Formula 1 2022 | Pre-Season Thread

[BillyBobSenna]

After pre-season testing, I have a feeling Max will finally win his championship this year.

 

[bi11y]

After pre-season testing, I have a feeling Max will finally win his championship this year.

How many times will Checo need to move out of the way, take a crap strategy run in qualifying, be used as a pawn to try to block a rival etc?

It will be interesting to see the performance of the cars after the first few races.

It might be interesting to see how much shenanigans might go on with rule tweaks and stewarding and race direction.

I have a feeling it is going to be a "great show" but I have low expectations for a genuine and credible competition.

 

[RedBull48]

I will be interested to see how much reliability becomes a factor. A lot of teams are walking a fine line with cooling in particular and teams haven't exactly done pack running for extended periods. I really hope we see a return of Ferrari to race winning potential. Early sign seem to point to a step forward.

 

[Kindly]

Mercedes onboard looks like driving a lorry in a hurricane.

In general still too much movement in slow corners and fast straights for the cars to be fun and safe to go racing.

When I see the likes of Vettel as hesitant as me sim racing in an Aston Martin it does not bode well.

This is one of the reasons I dislike too many rule changes.

However, the Ferrari still looks cool and fast, and Red Bull seem on top of things for now.

 

[blekenbleu]

Carlos is ready to win

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

After pre-season testing, I have a feeling Max will finally win his championship this year.

Someone is still butthurt after all this time lmao.

 

[BillyBobSenna]

Someone is still butthurt after all this time lmao.

Big Max fan. Just would like to see him win on merit.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

Big Max fan. Just would like to see him win on merit.

Suuuuuuuuure dude.

To say something like that, you are either a troll or doesn't understand motorsports.

 

[Peppelino]

Big Max fan. Just would like to see him win on merit.

Ladbrokes, seems to be on the right track about it, too..

https://sports.ladbrokes.com/event/formula-1/formula-1/world-championship/2022-world-championship/234467219

 

[Sasha Jednak]

Big Max fan. Just would like to see him win on merit.

What is "on merit" for you? Max finished 18 races last year (all of those were finished by Hamilton also), not counting AD. In those 18 he has ~1.88 average finishing position. Hamilton finished 19 races (counting Baku as his non-finish although it is not), and with that he has 2.15 average finish position. For me that is winning on merit. And that is just numbers, feeling during the season was even bigger difference than these 0.2 positions (I admit that is probably somewhat exaggerated by "super existing" previous 8 years).

Second thing, people don't like AD... Okay, if there was something illegal don't count it, that means same result with Max champion. But we can't DSQ AD because of "illegal" stuff, because that wasn't how it was done in history (*cough*Singapore*cough*). For me, as a Ferrari fan, both titles are deserved by final winner.
You usually (or even always) have balanced views and comments, that's why I don't understand this merit comment. Or it is just personal opinion, that you want to see your driver win in a way that no-one can say a thing? That I understand.

 

[BillyBobSenna]

What is "on merit" for you? Max finished 18 races last year (all of those were finished by Hamilton also), not counting AD. In those 18 he has ~1.88 average finishing position. Hamilton finished 19 races (counting Baku as his non-finish although it is not), and with that he has 2.15 average finish position. For me that is winning on merit. And that is just numbers, feeling during the season was even bigger difference than these 0.2 positions (I admit that is probably somewhat exaggerated by "super existing" previous 8 years).

Second thing, people don't like AD... Okay, if there was something illegal don't count it, that means same result with Max champion. But we can't DSQ AD because of "illegal" stuff, because that wasn't how it was done in history (*cough*Singapore*cough*). For me, as a Ferrari fan, both titles are deserved by final winner.
You usually (or even always) have balanced views and comments, that's why I don't understand this merit comment. Or it is just personal opinion, that you want to see your driver win in a way that no-one can say a thing? That I understand.

In my opinion the season was over and Lewis was the Champion. Max was artificially given the opportunity to win. That is what I mean by not winning on merit. I know it’s just my opinion however that is what I believe. I am looking forward to the season Max can win a championship based purely on merit.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

In my opinion the season was over and Lewis was the Champion. Max was artificially given the opportunity to win. That is what I mean by not winning on merit. I know it’s just my opinion however that is what I believe. I am looking forward to the season Max can win a championship based purely on merit.

The win was handed to Hamilton at the first lap when they allowed him to cut the chicane and overtake outside the track. But merc still ****ed up the strategy and left Hamilton with old tyres at the end of the race.

Deal with it.

 

[BillyBobSenna]

The win was handed to Hamilton at the first lap when they allowed him to cut the chicane and overtake outside the track. But merc still ****ed up the strategy and left Hamilton with old tyres at the end of the race.

Deal with it.

Nothing to deal with. As mentioned, I'm a Max fan and in general an overall fan of F1. I just think the results for 2021 Championship were artificially reversed by rules that were not followed on the last lap of the last race. In my mind it's just a matter of fact and not a point of stress or frustration.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

Nothing to deal with. As mentioned, I'm a Max fan and in general an overall fan of F1. I just think the results for 2021 Championship were artificially reversed by rules that were not followed on the last lap of the last race. In my mind it's just a matter of fact and not a point of stress or frustration.

Well to me it clearly looks like you are having trouble dealing with the fact that Max is champ. Love how you decide to ignore events and just focus on one.

Well, what am I supposed to expect from someone that says Max didn't win the championship on merit, after all he achieved that year.

 

[bi11y]

The win was handed to Hamilton at the first lap when they allowed him to cut the chicane and overtake outside the track. But merc still ****ed up the strategy and left Hamilton with old tyres at the end of the race.

Deal with it.

I've seen very little discussion of Max's line into that chicane, sort of ignored the apex and drove to park on the exits kerb to force Lewis off and not allow any option for a cut-back move, except one comment that it was a 'block-pass'.

Perhaps not completely dirty driving, but perhaps a bit robust, it was pretty tightly executed and I was amazed that he didn't run off with HAM given his difficulties with track limits at Brazil and Saudi.

And back to 2022, it's going to be very interesting to see if the race director is going to still with the 'white lines' are the track limits - as it is in the rules - and how many drivers have trouble with it.

One of my griefs with F1 is the selective, flexible adaption of black and white rules of the track limits over the last 10 years or so. It will be interesting if they can start get the basics right to improve the credibility of the sport.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

I've seen very little discussion of Max's line into that chicane, sort of ignored the apex and drove to park on the exits kerb to force Lewis off and not allow any option for a cut-back move, except one comment that it was a 'block-pass'.

Perhaps not completely dirty driving, but perhaps a bit robust, it was pretty tightly executed and I was amazed that he didn't run off with HAM given his difficulties with track limits at Brazil and Saudi.

And back to 2022, it's going to be very interesting to see if the race director is going to still with the 'white lines' are the track limits - as it is in the rules - and how many drivers have trouble with it.

One of my griefs with F1 is the selective, flexible adaption of black and white rules of the track limits over the last 10 years or so. It will be interesting if they can start get the basics right to improve the credibility of the sport.

Hamilton chose to not cut-back, what you mean he had no opportunity? Max went wide, all you have to do is not fight around the outside to cut-back. Guess what Hamilton would have done if it was not tarmac but grass/gravel outside the track? Yea I doubt he would have tried to stick to the outside.

So what if it was aggressive, how would that invalidate a legitimate overtake, damn some people... They complain about DRS overtakes and when it's done properly they cry because it's was too aggressive for their taste.

 

[Kindly]

I actually agree that F1 changed the goalposts unfairly, and that whoever was following the rules at the start needs to be compensated.

That said, I feel Max deserved to win the championship and that Red Bull also needed to be recognised and fairly treated in a lot of incidents with Mercedes and Hamilton, in particular at Silverstone and possibly the start of Abu Dhabi, as well as others including Monza.

So, in hindsight, two wrongs do not make a right. That said, I think F1 did a good enough job, and I have no doubt an underperforming car, inconsistency in the Mercedes camp, rule changes, and their leadership taking the wrong decisions is what cost them.

On one hand you have Toto Wolff endorsing rule changes against his own benefit and never wanting a race to end under the safety car. On the other hand, Mercedes resort to cheating when things don't go their way and do want the last lap ending under the safety car for a long time.

 

[bi11y]

Hamilton chose to not cut-back, what you mean he had no opportunity? Max went wide, all you have to do is not fight around the outside to cut-back. Guess what Hamilton would have done if it was not tarmac but grass/gravel outside the track? Yea I doubt he would have tried to stick to the outside.

So what if it was aggressive, how would that invalidate a legitimate overtake, damn some people... They complain about DRS overtakes and when it's done properly they cry because it's was too aggressive for their taste.

er, I just re-watched to check, Hamilton did try to cut back except the cars collided gently because max was next to him still mostly aiming at the same direction as the corner entry even though he was past the usual apex. Hamilton would have expected Max to have turned so as to get a better line for the following corner.

With better tyres I think Max deliberately lined up to run Hamilton off the track or to back off to a very slow speed, the attack was so late I'm not sure Hamilton couldn't slowed enough to pull in behind Max - he would have almost stopped stationary and been in very high risk of being rear ended.

I don't think "Max went wide" is accurate, I think Max positioned his car strategically. Good play to him.

If it was grass/gravel outside then Max would have taken the position and been given a penalty for forcing a rival off the track.

Because there wasn't grass it probably 'perfect robust driving'... I thought I was taking a pretty diplomatic stance that it's "Perhaps not completely dirty driving"... On reflection now I call this "technically legal in F1 fkwit driving" typically excused or lauded by people who praise "ruthless champions" or enjoy the "no longer go for a gap" crap etc for me it's the "win-at-all-cost-a**holery" that is unfortunately part of much of the modern history of the sport.

 

[PickABetterUsername01]

LOL penalty for Max if there was gravel or grass.

Ok I'm done.