[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by Rono63

If it turns out to be a good design but takes two to three years to be competitive with the new regs coming in 2026 I don’t think that’s a good decision.

Maybe Toto likes looking at the back of Ferrari’s and Red Bull’s

I don’t think so. The dominant run that Mercedes had will likely never be done again - the current and future regulations along with the cost cap will prevent that from happening.

If Mercedes is sandbagging and the W14 becomes this performance leader until 2026, how is losing a year or two a bad thing? I think the mindset needs to change for F1 - you’re going to have off years to build for the future like all sports.

At least that’s how I see it. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect any team to design a new car and hit all aspects of it out of the park. If there was no cost cap, I would 100% agree with you but F1 is now aligned with all sports operating under a salary cap.

[lens]

All right bois, who's ready to hear the Dutch and Austrian national anthem 21 times in a row? lololol

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Rono63

If it turns out to be a good design but takes two to three years to be competitive with the new regs coming in 2026 I don’t think that’s a good decision.

Maybe Toto likes looking at the back of Ferrari’s and Red Bull’s

This.

[TTM0TION]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

I don’t think so. The dominant run that Mercedes had will likely never be done again - the current and future regulations along with the cost cap will prevent that from happening.

If Mercedes is sandbagging and the W14 becomes this performance leader until 2026, how is losing a year or two a bad thing? I think the mindset needs to change for F1 - you’re going to have off years to build for the future like all sports.

At least that’s how I see it. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect any team to design a new car and hit all aspects of it out of the park. If there was no cost cap, I would 100% agree with you but F1 is now aligned with all sports operating under a salary cap.

Engine regs and the freezing of them will be the major catalyst not the cap. MB got to do what it did because it spent all it's time getting ready for the new regs and they smashed it. No one else was allowed to catch up. When the engines change again we'll see who smashes it then and they will be dominant, unless we get a few that all do well that time round.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by lens

All right bois, who's ready to hear the Dutch and Austrian national anthem 21 times in a row? lololol

Glad you said bois

[NYG]

Originally Posted by lens

All right bois, who's ready to hear the Dutch and Austrian national anthem 21 times in a row? lololol

Throw in a Spain + UK at least once and I'll be happy

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by TTM0TION

Engine regs and the freezing of them will be the major catalyst not the cap. MB got to do what it did because it spent all it's time getting ready for the new regs and they smashed it. No one else was allowed to catch up. When the engines change again we'll see who smashes it then and they will be dominant, unless we get a few that all do well that time round.

That’s was my point. That was before everything changed so that era of F1 where Mercedes dominated isn’t going to happen again. In the cost cap era where new regulations and other rules being introduced, the cap is also going to be a determining factor. Even with the new car and engine freeze, you don’t think the W13 would have been a lot better if Mercedes could throw all the money they wanted at it? You don’t think thr W14 would “look” a lot better if Mercedes was not operating under a cap?

Ultimately, everyone expects their favourite team to win, but reality is with the direction F1 is heading, decade-long dominance is likely not going to happen again - a team would have to be extremely lucky to develop a car that is the best for the current rules. If not you’re spending those years playing catch up using the cost cap in multiple years trying to improve just like any other sport.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Checo got a 1:30.305 fastest lap of all in testing. Leclerc did a 1:30.558 to get pole position at the venue last year as a matter of interest .

Checo's time was also set on the harder C4 tire. I wonder what is possible with C5 tire, low fuel, full quali settings, and Max driving. Low 1:29's or better?

Originally Posted by M5Rick

What on earth are Merc and Wolff up to, it doesn't make sense to anyone but the lying pos could be sandbagging to an extent. Horner is puzzled by them and seeing Wolff's behaviour recently it's no surprise.
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-q...y-holding-back

Top three teams are all sandbagging. I don't expect the pecking order to change...RB, Ferrari, Merc.

In my opinion Horner should be most worried about Ferrari. They had a seriously quick car last year, but with a poorly managed team and some questionable driving at times.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Top three teams are all sandbagging. I don't expect the pecking order to change...RB, Ferrari, Merc.

In my opinion Horner should be most worried about Ferrari. They had a seriously quick car last year, but with a poorly managed team and some questionable driving at times.

I agree. RB would’ve likely still won, but it should’ve been a lot closer and with Ferrari restructuring, it might actually be a good fight between Red Bull and Ferrari as a team instead of VER VW. LEC.

Weekend can’t come soon enough!

[G30M]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Here's a vid of all the cars today, Max's car appeared to be free of the aero rake add ons to measure aero like on the Ferrari sometimes and the Mercs, which is a good sign.

Leave that to the number 2 driver

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Checo's time was also set on the harder C4 tire. I wonder what is possible with C5 tire, low fuel, full quali settings, and Max driving. Low 1:29's or better?


Top three teams are all sandbagging. I don't expect the pecking order to change...RB, Ferrari, Merc.

In my opinion Horner should be most worried about Ferrari. They had a seriously quick car last year, but with a poorly managed team and some questionable driving at times.

It's tough to tell how much sandbagging was going on. RB didnt seem to do much testing on the C5 tire and seemingly stuck to the harder C3/C4 tires yet were faster on these than anyone else was (sans Zhou by .04) on the C5. So was it that RB was sandbagging some, but the others were pushing harder and will only show slower pace on the C3/C4 that are more indicative of a race/quali day tire?

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Checo's time was also set on the harder C4 tire. I wonder what is possible with C5 tire, low fuel, full quali settings, and Max driving. Low 1:29's or better?


Top three teams are all sandbagging. I don't expect the pecking order to change...RB, Ferrari, Merc.

In my opinion Horner should be most worried about Ferrari. They had a seriously quick car last year, but with a poorly managed team and some questionable driving at times.

If the times tumble on Saturday then we'll know.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Wolff seems to admit here what you said earlier that the RB19 can brake later and accelerate out earlier than the others.
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/18338...e-earlier.html

Sure . That's what I said , and the Italians noticed that too ...

It's pretty simple ,this season the RB19 is a lot lighter .
The key is : A lighter cockpit tube and that wasn't cheap .

There's also a big chance that LEW will be beaten by an Aston !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Checo's time was also set on the harder C4 tire. I wonder what is possible with C5 tire, low fuel, full quali settings, and Max driving. Low 1:29's or better?

C4 ? / C5 ?

Are useless as you and we can see .

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by NYG

Free Practice in 4 days!!!!!!!!

[G30M]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

C4 ? / C5 ?

Are useless as you and we can see .

18 psi? my factory pressures are in the 40s! wth

anyone knows the psi on them old 13" F1 tyres?

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

C4 ? / C5 ?

I am aware of tires Pirelli made available for the race weekend. I was referring to quick times from testing. RB was over 3 tenths quicker on a harder tire...C4. The next two quickest times were done on glory runs on C5 tire by Ham and Bottas. We never got to see the gap on same tire, with Max in the car. RB never showed their cards in testing.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

C4 ? / C5 ?

Are useless as you and we can see .

All the info we need to know on a card

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by g21

18 psi? my factory pressures are in the 40s! wth

anyone knows the psi on them old 13" F1 tyres?

I would have thought the same as they are now and they're filled with nitrogen like they do in the tyre shops in Costco.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Hulk and Mags, what a team! Must take the pressure of Steiner some

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M3WC

I am aware of tires Pirelli made available for the race weekend. I was referring to quick times from testing. RB was over 3 tenths quicker on a harder tire...C4. The next two quickest times were done on glory runs on C5 tire by Ham and Bottas. We never got to see the gap on same tire, with Max in the car. RB never showed their cards in testing

Sure . Why should they ?
Mercedes is well known for their extreme sandbag saga's.

One thing is for sure , LEW is the best spy of the field

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by g21

18 psi? my factory pressures are in the 40s! wth

anyone knows the psi on them old 13" F1 tyres?

In 2019 with the old 13" in bar :