norris must finish 4th I think because that’s +12 so the difference is 13 , that brings Max one point ahead and thus win the championship.
If it’s another strategy mishap like last weekend, that could happen.
Piastri needs more luck than this to win.
What I can also imagine is that Piastri and Norris battle and Max emerges as the Happy third Party.
I know Max would be happy to win but he said if it hadn’t been for mishaps with McLaren the championship would have been decided long ago. I think he’s resolved to take whatever happens while still trying for the victory.
I think he has mellowed out a bit, yes. I also think his skill still outranks the current bunch (I mean winning his first 24-hour race, come on). Hadjar will make a good teammate - he’s fast and his ego is in check.
Title or no title I still think Max is the most talented and focused driver. Next year ought to be a really interesting one with new cars and new rules. I hope it gives Hamilton a better year.
The rookies have had a great season. I am thinking that Arvid Linblad might be replaced by Yuki, but who knows. Although Yuki had many years with Red Bull I still think he continues to get better. I hope he has a chance to drive one of the new cars enough to see if he can get back in a seat.
He had a starship of a car, a lot of cases of first driver policy where he gained critical advantages
The fact that he won at the last race with a car that was overall far better than the rivals speaks by itself about Norris race-skills, slightly above average pilot with a get lucky season, Max, Lewis or Fernando Alonso but i think perhaps also George Russell or Charles Leclerc would have been champions in October with the same conditions as Lando
Though, interesting season i thought it would end much earlier than a 3 racer-challenge (2.5…) in Abu Dhabi
