I like Bottas plenty. But if he got the boot for a new driver, I wouldn't be mad. He's "made it" in F1. At this point, he's just cruising. And that's great, and understand why he's doing it.
But, again, if it means new faces, I pick new faces.
Well, at least they're consistent. In terms of not respecting legitimate, legal votes.
That's only because he rubb--Oh god, I don't even want to think about that. Nope, nevermind.
Yeah that was a bit weird. Hopefully they don't do that going forward. But knowing Vegas, they'll probably helicopter them to the top of [insert casino here] to do the interviews next year. Then have them squirrel suit down to the paddock for the trophy ceremony.
Bernie, you're using the wrong drugs.
Or just wake up at 6am and then get ecclestoned.
Interestingly they couldn't run it during the daytime. Because the roads are open during the day to normal traffic. You can actually see this right now on this streetcam site. If you move the map to Las Vegas, then focus on the Strip (Las Vegas Blvd), and then look at cams around Las Vegas Blvd and Sands/Spring Mountain or LV Blvd and Flamingo, you'll see that normal cars are driving all over.
The streets closed at about 5pm yesterday, and then opened up again at like 5am this morning, which is why there was a rush to get FP2 done, even if during the middle of the night. There would literally be no other time to do it.
Which is interesting. Do other city street races do this? I always assumed the streets were completely closed to normal traffic for the duration of the event. Seems strange that they'd allow regular vehicles on the asphalt. You don't know what random vehicles are doing to the surface. I guess the drivers might like it since they get additional rubbering in? But Idk. Maybe this is normal, and I just didn't know it was happening in Baku, Singapore, Monaco, and anywhere else in other series like Indy. I was in Chicago during the city NASCAR race and I swear the streets were closed the entire race weekend.
I was there. Such a shitshow. My family and I had tickets in the stands at T5. We did leave the fan areas around 12:30a because music was stopping, food was stopping, and it was getting cold just sitting/standing around doing nothing, having heard FP2 was tentatively scheduled for 2:00a. We went into a casino to get coffee and warm up, expecting to go back. But then around 1:45a we noticed everyone was walking away from the Sphere, instead of walking towards it.
Like I get FP1 getting cancelled. I can look past that. Sometimes unexpected things happen. But running a delayed FP2, while kicking everyone out or not allowing them back in isn't as easily forgiven. We spent $1000 for 7min of racing. I flew into town for this (luckily my family lives here, so had a place to stay). I think total, with drinks, ubers, tickets, airplane tickets, it was like $1500. For 7min of FP1.
As FP2 was starting, we were on the public sidewalks after T12, so we did hear the cars -- could barely see since the fences were covered -- going by flat-out, which was incredible to hear. But that's not the experience we paid for.
I also understand the labor laws or contracts or whatever, to help protect the service workers. But FOM should've planned for that. Maybe if they didn't run the sessions so late, this wouldn't have turned out this way. They could've started FP1 at 6pm, when the sun was already below the horizon. Woulda looked just as good for TV imo.
I also felt bad for the drivers, teams, marshals, broadcasters...anyone who was out there. That was a long ass day. Colossal fuckup, to say the least.
A little teensy disappointed Perez didn't get P3, but seeing Alonso back on the podium again makes up for it and then some.
But man, what a battle between those two. With a photo finish!
Mercedes not having a great weekend here. That deg is bad. Being battled and passed up by cars that don't typically pass up a Mercedes...
This sprint race might be the best of any race this season so far. So much going on.
He passed up Sainz! He passed up a Ferrari!
Then he lost the spot back to Sainz due to DRS, but still, that it happened at all!
OK, that was a sick pass of Perez by Hamilton. Goddamn.
Perez better pick it up.
DR P4 in SQ2! Both ATs, really, since Yuki is P10 currently. Impressive!
TIL, Gasly loves Pandas. Thank, random F1TV driver infographics.
Was that Alonso's fault? That seemed like Ocon's fault since there was snap of oversteer just before.
Stewards weren't messing around today.
(All PDFs)
It felt more, Idk, intimate? Maybe cozy. Like the drivers weren't as "staged" as they usually are since they had to do in close quarters, last minute.
Good job AM. P3 (STR) and P4 (ALO).
Bad day for AT. Out in Q1, yikes.
And P9 for Perez isn't great for him.
Charles post-race interview: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, that wasn't my fault with Checo! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Don't hurt me!!"
Is Stroll trying to get his dad to fire him?