Motors The Nigel Mansell Moustache Appreciation Society

I'll quote myself from last summer and the Hungarian GP.

Max has driven excellently this year, but he isn't winning it, Mclaren are throwing it away. Red Bull is laser focused around Max and Max's car, all the talk about the car not being worthy is nonsense, he's in the most expensive, most carefully developed around a single set of data points machine since Schumacher's Ferraris. Even then, if Mclaren had been a little bit more competent and focused on one driver (Lando, since he's more consistenly the faster of the two) he wouldn't have a chance.
Instead Mclaren is so busy beating Mclaren they forgot about Max. More than a few shades of Kimi 2007.

For my money the greatest title victories are:
1957: Fangio wins in a 3 year old Maserati 250F the press described as 'a museum piece,' breaks the Nurburgring lap record 10 times in 22 laps on the way.
1991: Senna and the H-pattern V12 Mclaren against the Williams FW14's flappy paddles, traction control and active suspension.
2009: The Brawn/Button miracle.

 

If Max wins McLaren lose this it will be fumble of such proportions that no-one at McLaren should live it down.

Ultimately i think it's will, barring some 2021 level ****ery, be decided by who makes it out of turn 1 intact and in what order...

 

The shirt I put on, this morning:

 

Between that blow up in Zaandvort and the DSQ in Vegas McLando left 36 points on the table, this really shouldn't have been as close as it was. It does (to me) show that Lando learned lessons from last year.

Pub trivia, Max just took the record for most wins in a season without winning the championship from Alain Prost (7 in 1988).

 

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/1...-formula-1-season-after-20-years-with-company

****ity bye you poisonous gobshite... please do let the door hit you on the way out...

 

The guy's 82, he could just be retiring. Or it could be a sign that all is not well for next year. No Newey, no Horner, no Honda. 2026 may be a 'challenging' year for Red Bull.

 

Gee, that would be a real shame...

 

Good riddance, horrible man.

 

Getting rid of Newey and Mekies in really changed something at the team. Be it focusing on driver feedback, listening more to the data or even prep going into the weekend, the change seems to have turned Red Bull around.

It makes me wonder even despite losing Newey, Horner and Bellend might the team be in a better place to work through problems without the toxic backstabbing cutthroat culture that is plaguing the team.

Losing Honda is likely to be a blow as I have no faith in RB powertrains, tho Honda could also have a torrid time next year anyway. It isn’t quite the same Honda setup that pulled out of the sport that returned so who knows how things will shakeup? Part of me will be delighted tho if RB Powertrains fail, Can’t say I’m Fords biggest fan for various reasons

 

No DRS though so expect lots of trains.

 

Somewhat ironically, in terms of points and podiums it was mercs most sucessful car of this ruleset.

 

I suspect Mercedes could be title contenders with the Engine alone. If the Hybrid era repeats and reliability is a factor then it might come down to which Merc customer blows up the least rather than which car is the best. All reports have Merc sitting comfortably in terms of power for quite a while, hopefully (or not depending on your alignments) they haven’t rested on they laurels or been exaggerating while in complete chaos behind closed doors.

Ferrari as well, normally you could write them off but there is every chance the engine is good tho the team seems to transcend planes of incompetence and could ask McLaren to hold their beer while they show them how c*** ups are truly done

pre season will certainly be the one to watch. Early call but Williams in a title challenge anyone?

I wonder if Jonathan Wheatley is kicking himself for not staying around a bit longer to get that TP role at RedBull, he is someone I’m watching expecting big things from at Audi. On that Audi have shown Apline levels of incompetence with how they first entered but didn’t quite followed by ripping up the plan several times before finally getting their manure together and turning it round. I really donno what to expect.

Thomas the tank engine with plenty of smoke being emitted out the top

 

Having Mekies in charge really does kinda hammer home how much of my personal disdain for RBR was driven by my dislike of both Whinger Spice and Helmut the Helmet.

GP is still a bit of an arse tough... and the less said about Mr Wife Beater the better...


Glad to see Vowles and Williams doing well,... If you said at the beginning of the year Sainz would have more podiums than Hamilton no-one would believe you... Likewise Antonelli.