F1
It has been a rather interesting week in the politics of F1, as a proposal to increase the number of Sprint races from 3 to 6 for 2023, which was originally meant to happen this year, was blocked by the FIA. The teams were seemingly on board with the idea, given they will receive more money for taking part. It sounds like the reason the governing body blocked the vote, was because they also want an increase in money as a result of the extra Sprints. This apparently annoyed others attending the vote, who believed it was fuelled by greed. There is a valid point there, as with the Sprint race replacing a practice session, the change on the FIA’s part isn’t exactly that big, so is it really worth an increase in pay? With F1 already footing the bill for 70% of the FIA’s ventures, this is quite some statement to make.
With there now being two race directors, one good thing was that surely, they both couldn’t get covid at the same time. Well, it turns out that isn’t true, as somehow both of them have it currently. The first question is, as one of them was at Imola last weekend, does this means that some of the paddock may get it too, including a lot of the FIA? The second issue, which more people are talking about, is if they aren’t better by Miami, what will happen? Chances are Herbie Blash will be asked to do a one off in that role, probably with help alongside him.
As well as Ferrari apparently bringing a low downforce upgrade to Miami, to help their speed on the straights, Mercedes is also targeting the brand new race for some of their upgrades. They are desperately needed, with tyre warm up being a clear issue at Imola, along with the severe porpoising.
IndyCar
The qualifying format for the Indy 500 has been shaken up once again, and to me it seems a little too confusing. Saturday will stay the same on qualifying weekend, with 6 hours of running time, to effectively decide the middle of the grid. If we have more than 33 cars attempt to run, last chance qualifying will also be the same, with the 31st car and below running one attempt each on Sunday to decide who stays and who goes. The biggest change is the run for pole, with now 12 cars getting through to Sunday’s action. We then have another session where the top 6 get through to the shootout for pole. Having two sessions on Sunday to run for pole I think is too much, in some ways it puts less pressure on the drivers, in the second session, as they have already done a qualifying run, and at worst they will be 6th.
Formula E
Formula E has launched its Gen3 car today, which as expected is another radical step in terms of the looks of the car. Personally, I think it is a step too far, although my thoughts could easily change as I get used to it. It just looks a bit silly to me, not only with the cambered in front wing, but also the long side pods that slope outwards. At the end of the day though, if it produces good racing, the looks tend to take a lesser importance.
The Vancouver race on this year’s schedule has been cancelled, as it was not given the permit to take place by the local authorities. This is a blow for the series, as it does give the impression that local government does not view Formula E as important enough to host. The race was supposed to be the centre of a festival in the city, promoting sustainability in the Automotive sector. It is unclear if a replacement venue will step up.
MotoGP
Miller has discussed the tightness of the pack in MotoGP, and how that makes it so hard to pass. With all 6 bikes being competitive in 2022, you can see where he is coming from, although the field spread at the end of a race does suggest there is enough of a pace delta for passes to be made. The introduction of wings to the bike has likely not helped this issue either.
-M
Meaning of Motorsport 