Is this the year that McLaren gives Alonso a real car?

[Horton]

@FWinter Your boy Lewis might have to work a little harder this year.

[Taperflex]

At least now they will have a REAL engine.

[DW]

@Taperflex: Maybe, it has to stay together first...

 

Could be a fun year -if-

1. Vettel can keep his cool and Ferrari does not implode

2. Renault is reliable and has decent power

3. which leads to Max and Fred being super competitive

4. and Lewis does not whine too much, LOL. Will Bottas come close, probably not but would make great inter-team drama

 

and most importantly, Haas F1 has another great year:)

 

You guys might be missing the dark horse if the Renault is good, Mr. Sainz whose dad is running the most grueling race on the planet right now.

[Horton]

@DW I just can not take another year of Lewis running away with the field.

[DW]

@Horton: best driver in best car usually leads to a runaway. Unfortunately for Alonso, he has a habit of being in the wrong place at exactly the wrong time, maybe this year will not be the case.

[mbabiash]

Alonzo is the best starter in the field. He always gains numerous spots at the start. Even with a crappy car. That’s also what puts him in wrong place at the wrong time.

[DW]

@mbabiash : my reference is not his racecraft as that is top notch, it is relative to what team he decides to plant his derriere in at exactly the wrong time - to McLaren to partner the aforementioned Mr. Hamilton, to Ferrari when they come out with a bad car, back to McLaren when they marry Honda, etc. You can even see it with his Indy 500 run, the year the Honda's expire in less than 500 miles.

[ShererSkier]

I hope Alonso gets a real run at the championship again. I think he's the most complete driver in the field if he had the right car. I'm just sick of hearing how Lewis is the best F1 driver. If Mercedes didn't have a car far superior to the rest of the field, I'm not sure that Lewis would be walking away with championships like this. Plus, winning only seems to inflate his opinion of himself, makes me wish he would retire.

 

I think F1 needs to bring unlimited testing back and figure someway to make the cars have to pit more often. Back when there was refueling, there was so much more strategy and less management in the racing that it made a lot more passing on track and an uncertainty toward the end of the race. There are too many races that end very close to the staring order nowadays.

 

Sorry if I went on a little rant, just another sport I love that deserves more than its current state.

[6balls]

So were Senna, Prost, and Schumacher the best drivers or did they just have the best factory sponsored rides at the time? Not trying to be a smart ass, trying to figure out just how much discrepancy in equipment in F1? Seems like quite a bit.

[DW]

@6balls : F1 probably has the most discrepancy between teams and equipment, simply as each team has to 'build' their own car (Haas commissions Dallara for theirs & there is a list of 'common' components all teams can use). There is a huge financial difference across the teams in F1 from taking in hundreds of millions at the top, to basically not being able to pay the bills at the other end. Your list includes the best and those guys are also the most adept at getting the best cars, I simply put that as part of being the best.

[6balls]

Probably part of what prevents a bigger following. It's never televised here, was some when I was a kid---I remember watching Prost just destroy the field when there was some rain. He destroyed them in the dry, too, but geez in the rain just game over.

I also used to love the view they would shoot sometimes of the pedals watching...those guys before paddle shifters work their magic was AMAZING!

I tracked a Ford Spec Racer at Brainerd International last summer open air with a manual...what a riot.

[Ed_Johnson]

@6balls ... In answer to your question, I believe Senna was the best. Funny thing about Schumacher, he grew up with his family owning a go kart track where he raced constantly. His F1 mechanics talk about how easy it was to set the car up for him because they would just tighten everything up like a go kart and let him RIP.

 

Agree with @Horton, can not stand another year of cry baby Lewis.

 

[Horton]

If I was in charge...

1. Take a chunk of aero downforce off the cars

2. More Power

3. simplify the engine packages and rules

4. Make the Friday before the race an unlimited open testing day

[Horton]

@6balls in season the races are always televised on NBCSN or FoxSports. They are just in the middle of the night so you have to record them.

[DW]

2018 will see races on ESPN. Sadly, no more David Hobbs, the broadcast will be the Euro F1 team.

[Horton]

@DW that is crap! Hobbs is the best part of F1!

[ShererSkier]

@6balls I get ya. I just mean that F1 seemed to hit a good blend for a while where the championships were really competitive for quite a few years and I was hoping it would keep it going and not fall back into one team dominant for years style racing. I would never want F1 to be all the same cars and come down to only driver but even when Vettel won it 4 yrs in a row, 2 of those came down to the wire. There was also more passing throughout the rest of the field. I just like seeing that more than seeing a driver clinch the championship with many races left or train racing.

 

I also agree with what @Horton would change, especially the aero. I don’t like that a car destroys the aero of the car running behind it. I would like to see some way to ease the financial aspect on newcoming and lower tier teams. The amount of funds Ferrari/Mercedes have compared to Sauber/Renault makes it harder for smaller teams to stay afloat.

[Horton]

Gimme cigar shaped cars w/ huge engines and let's see who can really drive.

[Chef23]

@Horton not to be flip but isn’t that kind of like NASCAR on a road course?

[Horton]

@Chef23 no

 

http://www.globalmotorsport.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/F1-history.jpg

 

[DW]

RIP Dan Gurney, one of the very best ever. Won in every type of car on all types of tracks including his own F1 car, invented the champagne spray and was a super nice guy. An American icon.

 

@Horton : great classic '60's shot of the infamous Nurburgring circuit. BTW, Gurney was great in those cars.

[Freddie Winter]

@Horton after your performance last year I'd be running in the opposite direction of any predictions, let along wagers. Lewis will slay again if he's in a competitive, reliable car. He only missed out year before last because of extreme bad luck and even then he nearly made it back. Alonso? He smashed him when they were in the same car in his rookie year. Come on.

[Horton]

@FWinter I just don't know how you could be so wrong. Are we going double or nothing from last year? I know we made some new wager I just don't remember.

[Freddie Winter]

@Horton double our nothing. Think it was 10 last year. Hamilton to win, I take it your with Alonso?

[Horton]

@FWinter I stand by Alonso

[Taperflex]

Alonzo already has a podium capable chassis, and with the latest and hopefully more reliable Renault power plant, he will be extremely competitive.

[aupatking]

You’re betting on Renault for reliability? French engine reliability is almost an oxy-moron. Not quite as bad as English electronics, but pretty close. I remember my dad’s picture of the Lucas electronics plant, working the night shift. For those of you who haven’t seen that photo, it’s a black sheet of paper.

It’s gonna be another Hamilton year. March 23, he wins. I got 5 on it.

[Horton]

@aupatking what was the engine in Fernando's car last time he was world champion?

[aupatking]

@Horton 2006?

[Horton]

@aupatking in all fairness I think I should mention that British electronics are in the heart of every Formula 1 car on the grid. The same is true for every car in NASCAR.

 

 

[aupatking]

Not actually knocking either, just having fun with your discussion. I’m a British car fan, so not actually knocking them nor Renault. I’ve always been impressed with Renault race engines. If you love English cars or bikes, the electronics joke has always been there. I just love road racing and this time of year is a sports drought. Looking forward to March in Melbourne.

And i got $5 on Hamilton. Wasn’t joking there

[dvskier]

Lucas the prince of darkness. I had a good friend with a Norton motorcycle, one dark night as he was rounding a curve on Cape Cod the headlight went out abruptly. Got very exciting for him as there was also sand on the road. Never rode that bike again at night.

I sold MGs for a couple of years, a lot of electrical gremlins, not a fan of Lucas.

[Andre]

Vettel won 4 championships with Renault...juste saying.

[DW]

If you have been following the info on the Merc powertrain, it is very impressive. They just eclipsed the 50% thermal efficiency barrier which is quite the accomplishment. The silver arrow will be a tough car to beat, human error on the team side and reliability are the potential Achilles heels for them. One overlooked area on the Renault side, how much is the FE involvement a distraction.

[tlarocque]

Can't believe Alonso's championships were both in Renault cars over 10 years ago. Actually, I think McLaren gave him a really good car last year. The Honda motor was a dog but getting better by the end of the season. If the Renault is reliable, could be the most interesting season we have seen in a while.

[wolfgang]

Lots of emotion in both Ferrari and Vettel so that’s where my money’s going

[Ed_Johnson]

@wolfgang .... I'm with you Bro. Ever since Shuey revamped Ferrari I see Red, and Vettel takes no prisoners. Love his aggressive style.

 

Do hope Alonso gets a better car this rear though. He did a hell of a job at Indy for his first time out this year, and everyone there liked his great attitude. Great Guy !!!

 

 

[wolfgang]

I agree @Ed_Johnson , Alonso deserves another shot. I think McLaren has the smarts....technology and personnel. I did own a Renault 10 many years ago, amazing what they got out of 1100 cc...... pretty much flat out on the Autobahn with one eye on the mirror at all times.

[DW]

Fred, as Mr. Hobbs called him, is racing this weekend at the Daytona 24 hour, driving for his F1 boss. He out-qualified his team mate by a significant margin. Fox networks carry that race.

BTW - he has expressed interest in doing some NASCAR racing & likes the US racing culture (more open & friendly compared to the world of F1).

[Horton]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeptLdEBwNP/

[DW]

@Horton : perhaps you just 'exposed' why Liberty Media wants to eliminate the F1 grid girls, LOL.

[Drago]

I'm guessing they don't want to eliminate podium girls--and the girls that stand next to the cars--but feel they should

[jdarwin]

@Horton - I'll meet you in Austin in October...

[Horton]

@jdarwin would love too.

[wart]

Without Hobbs & friends, F1 is dead in the USA. Long live F1.

And it may take “large attachments” to say that.

+1 Alonso.

[DW]

You have to appreciate what Alonso is doing in 2018, not just running one or two key races in an alternate series (Daytona 24 Hr & LeMans), but attempting to run as many as he can and also pushing (by the organizers) a schedule adjustment so he can run a WEC race in Japan. Imitating several US drivers that run multiple series, will be great for the sport.

 

At least we can still get the F1 races in 2018 on areasonable popular channel, not so much for one of the best series, MotoGP.

 

[aupatking]

The Verstappen Ricciardo Red Bull car is awesome.

 

[DW]

@Horton - looks like your man Alonso will be back in F1 next year > Renault bound.

[Andre]

And Renault has a real good engine (look at McLaren this week end) but the car is lacking.Alonso would help on that...

[shufflehuff]

Really excited about it. Always enjoyed watching Alonso race. I always hoped he would return to F1. Last weeks race was exciting. Hoping for another great race this weekend.