The 2019 Season

[Penfold]

I know, I know, terribly late with starting a topic for next season.

2019 Calendar:

17 March: Australia (Melbourne)
31 March: Bahrain (Sakhir)
14 April: China (Shanghai)
28 April: Azerbaijan (Baku)
12 May: Spain (Barcelona)
26 May: Monaco
9 June: Canada (Montreal)
23 June: France (Le Castellet)
30 June: Austria (Spielberg)
14 July: Great Britain (Silverstone)
28 July: Germany (Hockenheim)
4 August: Hungary (Budapest)
1 September: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
8 September: Italy (Monza)
22 September: Singapore
29 September: Russia (Sochi)
13 October: Japan (Suzuka)
27 October: Mexico (Mexico City)
3 November: USA (Austin, TX)
17 November: Brazil (Sao Paulo)
1 December: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)

Seems Germany is sticking around for another year.

[Chrill]

Oh good for them, they found an extra week to avoid that France-Austria-UK triple header. Sure, they achieved it by cutting into the summer holiday. This year, there was a break between 29 July and 26 August. In 2019, that's pushed back to 4 August to 1 September. Singapore-Russia back to back. Also switching of Mexico and USA. Fair enough.

When did we last have a race in December?

EDIT: In 1963. Been a while.

[Penfold]

Morning.

Williams has adopted a different design process for next year's car: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/139439/williams-process-quite-different-for-2019-car

One would hope so. 

[Chrill]

Well what's wrong with their 2018 challenger? Oh you mean the absolute lack of pace?

[Penfold]

   ... and not only slow but a real bastard to drive.

[Penfold]

More on-screen clutter, that's what F1 needs: https://www.racefans.net/2018/12/01/video-see-f1s-new-2019-graphics-in-action-including-overtake-probability/

Come on, an 'overtake probability' indicator... I just want to watch some decent racing, I don't want a chunk of the screen obscured by an AI's prediction of whether or not car B is going to pass car A.

[Matt]

Is the car in DRS range? Overtake probability 100%. Is the car not in DRS range? Overtake probability 0%.

[Chrill]

Is the car in DRS range? Overtake probability 100%. Is the car not in DRS range? Overtake probability 0%.

Now now, don't be so moody. I've seen at least 3 non-DRS overtakes this year, and surely one or two instances where a car has DRS without making a pass

[Penfold]

Never fear, for next year witnesses the demise of those accursed outwashing front wings, and certainly that great act will ease our overtaking woes... or maybe not: https://www.racefans.net/2018/12/07/f1s-new-2019-wings-wont-reduce-outwashing-wolff/

Oh dear, Ross Brawn and his band of Merry Men will have to be far more cunning/ruthless with the 2021 overhaul.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-kubica-fighting-spirit/4310714/

We can expect Williams to change colour scheme for 2019, courtesy of PKN Orlen. PKN Orlen is a major Polish oil refiner and petrol retailer, or so Wikipedia states. They are red and white. Can we expect something similar to the 1998/1999 colour of Williams?

[Penfold]

Ferrari is red, Williams is essentially blue (or white with a dash of blue).  Having both teams red will just confuse my poor brain: how could I possibly tell in an instant which team is which... oh yeah, position of cars on the track, that should do it.

[Chrill]

One will be lapping the other, so it's not too difficult to tell.

[Penfold]

Yep.

Paddy Lowe disagreeing with Toto 'Africa' Wolff on the impact the 2019-spec front wings will have on outwashing: https://www.racefans.net/2018/12/08/new-front-wings-will-do-more-for-f1-than-higher-fuel-limit-lowe/

Either Toto was indulging in some pre-Christmas mind game fun with his rivals, or the Williams aero-department is simply not up to the job - or possibly a bit of each.

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/binotto-replaces-arrivabene-ferrari-boss/4320196/

Ferrari keeps changing personnel whenever they don't win (every year, that is). Arrivabane, arrivederci! Binotto, welcome aboard. Grazie a tutti, muito bene, or whatever Vettel says. Grazie ragazzi!

[Penfold]

They better hurry up and win, if F1 introduces any sort of budget cap Ferrari won't have a cat in hell's chance of taking a title.