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F1 2026


Everyone in the media has almost ignored Ferrari completely, dismissed their fastest lap in Barcelona, they've talked up every team one by one but conspicuously not assumed anything but a 3rd/4th quickest car, or entertained anything better for Ferrari. But I just can't shake the feeling that Ferrari might just have nailed this. They started the last ruleset with a win, before Red Bull caught them up and they're my dark prancing horse for Australia.

I just think they've quietly got on with their business and I like that. The car is just so nicely packaged compared to almost every other car I have seen. It's gorgeous. In F1, though beauty doesn't necessarily translate to fast, ugly usually translates to slow.

Everyone is creaming themselves about the Aston Martin - which may just be a mule car anyway - but it looked bloody ugly. Lumpy and awkward, suspension arms fixed to the wrong bits, same old high rake fat nose deep undercut coke bottle playbook from Old Man Newey, and a likely shitty engine inside.

The compression rules may hamstring Mercedes if they go through, Red Bull did nothing spectacular in the shakedown and have a new power unit supplier, McLaren may suffer from the change of regs levelling the playing field and may also suffer if the compression loophole is shut. Hamilton looks happy.

I am sure I will look very silly by Saturday afternoon in a few weeks, but I just have a feeling...!
 
Beau Peep said:
Everyone in the media has almost ignored Ferrari completely, dismissed their fastest lap in Barcelona, they've talked up every team one by one but conspicuously not assumed anything but a 3rd/4th quickest car, or entertained anything better for Ferrari. But I just can't shake the feeling that Ferrari might just have nailed this. They started the last ruleset with a win, before Red Bull caught them up and they're my dark prancing horse for Australia.

I just think they've quietly got on with their business and I like that. The car is just so nicely packaged compared to almost every other car I have seen. It's gorgeous. In F1, though beauty doesn't necessarily translate to fast, ugly usually translates to slow.

Everyone is creaming themselves about the Aston Martin - which may just be a mule car anyway - but it looked bloody ugly. Lumpy and awkward, suspension arms fixed to the wrong bits, same old high rake fat nose deep undercut coke bottle playbook from Old Man Newey, and a likely shitty engine inside.

The compression rules may hamstring Mercedes if they go through, Red Bull did nothing spectacular in the shakedown and have a new power unit supplier, McLaren may suffer from the change of regs levelling the playing field and may also suffer if the compression loophole is shut. Hamilton looks happy.

I am sure I will look very silly by Saturday afternoon in a few weeks, but I just have a feeling...!
Click to expand...
A happy Lewis usually means it'll go a bit....
 
Beau Peep said:
Everyone is creaming themselves about the Aston Martin - which may just be a mule car anyway - but it looked bloody ugly. Lumpy and awkward, suspension arms fixed to the wrong bits, same old high rake fat nose deep undercut coke bottle playbook from Old Man Newey, and a likely shitty engine inside.
Click to expand...

i think regardless of what newey has done, if that engine isnt mixing with the best its always gonna be a struggle. mclaren experts claimed that mclaren-honda had the best chassis when button & nando were bringing up the rear every weekend. the excitement will always surround newey just because of his track record.
 
errant said:
i think regardless of what newey has done, if that engine isnt mixing with the best its always gonna be a struggle. mclaren experts claimed that mclaren-honda had the best chassis when button & nando were bringing up the rear every weekend. the excitement will always surround newey just because of his track record.
Click to expand...
Big part of me wants it to be another MP4-18, let alone MP4-31! Something about the Newey worship makes me want someone to put a stop to all that smugness!
 
Beau Peep said:
Everyone in the media has almost ignored Ferrari completely, dismissed their fastest lap in Barcelona, they've talked up every team one by one but conspicuously not assumed anything but a 3rd/4th quickest car, or entertained anything better for Ferrari. But I just can't shake the feeling that Ferrari might just have nailed this. They started the last ruleset with a win, before Red Bull caught them up and they're my dark prancing horse for Australia.

I just think they've quietly got on with their business and I like that. The car is just so nicely packaged compared to almost every other car I have seen. It's gorgeous. In F1, though beauty doesn't necessarily translate to fast, ugly usually translates to slow.

Everyone is creaming themselves about the Aston Martin - which may just be a mule car anyway - but it looked bloody ugly. Lumpy and awkward, suspension arms fixed to the wrong bits, same old high rake fat nose deep undercut coke bottle playbook from Old Man Newey, and a likely shitty engine inside.

The compression rules may hamstring Mercedes if they go through, Red Bull did nothing spectacular in the shakedown and have a new power unit supplier, McLaren may suffer from the change of regs levelling the playing field and may also suffer if the compression loophole is shut. Hamilton looks happy.

I am sure I will look very silly by Saturday afternoon in a few weeks, but I just have a feeling...!
Click to expand...
I think it will all come down to what the FIA does about the merc engine. If they leave it as is they run away with it. Force the change and I agree I think they could be the team the beat.

They already look strong and apparently have lots of development to come for the first race. Plus there were rumours that Shell had nailed the new fuel regs with rumours today they are one of only 2/3 suppliers to have their new fuel signed off.
 
Beau Peep said:
Big part of me wants it to be another MP4-18
Click to expand...
just googled that mutha-fka. think newey might mention it in his book - which is actually a good read for what its worth. he's only human & think he holds his hands up when he gets it wrong, just doesnt happen often.

he's going to have to be front & centre this year as the TP - if the car isnt performing he can't go back to Silverstone and hide in the drawing office & i think the media will be quick to say he can't do both jobs.
 
Big Jeff said:
Maybe the FIA could do a test where the race director has to follow the rules.

That might be useful.
Click to expand...
Never happen 🤣🤣🤣
Beau Peep said:
Big part of me wants it to be another MP4-18, let alone MP4-31! Something about the Newey worship makes me want someone to put a stop to all that smugness!
Click to expand...
A massive part of me wants the Aston car to be a big big success because hopefully the daughter should be left front off this season ( all things being equal) fingers crossed 🤞
 
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Beau Peep said:
Everyone in the media has almost ignored Ferrari completely, dismissed their fastest lap in Barcelona, they've talked up every team one by one but conspicuously not assumed anything but a 3rd/4th quickest car, or entertained anything better for Ferrari. But I just can't shake the feeling that Ferrari might just have nailed this. They started the last ruleset with a win, before Red Bull caught them up and they're my dark prancing horse for Australia.

I just think they've quietly got on with their business and I like that. The car is just so nicely packaged compared to almost every other car I have seen. It's gorgeous. In F1, though beauty doesn't necessarily translate to fast, ugly usually translates to slow.

Everyone is creaming themselves about the Aston Martin - which may just be a mule car anyway - but it looked bloody ugly. Lumpy and awkward, suspension arms fixed to the wrong bits, same old high rake fat nose deep undercut coke bottle playbook from Old Man Newey, and a likely shitty engine inside.

The compression rules may hamstring Mercedes if they go through, Red Bull did nothing spectacular in the shakedown and have a new power unit supplier, McLaren may suffer from the change of regs levelling the playing field and may also suffer if the compression loophole is shut. Hamilton looks happy.

I am sure I will look very silly by Saturday afternoon in a few weeks, but I just have a feeling...!
Click to expand...
I hope you are right.

I would love to see Lewis get his 8th title.
 
Cadillac getting sued by Michael Bay for dropping him as director of their launch ad, but stealing his ideas and using them without paying. Such an unnecessarily messy outcome to such an unnecessarily ostentatious launch, for a car we all know will be terrible. Love to see it. Bringing the litigious edge early, just what they need to focus on the sport :lol:
 
Beau Peep said:
Cadillac getting sued by Michael Bay for dropping him as director of their launch ad, but stealing his ideas and using them without paying. Such an unnecessarily messy outcome to such an unnecessarily ostentatious launch, for a car we all know will be terrible. Love to see it. Bringing the litigious edge early, just what they need to focus on the sport :lol:
Click to expand...
Cadillac are running split liveries.

That means their car can break down from both sides.

😂
 
MadMackem10 said:
A very different audi has turned up
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Click to expand...
It’s just a silver car. Nowt flash at all.

I find a lot of the liveries too “busy”. I like Ferrari when they just have their car all red and Mercedes when it’s all silver.

McLaren looked the best during the Marlboro era. Senna and Prost.
 
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