Formula 1 racing chatter!

[JoePCool14]

On that note, as much as I love Kimi (we all do), I kinda hope he calls it so we can see another rising star get a chance.

[Takumi]

Esteban Ocon has signed a 3-year extension for Alpine. Finally we can put those ridiculous Gasly rumors to rest. (I love Gasly, but him going to Alpine never felt right to me.)
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/esteban-ocon-signs-new-alpine-f1-deal-until-2024/6575083/

Also former F1 driver Kevin Magnussen will make his IndyCar debut this weekend, subbing for Felix Rosenqvist who was injured in Saturday's race at Detroit.

[JoePCool14]

French driver for a French team. Makes too much sense not to keep that going.

[Takumi]

Romain Grosjean gives the AlphaTauri a virtual lap of Paul Ricard. As boring as the race usually is, it does look fun to drive.
https://youtu.be/fiES-4AWeLs

[Takumi]

Carlos Reutemann has died, age 79.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/ex-f1-racer-carlos-reutemann-dies-at-age-79/6627349/

[JoePCool14]

In terms of upcoming news, the first trial for Sprint Race Qualifying will be next weekend at the British Grand Prix.

I don't feel like it's going to work out well, but it might be worth a shot. Any thoughts?

[1995hoo]

Thanks for the reminder. I've had trouble finding time to watch qualifying this year, but given the different format, this week I'll have to find a way.

[ET21]

I watched the Indy Qualifiers a few weeks back at Road America, my first visit to the track. That was so much fun

[JoePCool14]

2022 car reveal from F1 will be starting in about 20 minutes on YouTube!

[NWI_Irish96]

I watched the Indy Qualifiers a few weeks back at Road America, my first visit to the track. That was so much fun

Been to countless Indy 500s but never to a road course race. Really would like to see one sometime.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

After today's "rainout," has the FIA and Formula 1 ever thought of just postponing a race till Monday? American series do this. Why not them?

[1995hoo]

Which was a bigger farce: Indianapolis 2005 or Spa 2021?

I could see arguments for both. The weather today clearly made racing untenable, but Hamilton had a valid point that it's a bit absurd just to run three laps behind the safety car purely so that you can award half points. Indianapolis only had six cars start, but in theory those cars did go out and race.

Kind of makes you wonder whether they could have done like NASCAR and just postponed to tomorrow, seeing as how the next race isn't all that long a distance for the team haulers.

[Takumi]

Today was a bigger farce. At Indy, at least the cars that did start were able to run the full distance and at speed.

I missed the broadcast. What was today's podium ceremony like? I'm imagining a repeat of Indy, with Verstappen and Hamilton quickly exiting after the anthems while Russell celebrates his first career podium like Monteiro did.

[1995hoo]

They actually sprayed the sparkling wine (it's not real Champagne this year), I think mainly for Russell.

[Takumi]

They actually sprayed the sparkling wine (it's not real Champagne this year), I think mainly for Russell.

Ah, yes, the only Ferrari that's actually consistently been on the podium this year.

[formulanone]

25-30 years ago, they would have started the race. Even in 1997, they did a few laps behind the safety car and then let them go.

They probably would have still done a half-points race and it might have been somewhat farcical like 1991 Adelaide, but who knows? I think knowing how treacherous Eau Rouge and Radillion could be in the wet, they had to make these decisions.

Really just should have run it the next day, since the logistics of going to Zandvoort weren't going to be greatly affected (as opposed to the 24-hour disruption caused by flying out the teams and equipment halfway around the globe).

[Takumi]

I think the reason they didn’t opt to run it Monday was because the marshals are volunteers, and while Monday was a bank holiday in some countries in Europe, Belgium wasn’t one of them.

At any rate, silly season rumors are hitting full swing all of a sudden. According to journalist Dieter Rencken, George Russell is indeed getting the Mercedes seat, with Bottas replacing the retiring Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. Formula E champion Nyck de Vries (or possibly Callum Ilott or Theo Pourchaire) would go into the other Alfa seat, with Antonio Giovinazzi off to Ferrari’s upcoming hypercar program in 2023. Alex Albon would replace Russell at Williams. I’d be surprised if all of this is true. At this rate I wouldn’t be totally surprised if Bottas stays at Mercedes.

[7/8]

Man, I really hope Albon gets another chance at F1. I believe he could pull a Gasly and redeem himself. He also was a lot of fun to watch with his ballsy outside passes!

[Takumi]

Raikkonen has just announced his retirement.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/kimi-raikkonen-retirement-formula-1-2021/6658463/

[7/8]

I think the reason they didn't opt to run it Monday was because the marshals are volunteers, and while Monday was a bank holiday in some countries in Europe, Belgium wasn't one of them.

At any rate, silly season rumors are hitting full swing all of a sudden. According to journalist Dieter Rencken, George Russell is indeed getting the Mercedes seat, with Bottas replacing the retiring Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. Formula E champion Nyck de Vries (or possibly Callum Ilott or Theo Pourchaire) would go into the other Alfa seat, with Antonio Giovinazzi off to Ferrari's upcoming hypercar program in 2023. Alex Albon would replace Russell at Williams. I'd be surprised if all of this is true. At this rate I wouldn't be totally surprised if Bottas stays at Mercedes.

As of today, most of this has come true. Just waiting on the news for the second Alfa seat (Gio or someone else?).

[formulanone]

I started following F1 just after they stopped going to Zandvoort; even modified, it's nice to have a real racing track with some history back in the fold.

Good to see Albon get another shot in the piranha club.

[Takumi]

I started following F1 just after they stopped going to Zandvoort; even modified, it's nice to have a real racing track with some history back in the fold.

Good to see Albon get another shot in the piranha club.

Zandvoort looks like a lot of fun to drive, and reminds me of some local back roads, but aside from Checo knifing through the field the racing left a bit to be desired.

[Takumi]

Multiple sources are reporting that Michael Andretti is getting close to buying the Sauber group. Some of those sources are saying that he'd bring Colton Herta to F1 for the second Alfa seat.
https://racer.com/2021/10/08/andretti-set-for-further-sauber-f1-takeover-talks-in-austin/

[Takumi]

According to David Land, the previous rumor of Andretti buying Sauber is dead, so no Colton Herta in F1 anytime soon, but Florida's own Logan Sargeant has signed a development deal with Williams, and will likely move up to F2 next year.
https://racer.com/2021/10/22/americas-sargeant-joins-williams-racing-driver-academy/

[7/8]

Official confirmation that Giovinazzi will be replaced with Zhou at Alfa Romeo next year:

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-alfa-romeo-announce-guanyu-zhou-as-valtteri-bottass-team-mate-for.3FGtpRMOhG1qZ4Qinr8ky6.html