Official 2024 Qatar Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Still Mulling]

Lovely stuff. Thanks, PiaP! :cheers:

[Zetec-S]

Now he's wrapped up the WDC, I'm going with Max.

I think he's been very patient and despite all the track antics, sweary rants and frustrations, he's been clinical in doing enough to get the job done. Now that it's done, the gloves will come off and he will be out to prove a point.

[suffolk009]

Zetec-S said:

Now he's wrapped up the WDC, I'm going with Max.

I think he's been very patient and despite all the track antics, sweary rants and frustrations, he's been clinical in doing enough to get the job done. Now that it's done, the gloves will come off and he will be out to prove a point.

Max to win? I doubt it. He doesn't need the points, and Red Bull don't want them. They certainly don't need the money.

They're not going to win the Constructors crown, and third place is far more valuable in terms of development and wind tunnel hours than if they accidently beat Ferrari into second place. I expect Max will be under instructions to finish behind the Ferraris, or might even develop a mysterious problem with the car and have to retire it.

I know, it sounds daft. But why else would they have kept Perez all season? "Sergio, you're job today is to finish outside the points. Got it?"

[Nova Gyna]

Does the development time carry over from ’25 into the ’26 season, or does it all reset due to the new regulations?

I went with Piastri for the win.

[suffolk009]

Nova Gyna said:

Does the development time carry over from ’25 into the ’26 season, or does it all reset due to the new regulations?

I went with Piastri for the win.

I'm assuming the '26 car is designed in '25.

[Sandpit Steve]

Nova Gyna said:

Does the development time carry over from ’25 into the ’26 season, or does it all reset due to the new regulations?

I went with Piastri for the win.

The development time is awarded half-yearly, for the next calendar year. So the championship positions at the end of the season give rise to the development allowance for the first six months of 2025. Teams are generally allowed to decide themselves how to split time between current and future cars. On 30th June 2025, the allowances will be given for the second half of the calendar year.

Anyone not challenging for the ‘25 championship is likely to move early to ‘26 development.

[Nova Gyna]

suffolk009 said:

I'm assuming the '26 car is designed in '25.

Good point.

Sandpit Steve said:

The development time is awarded half-yearly, for the next calendar year. So the championship positions at the end of the season give rise to the development allowance for the first six months of 2025. Teams are generally allowed to decide themselves how to split time between current and future cars. On 30th June 2025, the allowances will be given for the second half of the calendar year.

Anyone not challenging for the ‘25 championship is likely to move early to ‘26 development.

Thanks, Steve

[marine boy]

suffolk009 said:

I'm assuming the '26 car is designed in '25.

I'm a year and 3 months into the design of a 26 car

If anyone started designing their 26 car after this spring/summer just gone they've left it too late

[MustangGT]

marine boy said:

suffolk009 said:

I'm assuming the '26 car is designed in '25.

I'm a year and 3 months into the design of a 26 car

If anyone started designing their 26 car after this spring/summer just gone they've left it too late

F1 Regulations prohibited work on the 2026 car until 2025.

[danashby]

I went with Sainz, he seems to be in form recently, although there is a chance that Ferrari will cock up something during the race.

[thegreenhell]

MustangGT said:

marine boy said:

suffolk009 said:

I'm assuming the '26 car is designed in '25.

I'm a year and 3 months into the design of a 26 car

If anyone started designing their 26 car after this spring/summer just gone they've left it too late

F1 Regulations prohibited work on the 2026 car until 2025.

They prohibit wind tunnel and CFD testing until 2025. There's a lot of other stuff they can do in the meantime.

Unless Marine Boy is working for Andretti/GM, in which case they can get a head start on aero testing until their entry is formalised and the restrictions kick in.

[Zetec-S]

suffolk009 said:

Zetec-S said:

Now he's wrapped up the WDC, I'm going with Max.

I think he's been very patient and despite all the track antics, sweary rants and frustrations, he's been clinical in doing enough to get the job done. Now that it's done, the gloves will come off and he will be out to prove a point.

Max to win? I doubt it. He doesn't need the points, and Red Bull don't want them. They certainly don't need the money.

They're not going to win the Constructors crown, and third place is far more valuable in terms of development and wind tunnel hours than if they accidently beat Ferrari into second place. I expect Max will be under instructions to finish behind the Ferraris, or might even develop a mysterious problem with the car and have to retire it.

I know, it sounds daft. But why else would they have kept Perez all season? "Sergio, you're job today is to finish outside the points. Got it?"

Max is not going to dial it in for the last 2 races of the season.

[snotrag]

suffolk009 said:

Max to win? I doubt it. He doesn't need the points, and Red Bull don't want them. They certainly don't need the money.

It is an obvious conclusion to jump to, but like the poster above I also think theres every chance the we get 'Banzai' Max back, ready to prove a point and he goes all in with some incredible performances.

[Piginapoke]

Zetec-S said:

suffolk009 said:

Zetec-S said:

Now he's wrapped up the WDC, I'm going with Max.

I think he's been very patient and despite all the track antics, sweary rants and frustrations, he's been clinical in doing enough to get the job done. Now that it's done, the gloves will come off and he will be out to prove a point.

Max to win? I doubt it. He doesn't need the points, and Red Bull don't want them. They certainly don't need the money.

They're not going to win the Constructors crown, and third place is far more valuable in terms of development and wind tunnel hours than if they accidently beat Ferrari into second place. I expect Max will be under instructions to finish behind the Ferraris, or might even develop a mysterious problem with the car and have to retire it.

I know, it sounds daft. But why else would they have kept Perez all season? "Sergio, you're job today is to finish outside the points. Got it?"

Max is not going to dial it in for the last 2 races of the season.

Totally this- Max is a racer, pure and simple. It’s all he does.

[PhilAsia]

Piginapoke said:

Zetec-S said:

suffolk009 said:

Zetec-S said:

Now he's wrapped up the WDC, I'm going with Max.

I think he's been very patient and despite all the track antics, sweary rants and frustrations, he's been clinical in doing enough to get the job done. Now that it's done, the gloves will come off and he will be out to prove a point.

Max to win? I doubt it. He doesn't need the points, and Red Bull don't want them. They certainly don't need the money.

They're not going to win the Constructors crown, and third place is far more valuable in terms of development and wind tunnel hours than if they accidently beat Ferrari into second place. I expect Max will be under instructions to finish behind the Ferraris, or might even develop a mysterious problem with the car and have to retire it.

I know, it sounds daft. But why else would they have kept Perez all season? "Sergio, you're job today is to finish outside the points. Got it?"

Max is not going to dial it in for the last 2 races of the season.

Totally this- Max is a racer, pure and simple. It’s all he does.

After thinking this through a little more, I'm in two minds now PiaP.

My first thought was that Max was going to dial it back in the last two races in order to underline his "I did this WDC in a slower car", and so that he can point to his outperforming an underperforming car.

I have also entertained the thought that Max cannot control himself and will want to fight for every corner.

I am more inclined towards the first because Max has shown that, as in LV, he can keep his nose clean and keep out of trouble if he chooses to , for the WDC..., or in this case, so that he is held in higher esteem for his ability to extract more from a lesser car than others from a superior car.

At 555 points, Red Bull cannot drop to 4th, but they could get closer to Ferrari at 584 points. Do they want 2nd? I think it is very doubtful. It will be interesting to see.

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the thread PiaP, I would like a good McLaren weekend so that they seal the WCC, however, I’d also like a good Ferrari weekend in the hope that they will build off it to be quick next year.

[DanielSan]

PhilAsia said:

After thinking this through a little more, I'm in two minds now PiaP.

My first thought was that Max was going to dial it back in the last two races in order to underline his "I did this WDC in a slower car", and so that he can point to his outperforming an underperforming car.

I have also entertained the thought that Max cannot control himself and will want to fight for every corner.

I am more inclined towards the first because Max has shown that, as in LV, he can keep his nose clean and keep out of trouble if he chooses to , for the WDC..., or in this case, so that he is held in higher esteem for his ability to extract more from a lesser car than others from a superior car.

At 555 points, Red Bull cannot drop to 4th, but they could get closer to Ferrari at 584 points. Do they want 2nd? I think it is very doubtful. It will be interesting to see.

Both drivers and team are racers, they're out to win pure and simple the same as everyone else in F1. No one chooses to finish second, you finish second because you're not fast enough to win. You may have done a lot of thinking, but I can guarantee no else in F1 thinks like that or they wouldn't be where they are now

[PRO5T]

Low temps (for the middle east) and a low grip surface (even though there's F2 to lay some rubber)-I'm thinking Mercedes may do alright.

[richhead]

Thank you for the threads all year.
Its hard to bet against max, he really is on it. And as much as i dont like the guy, and red bull. he may end up being the best we have ever seen. The only real comparison you can make is inter team, and well he makes perez look stupid every weekend. And i bet perez is better than most. Im well aware what it takes to get to F1, so hes no idiot.

[paulguitar]

richhead said:

Thank you for the threads all year.
Its hard to bet against max, he really is on it. And as much as i dont like the guy, and red bull. he may end up being the best we have ever seen. The only real comparison you can make is inter team, and well he makes perez look stupid every weekend. And i bet perez is better than most. Im well aware what it takes to get to F1, so hes no idiot.

When he is under significant pressure Verstappen still has demonstrated he has a tendency to fall apart and lose control of himself, as we have seen on occasions this season, as well as in the past. To be considered amongst the very best in history, I think that he'd need to put a stop to that. He has the talent to be amongst the best. I think he deserved the title this season, even allowing for some unacceptable behaviour.

Not sure about Perez. He's never been a top-level driver but surely he's better than he's looked in 2024.

It would be great if one day we could see Verstappen against a top-level teammate.