Motorsport 2024: F1, IndyCar, WRC, WEC and more

[Laurel Crown 111]

Not sure if this thread will be approved but the general gist is to have a thread where we can talk about this year's motorsport championships.

Official Championship Calendars

Formula 1/2/3
https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2024.html
https://www.fiaformula2.com/Calendar
https://www.fiaformula3.com/Calendar

IndyCar
https://www.indycar.com/Schedule

World Rally Championship
https://www.wrc.com/calendar?menu=menu_wrc_calendar

World Endurance Championship
https://www.fiawec.com/en/calendar/80

NASCAR
https://www.nascar.com/nascar-cup-series/2024/schedule/

V8 Supercars
https://www.supercars.com/calendar

And what better way to kickstart this year than Ott Tanak winning the shakedown for the Monte Carlo Rally
https://www.wrc.com/a/news/w27254_T-nak-tops-Rallye-Monte-Carlo-shakedown-on-Hyundai-return

Edited February 1 by Laurel Crown

[Spark Thunderbass 1,398]

As it stands right now I am waiting for the V8 Supercars and NASCAR seasons to kick off soon.

Hopefully this year’s V8 Supercars season isn’t as one sided as last year considering the disparity between the Mustang and Camaro in which no one was happy about. I’m a Ford fan BTW.

NASCAR should be good to watch too, although, it is quite a shame that the Auto Club Speedway in California is all but demolished in favour of some short track that no one will probably give a crap about.

[ZiggWheelsManning 7,384]

@Laurel Crown

IndyCar caught my attention the most  

[Laurel Crown 111]

On 2024-01-27 at 2:44 PM, Spark Thunderbass said:

As it stands right now I am waiting for the V8 Supercars and NASCAR seasons to kick off soon.

Hopefully this year’s V8 Supercars season isn’t as one sided as last year considering the disparity between the Mustang and Camaro in which no one was happy about. I’m a Ford fan BTW.

NASCAR should be good to watch too, although, it is quite a shame that the Auto Club Speedway in California is all but demolished in favour of some short track that no one will probably give a crap about.

I can add the V8 and NASCAR if you want. Unfortunately I can't watch them because they do not broadcast in my country.

Kicking off the second month of Motorsport with the sensational news of Lewis Hamilton going to Ferrari next year
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13061245/lewis-hamilton-to-join-ferrari-for-2025-formula-1-season

[Spark Thunderbass 1,398]

12 minutes ago, Laurel Crown said:

I can add the V8 and NASCAR if you want. Unfortunately I can't watch them because they do not broadcast in my country.

Kicking off the second month of Motorsport with the sensational news of Lewis Hamilton going to Ferrari next year
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13061245/lewis-hamilton-to-join-ferrari-for-2025-formula-1-season

Feel free to mate, I’m sure other people who come here will appreciate it.

Also, I saw that Lewis Hamilton news just a hour ago, the problem is though, he’s mostly been out of form after the 2021 season, so I wonder if whether or not the move to Ferrari will be a big difference to him?

[Laurel Crown 111]

I forgot the highlights reel for the WRC Montecarlo Rally

Rally Recap

Spoiler

 

Quite a shame Ott Tanak had his rally jeopardized by the black ice. Thankfully Neuville is one of my picks for championship contention so that's a start lol

56 minutes ago, Spark Thunderbass said:

Also, I saw that Lewis Hamilton news just a hour ago, the problem is though, he’s mostly been out of form after the 2021 season, so I wonder if whether or not the move to Ferrari will be a big difference to him?

Never say never. I still remember Vettel being in a depressive state during the last years in Ferrari and he got in tip-top shape (racing-wise) when he drove for AM.
The real question is who's gonna be first driver between him and Leclerc since he's locked for the Cavallino for a looong time.

[Laurel Crown 111]

I found a really nifty drivers' grid for this year's F2

 

Spoiler

My bets will be on Prema Racing because one is a Ferrari alumni (Bearman; hoping to see major improvement this year) and Kimi Antonelli, an Italian with lots of promise. I gloss over him being a racer for Mercedes because I always root for my country first.

[ZiggWheelsManning 7,384]

Those are lots of interesting names for racers  

[Laurel Crown 111]

12 hours ago, ZiggWheelsManning said:

Those are lots of interesting names for racers  

Speaking of which: I love how the Antonelli family gave their son Kimi as the second name as a tribute to Raikkonen, given how middle names are entirely optional in Italy 

Edited February 9 by Laurel Crown

[Laurel Crown 111]

Formula 3 Driver Grid

Spoiler

Once again, I'll be Prema-centered: Dino Beganovic because he's Ferrari alumni and Minì for being my compatriot along with Fornaroli.

[ZiggWheelsManning 7,384]

@TheRockARooster

I've got Art Grand Prix as my choice.  How about you?  

[Spark Thunderbass 1,398]

V8 Supercars season hasn’t even started, and already we’ve got some bombshell drama news between Brodie Kostecki and Erebus Motorsport, now Erebus has lost a lot of major sponsors as a result, what in the hell is going on over there?

https://www.v8sleuth.com.au/supercars-ceo-pens-open-letter-on-kostecki-saga/

 

 

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

not gonna lie, that is a sick introduction

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

Rally Sweden has begun
 

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

Expect me to post FP1Will videos since I love him and his "no holds barred" style of humor.

 

Rally Sweden Day 1 & 2 highlights

Man... the big favorites already down?

 

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

I was busy at a local comic-con so I struggled to keep with the Swedish Rally.

Esapekka Lappi wins it, making it the second WRC rally to win in his career. Neuville still on the lead but with a very short gap from Elfyn Evans. Good performance from Fourmaux.
Hometown hero Oliver Solberg wins the WRC2 category by a landslide.

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

Reminder for everyone that the Bahrain F1 GP is anticipated by one day (Quali and F2/3 Sprint races on Friday and Feature Races on Saturday) as this Sunday begins Ramadan and it's considered a holy day.

Meanwhile have a comedy review

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

At least 100 persons, along Domenicali and Libery Media staff, received an anonymous email containing screenshots of an alleged Chris Horner Whatsapp chat.

Well... what an interesting way to kickoff the F1 season.

[Laurel Crown 111]

Formula 3 Sprint Race won by British youngster Arvin Lindblad after an intense battle that saw Nikola Tsolov and Laurens Van Hoepen dueling it out from start to finish, only for the former losing performance and finishing 4th while his companion come 2nd and Trident driver Leo Fornaroli picking up the lowest podium place. Dino Beganovic got his race jeopardized.

Formula 2 Sprint Race was a fun brawl to watch. Victory by Zane Maloney after a dominating performance. Nothing else to say for the Prema racers, they got into the sidelines where they had pit-stops so... my best guess is they'll focus more on the Feature race.

Qualifying went just as many would predict: balanced and well-fought until Mad Max gets the magic lap thanks to a slipstream he got before launching. Looks like we're ready for 2023 Pt.2

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

Didn't watch F3 but the last three laps.

Formula 2 dominated by Zane Maloney yet a fun race nonetheless.

F1 race turned into the usual Max/Red Bull domination. It would have been a slightly interesting race if Leclerc hadn't problems with the braking that cost him important positions [and points]... but at least Ferrari seems to be confirmed as second force in the championship.

FP1Will review incoming

 

[ZiggWheelsManning 7,384]

@Laurel Crown

Speed can be evil, but are you the right person to handle an F1 race car?  

[Laurel Crown 111]

3 hours ago, ZiggWheelsManning said:

@Laurel Crown

Speed can be evil, but are you the right person to handle an F1 race car?  

Of course not. I criticize but not Reddit-level of criticism. 

All I'm saying is Leclerc seemed to have some serious misfortune left from 2023 as he was the only driver with braking issues (after Ferrari had to change a component last-minute) and, with the SF-24 looking very much improved over the previous year, people are hoping it won't happen again or there will be expecting another replay of Max dominating in almost every race.

[Laurel Crown 111]

I had to post it because it's too hilarious even for non-English speakers 

 

[Laurel Crown 111]

Dammit, I missed the qualifying for Jeddah and I had to see the results. From what I understood the race direction robbed Leclerc of a good time lap in Q1 and Bearman replaced Sainz for this Grand Prix.

Meanwhile F2 Sprint Race won by Verschoor and Andrea Kimi Antonelli scored his first point.

EDIT: Nevermind. Verschoor disqualified so the victory goes to the norwegian driver Dennis Hauger, followed up by Paul Aron and Enzo Fittipaldi.

Edited March 9 by Laurel Crown

[ZiggWheelsManning 7,384]

On 2024-03-06 at 4:17 PM, Laurel Crown said:

I had to post it because it's too hilarious even for non-English speakers 

 

Sad that it's too loud