2024 Formula 1 Season thread

[Glideslope]

The W14 definitely had the driver further back. About 6th or 7th! 😀

Sorry couldn’t resist!

In my opinion it will be a miracle if the W15 is able to challenge RBR. I’d probably hold out more hope for McLaren to be able to catch up than Mercedes. But that hope is about the same as me winning the lottery (and I don’t even play!).

One can always hope. If McLaren can make the progress in 23 Mercedes has the engineering and resources to make it happen in 24. If not they should probably look for new leadership.

While I continue to to be a stead fast fan of Max, RB, and the RBPT RA621H Honda Descendent, it would be more enjoyable to have close racing up front every weekend. Max would certainly earn the driving respect he deserves. It’s not just the RB19.

 

[Glideslope]

RB20 to debut on February 15th.

 

[Apple fanboy]

RB20 to debut on February 15th.

Wonder why they waited so long? It’s been finished since September! 😀

 

[Glideslope]

Wonder why they waited so long? It’s been finished since September! 😀

Probably a small delay from the initial Frontal Crash failure. Perhaps not. More likely just posturing for dramatic effect.

 

[CWallace]

McLaren showed off their new livery, but on the old car. Media invited to the event noted the general atmosphere at the MTC is quite upbeat and the team seems to feel they are in a much better place at the start of 2024 then they were at the start of 2023.

 

[pachyderm]

McLaren showed off their new livery, but on the old car. Media invited to the event noted the general atmosphere at the MTC is quite upbeat and the team seems to feel they are in a much better place at the start of 2024 then they were at the start of 2023.

Great share! .... not... lol

 

[CWallace]

*sigh*

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Lets hope so 😎 A perfect all win season for Max would be awesome. 🤩

 

[CWallace]

As an American F1 fan, I have an interest and soft spot for HAAS, so it will be interesting to see if Komatsu can turn things around at HAAS. He was embedded in the UK operation, which is where most of the race prep is done so he seems to have a closer relationship with the engineering side of the team than Steiner did, who mostly worked out of the US office.

Gene says that HAAS spends within $10 million of the cost cap and that all of the investment is from sponsors (which is why he does not have to - and does not wish to - invest any more of his own money). And love the show or hate it, Steiner being one of the biggest stars on "Drive to Survive" really got the team exposure to both new fans and new sponsors. With Steiner gone and Komatsu focusing on engineering, HAAS currently does not have anyone dedicated to securing and maintaining sponsors (that will be the job of the new Chief Operating Officer, a position currently empty as Gene looks for candidates).

HAAS is also not helped by having its operations spread across three locations: the US (administration), UK (race operations) and Italy (chassis design and production).

 

[Glideslope]

Off Topic:

If anyone is looking for some exciting racing The Rolex 24hr at Daytona Qualifying is this weekend. GT3 will be very exciting this year. 🙂

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Here is a fun fact. It’s only 40 days until you will hear the Dutch national anthem again. 🤣😇

 

[headlessmike]

The Spanish Grand Prix is moving to a new street circuit (with some permanent segments) outside of Madrid in 2026.

Madrid to join Formula 1 calendar from 2026

Formula 1 has announced that the Spanish Grand Prix will be held in Madrid from 2026 to 2035 following an agreement with IFEMA MADRID to bring an all-new circuit to the Spanish capital, incorporating both street and non-street sections.

www.formula1.com

 

[headlessmike]

Here is a fun fact. It’s only 40 days until you will hear the Dutch national anthem again. 🤣😇

I wonder what is more probable, Max winning every race in 2024 or a team other than Red Bull winning any race at all? Usually the answer would be obvious, but after last season I'm not so sure 😬.

 

[beanbaguk]

No doubt, Max is an incredible driver. One of the best drivers of the century, but my goodness it was a boring season in 2023. The predictability was an astonishing achievement, but utterly boring from a fans' perspective.

I've been watching F1 for 30 years now, and for the first time, I'm not looking forward to a season, but I will try and run its course. (I still have hope).

It's not that I don't want Max to win. I just want to see him have to try harder. The grittiness is gone. It's all too polished and capitalised with all that "Vegas B$". So cringy. I felt for the drivers, who just looked so awkward. They were like fish out of water. The only one that seemed to enjoy it was Hamilton, and I'm a huge fan of his.

Here's hoping....I'm not hopeful

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I wonder what is more probable, Max winning every race in 2024 or a team other than Red Bull winning any race at all? Usually the answer would be obvious, but after last season I'm not so sure 😬.

Yes, indeed. I suspect there may be some initial 'finding their feet', a 'slow' start if you like. Perhaps 2–3 races early on are won by others. But I'm afraid thereafter it will be a runaway by Red Bull — Max Verstappen.

 

[Apple fanboy]

No doubt, Max is an incredible driver. One of the best drivers of the century, but my goodness it was a boring season in 2023. The predictability was an astonishing achievement, but utterly boring from a fans' perspective.

I've been watching F1 for 30 years now, and for the first time, I'm not looking forward to a season, but I will try and run its course. (I still have hope).

It's not that I don't want Max to win. I just want to see him have to try harder. The grittiness is gone. It's all too polished and capitalised with all that "Vegas B$". So cringy. I felt for the drivers, who just looked so awkward. They were like fish out of water. The only one that seemed to enjoy it was Hamilton, and I'm a huge fan of his.

Here's hoping....I'm not hopeful

I pretty much agree with your assessment. My level of hopelessness is similar to hoping I win the lottery (and I don’t even play!).

 

[CWallace]

I wonder what is more probable, Max winning every race in 2024 or a team other than Red Bull winning any race at all?

I believe the chances of another team winning a race is higher in 2024 than 2023. The RB20 is going to be as much as, if not more of, a beast than the RB19 was. However, McLaren, AMG, Ferrari and Aston appear to have identified and worked to address many of their 2023 weaknesses so hopefully this will result in pushing the Red Bulls harder and allowing for opportunities to score wins.

That said, I expect Max to comfortably defend his title.

 

[Don Quixote]

YYYyyyyyyyaaaaaaawwwwnnnn.

 

[headlessmike]

I believe the chances of another team winning a race is higher in 2024 than 2023. The RB20 is going to be as much as, if not more of, a beast than the RB19 was. However, McLaren, AMG, Ferrari and Aston appear to have identified and worked to address many of their 2023 weaknesses so hopefully this will result in pushing the Red Bulls harder and allowing for opportunities to score wins.

That said, I expect Max to comfortably defend his title.

One can hope. But it usually takes a regulation change to break the status quo in F1. I remember people claiming that the 2021 season showed that given enough time with a set of regulations, the field will catch up to the front of the pack. But Mercedes in 2020 was one of the most dominant teams in recent history. The thing that changed in 2021 was a regulations to the floor that mainly impacted the low rake cars like the Mercedes and the fact that testing was shorter than previously. Without that I’m sure that Lewis would have comfortably won and eighth WDC in 2021.

I don’t expect much to change in 2024. Red Bull is in a position where they could shift focus to the 2024 car before anyone else, and I expect that to show come Bahrain.

 

[pachyderm]

YYYyyyyyyyaaaaaaawwwwnnnn.

YYYyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnn.

 

[Glideslope]

I pretty much agree with your assessment. My level of hopelessness is similar to hoping I win the lottery (and I don’t even play!).

Never be Hopeless. 🙂

 

[Glideslope]

 

[beanbaguk]

View attachment 2340468

This is one thing that has me looking forward to the upcoming F1 season. I live in Spain (albeit in the South), so if I haven't given up on F1 after all these years, I'll take my son up to the inaugural race there in 2026. He'll be 9 years old, so the perfect age to enjoy his first F1 race and experience.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

One can hope. But it usually takes a regulation change to break the status quo in F1. I remember people claiming that the 2021 season showed that given enough time with a set of regulations, the field will catch up to the front of the pack. But Mercedes in 2020 was one of the most dominant teams in recent history. The thing that changed in 2021 was a regulations to the floor that mainly impacted the low rake cars like the Mercedes and the fact that testing was shorter than previously. Without that I’m sure that Lewis would have comfortably won and eighth WDC in 2021.

I don’t expect much to change in 2024. Red Bull is in a position where they could shift focus to the 2024 car before anyone else, and I expect that to show come Bahrain.

That is the thing with Formula, nobody wins unless they are consistent as a driver, have a great car, great strategy, a pit crew that are consistent, and have enough support around them to handle the pressure. If some of those elements are missing, a driver can only do so much. Mercedes were almost perfect for 7 consecutive years, and then the regs changed and it changed the order. Red Bull are now enjoying that privilege and it looks like after 2 years of getting it almost perfect, they are most likely going to carry that advantage into a third year. As fans of other drivers, we just hope the other teams do enough to close some gaps, but its also about who does the best job. Max has the best car, the best team and the best support at the moment and is consistent enough in himself to carry the momentum. Nobody stays at the top forever though and its why we watch.

 

[CWallace]

Alpha Tauri has formally changed their name to...

...the Visa Cash App RB Team.

Internally known as "VCARB", they will have their formal car launch in, where else, Las Vegas on 8 February. Alpha Tauri first met VISA as a potential sponsor at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, so maybe it's fitting, after all.

VISA has signed as a global sponsor for both Red Bull teams, so their logo will also appear on the RB20.