Official 2023 Qatar Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

After the challenging and historic Suzuka, here we are in soulless Qatar for a Sprint weekend, as F1 continues its strategy of chasing all the money all the time. Channel 4 highlights look well timed if you're having trouble getting off to sleep.

Max will win the championship this weekend, an amazing season from him and the team, but Merc and Ferrari really must do better next year.

I’ll be looking at Piastri and his continuing progress relative to Norris and whether Lawson can get the AT into the points again. Great to see new talent rising.

Here’s to a great race. Again, poll is for 2nd.

Date(s): Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October 2023.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and race highlights are shown on Channel 4.





2022 Race Highlights:

N/A

Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/documents/championships/fia-fo...

Weather forecast (hot):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/290030

Tyre options:

Hardest range- C1-C3:



2022 Result :

N/A

Edited by Piginapoke on Saturday 30th September 08:07

[Piginapoke]

Sandpit Steve said:

Really looking forward to this one - mostly because I’m going to be there, my only live race this season.

Wow- have a great time Steve! Let us know what you think to it.

[Piginapoke]

Don’t hit the staff Lance

[Piginapoke]

P1Fanatic said:

I’m new to these threads but already love the format as often find myself googling in race weekends to find the correct UK times for sessions.

On a side note - please tell me Piginapoke is a nod to National Lampoons European Vacation

Welcome!

Piginapoke comes from Pauline and the Jobseekers

https://youtu.be/aMenLIbXLzk?si=PrQ0UXvsi95tfQSG

Edited by Piginapoke on Saturday 7th October 07:36

[Piginapoke]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

A good win for Oscar Piastri. He’s better than I thought and probably demonstrates a better long term prospect than Lando.

However these two drivers at McLaren give me shades of 1992 and Herbert (Norris) v Hakkinen (Piastri) when they raced together at Lotus.

Not just in terms or results but also personalities as well.

Piastri's potential has been clear for a few years now. It makes Alpine's handling of him look look even more clumsy- he should have been in the car 2 years ago but instead they have Ocon......

Norris remains the slightly quicker driver at the moment I'd say, but it wouldn't surprise me next year if Piastri gradually becomes the clear number 1.

Fittingly, he reminds me of Bruce McLaren- pragmatic, level headed and very, very driven.

[Piginapoke]

TheDeuce said:

Jasandjules said:

ToastMan76 said:

DR was the only drover who managed to perform anywhere near the same level as Max but with the developments in the car I bet even he would be pants now.

DR was beating Max. That is what led to his leaving the team.

This is the thing, the moment.

DR was easily equal to Max but at the time, pre cost caps, F1 was insanely expensive for the drinks company. Max was massively popular and was favoured. DR sensed that and left. Max's popularity is insane, it's unbeatable. If RB want to sell the most fizzy drinks, they need Max - and I'm not suggesting his popularity takes away from his talent, he's a great driver. But his initial and enduring popularity definitely gave him a leg up into the No1 position. Brand value is a factor even in F1, and at the time that value shunted Max ahead of DR.

For balance and reasonableness... since then Max has truly proved to be amazing. But at that pivotal moment, there was nothing between the two of them.

Fate isn't always fair. I suspect DR has made peace with that now ($80m richer..) and now just wants to do well in the best car he can get a seat in. The fact he's already filthy rich yet still cares to drive suggests he thinks he has some glory to come..

Not sure that’s right Deuce. In 2018 Max beat Daniel 15-3 in qualifying, including 11 races in a row. He also finished 80 points behind Max in the championship. 2016 was close, but remember that was only Max’s 2nd year in F1 and his first in a competitive car. I think that Max had Daniel on toast by their 3rd year together and both Daniel and the team knew it.

[Piginapoke]

MustangGT said:

Piginapoke said:

Not sure that’s right Deuce. In 2018 Max beat Daniel 15-3 in qualifying, including 11 races in a row. He also finished 80 points behind Max in the championship. 2016 was close, but remember that was only Max’s 2nd year in F1 and his first in a competitive car. I think that Max had Daniel on toast by their 3rd year together and both Daniel and the team knew it.

Looking at the season as a whole, sure you maybe correct. However, look at the season in two halves and it tells a very different story. Up until the time DR stated he was leaving (following RB stating MV was the chosen one), he was ahead in the WDC. After that time DR suffered 4 DNFs to MV's 0. Across the season DR had 8 DNFs, to MV's 3.

Suspicious? Absolutely. RB did not want DR to finish anywhere near MV to prove they had chosen well.

So you think RB deliberately caused DR’s retirements in 2018, even after it offered him a new contract?

[Piginapoke]

deadslow said:

shouldn't most of this nonsense be on the Conspiracy Theorists; Are They All Daft thread?

Danny bottled it, and left, and now he's back. Simplest explanation correct 99% of the time.

100% this.