aiyaaz

Great news. Love him or hate him, he's been the best TP of the last 2 decades and also keeps things entertaining with his dogged approach to fighting other TP's (*cough Toto).

If he is genuinely guilty of harassment (as alleged), then I hope he faces the music for sure, but I can't help feeling like there is some internal power struggle at play within RB. I'm almost expecting that Marko will also be similarly nudged toward the exit door somehow. I am no Horner fan boy (far from it), but I'd agree that this could have been handled more discreetly, but maybe it was leaked by the complainant or those close to him/her...

F1 Management are probably overjoyed as it maintains more interest in the sport, with Max likely to win at least 50% of the races in 24/25, assuming that other teams make big gains and finally understand the GE era. Take 50% as an overly conservative estimate as the RB20 was already in the design office from mid 23...

MCL need to bring a new rear wing next...Spa was a big reality check for them, but at least they're on the right path. 11 should be ashamed of being in P1 on lap 1, but being behind Max by 22s at the checkered flag after Max started P6...that must hurt and BAD. Max pulled 22s in 27 laps after passing Checo. This is boring but very impressive from a driver in top form. At the moment Checo is P2 in the championship, which is what RBR would want from him, so expect this to continue at least until the end of 2025...

Definitely the right decision taken by F1 management and FIA. There are things more important than hosting an F1 race. Also, at least we don't the possibility of a repeat of Spa '21 where they "raced" for 2 laps behind the SC and declared it a race.

I bought this pedal and as mentioned above, they're very grippy: https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/za/en/nukeproof-horizon-pro-sam-hill-enduro-mtb-pedals/rp-prod186573 Still on special at CRC as well. Good idea to buy some extra pins and service kit as well if they're also on special. I had the Stamp 1 before, which is garbage compared to the Sam Hill.

Given how fast them E-bikes were flying past me this past weekend while climbing at Tokai, I must say, my interest in owning one has certainly grown! Plus when they're on top, no "breather" required, just drop straight in. I've always been pro E-bike for the reason that it allows a (fit) son and (not so fit) dad to ride together at a similar pace, but for enduro type of riding, even the younger (and fitter) riders would consider getting one. Only issue is that I'd have to sell my car in order to be able to afford one...

I'm pretty much in the same boat, having only ever ridden road bikes and XC/marathon hardtails or FS bikes. Now I no longer have any of those bikes, but recently acquired a Trek Slash (F-170mm/R-160mm), but I can feel that I am holding the bike back due to a lack of skill and being too bang-gat! haha I may have also bitten off more than I can chew by committing to flat pedals after having only ever ridden clip-less...needless to say, it feels like I am learning to ride a bike all over again!

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/2021-fia-f2-champion-oscar-piastri-join-mclaren-racing-2023/?s Right, now we get to find out if Oscar is more a George/Charles OR a Stoffel, all of whom had similar junior success... He's arguably the best of the juniors in his class, but I'm not sure that is going to be enough to stay close to Lando. Lando is on an upward trajectory and is already very good. I hope Webber has advised his client properly...

Checo drives the same car and given how tight P2 is currently in championship with Ferarri unreliability and strategy bloopers, it's still not a given that Checo would have won this championship. Max has had worse reliability problems and is still nearly 100 points ahead. So the "car" argument would be a bit weak. Also, these are new regs with brand new cars, so that "favourable" development of the car argument would also be a weak one. Then some would perhaps say Checo isn't the greatest challenge, which might be fair, but even Checo's best strengths (tyre management and race pace) are being outdone by Max. But yeah, soon we will start hearing "it's the car"...

Given Max's consistency and level he's operating at, along with the RB18 looking like a beast, he could be crowned champion with 3 races to go. Will be 4 races if (when?) Ferrari play their support role to RBR's double title bid. LEC going for the fastest lap, losing track position to ALO, then not getting that fastest lap but rather a 5s penalty instead denoting him to P6 maintains Ferrari's run of bloopers...

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-daniel-ricciardo-to-leave-mclaren-at-the-end-of-the-season.7nJEoiDWEllG7NRGR7yn1x.html

Drugovich? This would be his 3rd F2 season and was comprehensively beaten last year when Piastri was there.

The fuss is due to his junior record being comparable to that of LeClerc and Russell's, winning F3 & F2 at his first attempt. He beat most of the good drivers in F2 currently, apart from Sargeant. Pouchaire is very young and would possibly have been a more stiff competitor had Piastri been able to race F2 in '22. So Piastri is arguably the best of the 2021 - 2022 crop of F2 drivers.

I hope it does not land up biting Oscar in arse...I would think a reserve driver would be a bit more quiet in the media until he is guaranteed of a drive...

This ^ (PLEASE)

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-fernando-alonso-signs-to-aston-martin-for-2023-on-multi-year.1i8QwJht5v7dBCWFCcrqml.html

I liked Seb, but like you said, this was probably slightly overdue. Hopefully we can see Piastri on the grid next year. Him at Williams would be a good move and a proper test alongside Albon.

I have to admit, he keeps things entertaining though, giving us lots to talk/vent/joke about, lol. There aren't many other (cartoon) characters around like that, so things might actually be just a little bit boring without him. HAM has been involved in nearly all of the "intense" moments in the last decade+...with ALO/VET/ROS/VER. Maybe we'd actually miss him if he wasn't there???

With the way this season has been going, best bet would be on a HAM v MAG incident into Copse, lol. Max seems to be at one with the RB18 at the moment, so he'll most likely be 2s up the road by the time they hit Copse. He'll cruise to the title this year with his consistency and unbreakability.

So these shoes fit true to size? No need for upsizing then?

Interesting times and makes for a better test of Mick's credentials... https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-kevin-magnussen-to-make-sensational-f1-return-with-haas-in-2022.7m4IFYh7gmD3ZGppbs5f88.html

Adrian Newey said in an interview after the race that on the balance of the season RBR probably had the better car. To me it also looks like the Merc was more superior in more races than the RBR was, and more points were lost by Merc due to errors (driver and team), but that would just be my opinion. What I like about Newey saying what he did, is that it gives the deserved credit to the RBR team (track and factory) for the amazing job they've done. I don't like how TP's and drivers keep trying to make like they're the underdog with a weaker car. That is why Max is such a favourite in the eyes of many. He is always first to say the car was amazing and if it was the best, he says so. That must be so lekker for a team to hear.

I feel we deserved a better ending to the season as fans, than what we got on Sunday with that weird decision from Masi. I'm thinking Masi might have some stock in Netflix...? A red flag would probably have been better if he was going to bend rules anyway. Max on softs would probably have still taken the win given how well the RB went on softs and low fuel, but having to do so against a car able to compete, not a sitting duck. Anyway it is what it is. All this post race drama is rather pointless. Lewis accepted defeat already and quite graciously it must be said, good on him. Max a deserving WDC, nobody could argue against that. Onto 2022 😁

Don't know what to make of that ending to an epic fight between those two. Max fully deserves the title as he's been the most consistent over the entire season, but he certainly rode his luck today. Max and Lewis delivered 10/10 today with the cars they had. Perez on old soft tyres defending against Lewis the way he did, was top drawer. Great season, deserving champion and passing of the guard in many ways. Let's hope next season produces another exciting battle, but hopefully involving more than just two drivers. Max WDC 😁👌🏽