The jack guy, works 3.5 minutes per year

From this Dec 2023 article: 150k/yr, $3k/race, $500 race win bonus
Assuming 'Stabilizer' is the 2 guys that literally stop the car rocking L/R while on the jacks, I'd say that's an even easier job.
Front jack man still has to worry about taking a hit 'to the plums' as TGUK would put it.
https://formulapedia.com/f1-pit-crew-salary/

Obviously, that's only what the viewers see they do during the race. They don't see these people repairing the car through the night when the overpaid drivers crash into a wall.

True, but for 150k, I'd consider it, apart from the having a family & being gone for about 8 months a year.

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104567...woes-explained

MB still porpoising their way around the track.

Ummm

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...7TVDLhfythuOzg

Albon crashes his only car, so he's taking over Sargent's car for the rest of the weekend. Williams doesn't have a third backup car.


What happened to the good old days when each driver had a backup? F1 has gotten too expensive for its own good.

^ it's been awhile since a team had two spare cars (80's?) but I agree I'm amazed there wasn't even one spare Williams car, most teams bring a spare tub but not sure what the extent of Albon's crash damage was.

ehh Sargent wasn't going to use it anyway...

Using Excel to manage the parts with Williams car is astounding.
Difficult to believe but Williams was one of the first to use CAD/CAE S/W in the 80's (GE Calma)

Microsoft should become a Williams sponsor. :P

Vettel to test Penske Porsche 963

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/more...r-for-le-mans/

Looked like a brake check, telemetry was damming evidence

I don't agree with that. Even Russell said it was he lost control. Alonso slowed but it wasn't a brake check imo.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...iJqk4P7624Qkqu

So far, it's been Sainz 2 and Leclerc 0. Meanwhile, Hamilton flounders in the Mercedes compared to Russell.

Is this going to be Fred Vasseur's first major blunder as Ferrari team boss by replacing Sainz with Hamilton? I thought it was a very bizarre move, since Sainz was pretty much the equal of Leclerc in 2023, while Hamilton's been pretty unimpressive for the last few years. A real head scratcher.

^ Hamilton finished WDC 2023 #3 the best of the rest, ahead of Russell #8.

. . . . or it could be a master stroke IF Lewis joining the Scuderia gets Newey to join as chief designer as it suspected.

^ Unless the Max/Newey to the Aramco purchased Aston team rumor have any validity.

Another unlikely hypothetical.
Sainz pulls a D Hill, wins the WDC & loses his drive.

Not likely to happen. But it's definitely possible that Sainz finishes second in the WDC.

I'd like to see Sainz return to the Red Bull fold. There's no way Perez will return to Red Bull next year.

He doesn't deserve that seat any longer.

If this rumor is true, Perez already extended his deal:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...arlos-Sainz-F1

But I agree - Perez doesn't deserve that seat. I want to see Alonso or Carlos in it.

I don't believe anything that Peter Windsor says.

Til it's posted directly by the team or by F1 press release, it didn't happen.
Though, looking at Alpine/Piastri maybe that's not a reliable metric either.

Got some 3rd party F1 news 'alert' on my phone via Google that DR was on a 3 race limit to improve performance or Lawson is in the car. I give that about 10% likelihood, based on the source. Not unfathomable, but doesn't seem super likely.

There were a few outlets making a big deal about DR sitting out FP1 in Japan. It's a bit of a stretch, but where there's smoke....

I still like him as a person, but I don't think he deserves his seat either.

Drivers I'd like to see move on:
- DR
- Stroll
- Sargent
- Perez
- Bottas
- Ocon (I just don't like him )
- KMag
- Hulk

There's too much young talent being wasted away while these "old" guys are too busy sucking.

Can't say I fully disagree with that list.
I'm a Bottas fan, but the results haven't been there. Unsure if that's more on not having a car that is competitive enough, or the driver.
Other side of that card, are there enough F2/otherwise qualified drivers that are F1 ready?
Lawson put in a good sub last season, but I'm not sure you can fill almost half the grid [without looking at current contract expirations].

Might as well throw out my list in this down week:

• Perez
• Hamilton
• Stroll
• Tsunoda
• Bottas
• Ricciardo
• Magnussen
• Sargeant

Some on my list are doing okay, but I just don't like them (Tsunoda and Hamilton). :P

FWIW last time Ferrari took 1-2 and McLaren took 3-4 at a race was 17 years ago at the 2007 Belgium Grand Prix, of the four drivers two are still racing Alonso and Hamilton.

Is it just me or has silly season become pretty much every headline related to F1?

In the last week I've seen reports that Papa Stroll may sell AM outright to Aramco. And that they're interested in bringing in Max. And they've apparently offered a massive contract to Newey.

Journalists have to find something to talk about besides the on-track action because Red Bull is dominating.

Livery for Japanese Grand Prix by MILTZ.

Stroll for sure is wasted space.

I think with Honda taking over AM, that is an ideal place for Max & Newey.

Pretty entertaining race (if you ignore the Red Bulls). The different tyre strategies were interesting.

Suzuka

Love the track. I thought this race was boring as hell though.

It had some flashes of excitement & some pretty good overtakes. Bottas took a few at T1, Perez through 130R & Stroll making the inside line just before Dunlop.
Some mixed tire strategies, too, with MB not making the right call.