2023 Season

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Having seen the old car park venue at Caesar’s Palace what I will say is that F1 has raced at worse since.

This new venue they are using, I mean it’s a bit of a fast corner free zone. I think there is 1, perhaps 2 fast corners on the layout. I do think we will see a lot of locking up of brakes.

Completely agree with that, brakes and if the tires as predicted cool too much, caution laps to pull cars back from the barriers

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Hardly optimal time in Europe, Richard; that's 6 AM in the UK, and 7 AM in the rest of Europe; Sunday mornings are for sleeping in!

Haha. I think they are trying (maybe poorly) to make it fit. But those Sunday morning times are not far off of US viewing European races live!

Originally Posted by Guthrie

There are F1 fans all around the world and I think all the fans in various parts of the world have to watch the races at some weird times, especially those who live in Austalia.

Welcome to 10/10ths Guthrie!

Richard

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Richard C

Haha. I think they are trying (maybe poorly) to make it fit. But those Sunday morning times are not far off of US viewing European races live!


Richard

Who actually cares about you Yanks; it's us Europeans that matter!


( I don't mean it. Really)

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Who actually cares about you Yanks; it's us Europeans that matter!


( I don't mean it. Really)

'
Yanks don't know they're alive!
Its the Kiwi's and Aussies that get up at midnight to watch F1 in Europe at 1-2am in the morning....
When you do that then you know what enthusiasm is....

[Rusty Nail]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

'
Yanks don't know they're alive!
Its the Kiwi's and Aussies that get up at midnight to watch F1 in Europe at 1-2am in the morning....
When you do that then you know what enthusiasm is....

That be true and we do of course especially like to follow our Antipodean heroes Danny Ric, Piastri and for a short while Liam. Makes it all worthwhile.

Early evening for quali Sat and race Sun - absolute civilised luxury !

[Greem]

The casinos alongside TV will have dictated the start time. Can't have the strip shut down at maximum cash flow time, can we?

I for one am definitely not getting up at 0600 to watch this one. I'll watch it later with a nice fry-up and a large mug of lovely plain brown tea.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

ANY time on this Saturday or next would be IMPOSSIBLE for them to air. Well maybe on ESPN32 but sorry Saturdays from noon Eastern to 3ish am are booked up on ESPN. Fitting this race in before midnight wasn't likely, even the worst college game on Saturday will outdraw the race and ESPN has 30 college games on Saturday in their lineup. Saw they removed a couple late games to afternoon west coast to make it the race work on ESPN.

No, none of that matters in the grand scheme of world wide TV but if the purpose is to grow US audience Saturday afternoon on ABC/ESPN ain't happening late in the season and Sunday outside of pre-1300 is tough for a second weekend even though ESPN has the day free in their lineup but the NFL lurks huge. And LV is Pacific time so 3 hours behind EST, 8 hours from UK. And Vegas may function 24 hours but it's a 10am to 3 am city.

It will be interesting to see what the viewing figures are for the race.

[chillibowl]

Not to discount any of the previous reasons for why the Vegas race on Saturday (agreed avoiding the clash with college and pro football plus the need to show off the Vegas lights for all the instagrammers are the main issues), but I’m also curious about how much of it has to do with the logistics of getting to Abu Dhabi by their local time Thursday?

Seems odd that they would make this a back to back race. Fine this year now that the titles have long been settled…but if the championship was close/down to the last race you wouldn’t be doing the competing teams any favours with such a short turn around.

I guess money talks!

Anywho, I like the 6am races. Get to wake up early, watch the race while the family sleeps, and I don’t lose my afternoon.

[Mike Harte]

chilli, a two hour race in the afternoon is a really good excuse to doze off, and now you are going to miss that opportunity!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

chilli, a two hour race in the afternoon is a really good excuse to doze off, and now you are going to miss that opportunity!

haha true true but hard to sleep with crofty yelling at me the whole time!

i cant even imagine how much louder he is going to be at Vegas o'clock!

[Richard C]

We really need the Vegas thread started. I just watched some of the opening ceremony for the GP live streamed on YouTube. I was mostly impressed. I think they should have had the drivers on for longer and featured them a bit more. But overall it was interesting and was surprised by the number of performers. The best comparison is that it was very much like a NFL Superbowl halftime show, but maybe more.

I expect it will be a love/hate thing for many. I can imagine many who have been watching F1 for a long time will struggle with this. That it may be just too different. They are likely to roll their eyes and mutter "Americans" under their breath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNnim_mZlBM

They may replace that video to cut out the first 14 minutes of the live stream in which nothing happens.

Richard

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Richard C

I expect it will be a love/hate thing for many. I can imagine many who have been watching F1 for a long time will struggle with this. That it may be just too different. They are likely to roll their eyes and mutter "Americans" under their breath.

I would say - why not do something different? A lot of venues have their own unique 'quirks' so why shouldn't Vegas also be able to do something a bit different.

If it is fine for Monaco to have the post-race podium and Parc Fermé for the first three cars on the start/finish straight;
If it is fine for Mexico to move to the baseball stands for the podium celebration;
Then why not have something different at other venues?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Richard C

I expect it will be a love/hate thing for many. I can imagine many who have been watching F1 for a long time will struggle with this. That it may be just too different. They are likely to roll their eyes and mutter "Americans" under their breath.

Richard

According to the BBC, Verstappen was totally unimpressed with the whole pizzazz of the "show"; sort of "I'm only here to race, not glad hand all and sundry". Meanwhile Hamilton put on his best PR hat and only had good things to say, while Ricciardo said it was "cool".

Alonso and Stroll jnr didn't attend the special official "Meet the drivers" which was staged for the benefit of the high-rollers and Stroll senior had to deputise for them.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

According to the BBC, Verstappen was totally unimpressed with the whole pizzazz of the "show"; sort of "I'm only here to race, not glad hand all and sundry". Meanwhile Hamilton put on his best PR hat and only had good things to say, while Ricciardo said it was "cool".

Alonso and Stroll jnr didn't attend the special official "Meet the drivers" which was staged for the benefit of the high-rollers and Stroll senior had to deputise for them.

I totally get Max's perspective. He just wants to drive. For others, they may enjoy being the center of attention. I can imagine anyone who had a desire in their youth to be a rock star, that it would have been fun to be part of that opening.

Richard

[Skam85]

Nah I'm all about it, it might come across as completely extra and totally cringe but I love it. It was fantastic. Something different.

[Born Racer]

Abu Dhabi is going to seem staid after this.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Abu Dhabi is going to seem staid after this.

With so many races in a season, any race will seem somewhat staid after the WDC has been decided.

[Mike Harte]

Is Verstappen's winning margin the largest in the history of modern F1, taking in to account that this year's series was greater than previously in days gone by?