OT: Racing 2023 (Spoiler Alert)

[GB_Simo]

Last night, I made the mistake of watching Alpine's launch event - 10 minutes of quality content crammed into just 90 - and learned the following:

- The car will be blue, except for when it's pink.
- British radio personalities with no prior F1 knowledge will struggle mightily to pronounce the name Szafnauer.

The Alpine being blue with pink on it means that come the start in Bahrain, there'll be exactly two cars I can confidently identify, with everyone else having given it the full St Hubbins in the name of weight reduction. "It's like, how much more black could this be?" Will it matter? Will any of these new designs redefine the pecking order? Buggered if I know.


What I do know, lacking an engineering background but possessing the gift of sight, is that a NASCAR Cup car is not meant to look like its shocks are seized solid. The Money Team have no business starting the Daytona 500 but sometimes, blind luck is all you need - hopefully they find a set-up that rewards Conor Daly for keeping his foot in when he could have parked up and caught the first flight to Indiana.

[GB_Simo]

Well, then.

When Mercedes were at their most dominant, we at least had the novelty of never being exactly sure whether Rosberg or Hamilton might win. That we're not afforded the same level of choice when it comes to Red Bull means that, unless Ferrari remember how to find their backside with both hands or Aston Martin have huge development potential in their new machine, this could be an awfully dull Formula 1 season.

All of their pursuers, be they slow like McLaren or simply quite amusing like Esteban Ocon (currently serving a $100 penalty for being late returning his keys to the Avis desk), can at least take some solace in the fact that they aren't Michael Andretti, who endured the process of watching the arse fall out of his world one wreck at a time with a stoicism I'm not sure I could have mustered.

I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of stage 3 of the NASCAR race, so my only takeaway from that is how much better a Joy/Bowyer/Patrick commentary team will be once they've been formally introduced to each other.

[pk500]

The big question/story about the looming tedium of the F1 season will be its impact on the global F1 boom.

Americans are in love with F1 like never before in 2023. Americans also detest extended dominance in any sport. It's why our leagues have salary caps, revenue sharing, free agency, player drafts, etc. All designed to create parity.

Interest will remain high if Verstappen and Red Bull remain perfect. There will be curiosity about whether the team can run the table for the season, something nearly achieved by McLaren 35 years ago when Senna and Prost combined to win 15 of 16 races. But if Red Bull loses early yet regains its dominance quickly, American interest will decline, buoyed only by the new race in Vegas.

Will this cause alarm at Liberty? Will it exert commercial influence to force F1 leaders into technical changes to neuter Red Bull? Will the "cost cap" -- which is a joke now -- be more strictly enforced?

It's hard to fault Red Bull. It has the best driver, the best designer and one of the top two team principals. But dominance will not be good for business, and F1 ceded its role as a sport to the bean counters long ago, just like any other major league sport on this planet.

As for the NASCAR booth, Danica Patrick never will be a good announcer. She never had a technical bone in her body when she drove Cup cars, she's not a nice person who will share the spotlight with anyone, and she does ZERO homework. That's not opinion; it's fact from working in this business for 30+ years and from first-hand knowledge from friends who have worked closely with her.

No love for the INDYCAR race? That was cracking excitement, with a brilliant but unexpected win by Ericsson. If INDYCAR keeps having races like that while F1 conducts Red Bull victory laps like Bahrain, can INDYCAR capitalize and grab some of the wayward, bored fans? I hope so. My income could depend on it.

[GB_Simo]

Interest will remain high if Verstappen and Red Bull remain perfect. There will be curiosity about whether the team can run the table for the season, something nearly achieved by McLaren 35 years ago when Senna and Prost combined to win 15 of 16 races. But if Red Bull loses early yet regains its dominance quickly, American interest will decline, buoyed only by the new race in Vegas.

Will this cause alarm at Liberty? Will it exert commercial influence to force F1 leaders into technical changes to neuter Red Bull? Will the "cost cap" -- which is a joke now -- be more strictly enforced?
It's hard to fault Red Bull. It has the best driver, the best designer and one of the top two team principals. But dominance will not be good for business, and F1 ceded its role as a sport to the bean counters long ago, just like any other major league sport on this planet.

You would assume both that it'll cause alarm and that they'll look for a way to peg back Red Bull. I'm minded to suggest that the sport has painted itself into something of a corner re: the cost cap - it's only a few months ago that we were told the wind tunnel sanctions placed on Red Bull would have a huge impact upon them this season and, while that always seemed like nonsense, it'll be tricky to turn the current sanctions into something with meaning while not appearing to have played favourites in the first instance.

Typically, the approach is to force a technical change. Alter the engine formula, change the aero regs, make the cars wider, ban active suspension, insist that tyres have to last a full race distance, introduce refuelling (though that was also to please Ferrari and their big, heavy V12), all that good stuff. In doing that, what usually happens is that one team absolutely nails the new regulations and so you still have domination, just differently coloured. Unless the team nailing the new regs is also the team that was dominating previously, in which case the domination looks exactly the same but cost a lot more money than it would otherwise have done.

Throw in the additional cost cap complications (if you're at budget and spending that budget on x and y already, what do you have to give up in order to react to technical directive z?) and the fact that talented people can't be made to lose those talents nor forced to leave a winning team, and what I think I'm saying is that we're goosed.

[GB_Simo]

As for the NASCAR booth, Danica Patrick never will be a good announcer. She never had a technical bone in her body when she drove Cup cars, she's not a nice person who will share the spotlight with anyone, and she does ZERO homework. That's not opinion; it's fact from working in this business for 30+ years and from first-hand knowledge from friends who have worked closely with her.

It's a fact that tallies with my opinion, so not something I've got any difficulty accepting. Her determination to be speaking right now regardless of whether Clint already is. The complete absence of any kind of bond with the rest of the booth. The way her face becomes frozen in a superficially friendly but entirely empty rictus whenever confronted with a camera, the kind that somehow manages to say nothing and threaten to bore into your soul all at once. No, I don't feel like we'd get along.

[GB_Simo]

No love for the INDYCAR race? That was cracking excitement, with a brilliant but unexpected win by Ericsson. If INDYCAR keeps having races like that while F1 conducts Red Bull victory laps like Bahrain, can INDYCAR capitalize and grab some of the wayward, bored fans? I hope so. My income could depend on it.

Plenty of love for it, but I was in a bit of a rush so didn't get past that line about Andretti. Still feel my efforts were well-directed

It's a dangerous business, trying to draw conclusions from a single IndyCar Series race, but when have we ever let that stop us? The expected, locked-in title contenders were there for the most part - Scotty Mac, the Ganassi group featuring The Inevitable Scott Dixon, Pato. Rossi's settling in well enough already at McLaren, while his former employer managed both to rediscover its mojo and cast its owner into the Slough of Despond within the space of about an hour. I also thought the Juncos Hollinger duo were quietly impressive, that ECR were largely lost off and that Benjamin Pedersen might not quite be up to standard just yet, particularly in the field of knowing what to do when the track ahead of you is completely impassable.

Here's where I worry, though, and it's a topic you'll know much more about than me: if those wayward, bored F1 fans are out in force and up for grabs, will INDYCAR know how to snare them in? Viewed from a distance, it's not completely obvious to me that it will, though I'd be elated to be proven wrong - this is the best, most competitive single-seater racing series in the world and deserves as many eyeballs on it as it can get.

[GB_Simo]

Apologies for the above. Not sure if it's because I was using multiple quotes or if there was some kind of character limitation, but I've been trying to post that reply as a single message for 4 days and getting a 500 error every time.

[Dave]

Here's where I worry, though, and it's a topic you'll know much more about than me: if those wayward, bored F1 fans are out in force and up for grabs, will INDYCAR know how to snare them in? Viewed from a distance, it's not completely obvious to me that it will, though I'd be elated to be proven wrong - this is the best, most competitive single-seater racing series in the world and deserves as many eyeballs on it as it can get.

I don't think they will, honestly, as much as I wish they would. St. Pete was a wild ride and such a fun event to watch, the drivers are hilarious (hello Bus Bros), and the season won't be predictable. I freaking love watching the series.

And trying not to come across as a jerk/elitist, but from my conversations the newer fans are more like a reality TV fan than a new racing fan. I haven't started the new Drive to Survive or heard anything about engagement with it, but it wouldn't surprise me if we are at the very top of F1 in the US. What that means for the future, ie. how many will be permanent fans, is up for debate.

My prediction is that the F1 race in Vegas is seen as the absolute peak of F1 in America and it falls from there.

Sergio Perez is such a weak #2, as you said above at least the Mercedes team had some drama within it as the dominant season rolled along. I absolutely detest Max and have little interest in following along to him romping to a third title.

[pk500]

I absolutely detest Max and have little interest in following along to him romping to a third title.

Same. As much as he tries to be likeable, something always emerges that shows Max for what he is -- an incredibly talented driver who has been told he is special and better than everyone else in any paddock he has graced since he was in grade school, stage-managed by one of the biggest asshole Little League fathers in the sport.

Max is entering the Senna stratosphere of imperiousness and arrogance on track and in the paddock. Nothing EVER is his fault. And does anyone think Max helps Checo for even a second, like Senna did for Michael Andretti when the American was struggling as Senna's McLaren teammate in his aborted sole F1 season?

Verstappen is an uber-talented silver spoon prick. He also is about as compelling as reading a dishwasher detergent ingredient label.

[pk500]

Double post. Sorry.

[DChaps]

My favorite racing month of the year is well on it's way and yesterday's first day of Indy 500 qualifications was one of the most exciting that I can remember in recent years. Lots of fast cars with very little separation in the field. Todays final 12, 6, and last chance should be fun to watch! Also, if you haven't seen the 100 Days to Indy episodes 1-4 yet, they are worth a watch. Super excited to see both Foyt drivers make it into the top 12. I am always looking into the Pagoda wondering if I can see Paul!

2023 QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS // INDIANAPOLIS 500 // DAY 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dbcnOCYdJM

https://www.indycar.com/Schedule/2023/I ... apolis-500
Qualifications - Top-12 SUNDAY, MAY 21 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Qualifications - Last Chance & Firestone Fast 6 SUNDAY, MAY 21 - 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

ROSENQVIST PACES EPIC, HISTORIC FIRST DAY OF QUALIFYING AT INDY
By Paul Kelly | Published: May 20, 2023
https://www.indycar.com/News/2023/05/05 ... stDayQuals

100 Days to Indy
https://www.cwtv.com/shows/100-days-to-indy/

[pk500]

I'm not in the Pagoda, man! I'm on the top floor of the four-story building north of it, steam pouring from my f*cking ears and fingertips.

[DChaps]

2023 Isle of Man TT Races

The Isle of Man TT is back with the races starting today (last week was qualifying), and they have a great site and YouTube Channel for coverage. You can purchase a $29.99 pass that gives you access to everything live and on demand, but the free content is fantastic as well and includes daily roundups, interviews, an excellent 8 part documentary on the 2022 races called No Room for Error and a mini-series called Between the Hedges. Lots of really good stuff!

Isle of Man TT Races - YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@TTRacesOfficial/videos

RACE GUIDE
https://www.iomttraces.com/racing/race-guide/

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
https://www.iomttraces.com/racing/page/2023-schedule/

2023 TT+ LIVE PASS
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/products/ ... -pass-2023

NO ROOM FOR ERROR
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/no-room-for-error

BETWEEN THE HEDGES
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/between-the-hedges
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... I9_ntmsKDA

DAILY ROUND UPS - Chris Pritchard and Mike Booth bringing you the latest insight, gossip, and behind the scenes action every day
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/daily-round-ups

ACCESS ALL AREAS - brief daily behind the scenes
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/access-all-areas

THE TT PODCAST
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/the-tt-podcast

ONBOARD WITH DAVEY TODD
https://ttplus.iomttraces.com/tt-2023/v ... lap-tt2023

[pk500]

TT+ is the best $25 I spend all year (I always use a coupon code).

This sure looks like the Month of Michael on the Mountain. Dunlop is flying!

[GB_Simo]

Chaps, I can normally do a decent job of reading between the lines on things like this, but I haven't got a clue what Marshall is on about re: one other thing. I assume I should be able to figure it out, otherwise why bother mentioning it? And yet...

Having the Foyts ready to run an extra car, on Penske’s behalf, for Myles, is what Penske wants in return — and it would be funded by Penske — for the technical support Foyt’s currently receiving. There’s one other thing that Penske wanted from the relationship, but that’s not for public consumption.

Did you know there's an F1 race this weekend, by the way?

[Dave]

Only a guess - but the Foyt cars kicked Penske’s asses in qualifying at the 500. Roger sure would like to know how…

[GB_Simo]

Only a guess - but the Foyt cars kicked Penske’s asses in qualifying at the 500. Roger sure would like to know how…

That would make quite a lot of sense...

I did think, after the last few races of the season, that RLL signing Juri Vips would make a lot of sense. Today's announcement that Pietro Fittipaldi has landed that drive instead shows you exactly how much I know about these things.

[pk500]

Only a guess - but the Foyt cars kicked Penske’s asses in qualifying at the 500. Roger sure would like to know how…

That would make quite a lot of sense...

I did think, after the last few races of the season, that RLL signing Juri Vips would make a lot of sense. Today's announcement that Pietro Fittipaldi has landed that drive instead shows you exactly how much I know about these things.

Fittipaldi's check cleared. Period. But to be fair, Pietro is better than many pay drivers. He won't threaten Lundgaard in that team but could challenge Graham on Rahal's off weekends.

Bobby Rahal said Vips is under contract, and the team may field a fourth car in 2024 if sponsorship can be found. Good luck with that, Bob: Vips is an Estonian -- most American CEOs probably can't even find that country on a map -- who also pulled a Kyle Larson and dropped an N-word on a live gaming stream a few years ago. Doubt he'll be a sponsor magnet, at least from North American companies.

[GB_Simo]

Fittipaldi's check cleared. Period. But to be fair, Pietro is better than many pay drivers. He won't threaten Lundgaard in that team but could challenge Graham on Rahal's off weekends.

Bobby Rahal said Vips is under contract, and the team may field a fourth car in 2024 if sponsorship can be found. Good luck with that, Bob: Vips is an Estonian -- most American CEOs probably can't even find that country on a map -- who also pulled a Kyle Larson and dropped an N-word on a live gaming stream a few years ago. Doubt he'll be a sponsor magnet, at least from North American companies.

I think Pietro's going to be solid enough - we've seen enough of him in top-line single seaters to know he won't be an embarrassment - but I hadn't realised he was even part of the conversation around an RLL drive! A pleasant surprise, in an age where there's always a message board or a Twitter feed that knows everything 6 weeks before it happens, to have this announcement sneak up on me.

Vips, of course, was a Red Bull junior until that outbreak of career sabotage, so does not have his own personal Huski Chocolate waiting to pay his way. If he was a McLaughlin or a Daly in personality, perhaps there'd be something for a North American firm to attach itself to, but I've been watching him in junior series over here for years and we've already covered everything I know about him.

[pk500]

Vips already is quicker than Daly despite the latter having been in the series for 10 years.

[GB_Simo]

Vips already is quicker than Daly despite the latter having been in the series for 10 years.

Oh, absolutely. I suspect, though, that a great many potential sponsors would take Conor's podcast, established follower base and occasional SRX commentary gig over Juri's offering, whatever that might be. I've been wrong before, though, and it's moot now anyway because I'd back Callum Ilott over either of them...

Are we safe to assume it's going to be Grosjean at Juncos Hollinger, in what I'm sure won't be a hugely combustible relationship with Canapino and his fanbase?

[pk500]

Are we safe to assume it's going to be Grosjean at Juncos Hollinger, in what I'm sure won't be a hugely combustible relationship with Canapino and his fanbase?

That's a safe bet on both accounts, mate.

Ricky Juncos and Brad Hollinger have been in inexplicable molten pursuit of RoGro for a while, as both thought he would team with Ilott since it looked like Canapino's funding would be scuppered by the garbage Argentine economy. But when Canapino's funding came through, somehow Ilott became the odd man out.

Ilott was at the end of a two-year deal, which also had 2024 as a team option. Juncos and Hollinger decided not to exercise that option and are continuing the pursuit of Grosjean. Whether that was because they have that big of a hard-on for The Phoenix (puke! gag!) or because Callum said, "Yeah, fine, you can have your overrated, ill-tempered Frenchman, who will savor regular death threats from Canapino's fans, and sod off," remains a mystery that may never be revealed.

I give Grosjean two years at JHR, tops. And then he will be off to sports cars for good, maybe still with Lamborghini. Few tears will be shed in the INDYCAR paddock.

[GB_Simo]

Godspeed, Gil de Ferran.

A savvy, intelligent racing driver, blessed with an on-track consistency that allowed him to take advantage of a technical, analytical mind. Smoother than steamed silk when everything was working as it should, often searingly fast whether in single seaters or ALMS and, by every account I've ever seen, a thoroughly nice bloke.

Rest easy, racer.

[pk500]

I just finished writing and sending/posting the obit for INDYCAR and IMS. A stunner. Just 56. We don't have obits for "500" winners that young in the can and ready to go, nor should we.

Sad day. Gil was a true champion. Brilliant mind. Class act.

Godspeed, racer.