Formula 1 Discussion

July 14, 2025, 02:25 PM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by Ripley:
A disappointing development. I know zero specifics, how does F1 think this would extend their reach? Seems like it would serve Apple a lot better than F1.

The opposite of Andretti F1

Instead of F1 adding more to Andretti than Andretti adds to F1.
Hoping they keep their hands off F1TV. Is AppleTV available 'everywhere' internationally? Would be curious if more international reach keeps F1TV going.

July 14, 2025, 02:50 PM

220-9er

F1-TV is $85 a year.
Apple TV is $120 a year.
I'm not so worried about the $35 extra but would like to have the British based commentary.
We'll have to see how this develops. My guess is they will try to make it where you have to use Apple, at least in countries like the US.

July 14, 2025, 03:03 PM

DanH

That F1TV price is without 4K or all the optional live cameras during the race. Add that in and we're back to $120 a year.

July 14, 2025, 03:06 PM

Georgeair

When I saw this I read it as US rights only for now. But, of course, in the continuing efforts of Apple to take over the world I'm sure they would love to expand that into other countries. As a shareholder I support this. As a fan, unsure.

If it's $150MM for just US rights, once they get real traction and are paying for other streams that could be, in words of Dry Eye in The Gentlemen, a LOT of money for F1.

July 15, 2025, 07:14 PM

.38supersig

quote:
Originally posted by Ripley:
A disappointing development. I know zero specifics, how does F1 think this would extend their reach? Seems like it would serve Apple a lot better than F1.

Yeah...

I was watching F1 before the Netflix series, before the movie or any of the third party productions.

If it becomes an AppleTV exclusive, I have no plans to subscribe to watch anything.

Maybe they will look at the dismal ratings that other sports have when they cut to streaming only services?

Na! Seems like just any big ol' wad of cash will do.

July 18, 2025, 10:16 AM

P250UA5

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/...e-a-sniper/10742971/

quote:

Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas has revealed that he trained to be a sniper during his mandatory military service between 2008 and 2009.

Talking to the Red Flags Podcast, the 10-time race winner explained to its hosts - including former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner - what his time in the military looked like.

"You cheaped out," Steiner joked when Bottas mentioned he had "only got to do six" months of mandatory military service.

"Because I was racing," the driver responded. "But in six months of Finnish winter, I became a sniper. Yeah, oh you know, like a... I don't think 'scout' is the right word, but the one who goes behind or in between the enemy."

Steiner continued to push on the subject, asking whether he would be asked to return. "They could, that's why..." Bottas began, before Steiner playfully finished the sentence: "You're not going back to Finland?"

"Yeah," Bottas laughed. "I was a good shot. That's why they made me kind of a sniper."

Conscription for men in Finland is mandatory for those over the age of 18. Taking place at the Finnish Defence Forces Sports School in Lahti, in the short time Bottas spent in the military, he rose to the role of lance corporal.

“Looking back at it, it was actually fun," he said, speaking to People.com. "But for sure, sometimes when I was there, it was not so much fun. Like when you're tired and sleeping in the freezing cold forest for two weeks.

“But to me, it makes a boy a man. That is kind of the transition for many people and to me, it did exactly that. You definitely learn resilience. You learn a lot about teamwork. Because you need to work as a team when you're in extreme conditions or situations.

“You learn self-discipline for sure. And respect, in a way, for everything. That time also made the small things in life feel more serious. Like having a warm and soft bed after some of the camps was a luxury.”

Soon after his time in military service, Bottas made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2013 before eventually moving to Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton, replacing Nico Rosberg in 2017.

July 26, 2025, 07:11 PM

220-9er

Rain, possibly lots, predicted tomorrow for the Spa race.
Beautiful place with incredible history.

July 27, 2025, 08:53 AM

DanH

Welcome back to 2022. F3 was able to race, F2 was able to race, but F1 can't.

July 27, 2025, 11:18 AM

DanH

Hopefully 2026 fixes this because Spa is too good of a track to just have a parade. After the track dried out a little and everyone got on dry tires, the only person doing anything was Hamilton driving himself into the points.

July 27, 2025, 11:34 AM

220-9er

Hamilton did make some great moves but his big gain was pitting a lap earlier than everyone in front of him.

Many of the people who might have done better took themselves out by adding downforce for the rain. Without running until intermediates were almost too hard, it took the usual early lap chaos out of the equation.

Pirelli's idea about making the tire compounds more different needs a bit more testing.
I like the idea but it was too conservative to make a difference.

Lando's slow pit stop and then a couple of mistakes made the race for first a non-event.

July 28, 2025, 09:09 AM

ChuckFinley

Agree a 1 on a 10 scale race.

_________________________
NRA Endowment Member
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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C.S. Lewis

July 28, 2025, 09:46 AM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by ChuckFinley:
Agree a 1 on a 10 scale race.

As a whole, not great.
The early wet laps & initial transition to slicks wasn't bad.

Really a bummer, Spa is in my top 3 or so of F1 circuits.

Really don't see the point of the Full Wet tire, if they just red flag the race when it would be used. Why waste the $ on them if they just sit in the garage & never get any use.

July 28, 2025, 10:00 AM

Georgeair

Nico Rosberg is a little smarmy-prick-ish to me, but wow, him lighting up Jos on the grid!

July 28, 2025, 10:51 AM

DanH

quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
Really don't see the point of the Full Wet tire, if they just red flag the race when it would be used. Why waste the $ on them if they just sit in the garage & never get any use.

I don't understand why the FIA doesn't limit the amount of downforce on F1 cars like it does for Hypercars. You have X kg of downforce you can use and no more. Figure out where you want to put it.

July 28, 2025, 02:40 PM

220-9er

As much as I like Spa, it may be time to put a little more challenge into Eau Rouge so it's an actual corner.
Not a chicane, they're a terrible idea, but a real corner or two so it's not just an easy flat out kink.
That one corner seems to be what they are most scared of when it rains, due to recent history.
I agree with the rain tire issue too. Maybe make the intermediate softer so it can't last so long on a drying track and just skip the full wet if they won't race in those conditions.