F1 2023: Qatar GP - Lusail (Oct 8)

[GuidoK]

F1 2023: Qatar GP - Lusail (Oct 8)

Schedule:
https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2023/Qatar.html

Lusail International Circuit:

Lusail
When was the track built?

The Lusail International Circuit, located on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, was built in preparation for hosting Qatar’s first ever MotoGP event in 2004, with the circuit completed in just over a year.
When was its first Grand Prix?

2021 represented the first time Qatar had ever hosted the FIA Formula One World Championship – with the country signing an additional 10-year deal to host the sport from 2023.
What’s the circuit like?

Designed primarily with motorcycle racing in mind, the 5.4-kilometre Lusail International Circuit is a fast and flowing track, where medium- and high-speed corners predominate. Over one kilometre of the track’s total length is made up of the main straight, which provides plenty of overtaking opportunities into Turn 1.
Why go?

If you live in the northern hemisphere and the thought of escaping colder climes in October appeals, you’ll be well catered for in Qatar, with average temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius at that time of year. Unsurprisingly with that kind of weather, Qatar is a great country for outdoor pursuits, be that karting at Lusail itself, or trips into the desert to go sandboarding, camel riding and 4x4ing.
Where is the best place to watch?

The Main Grandstand puts you at the heart of the action, with panoramic views of the start-finish straight, the pit lane and the team garages. Meanwhile, the new-for-2023 T2 Grandstand offers outstanding vantage points to enjoy the action through the circuit’s opening corners.

There was no Qatar GP in 2022, so here are the race highlights of 2021:

2021 Thread:
https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1875621

[GuidoK]

2021 saw a lot of punctures, probably due to the curbstones, so that might be a factor in the race. I don't know if the curbstones have changed since then.

Just 1 DRS zone on the straight, which is quite long (1.068 km)

So what's your prediction?
Here's mine:
1. VER
2. PER
3. NOR
4. LEC
5. PIA

[///M Power-Belgium]

A new F1 record !

[M5Rick]

1 ver
2 per
3 lec
4 nor
5 pia
6 sai

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

A new F1 record !

Can Max make it 200..

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Can Max make it 200..

With still 6 races to go ... 'YES !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

1 ver
2 per
3 lec
4 nor
5 pia
6 sai

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

2021 saw a lot of punctures, probably due to the curbstones, so that might be a factor in the race. I don't know if the curbstones have changed since then.

Just 1 DRS zone on the straight, which is quite long (1.068 km)

So what's your prediction?
Here's mine:
1. VER
2. PER
3. NOR
4. LEC
5. PIA

The Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 at 1:8 scale looks fantastic !
I want one , but the price is €9.775,00 ! => https://www.amalgamcollection.com/co...rb19-1-8-scale

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

The Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 at 1:8 scale looks fantastic !
I want one , but the price is €9.775,00 ! => https://www.amalgamcollection.com/co...rb19-1-8-scale

Wolff has probably told Brackley to purchase one to study it through a microscope especially the behind the body aero tubes, he will then think he'll discover the Newey secrets.....44 63 #no$? what a sad man

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Wolff has probably told Brackley to purchase one to study it through a microscope especially the behind the body aero tubes, he will then think he'll discover the Newey secrets.....44 63 #no$? what a sad man

Yeah . Don't think that Adrian Newey would sell his aero secrets in a scale model

One thing is for sure : It looks fantastic !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yeah . Don't think that Adrian Newey would sell his aero secrets in a scale model

One thing is for sure : It looks fantastic !

I would love one ! Either that or a RB front nose with wing from a real car to adorn the fireplace

[M5Rick]

How Max does it with a similar style to what Schumi did back then but with more gentleness with the fragile tyres of now.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I would love one ! Either that or a RB front nose with wing from a real car to adorn the fireplace

Happy Birthday MAX !!!

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Happy Birthday MAX !!!

26 YO, there's probably some noise and fireworks in Monaco town tonight my friend and they must be having a ball while I'm having a glass (or two) of Monsigny also right now.
Cheers Max

[M5Rick]

According to Peter Windsor, one of the best know all journos, Checo is the perfect number two for Max so Lawson and Norris, even with their brilliant drive skills will have to keep playing their fiddles for longer to impress Horner and Marko more and to top it all Max WANTS Checo to remain for as long as.
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/24069...place-him.html

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

According to Peter Windsor, one of the best know all journos, Checo is the perfect number two for Max so Lawson and Norris, even with their brilliant drive skills will have to keep playing their fiddles for longer to impress Horner and Marko more and to top it all Max WANTS Checo to remain for as long as.
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/24069...place-him.html

I can't make up if Windsor is meaning replacing Perez this year or next year or the year after that.
Replacing him this year would be madness, as that results in RB not having a 1-2 WDC, which was their initial plan and Checo's assignment: get 2nd place in the wdc.
But next year, with both McLaren and Ferrari closing the gap to RB, Checo's 2nd place isn't a sure bet.
I mean, if Checo didn't have those 2 victories in the beginning of the year and maybe had a dnf (it is a mechanical sport, look at TSU in Monza, he has the same engine as Max&Checo), he wouldn't be 2nd.
It's not even sure he'll even finish 2nd this year as his lead on Hammy is only 33 points, anything can happen in 6 races.

So.... Windsor probably has lost his mind regarding next year. RB want's 1st and 2nd in WDC. That's the goal. That's the drivers assignment.
Obviously no teamboss wants Rosberg-Hamilton or Senna-Prost kind of situations, but I think the link from gpblog hints at Windsor's video of analyzing the japanese GP.
There he also says Checo is a very good teammate: (at 8:39)

But he clearly has forgotten last year, where Max held a grudge for half a season, regarding Checo alledgedly crashing on purpose in the Monaco Q3 qualification preventing Max on his flying lap to potentially grabbing pole. Hard to prove of course, but crashing on purpose... not so good. Nontheless whether it's true or not, apparently Horner and Marko weren't able to solve this drivers crisis that year between Checo and Max, resulting in a display that is not so good for the sponsor.
But maybe he was only talking about Suzuka and Checo there. Not really relevant as Checo never came near Max in that weekend.

When I hear Max talking, I get the idea that he doesn't care how good of a driver his team mate is, he's more looking at it if he likes that person or not.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I can't make up if Windsor is meaning replacing Perez this year or next year or the year after that.
Replacing him this year would be madness, as that results in RB not having a 1-2 WDC, which was their initial plan and Checo's assignment: get 2nd place in the wdc.
But next year, with both McLaren and Ferrari closing the gap to RB, Checo's 2nd place isn't a sure bet.
I mean, if Checo didn't have those 2 victories in the beginning of the year and maybe had a dnf (it is a mechanical sport, look at TSU in Monza, he has the same engine as Max&Checo), he wouldn't be 2nd.
It's not even sure he'll even finish 2nd this year as his lead on Hammy is only 33 points, anything can happen in 6 races.

So.... Windsor probably has lost his mind regarding next year. RB want's 1st and 2nd in WDC. That's the goal. That's the drivers assignment.
Obviously no teamboss wants Rosberg-Hamilton or Senna-Prost kind of situations, but I think the link from gpblog hints at Windsor's video of analyzing the japanese GP.
There he also says Checo is a very good teammate: (at 8:39)

But he clearly has forgotten last year, where Max held a grudge for half a season, regarding Checo alledgedly crashing on purpose in the Monaco Q3 qualification preventing Max on his flying lap to potentially grabbing pole. Hard to prove of course, but crashing on purpose... not so good. Nontheless whether it's true or not, apparently Horner and Marko weren't able to solve this drivers crisis that year between Checo and Max, resulting in a display that is not so good for the sponsor.
But maybe he was only talking about Suzuka and Checo there. Not really relevant as Checo never came near Max in that weekend.

When I hear Max talking, I get the idea that he doesn't care how good of a driver his team mate is, he's more looking at it if he likes that person or not.

Windsor is gambling that Checo will finish second in championship at years end in front of Hammy hoping the panic driving by him in Japan leading to damage and retirement will subside and Qatar will be a finish in front of Hammy, I hope so also but a tall order for him to challenge the Mclarens.

[lens]

Everyone is pretty confident that Perez will get 2nd this GP.

I have no faith in him at all lmao

Both ferrari's are fast in a straight line, and that straight in Qatar is pretty long...

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

26 YO, there's probably some noise and fireworks in Monaco town tonight my friend and they must be having a ball while I'm having a glass (or two) of Monsigny also right now.
Cheers Max

Yeah , MAX is now 26 YO . But check the top-10 list of the greatest ..

MAX won '48 races before his 26th birthday !
I'm sure , no one will beat this record ever again in the F1 history !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yeah , MAX is now 26 YO . But check the top-10 list of the greatest ..

MAX won '48 races before his 26th birthday !
I'm sure , no one will beat this record ever again in the F1 history !

'Born on the track' is the telling key to Max's record with his dad Jos and mom guiding him every step of the way when he left school , the likes of Senna/Mansell/Prost/Schumi with those before are from different era's and they didn't have such intense mentoring from their parents.
Look at Lauda, he had to single mindedly push himself as his dad was so against him going into motor racing.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by lens

Everyone is pretty confident that Perez will get 2nd this GP.

I have no faith in him at all lmao

In this case I don't think it's so much as having faith in Checo, but having faith in the RB19

It's a bit harder to predict as there was no Qatar GP last year, but I think this track will favor the RB19 car the most and the Mclaren car too.
And indeed maybe Ferrari, they seem to have their tyre degridation a bit more under control now.

As for Checo, I think his race result will depend on how good his qualification sessions are. They're hit&miss at best. Of course having only 1 FP favours drivers who can get their setup quick.

As for the sprint race, no idea what that outcome will be.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

In this case I don't think it's so much as having faith in Checo, but having faith in the RB19

It's a bit harder to predict as there was no Qatar GP last year, but I think this track will favor the RB19 car the most and the Mclaren car too.
And indeed maybe Ferrari, they seem to have their tyre degridation a bit more under control now.

As for Checo, I think his race result will depend on how good his qualification sessions are. They're hit&miss at best. Of course having only 1 FP favours drivers who can get their setup quick.

As for the sprint race, no idea what that outcome will be.

The outcome after the sprint race ?
Will be ....

MAX is the 2023 F1 World Champion !