Formula 1

[Captroop]

Ended up at a business dinner with a couple of Formula 1 fans last Friday, and they urged me to watch Drive to Survive on Netflix to get into it. Gotta say, it's pretty compelling. I definitely will be following along this season to get me through the Spring and Summer doldrums until Football season rolls around. 

The 2022 season starts this weekend in Bahrain, so will anyone else be watching the race Sunday? If so, who's your team and who's your driver?

[Anybodyhome]

I watch occasionally and the end of last season was a train wreck from a rules perspective.

I'm a McClaren guy with Ricciardo and Lando Norris.

[Happy Panther]

I watched. I don’t have a driver yet but if HAAS is going to be competitive I might follow them.

[Anybodyhome]

18 hours ago, Happy Panther said:

I watched. I don’t have a driver yet but if HAAS is going to be competitive I might follow them.

Haas will be competitive, no worries there. They have some bugs to work out with the cars, but Kevin Magnussen and Schumacher are both pretty decent drivers.

[Captroop]

Can't believe Magnussen was unemployed a couple of weeks ago, to a P-5 yesterday. He's definitely one of the drivers I'll always root for; him and Ricciardo. How can you not like that guy?

Overall, I think I'm a Sainz guy. I liked him in DTS season 1 at Renault, and S2 at McLaren. And him being on Ferrari, and his finish yesterday makes it pretty easy to be a fan.

But what a race! That clutch safety car made the last 8 laps insanely competitive.

[NanuqoftheNorth]

For those with an interest in F1 Netflix has a great series (four seasons so far).  Fantastic race day photography, with a look behind the scenes into the team politics and personal journeys of these drivers.

  

[Captroop]

30 minutes ago, NanuqoftheNorth said:

For those with an interest in F1 Netflix has a great series (four seasons so far).  Fantastic race day photography, with a look behind the scenes into the team politics and personal journeys of these drivers.

  

Watched an interview with the drivers for their reaction to DTS, and not surprisingly, you must take it with a huge grain of salt. At the end of the day, it's dramatic television show.

I think it's a great way to get an introduction to the sport, and learn about the drivers and teams, and the unique challenges they all face, and their different versions of what success means to them. But the drivers were pretty consistently saying was, "We're grateful to the show bringing more attention to the sport, and getting Americans interested, but it's almost entirely bullshit. They re-contextualize everything and try to manufacture drama and rivalries where none exist." Max Verstappen in particular refuses to take part now.

It made me sad the show is made for American audiences. I long to see the non-existent European version of Drive to Survive that's more documentary. Kind of like if you ever watched the U.S. and U.K. versions of "Kitchen Nightmares." If not, this sums up the differences eloquently.

https://screenrant.com/kitchen-nigthmare-us-vs-uk/

[Happy Panther]

Schumacher took a huge hit and is airlifted to a hospital. TIL that they (generally) don't do backup cars and drivers in f1 anymore.

 

[NanuqoftheNorth]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:20 PM, Captroop said:

Max Verstappen in particular refuses to take part now.

That's not surprising considering how he is portrayed in the series.  Not sure that "Drive to Survive" missed the mark by much on Max.  Especially considering how last season played out between him and Lewis Hamilton.

[Carl Spackler]

I’ve watched F1 since the 1990s. I loathe DTS but it opens up the sport to a new set of eyes, which isn’t bad. 

[PanthersATL]

Not an F1 fan (but I know people who are).   I mean, I've watched races occasionally - but I'm not making any appointment watching for any of the lineups.

Except for the recently announced Vegas race, taking place on Thanksgiving saturday this year.  The course looks insane, running down the Strip from the Palazzo/Wynn down to Planet Hollywood, then east around them back to the Wynn.  At night.

Yeah, I'm watching that one.

[GEM]

I don't think many people know that Haas is headquartered in Kannapolis NC. The NASCAR building next door is incredible and is fun to visit, if you like motor sports. I do,the sounds make my blood pump more.

[CanadianCat]

I ONLY got into F1 through Drive to survive. Now Ive watched the last 3 seasons and really enjoy it. This year is great. The new league year is a lot more competitive.