Topic: 2017 Formula 1 Thread

[west_london_red]

Vetstappen being a bit of a little bitch, what exactly did he want Grossjean to do?

[Upinsmoke]

Not a bad gp. Fair result in the end. Good from verstappen considering his qualifying position

[sminp]

Max is a god

[paulrazor]

Vetstappen being a bit of a little bitch, what exactly did he want Grossjean to do?

was ridiculous. He was at least 2 seconds back so he wasn't held up. Was just shitting himself with Riccardo.

[gazzalfc]

Watching the race over on SKY F1. Only on lap 4.

Would not like to be the Sauber money men counting the cost of today's race

[gazzalfc]

Really slow safety car.

[Oddball]

Just as a bit of a side I dont suppose anyone knows where I can get a documentary called The Green Hill? Mates after it who is normally pretty good at finding things, but he has having no luck bar to pay for it on You Tubes sister channel.

[TepidT2O]

Bloody hell..


Alonso to miss the Monaco GP to race in the Indy 500

[TepidT2O]

Button is their official reseberve driver, so I guess he will step in?

[TepidT2O]

The car will be an Andretti McLaren tie up with a Honda V6 ... He'll love that

[CraigDS]

Bloody hell..


Alonso to miss the Monaco GP to race in the Indy 500

Rcing in a Honda powered car (Andretti) which will be branded McLaren for the race - seems a mix of a PR stunt and something to keep Alonso happy.

[Beav]

Bad that they have to resort to this to keep Alonso happy, their car being so far away from actually competing.

[voodoo ray]

I guarantee no fucker saw that coming.

[paulrazor]

I guarantee no fucker saw that coming.

i certainly didnt

thought it was a wind up

[OzBomber]

i certainly didnt

thought it was a wind up

I genuinely thought I was reading an old April Fools article for a second. Sad that Alonso has to resort to this to get some "interesting" racing.

[paulrazor]

I genuinely thought I was reading an old April Fools article for a second. Sad that Alonso has to resort to this to get some "interesting" racing.

that was exactly my first thought

i sent it to someone in work. his reply to me made this move even more sense

he said monaco is one track the mclaren may well work at as its not a power circuit and its a decent enough chassis seemingly. yet they give him the weekend off.

they havent a fucking clue

[CraigDS]

I imagine it's more Alonso insisting on it. Plus the McLaren brand will have a much better chance winning there than at Monaco, so makes sense to put their best driver in that car (I guess, for them).

[Mr Kipling]

Didn't all 4 of the Andretti Honda cars fail to finish at Long Beach on Sunday?

Fernando will feel right at home then

[paulrazor]

is michael andretti involved

what a happy reunion

[4pool]

Fernando Alonso will compete in the famed Indianapolis 500, meaning he will miss the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. Alonso will find himself in an Indy car for the first time, with McLaren fielding a single-car team under the Andretti Autosport banner.

“I’m immensely excited that I’ll be racing in this year’s Indy 500, with McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport," said Alonso. “The Indy 500 is one of the most famous races on the global motorsport calendar, rivaled only by the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Monaco Grand Prix, and it’s of course a regret of mine that I won’t be able to race at Monaco this year.

“I’ve never raced an Indy car car before, and neither have I ever driven on a superspeedway, but I’m confident that I’ll get to grips with it fast.

“I realize I’ll be on a steep learning curve, but I’ll be flying to Indianapolis from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix, practicing our McLaren-Honda-Andretti car at Indy from May 15 onwards."

Read more: http://autoweek.com/article/formula...p-fernando-alonso-race-indy-500#ixzz4e2q6u8nX

[TepidT2O]

Button will be replacing him!



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39576099

Poor sod

[CraigDS]

Button will be replacing him!



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39576099

Poor sod

Where does it say Button will be replacing him?

[paulrazor]

Where does it say Button will be replacing him?

it doesnt

[CornerFlag]

This does though: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39589767

Jenson Button set to replace Fernando Alonso for McLaren at Monaco Grand Prix
   
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Bahrain

Britain's Jenson Button looks set to replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren for the Monaco Grand Prix in May.

Alonso will miss Monaco to race in the Indianapolis 500, with full support from McLaren and engine partner Honda.

McLaren executive director Zak Brown says two-time champion Alonso's replacement is "not in place".

But there is no other serious option than Button, 37, who is contracted to McLaren as a reserve driver and will race barring unexpected circumstances.

The 2009 world champion retired from Formula 1 at the end of last season and has spent the winter in California training for Ironman triathlons, his long-time passion.

He signed a contract with McLaren last autumn that committed him to replacing any race driver who was not able to take part in a grand prix this year.

As part of that contract, the team also has an option on signing him to race in 2018.

Button tweeted a jokey reaction on Wednesday after the news of Alonso's Indy programme was announced, asking: "Why do I have so many missed calls?"

Meanwhile, Brown told a Bahrain news conference, held to discuss Alonso's Indy programme, that "conversations were ongoing" over the Spaniard's replacement.

"We have a few different options, we will state who that is when we know," he said.

"Eric [Boullier], who runs the F1 team, is ultimately responsible for making the recommendation as to what driver should go in the car and I think he will be here at the weekend so I can save questions for him, he is working on it.

"I wouldn't want to share the conversations he has had with whom."

Button's compatriot and former team-mate, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, said: "I hope Jenson comes back and it will be great for the sport if Jenson comes in.

"Jenson is still one of the best drivers in the world and his calibre and experience make him the best choice."

Hamilton and Button drove together at McLaren between 2010 and 2012.

Are any other drivers in contention?

Button is the only serious alternative McLaren have. Alonso is one of the top three or four drivers in the world and they need an experienced replacement for a race where they have one of their best chances of the season to score decent points.

The McLaren chassis is quite strong, but the car is being let down by its Honda engine, which is said to be at least 100bhp down on the best in F1.

Monaco is one of the tracks on the calendar where engine power is least important in determining lap time. Alonso finished fifth there last year, when Honda also had a power deficit.

On top of that, there are very few available drivers with the required level of skill and expertise.

Mexican Esteban Gutierrez and Brazil's Felipe Nasr both raced last year and are potentially free, but are non-starters for a team such as McLaren needing to find a replacement for a two-time champion.

And Button's deal was struck with exactly this sort of situation in mind.

[CraigDS]

Actually confirmed now 

[gazzalfc]

Actually confirmed now 

Was never really in doubt. Will be nice to see JB back in an F1 car storming round Monaco. If there was a track where a guy can just slot right back in, in a car as poor as Mclaren it would be Button. Splash a bit of rain out there and I'd put money on him getting a podium

So 2 of the 3 drivers that retired last season have made a comeback. Money on Rosberg having a go

[gazzalfc]

Says more about how bad it must be at McLaren for their top driver to up sticks for the marquee F1 race of the year to drive round an oval for 200 laps.

[CraigDS]

Says more about how bad it must be at McLaren for their top driver to up sticks for the marquee F1 race of the year to drive round an oval for 200 laps.

to be honest the Indy 500 is huge. Doubt many drivers, who aren't likely to be anywhere near the front at Monaco, would turn down the chance.

[Oddball]

Says more about how bad it must be at McLaren for their top driver to up sticks for the marquee F1 race of the year to drive round an oval for 200 laps.

As someone who rarely watches the sport, but does catch the odd race here and there and has an obsessed mate who follows it, that was my thought!

[gazzalfc]

The only experience of NASCAR style Motorsport is Talladega Nights and Pixar Cars .

[arthur sarnoff]

to be honest the Indy 500 is huge. Doubt many drivers, who aren't likely to be anywhere near the front at Monaco, would turn down the chance.

Aye, as a driver the Indy 500 is probably a lot more fun than Monaco.  Certainly in Alonso's position.

[CornerFlag]

The only experience of NASCAR style Motorsport is Talladega Nights and Pixar Cars .

Never watched Days of Thunder?

[Beav]

Get on Driven, with Sly Stallone.

[jackh]

Looks like we're set for a very interesting weekend.  Vettel fastest in FP3, with Bottas, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, and Hamilton all within +.284 (Verstappen didn't set a competitive time), and Kimi looking very strong on race pace.  Close on fast times through the rest of the pack, with Sauber the only real exception.

[Upinsmoke]

I know it's gonna be hot in Bahrain come race day but surely with it being in the evening/night it doesn't benefit ferrari to the extent which day time would? The reason I ask is becsuse Hamilton said ferrari would be favourites considering how there types operate in such conditions. But what kind of track temp are we looking at?

[CraigDS]

26–29 °C (79–84 °F) track temperature last year according to wiki.

[classycarra]

really excited for this race, tomorrow can't come soon enough

[4pool]

I've been to the Indy 500 once. Dan Weldon won.

You really can't imagine how big a 2 1/2 mile oval is until you go there.

Small fact. Down the main straight there are tunnels under to track to get from one side to the other. If you want an experience be in there when the cars go over..  

[Upinsmoke]

Great effort by bottas there. Mercedes too quick over one lap. Raikonnen isn't good enough

[b_joseph]

Thought that Mercedes would struggle in qualifying here...struggle for them mind you. But in the end, the car looks good. Lewis screwed something up in his middle sector to lose as much time as he did.
Good for Bottas, he needed that. Sharp into turn 1 though.