Haas has announced the signing of Estoban Ocon to a multi year contract for 2025 and beyond .

Poor Olllie Bearman. Ocon was fired for not being a team driver/player. Can't imagine he's a better option than Bottas, or even Ricciardo.

No real upshot from m.schumacher then; instead of crashing his own car, he'll crash his teammate's car.

Ocon must be able to bring enough money with him to pay for all those parts.

Martin doesn't seem to be getting the joke:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WK_IViOV4zg?si=_zUpN0WfEfS1dT05" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Lots of Ocon jabs here.. Not sure why, is it the bunny teeth ?
I mean he won a race in a friggin' Alpine and he got the measure of Gasly who is generally respected. Not sharing drinks with his teammates on his days off (but with Gasly he has history), but I mean those guys didn't to F1 by being "nice" in racing situations... look at what Everyone's favorite Lando just pulled in Hungary (not just with Piastri, with Hamilton in the cooling off room being a complete d#ck). From everything I know about the guy Ocon is a decent person and pretty quick... I'm not a fan but I hope he and Ollie do well at HAAS

Sad day for the Viry, Renault engine guys in France, they've been told their 2026 PU project has been canned and all worked immediately stopped

Alpine powered by Mercedes

I'm convince Flavio has been brought in to drag the team up to a respectable performance level so Renault can sell it at the best price

Like a more expensive version of polishing up your own car before sticking it on BAT

I wouldn't touch anything Flabbio ("Jesuschrist") would be selling, no matter whose money I'd be spending.

Renault was done in by Gaslight Ghson in 2008 when he dorked the f1 team over for the costs, threatening to shut it down then, and they've wobbled ever since.

He has a history if wrecking his teammates car,
going back to Perez and beyond.
He never races for a team. Only himself.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7meRNow95rI

<iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7meRNow95rI" title="Force India Friction: Perez and Ocon's 2017 Clashes" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7gZukdEdbM" title="Why It's So Hard to Like Esteban Ocon" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Wise words, if Flavio shook my hand I'd be checking I still had all my fingers

Think his return to Enstone might be his 3rd or 4th stint

I've worked under his leadership twice, when he returned after Benetton F1 team had be lead by Rocco Benetton and David Richards the team had drfteded a long way down the grid compared to its glory days with Schummacher, Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne

His first speech was legendary, short and to the point, all he said to the 350 people in front of him was....

In this world there are two types of people, winners and wankers and I'm not a wanker! :D

True to his word the team went onto to win World Championships under Renault ownership and Alonso's driving

F1 teams have become to corporate ie boring, it needs more Flavio's, Ron's and Frank's and less Toto's

Ja (in an Austrian accent), the FIA gave too much decision-making to the mfgrs, and there are too few Frank and Kens in this space. Corporate racing sucks.

Ferrari v Benetton was beautiful to watch.

I'm thinking Haas has one car upgraded and the other is one revision less.
Nico and Kevin are sharing the upgraded car it appears by the times between the last couple of events.
Having a control car and a test car for upgrades seems like a prudent long term approach.

Brilliant strategy and skill by George.

Is it just me? Why is Toto unhappy that George won and not Lewis? Muted expression at the checkered flag. Lackluster interview before the podium presentation. And Facetiming (Susie?) in the garage during the presentation itself. Weird. I would have imagined he wouldn't have a preference which team driver won, but if he did, he'd want the incumbent George to win races, over that turncoat Lewis.

Other Spa comments:

Decent drive by Verstappen, but not an awesome drive by him.

Did Checo did do enough to keep his seat on the varsity squad? Maybe not to the letter of his contract, but in spirit, at least?

Did not understand the Scuderia's tire strategy at all with Carlos. Why such a long first stint, and then such a short one (7 laps?) on the second? How does that not leave him in no-man's land? Either commit to the standard 2-stopper, or aim for the 1-stopper. But he took on the worst characteristics of each of those strategies, without standing to benefit from either one.

It was a great real and for true race! I think there were 7 different lead changes.

Max showed well, but his car is just not the clearly superior car like last year. Mercedes was a shocker to see a 1-2. It was puzzling to see Toto's reaction to George as the winner and not Lewis.

And Checo has to be worried about his ride for next year. He went backwards and Max passed for 5 positions.

Looks like George's win was short lived . He will be DQ'd for being under weight . Shame .

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/belgium-gp-winner-russell-faces-disqualification-as-car-found-underweight/10639949/

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/george-russell-disqualified-lewis-hamilton-165700703.html

Maybe Toto knew, even as the checkered flag was being waved?

George deleted for being 1/2 gallon or 3.3lbs light end of race.
He started the race 3.4lbs light that spoils his accomplishments and the entire race for many others too.

Great race! Too bad about George, his Engineers should have know he would be under and make him coast.

Apparently it's dry weight, they empty the tank before weighing. He was 1.5kg below minimum weight, a significant advantage and pretty cut and dry DSQ. Sucks for Mercedes but really changes how the race could have played out had the car been at spec weight.

Edit: probably 0.2s per lap and less fuel used for the same pace.

You think Toto knew this which would explain his reaction or lack of one at the end of the race?