F1 Imola GP: April 24th @ 3 PM ET

My bad on the AM... I had it stuck in my head that Stroll was at Jeddah 10...

Roger Wright94 said:AM only picked up points in Imola, and even then, both drivers had to do it. Stroll usually just cruises to 12th or 13th, and Vettel has basically one decent finish to his name, which isn't enough to actually judge anything. They aren't exactly at the bottom just yet, but whether they can keep scraping together tiny points remains to be seen.

Based on what I've seen so far, I'd say they definitely are...
I honestly don't see any car worse or slower than the AM 🤦

Sure, they're relatively lucky right now because Williams has Latifi, so they aren't guaranteed the last two spots on the grid...
but they can pretty much count on this thing failing spectacularly. Plus, other teams and drivers have been shooting themselves in the foot quite a bit lately...

But looking at race pace? They are absolute bottom-tier. Easily the worst on the grid, and I don't see any reason for them to be hopeful about anything.

To me, this whole situation reeks of a massive fiasco caused by Stroll's old man overstepping and trying to be too smart...
Which could very quickly lead to a fire sale of the team to anyone willing to buy this kramp and pull the dad out of the mess he created for himself....

Roger Wright94 said:What's actually driving that Red Bull acceleration?
Did they drop some new upgrades, or did they finally ditch those 8 kg they were talking about?
That speed we saw in Imola was definitely real, I just can't tell if it was just local factors like the track or the weather... or if they actually tweaked the car? I'm thinking it's something substantial, because those guys are constantly messing with things.

Yeah, 7. 😂

Red Bull cutting 7 kg:
Specifically, they're looking at shaving off about 4.5 kg just by using a different fiber layup and composite layer composition. But that's not the only thing making them lighter. Other parts, specifically the wheel hubs and other components with machined metal inserts, were lightened for another 2 kg. Basically, the total weight reduction should be around 7 kg compared to the last version. That kind of mass reduction translates to a theoretical lap time improvement of nearly two tenths of a second per lap.

Roger Wright94 said:What exactly is the secret behind the Red Bull acceleration?
Did they roll out some kind of upgrade, or perhaps finally shed those 8 kg they were talking about?
The performance we saw in Imola was undeniably faster, though I find myself wondering if it was merely due to local factors—perhaps the track conditions or the weather—or if they actually made physical changes to the car? It feels like something significant happened, given how constantly they tinker with things.

Well, according to the expert analysis found on the official Formula 1 website, Red Bull managed to strip away 3 kg, leaving them with a 7 kg advantage over Ferrari.

On a different note, isn't it remarkable that the greatest driver of our era managed to secure 34 points in a single race during Imola, an achievement that remains unmatched in all of racing history? Haters gonna hate 🙂

The FIA is rigging it 🤦

Man, what kind of nonsense is this? Suddenly, one race is worth way more points than others? It’s giving me major flashbacks to those crazy double-points stunts Bernie used to pull at the end of a season...🙄

If the championship ends up being decided by just a point or two, this whole season is going to look like another absolute mess caused by the FIA's total incompetence...

stormybadger8 said:A total circus orchestrated by the FIA 🤦

Honestly, what kind of nonsense is this where suddenly one specific race carries significantly more weight than others? It feels strikingly similar to those old stunts Bernie used to pull back in the day with those double points schemes at the final race...🙄>

If this season ends up being decided by just a single point or two, wouldn't it be devastating if this whole absurdity makes the entire championship look irregular, simply due to the sheer incompetence displayed by the FIA?

Even last year, those races featuring sprints were weighted more heavily.
It was common knowledge to everyone involved that in Imola, it was entirely possible to walk away with 34 points. All a driver had to do was win the sprint, take the main race victory, and secure the FL.

graniteharbor502 said:Besides, today's greatest driver managed to snag 34 points in a single race at Imola, something nobody else in history has pulled off. Haters gonna hate 🙂

Using the term "greatest" on a daily basis isn't really working for me, IMO.
First, there's the whole issue of how you even define "greatest," and then there's the question of who actually deserves the title.

I get being hyped about someone, but what exactly did Max do that was so spectacular at Imola?
He won a race in a dominant car. Basically, he just had to beat his own teammate.

Roger Wright94 said:In my humble opinion, this whole "greatest" category isn't really practical for daily conversation.
First, one has to grapple with how we even define what "greatest" means, and then there is the secondary question of who actually deserves such a heavy title.

I can certainly empathize with someone being enthusiastic about a driver, but what exactly did Max do at Imola that was so spectacular?
He won a race driving a dominant car; essentially, he just had to beat his own teammate.

Nothing, he simply achieved a Grand Slam. 🙄
He was absolutely untouchable. If he hadn't had to ease off the throttle in the final sector, he likely would have secured pole position by more than a full second. Throughout the entire race, his lead was never once in doubt, and he ultimately crossed the finish line over 16 seconds ahead of his teammate in second place.

What makes it spectacular is that he accomplished everything with that effortless grace that defines the truly great.

Have you ever actually sent him a fan letter? Because if you haven't, honestly, you really should... 😁

Anyone who actually knows anything about Formula 1 knows Max is the undisputed king right now. When you're pulling for Max, there’s zero stress—you just know he’s gonna nail it.

It's nothing like rooting for Ferrari. Watching them is just pure anxiety, constantly praying Charles doesn't mess something up. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't.

And honestly, that's the whole difference right there.

I don't even want to talk about that Spanish kramp guy. He’s got no business driving the red light car.

Then you've got Hamilton, who's basically a walking ghost at this point—just a victim of Long Covid. He's completely washed.

So, yeah. It should be blindingly obvious to everyone that Max is the best driver on the planet today.

cosmicmoose2 said:Have you ever considered sitting down to write him a fan letter? If you haven't done so yet, perhaps it is something you truly ought to consider. 😁

Max doesn't exactly require any praise from fans, does he, seeing as he writes his own accolades through the sheer brilliance of his driving style.
If one looks at Max's results over the last three seasons (specifically his finishing positions in the races he completed):
3-2-2-1-2-3-2-2-3-6-2-1-2-1-2-2-1-1-1-1-9-1-1-2-2-1-1-2-2-2-1-1-1.

One can clearly observe those two bolded figures that seem to diverge so sharply from the rest of the sequence. The first was merely his sole error during a race in the last three seasons, occurring when he was chasing Perez on a wet track. The second result was simply the unfortunate consequence of being caught in Bottas's brain fade during the last CNN Canada, where he was forced to drive the entire race with a significantly damaged car.

So, please, feel free to present me with the statistics of a superior driver in Formula 1 ☕

stormybadger8 said:You make it sound easy, but they hit the pits only to come out right behind Norris. 🙂
What was even the point of all this, besides chasing that FL money? 🤔 I honestly don't see it.

Honestly, their decision to jump into boxing was completely pointless. It was a total waste of time, especially since the race could have been handled perfectly on a medium tire—which, by the way, plenty of other drivers proved they could do without breaking a sweat.

It was an easy call because Norris wasn't the issue—he had the pace and the fresh tires to back it up.

That move wasn't some fluke or a waste of time. Giving Norris a single point isn't exactly going to change my life, but I'm not losing sleep over it either.
Overtaking Perez was definitely a move worth making, even if it didn't pan out.
They messed up in two different ways, like I said before. First, they should have pulled him in earlier—maybe by 0.3 to 0.5 seconds. Second, that pit stop was way too slow. It looked like it took about 3.7 seconds, which means they bled out an extra 0.7 to 1.0 seconds right there. So, when you do the math, Leclerc lost at least a full second or more just sitting in the box, and that’s on the crew, not him. If they had actually nailed the stop, getting past Perez—or even just staying close enough to try—would have been a much easier call.

Whether Leclerc would have actually cleared Perez, or if he could have kept that momentum going for the rest of the race, honestly, it doesn't even matter. Not really.
He made an effort, and I'm behind him on that one. 👍
Honestly, between Mada, the pit wall, and the guys in the pits, I’m just done. They've officially pushed me over the edge.

Roger Wright94 said:It’s somehow both an underperforming car and a superior one in the exact same breath.

Well, yeah— underperforming compared to last year's Mercedes, sure, but it's still miles ahead of Williams. 🤷

Anyway, just to be clear, I've decided to spend this entire season being totally biased and unapologetically defending Luja. I'll probably end up posting an annoying amount of shameless defense posts, maybe even more than graniteharbor502, so don't act surprised. 😍 I guess all my previous hate for the guy just evaporated during the final race of last season, replaced by nothing but pure, unadulterated protective instincts. Especially seeing how all his loud, passionate fans suddenly vanished into thin air. 🙄😁

But whatever, there's really no point in trying to debate Luja with me anymore, because I've pretty much decided to just embrace him fully. 😉😁

graniteharbor502 said:He just pulled off a Grand Slam, that's all.🙄
He was untouchable. He would’ve had a gap of over a second in qualifying if he hadn't had to lift off in the final sector. During the race, his lead was never even in question, and he crossed the line more than 16 seconds ahead of his teammate in second.

It was spectacular, seeing him pull it off with that effortless grace you only see from the greats.

The facts are brilliant, 👍 if we're being honest.
Qualifying had its own luck factor. If the car were any different, those laps would have been even faster. I'm not saying he wouldn't have been the fastest anyway, but there was definitely a slice of luck involved.
Beating Perez isn't much of a benchmark; he's a constant. It’s never a matter of if he'll be caught, just when.

Given that Red Bull locked out P1 and P2, plus the Sprint with P1 and P3, this probably stands as the best result in Red Bull history.

Roger Wright94 said:I wouldn't say that. He actually seems to enjoy playing the Fashion King role.

Honestly, even his eccentric way of dressing—which most people would find totally bizarre—has kind of grown on me. 😁 I guess since he knows the whole world is laughing at him, he still stands by that... aesthetic of his. 😁

Kinda cute, isn't it? 😍😁

cosmicridge5 said:True—it’s underperforming compared to last year's Mercedes, but it still eats a 🤷Williams
for breakfast.
No, let me be crystal clear: this season, I've decided to be completely biased and unapologetically defend Luja. I’ll probably end up posting more irritatingly shameless takes than even graniteharbor502, so don't act surprised when it happens 😍 because all my hate for that unique guy evaporated during the final race last year, replaced by nothing but pure, unadulterated protective instincts. Especially seeing how all his loud, passionate fans vanished into thin air like morning mist. 🙄😁

Anyway, whatever. There's no point trying to debate Luja with me anymore because I've officially decided to embrace him. 😉😁

I'm with you. 👍 All the way.
And as for the (so-called) Hamilton fans? It honestly hurts me how few there are left, how many just disappeared.
🙂 Alright, moving on. At least I'll have someone to talk to about LH.

Lewis Hamilton managed to pull in 50 points during a single race, just so we're clear.

Roger Wright94 said:I get why people might be hyped about someone, but honestly—what exactly did Max do that was so spectacular at Imola?
He won a race in a dominant car. Basically, he just had to beat his own teammate.

I am seriously getting tired of reading this endless debate over whether it's the car or the driver. I can't deal with it anymore.🤦
Back in the day, when Lewis Hamilton was winning everything, nobody blamed the car—they just accepted he’s the GOAT. But now, the second Max or Charles Leclerc takes a win, everyone jumps to "oh, it's just the car," as if being a great driver doesn't matter anymore.
And look at George Russell's face—does he look like he's driving a Ferrari or a Red Bull just painted silver? Or is poor Lujo out there driving a Williams with a gray paint job? 🤔

Roger Wright94 said:I'm on board. 👍 Totally.
As for those (so-called) Lewis Hamilton fans, I guess I'm just bothered by how few there are left—how many have seemingly vanished.

Like mice on the 🙏

🙂 Alright, moving on. At least I'll have someone to talk to regarding LH.

crimsonjackal16 said:I honestly can't deal with these constant takes on the car and the driver anymore. 🤦

What else is there to say? 🤷 😍 😁