[Driver] 2018 F1 silly season.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by bella

agree about grosjean, as experienced as he is the brake obsession seems to be a bit of a panic attack. those are the brakes and that is how they perform, modify your style or be replaced by someone who can.

This unfortunately puts Grosjean in a bad position/light, but I see it that way as well.

I find this news item interesting (it was mentioned during the race weekend as well by Will Buxton I think)

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...adcast-922794/

One thing that I think Grosjean has wrong is this quote from him...

Everyone is saying things [on team radio], and when I'm saying things, it's just for the team, it's not for the outside world. It's our internal business, if I have rear locking and front locking or whatever.

I've been broadcast much more than others and I'm pretty sure others have been swearing and not being happy sometimes.

I have bolded the part that I think is his problem. Clearly the ability of F1 to selectively share radio comms from teams means it is NOT just for the team alone. I don't know if he is getting more air time than others, but someone somewhere thinks he is "entertaining" enough to broadcast his in-car rants. If I was him I would...

1. Change how I communicate with the team in a public forum (in this case the radio)
2. Focus on adapting to the situation when there are no other options.

I also wonder if some of Grosjean's brake issues are self inflicted. Grosjean was a lap down at the end of the Baku race. If I remember correctly (could be wrong), I think there were mention on the radio about rear brake overheating??? I think Grosjean may have said the rears brakes were gone (could very well not be remembering this correctly)

Could Grosjean be running the rear brakes in a mode that changes the rear balance (force split between ERS and classic "friction" brakes) to be more on the classic brake side to give him the "feel" he wants? Given teams run smaller rear classic brakes due to the benefit of ERS braking this would likely cause excessive pad wear and/or heat if the balance was adjusted too much toward the classic side.

Richard

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Grosjean seems to lose confidence when his brakes go, whereas Magnussen copes with it. He showed in Baku what he could do and I'm sure he'll stay

I know that these guys are professional racing drivers and should be able to cope with problems but it must be difficult to blast around the track at over 200 MPH if you're not confident about the brakes!

[crmalcolm]

I'm trying to recall - has Grosjean ever had an accident or big incident due to brakes giving up?

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I'm trying to recall - has Grosjean ever had an accident or big incident due to brakes giving up?

Brake fade can't remember.
Brain fade without doubt.

[BSchneiderFan]

Grosjean is a frustrating driver. When he stepped back to GP2 he was mighty, and you feel that one big result might cause a breakthrough. But he's struggling this year against an improved Magnussen.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Grosjean is a frustrating driver. When he stepped back to GP2 he was mighty, and you feel that one big result might cause a breakthrough. But he's struggling this year against an improved Magnussen.

What i don't get at all is how KMag did not vanquish Palmer last year. He did beat him overall but it wasn't convincing. Palmer is not the same level of driver.

This year though Kevin is driving very well indeed, and is once again looking like the potential star we thought he might be a few years ago.

Could Ferari put Leclerc into Haas alongside him next year?

[Rf1 Fan]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I'm trying to recall - has Grosjean ever had an accident or big incident due to brakes giving up?

Sepang last year.

But in general Grosjean has been very sensitive to brakes (due to Kers mapping) at Lotus since German Gp in 2012 where he lost his mojo.

He never complained about the brakes when he had the mercedes power unit in 2015.

[Oldtony]

Joe Saward had some interesting comments regarding the who - where situation at the end of the year recently.
With Daniel winning in Baku it eliminates the "not winning car" as a potential out trigger for bot Dan and Max.
Presuming tht RBR finnish 3rd in the WCC that means that their contracts would be firm unless a very large financial settlement appeared.
Seems like the same team at RBR next years.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Oldtony

Joe Saward had some interesting comments regarding the who - where situation at the end of the year recently.
With Daniel winning in Baku it eliminates the "not winning car" as a potential out trigger for bot Dan and Max.
Presuming tht RBR finnish 3rd in the WCC that means that their contracts would be firm unless a very large financial settlement appeared.
Seems like the same team at RBR next years.

Both wasted unless RBR can be regular front runners again!

[spider]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/100011/qa-with-robert-kubica-as-renault-arranges-second-f1-test

Great interview with Robert...

[BSchneiderFan]

Fascinating to see Kubica saying his chances of returning to F1 are now 80 or 90 per cent. What a story that would be!

[S griffin]

He could do it, just as long as he has the stamina to do a race distance in these new generation cars. We'll see

[Mike Harte]

With all the gossip going around about a possible entry from a Chinese entity, it makes me wonder whether this could possibly be anything to do with the Chinese conglomerate Geely, the owners of Volvo.

They have just announced that within two years all their new production cars will be either petrol/diesel hybrid or all-electric, ending the combustion only engines.

Could we see a Volvo F1 car in the future?

[Formulahistory]

no

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

With all the gossip going around about a possible entry from a Chinese entity, it makes me wonder whether this could possibly be anything to do with the Chinese conglomerate Geely, the owners of Volvo.

They have just announced that within two years all their new production cars will be either petrol/diesel hybrid or all-electric, ending the combustion only engines.

Could we see a Volvo F1 car in the future?

I can think of a number of drivers who would appreciate the traditional Volvo safety features!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by spider

Great interview with Robert...

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Fascinating to see Kubica saying his chances of returning to F1 are now 80 or 90 per cent. What a story that would be!

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Could we see a Volvo F1 car in the future?

mind playing tricks on me but i read these posts as one...Chinese entry under the Volvo logo running a Renault engine with Kubica as their driver.

no doubt a crazy bit of speculation but there is history between Volvo and Renault...

[chunterer]

So Bull have ring fenced Sainz for another year.

I fear this is all going to end in tears for the Spaniard unless a door opens at the A Team.

I can see both sides to the rhetoric being put out by Marko and Carlos last weekend though.

Sainz needs a competitive car and quickly but Red Bull have paid for his career and have his contract.

Interestingly the row kicked off after they took up the option in him, not before though.

Ferrari saying they have no plans to sign Alonso 'at the moment'. They might be making their decisions on drivers in September.

[F1Guy]

I had to laugh at Horner's explanation as to why Sainz was out of line for saying he wants to move on from STR.

It's like an adult kid saying to his Father "Dad, now that I'm old enough, I think I should move out of home and find my own way in life."
Dad: "Sorry son, I paid for your food, clothing and education. You will move out when I say you can move out!"

[BSchneiderFan]

I really hope Sainz gets a big break somewhere. Personally, I think he'd be ideal for Ferrari, but Renault or Williams wouldn't be bad moves either. I just don't see him getting a Red Bull drive.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I just don't see him getting a Red Bull drive.

Do Red Bull need to keep him as insurance - just in case Max or Daniel leave? The Red Bull production line looks a bit thin of 'next big things' at the moment - they kept Kvyat after dumping him from the 'A' team and deemed Gasly as not ready for a Torro Rosso seat this season so you can't see them putting him in if either Max or Daniel left.

[chillibowl]

insurance is a possibility but Horner and Marko are so heavy handed in their responses that i feel like something else is going on.

perhaps indicative of how the Red Bull empire treats all of its talent/teenagers/young adults. not just in motorsports but across the entire extreme sports spectrum.

in reality its the athletes who sell a lifestyle image which in turn sell the drinks and thats where they get their money...which probably explains why Horner and Marko are so desperate to maintain this visage of total control over their drivers.

sad.

[S griffin]

I love the way he has been a great prospect for the future of the sport and he has certainly been a driver that should be on the list of top teams

[S griffin]

Sainz is a great talent and I hope he doesn't end up like the Hulk mired in midfield teams, but we'll see

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Sainz is a great talent and I hope he doesn't end up like the Hulk mired in midfield teams, but we'll see

And other drivers whose early promise was stymied by too long in 2nd rate cars Fizzi, Heidfeld, etc etc

I think they intend to promote him in '19 once either of the VES RIC combo move.

Realistically then exactly how many vacancies will there be at the end of the season?

3 or 4?

Compare that to the likely number at the end of '19....

[GTRMagic]

Maybe they could put Carlos Sr in the Toro Rosso... he probably wouldn't be a hell of a lot slower