2024 Formula 1 thread ***spoilers***

[stangmx13]

Checo still with RB next year proves to me how balls deep they are with his sponsors.

You'd think that would be less of an issue in the cost-cap era. Maybe RB still needs that to pay for the few expensive things that are excluded from the cost-cap, like the 3 highest salaries and travel expenses. Or maybe RB isn't willing to spend as much now that Dietrich is gone.

 

[Climber]

I think with new changes coming for 2026 without Newey, RB is going to fade into obscurity again, just like last time Newey left the RB F1 team to pursue other interests.
We'll see whether Max is really as good as his fans believe or whether he's just another Vettel whose talent was enhanced by the genius of Newey.

 

[Racinfrk]

Well....Cadillac is in with an American team

Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season

Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of...

www.yahoo.com

I find it funny now that Michael and the head of Liberty has stepped down. It appears that there was a rift between the two. Which is why Andretti was denied the first time.

 

[Climber]

I will go out on a limb and predict that Audi will have more success in F1 than GM.

 

[stangmx13]

Turns out the problem was always Michael. I missed some articles a few months ago about Liberty Media's CEO having beef with Michael. Michael's antis around the paddock with his petitions and crap seemed very unprofessional to me, maybe even abrasive. So I'm not surprised it may have gone down like this.

Mario Andretti says Formula 1 executive personally vowed to block his team entering the sport

The racing legend said the CEO of Liberty Media, Greg Maffei, told him, "I will do everything in my power to see that Michael [Andretti] never enters Formula 1."

www.nbcnews.com

As with how everything is going these days, the car and team are owned by TWG Holdings - which also owns Andretti Global and a few other motorsports teams. I suspect the car will be GM/Cadillac in name only until the engine shows up in 2028.

Oh, and looks like they will be using Ferrari engines until '28.

 

[FLH03RIDER]

I will go out on a limb and predict that Audi will have more success in F1 than GM.

Debbie Downer!!! Get ready!
.

 

[FLH03RIDER]

 

[Holeshot]

I will go out on a limb and predict that Audi will have more success in F1 than GM.

I'll take that bet. GM's engineers over VW's....this could get good.

 

[Lights_Guy3]

I think with new changes coming for 2026 without Newey, RB is going to fade into obscurity again, just like last time Newey left the RB F1 team to pursue other interests.
We'll see whether Max is really as good as his fans believe or whether he's just another Vettel whose talent was enhanced by the genius of Newey.

So excited to see another team on the grid soon, and an American team is awesome! They'll have a lot of fans right from the get go (me included) just from county of origin. I'm hoping they can get big enough to make a major impact on the US audience and help make F1 more popular for the domestic motorsport enthusiast. We have plenty here in the States, but they seem to be mostly wrapped up in NASCAR. This could be very good for the sport in the long run.

As far as Max goes, at least this time you implied he has talent, that's progress! You have some serious hate for the guy, it's strange.

His drive in Brazil was an excellent showcase of skill, and that can't be excused away with "but the engineer is special!!!"

He's an outrageously talented driver, and also about as much of a douchebag. It's ok to admit the former.

 

[Climber]

I'll take that bet. GM's engineers over VW's....this could get good.

Fair enough!

I'm betting that Audi's experience in the LeMans races will exceed GM's, who have done a great job with their newest Corvette, But, Audi has much more experience with smaller engines.

It will be interesting to watch how it all shakes out.

 

[stangmx13]

Does GM have any experience with powertrains on the level of F1? Small displacement, Jet ignition, hybrid system, tiny gearbox, etc. Thankfully the MGUH is gone. But I’d guess they are going to need an amazing car by 2028 to make up for how far behind their engine will be.

I don’t have high hopes for Audi. They are starting with the worst car on the grid that seemed to make no progress this year. Even if they are spending all their dev time on 2026 already, not understanding the current car is still a huge handicap.

I think with new changes coming for 2026 without Newey, RB is going to fade into obscurity again, just like last time Newey left the RB F1 team to pursue other interests.
We'll see whether Max is really as good as his fans believe or whether he's just another Vettel whose talent was enhanced by the genius of Newey.

I doubt it. They'll get a lot more dev time by getting 3rd in the Constructors and not having that penalty anymore, which will bleed into the dev for 2026. The Dev regulations will keep them close, as designed. I won’t be surprised if Max continues to win just as many races as the others.

 

[Racinfrk]

I think that the closest thing (where both Audi and Cadillac have competed) to the F1 engine is IMSA Prototype (I know not even close but they are both a form of Hybrid). Currently, Audi is not in IMSA Prototype and when they were (2023), Cadillac beat them. So, I am hopeful that Cadillac will be able to develop a competitive engine (after all, they were let in to F1 so they could become another engine supplier).

 

[stangmx13]

One thing GM has over Audi that was called out by TheRace - unlimited aero dev time and no cost cap. Since they aren’t an entry, they don’t yet fall under those regulations. Current teams including Sauber/Audi can’t work on the 2026 cars until Jan 1 2025 and will have to use hours and spending from their normal allotment. GM could spend as much as they want.

I wonder if the FIA will cap GMs development and spending before 2026.

 

[MC BumSlap]

If they want them competitive out of the gate, they shouldn't completely restrict their development.

 

[Climber]

McClaren looked dominant in the sprint race.
RB was not at all competitive.

 

[stangmx13]

Oh yay, another race heavily impacted by inconsistent stewards. It’s stupid that the highest level of racing can’t get this right.

 

[Climber]

Yeah, that 10 second penalty on Norris was utterly ridiculous. Clearly, the stewards were trying to help Ferrari get closer to McLaren. Especially making it a stop n go, which made it a far, far more harsh than the 10 second penalty given to Max for intentionally driving Norris off of the track. Simply, blatantly idiotic.

Max was being max, doing shit that nobody else would stoop to on the restarts. You could also see the advantage he had with the newer engine.

 

[Holeshot]

Oh yay, another race heavily impacted by inconsistent stewards. It’s stupid that the highest level of racing can’t get this right.

It's Europe. Do they ever get much of this stuff right?

 

[Climber]

Is there anybody outside of those stewards who think that was a good penalty (besides Max and Ferrari fans, strange bedfellows)?

 

[GAJ]

"Let's just leave that mirror out there so as not to screw up Max's race."

I suspect this might be true:

Sergio Pérez to depart Red Bull F1 after Abu Dhabi GP, per reports

According to multiple reports, Sergio Pérez’s time at Red Bull is drawing to an end

www.sbnation.com

Per reporting from ESPN, The Race, and Planet F1 Pérez’s time as a driver with Red Bull will end following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the 2024 F1 season. Results in Qatar not only eliminated Red Bull from Constructors’ Championship contention but locked Pérez into a P8 finish in the Drivers’ Championship.