The 2015 Formula 1 Thread

[harrybarracuda]

Well testing is over, the cars are getting a last lick of paint ready to assemble in Melbourne in a weeks time.

2015 FIA Formula One World Championship® Race Calendar

01 2015 FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (Melbourne) 13 [at] 15 Mar
02 2015 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX (Kuala Lumpur) 27 [at] 29 Mar
03 2015 FORMULA 1 CHINESE GRAND PRIX (Shanghai) 10 [at] 12 Apr
04 2015 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX (Sakhir) 17 [at] 19 Apr
05 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA PIRELLI 2015 (Catalunya) 08 [at] 10 May
06 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2015 (Monte Carlo) 22 [at] 24 May
07 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2015 (Montréal) 05 [at] 07 Jun
08 FORMULA 1 GROSSER PREIS VON ÖSTERREICH 2015 (Spielberg) 19 [at] 21 Jun
09 2015 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX (Silverstone) 03 [at] 05 Jul
10 FORMULA 1 GROSSER PREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND 2015 (TBA) 17 [at] 19 Jul
11 FORMULA 1 PIRELLI MAGYAR NAGYDÍJ 2015 (Budapest) 24 [at] 26 Jul
12 2015 FORMULA 1 SHELL BELGIAN GRAND PRIX (Spa[at]Francorchamps) 21 [at] 23 Aug
13 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA 2015 (Monza) 04 [at] 06 Sep
14 2015 FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (Singapore) 18 [at] 20 Sep
15 2015 FORMULA 1 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (Suzuka) 25 [at] 27 Sep
16 2015 FORMULA 1 RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX (Sochi) 09 [at] 11 Oct
17 2015 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX (Austin) 23 [at] 25 Oct
18 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO 2015 (Mexico City) 30 Oct [at] 01 Nov
19 FORMULA 1 GRANDE PRÊMIO DO BRASIL 2015 (São Paulo) 13 [at] 15 Nov
20 2015 FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX (Yas Marina) 27 [at] 29 Nov

Drivers:

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat
Almost as surprising as the announcement that Sebastian Vettel would leave Red Bull at the end of 2014 was the team immediately confirmed Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat as his replacement. The news closed off the seat to Fernando Alonso and shows Red Bull has lost no faith in its young driver programme, confidence surely strengthened by Daniel Ricciardo's incredible first season at the team.

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg
The champions have their current driver line-up locked in for 2015. Nico Rosberg signed a "multi-year" contract extension in May, while Lewis Hamilton's current deal takes him to the end of next season. Of more interest is the team's line-up for 2016, with talks over Hamilton's contract extension set to resume after being put on hold after the Belgian Grand Prix.

Ferrari
Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen
In Abu Dhabi Ferrari finally confirmed what we all already knew, that Sebastian Vettel will partner Kimi Raikkonen next season. It marks the end of the Fernando Alonso era at Ferrari, which promised so much but ultimately failed to deliver the one thing that matters - a world championship. Vettel arrives hoping to emulate his idol Michael Schumacher, who joined a struggling team in 1996 and turned it into a dominant force in the early 2000s.

Lotus
Pastor Maldonado, Romain Grosjean
Though the butt of many a joke in F1, especially after another crash-strewn season, Pastor Maldonado's raw pace and PDVSA backing secured his seat for 2015 earlier this year. Romain Grosjean will partner him after the Frenchman was finally confirmed ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi. Both drivers will be hoping the arrival of Mercedes power next season helps the team move back up the grid.

McLaren
Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button
The remarkable news that Fernando Alonso has returned to McLaren was common knowledge long before it was confirmed, but Jenson Button had to wait much longer to discover his fate. Kevin Magnussen was a serious contender to keep his race seat at the team, but has been moved to a test and reserve role - a position the team was keen to underline the importance of. Ultimately McLaren opted for experience over youth, which could prove to be crucial as Honda makes its return as an engine supplier next season.

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez
Force India has confirmed Nico Hulkenberg for 2015 after doors further up the grid were closed off. The news is good for both team and driver and it is the first time Hulkenberg will stay at the same team for two seasons in a row. He will also be allowed to compete for Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours, which should leave WEC as a career path if his F1 options ever run dry. Sergio Perez will join him once again after agreeing a "multi-year" contract extension that will also see the 2015 car launched in his native Mexico.

Sauber
Marcus Ericsson, Felipe Nasr
Sauber will have an all-new line-up for 2015, but that is as much a reflection on the state of the team's finances as a need to shake things up behind the wheel. Marcus Ericsson was offered a career lifeline just over a week after Caterham fell into administration and brings big money to the team. Nasr has taken part in Friday practice sessions for Williams this year as well as securing a third-place finish in the GP2 championship and comes to Sauber with substantial backing from Banco do Brasil. It will be interesting to see the two drivers go up against each other, with Nasr coming to the team off the back of four wins in GP2 and Ericsson's form taking an upward turn in his last few races for Caterham.

Toro Rosso
Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz Jr
Toro Rosso raised eyebrows earlier this year when it elevated Max Verstappen to its team for 2015, with the Dutch prodigy due to smash all sorts of records when he lines up on the Melbourne grid aged 17. At the time he looked likely to partner Kvyat but now the Russian is moving up the pit lane to Red Bull, another spot opened up. Jean-Eric Vergne was hopeful he could keep his seat but was ditched despite a strong finish to the 2014 season. Replacing him will be Formula Renault 3.5 champion Carlos Sainz Jr, son of the rally legend who shares his name, as Toro Rosso opts for a bold all-rookie line-up which will start the first race with a combined age of just 37 years old.

Williams
Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa
Williams locked in its drivers for 2015 at Monza, an indication of just how happy the team has been with them. In Valtteri Bottas the team believes it has a future world champion, while Felipe Massa has been solid and took pole position at Austria.

Caterham
TBC, TBC
Caterham's future in Formula One is doubtful at present, but after making the grid in Abu Dhabi the team is in talks with three potential buyers. If it does find new owners, they will have to start by replacing Ericsson, who is confirmed at Sauber for next season.

Marussia
TBC, TBC
There are no signs that Marussia will make the grid next year, meaning Max Chilton will have to look elsewhere in 2015. Jules Bianchi is still hospitalised following his horrific accident at Suzuka in October and the thoughts of the F1 paddock remain with him.

Mercedes in a league of their own
“Unbelievably quick… miles ahead… the benchmark… in a class of their own.” None of these statements from Mercedes’ rivals were particularly encouraging if you’re hoping for an incredibly tight season at the front. Perhaps it is just an attempt to downgrade expectations, but those in the technical know, who have forensically analysed both one-lap and long-run pace suggest Mercedes could have an advantage of roughly 0.8 seconds a lap over everyone. If that’s the case, we’re in for a re-run of 2014.
But we should not be particularly aghast at the prospect. Mercedes proved they were more than capable of providing a riveting contest all by themselves, with Red Bull and the others pitching in every now and then to make things interesting. We are relying on you, Nico Rosberg, to keep Lewis Hamilton honest and push him all the way. As long Williams, Red Bull and McLaren are able to scrap for a few wins here and there, and put pressure on the Mercedes duo, then there’s no reason to be too despondent about the year ahead.

So it looks like Rosberg and Hamilton battling for the title again with the others picking up the scraps.

[harrybarracuda]

Melbourne qualifying went as expected.

The scary thing is that the Mercedes were faster on mediums than anyone else on softs.

Definitely looks like it's going to be a two-horse race again.

Also, it seems Bernie's decided to try and screw yet more money from F1 fans by making most of the live stuff on the website subscription only.

Fuck you, Bernie.

World champion Lewis Hamilton will begin his 2015 title defence from pole position after comfortably eclipsing Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg in Saturday's qualifying session in Australia.

The Silver Arrows dominated as expected, but it was incredibly close behind them as Williams, Ferrari and Red Bull vied for position. Felipe Massa ultimately won the battle to be best of the rest, the Williams man just edging Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel for third.

Q1 was dominated by the Mercedes, with Hamilton fastest on 1m 28.586s from Rosberg on 1m 28.906s, both on the medium tyres. Massa got closest with 1m 29.246s on the softs.

[mykthemin]

No way am I paying to use his website, twisted little weasel.

[Norton]

Definitely looks like it's going to be a two-horse race again.

Yep. Another boring predictable season. No idea why I bother watching. Old habits are hard to break.

[harrybarracuda]

Same old, Ham and Ros streak away, Maldonado into the wall, safety car on the first lap.

[Fondles]

Looks like Vettel made a wise choice.

[harrybarracuda]

Looks like Vettel made a wise choice.

Yes, he has a good chance at getting third in the Driver's Championship.

[VocalNeal]

Well that's over for two weeks, on to WSB at Buriram.

[harrybarracuda]

Lewis out on pole, safely away, Vettel kept Rosberg at bay, and we might have had a race, but then we get a safety car and most of the teams pit for tyres - except Vettel who's now out in front. So everyone else has had a free pit stop.

So now they're wondering if Vettel was banking on a two stopper (unlikely I'd have thought) or rain.

[Norton]

Damn finally. We have a race.!

[aging one]

agreed norts,

[harrybarracuda]

Thank goodness. Where did Ferrari get this pace from? (Or what did Mercedes do with theirs?).

Lewis isn't happy with the tyres!

[Norton]

Mercedes in panic. Gotta love it.

[peterpan]

the good old days are well gone. I remember well enough when I met Jim Clark at the trans Tasman series in 1967, he let me sit in the seat of his lotus. imagine one of these guys doing that now. The lotus was parked in a roped off section of the pits on the grass out field I got an invite to meet him by my mates dad who was driving his Ferrari in the series.

[harrybarracuda]

the good old days are well gone. I remember well enough when I met Jim Clark at the trans Tasman series in 1967, he let me sit in the seat of his lotus. imagine one of these guys doing that now. The lotus was parked in a roped off section of the pits on the grass out field I got an invite to meet him by my mates dad who was driving his Ferrari in the series.

You can still do that stuff if you know one of the team, but to be honest by the time they've taken off the engine, nosecone and wheels, there isn't much of a car left to sit in.

[peterpan]

I also remember my GF at the time said to me who's that.? I said J Clark you silly bint

[harrybarracuda]

Well at least it's a three horse race now - the first three home are at least a second a lap faster than the field.

[harrybarracuda]

Coulthard sounded relieved there is some competition as well!

[VocalNeal]

Eddie Jordan a better interviewer than Arnie!

[palexxxx]

Hamilton is a grumpy little shit when things don't go his way, isn't he?

[harrybarracuda]

Hamilton is a grumpy little shit when things don't go his way, isn't he?

Absolutely. And that's what makes him competitive.

Would you rather he just laughed it off and said "who cares if I come second, it's only money innit?".

[palexxxx]

Hamilton is a grumpy little shit when things don't go his way, isn't he?

Absolutely. And that's what makes him competitive.

Would you rather he just laughed it off and said "who cares if I come second, it's only money innit?".

Other drivers are competitive without being real arseholes.

[aging one]

Vettle showed a lot more class and to see real tears of joy was great. They are the best two drivers right now, but I do love Rosburg as well. But could it be possible if you are not British you find Hamilton an asshole? Today was the best race in a long time.

Strategies played out, the weather cooperated, and Mercedes for once were not as cool as ice. Making a more competitive yet fun race.

I am just wondering if Ferrari has figured out the rule breach Benz has had, or just got the right track, the right fuel strategy, and a great driver to pull it off. It was a fun race all in all.

[harrybarracuda]

Hamilton is a grumpy little shit when things don't go his way, isn't he?

Absolutely. And that's what makes him competitive.

Would you rather he just laughed it off and said "who cares if I come second, it's only money innit?".

Other drivers are competitive without being real arseholes.

And how many of them are two time World Champions?

(Clue: Answer lies between 1 and 3).

[peterpan]

I guess like most of us F1 has become as boring as ladies lawn bowls. I used to be a avid F1 fan, having been to venues from Aust, USA Europe and SA, now I can't even be bothered to watch the latest round.
Bernie the coock sucker and his mates at FIA have made a great spectacle into the equivalent of a trip to work on the free way.

I met Bernie at Kyalami when his minders kicked me out of the Brabham pits, I should have taken the opportunity to deck the runt then