Author Topic: 2018 Formula 1 Thread (Read 203786 times)

CraigDS · « **Reply #40 on:** January 31, 2018, 09:25:59 am »

Quote from: Graeme on January 31, 2018, 09:24:28 am

Williams announced last week, they’re first at the moment with Feb 15th launch.

Edited

bradders1011 · « **Reply #41 on:** February 1, 2018, 12:46:43 am »

Quote from: Graeme on January 31, 2018, 09:24:28 am

Williams announced last week, they’re first at the moment with Feb 15th launch.

Hope they're not rubbish again.

I consider Williams the Liverpool of F1 - founded on the visionary dreams of a handful of men, got to the top when money wasn't the be-all-and-end-all, haven't been able to compete in the modern era against the billionaires and the team in red aided by the sport's governing body.

Graeme · « **Reply #42 on:** February 1, 2018, 07:58:12 am »

Yeah this season is huge for them. Paddy Lowe has been there for a year now, they’ve got the best engine on the grid and development aided by having 2 pay drivers. Anything less than 4th in the Constructors Championship should be viewed as a failure in my opinion.

Mr Mingebag Squid · « **Reply #43 on:** February 1, 2018, 11:57:31 am »

Think the thing that will hinder Williams this year though is having two not so good drivers. Sirotkin might be ok and Stroll might improve - but you can't help thinking they should have gone for at least one experienced driver (And got Stroll senior to pay more!)

clinical · « **Reply #44 on:** February 1, 2018, 12:24:03 pm »

Can see a dominant year again for Mercedes this year. I think their weakness was their car design last year which they will have gone a long way to fixing over the winter. More rake and can't see any teams catching them.

gazzalfc · « **Reply #45 on:** February 1, 2018, 02:06:44 pm »

Don't think anything will change at the front of the grid until the 2021 regulations come in. If that is favourable for the likes of Aston martin and Cosworth to come in then it shakes things up massively

Think the big changes in 2018 will come at the midfield. Red Bull need to get a competitive engine out of Honda. Mclaren have no power unit excuses from now on. Williams need to show what they are capable of. Force India need to carry on their improvement (and get their drivers under control).

Think it could be exciting from 3rd down. But agree that Mercedes will dominate again with Ferrari close behind

Graeme · « **Reply #46 on:** February 1, 2018, 02:57:09 pm »

Red Bull still have the Renault engine so unlikely to be any changes to the top 3. Expect Max to push closer this year though as he had rotten luck with some DNF’s last year

Graeme · « **Reply #47 on:** February 5, 2018, 02:44:16 pm »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/42950040

Quote

Formula 1 is to replace 'grid girls' with a new programme called 'grid kids' this season.

F1 bosses plan to use budding racing drivers "to make the pre-race ceremony more relevant and interesting for fans, especially the younger ones".

The sport said last week it would no longer be using female promotional models on the starting grid.

The children used will be competitors in karting or junior categories, chosen by national motorsport authorities.

Quite like that, great opportunity for the kids. Feel Liberty could have avoided some backlash by announcing this at the same time as the departure of the grid girls.

TepidT2O · « **Reply #48 on:** February 5, 2018, 10:11:16 pm »

Quote from: clinical on February 1, 2018, 12:24:03 pm

Can see a dominant year again for Mercedes this year. I think their weakness was their car design last year which they will have gone a long way to fixing over the winter. More rake and can't see any teams catching them.

We’ve been saying more fake for Mercedes for four years, and they never actually do it..

They must work on the basis that they gain more than they lose...

bradders1011 · « **Reply #49 on:** February 7, 2018, 08:00:39 pm »

Still not keen on the halo at all.

It just screams "law of unintended consequences" at me.

RedSince86 · « **Reply #50 on:** February 7, 2018, 09:10:10 pm »

Mclaren Senna....Yours for $958,966.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/02/07/mclaren-senna-details-specs-facts-performance-387239293/#slide-7233257

TepidT2O · « **Reply #51 on:** February 7, 2018, 09:14:38 pm »

I think I’ve seen one of these on the road.. awesome thing, I wondered what it was...

Graeme · « **Reply #52 on:** February 7, 2018, 09:49:58 pm »

Quote from: Tepid T₂O on February 7, 2018, 09:14:38 pm

I think I’ve seen one of these on the road.. awesome thing, I wondered what it was...

They’ve not built any yet I don’t think

TepidT2O · « **Reply #53 on:** February 7, 2018, 09:56:56 pm »

Quote from: Graeme on February 7, 2018, 09:49:58 pm

They’ve not built any yet I don’t think

I live quite near the McLaren factory... it may not have been one of those, but I saw something very exotic dive past me and it wasn’t one of their production models... may have been a prototype... or something else entirely of course...

CraigDS · « **Reply #54 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:00:26 am »

Williams - February 15
Renault - February 20
Sauber - February 20
Mercedes - February 22
Ferrari - February 22
McLaren - February 23
Toro Rosso - February 26

Red Bull, Force India and HAAS - TBA

Mclaren have announced a big sponsorship deal with Dell, makes a change from them losing sponsors. Hopefully they can make the Renault engine work for them as F1 misses them towards the front of the grid and God knows Alonso deserves a decent car.

paulrazor · « **Reply #55 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:19:56 am »

i dont think McLaren have had a podium since Australia 2014 which is insane.

I think the Renault will help, there was races with the Honda, Alonso had the car in a ridiculous position it had no right to be in. Got you thinking what he could do if he didnt have an anchor in it

Trump's tiny tiny hands · « **Reply #56 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:23:37 am »

Quote from: CraigDS on February 9, 2018, 10:00:26 am

Williams - February 15
Renault - February 20
Sauber - February 20
Mercedes - February 22
Ferrari - February 22
McLaren - February 23
Toro Rosso - February 26

Red Bull, Force India and HAAS - TBA

Mclaren have announced a big sponsorship deal with Dell, makes a change from them losing sponsors. Hopefully they can make the Renault engine work for them as F1 misses them towards the front of the grid and God knows Alonso deserves a decent car.

We will soon find out if McLaren's chassis development has been as good as the Honda engine was bad.

armchair-fan · « **Reply #57 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:52:33 am »

Quote from: Graeme on February 5, 2018, 02:44:16 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/42950040

Quite like that, great opportunity for the kids. Feel Liberty could have avoided some backlash by announcing this at the same time as the departure of the grid girls.

The job is demeaning for women and depicts them as sexualised objects - how about we get children to do it instead?!

CraigDS · « **Reply #58 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:55:16 am »

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 10:52:33 am

The job is demeaning for women and depicts them as sexualised objects - how about we get children to do it instead?!

Not really the same though is it.

The women were there as a legacy of a decision made years ago by men, to look pretty. The kids are certainly not there to look pretty, but to bring them closer to the sport and give them an opportunity to be around their idols.

I assume you don't see mascots at a football game as sexualised objects?

armchair-fan · « **Reply #59 on:** February 9, 2018, 11:04:06 am »

Quote from: CraigDS on February 9, 2018, 10:55:16 am

I assume you don't see mascots at a football game as sexualised objects?

I wouldn't go that far - but the modern fad of every single player having their own child that they walk on with holding their hand is just weird.

If standing in front of the car holding a board up is demeaning for women, I don't see why it isn't demeaning for children.

Graeme · « **Reply #60 on:** February 9, 2018, 11:15:04 am »

Because it’ll allow promising young drivers the opportunity to get up close to the teams and the cars. How the hell is that demeaning?

gazzalfc · « **Reply #61 on:** February 9, 2018, 11:32:08 am »

Nice to see the important points of the sports are being debated

This is the typical F1. Forget engine part limits, grid penalties, chassis, halo, tyre compounds, drivers etc. It's all about grid girls and kid mascots

CraigDS · « **Reply #62 on:** February 9, 2018, 11:32:25 am »

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 11:04:06 am

If standing in front of the car holding a board up is demeaning for women, I don't see why it isn't demeaning for children.

You said why yourself in your original post - the women are there to be sexualised and objectified. To look pretty next to the men who are racing.

Now do you think the children are being used for the same reason?

armchair-fan · « **Reply #63 on:** February 9, 2018, 12:10:26 pm »

Quote from: Graeme on February 9, 2018, 11:15:04 am

Because it’ll allow promising young drivers the opportunity to get up close to the teams and the cars. How the hell is that demeaning?

Quote from: CraigDS on February 9, 2018, 11:32:25 am

You said why yourself in your original post - the women are there to be sexualised and objectified. To look pretty next to the men who are racing.

Now do you think the children are being used for the same reason?

They are there to advertise shit and look cute on TV.

If the teams want to give promising young drivers a chance to get up close to the cars and the teams, a peek behind the scenes, surely they can invite them into the garage or at their research facilities. Surely they do this already, no?

Why do they have Hollywood actors and sports stars wandering around the grid and in the garages - to give them a chance to look at how the teams work?! No - to look good on TV and add a bit of glamour.

Quote from: gazzalfc on February 9, 2018, 11:32:08 am

Nice to see the important points of the sports are being debated

This is the typical F1. Forget engine part limits, grid penalties, chassis, halo, tyre compounds, drivers etc. It's all about grid girls and kid mascots

It's a niche sport as it is. Reduce it to Oxbridge engineering graduates hunched over laptops and wannabes at home speculating about aerodynamic tweaks and tyre compounds you'll lose 95% of the audience.

b_joseph · « **Reply #64 on:** February 9, 2018, 12:48:04 pm »

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 10:52:33 am

The job is demeaning for women and depicts them as sexualised objects - how about we get children to do it instead?!

Its to promote a family atmosphere. They don't want the sport to be solely promoted towards the obvious demographic that would want to see pretty girls standing around being props.
They want to appeal to every single demographic and like it or not, having women stand around near the cars with the sole job of being pretty, is old world ridiculous.

armchair-fan · « **Reply #65 on:** February 9, 2018, 01:57:48 pm »

Quote from: b_joseph on February 9, 2018, 12:48:04 pm

Its to promote a family atmosphere. They don't want the sport to be solely promoted towards the obvious demographic that would want to see pretty girls standing around being props.
They want to appeal to every single demographic and like it or not, having women stand around near the cars with the sole job of being pretty, is old world ridiculous.

I wouldn't disagree that it's 'old world ridiculous'. But why do we even need anyone standing in front of the car on the grid holding up the number and advertising? Get rid, or if you must have something stick it on a pole or some digital projection. If it's demeaning for women to do the job, it's demeaning for children.

You might be right that there is a huge demographic of young women only holding back from following F1 by it not being family friendly enough, but I'd be surprised.

CraigDS · « **Reply #66 on:** February 9, 2018, 02:00:19 pm »

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 01:57:48 pm

If it's demeaning for women to do the job, it's demeaning for children.

Once again, it's demeaning because they are sexualising and objectifying the women. Not because the job is to hold a sign.

They aren't doing that to the kids. The kids will fucking love being there on the grid next to the cars and the drivers and all the hustle and bustle that goes on. They'll also no doubt get the chance to be shown around the various garages and cars before the races, and have prime place to watch them.

armchair-fan · « **Reply #67 on:** February 9, 2018, 04:05:16 pm »

Quote from: CraigDS on February 9, 2018, 02:00:19 pm

Once again, it's demeaning because they are sexualising and objectifying the women. Not because the job is to hold a sign.

We probably are now veering too far away from discussing putting more 'rake' on the Mercedes and the implications of tyre compound changes, but it is your mind that is sexualising the women holding the signs. Presuming from your username that you are a male and most likely a heterosexual male, I'm not sure you're in a position to be telling women what jobs they should or shouldn't be doing. Do you object to men using their image to earn money too? And rather than simply doing away with what is clearly a superfluous role other than to look good and advertise products, they have taken a decision to use children in that role instead - it strikes me as a very odd and confused response. By all means invite promising young drivers, male and female, onto the grid and into the garages to potentially help in their development for a future career in the sport.

gazzalfc · « **Reply #68 on:** February 9, 2018, 05:46:48 pm »

Bringing it back to the actual sport

Alonso will now race in all World Endurance Championship races this season after the Japanese race was moved to accommodate him.

So he will race in Fuji then a week later race in the US GP

CraigDS · « **Reply #69 on:** February 9, 2018, 05:49:48 pm »

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 04:05:16 pm

We probably are now veering too far away from discussing putting more 'rake' on the Mercedes and the implications of tyre compound changes, but it is your mind that is sexualising the women holding the signs. Presuming from your username that you are a male and most likely a heterosexual male, I'm not sure you're in a position to be telling women what jobs they should or shouldn't be doing. Do you object to men using their image to earn money too?

Errr, I'm quoting you...

Quote from: armchair-fan on February 9, 2018, 10:52:33 am

The job is demeaning for women and depicts them as sexualised objects

armchair-fan · « **Reply #70 on:** February 9, 2018, 10:35:57 pm »

Quote from: CraigDS on February 9, 2018, 05:49:48 pm

Errr, I'm quoting you...

Ha! Ha! You have misunderstood what I was attempting to say, and I can see why. I will go away and brush up on my grammar (as well as titanium skid blocks, wheel base lengths, etc, etc!).

Graeme · « **Reply #71 on:** February 14, 2018, 03:36:37 pm »

Haas the first to reveal their car, albeit not in the flesh...

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11200148/f1-2018-haas-reveal-new-car-the-vf-18-with-first-look-look-at-halo

gazzalfc · « **Reply #72 on:** February 14, 2018, 05:16:15 pm »

Side pods look massively reduced.

Halo still looks shit. I cannot see how that offers any form of protection

TepidT2O · « **Reply #73 on:** February 14, 2018, 06:02:07 pm »

They’ve covered up the remains of the fin well with their colour scheme.

It will still look pretty crap won’t it...

Halo is still crap. I’m still at a loss to see how it’s safer. I can’t help but think access to and from the car is restricted enough to negate any benefits.

sminp · « **Reply #74 on:** February 14, 2018, 06:22:06 pm »

Quote from: Tepid T₂O on February 14, 2018, 06:02:07 pm

They’ve covered up the remains of the fin well with their colour scheme.

It will still look pretty crap won’t it...

Halo is still crap. I’m still at a loss to see how it’s safer. I can’t help but think access to and from the car is restricted enough to negate any benefits.

Their colour scheme has helped minimise the impact of the Halo as well.

Is it me or does the top down view show the Haas as being extremely tightly packed? It looks so slim.

bradders1011 · « **Reply #75 on:** February 14, 2018, 11:37:25 pm »

Noticeable lack of external sponsors on the Haas there.

Remember in the 90s when people used to complain that the cars all had a couple of dozen sponsors everywhere ruining the core paint scheme?

paulrazor · « **Reply #76 on:** February 15, 2018, 06:55:29 am »

Nice looking.

Hardly any sponsors alright

Graeme · « **Reply #77 on:** February 15, 2018, 11:38:39 am »

Williams launch tonight

Paul_h · « **Reply #78 on:** February 15, 2018, 09:42:12 pm »

paulrazor · « **Reply #79 on:** February 15, 2018, 10:26:05 pm »

Front page of f1 racing looks great. Looks shit from side imo