Anyone excited about the 2026 F1 season?

[AndyN01]

I'm afraid that all the post race to-ing and fro-ing with the lawyers just detracts from the sport (all and any sport) - and always has and always will do.

But sport is now such big business that there's ridiculous amounts of money involved and with that comes all this.

Having said that, the "rules" need to clear and simple and effectively upheld for each and every competitor.

 

[RVT1K]

I'm afraid that all the post race to-ing and fro-ing with the lawyers just detracts from the sport (all and any sport) - and always has and always will do.

But sport is now such big business that there's ridiculous amounts of money involved and with that comes all this.

Having said that, the "rules" need to clear and simple and effectively upheld for each and every competitor.

I agree. Having to wait until Monday to find out the final running order of a race is becoming a regular occurrence in F1.

 

[RVT1K]

I thought I heard at the very end, after Kimi's (I'm too lazy to type 'Antonelli's,) car died, that he had earned a 5-second penalty for exceeding track limits too many times. OBE, but if so, Kimi might have finished in 3rd or maybe even 4th behind Norris.

As I was typing this, I verified it with Google. Kimi might not have got past Russell without some (minor), illegal short cuts.

AI Overview

Kimi Antonelli received a post-race five-second time penalty at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix for exceeding track limits on four occasions. The sanction did not affect his final standing because he had already retired from the race with an electrical failure, resulting in a 16th-place classification. [1, 2, 3]
The post-race penalty unfolded with several unique details regarding how it was handled: [1]

• The Infringements: Antonelli committed four track limit violations, primarily at Turn 10, during the race. [1]
• McLaren's Intervention: McLaren noted an earlier infringement that race control had originally missed, leading them to draw the stewards' attention to the fourth breach post-race. [1]
• Black and White Flag Discrepancy: Because an earlier violation went undetected, Antonelli was shown the black-and-white warning flag one offense too late. The stewards acknowledged the ambiguity in the current guidelines caused by this procedural miss. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• No Impact on Austria: Since Antonelli retired from the race (completing over 90% of the distance to still be classified), the five seconds were simply added to his final race time. Under FIA regulations, the inability to serve the penalty during the race is not converted into a grid penalty for the subsequent Austrian Grand Prix. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Kimi was simply quicker that George, he caught him, passed him, and was pulling away from him. Still he did accumulate enough off-track excursions to warrant the penalty and we'll never know if he had enough pace to have made up for it.
I agree with the minor nature of the violations but in is in and out is out. There do need to be some sort of boundaries.
It looks like Kimi has a clear shot at the Championship but, then again, so did Oscar Piastri at this point last season.

 

[TSmith8605]

Kimi was simply quicker that George, he caught him, passed him, and was pulling away from him. Still he did accumulate enough off-track excursions to warrant the penalty and we'll never know if he had enough pace to have made up for it.
I agree with the minor nature of the violations but in is in and out is out. There do need to be some sort of boundaries.
It looks like Kimi has a clear shot at the Championship but, then again, so did Oscar Piastri at this point last season.

Yeah, my guess is even if Kimi had not exceeded limits or broke down, he would have beat George. This confidence booster that George so needed is tainted.

OTOH, I think Lewis would have won even without the lucky safety car pit stop.

 

[RVT1K]

I really, really can't stand Hamilton and, as a Ferrari fan, I would much rather see him behind Leclerc. That being said, you can't deny that he is doing much better this season than last.

I'm sure that my opinion is skewed by what radio traffic is broadcast but my impression is that Russel often is more interested in tattling on other drivers than driving his own damn car. It must be tough for him to have a new driver added to the team and get smoked by that driver. Kimi is on a good run for now but it is a long season that always comes with changes. I'm looking forward to seeing it all play out.

 

[RVT1K]

Silverstone spoilers..

The sprint race was more fun to watch.

Ferrari finally wins one. Leclerc ran a great race and never looked threatened. Deciding to pit Hamilton cost him 2nd place and kinda handed it to Russell. Still it was good to see two Ferraris on the podium.

Max's problem -that caused the safety car- was supposed to have been caused by the rear wing not closing properly and not giving full downforce on the rears -again. Max was not a happy camper...

And while speaking of the safety car it seemed to me that it took a very long time to clear the track and that hosed the end of the race. I know it sometimes happens but I can't stand seeing a race finish behind the safety car.

And fate kicks Kimi in the butt. Good pit strategy had him catching up with Leclerc only to have something break -after hitting a curb- that disturbed the aero badly enough to make the car very hard to handle. I like how Kimi wanted to stay on the track and try to salvage some points. But I'm not on board with cutting him slack with respect to the track limits penalty he got. In is in and out is out no matter what may be up with your car.

 

[GChief]

Silverstone spoilers..

We watched it yesterday around 1300 when it became Vietnam War movie jungle hot

 

[RVT1K]

We watched it yesterday around 1300 when it became Vietnam War movie jungle hot

You mean Belize hot?? Its been low 90's and really humid lately. 79F and 88% currently @ 0700.

No DVR means watching everything live but start time was 0800 local which made it easy. Unlike the sprint race which was on at 0500 here.

 

[GChief]

You mean Belize hot?? Its been low 90's and really humid lately. 79F and 88% currently @ 0700.

No DVR means watching everything live but start time was 0800 local which made it easy. Unlike the sprint race which was on at 0500 here.

That works also. It was 92 with around 70% when I gave up shoveling about a ton of mulch.

With Apple you can start the replay even while the race is still running.

 

[AndyN01]

And while speaking of the safety car it seemed to me that it took a very long time to clear the track and that hosed the end of the race. I know it sometimes happens but I can't stand seeing a race finish behind the safety car.

The safety car thing, in general, upsets me and vastly detracts from racing which is surely the reason for the sport's existence? IF there is a driver trapped or needing medical attention or something of a similar life threatening/changing nature then by all means use a safety car or, indeed, simply stop the race.

But a car off the circuit, in the gravel, with the driver safely out and with the marshals and with the appropriate flag signals being used and obeyed presents very little danger - So what is the reasoning behind the remaining 3+ miles at a relative snails pace behind a safety car for lap, after lap after lap? These guys are professionals at a ridiculous level of skill and can surely drive a bit slower for a few hundred yards each lap so they don't fall off and perhaps, maybe, hit the stranded car? Multiple other formulae carry on quite safely and their drivers don't have the same skills?

With all the data logging etc. it would be child's play to see if driver "X" did, indeed, slow down in the "dangerous" sector and some suitable "punishment" could be used to deter this behaviour.

 

[RVT1K]

The safety car thing, in general, upsets me and vastly detracts from racing which is surely the reason for the sport's existence? IF there is a driver trapped or needing medical attention or something of a similar life threatening/changing nature then by all means use a safety car or, indeed, simply stop the race.

But a car off the circuit, in the gravel, with the driver safely out and with the marshals and with the appropriate flag signals being used and obeyed presents very little danger - So what is the reasoning behind the remaining 3+ miles at a relative snails pace behind a safety car for lap, after lap after lap? These guys are professionals at a ridiculous level of skill and can surely drive a bit slower for a few hundred yards each lap so they don't fall off and perhaps, maybe, hit the stranded car? Multiple other formulae carry on quite safely and their drivers don't have the same skills?

With all the data logging etc. it would be child's play to see if driver "X" did, indeed, slow down in the "dangerous" sector and some suitable "punishment" could be used to deter this behaviour.

There's a time and a place for everything like yellow flags, safety cars, and red flags.
I agree with you for the most part but sometimes it does take some time to simply evaluate a situation and determine the best course of action.
I don't recall just where Max's car wound up but, generally speaking, if the stuck car doesn't present any excess hazard, I say leave it there and let the race continue once the driver and track marshals are clear of course.

 

[GChief]

Wherever they end up the next lap another car could get off at the same place and end up there also.

 

[TSmith8605]

Wherever they end up the next lap are car could get off at the same place and end up there also.

AI Overview
On October 5, 2014, at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Jules Bianchi lost control of his Marussia in heavy rain. He aquaplaned off the track at the Dunlop Curve, crashing into a 6.5-tonne recovery vehicle that was actively removing Adrien Sutil's car. The catastrophic impact subjected his body to 254 Gs and resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury (diffuse axonal injury). Bianchi remained in a coma for nine months and tragically passed away on July 17, 2015, at the age of 25.

The Sequence of Events
Initial Incident: On lap 42, Sauber driver Adrian Sutil crashed at Turn 7 (Dunlop Curve) in worsening rain and poor visibility. Double-waved yellow flags were shown in the area, requiring drivers to slow down significantly.

Bianchi's Crash: On lap 43, while marshals were attempting to recover Sutil's car, Bianchi's Marussia lost grip on the wet track in nearly the exact same spot. His car slid off and collided directly with the rear of the heavy tractor crane.

FIA Investigation & Aftermath: The official FIA investigation concluded that Bianchi did not slow sufficiently under the waved yellow flags. The fatal nature of the incident was a wake-up call for the sport, fundamentally altering motorsport safety.

Lasting Legacy and Safety Changes
The tragedy prompted a complete overhaul of racing regulations and vehicle design to protect drivers:

Virtual Safety Car (VSC): Introduced in 2015, this system forces drivers to slow to a specific delta time under neutral track conditions, avoiding the need for high-speed driving past trackside recovery equipment.

Strict Crane Protocols: Rules were updated to mandate safety cars or red flags before trackside cranes are deployed.

The Halo: This titanium, ring-shaped cockpit protection device was subsequently developed and made mandatory by the FIA in 2018. It has since been credited with saving the lives of multiple open-wheel drivers.

Retired Number: The FIA permanently retired Bianchi's racing number, 17, from Formula 1.

 

[TSmith8605]

It would have been nice to see Kimi and Leclerc race for the win on the last 10 laps. However as the tired old saying goes: To finish first, first you must finish.

It wasn't clear why the safety car stayed out to the last lap; seems like all was clear a lap earlier. So we missed a 1-lap race between Hamilton and Russell for second.

And, Hamilton was under investigation for a yellow flag infringement (too fast or didn't lift or something) that was not decided by the end of the race. I just don't understand why they can't figure that out in the time they had before the end. So since the cars were all bunched up by the safety car, if Hamilton gets the 5-second penalty, he will be punted from the 3rd to out of the points and Norris should have been getting sprayed down with Champaign on the podium. In a post race interview, Hamilton said he was pretty sure he'll get the penalty - he was not happy.

 

[AndyN01]

AI Overview
On October 5, 2014, at the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Jules Bianchi lost control of his Marussia in heavy rain. He aquaplaned off the track at the Dunlop Curve, crashing into a 6.5-tonne recovery vehicle that was actively removing Adrien Sutil's car. The catastrophic impact subjected his body to 254 Gs and resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury (diffuse axonal injury). Bianchi remained in a coma for nine months and tragically passed away on July 17, 2015, at the age of 25.

The Sequence of Events
Initial Incident: On lap 42, Sauber driver Adrian Sutil crashed at Turn 7 (Dunlop Curve) in worsening rain and poor visibility. Double-waved yellow flags were shown in the area, requiring drivers to slow down significantly.

Bianchi's Crash: On lap 43, while marshals were attempting to recover Sutil's car, Bianchi's Marussia lost grip on the wet track in nearly the exact same spot. His car slid off and collided directly with the rear of the heavy tractor crane.

FIA Investigation & Aftermath: The official FIA investigation concluded that Bianchi did not slow sufficiently under the waved yellow flags. The fatal nature of the incident was a wake-up call for the sport, fundamentally altering motorsport safety.

Lasting Legacy and Safety Changes
The tragedy prompted a complete overhaul of racing regulations and vehicle design to protect drivers:

Virtual Safety Car (VSC): Introduced in 2015, this system forces drivers to slow to a specific delta time under neutral track conditions, avoiding the need for high-speed driving past trackside recovery equipment.

Strict Crane Protocols: Rules were updated to mandate safety cars or red flags before trackside cranes are deployed.

The Halo: This titanium, ring-shaped cockpit protection device was subsequently developed and made mandatory by the FIA in 2018. It has since been credited with saving the lives of multiple open-wheel drivers.

Retired Number: The FIA permanently retired Bianchi's racing number, 17, from Formula 1.

My understanding is that there's a bit more to the rule for double waved yellows.... "...and be prepared to stop."

The conclusion from the FIA on the Bianchi incident isn't exactly surprising. My concern would be for the volunteers, marshals, recovery crew etc. who are doing their job and, quite rightly, expecting the driver's to do theirs by following the instructions given by the flags.

So, I'm struggling to see just how "bad" the situation was at Silverstone that it couldn't be controlled by double waved yellows (which would have been preceded by stationary yellows so plenty of notice and time to "comply") and allow racing to take place around the rest of the circuit?

So, were there,marshals on the track? Recovery vehicle in an unsafe position? Something else that meant a driver who has already ...slowed down significantly and is ....prepared to stop.... shall come off the circuit and risk hitting someone or something that, on a live circuit, wouldn't be there?

And yes, I've been there, marshaled for years and years at F1, World Endurance in the Pit Lane - long before any speed limits with cars at well over 100mph a few feet from you - and many many other events. All without any incident/injury etc. etc. Maybe the drivers were more aware of the consequences - I certainly wouldn't have wanted to have any sort of "discussion" with the Clerk of the Course for failing to comply with flag signals.

It seems a shame that the whole essence of racing is being diluted by being - IMHO - too safety conscious. I'm absolutely not anti safety but I am concerned that the whole ethos and spectacle is being diluted. Just follow the rules and have significant and severe consequences for not doing so.

Perhaps it's just too much big business with too much money and too many people wading in with lawyers etc.

 

[RVT1K]

And, Hamilton was under investigation for a yellow flag infringement (too fast or didn't lift or something) that was not decided by the end of the race. I just don't understand why they can't figure that out in the time they had before the end.

This has been a constant source of frustration for me.
You would think that the world's foremost motorsport sanctioning body could figure out the final results of a race before Monday afternoon...

 

[TSmith8605]

. . . Perhaps it's just too much big business with too much money and too many people wading in with lawyers etc.

I suspect that is the reason that so much time and careful deliberation is given to making penalty calls. Too much $$$$ involved.

Turns out that Hamilton did not get the penalty and maintains his 3rd place standing.

 

[RVT1K]

The iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend. One of the best on the calendar, right up there with Suzuka.

But the ugly energy-management monster will be rearing its head.

 

[RVT1K]

Although making a direct comparison will have to wait until tomorrow, today's FP2 times were quite a bit slower than last year's pole time.
Last year Lando took pole with a 1:40.562 and today the quickest lap in FP2 was Kimi's 1:45.94.

 

[RVT1K]

Everyone went quicker in qualifying and Kimi took pole with a 1:44.361.

So essentially 4 seconds slower than last season.