2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah, March 17 - 19

[mendis]

All being ‘normal’ this weekend and max being on the front row, what do people think he would have pulled on the others race pace wise? I heard F1TV boys saying the RB’s were a second ahead of Alonso and that was with Max coming through the field.

At the minute, I’d say the RB is a easy second faster than anyone else in race trim.

With RBR being the favorite, what F1 fans can really hope for now is Perez and Max to have a close fight for as long as possible.

1 Win, 1 second place and 1 pole each (max has 1 extra point for 1 fastest lap).
RBR = 2 perfect weekends of 1-2 finish

Max has been very consistent throughout last season, while Sergio was hits-and-misses.
I think we are likely to see the same this year.

Agree. Very much the same this year. I think this year however the RB19 has the edge on anyone else, at the moment.

This is Perez season to throw away I think, especially 2nd place. I think Max will be comfortable in the lead, and likely smash new records/points this season given the extra races.

This is Perez 3.0.

He has signed a deal with the heavens that he will fade on regular race tracks, so long as he gets lucky on street tracks.

[Chuckjr]

The safety car was unnecessary.
Surprised how long it took Max to overtake the field before the safety car.
Ham seems tired / unmotivated. He shouldn’t have given up on George so quickly. He had mediums. Maybe he’s intimidated. He can’t seem to beat the guy. Sad.
Impressive drive from Checo. He earned this one.
RB have big speed advantage 1+ seconds in race trim.
If AM can find a half to 3/4 second on RB, Fred may be able to challenge for wins on merit, but that’s a big ask.
Ferrari...wow. Just wow. Shameful.
Williams is impressive down the straights.
Macca is nowhere on their way to lostville in a car called f*#k story.
Piastri impressed me. He’s very good.

George continues the Lewis beat down.
Fred continues the Lance beat down.
Checo puts a stop to the Max beat down. Nice.

[DChemTech]

So... Alonso has p3 back again?
Race control really puts themselves in the spotlight again this week. If there is no natural drama, be self sacrificial and create some.

[Bandit1216]

So... Alonso has p3 back again?
Race control really puts themselves in the spotlight again this week. If there is no natural drama, be self sacrificial and create some.

Seems so yes

[CHT]

With RBR being the favorite, what F1 fans can really hope for now is Perez and Max to have a close fight for as long as possible.

1 Win, 1 second place and 1 pole each (max has 1 extra point for 1 fastest lap).
RBR = 2 perfect weekends of 1-2 finish

Max has been very consistent throughout last season, while Sergio was hits-and-misses.
I think we are likely to see the same this year.

Agree. Very much the same this year. I think this year however the RB19 has the edge on anyone else, at the moment.

This is Perez season to throw away I think, especially 2nd place. I think Max will be comfortable in the lead, and likely smash new records/points this season given the extra races.

This is Perez 3.0.

He has signed a deal with the heavens that he will fade on regular race tracks, so long as he gets lucky on street tracks.

Perez is 33, and a father of 3.

Finishing his F1 career at RBR with regular podiums and occasional wins will be the highlight of his career.
In 2022, Sergio managed 2 wins and 1 pole, I think he should be able to do better this year.

Do you think Hamilton will trade seats with Perez to be No. 2 if he chooses to leave RBR tomorrow?

[Bill]

what does working on the car real mean ,putting a jack underneath a car before countdown is not working on it.some of these f1 rules are ridiculous

[toraabe]

So... Alonso has p3 back again?
Race control really puts themselves in the spotlight again this week. If there is no natural drama, be self sacrificial and create some.

Someone used something called braincells

[CHT]

So... Alonso has p3 back again?
Race control really puts themselves in the spotlight again this week. If there is no natural drama, be self sacrificial and create some.

Someone used something called braincells

These are legal council's talking, not suitable for normal human consumption

[basti313]

Aston Martin expressed their right to review the 10s penalty for Alonso and the penalty was over turned (rightfully in my opinion) meaning that Alonso keeps his 3rd position.

I do however think there needs to be clearer rules regarding this.

Well.....is this the issue?

From the FIA document:
In support of the Petition for Review, the Stewards were shown minutes of the latest SAC meeting
and video evidence of 7 different instances where cars were touched by the jack while serving a
similar penalty to the one imposed on Car 14 without being penalized.

It was quite clear. The issue here was:
One team saw it and was all over the radio two laps before race end with ROC.

The Stewards were informed that both race control and ROC had
determined that the penalty had been properly served. The stewards did not examine
the matter further thereafter.
Subsequently, at the last lap of the race, the Stewards received a report from race
control

This was Merc vs. RedBull 2021 all over again...with only the difference that we do not hear it anymore when they talk to Masi.

I think there should be no ‘addressing the car’ when it pulls up for its penalty. Therefore all the mechanics shouldn’t be able to move from the positions they start at when the car is about to be driven into the pit box.

Yes, there should be a clarification that they need to have a visible distance, no leaning over the car. The current touch or not is not good.

Only other method is to make any ‘minor’ penalties 5-10second added onto the total race time rather than served in the pit lane, with the exception of drive through or stop-go penalties.

No, that would not be good. It would simply be boring with cars just hanging out behind in the end or driving against the clock.

Solid race from Russell. I was half expecting Lewis to take him on the medium tyre Vs Russell on the hards, but only 2-3 laps of threat then Lewis dropped right back off. I guess this was tyre preservation with him being on the medium.

I think the tire just overheated. Remember the team radios last race. This track is certainly nicer to the tires, but we saw the same effect all over the field with: Leclerc, Hulk, Sargeant...everyone could follow several laps and then dropped back.

Plenty of action in the lower midfield - probably kept the race alive and exciting.

Hmmm...a few laps after the SC I started to watch in fast forward as I was out for dinner and had to record the race.

[DGP123]

Hmmm...a few laps after the SC I started to watch in fast forward as I was out for dinner and had to record the race.

You didn’t miss much. In fact, both races have been total snoozefests.

[n_anirudh]

A few hours after the race, however, the FIA announced that it had changed its mind because Aston Martin said that no such agreement was in place among teams.

A statement said: "Having reviewed the new evidence, we concluded that there was no clear agreement, as was suggested to the Stewards previously, that could be relied upon to determine that parties had agreed that a jack touching a car would amount to working on the car, without more.

“In the circumstances, we considered that our original decision to impose a penalty on Car 14 needed to be reversed and we did so accordingly.

I find these problematic - how can the stewards adjudicate on something not in their rule book? Any agreement by teams is immaterial if it is not in the sporting regs.

"...as suggested to stewards" - This implies that an external input to the stewards. So a penalty was imposed by a mere suggestion?

FIA has agreed to review the rules, hope this matter is resolved.

[Sevach]

I'd like to see a race control that isn't so eager to press the SC button in the future, that looked like a situation for waved yellows, i complained about this last year and here it happens again.
It's almost like they enjoy doing a little "reshuffling".

[chrisc90]

I'd like to see a race control that isn't so eager to press the SC button in the future, that looked like a situation for waved yellows, i complained about this last year and here it happens again.
It's almost like they enjoy doing a little "reshuffling".

I immediately thought they did it to get the pack back together to make for some more exciting racing.

[Sevach]

I'd like to see a race control that isn't so eager to press the SC button in the future, that looked like a situation for waved yellows, i complained about this last year and here it happens again.
It's almost like they enjoy doing a little "reshuffling".

I immediately thought they did it to get the pack back together to make for some more exciting racing.

Yup.
Backfired too, Verstappen having to close the gap to Russel and Alonso would've kept the "suspense" for longer.

[DGP123]

I'd like to see a race control that isn't so eager to press the SC button in the future, that looked like a situation for waved yellows, i complained about this last year and here it happens again.
It's almost like they enjoy doing a little "reshuffling".

I immediately thought they did it to get the pack back together to make for some more exciting racing.

This has been happening for some time. It’s for the show, and to produce entertainment.