F1: Baku

[Panther_99FS]

- REALLY impressed with Gasly!
- Nice to see LeClerc up there again!
- Norris still the leader!
- Can Perez move up?

[Panther_99FS]

Well.....
I wish ALL of the tire compounds would be available for the teams to choose from and not just the ones that Pirelli chooses.....

[Panther_99FS]

Addendum: Gasly did an INCREDIBLE job holding off those 2!

[huub vink]

For once we had an entertainment and unpredictable race, definitely a grand finale! (at least the part I saw....) I watched the MotoGP and Moto2 first (always entertaining).

Next race at Paul Ricard the Mercedesses will be in their normal environment again. It looks like it will be a boring race.

You can see Lewis is under pressure. According to the comments he forgot to switch his brake balance to normal again after the warm up lap for for the final stint. Earlier this season, during the Imola GP he was pushing too hard and ended in the gravel. That race he was saved by the red flag caused by the collision between Russell and Bottas.

Good to see Vettel at the podium again. He and his team did a great job. Great drive by Gasley as well. And Alonso made up quite some places in the last two rounds as well!

Lewis always want to be the best, but this time he should have been satisfied with the second place, which would have taken him back to the lead in the championship.

Cheers,
Huub

[Panther_99FS]

You can see Lewis is under pressure. According to the comments he forgot to switch his brake balance to normal again after the warm up lap for for the final stint.
Cheers,
Huub

Yes he is & yes he did make that error.
Unfortunately when it comes to the constructor's championship, Bottas didn't amount to anything today either - whereas "Checo" came in and saved the day for RBR in terms of constructor's points.

[wombat666]

But oh what a great MotoGP round...................EffWun should take note!

[huub vink]

But oh what a great MotoGP round...................EffWun should take note!

And finally a Dutchman again in the moto2, who has been able to finish in the top 10 the last races! . And you are just happy as Miller was given the third place.

But in the category "in the past most things were better ". Motorsport did loose a lot of its charm, when people like "King Kenny" arrived. Or when the Honda Bol d'or arrived in endurance racing and more or less disqualified all racing teams who didn't have a mighty factory behind them.

But it took me quite a while to adjust to this "new situation" and to start enjoy motor racing again.

Cheers,
Huub

[wombat666]

I have fond memories of the Bol d'or from way back Huub.
Remarkable wins by small bikes (Montessa 350) and enterprising entries such as a Yamaha TZ750 fitted with lights() along with the introduction of such classics as my Ducati 750 'Green Frame' model are filed away in my brain.
Here in Oz the introduction of the big Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha road bikes lead to a well supported and well loved series of 6 and 12 hour events.

[Motormouse]

But in the category "in the past most things were better ". Motorsport did loose a lot of its charm, when people like "King Kenny" arrived.

Cheers,
Huub

With you there Huub, Barry Sheene was probably the last
person before the arrival of Valentino, to appreciate the fans.

Ttfn

Pete

[Panther_99FS]

And finally a Dutchman again
Cheers,
Huub

Congrats the Huub!
Which is why I'm such an enthusiastic Hamilton fan.

I'll be long dead and in the grave by the time another Black F1 driver (regardless of team and skill) arrives....

[huub vink]

Congrats the Huub!
Which is why I'm such an enthusiastic Hamilton fan.

I'll be long dead and in the grave by the time another Black F1 driver (regardless of team and skill) arrives....

Ed,

I understand. But that tells more about the money and people behind this sport than about Lewis. Talent is has become less important than the money they bring with them.

In motor racing factories mainly look at their "market". The Netherlands is a small country with a small market, and therefore less interesting to select a rider from.

Cheers,
Huub

[Ferry_vO]

Talent is has become less important than the money they bring with them.

Stroll, Latifi and Mazepin vs. Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Sainz, Tsunoda, Russell, Gasly and Ocon..? From all the drivers that made it into F1 the last five years, it seems talent is still pretty important...

[huub vink]

Stroll, Latifi and Mazepin vs. Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Sainz, Tsunoda, Russell, Gasly and Ocon..? From all the drivers that made it into F1 the last five years, it seems talent is still pretty important...

Exactly! 3 out of 22 drivers is nearly 14%. Personally I think that is quite a percentage. "Less" is something different than "not"

[Ferry_vO]

But without the Stroll, Mazepin and latifi dollars and rubels there would be the less teams and effectively no more F1...

[Roxane-21]

But without the Stroll, Mazepin and latifi dollars and rubels there would be the less teams and effectively no more F1...

... or a different, cheaper F1 which would be more about racing than about money/politics. I would vote for that!

[Ferry_vO]

... or a different, cheaper F1 which would be more about racing than about money/politics. I would vote for that!

The big teams will not allow that, as they feel the constructor part of F1 is important to them.

[Panther_99FS]

Ed,

I understand. But that tells more about the money and people behind this sport than about Lewis. Talent is has become less important than the money they bring with them.

In motor racing factories mainly look at their "market". The Netherlands is a small country with a small market, and therefore less interesting to select a rider from.

Cheers,
Huub

Agreed about the money - and remember, Lewis was not from a rich family.
Did he have help because of his race? - Yes.

[wombat666]

I was just thinking 'We should have a thread titled "Where Did They Come From and How Did They Get There" ' but I can't be arsed starting one.

[Panther_99FS]

I was just thinking 'We should have a thread titled "Where Did They Come From and How Did They Get There" ' but I can't be arsed starting one.

Hmmm....
Did you hear the story about Willy T. Ribbs, F1, and Eccelstone?

[wombat666]

Willy T Ribbs was one very accomplished IMSA driver as I recall from the 1980s and 1990s.
I think he drove in NASCAR and CART but it's all a bit hazy.
If the Poison Dwarf had anything to do with getting him into EffWun it wouldn't have had a happy ending.
I do remember him giving Rick Mears a test and Mears being quite impressed when the subject of $$$ was raised until it became clear the he was expected to pay that amount, not receive it for his talents.
Would you elaborate on the Willy T. Ribbs, F1, and Eccelstone please Ed?
CRAFT Syndrome strikes again.

[Panther_99FS]

Would you elaborate on the Willy T. Ribbs, F1, and Eccelstone please Ed?
CRAFT Syndrome strikes again.

Well let's see....He went to Europe to race & while there, beat Mansell in Formula Ford.
Some of his story is below.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...GvyAtziaA.html

[wombat666]

Interesting and illuminating Ed.
And Willy T put it very succinctly, there was/is no interest in Corporate America in EffWun, let alone backing an American driver, whatever color or creed.
Consider the 'American' Formula 1 team that appeared during that period, 'Beatrice'................. Lola chassis, Hart Turbo (Ford derivative), French and Australian drivers, construction and operations in the UK.
A couple of reasonable results in year 1 despite running the underfunded Hart, and with the new Cosworth Turbo looking good in year 2 it all fell over when the Beatrice suits cried enough.

Digging through my files (that's three standard filing cabinets worth of clippings!) I've started finding the IMSA series reports back when Gurney was running the ST186(?) Celicas and a few teams used the Ford Mercur (?) which was the Sierra Cosworth IIRC.
Still looking but I'm fairly sure Willy T had a seat in Gurney's team, around 1987 or 1988.
I'll see if I can track down 'Uppity', it should be well worth watching.
Loved his 'Cassius' impressions as well.

[Panther_99FS]

Interesting and illuminating Ed.
And Willy T put it very succinctly, there was/is no interest in Corporate America in EffWun, let alone backing an American driver, whatever color or creed.
Consider the 'American' Formula 1 team that appeared during that period, 'Beatrice'................. Lola chassis, Hart Turbo (Ford derivative), French and Australian drivers, construction and operations in the UK.
A couple of reasonable results in year 1 despite running the underfunded Hart, and with the new Cosworth Turbo looking good in year 2 it all fell over when the Beatrice suits cried enough.

Digging through my files (that's three standard filing cabinets worth of clippings!) I've started finding the IMSA series reports back when Gurney was running the ST186(?) Celicas and a few teams used the Ford Mercur (?) which was the Sierra Cosworth IIRC.
Still looking but I'm fairly sure Willy T had a seat in Gurney's team, around 1987 or 1988.
I'll see if I can track down 'Uppity', it should be well worth watching.
Loved his 'Cassius' impressions as well.

1) Agreed about American interests in F1
2) "The Uppity" is fracking AWESOME!!! A definite "must see" from my biased point of view....
3) Yes, he drove for Gurney...