[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Belgian TV F1 journalist said that Norris isn't fond of driving in the rain, so won't regret the FIA qualies postponement decision.

However, qualies tomorrow are high risk: no whole night for teams to repair possible car damage incurred during qualies. Whoever crashes during qualies tomorrow could miss the GP.

Artemis

BREAKING (!)

According to a Dutch article (GPFans) is McLaren cheating with the tires (!)
They fill the Papaya tires with water to get more tire cooling .
I said it more than once : It seems like the McLaren tires last forever.
Actually It's strange , really strange that the tires from 'one team seem to last forever .

At this moment the FIA started a McLaren investigation, the media is all over the place ..
So far ...No response from the FIA (not yet)!

Source => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...n-aan-bij-fia/

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

Where is Masi when you need him again to help our 3-time(*)(**) champ, amirite ?

Off-pace by 0.63 seconds in the clouds.

[3798j]

"The FIA is already investigating the allegations. There were no suspicious observations at the last two races in Austin and Mexico City. Pirelli would have to report the slightest irregularities to the FIA technical commissioners. According to the Italian tire manufacturer, however, there has not been a single suspicious incident this year."
"How does the water get into the tire?"
"When applying the trick, the first question must be how the water is supposed to get into the tires in the first place without Pirelli noticing. And how the water is supposed to disappear again after the race, apart from through evaporation. Tires and rims are coded. The FIA randomly assigns the tires to the rims reported by the teams. Mounting and demounting of the tires is carried out by Pirelli's service technicians."
"Once the tires have been fitted, no team is allowed to tamper with them. The teams themselves do not have the tools to remove tires from the rim and put them back on. The only access point through which water can be filled in is therefore the valve. But injecting fluids unnoticed would be extremely difficult with the number of watchdogs and Pirelli engineers in the garages."

[///M Power-Belgium]

.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Artemis

BREAKING (!)

According to a Dutch article (GPFans) is McLaren cheating with the tires (!)
They fill the Papaya tires with water to get more tire cooling .
I said it more than once : It seems like the McLaren tires last forever.
Actually It's strange , really strange that the tires from 'one team seem to last forever .

At this moment the FIA started a McLaren investigation, the media is all over the place ..
So far ...No response from the FIA (not yet)!

Source => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...n-aan-bij-fia/

Sounds ludicrous. Would be excessively naive to do any such thing: if caught tampering with tires (water, helium, you name it), a DSQ, a fine, a walk of shame and sponsor lawsuits will be the consequences.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Just heard because of 0.63 seconds MAX penalised with 5 seconds aded to time and a penalty point.

No immediate VSC despite Hulkenberg gotten stranded at a spot where cars pass at high speed. Piastri lets Norris pass, further to team orders. VSC imposed. Post-race investigation into Verstappen. "0.63 seconds". 5 second penalty (demoted 1 place and 1 point) + 1 point license penalty.

Jean-Marie Balestre: "I'm sorry, that is the regulation. It is the re-gu-la-tion !"

[Killed by Death]

Is it just ground effects why they can't race in then rain anymore

Why even bother with wets or intermediates, just call it off

[Killed by Death]

Agree with HAM for once

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Sounds ludicrous. Would be excessively naive to do any such thing: if caught tampering with tires (water, helium, you name it), a DSQ, a fine, a walk of shame and sponsor lawsuits will be the consequences.

Yeah of course , but time will tell . But I'm sure , something is going on ...

IMHO. It's obvious that the Papaya tires in the race show less of tire wear , especially in the last 10 laps of the race they are still extremely fast while the tires from all the other teams are complelety gone .
So , the Papaya tire advantage is huge ...

If there is still too much rain for the QF , the FIA can make the decision to take the free practice results for the race startgrid .

MAX was P15 in the free practice
MAX got a 5P grid penalty for his new Honda PU

15 + 5 = P20 at the startgrid (!)

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Agree with HAM for once

The sprint race.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Sounds ludicrous. Would be excessively naive to do any such thing: if caught tampering with tires (water, helium, you name it), a DSQ, a fine, a walk of shame and sponsor lawsuits will be the consequences.

Indeed apparently it's a known trick, invented by RB, and when it got out, the FIA outlawed it.

But....both the FIA and Pirelli are of course not completely impartial.
They get huge amounts of money from the formula one group/liberty (I think 80-90% of the total FIA income comes from F1, so F1 is 5-10 times more lucrative than all other FIA regulated motorsports on the world combined!), so both these parties are benefitting from a F1 season that is close til the end.
I think last year was probably a reminder that if 1 driver already becomes WDC just when summer is passed, the last half of the season is not as lucrative. And we're talking billions per race that changes hands in total (not only tickets and television rights, but hotels, restaurants etc etc).
So pretty much everyone wants a 2021 again. The FIA, Liberty/the F1 group, the track exploiters, the hotels, restaurants, sponsors, local politics. You name it (except #teambutthurt of course....)

[Marcoose]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

I'm not sure how these guys can ignore how Lewis was robbed, and the complain that the same stewarding that they cheered is now against them.

Hypocrisy is a bitch, innit ?

What we’re seeing is telling. Verstappen is a superb driver. And an arse. He didn’t have to play dirty in 2022 and 2023 because his car was winning by 20 seconds. But now he again has an average car, well, there you have it. An arse.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Jean-Marie Balestre: "I'm sorry, that is the regulation. It is the re-gu-la-tion !"

That film is a masterpiece.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Is it just ground effects why they can't race in the rain anymore

Why even bother with wets or intermediates, just call it off

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Agree with HAM for once

Attachment 3591535

I've seen that brief encounter live on TV. Hamilton effectively told Domenicali in a playful way to go racing, while pulling and embracing each other. And he's right.

What do you reckon ? Elite of race drivers, with vast experience to drive in all sorts of weather conditions + full wets at their disposal. The safety car managed to perform several test laps without driving erratically. Brazil 2016 was manageable, Spa-Francorchamps 2021 was a toss-up and Emilia-Romagna 2023 wasn't. If Hamilton would have considered the track conditions to be unsafe for drivers and cars, he would have told Domenicali so.

F1 drivers scared of driving in the rain can opt for remaining inside their comfy dry pit box or to go drive at the pace they feel comfortable with.

"WDC" doesn't stand for "Weather: Dry Conditions".

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Artemis

BREAKING (!)

According to a Dutch article (GPFans) is McLaren cheating with the tires (!)
They fill the Papaya tires with water to get more tire cooling .
I said it more than once : It seems like the McLaren tires last forever.
Actually It's strange , really strange that the tires from 'one team seem to last forever .

At this moment the FIA started a McLaren investigation, the media is all over the place ..
So far ...No response from the FIA (not yet)!

Source => https://www.gpfans.com/nl/f1-nieuws/...n-aan-bij-fia/

There's no smoke without fire and managed to find something about it on the leading motorsport site.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/fi...cern/10669829/

[M5Rick]

Quali scheduled to start at 10.30 and the race at earlier 3.30 GB time. McLaren under investigation suspected of adding water to their tyres, if it is so then they are in big trouble, wonder where Herbert is in all of this.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Quali scheduled to start at 10.30 and the race at earlier 3.30 GB time. McLaren under investigation suspected of adding water to their tyres, if it is so then they are in big trouble, wonder where Herbert is in all of this.

Yes . Indeed as I said . The problem is : Proof (evidence) is required in the Papaya tire cheating .

But ...We'll see it soon enough in the race , if the Papaya tires start to wear out faster just like the other cars .
Then we know it for sure (!)

What a mess....

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Quali scheduled to start at 10.30 and the race at earlier 3.30 GB time. McLaren under investigation suspected of adding water to their tyres, if it is so then they are in big trouble, wonder where Herbert is in all of this.

So far , as for the qualification : I can see nothing in our 'Tipik program broadcast...
Of course it depends of the rain (!)
But I'll keep my eyes on it ..

[///M Power-Belgium]

[GuidoK]

I think everyone is on full wets atm.
Is it correct that they only have 2 sets of full wets in total for the weekend?

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Quali scheduled to start at 10.30 and the race at earlier 3.30 GB time. McLaren under investigation suspected of adding water to their tyres, if it is so then they are in big trouble, wonder where Herbert is in all of this.

M5Rick Gui Artemis

The Quali is on (!)
The track is (still) very wet with a lot of spray...

The situation looks very dangerous (!)

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I think everyone is on full wets atm.
Is it correct that they only have 2 sets of full wets in total for the weekend?

Colapinto in the wall ...RED FLAG (!)