Open Wheel Racing 2021, anyone there to watch?

[MichVandal]

Hopefully my recording makes the update. Missed qualifying because I don’t think ESPN televised it this morning.

I don't think it will, as I just got the notification that the race broadcast was to start now.

[Spartanforlife4]

I don't think it will, as I just got the notification that the race broadcast was to start now.

YouTube is usually pretty good at making the changes. Might have to wait a little but they have a good record of making changes especially with how fickle racing can be with weather.

[Spartanforlife4]

Well, luckily I randomly pressed record all for the pre-race show sometime last year so I ended up watching that recording that caught the race, because the “official” recording started at lap 26.

Unfortunate that the red flag gave a free pit stop for Verstappen, which rewarded them for staying out despite the bad conditions when nearly everyone else pitted for new inters or wets. Part of the game, but also one I wish you couldn’t try to incorporate into strategy in trying to time a safety car due to hazardous conditions (and then the red flag when Colapinto crashed). This was once again another time to ask why they even have wet tires if the drivers will only stick to inters until it’s declared too dangerous to race. But even that wouldn’t have helped Max out because he would’ve needed to pit at some point, though the way he was driving he was still setting himself up for a podium. He was fearless at T1.

Happy for Alpine though. If they hold onto 6th that was a 50 million dollar race.

[MichVandal]

So who had Gabriel Bortoleto on their scorecard to get an F1 seat? He signed a multi year contract with Sauber/Audi.

[Russell Jaslow]

So who had Gabriel Bortoleto on their scorecard to get an F1 seat? He signed a multi year contract with Sauber/Audi.

I have nothing against Bortoleto getting a ride. I think Sauber (i.e., Audi) is dumb to "waste" a seat on a rookie when their number one focus needs to be building a car for 2026 and getting good knowledgeable, experienced, technical feedback from their drivers. I keep saying this Audi project is a failure before it gets started.

[MichVandal]

I have nothing against Bortoleto getting a ride. I think Sauber (i.e., Audi) is dumb to "waste" a seat on a rookie when their number one focus needs to be building a car for 2026 and getting good knowledgeable, experienced, technical feedback from their drivers. I keep saying this Audi project is a failure before it gets started.

I had never heard of him before today, because I don't pay attention to F2 and F3. It seems that he's part of the McLaren driver program, so even if Audi is a failure, he should be able to slot into one of the McLaren seats if Norris or Piastri have issues.

As for the remaining real set, and the probably other seat- Red Bull looks to be filling them with Lawson and Colapinto. Well, Lawson for sure, Colapinto is just better than average for the replacement- it's up to the negotiation between RBR and Williams.

The team that really needs to look at itself is Stroll F1. Bless Alonso with still having a lot of talent and drive, but that's certainly got a time limit. And Stroll should have left F1 years ago. It's funny how Stroll adds less to Aston Martin than Perez to RBR, but there's no chance he'll be leaving.

Other than that, everyone has a young talent on them (and I do include LeClerc on that list).

[Russell Jaslow]

I had never heard of him before today, because I don't pay attention to F2 and F3. It seems that he's part of the McLaren driver program, so even if Audi is a failure, he should be able to slot into one of the McLaren seats if Norris or Piastri have issues.

I watch every single F2 and F3 race.

Basically, the initial hotshot F2 driver this year was Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar. But he has started to fade -- most people believe his success was due to his team getting on top of the new F2 cars quicker than others (as a point to consider in that argument, Prema, typically one of the top junior teams, was terrible for a long time this year, and they have Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli on their team).

Once Bartoleto's team got the hang of the car, he's been almost unbeatable. And Hadjar has been having a miserable time.

[MichVandal]

Some insight to young drivers and the process... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QSSPgwN8Kg

[solovsfett]

So… there is this:

https://youtu.be/LT7h6sUeUhU?si=jiRz_tm85Vfquj_b


It looks, okay…. The Senna documentary and top gear tribute are the gold standard imo on Senna.


If anything else is needed I’d like to see a film like Rush by a competent director and writer that focuses on Senna vs Prost.
but I can’t think of anyone that could pull that off.

[Jimjamesak]

An American wins in Macau for the first time since 1981 (?) as Ugo Ugochukwu wins the Macau Grand Prix.

[Russell Jaslow]

An American wins in Macau for the first time since 1981 (?) as Ugo Ugochukwu wins the Macau Grand Prix.

And I was there to see it! :-)

His restarts, and there were many, were perfection. His braking into Lisboa Bend (where I sat) were beautiful to behold to keep the pressure off him in essentially the only spot to pass. He's a McLaren junior driver. And amazingly tall. Makes George Russell and Alex Albon look short. I'm serious. If he keeps growing (he's only like 17), I don't see how he can continue in formula car racing. Even now, I don't know how he does it.

1981 -- Bob Earl. Only other American winner.

[Jimjamesak]

And I was there to see it! :-)

His restarts, and there were many, were perfection. His braking into Lisboa Bend (where I sat) were beautiful to behold to keep the pressure off him in essentially the only spot to pass. He's a McLaren junior driver. And amazingly tall. Makes George Russell and Alex Albon look short. I'm serious. If he keeps growing (he's only like 17), I don't see how he can continue in formula car racing. Even now, I don't know how he does it.

1981 -- Bob Earl. Only other American winner.

I happened upon the YouTube stream and watched most of the race live. It was incredibly boring with all the safety car periods but seeing an American in first was intriguing. And yeah holy **** is Ugo tall, he looks like a basketball player compared to most other drivers.

[Russell Jaslow]

I happened upon the YouTube stream and watched most of the race live. It was incredibly boring with all the safety car periods but seeing an American in first was intriguing. And yeah holy **** is Ugo tall, he looks like a basketball player compared to most other drivers.

Of course, like any racing event, it's always more exciting to be there in person.

But you are correct, the formula car event, the one actually called the grand prix, usually is not a great race. The GT World Cup on the other hand was fantastic. It helped it was on a damp track. Catch that replay on YouTube. It will be worth it.

[MichVandal]

So it sounds like there will be a new F1 team with eventual GM engines- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDXfQLEbDcI

Based off the Andretti entry, but without any Andretti involved.

[Spartanforlife4]

Two years in a row Vegas has provided a great race. Prices make it impossible to go to, and the time slot makes it impossible to watch live, but they made a good track out there.