Formula One

[Capetonian]

I am glad to see that 6 F1 operators of high speed computerised cars refused to kneel down 'for BLM' to the request by the childish petulant Hamilton.

Those who stood up for freedom were Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Daniil Kvyat, Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi. No doubt they will now be labelled as 'racist' for taking a neutral stance.

[Ibbie]

They are no doubt off Hamilton's Christmas card list, as I take it are yesterday's stewards for punishing Hamilton. It was time a set of stewards stood up to him.

Super!, Smashing! Great!.

[1DC]

Hamilton says he didn't ask anyone to take a knee, it was Vettel and Grosjean who suggested it. He says..

[Boac]

It was time a set of stewards stood up to him.

Of course, penalising RB an Austria would be like penalising Ferrari at Monza.

[Seenenough]

I am not sure what to think about Alonso going back to Renault.

[Wodrick]

From "Autosport"

Double world champion Fernando Alonso will make his return to Formula 1 in 2021 with Renault, with the team announcing his two-year deal on Wednesday.

Rumours surfaced during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend of Alonso's return to F1 with Renault, with Autosport sources confirming the claims on Tuesday.

The Spaniard, who won his only world titles for Renault in 2005 and 2006, last raced in F1 at the end of 2018 when he decided that F1 was no longer an attractive option for him.

Alonso will take the place of Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has signed to join McLaren as replacement for the Ferrari-bound Carlos Sainz Jr., who is taking the seat vacated by four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel.

Alonso's team-mate next year will be Esteban Ocon, who returns to F1 this season after a year out in 2019.

His return to Renault will be his third spell at the team.

Commenting on his return, Alonso said: "Renault is my family, my fondest memories in Formula One with my two world championship titles, but I'm now looking ahead.

"It's a great source of pride and with an immense emotion I'm returning to the team that gave me my chance at the start of my career and which now gives me the opportunity to return to the highest level.

"I have principles and ambitions in line with the team's project.

"Their progress this winter gives credibility to the objectives for the 2022 season and I will share all my racing experience with everyone from the engineers to the mechanics and my team-mates.

"The team wants and has the means to get back on the podium, as do I."

Alonso originally joined the outfit as a test driver in 2002, before being promoted to a race seat the following year.

He won his first grand prix for the team in Hungary in 2003 and was central to its most successful campaigns in 2005 and 2006.

Following his title successes, Alonso quit to join McLaren in 2007 but his relationship there turned sour and he returned to Renault for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Wod considers a mistake for both parties

[Seenenough]

"Wod considers a mistake for both parties"

I'm thinking the same but that said ,it would be nice to see him going wheel to wheel and winning again.

[Wodrick]

It would, not likely though is it. A chaotic wet race perhaps.

[Seenenough]

It would, not likely though is it. A chaotic wet race perhaps.

I dont think the money matters to him.It seems from the comments that Renault have something planned for 2022 so I assume he has signed for 2 years.

But thinking back ,Honda-McClaren and Ferrari made big promises to him but neither lived up to it.When Schumacher came back from retirement to MB it always seemed to me that he never fitted back into F1.

I think Alonso would have done better to try Indy Car for a whole season where things are much more equal between the teams.I look forward to his run in the 500 this year.

[llondel]

It would, not likely though is it. A chaotic wet race perhaps.

He'd be taking on Hamilton if it was raining, that is one part of F1 where Hamilton is very good, shows his skill as a driver rather than just the one with the most powerful car.

[Wodrick]

I said chaotic, both mercs and verstapen are out after a first corner incident

[Seenenough]

It is likely that Kvyat's time in F1 will come to an end as it seems Red Bull want Vettel back.The only way that can happen is for Albon to go back to Alpha Tauri as I believe they would retain Albon before Kvyat.

[OFSO]

Raining so hard in Austria that RTL journos interviewing each other, including flying two photo choppers side by side for a chat. 40 minutes into qualifying and not a F-1 car in sight.

Correction - 16:00 - now all out on track. Evil weather....

[G-CPTN]

I do not see the point of running quali in such unsettled conditions (Q1) - it means that it is a sheer lottery.

Might as well allocate starting positions randomly.

Once the conditions stabilised (Q2 and Q3) the skill of the drivers came to the fore.

[OFSO]

Qualifying made NASCAR look interesting.

[G-CPTN]

Well that was an exciting start for Ferrari.

[tango15]

Well that was an exciting start for Ferrari.

...and Vettel is in the clear. Meeting without cafe and pain chocolat for Leclerc, whose statement sounds extremely contrite.

[Wodrick]

From "Autosport"

Renault has lodged a formal protest against both Racing Point Formula 1 cars following Sunday's Styrian Grand Prix.

It comes amid concerns from Renault over a possible breach by Racing Point of F1's ban on customer cars and shared parts over the similarities between the Racing Point RP20 and Mercedes' 2019 title-winning W10.

Renault is known to have been considering a protest against Racing Point for some time over the matter, but opted against doing so in the first Red Bull Ring race last weekend.

Racing Point put in an impressive display at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday as Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll finished sixth and seventh respectively, beating Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to eighth at the line.

But Renault has now launched an official protest against both Racing Point cars, confirmed by the stewards in a bulletin on Sunday evening.

The stewards' report confirmed there was a "protest lodged by Renault DP World F1 Team, alleged breach of Art. 2.1, 3.2, Appendix 6 Paragraph 1, 2(a) and 2(c) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations 2020 during the Race."

The early articles stress that all competitors must ensure their cars are fully eligible to enter the championship, something Renault is protesting Racing Point is in breach of.

The cited articles in Appendix 6 of the sporting regulations read that: "A competitor shall, in respect of the Listed Parts to be used in its cars in Formula One, only use Listed Parts which are designed by it."

"The obligation to design and use Listed Parts shall not prevent a competitor from Outsourcing the design and/or manufacture of any Listed Parts to a third party (including an Associate of such competitor) provided that:

"It retains the exclusive right to use the Listed Parts in Formula One so long as it competes in Formula One.

"In the case of the Outsourcing of design, such third party shall not be a competitor or a party that directly or indirectly designs Listed Parts for any competitor."

Racing Point has been open in its plan to base the design of the RP20 car on last year's Mercedes, and took a number of listed parts from Mercedes as part of their technical collaboration.

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has regularly referred to Racing Point's car as "last year's Mercedes", but said in Austria last week there were "no grounds" on which to submit a protest.

A short statement from Renault reads: "We confirm that Renault DP World F1 Team has submitted a request to the Stewards of the Event for clarification on the legality of the Racing Point RP20.

"We have no further comment on this matter until the Stewards have arrived at a decision."

[G-CPTN]

So, Racing Point have built a better vehicle than Renault?

[ian16th]

So, Racing Point have built a better vehicle than Renault?

The frog's don't like that.
Look what they did when Lotus won the Index of Performance at le Mans.