2023-24 Formula 1 Off-Track Thread

[RACECAR]

Grab some and gather around, everyone.

 

[toastet]

All these off-track shenanigans and the wide + deep coverage of all aspects of the sport + technical insides and the gossip from many sources are the reason F1 is such a big thing worldwide. Nothing else does really come close in motorsports (or sport in general, football of course and with the very hyped times long gone still tennis but nothing else really catches such world wide audiences multiple times a year) even if the sport itself lacks a bit watchability at the moment focusing solely on the winner. In the end everyone can pick the aspects of F1 he/she wants and avoid aspects he/she doesn't like.

 

[Veinz]

This has been the craziest season I've seen in terms of drama. Lewis to Ferrari was already a big shock.

 

[AshenGraey]

Are

View attachment 1334342

Grab some and gather around, everyone.

Are you saying there's a lot more to come?? 🤣🤣

 

[Dennisch]

The FIA has started another investigation towards MBS' shenanigans, this time about him trying to cancel the Las Vegas GP.

edit.

Tree'd by a couple of hours. Derp.

 

[RACECAR]

Are

Are you saying there's a lot more to come?? 🤣🤣

Oh I'm betting on it. We are far from done.

 

[EngieDiesel]

At this point, Andretti might be silently thankful that they were denied an entry. Saves them the trouble of having to find a way to awkwardly back out of a commitment, like Ford and Audi will no doubt be doing in the face of all this dramabombing.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Jos Verstappen 'spent time with' woman when Christian Horner texted

The two warring F1 giants 'never really saw eye to eye in the first place' but their friendship with the employee has 'caused even more difficulties' between them, an insider has told MailOnline.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"The warring men were even seen on TV in the middle of a heated row at the Bahrain Grand Prix where both men were wildly gesticulating inside a glass Red Bull trailer."

Oooga booga
Where's the gif?

 

[Yard_Sale]

Between F1's push for the sprint race gimmick (basically, pandering to the DTS audience), the continually ballooning schedule and overall promotion that just screams "The show" with now THIS drama on top, I might be in over my head with this but I think this is the year Max quits F1. Doesn't matter that his car is good, doesn't matter that Newey has newey'd another work of dark magic to keep the whole grid at bay, doesn't matter if he even pulls off the 4 peat, this is likely the final straw for him to leave.

Also, just finding it rather intriguing that in the year where a 4th championship might happen Red Bull has yet another case of internal tension (Albeit its not with drivers this time but still). And we all know what happened the following season after that 4th consecutive championship...

If Max was smart, and he is. He’d exit stage left after he wraps up his 4th F1 title, keep his Red Bull sponsor, and go galavant around the different disciplines within Motorsport for the next decade. Go do the complete IMSA series. Dabble in NASCAR. Line up in Indy. Take on Dakar, Baja and Pikes Peak. Go set a land speed record at Bonneville. Raise your family, enjoy the rest of your youth, and do as you please. He’s young, good looking, likeable, marketable and above all else, a competitor. Come back to F1 in your mid-late 30’s if you fancy. He has the potential to be Travis Pastrana, Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Robby Gordon, and Mickey Thompson all rolled into one.

I’m sure Red Bull would be more than happy to finance all of his future endeavors

 

[TheCracker]

It's looking very much like all the action in the 2024 F1 season is going to be off track.

 

[sillybilly]

If Max was smart, and he is. He’d exit stage left after he wraps up his 4th F1 title,

He will go for and almost certainly achieve 5 in a row. All the drama is just for clicks and a $how to distract from the parade of a race to start the season. The $ invested for the $how wants a 5 in a row champion so that's probably what the $ will get.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

It's looking very much like all the action in the 2024 F1 season is going to be off track.

I can't wait for the final showdown between Jos and Christian at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

 

[Yard_Sale]

He will go for and almost certainly achieve 5 in a row. All the drama is just for clicks and a $how to distract from the parade of a race to start the season. The $ invested for the $how wants a 5 in a row champion so that's probably what the $ will get.

 

[Blitz24]

I can't wait for the final showdown between Jos and Christian at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Nope, FIA didn't authorize that venue.

 

[RACECAR]

He will go for and almost certainly achieve 5 in a row. All the drama is just for clicks and a $how to distract from the parade of a race to start the season. The $ invested for the $how wants a 5 in a row champion so that's probably what the $ will get.

Except Max has made it clear multiple times how he doesn't like where F1 is going and the decisions being made, even saying he doesn't see himself staying long (In reference to the continually ballooning schedule). He has no reason to stay having won four already and there is not enough money in the world to convince him to stay longer then he'd want.

 

[Sum1s2pid]

"The warring men were even seen on TV in the middle of a heated row at the Bahrain Grand Prix where both men were wildly gesticulating inside a glass Red Bull trailer."

Oooga booga
Where's the gif?

Why does that remind me of South Parks S6 E10...

Ah-tah! Ah-TAH!!

 

[Veinz]

Audi now own 100% of Sauber according to bild. So much for them leaving.

 

[toastet]

Audi now own 100% of Sauber according to bild. So much for them leaving.

Can only sell well owning 100 %

 

[McLaren]

Except Max has made it clear multiple times how he doesn't like where F1 is going and the decisions being made, even saying he doesn't see himself staying long (In reference to the continually ballooning schedule). He has no reason to stay having won four already and there is not enough money in the world to convince him to stay longer then he'd want.

Yep. He's said in the past 1 was enough & he's not here to win to as many as possible.

"Because that's that, you've completed your goal. After that, it doesn't really matter how many you win, because you've already won one. Of course I would always try to win more, but that's the final goal."

Verstappen feels one title is enough: "Then you've achieved your goal"

Max Verstappen is nearing the end of a Formula 1 season that he could easily finish as world champion. However, he is not necessarily hungry for more if he manages to fulfil that dream and says that he actually thinks one world title is enough.

www.gpblog.com

"When you get up, you have to be able to give 100 percent. At the moment that is not a problem, but at some point you have also seen it here. Every time I arrive, I want to win and I want the best out of it. But I don't have that 'I have to stay here until I am eight times world champion'. I don't have that. I have a lot of things that I am working on for the future, outside of Formula 1."

"I am already very happy with what I have achieved in Formula 1. I don't have to stay for the performance. I have already achieved more than I could ever have dreamed of."

Max Verstappen spreekt zich in Bahrein uit over F1-toekomst

Max Verstappen legt uit dat het behalen van zeven of acht wereldtitels behalen geen reden is om langer in de Formule 1 te blijven.

nl.motorsport.com

 

[Bram Turismo]

Jos Verstappen 'spent time with' woman when Christian Horner texted

The two warring F1 giants 'never really saw eye to eye in the first place' but their friendship with the employee has 'caused even more difficulties' between them, an insider has told MailOnline.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Why do people even spend any energy on Jos... Dude never achieved anything in racing, and was found guilty of assaulting his then-wife in 2009. And now he's talking as if he's holding the strings at RBR.

 

[sillybilly]

Except Max has made it clear multiple times how he doesn't like where F1 is going and the decisions being made, even saying he doesn't see himself staying long (In reference to the continually ballooning schedule). He has no reason to stay having won four already and there is not enough money in the world to convince him to stay longer then he'd want.

If he was going to do a Rosberg and quit from a win he would have done it after 2021?
Why did he stay in 2022, just to prove not just a champion because of interference?
Why stay in 2023? because it's easy money and easy winning he still loves winning?
Why stay in 2024? because it's still easy money and easy winning....
Why will he stay in 2025? because easy money and easy winning....

I don't think he is under much pressure or having any difficulty so no reason to leave.

All the drama noise around the circuit probably makes less difference to Max than the sprint races or other "direction of F1" that he claims he is not a fan of...

 

[EngieDiesel]

If he was going to do a Rosberg and quit from a win he would have done it after 2021?
Why did he stay in 2022, just to prove not just a champion because of interference?
Why stay in 2023? because it's easy money and easy winning he still loves winning?
Why stay in 2024? because it's still easy money and easy winning....
Why will he stay in 2025? because easy money and easy winning....

Also probably because he's under a contract that likely has very few avenues to get out of. RBR essentially built their entire team around Max at the ultimate expense of whoever ends up in that second car, they're not going to just let him walk away whenever he decides he's had enough.

 

[RACECAR]

If he was going to do a Rosberg and quit from a win he would have done it after 2021?
Why did he stay in 2022, just to prove not just a champion because of interference?
Why stay in 2023? because it's easy money and easy winning he still loves winning?
Why stay in 2024? because it's still easy money and easy winning....

Because its called a contract? The terms in said contract likely don't have as much wiggle room given as mentioned the team was built around him.

Why will he stay in 2025? because easy money and easy winning....

And where's the confirmation that he'll stay? He's done all the things, he's not a fan of F1's direction AND now his toxic Father has decided to just add some fuel to what was apparently already a slowly burning fire. To think that he isn't at the very least seeking a way out of his contract or the sport itself (and probably getting away from his Father if possible) goes beyond wishful thinking.

 

[Liquid]

Mate, he said it in the past then enjoyed winning. Don't crucify him.

"No, no, you said it so you have to quit now. Hypocrite!"

Hardly the biggest story eating F1 alive at the moment.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Funny thing is, guess what he tends to sim race with almost everytime? I know rumors are rumors Buuut:

• Max is increasingly disinterested with F1 (as he has voiced multiple times, even saying he doesn't see himself staying long)
• He is supposedly starting up his own team (which I guarantee isn't a F1 team)
• Seems to very much LOVE using Sports cars every time he's in the sim.

So as far as I can tell, I'm not at all gonna be shocked if not even a WEC move but something in ELMS, GTWC, IMSA, or whatever materializes.

Yeah then there's money. Look at how much the most famous driver is paid in WEC or any other series vs F1. Max's not going anywhere until he have a bad car. There's not that many motorsport championship getting you 40mil/year +. And he knows his career wont be long (compare to a normal worker who works until around 65 y.o., better cash in the most money while you can.

We'll see I guess but I dont believe a seconds that's hes gonna go do something else paid 10 times less.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Why does that remind me of South Parks S6 E10...

Ah-tah! Ah-TAH!!

Christian Horner spotted in exchange with Jos Verstappen

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was spotted talking to Jos Verstappen in the paddock at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Footage courtesy of Sky Italy.

www.skysports.com

Not as wild as I imagined

 

[MatskiMonk]

If he was going to do a Rosberg and quit from a win he would have done it after 2021?

Rosberg was older and wanted to put his new family first. Max is potentially years off being in the same position as Rosberg. Doing a sports car series would be less demanding on a new family than a 20+ global calendar.

 

[sillybilly]

Because its called a contract?

This.

He will still race for RBR unless "something really crazy happens".
Read between the lines of his answer when asked directly about it and he is still intending to race for RBR next year.

All the off track drama and speculation about Mercedes is just speculation and media doing media job of making things to talk about.

 

[MagpieRacer]

This.

He will still race for RBR unless "something really crazy happens".
Read between the lines of his answer when asked directly about it and he is still intending to race for RBR next year.

All the off track drama and speculation about Mercedes is just speculation and media doing media job of making things to talk about.

Agreed retirement wise, but I don't think moving to Mercedes is off the table. Mercedes would be stupid not to capitalize on the unrest and try to nudge him out, and they can offer him certain things that Red Bull can't.

 

[Darla Starch]

Red Bull suspend woman who accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour

The woman who accused team principal Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour is suspended by Red Bull.

www.bbc.co.uk

Certainly one of the decisions of all time