The F1 thread

Cols

In terms of TV audience - which is what Liberty are really interested in - only the hardcore nutters are watching Friday practice.  The general audience will watch the race and, to a lesser extent, qualifying.

If the format change is successful, the same people who would have watched qualifying will now tune in on Friday for qualifying and Saturday for the sprint race.

Fretwired

Cols said:

In terms of TV audience - which is what Liberty are really interested in - only the hardcore nutters are watching Friday practice.  The general audience will watch the race and, to a lesser extent, qualifying.

If the format change is successful, the same people who would have watched qualifying will now tune in on Friday for qualifying and Saturday for the sprint race.

I think it is also about the venues - if they can be full across the three days the venues can make more money. I work from home and often listen to Friday practice on BBC 5 Live. Highly entertaining, often funny, and always informative. Give it a try.

chillidoggy

Good point. It wasn’t that long ago that venues were bleating about the eye-watering fees for hosting a GP. But I’m not sure how a venue could make any more dosh, especially as it’ll be the same diehards watching any additional on-track circulations. Unless there’s a TV revenue deal to be had?

Cols

All the venues get these days under normal circumstances is the gate and income from circuit concessions, although the contracts were renegotiated with Liberty for the no/limited spectator races.  They don't see a penny of the television money.    

stickyfiddle

Bottas on softs, presumably hoping to get round Max and hold him up…

Any predictions? 

GoldenEraGuitars

What a start from alonso. Lap 5 and there’s a 7 second gap in front of him to Leclerc, he’s got quite a train behind him 

GoldenEraGuitars

Perez has got a lot of work to do now!

stickyfiddle

stickyfiddle said:

Bottas on softs, presumably hoping to get round Max and hold him up…

Any predictions? 

Well that went well, thanks Valteri…

TimmyO

I think that was alright 

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

stickyfiddle said:

Bottas on softs, presumably hoping to get round Max and hold him up…

Any predictions? 

Well that went well, thanks Valteri…

It was quite exciting ... racing from lights out rather than the usual tyre management while the fuel burns down which we'll see tomorrow.

Red Bull for the win.

thumpingrug

Better than I expected.  No one obviously being overly cautious and some good action.  Unless Max borks his start tomorrow, which seems unlikely, it looks like its his to lose.  Mercedes will need some clever strategy.  I wonder what the free tyre choice will bring to the mix.

stickyfiddle

It was about as I expected. The problem is I think tomorrow will be worse for it

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

It was about as I expected. The problem is I think tomorrow will be worse for it

The teams should be allowed to make setup changes to spice things up.

skullfunkerry

Well this is a bit of a pisser:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-british-gp-grid-penalty/

Seems a bit ridiculous to me: far worse first lap incidents have gone unpunished

GoldenEraGuitars

skullfunkerry said:

Well this is a bit of a pisser:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-british-gp-grid-penalty/

Seems a bit ridiculous to me: far worse first lap incidents have gone unpunished

It’s the one thing that totally ruins formula one for me… these ridiculous penalties. 

The sprint race was exciting for about 1 minute. After that it became the typical precession with a few over takes in the midfield. 

Fretwired

GoldenEraGuitars said:

skullfunkerry said:

Well this is a bit of a pisser:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-british-gp-grid-penalty/

Seems a bit ridiculous to me: far worse first lap incidents have gone unpunished

It’s the one thing that totally ruins formula one for me… these ridiculous penalties. 

The sprint race was exciting for about 1 minute. After that it became the typical precession with a few over takes in the midfield. 

Sorry, but I disagree .. lots of action in the midfield .. the front was never going to be interesting after Max bolted.

Simonh

What a bullshit penalty, stewards are ruining racing

GoldenEraGuitars

There’s little incentive for the driver to do any form of close contact racing if they’re going to get penalties if there’s a collision. I’m not sure why they’re trying to make F1 something that the rules won’t allow for.  

Cols

What happened to Perez?  After his strange spin he didn’t make any progress back through the field.

sinbaadi

I think there might be different opinions floating about if Mazepin had locked up and hit George Russell in exactly the same way.