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2023 Formula 1 Season thread

Glideslope said:
Reliable Source this time.

www.planetf1.com

'Snappy comments from Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff risk Mercedes civil war'

The reaction of Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff to Mercedes' Bahrain GP showing seemed out of step with the team's technical leadership.
www.planetf1.com www.planetf1.com
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I think Mercedes need to realise no other team is close to Red Bull, even Aston Martin who despite huge gains, were 38.6 seconds behind at the end of the race. There is literally a mountain to climb and this season they appear to have taken too many mistakes from last season into this one. I think the civil war comment in that article has been dramatised somewhat. I’m a lead engineer in the company I work for and when design flaws occur, you do get a kicking from time to time. Mercedes wouldn’t be the first team to have a period of excellence and then decline, that’s F1. The next articles will be ‘Hamilton to retire’ or ‘Mercedes to pull out of F1’, I bet the tabloids already have them written.
 
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
I think Mercedes need to realise no other team is close to Red Bull, even Aston Martin who despite huge gains, were 38.6 seconds behind at the end of the race. There is literally a mountain to climb and this season they appear to have taken too many mistakes from last season into this one. I think the civil war comment in that article has been dramatised somewhat. I’m a lead engineer in the company I work for and when design flaws occur, you do get a kicking from time to time. Mercedes wouldn’t be the first team to have a period of excellence and then decline, that’s F1. The next articles will be ‘Hamilton to retire’ or ‘Mercedes to pull out of F1’, I bet the tabloids already have them written.
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I simply can't shake that the close personal relationship between Toto and Lewis along with Toto being a 50% stake holder in the team is starting to have an effect on Team Direction, and allocation of expenditures in design.

Maybe not, I don't spend much time following Mercedes. I do however feel the Team Principle and the Team Owner should be separated by a Paywall.

I also feel like George is getting screwed here. I'm a huge George Fan, but all we seem to hear and see is what is the Team going to do to help the car be better for Lewis. I don't care if Lewis is the "Alleged" #1 Driver. George deserves better. If Lewis thinks he can win #8 he needs to find a ride with Ferrari. Not a chance with AMR next year. Personally I don't see Ferrari being interested in him despite the chit-chat.

Lewis should focus more on Mission 44. He can do more good than an 8th WDC.
 
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Glideslope said:
I simply can't shake that the close personal relationship between Toto and Lewis along with Toto being a 50% stake holder in the team is starting to have an effect on Team Direction, and allocation of expenditures in design.

Maybe not, I don't spend much time following Mercedes. I do however feel the Team Principle and the Team Owner should be separated by a Paywall.

I also feel like George is getting screwed here. I'm a huge George Fan, but all we seem to hear and see is what is the Team going to do to help the car be better for Lewis. I don't care if Lewis is the "Alleged" #1 Driver. George deserves better. If Lewis thinks he can win #8 he needs to find a ride with Ferrari. Not a chance with AMR next year. Personally I don't see Ferrari being interested in him despite the chit-chat.

Lewis should focus more on Mission 44. He can do more good than an 8th WDC.
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I'm not sure either whether friendships are hampering design direction, but I suppose Toto is protective of Lewis because Lewis has won them so many championships and made Toto even richer with his results. There is going to be a close friendship, much like we saw at Ferrari with Schumacher and Todt/Brawn. I know Mercedes have a fair treatment policy where each driver gets the same updates and alternating strategy. This enabled George to keep his momentum last season and he clearly benefits from strides forward in development. He is perhaps the future of the team and will understand he comes into an environment where Lewis is well established. Paddy Lowe and Marc Priestly have said Lewis is very very good at collaborating with his engineers and mechanics and building strong relationships. From the start of his F1 career with McLaren he was very thorough on technical details and wanting to know of every potential issue, which is something other great champions have been focused on.

I don't know whether a Ferrari seat would bring Lewis any closere to that eigth title as there are issues in that team too. Theres a reason they haven't produced a drivers World Champion for 16 years. I think he'll race in F1 as long as he is hungry and when you look at Alonso who is three and half years older and just as sharp as Lewis, I think the fans deserve this sort of quality hanging around a bit longer.
 
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
I'm not sure either whether friendships are hampering design direction, but I suppose Toto is protective of Lewis because Lewis has won them so many championships and made Toto even richer with his results. There is going to be a close friendship, much like we saw at Ferrari with Schumacher and Todt/Brawn. I know Mercedes have a fair treatment policy where each driver gets the same updates and alternating strategy. This enabled George to keep his momentum last season and he clearly benefits from strides forward in development. He is perhaps the future of the team and will understand he comes into an environment where Lewis is well established. Paddy Lowe and Marc Priestly have said Lewis is very very good at collaborating with his engineers and mechanics and building strong relationships. From the start of his F1 career with McLaren he was very thorough on technical details and wanting to know of every potential issue, which is something other great champions have been focused on.

I don't know whether a Ferrari seat would bring Lewis any closere to that eigth title as there are issues in that team too. Theres a reason they haven't produced a drivers World Champion for 16 years. I think he'll race in F1 as long as he is hungry and when you look at Alonso who is three and half years older and just as sharp as Lewis, I think the fans deserve this sort of quality hanging around a bit longer.
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Agreed.
 
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Race 2 weekend commencing. My prediction for 2023 is that the standings after week 1 will be the same at the end of the season :) Max to win, Checo second, Le Clerc remains unlucky, Alonso out on a high note, Sainz just consistent, and Lewis still doing well despite 2022 being about porpoises and 2023 being about tortoises 😂

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Glideslope said:
Hamilton is severing his relationship with long time Trainer and Physiotherapist
Angela Cullen, or she is…….

The Mercedes Team purge has begun.
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It started with their mechanics, but yes now this. When he needs her most 😬🤔

Always a bad sign when people leave the team. Shows much deeper issues than just the car.
 
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Is she employed by the team or by Lewis? And even if the former, it seems Lewis decides who his physio is since he selected her to replace his previous physio because their relationship was not working.

From reports, it sounds like she wants to move on to new things and Lewis supported that decision.
 
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Glideslope said:
Hamilton is severing his relationship with long time Trainer and Physiotherapist
Angela Cullen, or she is…….

The Mercedes Team purge has begun.
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The only sources I’ve seen about this today suggest she’s off to do something different and to pursue her dreams. Not sure this has anything to do with the car struggles at Mercedes though. It would be odd if it was as she’s a trainer, not an engineer or political figure.
 
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
The only sources I’ve seen about this today suggest she’s off to do something different and to pursue her dreams. Not sure this has anything to do with the car struggles at Mercedes though. It would be odd if it was as she’s a trainer, not an engineer or political figure.
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That is the standard line anyone who leaves any place says. You don't want to burn bridges, and nobody would say they leave to go do something boring and dumb. At the same token, if everything was amazing and honkydory people wouldn't be leaving either like they've been doing.
 
Glideslope said:
The PU issues with Ferrari are so far beyond even what I was expecting I’m struggling to understand how they got here. Mind bending.
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The fact we’ve had one race and Ferrari are already facing penalties for using more than their allotted engine parts (X2 engine control units in a single weekend) is absurd. So many years without success now and approaching a Scheckter to Schumacher style period for the second time in 45 years.
 
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The-Real-Deal82 said:
The fact we’ve had one race and Ferrari are already facing penalties for using more than their allotted engine parts (X2 engine control units in a single weekend) is absurd. So many years without success now and approaching a Scheckter to Schumacher style period for the second time in 45 years.
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I will be interesting if we ever get accurate information as to just what the issues are. Is it software, hardware, and combination of the ICE and MGU’s not talking to each other? Did they change parts suppliers on some electronics? QC issues with ECU internal components? So many variables in 2023.

I don’t think we are seeing PU‘s self destruct from internal combustion issues. IMO it’s somewhere between the PU and MGU’s.

Could be temperature related as well if they miscalculated an aero change to try and gain straight line speed. Almost sounds like a Power Inverter issue damaging the ECU.

Just hopeful it can be fixed after this weekend, and it’s not jus a “Ferrari Problem.”
 
Since 2008, the ECUs have been manufactured jointly by Microsoft and McLaren Electronic Systems as a standard item for all teams and engine suppliers so likely not solely an ECU issue as other teams were unaffected.

The FIA has issued a new ICU tender for the 2026 season onwards and are still collecting bids through the 25th of this month.
 
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Glideslope said:
I will be interesting if we ever get accurate information as to just what the issues are. Is it software, hardware, and combination of the ICE and MGU’s not talking to each other? Did they change parts suppliers on some electronics? QC issues with ECU internal components? So many variables in 2023.

I don’t think we are seeing PU‘s self destruct from internal combustion issues. IMO it’s somewhere between the PU and MGU’s.

Could be temperature related as well if they miscalculated an aero change to try and gain straight line speed. Almost sounds like a Power Inverter issue damaging the ECU.

Just hopeful it can be fixed after this weekend, and it’s not jus a “Ferrari Problem.”
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As has been said they are a standard part for all teams with McLaren getting a substantial fee for their usage. This has been the case for many years from what I remember. I couldn’t hazard a guess what is making them fail but Ferrari seem to have started yet another season with cars retiring from podium positions and that’s rather embarrassing for a team of that stature.
 
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CWallace said:
Since 2008, the ECUs have been manufactured jointly by Microsoft and McLaren Electronic Systems as a standard item for all teams and engine suppliers so likely not solely an ECU issue as other teams were unaffected.

The FIA has issued a new ICU tender for the 2026 season onwards and are still collecting bids through the 25th of this month.
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Thank you. Wasn’t aware of this. 👍
 
Ooh Max out of qualifying in 15th. And most likely P1 Fernando. Now there is an interesting twist for this year.

And some said it’s boring. 😂
 
Alonso for the win now Max is out of qualifying I hope, although It’ll probably be Perez if Max doesn’t just drive from the back to the front in that obscenely fast Red Bull. Dreadful location for a race though so I won’t be tuning in for any highlights for this one. I’ll watch the rugby instead.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
Alonso for the win now Max is out of qualifying I hope, although It’ll probably be Perez if Max doesn’t just drive from the back to the front in that obscenely fast Red Bull. Dreadful location for a race though so I won’t be tuning in for any highlights for this one. I’ll watch the rugby instead.
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Don‘t be too sure. This was a brand new gearbox in Max’s RB19. That’s 2 failures in 2 days. If it has to be replaced a drive at Warp Speed from 15th May not be prudent until they figure out the issues. I believe Sergio has gone through a gearbox already as well……….

Great effort from Fred. Could be excitement up front with Fred and Sergio.

Just sayin…….
 
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Glideslope said:
Don‘t be too sure. This was a brand new gearbox in Max’s RB19. That’s 2 failures in 2 days. If it has to be replaced a drive at Warp Speed from 15th May not be prudent until they figure out the issues. I believe Sergio has gone through a gearbox already as well……….

Great effort from Fred. Could be excitement up front with Fred and Sergio.

Just sayin…….
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Fingers crossed reliability issues this season make it more exciting than last season. It would be cool to see Alonso win tomorrow and break his decade drought. He looks like he’s enjoying F1 again.
 
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