The Official 2018 Abu Dhabi GP *** Spoilers***

[Targarama]

Deesee said:

One things for sure, Hamilton been plastering himself all over Instagram wearing red.... Contract negotiations must be coming up

I think that is just a story people invented. His private jet is red too, nobody says anything. His McLaren is blue and his Zonda purple. Doesn't mean he's got any intention of going to Ferrari, Williams or Redbull either.

[HardtopManual]

Lewis spoke at my office shortly before the 2018 season kicked off. He had just been to some fashion show. Someone asked him what the latest trend was and he said "red". Of course, the follow up question was "will you be wearing red at work anytime soon?" - to which Lewis seemed genuinely surprised that anyone would make the connection. So no, wearing a lot of red is nothing to do with Ferrari.

[HardtopManual]

Oh and Bottas visited a couple of weeks before Hamilton. He already looked and sounded like a beaten man.

[ajprice]

Alonso's McLaren will have a one off livery with his helmet colours for his last race.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/140235/mclaren-c...

[andburg]

underwhelming is what i say to those farewell colours!

I'd have loved to see something more outlandish, maybe a combined Mclaren/Renault affair like a 2006 Renault inspired scheme swapping the yellow for papaya.

[Derek Smith]

andburg said:

underwhelming is what i say to those farewell colours!

I'd have loved to see something more outlandish, maybe a combined Mclaren/Renault affair like a 2006 Renault inspired scheme swapping the yellow for papaya.

I like it.

[ajprice]

Renault will release Sainz from his contract after this weekend's race so that he'll drive the McLaren at the tyre test next week. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/140246/renault-r...

Ferrari will probably let Kimi drive the Sauber, Red Bull will not let Ricciardo drive the Renault .

[LaurasOtherHalf]

ajprice said:

Alonso's McLaren will have a one off livery with his helmet colours for his last race.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/140235/mclaren-c...

///M anyone?

[Derek Smith]

ajprice said:

Renault will release Sainz from his contract after this weekend's race so that he'll drive the McLaren at the tyre test next week. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/140246/renault-r...

Ferrari will probably let Kimi drive the Sauber, Red Bull will not let Ricciardo drive the Renault .

So Renault don't see Sainz and the McL as a threat next season. Ferrari don't see Sauber/Raikk as a threat.

Now, what was the other one? Interesting.

[thegreenhell]

Derek Smith said:

ajprice said:

Renault will release Sainz from his contract after this weekend's race so that he'll drive the McLaren at the tyre test next week. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/140246/renault-r...

Ferrari will probably let Kimi drive the Sauber, Red Bull will not let Ricciardo drive the Renault .

So Renault don't see Sainz and the McL as a threat next season. Ferrari don't see Sauber/Raikk as a threat.

Now, what was the other one? Interesting.

Or Horner and Marko and just s and the other team bosses aren't as much?

[Derek Smith]

thegreenhell said:

Or Horner and Marko and just s and the other team bosses aren't as much?

I think you'd need a lot of evidence to support that proposition.

Oh, wait, it's Horner and Marko - forget I said anything.

[Deesee]

Ohh,

Hass have raised a protest against Force India/Racing Point, everyone off to the stewards in the morning, no mention of what yet...

[Deesee]

PU Watch



Incredible reliability from the Merc/Ferrari (inc their customer teams).

To think these are the fastest cars seen in F1, using roughly a 1/3 of the fuel seen in the v10's, using only 3 complicated 1.6l 900 hp hybrid PU's over 20+ races, and fighting a close WDC/WCC.

I remember a time of Quali engines, and perhaps 4/5 additional PU's brought to the race weekend.

No mention of any penalties yet, but we can be virtually certain on the Toro Rosso's, I'm curious to see if they are going to use one per session as "testing".

[Big Nanas]

But look how many Honda parts the Torro Rossos have used.
Horner has been crying all year over their reliability issues, yet Honda are far worse!

[sparta6]

Big Nanas said:

But look how many Honda parts the Torro Rossos have used.
Horner has been crying all year over their reliability issues, yet Honda are far worse!

RBR could be moving from a bag of bolts - to a bag of washers.
It will be a shame as I rather enjoyed Max mixing it up occasionally at the sharp end.
Normal service will be resumed by Mercedes no doubt

[Vaud]

Big Nanas said:

But look how many Honda parts the Torro Rossos have used.
Horner has been crying all year over their reliability issues, yet Honda are far worse!

I think that Honda have been sacrificing units to accelerate development. It is apparently the most improved engine this year (though that comes from a low baseline)

[Deesee]

Big Nanas said:

But look how many Honda parts the Torro Rossos have used.
Horner has been crying all year over their reliability issues, yet Honda are far worse!

Honda have improved somewhat... RBR are/were burning through the parts



Stoffel never had a chance really...

[thegreenhell]

What that also shows, as well as the Honda being the least reliable engine, is that the Red Bull is the next most unreliable car, worse than any other Renault runner. So next year the least reliable engine will be in the least reliable car.

[Deesee]

Turbo Hybrid era 2014 >

RBR 12 wins
Ferrari 14 wins

That old renault/tag bag of bolts not to bad eh! (plus the races that the RBR drivers have self destructed on).

[anonymous-user]

Deesee said:

Turbo Hybrid era 2014 >

RBR 12 wins
Ferrari 14 wins

That old renault/tag bag of bolts not to bad eh! (plus the races that the RBR drivers have self destructed on).

Maybe as much to do with the RB chassis as the engine? Given that in 5 years no one else has won with that engine?