F1 News Snippets

[Chrill]

You have? Oh boy. I've probably seen most races since the mid-to-late 1990s but very few before then (at least complete races). I do miss a race every now and then, not quite every season but perhaps 2 out of 3 seasons will see me missing a race and not catching up later.

[Chrill]

This is the package for 3M's product line Futuro:



Why would I post an image of a pack of "opaque tights" in an F1 forum? Well, that logo is familiar. Legal battle bla bla oopsie.

[Penfold]

What's that strange rustling noise I hear... perhaps a large bag of money being readied in F1 headquarters?

You have? Oh boy. I've probably seen most races since the mid-to-late 1990s but very few before then (at least complete races). I do miss a race every now and then, not quite every season but perhaps 2 out of 3 seasons will see me missing a race and not catching up later.

Back into the early '90s for me.  My dad always watched F1 and so by default did everyone else, but of course I can't remember any of it until I was little older

[Chrill]

How old actually are you, Sir?

[Penfold]

Am now frightfully into my thirties, my young mucker.  Surely the sophistication of my posts indicated a more advanced age?  Ahh no, to be fair they would not do that....

[Chrill]

I just assumed you're my age. I'm a 90s kid. I apologise.

[Penfold]

That's okay, I'll forgive you for being a '90s kid.... 

Smoke signals pointing to live F1 all but vanishing from Italian telly boxes: https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2018/01/f1-to-disappear-from-rai-free-to-air-tv-in-italy-a-foretaste-of-uk-situation/

I can't see this increasing move to subscription channels as anything but negative for F1's fanbase in the long-term - exactly how such a move has undermined interest in cricket over here.

[Chrill]

Then again, Liberty is looking to launch a streaming service this year. I expect any future F1 TV deals to allow streaming in that country.

[Penfold]

Good option for F1 devotees who don't want to pay for a whole suite of channels but perhaps not so useful for attracting new eyes to the sport; plus the viewing figures will never come close to those achieved by FTA channels - fewer adults watching means fewer children are exposed to F1, and that's a long-term disaster for the sport.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/vasseur-made-honda-move-within-hour-of-starting-at-sauber-998451/

Some interesting reading on how Vasseur, among other things, cancelled the Sauber-Honda deal about an hour into his first day at work.

[Penfold]

An hour to ditch Honda... why did he wait so long   It's obviously a sensible decision given the gearbox situation he outlines (plus, you know, the Honda engine), and is one of the reasons 2018 should see a return to some decent form for the team.

[Chrill]

I appreciate his realism too. Sauber won't be a new Red Bull, but the aim must be Force India. Yes, the occasional podium when stars align but regularly fighting just behind the top dogs.

[Penfold]

I admire your optimism.  I still see them as more fighting behind the guys who are behind the top dogs, in other words duking it out with Haas & Toro Rosso rather than McLaren, Renault, Force India, and Williams - though of course there's always that chance of producing a stellar car (or one of those guys producing a dud...).

Talking of Sauber (and Force India), their complaint to the EU of anti-competitive practices in F1 has been withdrawn: https://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2018/01/25/force-india-sauber-withdraw-eu-complaint-f1/

[Chrill]

I believe you misunderstood me. Matching Force India is the goal for the coming few seasons, not for 2018. The mid-to-long term goal is being there. It took Force India many years to reach this position, and they have now been consistently among the best of the rest for many seasons.

[Penfold]

I figured you had in mind 2019 or 2020 before they're in a position to fight just behind the top dogs, it's just that I see them more towards the rear of the midfield over that timeframe.  So perhaps "duking it out with Haas & Toro Rosso" was overly negative, let's include Force India & Williams as likely close competitors - I just picture McLaren & Renault separating themselves from that bunch.