80 replies to this topic

[LolaB0860]

It's here! Almost.

 

So how are you all feeling?

 

Edited by LolaB0860, 20 February 2024 - 21:37.

[RPM40]

I would say quite excited for the race.

 

The 2023 season was a real drag, so most of the hope is that there will be a real switch up in the competitive order. If it settles back into another 2023 style season that will quickly evaporate.

[Shambolic]

Glad the off season is ending, but sad the calendar starts quite so sandstrewn.

[LolaB0860]

Glad the off season is ending, but sad the calendar starts quite so sandstrewn.

 

Well, only 12-13 months to this

https://www.autohebd...025-season.html

[Risil]

I am EXCITED

[monolulu]

I’m excited but ask again after testing! 

[JHSingo]

Not particularly, since I'm not expecting really anything different from last year. But then, the last time I felt like that was going into 2021, and that turned into an all-time classic season (except for the fan toxicity), so, we'll see. F1 qualifying and race for me, maybe one of the F2 races if I can find somewhere to watch it. 

 

Now the first WEC race of the season, on the same weekend as F1? THAT I am 10/10 extremely excited about. 

[P123]

It's never felt like a proper season opener, and doubly dull given that the teams will have already tested a few hundred laps round it prior to the race weekend.

[1player]

Gotta see winter testing to decide how excited I am, but I must say I am actually looking forward to this season, compared to early 2023. God what an awful season that was. Shut up about me "being unable to appreciate excellence."

Give me competition and close battles, mistakes and drama. Leave perfection to machines.

[thefinalapex]

Depends if the RB is really has the advantage that is been rumored then quite low. I will watch it anyway ofcourse like i did when Merc were cleaning up the grid a period of time. But there would be nothing better then 5-6 teams fighting for the win if you look at the resources from the next teams in F1(RB,Merc,Ferrari,Aston,Macca and Alpine) its more dreaming then being realistic.

[Laster]

I’m always excited for the new season and what new stories might unfold. Which teams have improved? Are any drivers going to make a step in performance and spring a surprise to beat their teammate? It’s a fun time of year with lots of open questions.

[macjim]

Excited to see F1 back, but fearful for another Max boreathon

[TheFish]

I saw nothing last season to make me think this will be remotely competitive. Sure, the order behind Max might be changing and fun, but I reckon Red Bull could win this years title with last years car, let alone a new one.

Maybe the season will surprise me though.

[Heyli]

For whatever reason lowest level of excitement I have had for quite some time. Went with Moderate.

 

Still looking forward to watch, but I dont really expect any big surprises compared to where they ended last year. 

[IrvTheSwerve]

I was going to start this exact thread…but thought I’d be shouted down for having a moan, lol.

 

Probably the least excited I’ve been for a season start in over 20 years. Still fatigued after last year’s looong dominant season, exact same drivers, same teams (ignoring the RB/Stake rubbish), testing at the exact circuit we’re racing at next week, soulless desert race…it’s just absolutely nothing like seeing the cars around Barcelona in the cold, then waking up in the middle of the night to see them roll out in FP1 at a packed Albert Park…after not seeing F1 cars for 5 months. It’s just not the same.

[Red5ive]

Having watched the first session of testing only so far - the Red Bull looks a class above still, so my interest in the new season has taken a bit of a hit.

[Beri]

In all honesty, I couldnt care less.

[BerniesDad]

-Grands prix at Bahrain - usually terribly dull

-Any grand prix that is preceded by testing at the same circuit - usually terribly dull.

-Already knowing who will win ten days before they line up on the grid - dull, dull, dull

 

Dull cubed. Excitement level is scarcely reaching *meh*.  I'll read about it after the race. 

[JimmyClark]

The build up of a test followed by a race at the same circuit lacks the excitement of the season starting in Melbourne - all the build up week of crates arriving at the track, drivers doing silly promos at the beach, and of course us getting up early and being albe to dedicate time solely to the first race. 

 

Now, it just feels we have very extended Free Practice days, and by the time the race weekend comes there nothing really out of the ordinary about it. 

 

So as a venue, it's all a bit meh. 

 

But it's a new F1 season, which is always exciting, though probably not on the scale I used to have for it. 

[ar1]

Having watched the first session of testing only so far - the Red Bull looks a class above still, so my interest in the new season has taken a bit of a hit.

 

yeah this morning's testing has really taken my mood down

[DW46]

None existant since Bahrain test 2022.

[AncientLurker]

I read the thread title as excrement levels. Seems accurate for my anticipation.

[noikeee]

I just checked the calendar and the GP is on a Saturday?? Qualy friday and Free practice thursday? .... Why?

 

I'm not gonna watch anything then because I've got plans next Saturday and Thursday/Friday I'm working at the office. Not that I was any excited about this season neither, probably the least I can ever remember. Zero changes in driver lineup + zero changes in regulation + extremely dominant team with no internal teammate fight, is the worst possible combo I can think of.

[krapmeister]

Jeddah is a Saturday race as well, due to Ramadan

[Victor_RO]

Bought the season pass for streaming for WEC, didn't buy the season pass for F1TV. I think that sums it up succintly.

[Ruusperi]

If the season opener was in Australia, I would be hyped for FP1 already and probably watch F3 & F2 free practice before that.

But since it's not Albert Park, I'll skip all but the races. Bahrain is just so soulless tilkedrome, so unless Kimi Räikkönen or Mika Häkkinen replaces Max Verstappen at Red Bull, I cannot get excited.

[Dan333SP]

Was moderately excited until I realized testing started today, checked the times, and am no longer at all excited for the upcoming season. At least I have WEC/IMSA to be excited about! 

[Risil]

Jeddah is a Saturday race as well, due to Ramadan

 

Somebody from Autosport explained a while ago that this means that Bahrain has to be Saturday too, as the two events are back-to-back and there's an official FIA regulation that there has to be a minimum 7 day gap between each Grand Prix.

[PassWind]

One of the unexcited, doesn’t think the tracks cr@p though 😎

[cheekybru]

Bit disappointed with myself putting negative answers but I hate the feeling of a "pointless" season (no battle for the wdc) looming over us

[Calum]

A RedBull domination could hopefully burst the Netflix bubble.

This could make it easier to get tickets for the 2026 Rule Change when things are hopefully more competitive in the title race!

[Disgrace]

A RedBull domination could hopefully burst the Netflix bubble.

This could make it easier to get tickets for the 2026 Rule Change when things are hopefully more competitive in the title race!

 

And Andretti won't get fleeced for $500 billion or whatever it is Domenicali wants them to pay to enter the sport.

[1player]

A RedBull domination could hopefully burst the Netflix bubble.

This could make it easier to get tickets for the 2026 Rule Change when things are hopefully more competitive in the title race!

Ah yes let's kill the sport so you can get cheap tickets. I'd rather the other way around.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Excitement levels aren’t high because of the prospect of more dominance, starting the season again in Bahrain after testing there the week before and the previous season only ending just as we were about to enter December 2023.

At least if it was beginning in Melbourne there’d be the novelty of the start time, familiarity with that being the curtain raiser and Melbourne offering a surprise or two sometimes but all of that is a thing of the past.

Edited by STRFerrari4Ever, 21 February 2024 - 16:27.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Jeddah is a Saturday race as well, due to Ramadan

 

Can someone explain to me why Ramadan means you can't have a Grand Prix on a Sunday? Was that something stipulated in the Quran or something? 

[JimmyClark]

Can someone explain to me why Ramadan means you can't have a Grand Prix on a Sunday? Was that something stipulated in the Quran or something?

Presumably we don't want marshalls on the job who haven't eaten all day.

Edited by JimmyClark, 21 February 2024 - 16:31.

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Presumably we don't want marshalls on the job who haven't eaten all day.

It might give rise to a “rogue marshal” to quote a certain team principal.

Edited by STRFerrari4Ever, 21 February 2024 - 16:37.

[Shambolic]

I just checked the calendar and the GP is on a Saturday?? Qualy friday and Free practice thursday? .... Why?

Short answer: Money.

 

Slightly less short answer: Liberty cares a lot less for the heritage and integrity of the sport than it does for whoever's willing to hand it the most obscene stacks of cash.

[Burtros]

Short answer: Money.

Slightly less short answer: Liberty cares a lot less for the heritage and integrity of the sport than it does for whoever's willing to hand it the most obscene stacks of cash.

Correct answer : Ramadan starts on Sunday 10th March, so the first two races have been moved forward to allow the event to be completed before that starts. I guess there needs to be 7 days between a race so the Bahrain race also moves forward a day.

Money is a factor but it’s also about the impact of local customs and traditions, which is part of life when you have a ‘world championship’

Edited by Burtros, 21 February 2024 - 16:53.

[BerniesDad]

Ah yes let's kill the sport so you can get cheap tickets. I'd rather the other way around.

 

Yeah! Other way around! Let's get Calum cheap tickets.. so that, uh, he can.. kill the sport ..?

[Calum]

Ah yes let's kill the sport so you can get cheap tickets. I'd rather the other way around.

F1 is clearly still “flavour of the month” just now.

More domination won’t kill the sport but it will cool demand a bit when newer fans realise 2021 is rare.

Sure some will stay hooked, as will the old guard, but a new trending interest is going to be lapped up by the recent bandwagon, instead of F1.

That is unlikely to kill the sport but it will give easier access to tickets in seasons down the line.

Edited by Calum, 21 February 2024 - 17:37.

[hollowstar]

After winter testing showed we're in for another year-long domination, I'm no longer excited for this season. It's almost time to renew my F1TV subscription and I might just wait to see how the first few races unfold. Maybe even "skip" this year. I'm more excited to see Lewis in a Ferrari next year.

[Risil]

Make sure you check out the Indycar race at St Pete Hollowstar!

[PayasYouRace]

Might have to disqualify Red Bull from my regional championships this year too then.

[hollowstar]

Make sure you check out the Indycar race at St Pete Hollowstar!

Well maybe it's time for me to switch series!  I'll try and check it out, though I don't have cable. Is there an ICTV (indycar tv a la F1TV) ?

[Risil]

Well maybe it's time for me to switch series!  I'll try and check it out, though I don't have cable. Is there an ICTV (indycar tv a la F1TV) ?

 

What country are you in? We'll make sure there's info on where you can watch it in the St Pete OP.

 

You'll probably enjoy Indycar, the cars are 1) slow, 2) old, 3) crude, 4) usually all within a second of each other.

[LolaB0860]

This thread is already starting to age like fine wine!

Edited by LolaB0860, 21 February 2024 - 18:29.

[Leatherface]

Wtf, I have noticed that the first two races are on a Saturday, what on earth is going on here, how many races are like this?

[Risil]

Wtf, I have noticed that the first two races are on a Saturday, what on earth is going on here, how many races are like this?

Jeddah is on Saturday to avoid Ramadan. Bahrain therefore has to be on Saturday too, to satisfy the FIA's requirement of a minimum 7 day gap between each race. Not very clever scheduling but so it goes. I'm sure we've all managed a rota at some point in our lives that got unbelievably complicated.

[LolaB0860]

Wtf, I have noticed that the first two races are on a Saturday, what on earth is going on here, how many races are like this?

 

3 out of 24 races are on Saturday this year

 

And 6 sprints