re: 2022 Formula 1 Season Thread

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One thing I keep forgetting to mention is I am looking forward to the rule required show and tells before and after the GPs where the teams have to display and explain their aero choices and they also have to declare any aero changes. This is going to produce some really interesting development curves throughout the year. It may also give an advantage to groups of cars that have similar designs in the mid-car where they will be more likely to be able to incorporate similar designs if one of the group has a great innovation. This is another place Ferrari is more on an island due to the vast differences in their mid-car design IMO.

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I'm bringing this topic back up. I'm kind of confused by this new rule because F1 is trying to shorten the F1 race weekend by 1 day, yet added a pre-FP1 and post-Q3 show and tell. I get the reason to let fans see behind the curtains more, just strangely executed instructions (as of now). I really don't like how the 5 post-qualifying cars forced to show and tell are "randomly selected" by race director and delegate. Just make top 5 qualifiers show and tell, then be done with it. I'm sure teams are going to still be secretive and misleading during this, and this seems like a giant annoyance for the teams.

It is going to be interesting to see whomever the team selects to answer questions giving long and drawn out answers to questions in order to run out the clock. I foresee an Alpha Tauri asking Horner about something miniscule on the car and Horner going on and on about it in order to not have to answer any other questions.

The cars definitely look much different between all of different constructors, I really want to see what designs are going to be effective this year.

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I'm sure teams are going to still be secretive and misleading during this, and this seems like a giant annoyance for the teams.

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A lot of them already do some similar stuff on their Monday recaps via social media outlets. Think this is F1 trying to get a piece of that action for money.

Merc running what looks like a completely different car

Norris just went fastest

Bottas had the fastest lap last year at 1:18.1 and Hamilton had pole at 1:16.7 last year for Barcelona GP.


These cars are going to be quick.

Yes.

The main takeaway from the "time sheet" is not the time but the laps. Car with well over 100 laps are obviously mechanically sorted. Haas and Alfa put up numbers that are concerning.* Verstappen and Alonso putting in yeoman's work, reminds me of the blue/white collar thread on tOT yesterday, they both brought their lunch pail and clocked in.**

Just in case someone reading doesn't know yet the tire compounds go from C1 hardest to C5 softest. Teams had all compounds available to them for the test.

*"Bottas says today’s issues were pretty “costly” for Alfa Romeo - he's not being specific with what it was, just says some mechanical problems. Claims the team has fully understood the cause and how to resolve it."


**I know it doesn't really mean anything just nice to see.



ETA Mark Hughes trackside analysis of the cars:

the-race

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The main takeaway from the "time sheet" is not the time but the laps. Car with well over 100 laps are obviously mechanically sorted. Haas and Alfa put up numbers that are concerning.* Verstappen and Alonso putting in yeoman's work, reminds me of the blue/white collar thread on tOT yesterday, they both brought their lunch pail and clocked in.**

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How should one think about Red Bull running almost 3 times as many laps as Mercedes? Is Mercedes in trouble vs. Red Bull?

ETA: Never mind. It looks like Mercedes split the testing duties between two drivers, whereas Red Bull only used Verstappen.

p.s. You are on your A+ game in this thread during this offseason sharing amazing info. Thanks man.