F1 in 2026: To finish first, first you have to finish
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So... will there be an upcoming Canadian Grand Prix report, or should I just go look up the results elsewhere?
(not being salty, just asking because I kind of rely on Ars for my F1 news)
(not being salty, just asking because I kind of rely on Ars for my F1 news)
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I
(edit: I feel badly about leading that condescendingly.)
(edit2: If that is an incorrect description of what was meant by "duel", please, correct me. I left the original language for comment integrity and wished to shift less antagonistic.)
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Before WW2 the UK had a policy of developing aero engines using fuels of higher octane than were currently commercially available, hoping that by the time the engine came into service, the fuel it used would be on tap.
The Germans did the same thing, but failed to consider that due to wartime conditions supplies of advanced fuels would be very restricted. Which meant that by 1943 engine failures at the front were killing a lot of pilots.
The moral of this, if there is one, is that reliability is determined by a lot of factors often beyond the control of constructors, as well as design errors. If there weren't periods when things were blowing up, things would be less competitive than they should be. During periods of F1 reliability, there used to be jokes about F1 races being scripted like wrestling. Blowing up at least means things ar ehonest.
The Germans did the same thing, but failed to consider that due to wartime conditions supplies of advanced fuels would be very restricted. Which meant that by 1943 engine failures at the front were killing a lot of pilots.
The moral of this, if there is one, is that reliability is determined by a lot of factors often beyond the control of constructors, as well as design errors. If there weren't periods when things were blowing up, things would be less competitive than they should be. During periods of F1 reliability, there used to be jokes about F1 races being scripted like wrestling. Blowing up at least means things ar ehonest.
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While Verstappen has been the most vocal, it seems that most of the drivers agree that the current situation doesn't feel right, not just in terms of the feeling that they cannot go "flat out", but also in terms of driving safety: two cars can come to the same spot with big differences in speed under the current rules, depending on whether they are regenerating or they are under a full battery. I believe that I've heard Sainz voicing that and he is one of the driver's reps. So I wonder if the drivers will end up forcing the issue at least to address the safety aspects.
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Kudos to Russel for the liquid nitrogen cold killer way he resisted Antonelli before his engine blew off. If anything impressed me in that race, it was that.
It was almost "Mansell hunting Senna in Monaco 1992" level. Top dog.
And on a much more minor note, I'll apply Russel's “...It feels like somebody doesn’t want me to fight or compete for this championship...” to my guy Tsolov (F2).
The jury was out in my book last year on whether the little guy gets hit more than the big one, when he got DQ'ed after an F3 win at Hungaroring for a skid plate 0.4mm too thin (which basically stole the championship from him), but it's taking shape now.
Makes me wonder on how Campos Racing can put up with this and not as much as comment on such clownshow.
Well. Rira bien qui rira le dernier. Monaco next.
It was almost "Mansell hunting Senna in Monaco 1992" level. Top dog.
And on a much more minor note, I'll apply Russel's “...It feels like somebody doesn’t want me to fight or compete for this championship...” to my guy Tsolov (F2).
- Got in the lead, dropped to 4th after pit.
- While 4th, got bumped into from the back by some clown, spun, dropped to 16th.
- Crawled back to 4th again and was breathing down the 3rd's neck when the safety car kicked in again and locked the standings to the final.
- Then some post-race "review" slammed him a 10 sec penalty, which dropped him out of the points again.
The jury was out in my book last year on whether the little guy gets hit more than the big one, when he got DQ'ed after an F3 win at Hungaroring for a skid plate 0.4mm too thin (which basically stole the championship from him), but it's taking shape now.
Makes me wonder on how Campos Racing can put up with this and not as much as comment on such clownshow.
Well. Rira bien qui rira le dernier. Monaco next.
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I had hopes for this year being interesting with varied engine design decisions. Ferrari’s smaller turbos spinning up faster maybe giving them an edge on starts and on some courses, as an example. Instead, it looks like no one is happy with the regen possible using only rear brakes and the whole thing is really an exercise in maximizing output from starved batteries. Not exactly enthralling from a driver or spectator point of view. Wow, we get multicolored lights now to tell us which state of harvesting the car is in? Exciting!
These cars seem to be able to follow closely, which had been a bit fun for racing. But, as Max and Lewis said in the cool-down room, that’ll probably fade as teams learn how to push the outwash away and to the following cars on these new designs.
These cars seem to be able to follow closely, which had been a bit fun for racing. But, as Max and Lewis said in the cool-down room, that’ll probably fade as teams learn how to push the outwash away and to the following cars on these new designs.
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I had forgotten that the F1 season was underway until this popped up in my commercial TV listings.
Fun to watch, but I wouldn't say I'm missing F1.
Fun to watch, but I wouldn't say I'm missing F1.
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Because the article didn't mention it, I just want to add how comically awful McLaren's decision to start with intermediates was, and particularly that they didn't change tires and start from the pit lane when they had the chance.
And I love Kimi, but his run of luck has to catch up with him at some point. As if he isn't lucky enough to be in the best car at this point in his career, but he's been gifted some sweet circumstances as well so far this year.
And I love Kimi, but his run of luck has to catch up with him at some point. As if he isn't lucky enough to be in the best car at this point in his career, but he's been gifted some sweet circumstances as well so far this year.
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I love the late, great Nicky Hayden's quote: "That's why we line up on Sunday. You never know what's going to happen."
On paper, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is pretty bland. Extremely flat, couple tight corners at the start followed by chicanes, a hairpin, and a final chicane. But man is it consistently one of the best on the calendar for racing and I love it.
But having championships decided by reliabilty is not something I have fond memories of, and it robbed us of a potentially race-long fight. Lewis and Max would've been in the mix if the two Mercs had continued to squabble.
On paper, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is pretty bland. Extremely flat, couple tight corners at the start followed by chicanes, a hairpin, and a final chicane. But man is it consistently one of the best on the calendar for racing and I love it.
But having championships decided by reliabilty is not something I have fond memories of, and it robbed us of a potentially race-long fight. Lewis and Max would've been in the mix if the two Mercs had continued to squabble.
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I'm always torn between I don't want to be wasteful anymore than the sport already is but reliability being inconsistent adds a bit of interest and even excitement. Sort of like weather. Of course, there are degrees to it.
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REMINDER FOR ALL US-BASED APPLE TV SUBSCRIBERS:
If you have an Apple TV subscription that lets you watch F1 races (not sure if there are different tiers in Apple TV), note that this also entitles you to an F1 TV subscription.
It's a bit all over the place, as F1 TV subscrption tiers changed for the US after the Apple deal, but all in all - F1 TV gives you access to F2 and F3, which Apple TV does not. These are often way more savage than the F1 races, if slower.
You'll need the F1 TV app, and you'll need to link your Apple TV account on the F1 TV website.
Outside of the US, an yearly subscription to F1 TV alone is usually more than the yearly subscription to Apple TV.
If you have an Apple TV subscription that lets you watch F1 races (not sure if there are different tiers in Apple TV), note that this also entitles you to an F1 TV subscription.
It's a bit all over the place, as F1 TV subscrption tiers changed for the US after the Apple deal, but all in all - F1 TV gives you access to F2 and F3, which Apple TV does not. These are often way more savage than the F1 races, if slower.
You'll need the F1 TV app, and you'll need to link your Apple TV account on the F1 TV website.
Outside of the US, an yearly subscription to F1 TV alone is usually more than the yearly subscription to Apple TV.
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In IT we have the same joke, that computers only work as long as you keep the magic smoke inside them. That's not nearly as much of an issue nowadays either, now that most power supplies are auto switching. However, I've seen many computers pop back in the day when a power supply switched to 110v was plugged into a 220v outlet.
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Yep. Classic English register split - "speak" is the native (low register) Old English/Germanic version, "voice" is the mid-register (Norman) French-derived version, and "communicate" would be the high-register Latin-derived version.
Lots of terms follow this pattern - hence the expression that English is really three languages in a trench coat.
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A humble reminder. Correct spelling is Kimi Räikkönen or, in US-ASCII, Raikkonen.
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Six in ten of finishing a race, huh? Well, that's better than my record in finishing watching a race his year under these awful regulations.
(Caveat: Canadian GP was much better than the others.)
(Caveat: Canadian GP was much better than the others.)
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It was as dumb as fuck, strategically. It's what happens when you make up some Papaya Rules "fairness" bullshit instead of being honest & running with a split strategy.
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Respectfully, I disagree. Russell may have just pipped Antonelli in both Quali sessions but his laps and inputs looked a lot more ragged. If RUS is supposed to be the Prost to ANT's Senna, he sure didn't look it in Canada, and I don't think that bodes well for his chances. It's a shame that we didn't get 40 laps more of the battle, but if we game it out, I think Kimi gets by on track more often than he doesn't.
If Russell takes the seasons, I think it's more likely he does so because he's in a rocketship and Kimi buried his car in the wall a few too many times.
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I think it's a little more nuanced than that. Hindsight is always 20/20, but in the cooldown room, Lewis noted to Max that his own decision to go with the Softs came at the last possible second. I think with some threat of rain, an ice cold track, and the fact that Canada is hardly a stranger to the safety car, it wasn't quite as stupid a gamble as some people want you to believe.
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Keith Tanner
Ars Tribunus Militum
That conversation in the green room was really interesting. I think we all would have been happy if they'd skipped the podium ceremony and just let them sit and talk for an extra half hour with the mics running.
There have been some great battles this year, and not all between teammates. That extended Mercedes battle was fantastic - not just one or two corners, but lap after lap. Max and Lewis put on the show we've been waiting for since Max started winning races. No penalties, nobody in the gravel, no dive-bombs or DRS foolishness. Just racing.
I know I'm supposed to be whinging about the hybrid systems, but we're getting some great racing with the best drivers exploiting those hybrid systems. The 2014 regs changed the driver rankings as some got on top of the more complex cars faster than others and we're just seeing the same thing.
There have been some great battles this year, and not all between teammates. That extended Mercedes battle was fantastic - not just one or two corners, but lap after lap. Max and Lewis put on the show we've been waiting for since Max started winning races. No penalties, nobody in the gravel, no dive-bombs or DRS foolishness. Just racing.
I know I'm supposed to be whinging about the hybrid systems, but we're getting some great racing with the best drivers exploiting those hybrid systems. The 2014 regs changed the driver rankings as some got on top of the more complex cars faster than others and we're just seeing the same thing.
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Yes, raising the concern with the media, I believe it was mentioned in one of the F1 broadcasts
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Funny, as a veteran of the semiconductor industry that is what we also said about our silicon chips fresh from the first lot of a new tape out.
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I hear “voiced an opinion/concern” quite often on the States, but it sounds forced to my ears. I think there is of bit of doubt about the “opinion “ buried in that construct, perhaps on purpose.
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