I absolutely think he has improved, and money does trump talent in F1, otherwise we would see Piastri in the field this season, I’m mostly just voicing my disappointment that we all have in the way F1 operates even though it has always been that way.
I’m kind of uncomfortable beating on Lance here in that if it were me, Id be happy in his shoes. He seems to have settled in nicely and appears non-douche. He has handled himself well, and generally has not played the rich spoiled kid.
He’s improved and is likely to be a good racer someday, if he keeps going. I think he’ll outlast our prejudices against his good fortune.
Anyways now we have Nikita to gripe about (who also prolly is having fun).
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I don’t have a problem with Lance as a person, he seems un-offensive enough. And I’m not even upset that he’s in F1, and I doubt he gives a sh*t what a bunch of people on a karting forum think of him. I’m sure he’s happy. He has SOME talent, he won SuperNats once after all and did well in karting. He’s just turned out to be firmly mediocre in F1, with five years to prove himself and I just found it funny that Otmar constantly had to be very “diplomatic” when he was questioned on how Vettel and Lance compared to each other. Vettel, for all his faults, is a 4-time World Champion and doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone and is a different level to Lance.
There are many drivers equally mediocre as Lance, or even far better than Lance who have come and gone because they didn’t have funding or their dad didn’t own a team.
The measure of success in F1 is if you beat your teammate. The only teammate he’s beaten in his F1 career was Sirotkin, and that’s a crapshoot because the Williams that year was even more of a disaster than it has been lately, and Sirotkin was a rookie.
After seeing him crying in the interview when he wrecked in qualifying, and the constant subtle jabs at the car he’s driving, I’m not sure he’s having much fun in that Haas…
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It’s a seat. He can go to Kimis yacht parties, prolly.
He’s getting seat time in f1. Hard to argue with that opportunity, despite the car being un-driveable by him or Schumacher. I can’t imagine it is gonna hinder him, long term.
We are racers. We are also well behaved and can empathize with him/them. We share a common experience. And, all of us would take the ball and run with it.
I doubt he gives a shit about the relentless troll crap that he constantly must get, though.
I wonder what it’s like in the paddock in f1. I hope there’s joy to be had otherwise it seems to be an expensive boondoggle.
Vettel has no faults and is perfect. Ferrari’s loss. Good.
I’ve gained a lot of respect for Mazepin for his work with cerebral palsy kids introducing them to karting experiences. That Haas was a pig to drive, I hope they both get a decent car next year.
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I am hugely jealous of the folks who get to drive these awesome spaceships. I think they sound and look great, but they are a bit dopey too, in a good way. The folks who illustrated the Cars franchise could have a field day with these. Its not F1, but, I’d argue, related. Go, Stoeffel!
Take, for example, this:
Yeah, no changes to the layout of the track but the runoff is being expanded on both sides. Hopefully this helps with crashed cars getting thrown back onto the racing line like in the W Series race.
Agreed, I’d like to get behind the wheel of an electric race car someday. The racing is different, yes, but there have been some really cool surprises. Like Monaco for example. While Monaco is on the F1 calendar for tradition (not racing) it was perfect for these cars and was a really good race with lots of overtakes.
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Have you been to the Formula E NYC E-Prix before? It’s usually in July ish or June. Cant remember
I actually had the opportunity via work but had to pass. It was in Brooklyn if I recall.
Yeah, near some port
I would really like to go this year, seems dope. I just hope the tickets aren’t that expensive
And also, what was the job or work you got offered?
I work in banking and we have client entertainment events. The corporation sponsors events and were involved in it, I believe. It actually woulda been cool because when I get these kinds of tix, it’s usually the fancy ones.
I could imagine the Internet going beserk they changed it. That being said, I’m sure Spa has changed drastically over the years.
A little research: “In 1939 a road was built that bypassed the Virage de Ancienne Douare, which created the now infamous Eau Rouge/Radillon uphill corner sequence which is instantly recognisable to racing fans the world over.”
Damn, that’s sick (chars)
The cars remind me of karts at play. Track limits are pushed, walls clipped. There’s passing going on where you don’t see it in f1. Seems the lower top speeds but zippy accel are a nice combo for racing Monaco. It’s like lo crossed with tag.
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Another mildly f1 related story:
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Yeah the whole track used to be huge. Like most old tracks. Red bull (A1) Ring, Hockenheim, Nordschleife, etc all started huge. You can see the little turn they’re talking about in the diagram, It’s still there on google maps (as well as what looks like a rallycross course).
The virage de l’ancienne douanne seems like a good way to kill momentum coming out of radillion/eau rouge.
But, I guess that’s was the point of the road. Douane, if I am not mistaken means “customs”. Appears to have been a papers checkpoint for travelers.
@tankyx is my translation correct?
Virage de l’ancienne douanne = customs turnoff.
I am assuming that these were public roads originally, but unlike the ring, it is no longer public access?
Yes, the original Spa Francorchamps circuit was all public roads. In the late 1970’s, they constructed a purpose-built section specifically for racing as shown as the New Circuit in the map above. The remaining parts of the old track still used in the revised race circuit (Blanchimont to La Cote) remained public roads.
Around 15-20 years ago, bypass roads were built, and the remaining public road parts of the circuit were closed off and Spa became a fully permanent road course.
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