IT'S YEEE-HAW TIME.... Off to the Star Spangled Land of the Brave for the 2023 USGP

[Michael Ferner]

Bottom post of the previous page:

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

[DoubleFart]

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

So you think they shouldn't be DSQ'ing illegal cars, or you think they should be testing more?

[Aty]

With post race inspection I think it's fine as it is. Who wants to wait 2 or 3 hrs before race results get validated? Like traffic cops - some have their number called up, and others get away. It's as much regulation as we can take. Mercedes and Ferrari knew (people aren't idiots) they are taking risk, but they were willing to take it anyway, and "crime" didn't pay. Max had his car inspected as well, and he was fine.

[erwin greven]

Mercedes and Ferrari knew (people aren't idiots) they are taking risk, but they were willing to take it anyway, and "crime" didn't pay.

With post race inspection I think it's fine as it is. Who wants to wait 2 or 3 hrs before race results get validated?

How do you think they got caught??

Without a post-race inspection, they got away with that.

[Michael Ferner]

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

So you think they shouldn't be DSQ'ing illegal cars, or you think they should be testing more?

Actually, I don't care. I didn't watch, and I don't expect to watch another F1 race in my lifetime. Besides, the times that I did care about F1 results (or, any other motor racing results) is fast reaching the stage where it's a thing of more than a quarter of a century in the past. Motor racing was a sport of the 20th century; everything that happened this side of the millenium change is pure horse manure. Can't get myself worked up about it.

[erwin greven]

Actually, I don't care. I didn't watch, and I don't expect to watch another F1 race in my lifetime. Besides, the times that I did care about F1 results (or, any other motor racing results) is fast reaching the stage where it's a thing of more than a quarter of a century in the past. Motor racing was a sport of the 20th century; everything that happened this side of the millenium change is pure horse manure. Can't get myself worked up about it.

Joined: 7 years ago

Then why you joined a motor sport forum in the 21st century?

[White six]

Love a good old fashioned disqualification, very retro feel about it

[Aty]

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

So you think they shouldn't be DSQ'ing illegal cars, or you think they should be testing more?

Actually, I don't care. I didn't watch, and I don't expect to watch another F1 race in my lifetime. Besides, the times that I did care about F1 results (or, any other motor racing results) is fast reaching the stage where it's a thing of more than a quarter of a century in the past. Motor racing was a sport of the 20th century; everything that happened this side of the millenium change is pure horse manure. Can't get myself worked up about it.

Partially I tend to agree with you Michael, and it doesn't surprises me that you are coming here to chat about your former love, despite its masochistic slant it has taken in recent years for you. Bitterness is however a poison pill, my friend.

[Michael Ferner]

I'm not bitter. And to answer Erwin, I still enjoy researching motor racing in the 20th century, and do so through many outlets, that's how I came here. My short infatuation with contemporary F1 started a few years ago, when I was a bit dazed and confused after my father died, and it's hard to shake the habit. But I'm confident I have it exorcised now, no regrets.

[Picci]

Like most people, I actually quite enjoyed the race and it kept me on my toes given we didn’t really know who was going to win this one.

Like most other neutrals, I was also very disappointed to see that yet again the result was marred by a post-race infringement for a 2mm wear on a piece of wood that no one can see.

Now, I’m not here to say that anyone was unfairly treated or anything like that. Nor am I saying that the 2mm excess wear didn’t ultimately result in a lasting advantage that may have benefitted Lewis or CLAP.

However, the point is, that the fans of the sport do not give a flicking toss about how worn the plank is. Nor do they enjoy losing count of how many laptimes were deleted because the outer tyre went past a dodgy white line that got repainted overnight. What they want to see is pure, fun racing on the track. It is not this issue in itself that is the problem but rather a culmination of little less significant “rule breaches”, mostly in the sporting regulations, that are making drivers and fans’ lives misrable.

Yes the rules need to be enforced but the rules themselves do not need to be so anal. I am not an engineer and I do not know what the maximum wear can be such that it doesn’t become a safety concern but the fact that like people said above 50% of the cars inspected has a problem means that there is an issue with the regulation. Similarly if half the grid is being summoned on “ignoring the race director’s instructions” implies to me that either these drivers have a hearing problem or that the race director’s instructions are rubbish.

I look forward to seeing the drivers’ hearing test results displayed in insighful bright orange-coloured AWS statistics next month.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Love a good old fashioned disqualification, very retro feel about it

Funny you should mention that I had the same sort of thoughts..... remembering Schumacher's DSQ for the same plank sins at Belgium 1994 with his Benetton. Of course tprior to that in the mid 70's in the Balestre days DSQs were fairly regular. Hunt / McLaren had tyres (or was it front track width?) too wide

We sort of think that DSQs are a thing of the past, hence my initial remembering the likeness of the latest DSQs as the same crime as Scumacher in the last millenium, but in fact on looking into it more carefully we still have quite a few.

It was only a couple of years ago Vettel was DQd for not being able to provide a sample. Well, not him so much as the car was so low on fuel he stopped on the cool down lap in an attempt to be able to squeeze a drop of fuel out for the mandatory post race tests. Others have fallen foul of not being able to provide fuel samples.

At the 2019 Japanese race we had real 90's undertones, with the Renault team protested by Team Stroll (in its Racing Point days) for illegal driving aids.. I think that was actually an automatic brake adjustment system that in effect changed brake balance automatically. Brake balance adjustment was actually legal, but it ws judged to only be legal if the driver twiddled a knob or manually adjusted a brake balance bar. Having it automatic was classified as a driver aid and thus verboten.

We have also had a number of qualifying DSQ's.... Kimi's Alfa was thrown out of qualy in Azerbaijan 2019 for having an overly flexible front wing that flattened out at speed. Red Bull were both thrown out of qualy at Abu Dhabi 10 years ago for the same bendy front wings.Same year Singapore Danny Ric got thrown out for having an over power limit producing kinetic thingy.... it produced more power than it should have which Renault tried to explain as being caused by bumping over kerbs. The Stewards said bowlocks it is and DSQd him

We have had DSQs for faulty fuel flow meters allowing too much fuel into the system (Force India). Maldonado at Lotus suffered from that at the 2014 British GP. Danny Ric was DSQd from the 2014 Aus GP for having a fuel flow of over the specified amount. They blamed it on a faulty FIA supplied sensor but lost out..

KMag got DSQd for having more than 105kg of fuel in his car I think USGP 2018..

Haas DSQd for not changing an illegal floor in 2018. A mid year rule change rendered theirs illegal..... its due by change date was for Hungary and Haas didnt change it in time and promised it would be done by Singapore. The Stewards didnt buy it and Haas were DSQd.

Massa DSQd in Brazil 2015 at Williams when his tyres were 'overwarmed'. I think their tyrewarmers warmed them to 140C when the legal limit was 110C

2013 Paul Di Resta's Force India was DSQd from Qualy for being 2 kg underweight. FI tried to blame the FIA scales, but didnt get far with that.

And lets not forget the BAR false fuel tanks back in 2004 that got them DSQ'd from Imola and banned for Monaco.

Yeah, its surprising how many DSQs in either qualy or race have slipped our memories.

[MonteCristo]

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

Yes, for the same problem, while only inspecting 20% of the cars...

[Everso Biggyballies]

The BS thing is that apparently only 4 cars were randomly called over for post-race inspection?

If so, there's every chance that far more than 2 cars would have failed...

So, they DQed 50 % of the cars inspected? Good job, F1.

Yes, for the same problem, while only inspecting 20% of the cars...

To clarify ALL cars are inspected post race, but the winner plus 3 other random selections get a more robust checking over. In this case Max as the winner with the randoms being Lando, Lewis and Charles. Max and Lando were cleared as fully legit. (They had raised their ride heights in accordance to meet the bumpy track surface they were all aware of.

In defence of the two that were DSQd I see it as a price paid for the Sprint nonsense. The schedule of Sprint weekends mean one hour only of practice.... not enough time to do full tank long runs to validate set ups, especially on a renowned for its bumps Austin track.

Cars go into Parc Ferme pre qualy on Friday night (after just one hour of practice) and that renders any later changes to set up illegal.

Haas and Aston learned things in the Sprint and wanted to alter set up post Sprint but pre the main race,..... the cost of those changes wass a pit lane start. With hindsight, I guess better than a DSQ.

Of note is that Max / Red Bull were off their usual pace this weekend..... Red Bull, knowing the bumpiness of the track and risk of constant plank wearing bottoming out chose to in effect raise the RB ride height way out of its comfort and downforce generating ground hugging zone. They had enough common sense (or buffer ) to not risk plank wear despite having to not run anything like an optimum performance wise setup.

Compromised enough not to risk trouble of wearing the plank. Ferrari and Mercedes were more aggressive with their ride height and paid the price.

[Aty]

Last race rating has one of the most diverging views this season. From "I don't care" to almost "supreme". First one represents tiredness from monotony modern F1 represents, later is applause for the champ who was nursing his car accross the line. Despite being in awe over his effort, I was not happy with myself over pleasure felt seeing Hamilton having his clock cleaned up. I know, it was from me sick and immature, yet exhilarating and satisfying after all that pain he has inflicted upon the sport and fans with that scam he called racing when 2014 arriwed.
I am not a fan (never was) of McLaren, but they might very well be voted most improved team this year. Despite his departure from the team, I wonder how much credit J.Key could claim on their success. After all, he was there when this car was still in development stage. I hope to read one day when anger has passed, what really was going on with him when he was working there. The team has checkered history, and whilst Honda was less than impressed they way they were treated, there is also Éric Boullier who has said a thing or two on subject of internal (stiff nose) and hard to take culture.

I hope Andreas knows why he has hired JK, because the place Sauber is today is not very good one. There is no more point to talk about that. Question rather is, what are they going to do about it next year? Key's creations we will see only in 2025, so I am keeping my expectations under the lid. Sauber might struggle some more for a while, which is pitty, I have my soft spot for Mr. Sauber, but competition in midfield is stiff, and that's a good thing.

[Michael Ferner]

(...) I have my soft spot for Mr. Sauber (...)

Is he still involved? My, he must be pushing on a bit!

[Aty]

(...) I have my soft spot for Mr. Sauber (...)

Is he still involved? My, he must be pushing on a bit!

Truthfully said, I don't know extend of his involvement, but I doubt there is any. Some time ago he admitted that he stopped going there after Monisha Kaltenborn has taken over. He was not a happy soul in those days due to MK's management style, especially incident with drivers. He had occassional beer with a few former employees on the outside, but that's about full extend of his links with a company we know about. Very upright and honest man.