2022 F1 Thread

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Cigarette money gaves the world the best race liveries ever

Quite funny thinking back now but a F1 team I worked for created from tobacco money gave everyone a 20 packs of cigarettes every few months as an employee perk

Funny that no team ever sported the Senior Service Ciggy livery though.

One of my favs was Eddie Jordan's Bitten and Hisses

[astrochex]

This is fun https://twitter.com/_richardparry_/status/1594857432236593152?s=46&t=ypueg7tQZ12ZpaAXcljQWg.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

One of my favs was Eddie Jordan's Bitten and Hisses

Don't forget the grid girls from those days, too.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Don't forget the grid girls from those days, too.

I still have my Club Jordan magazines via the Team Jordan fan club. They often featured their lovely umbrella girls. Fwiw, Motogp again includes the beautiful brollies.

[astrochex]

High-res version if the Richard Parry Red Bull brilliance, https://richardparrydesign.wetransfer.com/downloads/11886fea3eaeaa64b9446d03140f288320221122002922/8d814b

He has also given Mercedes and Ferrari the same treatment, https://lnk.bio/_richardparry_

[rfuerst911sc]

Mattia Binotto has officially turned in his resignation at Ferrari effective the end of this year . Let's see who Ferrari picks as a replacement .

[Rtrorkt]

Apparently the replacement is the Alfa guy Vassuer

https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/63758235

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Losing Binotto will be a backward step for Ferrari, don't think he was doing a bad job

Redbull and Mercedes will be quietly pleased as they'll be out of the championship contender picture for at least the next 3yrs

I'm sure McLare, Alpine and Astom Martin will see it as their golden opportunity to break into the top 3

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Losing Binotto will be a backward step for Ferrari, don't think he was doing a bad job

Redbull and Mercedes will be quietly pleased as they'll be out of the championship contender picture for at least the next 3yrs

I'm sure McLare, Alpine and Astom Martin will see it as their golden opportunity to break into the top 3

Its very interesting to hear your informed perspective, Captain, versus the ravings of F1 fans on motorsport bulletin boards. Thanks.

[Deschodt]

I'm conflicted about Binotto too.. On the one hand he must have been a great boss to work for, covering his troops, instilling a culture of no-fear-for-mistakes. But on the other hand the F-ups have been fast and furious this year, to an unprecedented level.
With THAT car and those drivers, they shoulda contended a lot longer and ultimately he is the boss. Maybe too nice a guy. Also they ran out of upgrade $$ 4 races before other teams, not well managed. Yeah conflicted. Vasseur was a great manager in F2, but he has not set Alfa on fire either. We shall see ! Gonna be a long winter !

[rusnak]

Ferrari have lost quite a bit of technical leadership now. They needed a stronger manager, and somone who "understands" the Ferrari culture. If they bring in someone from the outside, it's going to be another body over the wall in a year or so.

[herr_oberst]

I can't find where Vasseur is confirmed? Is that a done deal? The rumor mill suggested there was a chance that Brawn might be coming back?

[CurtEgerer]

So many tobacco liveries over the years. Marlboro probably being the most iconic in that it never changed much and was instantly recognizable across many different motorsports. My favorite is probably Lotus' JPS since my interest in F1 started around 1977-78.

[mocha07]

https://youtu.be/mjHYQIfs1Jo

Daniel Ricciardo Opens Up About Red Bull Return

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Been a, pinch myself I must be dreaming week....

Had a senior F1 FIA engineer round for supper, great to catch up with an old friend, really interesting to hear about the approach to the 2026 regulation changes. More electrical power, sustainable fuel, narrower/shorter cars, less drag and multiple DRS systems. Also reassurrig to know there are more prospective teams/motor manufacturers wanting in than there are available spaces

Then last night a friend invited me out to the pub with a few of his friends, only 6 of us but a combined +200 years of world championship motorsport experience.

I'm just a lowly desk jockey but a few of the other guys have engineered F1 legends like Schumacher, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton etc and rally legends like McRae, Burns, Loeb etc

Between us the experience spanned 24hr Le Mans, F1, WRC, Indy car, Dakar, Touring cars, Sebring 24hrs, Daytona 24hrs etc etc

Working with/for Porsche, Aston Martin, Honda, Ferrari, Renault, Alpine, Subaru, Mini, Alfa Romeo, VW, BMW etc works teams

Topics covered wasn't podcast conversation worthy as motorsport talk was brief. Too busy discussing, house insulation, solar panels, EV cars, crap cars we/our dads owned, home heating options, home renovation projects, holiday destinations etc

Anyone eves dropping would have thought it was just a table of, boring, middle aged dads out for a drink. They'd have been right too!

[astrochex]

Wonderful! Boring is the curse of familiarity. Any of us pikers from outside your world would be drooling just from your summary of the CVs. Cheers!

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Paul, I forgot to add, as I don't go out much, the evening was only a tiny, bit more fun than my one and only Pelican meet up

That was with Jim-Bob (Lowyder993s) and his friend Joe-bob eating pizza and drinking beer in Maranello many, many years ago

[herr_oberst]

It's a good thing there weren't any interlopers at that table asking questions like what was it really like working with Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray and how did you get the paint off the MP4/4 between races and was Steve Matchett as good a mechanic as he likes to remember he was?

But man, Captain Ahab, Jr., I envy your life....

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

So many tobacco liveries over the years. Marlboro probably being the most iconic in that it never changed much and was instantly recognizable across many different motorsports. My favorite is probably Lotus' JPS since my interest in F1 started around 1977-78.

That is my favorite Livery. There is just something about it. Along with the 1967 Lotus 49.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

It's a good thing there weren't any interlopers at that table asking questions like what was it really like working with Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray and how did you get the paint off the MP4/4 between races and was Steve Matchett as good a mechanic as he likes to remember he was?

But man, Captain Ahab, Jr., I envy your life....

No envy necessary, just need pity, mega-struggling at the moment, fighting against the systems, taking a good beating which is wearing me down

Glad you mentioned Steve Nichols, Gordon Murray and the McLaren MP4/4

Been a real social butterfly lately and remembered to ask another friend who came over for dinner last weekend

My friend is easily one of best F1 designers I've worked with. He makes the super complicated, super simple. He says it as it was or as it is with no bull5hit so I believe 100% of what he says

He also happens to have been one of the designers that worked on the MP4/4 as part of the small design group of around 12

In a nutshell he said the MP4/4 was the evolution of Gordon's last Brabham, the BT55. The MP4/4 was mostly his design and he knew the answers to most of the questions about the design of the car

Just looked through an article about the MP4/4 and spotted another familiar name I know well, who happens to be where I'm working at the moment. Next time I see him I'll ask him about his opinion too and report back

As for Steve Matchett, I worked at the same team as him, remember most of the good mechanics back then but can't remember if he was any good or not