1 - Most of these Grand Prix were in awkward time zones for me to watch/listen to live, which always makes it more difficult to catch up with the races, because the replays are at even odder times. (More on this in the Las Vegas wrap up)
2 - A distinct feeling of "after the Lord Mayor's show" about the whole thing. It feels like Red Bull won the title so long ago that there's nothing to fight for, and three out of the five races were at street circuits so there wasn't going to be much racing either to keep people interested.
3 - Oh my prophetic soul, when I made the comment about the races being one Ferrari driver strong, one having a nightmare, I was complaining about an existing pattern, but it's carried on. Which makes for painful watching as a Ferrari fan.
United States Grand Prix:
The Circuit of the Americas is my favourite of the American races, not unsurprisingly since it's the only one on an actual race track #JustSayNoToStreetCircuits
It's also one of my favourite tracks, because of the elevation changes and the potential for racing (and the cowboy nonsense, this year's highlight being giant cow terrifying Tsunoda).
Of course, all the things I like about came back to bite Ferrari in the tush after a good performance by Leclerc.
Ferrari race summary: The circuit hated Leclerc.
Sainz jnr. got a podium
I understand the FIA's point that they don't have the time to test more than 2 cars after each race, and as long as it's random draw, I can live with it, but if both cars fail a test, it might be worth testing a few more to make sure it wasn't the track doing that.
(In re: randomness of the choice, does anyone know where I can find a list of which cars are checked after each race? That looks like something that can be graphed and analysed.)
Mexican Grand Prix:
The Mexican fans deserve a much better race. I say this despite them booing Leclerc.
Ferrari race summary: The circuit hated Leclerc, just not as much as Austin did, given he managed third place with a broken car. Somehow Ferrari got a 3rd and 4th place.
Brazilian Grand Prix:
I loathe the sprint races. I don't think the suggested changes for next year go far enough, nor do I think they will actually change anything.
Ferrari race summary: The circuit hated Leclerc, to the extent that I agree with Leclerc that there's a curse (https://www.reuters.com/sports/motor-sports/leclerc-crashes-out-before-start-brazil-2023-11-05/) I just want both cars to have functional hydraulic systems, is that so much to ask?!
Las Vegas Grand Prix:
Las Vegas was the Grand Prix that really suffered from the odd time zone effect, because it was too late for the Americas and too early for Europe. As one internet wag put it, "finally New Zealand and Hawaii have a Grand Prix in their time zone."
The problem is while Monaco can work around the Grand Prix, Vegas, even in the holiday off-season, can't. I don't think they can move the grand prix to another time of year and have it be any better suited because the whole point of Vegas is that it's a year round holiday destination, and most of it's attractions don't need good weather.
It does need to be a night race. I've walked around Las Vegas during the day and it's *not glamourous* in daylight. But because of that, it can't be in the early evening, or else it would mess with trade too much, which leads to the absolute curfew issue, which led to so many of this year's problems.
Not all of them mind you.
I am aware that accidents happen, and that manhole covers attacking F1 cars has been a thing before (https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.new-chassis-required-for-russell-after-fp1-drain-cover-incident.2y9GeluOw6zYqJlnchaff4.html), and that time, no leniency was given for spare parts, but that was because Baku is too early in the season, or was then, to already be in "replacement part counting" mode.
And, yes, once a precedent has been set, it's hard to unset it, and yes, due to the closeness of the race for second place in the constructor's title at least one team would complain.
None of that means I like it.
Or accept it.
Or feel anything but annoyance at it.
Given all the things that went wrong, the race itself went quite well.
Most of the changes that really need to be made are to the stuff around the event not the race itself, and it'll be interesting to see if those changes are made.
Ferrari race summary: In which Sainz jnr is punished for events entirely out of his control, but Leclerc got a podium.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:
Ferrari race summary: In which the track hated Sainz jnr but Leclerc got a podium
I swear I listened to this Grand Prix live. I just don't remember any of it beyond having to do speed maths about who was where in the constructor's title.
That Leclerc could do that while driving an F1 car blows my mind.
It wasn't enough, but boy how he tried.
Three points away in the race to second place in the constructor's championship, despite a car that fell to pieces if you looked at it funny.
I'm not satisfied with it, I am a Ferrari fan, only victory is good enough, but I feel that was probably the most that could be achieved with that car.
Last year's car had go, but the strategy team had none. This year, the strategy team have reached the giddy heights of "probably not actively conspiring against the team", but the car had no go for the first 3/4s of the season.
The SF-23 Fretful Porpentine was exactly as fragile as I feared following it falling apart during Bahrain qualifying. As well as the engine and electronics failures I do have on my Ferrari Foul-Up bingo card, if I'd had brake failure, fuel line failure and hydraulics failure, I could have dabbed them once each.
I didn't have a box for "somehow, we reach our allocation of one set of parts by the second race" as a square on the bingo card, because I didn't think that was possible. I underestimated Ferrari's intrinsic catastrophe potential.
Red Bull's lead was >50 points by the second race, just so everyone can understand my pain.
Red Bull's lead was >50 points by the second race, just so everyone can understand my pain. Extra future boxes could include, "the drivers are conspiring to give Vasseur a heart attack", looking at you, Leclerc, at the Italian Grand Prix.
In terms of things Ferrari had no control over, if there'd been a box for "the safety car was at just the wrong time", that would have been dabbed three times.
"The DRS button hates joy," could also have been dabbed three times (and possibly a fourth time in sympathy with Norris at the British Grand Prix.) I'm glad more people are coming to see it my way that DRS removes a lot of the thrill from the races.
Somehow, despite a very flat season, I'm still looking forward to next year's races, but I'm really looking forward to the next change in regulations, which I think will be the only way to topple Red Bull. That fear isn't going to stop me hoping Ferrari can do it next year.
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