Formula 1 2025 Season

Most sources saying that Doohan's time is up and Colapinto is gonna get the call up. As bad as AM Fred is better off there and can you imagine if Piastri hadn't been able to bail on Alpine?

In reply to jharry3 :

Agreed,I'd go further and line the track edge with gravel to keep all 4 wheels inside track limits ffs.

 Any car hits it and drags gravel onto the track gets a stop and go.

 They manage to stay off the armco in Monaco so its possible. ;)

I liked Hamiltons reply when he was told Sainz was 1.4 seconds behind "you want me let him by too?"

In reply to trigun7469 :

I had some great experiences at the Indycar races at Burke Lakefront. Back in 1997 I was doing press coverage of the North American (Super) Touring Car Championship, and went to the NATCC races as well as the IndyCar races, so had some great access to stuff. At the first NATCC race there in 97, I was with the heads of Chrysler Racing and the Dodge Stratus Super Touring programs for the start, and we were walking and talking down pit lane towards the first turn, sort of glancing over our shoulders looking for an unobstructed view. We got to turn 1 and wandered a bit past the jersey walls and fencing for a good view. Great view! The race starts, and they're coming right at us, then braking and turning off to our left (driver's right). The field goes past, and a corner worker runs up to us yelling to get the hell out of there - we're actually on track in the turn 1 runoff area. LOL. It was a fantastic view. I also got to watch a good part of the IndyCar race from the top of the camera tower at the far turn heading back towards the pits, could see the whole track from there. And that was the year of Alex Zanardi's amazing drive from 22nd (after a penalty for pitting when the pits were closed, due to an inoperative radio) to win - watching that was something I'll never forget. I managed to walk into the press room at the same time he did and told him what I great drive I thought that was, he just gave me a pretty exhausted "Thanks." The guy was - and is - 100% racer. 

- Bill C

In reply to 84FSP :

I can believe that - when I was watching it (from turn 1) I was thinking of you folks.

But from the stands it was hilarious. 

- Bill C

Team Principal Oliver Oakes resigns from Alpine, Fabio Briatore to take over role. Guess lifetime ban means you can be back to running things 17 years later.

And if Flabio is in charge, I'll bet Colapinto will be driving at the next race....

And....   confirmed!

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alpine-confirm-colapinto-to-replace-doohan-for-next-five-rounds-as-team-opt.4lH96VnGHyC45S3yjeJOMK

Two of the most obvious moves, as soon as Flavio was connected it was obvious he was in charge, they just made it official. It was obvious from last year that Flavio wanted Colapinto in the seat, interesting it's only for 5 rounds. I guess what will happen after 5 rounds? I wonder if Flav would give Mick Schumi a swing if Colapinto doesn't work out. The seat can be like a Dayle Coyne equivelnt(where is Grump cat?).

I wonder if he can fix their car as well as he can fix a race... It's unbelievable that he's allowed to come back at all. What a stain on the sport he is.

Max vs Oscar and Max vs Lando

IMO: Oscar spent 8 laps making sure Max kept looking in the mirror but not so much to slow them both down a huge amount. Then he made Max race him but not how Max wanted him to.

Lando spent his laps racing Max every opportunity the way Max wants to be raced which made it awkward and cost them both time. And kept doing it until max actually made a mistake.

To me it seems that Max is predictable and Oscar has him pegged. Simply by not doing what Max wants him to. But Lando does exactly what Max asks every time 

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

Interesting take.  I'm gonna need to watch for this going forward.  I think there might be something to this.

Thanks for the insight.

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

100% agree with this take. Lando plays Max's game. Oscar plays Oscar's game. 

MiniDave said:

And if Flabio is in charge, I'll bet Colapinto will be driving at the next race....

Given the massive drama that has continued since he came back, I don't get how they expect to do anything worth while.  It's not as if he was some kind of genius leader of an f1 team. 

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

Not sure if agree. Max didn't take Lando a 100' wide at any apex. The poor FIA. Couldn't find a way to have Max win.

Oh please, he was how far back at the end????

In reply to Asphalt_Gundam :

A global take on racing, but I think after reading your take it realized that maybe I am focused too much on the current driver champion. So ignoring Verstappen..

I think that Piastri is just maybe a great passer like the early days of Daniel Ricciardo. He is really good at over takes no matter who. He has done great over takes on Norris, Hamilton, LeClerc and Verstappen. 

So instead of of focusing on Verstappen. Maybe focus on the skill set of Piastri. He may just understand how to use these ground effect cars to overtake. Norris definitely seems to be easier to predict in terms of overtaking tactics. He has been stymied by many drivers. 

The interesting thing about Alpine is that at the end of last season they actually looked like they were starting to move forward, Gasly had some decent races, and he still is doing OK. But they'll never get solidly into the midfield without a good 2nd driver. And maybe Koalapinto is that guy? Also, I don't see Flabio doing what he did back in the day, when he was more interested in young women and drinking/partying all night.....he seems even older and a bit more focused. We'll see. I'm not sure he wants to be team manager anyway, but no idea why he and Oakes clashed and Oakes left.

In reply to Advan046 :

I agree with that assessment. 

It just stood out to me watching last weekend just how easily Oscar baited Max into a over under at the time of his choosing. Which if you think about it was after a few laps to build gap to those behind so there wouldn't be vulnerability.

Then a Lando went about it completely opposite and struggled.

Made me think that max in particular is predictable because if you go to the outside he will not give room on exit. Add that to if you challenge him on the brakes he will go deeper. So Oscar just made him out brake himself and did the over-under

Seems Oakes' brother was just arrested with a "large amount of cash", so maybe some shenanigans afoot?

Curious .......brother Billy Oakes arrested in England with a large amount of cash, and other brother Oli Oakes flies to Dubai immediately after the race, straight from Miami......shenanigans?

All of this after Marzipan made a "personal visit" to Oli Oakes in Bahrain during the winter test. Dmitri also had a 75% stake in Hitech, and transferred that over to Oli when the sanctions hit.

Curious indeed.

Yet the two situations are said to be unrelated.......yeah,, right.

Who would you hire to replace Oakes?

In reply to Advan046 :

Otmar.  Seriously.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

What no Cyril!!

Still find it fascinating that Otmar went to two universities inside Detroit, Michigan. I can walk to one and take a short drive to the other. Could always pickup some of the eastern European/Detroit accent I heard a lot of my life. 

Advan046 said:

Who would you hire to replace Oakes?

Purely for the entertainment value.