Motosport General discussion tread --- Formula1, MotoGP, WTCC, ETCC, DTM.....

[Koal-84]

Great improvement by Aprilia this year, dominating the first 3 races is a proof that they worked really hard to improve their bike.
Not only the factory team but seems that the satellite team is also improved which make the competition better than last season when Ducati dominated the whole season.
About 4 weeks to the next race in Spain, perhaps Ducati will try to evaluate and improve so they can compete with Aprilia in Spain which is the home of Marquez.
While the other factory Honda and Yamaha seems to be still struggling a lot this year to find their best.

Yes, I’m really very happy about Aprilia. Last year was almost more MotoDucati than MotoGP. But I still think Ducati will come back with the experience they have now. They will certainly adjust one or two things that changed since last year in order to be competitive again, but that will also keep the season exciting.

As for the Japanese manufacturers, they will only have a real chance again next year with the new engine regulations I think.

Bro...  They got Hamilton before so it's nothing new that they want to acquire the generation's greatest driver ever.  He could set a record for Mercedes and do what Hamilton couldn't...  That's to break Schumacher's record. 

And it's not a question of 'why' they want to do it.  It's a question of when.  Toto Wolff has been talking with Verstappen's camp for around a couple of years now.

Zieht Verstappen die Ausstiegsklausel?

Verstappen still has a contract until 2028, but apparently there is also an exit clause. And here’s another interview with his father, where Max apparently currently isn’t having any fun driving the Formula 1 cars.

Rücktritt Max Verstappen?

[retreat]

We are still at the very beginning but Antonelli is getting a serious title contender at his young age. 2.00 for Russell and 2.10 for Antonelli in odds currently. 

Kimi has surprisingly emerged as a serious challenger for Russell. He's been able to adapt to the W17 and maximize its performance. However, there are rumors that Russell was used as a Mercedes test subject for the W17, which has affected his performance. I don't know if this is accurate, but considering his recent "bad luck," it's possible. But it's still early in the season, so things could change.

Let the drivers race with 500–600 horsepower, but let them race for real. No more nonsense like deliberately slowing down in corners to recharge the battery, or artificial overtaking when someone’s battery runs out. Engine power matters only to a point; what really counts is the pilots ability to consistently push their machines to the limit under equal conditions, to battle it out one on one, and to attack corners by pushing the cars grip limits but it’s already too late to stop the antics done to recharge the battery.

You know that you're not the only one who hates this regulation, many F1 fans are questioning this regulation and some F1 drivers have also expressed their displeasure with this regulation. Even Max himself said that F1 is now like Formula E on steroids - that says a lot that this regulation is like a joke. But the FIA ​​doesn't seem to care about that and is more concerned with the commercial value of F1 - it's even possible that we will see electric car manufacturers like BYD enter F1 in the future. But I think that if the FIA ​​is more confident in their commercial value, then maybe sooner or later F1 will no longer be attractive to the old fans.

[tokeweed]

Bro...  They got Hamilton before so it's nothing new that they want to acquire the generation's greatest driver ever.  He could set a record for Mercedes and do what Hamilton couldn't...  That's to break Schumacher's record. 

And it's not a question of 'why' they want to do it.  It's a question of when.  Toto Wolff has been talking with Verstappen's camp for around a couple of years now.

Zieht Verstappen die Ausstiegsklausel?

Verstappen still has a contract until 2028, but apparently there is also an exit clause. And here’s another interview with his father, where Max apparently currently isn’t having any fun driving the Formula 1 cars.

Rücktritt Max Verstappen?

So yeah...  What are you saying?  Are you still questioning the huge possibility that Toto Wolff could bag the elephant in Verstappen or are you finally seeing that it could happen? 

I think it's gonna happen.  Red Bull is now dead.  Newey left then Horner and as soon as next year, Verstappen is gonna leave too.  The team doesn't work without Horner and Newey.  And oh...  Didn't Helmut Marko leave too?

[retreat]

Laurent Mekies said that his team, Red Bull, will have to pay for their pursuit of the 2025 championship. He admitted that Red Bull's current performance decline was due to their focus on developing the 2025 car to catch up with McLaren. He added that the development of the RB21 reduced the development portion for the new technical regulations for 2026. However, he didn't say Red Bull regretted the decision.

What a classic Red Bull story.




In other news, Argentina has discussed its interest in hosting F1. Delegations from the city government and local promoters met with Liberty Media executives to discuss the matter. They are currently serious about developing the Autodromo Oscar y Juan Galvez to host MotoGP in Phase 1, and Phase 2, which is designated for Formula 1. They are also seriously considering developing this circuit to host F1 if a slot becomes available in 2027.
FYI, the last Formula 1 event took place in Argentina in 1998, and they have been absent since then.

Let's see how the conversation progresses.

[tokeweed]

^  So it looks like they're admitting to what they got wrong and how the team are gonna play catch up because they went backwards going into 2026 season with the new specs.

Yeah, they're def gonna lose Verstappen after this season...  I really though this season was gonna be exciting because of the new specs and the new teams.  But the real excitement could be next year with Verstappen going to a new team. 

[retreat]

^  So it looks like they're admitting to what they got wrong and how the team are gonna play catch up because they went backwards going into 2026 season with the new specs.

Yeah, they're def gonna lose Verstappen after this season...  I really though this season was gonna be exciting because of the new specs and the new teams.  But the real excitement could be next year with Verstappen going to a new team. 

At this point, they're likely to lose Max if they can't convince him they can still deliver a car that allows him to compete with other teams. Toto's offer is still very fresh - Russell is also only under contract until 2027. So there are many possibilities for Max's future next season. So whether Red Bull can keep Max at the team is their decision. If we're honest, Max is not only fed up with the current regulations but also with Red Bull not being able to provide him with a competitive car, both of which are reasons why he's seriously considering a move to another team that can provide a more competitive car.

[Distraction]

So what now? There is really no race until May! This is due to the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races of course.

But won't they fill their places with at least one race?    I hope they sign a deal with a country. It's just a very long break at the begining of the season already.

In the meantime FIA should take the steps needed in regulations also to fix the nonsense battery issue.

[Mindyspace]

^  So it looks like they're admitting to what they got wrong and how the team are gonna play catch up because they went backwards going into 2026 season with the new specs.

Yeah, they're def gonna lose Verstappen after this season...  I really though this season was gonna be exciting because of the new specs and the new teams.  But the real excitement could be next year with Verstappen going to a new team. 

I think so too. If things continue like this, it will be difficult to hold back Max Verstappen, and the real excitement of Formula 1 may end up being reserved for next season, but to be honest, I'm expecting the best from this season... 

[tokeweed]

^  So it looks like they're admitting to what they got wrong and how the team are gonna play catch up because they went backwards going into 2026 season with the new specs.

Yeah, they're def gonna lose Verstappen after this season...  I really though this season was gonna be exciting because of the new specs and the new teams.  But the real excitement could be next year with Verstappen going to a new team. 

At this point, they're likely to lose Max if they can't convince him they can still deliver a car that allows him to compete with other teams. Toto's offer is still very fresh - Russell is also only under contract until 2027. So there are many possibilities for Max's future next season. So whether Red Bull can keep Max at the team is their decision. If we're honest, Max is not only fed up with the current regulations but also with Red Bull not being able to provide him with a competitive car, both of which are reasons why he's seriously considering a move to another team that can provide a more competitive car.

At this point, Verstappen can't wait to leave and will def be using the contract clause for his exit strategy.  I think behind the scenes the move to Mercedes is already verbally agreed on and a done deal.  Toto Wolff and Verstappen may have already had an understanding in one of their meetings.

And for a driver with a talent as Verstappen's, I'd rather see him in the best team than see him rot in one of the lagging teams.

[retreat]

So what now? There is really no race until May! This is due to the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races of course.

But won't they fill their places with at least one race?    I hope they sign a deal with a country. It's just a very long break at the begining of the season already.

Nobody wants something like this to happen but what should be done when the situation in the Middle East is also unstable. Changing the race to another circuit will also only ruin the existing plan, because the F1 schedule is not simple, it is so complex and requires careful planning for logistics, circuit preparation, etc., and this short time of 1 month is very short for that, so it is better to postpone it for 1 month than changing it to another circuit which might mess up the plans they have made.

This 1 month break is also an advantage for the team and drivers, because they can do other activities or things during this break.

In the meantime FIA should take the steps needed in regulations also to fix the nonsense battery issue.

This regulation has been absurd from the start. But, FIA ​​has reportedly begun discussions to address this "nonsense" battery reliance, but there's no need to expect it to be resolved anytime soon.

[retreat]

Charles and Vasseur are optimistic about the significant development potential Ferrari can achieve for their SF-26. By focusing on PU, chassis, aerodynamics, and tire management, they can gain a significant advantage over Mercedes. They also have additional opportunities to upgrade their engine in races 6, 12, and 18, giving them room to catch up with Mercedes if those upgrades are successful.

Let's see what Ferrari will do about this.




Max's retirement threat wasn't just empty talk. David Croft said that Max is a man of his word, and when he says something, he means it. He added that changes to F1's regulations and race format, and Red Bull's lack of ability to provide a car that can keep him competitive, were cited as reasons for the decision. However, this is still just his claim, as Max could remain in F1 but move to a team that is more capable of providing a better car IMO.

[LTU_btc]

Nobody wants something like this to happen but what should be done when the situation in the Middle East is also unstable. Changing the race to another circuit will also only ruin the existing plan, because the F1 schedule is not simple, it is so complex and requires careful planning for logistics, circuit preparation, etc., and this short time of 1 month is very short for that, so it is better to postpone it for 1 month than changing it to another circuit which might mess up the plans they have made.

This 1 month break is also an advantage for the team and drivers, because they can do other activities or things during this break.

If it would be possible, I'm 100% they would had moved races to alternative circuits. But F1 logistics is very complicated proccess even on original calendar without changes. When mess in Middle East started there was just not enough time remaining. In 2020 when Covid started F1 made whole new calendar with whole season happening just in Europe, but they had a bit more time to make changes, logistics were simplier when everything is in one continent and they didn't had to think about ticket sales.

[Distraction]

Charles and Vasseur are optimistic about the significant development potential Ferrari can achieve for their SF-26. By focusing on PU, chassis, aerodynamics, and tire management, they can gain a significant advantage over Mercedes. They also have additional opportunities to upgrade their engine in races 6, 12, and 18, giving them room to catch up with Mercedes if those upgrades are successful.

Let's see what Ferrari will do about this.

I just hope Ferrari manage to get close to Mercedes in the future. There is quite much free time for them to work on their future upgrades as there is no race for a month.

Another thing is that FIA can find Mercedes guilty of using their wing illegally. This can also slow them down and help Ferrari get near them in power.

Max's retirement threat wasn't just empty talk. David Croft said that Max is a man of his word, and when he says something, he means it. He added that changes to F1's regulations and race format, and Red Bull's lack of ability to provide a car that can keep him competitive, were cited as reasons for the decision. However, this is still just his claim, as Max could remain in F1 but move to a team that is more capable of providing a better car IMO.

I already don't think Max is just bluffing... He really thinks of retirement because of being fed up with these ridiculous regulations. F1 is dying so I understand him.

[retreat]

If it would be possible, I'm 100% they would had moved races to alternative circuits. But F1 logistics is very complicated proccess even on original calendar without changes. When mess in Middle East started there was just not enough time remaining. In 2020 when Covid started F1 made whole new calendar with whole season happening just in Europe, but they had a bit more time to make changes, logistics were simplier when everything is in one continent and they didn't had to think about ticket sales.

Yeah, the biggest issue is logistics and ticket sales. Moving equipment from Japan to Europe is quite expensive, especially with global freight rates currently rising. This could put a strain on the teams and potentially leave them unprepared for the Miami GP. So it makes sense to take a month off and then gradually move things back to America. Even if we miss two races, at least it won't disrupt the calendar.

I just hope Ferrari manage to get close to Mercedes in the future. There is quite much free time for them to work on their future upgrades as there is no race for a month.

Another thing is that FIA can find Mercedes guilty of using their wing illegally. This can also slow them down and help Ferrari get near them in power.

It's unlikely that Mercedes will receive a penalty for this, as they simply exploited a loophole in the front wing system. Even if the FIA ​​investigation finds them guilty, the loophole will only result in a ban for next season and they won't receive any penalties.

So, Ferrari shouldn't have high hopes that Mercedes will receive any penalties. This is purely due to their intelligent engineering, which understands loopholes like this.

[Koal-84]

With the Formula 1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia being cancelled, and the long MotoGP break, motorsport feels kind of boring right now. I really hope the F1 teams, especially Red Bull, use this downtime well and do a solid job so the field gets closer overall. Everyone would benefit from that.

In MotoGP, it finally looks like after years of Ducati dominance, other manufacturers might actually be able to win races or even challenge for the championship (even if, realistically, it’s probably just one other manufacturer, KTM still seems a bit too far off to really fight for wins). 

[Volgastallion]

What a boring April we are just gonna have, i dont like the breaks even when we know about it but this one hurst a lot more since it was not in the normal schedule, im only hoping to see the in the comeback some upgrades in the worst teams like Aston Martin and Cadillac, i dont want to keep seeing them 3 second far from the pole sitter.

[retreat]

What a boring April we are just gonna have, i dont like the breaks even when we know about it but this one hurst a lot more since it was not in the normal schedule, im only hoping to see the in the comeback some upgrades in the worst teams like Aston Martin and Cadillac, i dont want to keep seeing them 3 second far from the pole sitter.

Ahead of the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, the teams have been using this one-month break to upgrade and test their cars. Aston Martin and Cadillac, in particular, are implementing "major" upgrade packages, using this break to identify any shortcomings from previous races. But don’t get your hopes up too high, even though they’re making upgrades during this break, it won’t have a significant impact on their current performance. They're already falling behind compared to the other teams.

[Distraction]

Is there any update on new tracks to be added to fill in the blanks from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia GPs? I guess there won't be any race to be added in April.  

I don't remember a this long break in the first times of a season in the past. Anyway now let's just hope FIA doesn't bring the end of F1 in time. They need to drop their stubborn attitude about this battery crap.

[FanEagle]

I can't stop thinking what if Lewis Hamilton never left Mercedes? The last few years would have been hard that's true, keep losing and keep being bad, and even finishing badly ,but not like he did awesome with Ferrari, he was barely any better, sometimes not even.

So being at Mercedes meant that he would have the best car right now on the track, and while George wouldn't just let him ass, because George is not like Bottas, it's still quite possible that Hamilton would have gotten some help because that would be his one more title than Michael Schumacher and make him the person with the most wins.