F1 2024 -Watchalong thread

[Brazilianadventure]

Happy New Year.

Thought I would start the 2024 thread given there is more political intrigue with the FIA.

2 resignations and one person choosing to not renew their contract. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/67906883

Plus allegedly another ex-Red Bull employee moving to the FIA. https://x.com/silverarrowsnet/status/1744375322131231089?s=46&t=lJm6-66fq4MtGcwwAsK6Kg

Ah that was beautiful.

Really sad for Oscar as he was having a great race early doors.

Aston are nowhere this season are they really. Such a shame after last season when you always felt Nando could turn it on.

Fantastic result !

Nice to see McLaren doing well again, and a good win for Norris. I think Andrea Stella has quietly done some great work behind the scenes.

LANDO! What a race! So many duels on track, different pit strategies, Yuki bagging 7th place and Alpine actually scoring a point. God I've missed races like this. Such a shame for Piastri though after he had such an amazing start.

Well that was a refreshing change!

Did anyone see Fred Vasseur after the race joining in the McLaren celebrations? He had a McLaren cap on backwards and was spraying champagne everywhere. The more I see of Fred the more I like him.

I didn’t see the race - can someone explain what happened with the safety car? It made a mistake and came out in front of Max or something?

It wasn't a biggie. It is supposed to come out in front of the lead driver who at that moment was Lando. It actually came out in front of Max, so had to catch up with Lando before Lando could restart. They were always going to bunch up so it just delayed the inevitable by a few seconds.

Wow! What a weekend! I know a lot of people (including the drivers) don't like the sprints, but it has been a great bank holiday weekend, with some sunshine, a sprint, a race and Landos first win!!

@Sulusu I agree Fred seems a really good laugh. He has been around for years but seems to have raised his profile/ relaxed now he is at Ferrari.

I loved the weekend but hate the hypocrisy in F1 where they tell the drivers they can't make political statements (remember Seb and Lewis getting a stern talking to about their beliefs and wearing tshirts on the grid with those statements on?) and then Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Zac Brown welcoming the great Americal Cheesepuff into the McLaren garage.

The images of Zac, Trump and Ben Sulayem in Miami are sickening considering political statements are off limits by the drivers, they should be simply OFF LIMITS!
https://x.com/AngelaBarnes/status/1787471000952545337
https://x.com/TPSpencer88/status/1787237288042181021

Not a great ending to what was a wonderful weekend of motorsport.

I think the argument is that if it had joined before him, he wouldn't have had the chance to build up a 30 second lead and thereby get a free pitstop.

If it had caught him straight away, he would have been bunched up with the rest of them and then gone to a pitstop and come out around 7th. And he would have been very unlikely to have made up those 7 places.

So yes, a screw up caused him to have an opportunity, however, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes and it made for such an interesting race.

And Max didn't win which is always a bonus.

Lando was on This Morning today, around 12.15 - good interview with Alison and Dermott

It was a good interview. I like how they have adopted him.

Hurrah! Newey has said he expects to stay in F1 once he’s left Red Bull - source espnf1

Seb is in Imola this weekend - I like him!

@Purplehatty I am glad as I couldn’t see him walking away with a reg change in 2026.

What was interesting from yesterday’s drivers press conference was Danny Ric talking about driving the older cars and how it felt when they fired them up. Carlos said he wanted the 2026 regs to try to replicate that sound and feeling.

Max is struggling in free practice. Let’s see what qually brings tomorrow.

I have Sky F1 but it's just showing Indycar until 11pm.

Is there somewhere else I can watch FP1 and 2?

You need to get it recorded and on series link!

Ah, I found the F1 show on Sky Showcase

Can’t beat the sound of the old V8 and V10 cars

@Brazilianadventure I agree it was interesting to hear their chat about the noise of the cars. I had no idea that they are thinking of trying to return to it, great news! 🙉😂

Sadly according to Carlos it isn’t going to happen in 2026 even though the drivers would like it.

Ok FP3 two McLaren’s then two Ferrari’s. Qually still looking interesting.