Formula 1

[Crazyskier]

New season about to begin. If final practice is a true reflection of pace it could pretty interesting.
1. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:32.340 (soft)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.005 (soft)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.215 (soft)
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.391 (soft)
5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.579 (soft)

Yet it was a Red Bull 1,2 in both quali and the race : - (

Alonso did well though. Shame for Charlie.

CS

[greenmark]

New season about to begin. If final practice is a true reflection of pace it could pretty interesting.
1. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:32.340 (soft)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.005 (soft)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.215 (soft)
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.391 (soft)
5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.579 (soft)

Yet it was a Red Bull 1,2 in both quali and the race : - (

Alonso did well though. Shame for Charlie.

CS

Alonso is someone to watch. He's stil got all the ability imo.

[ShaunWhite]

Alonso has been the best driver for 18yrs. He's just made some bad career moves and not had decent cars. And this time he actually lost 2 places at the start when +2 places is standard.

[greenmark]

Agree with you both. He put the wind up a few last season and now has some reasonable kit. We shall see. Could be great fun.

[Euler]

It was exciting to see Alonso yesterday. Not sure it's fully priced into the market. But Bahrain is a fairly fast circuit so maybe we need to see the car performs elsewhere?

[ShaunWhite]

A great drive but still 38s behind the leader, that's enormous when the objective in motorsport is to win as slowly as possible.

[greenmark]

A great drive but still 38s behind the leader, that's enormous when the objective in motorsport is to win as slowly as possible.

But it's great seeing Alonso irritating the people with the best kit. He will never get another title-winning drive, but I really like the way he drives. Clean and very difficult to pass (and he does it fairly).
OK it looks like Red Bull are going to romp to the title again. But I'm strangely excited about this season. Surely Mercedes must become more competitive? Ferrari are shaping like a Ferrari stereotype - lot of flash, no end product.

[ShaunWhite]

But it's great seeing Alonso irritating the people with the best kit. .

Him and Lewis are the last of the great drivers. Fluke a good f3 and f2 season (via sponsorship) and you're in. Have a rich family, you're in, have the right "genetics" (ie a driver as a father) and you're in. There's no way for the best drivers to work their way up anymore. Yeah there's Max but when Checo is 27s ahead too then the equipment is the decider.

.... I think it's time to look at Red Bulls sandwich budget again, that car can't be THAT much better than everyone else just because Adrian Newey designed it.

[greenmark]

Alonso 3rd and 0.665 behind, but Stroll is 0.215 behind Alsonso. Not a circuit that promotes overtaking. Best we can hope for is views of these wonderful machines sweeping past the cameras. Only mechanical or human failure can change the order?