The Official F1 2024 silly season *contains speculation*

[Muzzer79]

Saw a YouTube video by The Race addressing rumours that Audi are considering bailing out of F1 altogether, before they’ve even started?

First I’d heard of it. They kind of pour cold water on the theory, but maybe the global economy situation and change of management has seen a shift in priorities for VW?

[WPA]

Muzzer79 said:

Saw a YouTube video by The Race addressing rumours that Audi are considering bailing out of F1 altogether, before they’ve even started?

First I’d heard of it. They kind of pour cold water on the theory, but maybe the global economy situation and change of management has seen a shift in priorities for VW?

By all accounts they underestimated the costs involved, considering they agreed the new engine rules with them in mind, if they do pull out it will be a complete mess.

[Mark-C]

WPA said:

Muzzer79 said:

Saw a YouTube video by The Race addressing rumours that Audi are considering bailing out of F1 altogether, before they’ve even started?

First I’d heard of it. They kind of pour cold water on the theory, but maybe the global economy situation and change of management has seen a shift in priorities for VW?

By all accounts they underestimated the costs involved, considering they agreed the new engine rules with them in mind, if they do pull out it will be a complete mess.

Maybe Andretti started the rumour ...

[thegreenhell]

The costs should be fairly well understood since there is a cost cap for PU development for all manufacturers signed up to the 2026 regulations, and that amount is less than 2% of Audi's annual operating profit. It's a drop in the ocean for them.

[Mr Pointy]

thegreenhell said:

The costs should be fairly well understood since there is a cost cap for PU development for all manufacturers signed up to the 2026 regulations, and that amount is less than 2% of Audi's annual operating profit. It's a drop in the ocean for them.

Giving up 2% of your annual profit is not a drop in the ocean, it's a lot of profit. EV cars are turning into a major issue for all manufacturers making the next 5-10 years very uncertain for car companies so there has to be a massive return on going into a very expensive new venture like F1. It's likley the certainty of that return is becoming much less certain.

[tight fart]

I think this stems from Audi having a new boss (Chairman?) they are not allowed to make major announcements for the first 100 days or something.

[DanielSan]

MustangGT said:

You quote the situation with Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

Seb was an RB academy driver, Mark was not. It really is that simple. To let Mark win would be publicly announcing their academy did not work.

You're opting to ignore Vettel/Ricciardo and Ricciardo/Verstappen then....

[deadslow]

Muzzer79 said:

520TORQUES said:

Mark didn't win because he made too many errors, including breaking his shoulder when he was leading the championship by 11 points with four rounds remaining.

He had every opportunity to beat Seb to the championship that year.

Agreed

People forget how much of an outsider Vettel was in the title run-in during 2010.

If Webber had kept it on the island in Korea and finished behind Alonso (I know, coulda-should-woulda) then, IINM, he'd have wrapped up the title in Brazil with a race to spare.

Even as it was, with only Abu Dhabi to go, you'd never have bet on both Alonso and Webber having the strategy nightmare that caused them not to get the points they needed.

I don't think Vettel had led at any point in the championship until the end of the last race.

[vaud]

deadslow said:

I don't think Vettel had led at any point in the championship until the end of the last race.

He shared the lead with Webber after Monaco, both with 78 points

Per wikipedia,"There were a record 10 changes of leadership in the title race, variously led by every top-6 finisher except Vettel, who eventually took the championship victory in the last race."

[Muzzer79]

vaud said:

deadslow said:

I don't think Vettel had led at any point in the championship until the end of the last race.

He shared the lead with Webber after Monaco, both with 78 points

With Webber leading the championship by virtue of a higher number of race wins.....

[Henson]

PhilAsia said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Still Mulling said:

Interesting to read Saward’s green notebook chewing through the apparent logic on many fronts of Alonso going to RB. I’d given it no credence until reading that, although I still consider it P<0.50.

Joe’s notebook is always a good read for the silly season stuff, as he knows pretty much everyone in the paddock and is there every weekend.

But I still can’t see this one coming off. RB must know that Alonso would be a massively destabilising force on the team and that he’d be running his mouth to any journalist who’d listen, if he thought he was getting less than perfectly equal treatment.

Not gonna happen Steve.

Although I agree, there is the tiniest, weeniest thought lurking in the background.

Forum-regular 'TheDeuce' often mentions that staying in the news headlines is as big a motivator for Red Bull as actually winning.
Keeping the brand in front of everyone on a global platform. I'm sure there's plenty more to it than that, but I've no reason to disbelieve it.

Can you imagine the headlines for RB that something like this - Alonso as Max's teammate - would generate?
Not just the initial story but throughout the season?

I think it's highly unlikely. But it would be fabulous.

[Nickp82]

Please stop, you’re annoying Fernando

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/67301674

[geeks]

Nickp82 said:

Please stop, you’re annoying Fernando

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/67301674

I don't see Alonso going to RB. However, last time Fernando was getting annoyed and vehemently denying stuff it was all completely true.....

[asfault]

Joey Deacon said:

I think Yuki Tsunoda and Zhou Guanyu will continue to unimpress in 2023 and will most likely be let go unless there is literally nobody else to replace them.

I can see the pairing of Gasly and Ocon not going well and they will collide several times this season.

I think it is going to be a pretty boring silly season unless the 2023 Mercedes is an absolute dog and Hamilton decides he has had enough.

I am hoping that Alonso is going to destroy Stroll in the Aston, but there is an outside chance it will all go horribly wrong and he may retire as well.

I have a sneaky feeling that Ricciardo will get a drive in 2024.

Quoting an old post here but apart from the very first race of the season they havnt touched again since have they?

[thegreenhell]

Blib said:

Cadillac seem, on the face of it, to get a wonderful deal.

Andretti buys its PUs from Renault & Cadillac then stick their name on them.

They have just announced that Cadillac have applied to the FIA to become an engine manufacturer in their own right from 2028. That would mean they only have to bridge a two year gap with a badged PU from elsewhere, if they get accepted with an entry.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-cadill...

[520TORQUES]

thegreenhell said:

They have just announced that Cadillac have applied to the FIA to become an engine manufacturer in their own right from 2028. That would mean they only have to bridge a two year gap with a badged PU from elsewhere, if they get accepted with an entry.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-cadill...

Probably to be made by ilmor in Brixworth.

[Sandpit Steve]

520TORQUES said:

thegreenhell said:

They have just announced that Cadillac have applied to the FIA to become an engine manufacturer in their own right from 2028. That would mean they only have to bridge a two year gap with a badged PU from elsewhere, if they get accepted with an entry.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-cadill...

Probably to be made by ilmor in Brixworth.

Right next door, to another bunch of people trying to make a totally different engine…..

[Leithen]

Sandpit Steve said:

520TORQUES said:

thegreenhell said:

They have just announced that Cadillac have applied to the FIA to become an engine manufacturer in their own right from 2028. That would mean they only have to bridge a two year gap with a badged PU from elsewhere, if they get accepted with an entry.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/andretti-cadill...

Probably to be made by ilmor in Brixworth.

Right next door, to another bunch of people trying to make a totally different engine…..

IIRC, Cosworth is US owned...

[carl_w]

Leithen said:

IIRC, Cosworth is US owned...

A Cosworth badged as a GM/Cadillac? Bit like putting a Chevy engine in your Cobra replica.

[anonymous-user]

asfault said:

Joey Deacon said:

I think Yuki Tsunoda and Zhou Guanyu will continue to unimpress in 2023 and will most likely be let go unless there is literally nobody else to replace them.

I can see the pairing of Gasly and Ocon not going well and they will collide several times this season.

I think it is going to be a pretty boring silly season unless the 2023 Mercedes is an absolute dog and Hamilton decides he has had enough.

I am hoping that Alonso is going to destroy Stroll in the Aston, but there is an outside chance it will all go horribly wrong and he may retire as well.

I have a sneaky feeling that Ricciardo will get a drive in 2024.

Quoting an old post here but apart from the very first race of the season they havnt touched again since have they?

Yuki Tsunoda and Zhou Guanyu continue to unimpress but nobody to replace them = Check
Boring Silly Season = Check
Alonso to destroy Stroll = Check
Ricciardo gets a drive in 2024 = Check

OK so it looks like I got one wrong, but still time for Gasly and Ocon to have another coming together yet.