Hi fellow Steemians!
The long awaited F1 weekend is with us again, and with the World Cup we have a massive sports weekend coming up! This weekend the races will be held in France, the first time the country has hosted an F1 race since 2008. What's more, the full Paul Ricard circuit hasn't had an F1 race since 1985! It'll be a race track that is unfamiliar to many of the racers and the public and I expect there to be much chaos and unexpected events! Here are some things to look out for.
Unfamiliar territory
As mentioned, many in the current F1 grid has never had a proper race in the circuit Paul Ricard. The circuit also has a section where it's quite difficult to know which way to go, because of different lines and path ways. I'm sure the drivers will have practiced hundreds and thousands of times on their simulators but reality is always different from simulations. I'm just glad to see a new, fresh track on the calendar and hope for some good action.
Danny Ric's contract rumours
Like Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo's contract with Red Bull runs out at the end of this season. There have been many speculations as to where he might be headed but a pretty solid rumour has not surfaced. It's being reported that McLaren has offered him $20m, which is triple his current salary, to race for the team from next season. Of course this figures seems minute compared to the monstrous amount received by Hamilton and Vettel, but it is a huge figure nonetheless. Will this rumour be something that meddles with Ricciardo's concentration this weekend? We'll see.
Ferrari to replace Raikkonen with LeClerc for 2019?
It's also been long rumoured that Kimi Riakkonen may lose his seat with Ferrari next year and that LeClerc may replace him. It's not the most credible rumour as Raikkonen still has a lot of ability and skills to drive for Ferrari (of course as a second driver though) and LeClerc is also in his first F1 season and Ferrari is well known for not putting a rookie in their driver seat. Nevertheless, it's not a completely out-of-this-world rumour and both drivers will be feeling the pressure this weekend.
Will Haas fare better this weekend?
Haas hasn't had the best season so far. Almost every week, there was at least one problem (and all of them were quite major issues) that affected their race one way or another. Most recently in Canada, Grosjean's car had a massive smoke coming out of it in Qualifying 1 due to oil and exhaust problems, meaning he had to start the race from the back. Will the team fare better this weekend and will Grosjean shine in his home country? We'll see.
Sauber rivalry
Something viewers have enjoyed this season is the rivalry between Ericsson and LeClerc, both driving for Sauber. While LeClerc is a rookie, he's had the edge over Ericsson in Qualifying sessions and races. It's being reported that Ericsson will see a significant car set-up and mechanical systems changes this weekend. We'll see if he can finally outpace his rookie team-mate.
Conclusion
For most of the F1 fans, the races, qualifying and practices will be held in an unfamiliar track this weekend. It's great to see something new on the calendar and I hope we get some great action after having underwhelming races in Canada and Monaco.
Image source: Autoweek