The F1 2014 thread

[EauRouge]

Since the last one was about last season, here's a shiny new one! I haven't even seen quali yet, I've been so busy today Who's getting up in the middle of the night?

[90sthrowback]

Just joining the new thread. I'm considering it EauRouge - DD has got something on an hour away from home at..... 2.00 so I will miss the bbc coverage of it.

[magimedi]

Have just watched the quali - I won't say a word, but it could be an interesting season. (Lives in hope)

Haven't got sky so won't be up at silly o'clock & wouldn't anyhow - I like my sleep too much!

[Stokes]

I'm getting up for Australia for the first time ever, it's the only one I've never seen live. Haven't been this excited for a new season in a long time, love the unpredictability of it all.

[Stokes]

So did anyone else watch live? Won't spoil the result for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but I will say that I really enjoyed that :D

[StyleOverSubstance]

marking my place!

[EauRouge]

What a race, but the main thing I keep thinking is poor bloody Ricciardo :( I wonder what the result of the appeal will be.

Yet again a German leads from start to finish, nice to have a change from Seb though.

Some really good moments and nice to see some different names in the top 10. I remember so clearly the last time a McLaren rookie got on the podium in his first ever race at Melbourne....

[Frettchen]

Definitely a much more exciting race than the tail end of last year!

I was watching with my Dad, and we made guesses at the start as to how many would finish. We both revised down during the 2nd formation lap!!! (I guessed 15, he guessed 11, so we weren't far wrong!)

Will be refreshing the beeb F1 site all week to see what comes of the Red Bull appeal.

[EauRouge]

There's a more detailed report on the Red Bull disqualification here. Red Bull were warned pre-race but decided to ignore it.

Probably not much comfort to Ricciardo, but he drove really well and no one can take that away.

Bottas was pretty good, wasn't he? It's nice to see Williams back in the mix.

I doubt that will be the only Rosberg victory this year. Hamilton may have more raw talent but he doesn't have the smarts to back it up. Rosberg has that in buckets.

[StyleOverSubstance]

Had set sky planner to record race and deliberately tried to avoid looking at any websites or listening to anything that would say results until DH and I settled down to watch it in the afternoon. Went out in car in the morning with DD and put CD on, but bloody TA cut in........ with tail end of news of who won and the following three places after. Got home and told DH I already knew who had won, so surprise for me had gone, didn't tell him though as per his request, so at least one of us had a surprise. Was about right with how many finished race, I guessed 15. Sorry about Ricciardo's disqualification, but apparently RBR were warned, but on the positive side, he obviously merits his place. Roll on next race!!!!

[BramblePie]

Got my Fantasy Grand Prix selections in at work. I was top place for half of the season last year, unfortunately not at the end so didn't win any money. Fingers crossed for this year :)

[EauRouge]

Oh nightmare! I hate it when you try so hard to ignore the TV/internet/radio only to find the result. My DH once watched the race before me and didn't skip the recording back so when I turned it on it went straight to the result screen .

I nearly smacked him in the head with a cushion when I was watching the highlights last night because he must have said "I know who wins" every 3 laps. I might just ban him from the house on race weekends.

[EauRouge]

Who did you pick, Bramble?

[StyleOverSubstance]

Agree Bottas did well, as did K-Mag. Noticed Ron on the pit wall several times (after saying he wasn't going to be - how could he resist?? I know I wouldn't be able to!). Amazing the difference having him back in charge has made, you can see the Mclaren team looking much more upbeat already.

Not impressed with Alonso making a dig at Kimi winning last years race and commenting that at least he was starting in front of him in this one - he is up to his old tricks again and patently hasnt grown up. He still hasn't learnt his lesson and burns bridges at every team he goes to despite his obvious talent, he cant seem to resist trying to stir things up. (Always amazed me he got on so well with Wibbah, who calls a spade a spade)

Alan Jones predicted Nico Rosberg would win, as indeed he did and I suspect that had Lewis been able to finish the race, Ferrari would have been even further down as Bottas finished well for Williams despite his close encounter with a wall, so had Massa not been taken out by Kobayashi then he too would have finished in the points as would Vettel judging by Ricciardo's result.

Looks like the Mercedes engines are the best at the moment, Renault are getting there and Ferrari may still not be quite on the pace, although difficult to judge as they are saying that they still have electrical issues with the power unit. Was amazed that Red Bull finished a race and that Lotus managed to do the distance they did after the lack of running in practice sessions. Going to be a very interesting season, that's for sure!

[EauRouge]

I think Alonso is feeling pretty threatened by Kimi's presence already. I can't wait to see them go wheel to wheel, I think there's going to be serious fireworks at Ferrari this year.

[StyleOverSubstance]

I would imagine he is feeling pretty threated - Kimi was at Ferrari before him, won the last WDC Ferrari had in 07 and James Allison from Lotus is there and a number of the team from when Kimi was last there remain.

As one of the pundits pointed out - Alonso is left with nowhere to go in the top teams. Mercedes are happy with their two drivers, Red Bull with theirs, McLaren is the only real possibility if Jenson were to retire at the end of the season, but after the Ferrari-gate scandal, could he or would he return?

He may well shoot himself in the foot with this one though if he starts to cause trouble as I suspect Ferrari are starting to look to the future now - I think the 'shelf life' of drivers is moving ever downwards as the youngsters coming into F1 are so much better prepared. Who would have thought Vettels record of youngest point scorer would have been broken so soon (by Kvyat) and Magnussen looked like a seasoned pro stood on the podium at his first race rather than a rookie. With all the emphasis on technology, it was predicted that the 'playstation' era would have an advantage and I suspect that it is true. Have a feeling some of the older drivers will be questioning how much longer they will be in the sport.

Still cant understand why the Hulk hasn't got a top drive yet as again, he finished well and in the points and consistently outdrives the car he has. Would be fascinated to know if anyone does have any insider info into why (aside from the fact he doesn't bring sponsorship on the scale the likes of Maldonado do).

How sweet was it to see Maldonado without a time set in qualy and starting off the season with a car that cant even do a race distance after all the 'Im too good for Williams' stuff he pulled - not to mention the disgraceful accusation that they had tampered with his car. Bottas was amazing - some brilliant overtaking, just a shame that his team mate didn't finish the race too.

[EauRouge]

I've been having a good laugh at Maldonado's misfortune. Serves him right.

Maybe Ferrari will have the Hulk next season, I can't see their current line-up being a long-term thing. I hope they do, I really want to see him in a competitive car.

I can't believe how young the drivers are getting. How old is Kvyat, is he still in his teens? Kimi must be the oldest driver now.

[EauRouge]

Looks like Red Bull's appeal is a total non-starter. Poor old Dan.

[StyleOverSubstance]

Kvyat is 19, so yes, still a teenager. Ferrari have the oldest driver line up with Kimi at 34 and Nando at 32. Am hoping the Hulk goes to Ferrari next year, but that said, car they keep turning out isn't that startling, so really a move to Mercedes or RB would be a better option. He apparently moved to Sauber hoping to get a Ferrari drive as they are closely linked because of the use of the same engine, but Ferrari did that incredible U-turn and took Kimi back, so he didn't get the drive at the last minute.

Yup, had a feeling RB were on a hiding to nothing on their appeal. But regardless of the outcome, Riccardo has impressed everyone by the way he drove in all the practice sessions, how he handled the media attention as it was his home race/first race for the 'big' team and how he drove in the race and finished on the podium. So on a personal level for him, it is win/win, despite the obvious disappointment of the disqualification, he has proved himself.

Suspect Seb is feeling a bit under threat too as he may no longer be the 'favourite' - he is older than Dan, Dr Marko likes Ricciardo (did you see him give Dan a hug and beaming smile when he passed by when Dan was being interviewed by Sky Sports?) and I cant imagine the team not getting on with him as he always comes across as a 'glass half full' kind of guy. Rumour has it at Dan's test with RB, Dr Marko told him not to go out again for another drive and Dan thought it was curtains, he hadn't done well enough when it turned out that he had done more than enough to impress and had already got the drive, it was the 2nd place that was undecided. So I have a feeling that he is seen as another in Seb's mould where he is expected to achieve well for the team from day one. Hard to believe that Marko is from the same era as Jochen Rindt - have a photo of them both in a group of drivers from that time in one of my books on F1.

Wibbah is apparently going to do some 'guest spots' for TV over this season, so cant wait as I really miss him from the line up and Bruno Senna is also going to guest present. Suppose he was an obvious choice with it being the 20th Anniversary of his uncle, Ayrton Senna, this year. Wonder what Adrian Newey and Sir Frank's feelings are - it must be a very difficult group of emotions to come to terms with when one was the man who designed the car that Senna died in and the other was the owner of the team. Just wish he had stayed with Uncle Ron at McLaren............granted the car would not have been a competitive one, but he may still have been around now. Would have been fascinating to hear what he had to say about the new era, and would have loved to see one of the F1 Legends programmes made about him - and James Hunt come to that.

[StyleOverSubstance]

21.03.14 - Ayrton Senna would have been 54 today.

[EauRouge]

54, crikey. I can't imagine him in his 50s. It doesn't seem like 20 years ago, I remember it so well.

[GreenShadow]

Hello all.

Can I join your thread?

I'm a bit of a lapsed F1 (all motorsport) geek but would love to catch up with you and get back in the swing of the new season.

F1 was just about the most important thing in my life back in the late 70s and 80s. Then children arrived in the 90s and I've sadly let things slip. I've travelled to several European circuits over the years and really loved watching the younger drivers make their way up through the ranks (saw Senna drive in F3). These days it's rare that I have ever even heard of the new young F1 drivers.

[StyleOverSubstance]

welcome aboard Green the more the merrier!

Apparently Sky Sports are having a special Senna week towards the end of April, taking in 1st May. Hope Ratzenberg gets a mention too, wouldn't like to think he was forgotten.

Bruno Senna will be guest presenter at Malaysian Grand Prix - have already set planner up for practice sessions and qualy, so just keep adding in all the extras like Gear Up for Malaysia, Drivers Conference etc as they appear.

Have to admit, am getting used to sound of new engines - was initially dreading it, but although they are quieter, I am enjoying hearing squealing tyres as they lock up, radio is clearer as less engine noise and the weird whistling as the electrics spin up is getting quite appealing. Swings and roundabouts really, but as the sport keeps progressing, we have moved through several eras already, I still remember the glorious turbos from the 80's, so change is part of the deal really. By the end of the first four races, I suspect most people will have got used to the new sounds and wont mind so much.

Enjoying the series of classic races Sky have been putting on at 9pm, although my planner is rapidly filling up and am going to have to clear some other stuff off if I don't want to have no disk space for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Multi 21 anyone?

[GreenShadow]

This is one of my problems with regard to keeping up with F1 - we can't get Sky where we live.

[StyleOverSubstance]

Wow - that is a problem! Especially as sky now have a monopoly on showing all the races, think the BBC are showing 9 this year. Have downloaded from sky website their Australian Grand Prix highlights and have yet to watch it.

[EauRouge]

I used to have Sky but it was expensive and broke all the time so we cancelled it. I watched the Sky coverage once and didn't like it that much. They've obviously spent a lot of money but it was too flashy for me.