Official 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix ***CANCELLED***

[Piginapoke]

On we go to Imola; some fast corners, a narrow track and (hopefully) no cheerleaders, orchestras or Will I Am.

More than anything else, we need a RACE after a soporific start to the season. Mercedes is bringing its big upgrade package, and expect to see a new floor, suspension and side pods. It will be technically interesting but, in reality, it probably won’t stop another Red Bull 1-2. Aston Martin should go well here around the fast corners.

Spare a thought for Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, who died at this track during this weekend in May 1994.

Date(s): Friday 19 May to Sunday 21 May 2023.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.





2022 Race Highlights:

https://youtu.be/vL0yww9nk9o

Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/documents/championships/fia-fo...

Weather forecast: (currently mixed, maybe rain on Saturday and Sunday)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3175537

Tyre options:

Pirelli is bringing its hardest compounds, so C3, C4 and C5



2022 Race Result:



Drivers’ Championship:



Constructors’ Championship:

[Heathwood]

I, like others I’m sure, have been waiting in anticipation of Merc’s upgraded car in the hope that it puts them right in the mix. In reality it seems likely that they’ll gain a few tenths but not enough to make a notable difference. Shame if that turns out to be the case as it would be great to see RB challenged.

[Sandpit Steve]

Lots of updates coming here, will be interesting to see if the order gets shaken up. RB have been half a second per lap faster than anyone else for the past couple of races, so there’s a big gap to close. Can Mercedes at least get themselves into a clear second place?

[PhilAsia]

Thanks PiaP!

Even with upgwades, I do not see any inroads being made into RBR's advantage here Wafty Win for Max...

[Piginapoke]

Sandpit Steve said:

Lots of updates coming here, will be interesting to see if the order gets shaken up. RB have been half a second per lap faster than anyone else for the past couple of races, so there’s a big gap to close. Can Mercedes at least get themselves into a clear second place?

Hi Steve. Upgrades will be interesting but I'd put Red Bull's pace advantage nearer 0.75- 1 second, but the key point is that the RB can do this pace lap after lap, which is both impressive and depressing!

I think that Red Bull's upgrades went under the radar in Baku, it was a really comprehensive package even though the team didn't make a song and dance about them, and just rolled them out. I like that, like Williams used to do back in the day.

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the thread PiaP, not had much input to the last two ‘race’ threads, because they have been so poor (the races), I live in hope that the Merc upgrade will be significant enough to move them forwards I suspect the RB’s will still scamper off into the distance, however if they do I’d rather it was SP leading to put the pressure on.

[TheDeuce]

I hope the Merc upgrade is good but it seems pointless to expect anyone could catch RB at this point.

My expectation is that the update will cement Merc as the second team in WCC this season. Which frankly was already likely anyway, given the haplessness of Ferrari.

I've got to the point at which I think there's nothing wrong with what Merc have developed or what they're doing - they're on it with an interesting philosophy that they'll probably make work eventually. But RB are on a different level, however they're achieving that. For the first time in my F1 watching life I can't point to 'the thing' that makes RB so dominant. They are though, perhaps it's just lots of little things done perfectly - if so, well done Newey!

[Smollet]

Hoping for a MB rebirth but I shan’t hold my breath

[HustleRussell]

Getting very hard to pick who’s going to be best of the rest behind the Red Bull(s)… I think we’ll get a very strong Fernando Alonso and a Mercedes which can compete with the Ferraris.

I’m looking forward to a properly rain affected qually or race this season. I think it’d be a great leveller. Probably the only way we’re getting an Alonso or Mercedes pole.

[mufc123]

HustleRussell said:

Getting very hard to pick who’s going to be best of the rest behind the Red Bull(s)… I think we’ll get a very strong Fernando Alonso and a Mercedes which can compete with the Ferraris.

I’m looking forward to a properly rain affected qually or race this season. I think it’d be a great leveller. Probably the only way we’re getting an Alonso or Mercedes pole.

Apparently it's raining in Imola for the next 10 days.

[TheDeuce]

mufc123 said:

HustleRussell said:

Getting very hard to pick who’s going to be best of the rest behind the Red Bull(s)… I think we’ll get a very strong Fernando Alonso and a Mercedes which can compete with the Ferraris.

I’m looking forward to a properly rain affected qually or race this season. I think it’d be a great leveller. Probably the only way we’re getting an Alonso or Mercedes pole.

Apparently it's raining in Imola for the next 10 days.

having spent quite some time in that part of Italy, I know that the forecast for most of May is rain - but that's because it could rain at anytime, not because it actually will. I hope it does though!!!

Although.. Frustratingly it seems that rain is these days as likely to endlessly delay and then ruin a GP as it is likely to 'spice things up'.

These days there has to be a very specific amount and type of rain. If it's too much or too predictable = session suspended. What we really have to hope for is a low chance of rain and then just after the first pit stops it suddenly pisses it down, cars go off, but then the radar shows a rapid improvement sufficient for race control to not st themselves and suspend running. And then, 5 laps to go, the heavens open again.

Fingers crossed for ahole, unpredictable, not too heavy and with a potential to soon ease up rain please

[thegreenhell]

It's been raining a heavily most days on the Giro D'Italia this past week.

[HardtopManual]

MB need to make up anywhere from 1-1.5 seconds per lap on RB. That's about $10-15 million of development spend. Therefore, it isn't happening.

[PhilAsia]

HardtopManual said:

MB need to make up anywhere from 1-1.5 seconds per lap on RB. That's about $10-15 million of development spend. Therefore, it isn't happening.

Nothing will be happening to RBs dominance until the next rule change in 2026...

[mufc123]

Unless they both crash out or have a double DNF. Which circuit would you wager a non-RB win happening?

[Smollet]

mufc123 said:

Unless they both crash out or have a double DNF. Which circuit would you wager a non-RB win happening?

If someone else puts in a blinder for pole at Monaco

[TikTak]

mufc123 said:

HustleRussell said:

Getting very hard to pick who’s going to be best of the rest behind the Red Bull(s)… I think we’ll get a very strong Fernando Alonso and a Mercedes which can compete with the Ferraris.

I’m looking forward to a properly rain affected qually or race this season. I think it’d be a great leveller. Probably the only way we’re getting an Alonso or Mercedes pole.

Apparently it's raining in Imola for the next 10 days.

That means there will be plenty of opportunity for Ferrari to cock up the strategy and barely finish in the top 10, so another 3rd for Alonso?

Mercs battling each other behind and an Ocon to get a break in the weather and maybe break the top 6?

[Sandpit Steve]

Smollet said:

If someone else puts in a blinder for pole at Monaco

Someone, Aston with Alonso perhaps, or Mercedes with Lewis, must be seriously thinking about throwing a new engine turned up to 11 at Monaco, even if it costs them later on in the season.

I’m personally in favour of larger reliability penalties - but as they are what they are, they need to be used tactically to pick up potential wins when they’re available. .

[mufc123]

I feel that even at Monaco if they don't get pole. They may be able to wait till the leader goes in, pump in some laps and perform the overcut.

[HustleRussell]

PhilAsia said:

HardtopManual said:

MB need to make up anywhere from 1-1.5 seconds per lap on RB. That's about $10-15 million of development spend. Therefore, it isn't happening.

Nothing will be happening to RBs dominance until the next rule change in 2026...

It isn't 1.5 seconds is it. A second in race pace would probably have them right there.

It will be interesting to see if the sport makes any technical changes or clarifications to reduce Red Bull's technical advantage. Mercedes technical dominance from 2014 to 2021 was constantly eroded by an ongoing campaign of clarifications and changes, which also screwed their customer teams. Remember when the floor cut completely torpedoed Racing Point?