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Piastri's First Win, Belgian GP Preview, Ocon Official

Matthew Bailey
July 26, 2024

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PLP Season 2 Edition 30

Race Weekend

Oi oi oi! I hate to say it, but we’re actually due for a boring race soon after this string of action packed bangers. But with 2.5 teams (sorry Checo) consistently fighting for wins (and maybe Ferrari turning things around?), It would take a couple blunders at the top for a driver to run away with one these days. Which is simply lovely. Enjoy this last one before the summer break, because we’ll have to wait four weeks until we return for the Dutch GP on August 25th. But don’t worry, we’ll still pop in your inbox every Friday during the break from racing action… because something tells me there won’t be a lack of news to ponder.

Here’s the schedule this weekend in E.S.T: (Eastern Spa Time? It’s also technically E.D.T right now but then the reference doesn’t work)

FP1: Friday, July 26th @ 7:30am
FP2: Friday, July 26th @ 11:00am
FP3: Saturday, July 27th @ 6:30am
Quali: Saturday, July 27th @ 10:00am
Grand Prix: Sunday, July 28th @ 9:00am

Quick Question!

It's actually getting tough to predict who will win these days... Who do you think takes P1 this weekend?

NOTE: Last Week’s Quiz

Last week’s quiz asked who broke their trophy at the 2023 Hungarian GP. While the intended answer was Lando Norris, he actually broke Max Verstappen’s trophy with his champagne pop - not his own. So if you answered Lando or Max, give yourself full credit. Shoutout to the reader who remembered this detail and pointed it out!

Hungarian GP Recap

🥇 PIA - 🥈 NOR - 🥉 HAM

DNF: GAS

Fastest Lap: RUS (May have placed a small wager on this and hit. Thanks Georgie!)

DoTD: PIA

Make it 7! Another new winner in 2024, and a maiden victory for a young driver who very quickly became a fan favorite - Australia’s own Oscar Piastri. It wasn’t without drama, as McLaren made the call to undercut him with their own driver, pitting Lando first for the last stint. Cue Lando’s race engineer trying his best to persuade him to give the place back as the laps ticked down. “Do the right thing.”

He did with 2 laps remaining after trying to prove he was the faster driver, where his conscience got the best of him. He later said “I know what Oscar’s done for me.” There’s been many times in the past where roles where reversed (granted not for P1). Oscar admitted the team order made him a bit nervous, but was taking it all in after the race. “It’s a hell of a lot of fun racing for McLaren, so I can’t thank them enough for giving me the opportunity to be in F1, and to be able to win together 18 months in is an incredible feeling.”

I don’t blame him for arguing to take the W, all drivers are selfish and will sometimes disobey team orders. While he was clearly heated in the cooldown room after the race (tossing the P2 hat on the floor), he later said he regretted clouding Oscar’s first win and should have given the place back earlier. But I would like to declare that this win is NOT clouded! Oscar got the better start and took the lead after turn 1 - leaving Lando 0 for 5 on maintaining P1 after starting on pole (though to be fair, this time he had a start glitch). Piastri drove great all race and deserved the win. Stinks that he seemed a bit subdued after the race, but it seems he’s since embraced the win regardless of the circumstances. Good on Lando for letting him through after McLaren botched the strategy. Classic McLaren this season. A 1-2 finish, but there’s still drama.

Outside of papaya pandemonium, another big story was drivers (mostly Max) going HAM on the radio. He was losing his mind at the team’s strategy calls and took some reprimanding from his engineer, GP. Crofty questioned his late night sim racing as the source of his crankiness. The team has tried to impose a curfew on late nights for the champ, but he doesn’t seem to be buying it. Add insult to injury when he locked up late in the race and went airborne off the tire of Hamilton, costing him a podium and sealing P3 for Lewis. Mayhem for Max out there last weekend.. everyone better watch out on turn 1 this weekend as he tries to make up places.

Down the rest of the grid, it was a disaster in quali for Perez and Yuki who crashed out, but both had stellar recoveries in the race to take P7 and P9 respectively. Leclerc finally had a good result with a P4 finish, Aston had swap drama of their own, and it was another race to forget for Alpine.

Idk how many times I’ve said it but this season continues to deliver. Super pumped for Spa this weekend.

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Belgian GP Preview

Easiest one on the entire calendar: It looks like an uzi. Like the person who designed this must have loved uzis right?

This weekend we’ve got the longest (just over 7km or 4.35 miles), best (imho), and arguably most dangerous (has seen 23 deaths since it opened, has high speed corners with little run off area, and sometimes unpredictable weather) circuit on the calendar, the legendary Spa-Francorchamps. It’s hosted races since 1925, was part of F1’s inaugural season in 1950, and is an often mentioned driver favorite - one that snakes through the hilled Belgian forest and would likely never be built today.

The circuit contains a mix of long straights and fast corners, where weather is known to vary on different parts of the track providing changing grip conditions. It has what some say is the most thrilling sequence of corners in the world, the famous Eau Rouge & Raidillon through turns 2/3/4 on the map above, where drivers flick a quick left then right uphill. Check it out, it’s awesome:

📸 grandprix247.com

Jolyon Palmer on Spa: “Spa is a really nice, flowing circuit. It’s always a trade-off between downforce levels. Do you go low downforce for the first and third sector? Or do you put on some downforce for the middle part of the lap?”

What to watch for:

Max Verstappen is set to take the 10 place grid penalty we knew was coming at some point, after taking a new power unit over the given allotment this weekend. In past seasons that would be no problem, but does he have the car this year to make a run from at best starting P11 up to the front? He said this week that he’s taking the Norris title challenge seriously, and we’ve got a lot of races left.
Pressure is on at Red Bull. How will they react after no podium for the second time in 3 races? It’s also a make or break race for Perez’s future with the team.
McLaren has a huge opportunity to close the gap on Red Bull with Max’s penalty. Can they land another 1-2 maybe?
Weather typically plays a factor in the Belgian forest, and at time of writing it looks like we may have a wet quali. We could be in for a mixed up grid, which is always fun.

Ocon Makes It Official at Haas

File one into rumor that seemed inevitable but wasn’t yet announced officially until this past Thursday: Esteban Ocon and Haas have made their 2025 and beyond relationship official on a multi-year deal. Ocon will join Ollie Bearman next season as Haas solidifies their near future and looks to build on the momentum from what has been a better than expected 2024 so far. He bring 146 career starts under his belt to provide a veteran presence alongside the rookie Bearman, who of course has just 1 F1 start in Jeddah earlier this year.

Team Principal Komatsu is eager to rekindle their old relationship, saying: “I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for Haas. I’ve obviously been aware of his talents for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s maiden run in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer that day with Lotus.” Huh, didn’t know that.

Ocon noted Haas’ “exciting plans and clear targets for the future” and was eager to join “a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me.”

Haas’ trajectory is certainly encouraging, though making the next leap will certainly be a challenge. But the Ocon-Bearman lineup will be interesting to see develop next season. Esteban has always been on the spicier side.

Down the Grid

🥇Max Verstappen [265]: Absolutely HEATED the entire race with many radio gems, he called his P5 finish a “weekend to forget”. A lot of teams would KILL for a P5! After the race he was asked about his reaction to critics saying he went too far and was disrespectful and simply replied: “They can all **** off.” Stark differences on the radio with a 20s lead in P1 vs missing out on a podium spot.

🥈Lando Norris [189]: On what was going through his head with the team order to swap: "It's always tough when your fighting for a win. A win means a lot to me and also to him. Every driver is selfish, you have to be in this game. I put myself in his shoes and realized I had to do what's right." As the laps counted down I was holding my breath… but good on him for making the swap.

🥉Charles Leclerc [162]: Thinks the team’s bouncing issue could be “most visible” this weekend due to the high speeds. “We are doing steps in the right direction. Whether it will be enough not to have it, I'm not sure yet.”

4️⃣ Carlos Sainz [154]: Revealed he doesn’t plan on taking an F1 sabbatical in 2025. Best make that decision soon then..

5️⃣ Oscar Piastri [149]: Tried to put his maiden win into words. “It’s starting to sink in a bit more. It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.

6️⃣ Lewis Hamilton 📈 [125]: Thrilled with the Hungary podium after a “hair-raising” battle with Verstappen, that saw the Dutchman’s rear go 45 degrees in what was determined to be a racing inchident.

7️⃣ Sergio Perez 📉 [124]: A Q1 crash out had everyone thinking a Summer break replacement would be inevitable. And maybe it still is, but lost in the sauce of all the story lines from this weekend was his P7 finish (only 2 spots behind Max) after starting P16. But is it too little too late? I’m going to say yes, but let’s see what happens on Sunday.

8️⃣ George Russell 📉 [116]: Doesn’t believe Hamilton would have made the decision to leave for Ferrari if they had been running at their current form earlier. “For 2026 the power unit it looking strong.”

9️⃣ Fernando Alonso [45]: Was NOT a happy camper last weekend. First, he was mistakenly called into parc ferme by the FIA during the Q3 red flag, even though the session resumed (and found him parked behind Brad Pitt’s APX car no less). In the race, Stroll was supposed to give P10 back after failing to pass Yuki but did not, which angered him even further.

🔟Lance Stroll [24]: Pulled a reverse Lando when he didn’t let Alonso by at the end of the race after failing to overtake Yuki. Rumor is he was a bit perturbed by his teammate getting recent upgrades before him.

11. Nico Hulkenberg [22]: Was unaware of Audi management shakeup until this week, called the moves “a bit of a shock.”

12. Yuki Tsunoda [22]: After a solid P9 finish, was seen limping as a result of bruised tailbone and large bruises on his back after his Q3 crash out that caused an unfathomable 68Gs of impact force. That race must have been a real pain in the butt… But seriously great performance to fight through the injury. Sometimes easy to overlook how dangerous this sport is after all the safety measures in place these days.

13. Daniel Ricciardo[11]: Left with “a lot of anger” after team strategy dropped him out of the points in Hungary. “We come out in traffic and it’s just a DRS train and for what, we are all then on the same tyre and that’s… That’s one of the worst ones I’ve had in 250-something races.”

14. Ollie Bearman [6]: How will the rookie handle his notoriously sharp-elbowed new teammate?

15. Pierre Gasly [6]: Continued his tradition of laying flowers for friend Anthoine Hubert at the spot of his fatal crash at Spa in 2019. He organizes an annual track run/walk each year in his memory.

16. Kevin Magnussen [5]: Delivered the best quote of the week: “The couple of upgrades we've had this year, they've actually worked. It's the first time in Haas history that we've got upgrades to the car that made it faster.” LOL. Faster is definitely better.

17. Alex Albon [4]: Frustrated radio was the theme of last weekend and Albon himself wasn’t safe, questioning a team strategy decision by saying: “Yeah but I don’t appreciate when you do that, and now my tires are dead. We’re just too indecisive!” After the race he joked: “I think this is the only thing that must have gone on TV! Everyone’s been asking the same question! It wasn’t that bad, was it?”

18. Esteban Ocon [3]: Will be rocking a Deadpool helmet to go along with the new livery this weekend, fresh off signing his new contract. Has to ease the blow of the past few races a little bit.

19. Zhou Guanyu [0]: Ralph Schumacher claims the team was forced to re-sign him for this season after a small $1B miscalculation was made due to an internal power struggle. With the recent team departures I believe the power struggle.. but $1B miscalculation?! Might want to get a new accountant.

20. Logan Sargeant [0]: Squashed rumors this week that he and TP James Vowles’ relationship has been strained lately.

21. Valtteri Bottas [0]: Bottas doing Bottas things, aka brilliantly dry social media videos. Here’s one about what sport he’d compete in for the Paris Olympics. Guess we could tune into some swimming during the first half of the summer break…

Constructor’s Corner

🥇Red Bull [389]: TP Horner has defended Max’s radio outbursts from last race, saying they’ll have discussions about it behind closed doors. Meanwhile Helmut Marko confirmed he’ll meet with the Red Bull boss during the summer break to discuss Checo’s future with the team.

🥈McLaren 📈 [338]: Only McLaren could still be getting questions on strategy after a 1-2 finish. Stella explained they didn’t want to pit too early so they could defend against a late Max charge, and also didn’t want to put too much pressure on the pit crew. He wanted the responsibility on the pit wall to manage the 1-2 after undercutting Piastri with Norris. I suppose it worked out in the end.. but still seemed a bit unnecessary. But hey I’m not a race strategist… yet.

🥉Ferrari 📉 [322]: Will unveil a new technical structure after the summer break following the departure of Enrico Cardile. They are planning another major upgrade for Singapore, with a chance that it moves up to Baku that can hopefully get the season back on track. The unsuccessful upgrade brought to Spain put them 2 months back in development compared to rivals.

4️⃣ Mercedes [241]: Cut to Darth Toto smiling while hearing Max unhappy on the radio. If he goes without wins in his home GPs in the next two races, look for F1’s most suave dealmaker to swoop in hard and fast to recruit him for 2026 (or even 2025?). I still think it’s unlikely… but it’s trending in the right direction for Toto at the moment.

5️⃣ Aston Martin [69]: Rumor is the offer to Newey is 100M euro over 4 years. Dude you HAVE to take that.

6️⃣ VCARB [33]: Ricciardo appears to be the favorite over Lawson for the Red Bull seat if Checo is dismissed, as he’s viewed as the most dependable short-term option for the team. Also - TP Mekies admitted later on that they botched Daniel’s race with a poor strategy call.

7️⃣ Haas [27]: TP Komatsu excited to bring Ocon on to complete the team’s “hungry, dynamic driver pairing.”

8️⃣ Alpine [9]: Closing in a on a technical partnership deal with Mercedes for power unit, gearbox, and suspension - which may even start in 2025.

9️⃣ Williams [4]: Looking for a better result this weekend as high-speed Spa should suit their car better than high-downforce Hungary.

🔟Kick Sauber [0]: Former Ferrari TP Mattia Binotto has been named the new leader of the Audi project, as CEO Seidl and executive Hoffman are leaving. There were earlier rumblings, and this does come off as a bit of a surprise. When I think of Binotto I picture him looking confused on the Ferrari pitwall. But he’s clearly got experience in F1, so let’s see what he can do with a fresh slate.

Tech Talk

Kerbs Still a Killer: Analysis from @dr_obbs on X showed Max losing a lot of time to the McLaren’s in qualifying at the kerb heavy turns 6 and 7 in Hungary. They pointed it out on the broadcast and was interesting to see - the papayas running straight through the bumps while Max had to take a much softer approach. Clearly the Red Bull aero update hasn’t solved this bugaboo just yet.
And in other Red Bull tech news: The bodywork, floor, and front wing changes seen in Hungary were specifically for higher downforce tracks and aren’t expected to be seen at Spa this weekend. They are designed to allow for as much downforce as possible while still maintaining good chassis balance.
Oh That’s Cool: A new cockpit cooling system will be tested starting at Zandvoort after the summer break, after the brutal Qatar heat last season. No word yet on if it’s just one of those small motorized fans that breaks after 20mins.
No Point: The F1 Commission has ruled out potential changes to the points system in 2026 (Booo), and has agreed to nine days of preseason testing ahead of the 2026 regulation changes.

Off the Grid

Save the Date: Scratch the DTS itch with the Netflix series “Senna” showcasing the life of the legendary driver when it debuts on November 29th. The 6 episode limited scripted series stars Gabriel Leone and will “showcase Senna’s journey of triumphs, disappointments, joys, and sorrows, unveiling his personality and personal relationships. It begins with the start of the three-time Formula 1 champion’s motor racing career, when he moves to England to compete in Formula Ford, and continues to his fatal accident in Imola, Italy, during the San Marino Grand Prix.”
Aussie POV: From the Sydney Morning Herald on why McLaren asked Norris to let Piastri through, and the high-speed politics of F1.
Backyard GP: It’s been a few years since the Turkish GP in Istanbul, but why go to Turkey when you can visit Texas? A super fan is selling his 50 acre complex in Amarillo that has a go kart replica of the track, only $2M. Who wants to split it with me?
Bring on the Deadpool: Alpine will be rocking what may be the coolest livery of all time this weekend in honor of their celebrity part owner’s new Deadpool & Wolverine movie. Ocon and Gasly will wear helmets and race suits to match. You could go cynical and call this corporate promo overload… but gotta admit it looks pretty sweet. If you haven’t seen Deadpool, just imagine Ryan Reynolds’ typical big screen persona but as an edgy super hero. 🔽

How many times will we confuse them with Ferrari? 📸 formula1.com

Quick Question (My Answer)

I think Lando takes the win. A bit of F1 karma for doing the right thing in Hungary.

Enjoy the race this weekend, before four long weeks of no action (“the dark times”, as they are widely known. Not really, but what on earth is there to do in the summer with no F1? Go outside? Idk)

Also, if Spa being an uzi is a bit uncouth, @vestivibes on X views the track a bit more pleasantly and now I can’t unsee it 🔽

Make clean overtakes not racing inchidents ❤️

What did you think of this week's edition?

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