F1 2017 : All Chat Here

[Bedhead]

Doubt he would care either.

Probably not, but when he retires it might be a different story, most F1 drivers exit through the back door, and lets face it, there will be a lot of good looking famous people about and LH will be just another Z Lister. He's an awesome driver but like most of them, take them away from motorsport and they just don't function. Being knee deep in cash will help to lessen his grief though!

 

[DC.]

I think that's what it's about with Lewis, experiencing different things away from motorsport- be it fashion, music or whatever.

He knows his racing career is pretty short so will need something to occupy him for the rest of his days.

Think Rosberg was quoted this week saying 'there is more to life than driving round in circles'.

 

[stevyg]

Bernie no longer CEO.

Ecclestone confirms Chase Carey has replaced him as CEO of F1

 

[svensktoppen]

Saw that too, been rumoured the last couple of days. Makes sense for Liberty to put their own people in place I guess. Should be interesting to see how the power balance plays out now. And also if there will be any changes in licensing for circuits, etc.

 

[DC.]

Ross Brawn will be back by the sound of things. Good news

 

[svensktoppen]

Bernie is confirmed out.

Brawn is confirmed in, as "Managing Director", with the Liberty chap as "Chief Executive" in charge.

Looks like roughly Ross running the technical/regulation side, and another Liberty chap running the commercial/licensing side.

Liberty are making a big deal about wanting to keep and attract the "classic" circuits, and expand into places with actual fans. As opposed to just going for the highest bidder as has been the case a lot of the time in recent years.

Does look like a shake-up for the good, time will tell I guess.

Chase Carey says Bernie Ecclestone exit means Formula 1 can be run differently

About share of revenue with teams:

"We'd like owning a team to be good business, running a track to be good business and F1 is a good business, and together we are all figuring out how to share in making the whole business stronger," Carey said. "But dealing with revenue is complicated."

About circuits not being able to afford the F1 fees:

"I don't think we will make them more affordable," he said. "We will make them more successful. We want to be more of a partner.

 

[Shaun]

Bernie out is a good thing for F1. All he was interested in was money!

 

[svensktoppen]

Everyone is only interested in the money, nobody is there just to take part. Not even Manor.

The new owners are also in it for the money. They just have other ideas for how to make that money which hopefully will work out better for us fans and for the sport.

To be fair he did a huge amount for the sport over the many decades to bring it from a bit of weekend sport for the landed gentry to the huge spectacle and commercial success it is.

He did loose the plot a bit the last few years, trying to hold on to power when it was obviously slipping away. A bit sad because it takes away from the huge positives he brought to the sport.

But that is how it goes. Like the new boss said, you can't work like that any more.

Now it is done and everyone can move forward.

 

[DC.]

Some reading here about what Ross Brawn has planned for F1.

Brawn favours research over gimmicks to improve F1's racing

 

[svensktoppen]

Paddy Lowe to Williams looks like a done deal.

Also looks like he will be taking on a much bigger role across the whole of the Williams group, not specifically just the F1 team.

Which might explain why Mercedes appear to be happy for him to join Williams straight away and not sit out his restrictive covenant and all that.

 

[svensktoppen]

More politics - quite literally this time

Formula 1: Euro MPs back call for inquiry into 'anti-competitive' sport

 

[Phil_EK9]

More politics - quite literally this time

Formula 1: Euro MPs back call for inquiry into 'anti-competitive' sport

Have they not got better things to be at?

 

[svensktoppen]

You would think so

I think it is Williams who have been lobbying about it.

 

[DC.]

First 2017 image.

Williams FW40:

 

[FN2DAVE]

First 2017 image.

Williams FW40:

View attachment 137914

They could have turned the bloody lights on before taking the picture

 

[DC.]

Computer generated image & lacking lots of detail.

Full reveals next week will be much better. I hope.

 

[FN2DAVE]

Be interesting to see how 2017 pans ot racing wise. More close wheel to wheel exciting kind of stuff ya know.
Been watching indy cars on youtude lately. Boy its close stuff at 200mph+ inches from eachother . Thats excitement!! Though its on ovals but makes good racing but cant compare really. But when things go wrong they go wrong BIG time in indy!!

 

[DC.]

Can't warm to oval racing at all. Not sure if it's the constant turning left, all cars just about identical or the lack of tv coverage this side of the Atlantic.
Wheel-to-wheel at 200mph is certainly exciting.

The sooner we see Ross Brawn's influence on the racing side of things the better; DRS won't be around much longer or the over complicated power-units.

 

[DC.]

Sauber C36-Ferrari

 

[Gambit]

. Boy its close stuff at 200mph+ inches from each other

when anyone ever mentions close racing - it always reminds me of the Barcelona 1991 GP - Senna & Mansell

 

[svensktoppen]

Look at the difference in aero in those nineties cars compared to modern F1 though. Same with the American Indy, etc., positively stone age compared to F1. Get within 100 yards of the car in front in modern F1 and all the aero goes out the window, and they just get stuck there.

With the focus on power and aero for 2017 I fear there will be even less overtaking, except by DRS down the straights.

The one thing that might save it is if we get proper tyres that they can actually race on flat out for the duration. Not just two laps of making the best of it and then coasting for the rest of the race.

Will be good to see what Brawn can do to get some excitement back in the sport again. Will take a few years though, not going to be any major changes for a while now.

 

[PaulYDP]

Renault just launched the R.S. 17 and have to say it looks really well.

 

[Deckz]

Looks good @PaulYDP only thing annoying me is, everything looks brilliant in the yellow and black theme then they have slapped on the Castrol stickers

 

[DC.]

Castrol cheque mustn't have been big enough.

Looks nice though.

 

[svensktoppen]

The rear wings are very low this year, in fact he whole car is so low, looks like the driver's head might be lower than the top of the front wheels, lol The Sauber was the same.

As far as I understand the underside is where the real business is this year, lots of changes for ground effect. And ground effect usually means unlimited grip until you hit a tiny wee bump and then it is the barriers. Hopefully not this time round