F1 2026: Australian GP - Melbourne (Mar 8)

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Considering all the Ford battery problems in the RB22 : It's a true miracle that MAX finished P6 moving up from P20 (!)

#UnLeashTheLion (!)

Should use my Varta AGM battery, it's been kosher from when the car was new in 2013 !!!

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Wolff is a villain .

That's why I miss Christian Horner, the perfect foil to Toto Wolff. .

[M5Rick]

Crumbs...it's time for my porridge..forgot I was in bed

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

That's why I miss Christian Horner, the perfect foil to Toto Wolff. .

I would love to see these two in a challenge boxing ring with Suzie and Spice cheering them on

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by afadeev

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal
"With regards to our strategy, we decided not to pit under the VSC, as we were focused on our optimal strategy. It is what it is and now we are focussing on the next race."

They're Back!!!!

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

That's why I miss Christian Horner, the perfect foil to Toto Wolff. .

Yeah . I miss the fights from Horner vs Wolff too (!)

The Frenchman Laurent Mekies is too kind

[Car-Addicted]

Woo Hoo

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

Woo Hoo

I'll be cheering for MAX but not the car, sorry

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Car-Addicted

They're Back!!!!

Attachment 3918651

They have 50/50 batteries in their back packs

[tracksidemanner]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Wolff is a villain .

I think he's corrupt if you want my opinion. He would enjoy winning if MB had the only two cars on track racing. In due time, this sport is likely to become a spec series, or at least much closer.
2022 through 2025 were historically the most competitive landscape of F1 we've witnessed. The racing was close, and the driver made the difference in those years. Now, we simply have a video game like application and the racing generally looks pretty horrific.

[Toad]

Originally Posted by tracksidemanner

2022 through 2025 were historically the most competitive landscape of F1 we've witnessed.

.

[Toad]

BTW can we get some more Max glazing in here cuz it's not enough

[3798j]

“Of course the overtakes were fun but I’m also racing cars that are two seconds slower so for me it’s just clearing the traffic." - - - Max Verstappen
Reality..."clearing traffic" is a WEC term to describe overtakes (not passes) of lower (slower) classes.
https://www.racefans.net/2026/03/08/...ce-verstappen/

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I'll be cheering for MAX but not the car, sorry

Turn up the sound and listen how the 2026 F1 cars sound like => https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank...1roy3t9/sound/

[omgzirra_exe]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

About 5 hours to re-charge from home socket with the power consumption gauge not far from the red for just 30 miles of gas free running is not worth it.

The other problem is I live in an apartment that already has limited charging options.

And my gov building ironically has zero chargers, even though the majority of employees drive Teslas lol.

So I will probably start looking for a G12 Alpina B7, or if my wife really wants it, the 2026 Mini JCW. Those two cars are obviously on completely different ends of the spectrum in terms of needs vs wants. TBH there are a lot of things we want. For example, I would love a properly spec’d G05 for towing, but those are hard to find. Covid era cars lol. A lot of poorly spec’d ones out there because of that.

She likes the Mini Cooper, but I also feel like we should have some contrast in the stable with a land yacht that is comfortable and cruises well. Although the Mini JCW with the B48 and DCT does sound like it would be pretty fun.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by tracksidemanner

2022 through 2025 were historically the most competitive landscape of F1 we've witnessed. The racing was close, and the driver made the difference in those years.

You are kidding, right?

Those were the years RB/Honda got ground-effects aerodynamics and hybrid engine specs just right and dominated the series. Championships were a snooze fest. I'm sure it was fun for those cheering for RB, but the rest of the series - not so much.
In 2022, RB won 17 out of 22 races.
In 2023, RB won 23 out of 24 races - the most dominant and boring F1 season ever. RB was upfront, and a bunch of cars were queueing in a DRS train somewhere back.

Stevie Wonder would have won F1 championship in a RB in 2023!

Originally Posted by tracksidemanner

Now, we simply have a video game like application and the racing generally looks pretty horrific.

I certainly appreciate on-track racing and passing way more in 2026 then under the previous generation of the regs. Ferrari are pretty close to Mercedes. McLaren and RB are close and likely to improve and fight for podiums. Audi is doing great it its first year in the sport. Caddy and AM, not so much. Lots of surprises in the mid-pack.

Bunch of teams (RB, RacingBs) got warm-up lap all wrong and had a poor start with empty batteries. They will learn not to repeat the same mistake in China.

FIA might tweak charging limits after China to make it even more spicy, but notwithstanding bitching and moaning by some slow-to-adopt Dutch driver, so far it's been a far better on-track spectacle than in the prior years!

Originally Posted by omgzirra_exe

the other problem is, i live in an apt that has limited charging options anyways.

You do NOT want an EV or plug-in hybrid if you don't have access to charging at home. It makes no financial sense - commercial EV chargers (e.g.: Tesla, EVgo) mark-up cost of electricity at 5x-10x rate, making them financially not attractive.

EVs provide 4x-5x per mile cost advantage for home-owners/renters in the US.

a

[omgzirra_exe]

Originally Posted by afadeev

You do NOT want an EV or plug-in hybrid if you don't have access to charging at home. It makes no financial sense - commercial EV chargers (e.g.: Tesla, EVgo) mark-up cost of electricity at 5x-10x rate, making them financially not attractive.

EVs provide 4x-5x per mile cost advantage for home-owners/renters in the US.

a

I live in Irvine (SoCal, notorious for Tesla's), so we actually have a ton of chargers around here. My gym alone has a large charging lot and it’s only about a mile from my apartment.

That said, I’m more of a plug-in hybrid person anyway. I probably wouldn’t lease a full EV unless I had a garage or a house where I could charge at home.

Charging logistics here aren’t really a big deal for me, luckily.

Although I wouldn’t mind having a Fiat 500e again. Back when I leased one it was something like $65 a month and got around 55 miles of range or so. For that price it was honestly hard to beat.

And to be honest, I haven’t actually sat down and done the math yet. I probably should make an Excel sheet for it, like I did for tracking the operational cost of my M3 over the last 8 years.

Anyways back to F1, where the CH track thread at..

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yeah . I miss the fights from Horner vs Wolff too (!)

The Frenchman Laurent Mekies is too kind

If it came to it Laurent M would tell him to shove his 18 compression ratio where the sun don't shine, 'decage de ma vue, tete de pizza'

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Turn up the sound and listen how the 2026 F1 cars sound like => https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank...1roy3t9/sound/

https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank.../1rodhpb/epic/

[M3WC]

Formula Net Zero

[3798j]

Love it. Let's continue to keep Horner away and out of F1.
"In a fascinating development in terms of F1 politics, it appears Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, is leading a bid to buy Otro Capital’s 24 per cent stake in the Enstone team, the same stake Horner is known to be interested in."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-...rner-comeback/

[Car-Addicted]

Originally Posted by 3798j

Love it. Let's continue to keep Horner away and out of F1.

Here is one not embargoed
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...h-f1-team-bid/

We agree to disagree on that. Christian Horner is a major plus to the F1 paddock