F1 2021

[JoeW]

Exactly

[FaultyMario]

I like the new curvy thing, much better than the ruler and scissors "new" T10.

[Rare White Ape]

You’re gonna have to provide more context.

[CudaMan]

At first glance that looks like it will reduce overtaking probability for F1 cars. Is the change for F1, for motorcycles, or... ?

[FaultyMario]

preseason testing moved to Bahrain. T10 work started in BCN, so maybe they lose the preseason but we get a better race?

FIA and FIM have been working on a solution for the turns 10-12 complex for the last few years.

I think the original layout of T10 (like the newest, but bigger) did not leave enough runoff, as turns eleven and twelve are higher on the hill, so it was pretty unsafe for bikes. The first compromise was to tighten turn 10 and make that cut uphill towards turn 11, but as with most straight-sharp turn-straight combinations, both cars and bikes were limited on their approach to turn 12, with basically one racing line from there to the main straight, regardless if the final chicane was used or not.

With this new reshaping, bikes are to get more overtaking options and a bit more safety. Who knows with cars, really... it really depends on how much speed at the chicane T13 is affected.

[FaultyMario]

Oldest in dark gray, old in dashed green. New La Caixa corner will slot in between those two, but curvy.

[CudaMan]

The new layout shortens the braking zone for Turn 10, which is going to make overtaking into that corner harder for F1 cars, certainly in 2021. It will be interesting to see how the 2022 cars will race at this notoriously difficult track to pass on.

[FaultyMario]

Brivio confirmed as part of the Alpine racing organization. Position: "TBA".

[JoeW]

Racing Director

[samoht]

Article brushing aside Merc excuses for why Hamilton's still not contracted for this season, saying it's down to a threefold gap over money:

https://www.racefans.net/2021/01/18/...llion-reasons/

"Ola Källenius refused to budge above $20 million for driver services simply as the oft-stated objective is for the team to be a profit- and not a cost-centre; Hamilton was then said to be pushing for $60m plus perks"


I think Hamilton has a huge amount to gain by continuing with Merc for another couple of years, a golden opportunity to eclipse Schumacher and take the most championships, clearly ahead as the most successful F1 driver ever.
Equally Mercedes have a huge amount to gain from continuing to employ him; while they'd probably still most likely win the championships this year without him, it would be a lot less certain. More pertinently, Mercedes don't run an F1 team in order to win championships, they do it in order to sell cars, and Hamilton has an unmatched marketing profile and reaches the parts of the market that other drivers can't.

So it's a high stakes negotiation, both sides would be overwhelmingly best off signing even on each others' terms, but both have an incentive to hold out for better. I still believe that he will sign and the Hamilton-Wolff-Mercedes steamroller will forge ahead, flattening all competition for another two to three years.

Still, it's interesting to imagine what might happen if negotiations break down. Would Merc steal a second driver out from their Williams contract to fill a seat at short notice? Or would someone else suddenly discover a break clause in their previously-watertight employment terms? Could Max, Red Bull and Honda finally win over a Lewisless Mercedes?? I suspect we'll never know.