News: Zandvoort...Hamilton & tyres...team meetings...quali changes...

Could F1 return to the Netherlands? Charlie Whiting has said the Zandvoort circuit would need "minimal changes" to meet current GP standards. Red Bull have staged several demonstration there over the last few years and Charlie apparently sees "great potential" in the track.

https://grandpx.news/what-would-it-take-to-bring-zandvoort-back-to-f1/


Lewis Hamilton seems unhappy with the tyres currently produced by Pirelli and wants them to produce much softer compounds for next season, to encourage more pit stops. Despite all the tinkering with tyres over the last few seasons, we are still seeing that 1 or 2-stop strategies are optimal for all races, with more stops only being done if Safety Cars are deployed.

So with all those millions of pounds / Euros invested in tyre research, nothing has really changed, from that perspective.

Still, its kinda strange, considering the general consensus fairly recently, was that the drivers wanted harder-wearing tyres to allow them to race to the limit for longer. Still that seems to be the general direction Pirelli are heading, with the introduction of the Hypersoft compound this season. Maybe he'll get his wish?

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/907155/1/hamilton-wants-pirelli-end-ridiculous-onestop-f1-races


After hearing that the team bosses had arranged a get-together at Suzuka, ahead of the race, Chase Carey invited them to a meeting...apparently in an attempt to find out what they were talking about. Rumour has it they were trying to work out united agenda, to present to the owners of F1, in preparation for talks on the 2021 regulation changes.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/carey-meets-team-bosses-to-discuss-f1s-future/3190711/

Seems the teams are worried about overly-drastic changes being forced on them, in an attempt to end the regularly processional races, the dominance of just 2 or 3 teams and the financial inequality that perpetuates that dominance, leading to lack of competition on track. The meeting was possibly an attempt to forestall any major changes and protect their interests.

As I've said before, I sincerely hope Liberty and the FIA can force through some pretty drastic changes and are willing to tell teams that the door is always open if they wish to leave. F1 has been stagnating for far too long, thanks to the collective influence of the top works teams and their "close relationships" with the smaller teams, which ensures their compliance. To use a Trump-ism, this swamp needs to be drained.


As has been mentioned in the main race thread, they are also looking at tinkering with the qualifying format (yet again), now its dawned on them that the idiotic grid penalty system is making teams decide not to run, if their drivers are going to be starting from the back regardless of where they qualify.

Charlie Whiting has proposed an idea to the team...which I have to say makes no sense to me. See if you can figure out what he's on about.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-to-review-penalties-after-sochi-farce/

The Strategy Group also proposed adding a 4th stage to qualifying, in which 8 drivers would compete...but I fail to see how this would change anything. The teams with penalised drivers would still not run...or at least there would still be no reason for them to. I agree with Grosjean that, as usual, instead of tackling the actual problem (unrealistic penalties) they are simply messing around and making changes that will have zero effect...other than to make things even more unnecessarily complicated.

https://www.racefans.net/2018/10/04/grosjean-f1-focusing-real-problem/

Supposedly, Vietnam has been agreed for 2020

Hmm. Be interesting to see if they have to bus loads of spectators in for free, like they do in China.

Do we know if its going to be a street circuit or purpose-built?

Street circuit. Charlie Whiting confirmed the planned circuit was “to the west of Hanoi, about 12 km from the centre,” and would be “mainly on the streets” with “a section which is not yet built.”

Street circuits really suck. These modern cars are too big and the narrow tracks make it 60 laps of after you claude...

Agree with you there Nathaniel...just one more thing that is sucking the life out of F1 (while fleecing the host city out of huge sums of money, so they can host a fast, noisy procession).

Although I'm still hopeful that if they could force through major changes to the technical regs, to level the playing field & make wheel to wheel racing much easier, even street circuits could provide good spectacles.

BIG if though...