752 replies to this topic

[Risil]

The Grand Prix season is speeding along with race 3 of the year starting in a few hours' time. Qualifying for this one had a retro feel with Max Verstappen scoring a pole position, ahead of the two McLaren drivers who have so far been 2025's drivers to beat. Can Max stay ahead of them?

Charles Leclerc lines up fourth, four places ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with the Mercedes drivers locking out row 3. Exciting qualifying anomalies included new guy Isack Hadjar starting 7th for Toro Rosso and Haas's Ollie Bearman halfway up the grid in tenth.

It's Suzuka so expect some mesmerizing cornering but not much in the way of clear passing opportunities. The grass may catch fire but the FIA have assured us they have a plan, which is that it'll probably rain on Sunday morning, and if it doesn't, we'll throw some water on it. This is not terribly reassuring but in my book "will the circuit catch fire" qualifies as an intriguing subplot.

And speaking of 2025's most intriguing subplot of all, recently-de/promoted Liam Lawson lines up alongside his replacement Yuki Tsunoda all the way down in 13th and 14th. Expect, er, mediocrity.

Race starts at 6am BST / 7am CEST / 2pm local.

Anyway, allow the skidplates of your imagination to release sparks of hype on the dry grass of unrealistic expectations. Or if you prefer, get out the hose of scepticism and spray it with the inadequate water supply of experience. (Post below.)

[KWSN - DSM]

[ClubmanGT]

- Will Hadjar (or bits of Hadjar) stay sufficiently strapped for a whole race session?

[B Squared]

Getting ready to take a nap so I can watch it live at 1:00 a.m. eastern time USA. I just like watching the races live, but I'll be glad when this swing is over.

[Myrvold]

- Will Hadjar (or bits of Hadjar) stay sufficiently strapped for a whole race session?

 

Well, I don't think the issue was that it wasn't sufficiently strapped

Sheesh. I know the feeling. I am happy that the last endurance race I did had a minimum pit-stop time, that made it possible to re-do the belts in time, I did get "one of them" in a very unpleasant spot when the last tightening of the belts were done. Ouch.

[Kaiser]

Why not just backburn the grass in areas where the cars are bottoming? 

[STRFerrari4Ever]

The Grand Prix season is speeding along with race 3 of the year starting in a few hours' time. Qualifying for this one had a retro feel with Max Verstappen scoring a pole position, ahead of the two McLaren drivers who have so far been 2025's drivers to beat. Can Max stay ahead of them?

Charles Leclerc lines up fourth, four places ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with the Mercedes drivers locking out row 3. Exciting qualifying anomalies included new guy Isack Hadjar starting 7th for Toro Rosso and Haas's Ollie Bearman halfway up the grid in tenth.

It's Suzuka so expect some mesmerizing cornering but not much in the way of clear passing opportunities. The grass may catch fire but the FIA have assured us they have a plan, which is that it'll probably rain on Sunday morning, and if it doesn't, we'll throw some water on it. This is not terribly reassuring but in my book "will the circuit catch fire" qualifies as an intriguing subplot.

And speaking of 2025's most intriguing subplot of all, recently-de/promoted Liam Lawson lines up alongside his replacement Yuki Tsunoda all the way down in 13th and 14th. Expect, er, mediocrity.

Race starts at 6am BST / 7am CEST / 2pm local.

Anyway, allow the skidplates of your imagination to release sparks of hype on the dry grass of unrealistic expectations. Or if you prefer, get out the hose of scepticism and spray it with the inadequate water supply of experience. (Post below.)

Toro Rosso is back? All is well with the universe!

[loki]

Well, I don't think the issue was that it wasn't sufficiently strapped

 

My take is he is “sufficiently strapped”.

[FLB]

Formula Fanatics: "A damp Suzuka [ #F1 #JapaneseGP ]" — Bluesky

[FirstnameLastname]

Did the FIA not ADD metal blocks to the plank to create more sparks because for a time folk were missing them and harking back to the good old days?!

It’s very on-brand to then create a situation where a race weekend is affected… and then have to come up with ways to mitigate against the problem they’ve created.

[FLB]

[The Passenger]

- Will Hadjar (or bits of Hadjar) stay sufficiently strapped for a whole race session?

Isack "Racing Balls" Hadjar.

[TauriJ]

Looks like only one shower on radar. A small one. After that nothing.

Could be a dry start

[OvDrone]

Good morning y’all or whatever timebased period you are partaking in. Excited and looking forward to it.

F1 at Suzuka is a highlight. And honestly I started liking this earlier slot in the calendar for it.

[ClubmanGT]

Looks like only one shower on radar. A small one. After that nothing.

Could be a dry start

 

Did enough rain fall to mitigate the risk of fires? 

[TauriJ]

Did enough rain fall to mitigate the risk of fires?

Probably, it was very wet

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

Everyone going out on slicks. 40mins to go to the start so will dry out further

[dzik]

if dry, it will be another boring race

[RPM40]

Full dry? 

[KWSN - DSM]

Just turned on and they talked about rain during race, or rather possible rain during race.

[MortenF1]

Yes, this is easy slicks even if it is a liiiiittle bit damp

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

Just turned on and they talked about rain during race, or rather possible rain during race.

Small chance at best. Croft just doing his usual, in reality he has no idea and I doubt he's heard anything even remotely concrete. Heck, as soon as he sees a dark cloud he says it's going to rain

[Hellenic tifosi]

The green track could turn the race into a two stopper.

[MortenF1]

If this is a slicks race throughout it’ll be a one-stopper.

[keshav]

If this is a slicks race throughout it’ll be a one-stopper.

The graining is more on a green track.

[JL14]

A damp start could be interesting.

 

Or we get a long (a lot of) SC....

[MortenF1]

The graining is more on a green track.

Not a given even if yes, there’s a higher probability of that, but the pace will also be slower.
I expect a mix of medium and soft for the start, and then the hards to the flag.

[TomNokoe]

Tricky conditions!

[BoDarvelle]

Norris was complaining of graining within a couple laps back in FP1 iirc.

[MortenF1]

Norris says he has a wet patch on his grid spot 😐

[keshav]

Norris says he has a wet patch on his grid spot 😐

Oh god

[Centauri]

if dry, it will be another boring race

Initially my thought… but then I remembered the last wet race at Suzuka and it was a total snooze-fest because everyone just followed each other because they couldn’t go off-line to overtake.

A lot of wet races seem to be like that in recent times - I don’t think a wet track promotes overtaking like it used to.

[KWSN - DSM]

ESPN reporter just said 40% chance of rain during race, with all they say someone will eventually be correct.

[RPM40]

Initially my thought… but then I remembered the last wet race at Suzuka and it was a total snooze-fest because everyone just followed each other because they couldn’t go off-line to overtake.

A lot of wet races seem to be like that in recent times - I don’t think a wet track promotes overtaking like it used to.

 

They are. You also throw in no DRS and the complete risk adverse strategy and the wet races often aren't that exciting. 

[TomNokoe]

Hamilton on Hards hahaha recipe for disaster

[dissident]

Good morning

[STRFerrari4Ever]

Morning all, hoping for an exciting race but a procession could ensue.

[Ruudbackus]

No rain to see on the radar so it will be a dry race

[Muppetmad]

Hamilton on Hards hahaha recipe for disaster

Yeah, that's a Ferrari strategy if I've ever seen one!

[JimmyClark]

Morning all! Well it's 11pm here in Costa Rica... I found a 5 live stream for the start, but then going to bed. I've been up 24 hours now...

[TomNokoe]

The dark tarmac is deceiving, I can't tell how dry it is!

[renzmann]

Good morning

[renzmann]

Hamilton on Hards hahaha recipe for disaster

 

Some things never change.

[Ruusperi]

[MortenF1]

Whoa, Hamilton on hards!

[TomNokoe]

Looks quite dry actually!

[BleuMurmure]

Some things never change.

Combine that with Ferrari strategy, he will come in 1 lap after Leclerc

[Bleu]

Hards: Hamilton, Bortoleto, Ocon (heat cycled)

Softs: Doohan, Stroll

Mediums: Everyone else (Alonso on heat cycled)

[Boxerevo]

Dafuq Lewis is doing with Hard tyres...

[Hellenic tifosi]

However, it makes some sense to try something different when being in traffic. In race strategy is another thing though