Grand Prix 2020 Austrian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

The long 4 month 7 month drought of F1 is soon to be over. as on 15th March 5th July we will finally be getting 2020 season underway (Virus permitting
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) .I can guarantee 1 thing that the 1st race of this decade cant be any worse than the 1st race of the previous decade which seemed to set the tone for the poor decade that would follow. as 2010 Bahrain GP is ranked up there with the 2019 French GP & others as some of worst F1 races in history. so bad that they were started a discussion to have mandatory 2 stop races. but we will see who will follow in steps of Giuseppe Farina, Bruce McLaren, Jack Brabham, Alan Jones, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher & Fernando Alonso as the 1st Grand prix winner of the new decade, which is starting in the most peculiar & odd way of its whole 70yrs. so no pressure on Sundays winner as will have to keep up the world champion streak & even the 1 that didn't founded 1 of F1 most successful teams

but on Australia, there history of motor....., wait Austria you say. sorry about that guys, Austraila & Austria very easy to mix up :facepalm:

Luckily Austria also has had a long history with F1 stretching back 55 years, even if it doesnt feel that long if grand prixs have been in short bursts. but so many drivers & other major people in F1 history have come from this small country. Lauda, Berger, Rindt, Wurz, Wolff, Marko & the mighty Patrick Friesacher. the history starting at the zeltweg airfield very close to red bull ring. where the top 3 on the grid after qualifying in 1964, was the British trio of Graham Hill, John Surtees & Jim Clark. but all 3 retired before half distance & actually a weird race when you look at it because bandini won his only GP of his 42 race career from 7th on the grid only 9 finished 2 on the lead lap. a brit finished on the podium but 3 laps down & Jack Brabham finished last 29 laps down (whats the point :dunno:) Then austria had to wait 6 years when they would race at fearsome Österreichring between 1970 & 1987 when it was stopped on safety grounds for many reasons as the final pole lap averaged 159mph despite narrow track little run off & the 2 big accident at the start, was the final nail in the coffin. Then Austria would have to wait 10 yrs til the Next GP after It huge overhaul by herman tilke funded by Phone Operator A1 we would return from 1997 to 2003 bringing some notable moments 1998 where we unusual front row of Fisichella & Alesi, also 1st rumoured use of ferrari team orders. which would rear its ugly head in 2002 that is 1 of F1 infamous moments & also known for horrible crash between sato & Heidfield at turn 3. Then in modern times it takes a distinct turn because in a way we are lucky to be racing at the red bull ring at all. because less than a year after the final GP at A1 ring in 2003. The grandstands & pits were demolished. but construction was halted making it completely unusable. & so many people tried but fail to resurrect it, it looked bleak for the great circuit but 5 years later in 2009 Red Bull decide they were going bringing it back to life (2nd time lucky after 2005 when he refused to spend money on it) in time for the 2011 DTM series. then after Doomed from the start New York race. Bernie said a spot became available on F1 Calendar which Red bull Enquired & the rest since 2014 is history

but now in modern times it is quite strange to be starting it in Austria because this will be the 1st time the season has started in Europe since 1966 when Monaco GP was season opener, also when you think of 12 months ago coming into Austria 2019. the title was dead Hamilton was 76 pts clear of the next non Mercedes driver & we were just waiting for when we crowned Lewis as the 6x world champion not if, but this whole season is going to be extremely odd as it will be the 1st ever double headers in F1 history even if its Austrian & Styrian GP. also British/70th anniversary. maybe some circuits that will host as a 1 off with portugal. Mugello (for Ferrari's 1000th) Hockenheim, Imola, Bahrain "Oval" & a season that might stretch into january as the sport tries to get 8 to make a World Championship & 16 races to fulfill the F1 TV contracts. no podiums the trophy will be collected by the drivers on the grid & both top 3 interview will take place like they do post qualifying last season on the grid as well. no pen interviews for obvious reasons instead they will be in front of the team garages. & F1 cars that will last more than a season for 1st time since the 70's. which will be a strange end to this era before maybe the biggest rule change for F1 in many decades. is looking like an intriguing season which hopefully Australia Austria will give us some answers.
  • how good are Mercedes. as they sandbagged last year looked like the 3rd quickest car & ended up winning 9 of 1st 10 races
  • Are Red bull hiding championship challenging pace. will we finally after many years. get to see how Verstappen copes under pressure of a title battle. because up til now he could win 5 races retire from other 15 & consider it very successful
  • are ferrari troubles are bad they seem & have found an answers in the lockdown. can Leclerc & Vettel on track relationship be repaired or will it be a free for all , also does Vettel get a contract renewed for 2021 does vettel get drive in 2021
  • will Vettel be freed from pressure & will Sainz rise to the pressure of proving why he should be at Ferrari next season
  • can Force India racing point provide a huge surprise become the 1st team to be able to challenge the big 3 for 1st time since enstone team with grosjean in 2013
  • is this the beginning the end for Haas, as they are debating their future
  • Can Mclaren & Renault take the Next Steps that the budgets they pressure them into
  • is this Williams new car finally capable of giving Russell a car to get into B race & out of the doldrums
  • Will Aquafresh become the new title sponsor after all the livery already there
  • Will Riccardo have many suspious technical failures after taking 50m from Renault while only racing for them for 8 months. before jumping ship for McLaren
  • will Esports drivers like Albon, Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc & Russell have an advantage on the other drivers who havent done any driving in this shutdown period
  • what will Lewis Hamilton say, now there is no fans
  • will we see the same intensity as we had in november, as football has struggled with that since the return
 
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F1 continues to eat itself through the rediculous short term self interest of certain people.

Also, since when has a car had to run before a complaint could be made against its legality?

It either meets the rules when presented to the scrutineers or it doesn't?

And, focusing specifically on Horner, Red Bull bendy wings and floor good, Mercedes bendy steering system bad.

Hypocrisy? Oh yeah.
 
If the DAS system is proven to be legal then will it mean that, Red Bull will issue it’s annual July statement that it is going to leave F1 at the end of the season.
 
I thought it had already been deemed legal but, as usual for F1, it will be banned at the end of the season?
 
And mass dampers and flexible floors and X Wings and blown floors and wheel covers and every single other F1 innovation that has been banned in the last 20 years in the name of....

Pick from:

1) the show
2) Ferrari's veto
3) Safety
4) Money saving
5) A favour for Bernie's team principal friend of the week
6) No apparent reason
 
It always the same, whatever Adrian Newey comes up with he is a genius, as soon as another team comes up with anything ingenious then the legality of it is immediately called into question.
 
Adrian Newey still maintains that the Brawn DD was illegal. I have read up on the details, and conclude that Adrain Newey and Red Bull can fuck off when it comes to crying foul.

The convoluted route to get any kind of clear outcome is a nightmare. It seems to me that those who create the rules are unable to agree on how to adhere to them, and scrutineering is arbiter until it isn't. Bloody farce
 
Horner admitted that Red Bull has their own version of DAS ready to go but they'll only fit it if they are unsuccessful in having the Mercedes system banned.

Remember folks, all these teams are racers at heart who just love racing.
 
Horner admitted that Red Bull has their own version of DAS ready to go but they'll only fit it if they are unsuccessful in having the Mercedes system banned.

Remember folks, all these teams are racers at heart who just love racing.

im with the conspiracy theories, there must be more to DAS than just the heating of the tyres. because i dont know why everyone is so committed to DAS when in 5 months (under normal circumstances) it is banned
 
Because the teams have more money than sense and, if they have it then the others want it.

I can't remember who in F1 said it but decades ago someone in the sport said if a team came out of the pits with a purple broom stick sticking out of the car and put in a quick lap, the following week every car on the grid would have the same thing without ever really understanding why.
 
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