#not to mention how this makes f1 look from an outside perspective

[georgegraphys]

To be honest, I would not fully trust Ola Kallenius either despite his words backing George. Why? Because he's a part of this big multinational corporation and this multinational corporation is FAR from the word 'good'.

But what we're talking about is taking advantage of George being favorable in their eyes for now. Read that 'for now' again. To manipulate the long terms, you need to take advantage of what is happening in short terms first. You can't be thinking too far ahead, overthinking and speculating about things, and making rash decisions over some speculations. That'd be a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can't play the short game when you're in a position like George. You have to play the long game.

If I were to be REAL honest here, I do want George to take Red Bull's offer back in 2021 because they're great, they're fast, they're amazing. But looking at the other aspects here, you wouldn't want him to be there. You should stop seeing things from just a two dimensional perspective. Moving teams solves nothing and i think we learnt enough from several drivers who made the wrong choice due to greed and being impatient.

In every part of an organization, there is something called homeowners. Just like Max's home is RB and Charles' home (might be) is Ferrari, George's home is Mercedes. And that is a solid thing for 2-3 upcoming years unless something happened. Why do i say so? Because these teams aren't the backmarkers where everyone is replaceable, they are the frontrunners with big brands behind them that not only values winning and racing but also values loyalty, brand image, and more. What they're also trying to find is someone who could be the face of the team for a long time not just 2-3 seasons and dip.

And let's take things real here. If Mercedes did NOT value George, they wouldn't pressure him to make a decision between choosing BMW or Mercedes very early in his formula series career. Why is it important? Because if George is not important to them, the moment George rejects Toto for Carlin Volkswagen is the moment they back out and move on. But they didn't. That is exhibit one.

Exhibit two is that in 2018, Mercedes is torn on who to give an F1 seat. Ocon or Russell? We all know the answer in 2019. Exhibit three, in 2020 when George's 2021 seat is threatened with Williams, Red Bull allegedly offered Mercedes to 'lend' George out to them for a year but Mercedes REFUSED because they do not want George outside of their institution even for a year (even if that 'lend out' move benefits Mercedes because from there Mercedes can see how George performs in better car). They'd rather George go jobless and drive in DTM for a year rather than lending him out to Red Bull. If Mercedes does not care about him, they would let him leave just like they let Ocon leave to go to Alpine.

And fourth, we have Kallenius basically on Toto's neck about how he wants George on that seat and not Max or Valtteri or whoever Toto wants. Then we also have Mercedes literally going feral on the mention of George going somewhere else (read: RBR). This happened on the same day as the British GP

My point here is if they do not give a shit, if they do not at the very least back George up, they would have let George go in 2021. And if you're saying "but that's 2021, Ari. We're talking about now", then look at his previous contract renewal. We're supposed to have George's silly season THIS YEAR because his original contract with Merc is supposed to end this year but we DIDN'T! Why? Because the contract is already renewed somewhere in December 2022 or Spring 2023! Again if they're planning to replace him, they would not make him sign a contract just for several months to his Merc career. And to add on top of that, George literally talks about how his contract is so EASILY signed and Mercedes and him were giggling over it like a married couple while LH and Mercedes (read: Kallenius) were in trenches, fighting endless war for a contract negotiation.

We cannot be 100% sure on the long run on who backs who even with Max in Red Bull. There is NOTHING certain in F1. Things change drastically. This is a very dynamic sport. But to manipulate the longer term, you need to take a hold of shorter terms first. If Kallenius, for now, sees George in a favorable place, that's good. But if in the future, he doesn't then it is what it is. It's business. You can't be idealistic about it. Moving teams is NEVER the solution unless you want George to make a decision blunder like other drivers who weren't patient enough.

It is painful but we have to play the long game.

[buryawoman]

Thank you @wisteria-wisteria for tagging me.

It is really an unexpected season for me.

From the perspective of the race.🤲

I started watching it from Baku! And I fell in love with Charles' incredible performance on that pole lap. I have the fantasy that it would be normal to see Lestappen podiums this year.Then I got struck by the poor stability of SF-23😭 (Meanwhile I was surprised by Max's consistency in competing for championship and the outstanding performance of RB19). The dominance of RBR in the first half of the season is unbelievably strong.

Then came the second half of the season.Though my baby Charles still got through some unfortunate incidents, Ferrari had obviously improved their competativeness since Suzuka. And there are also some Lestappen fights I could enjoy.😌(Most importantly, I have finally seen some positive changes of attitudes towards Charles that Scuderia Ferrari is going to build a car that will be more suitable for Charles to drive)

From the perspective of the ship😘

The Little Talk: I always know that or assume that these two drivers are not so familiar with each other outside the paddock. So I really cherish the little touch and talk they share inside the paddock in racing week. My most impressed two moments are as followed: 1.Max chased after Charles just to praise Charles' special suit in Monaco 2.Charles asked Max about the time after! he had checked his own watch. Look at these two childish guy HOW can they bring about the worst topic just to talk more with each other! Let alone the amounts of Maxplaining and Leclerifying. And one thing I want to add is Max's apologies. If a writer creates such kind of plots, I would definitely think that is a little bit exaggeration and distortation. Let's just leave this out of character plot in the fiction. Oh then Max Verstappen denied the whole thing with his genuine and hurried apology to Charles. It also reminds me that they(at least Max) separate clearly on and off the track.

The special care for each other. What is note worthy is that I found that these two cares a little too much about each other as colleagues. The "Chuck Leclerc" and lots of "inchident" Max has mentioned. The "I enjoy racing with Max" Charles has mentioned(It may not be correct but I remembered that Charles has mentioned a lot of about fighting against Max in the second half of the season). I mean, considering that they didn't share much time in private, the frequency about mentioning each other is incredible...

The Touch: My fav part about Lestappen. The chemistry between these two F1 drivers is amazing. They are always so comfortably holding each others' waist and completely make every driver near them become a third wheel😅. In Austin Max even switched the medal to another hand and held Charles before Lewis arrived to take photos. In Brazil this scene just happened again and Lance was the victim this time. In Las Vegas，Max forgot to change to the middle position and quickly grabbed Charles until Charles reminded him→_→. The footsie thing also deserves some attention. It almost becomes a kind of tradition for Lestappen Press Conference. It is usually like that: Max took the intiative, Charles just obediently let him🤤🤤🤤.

There are so many things I want to mention but I think it is time to stop.(Thanks to these two people, my babies😘)

Looking forward to see more wheel-to-wheel fights between Lestappen in 2024

[shovson]

🔥 how do u feel about Logan Sargeant

uh oh

Send me a “ 🔥 “ for an unpopular opinion. (bonus points for a topic)

Okay. Gotta just say. Obviously some of the treatment Logan has gotten....been kiiinnndddaaa questionable. Even beyond the nuanced explanations about Australia this year and also all the rumours and speculation about everything within that team. I'm sure there's a lot that goes behind the decisions of JV but from an outside perspective....the emotional intelligence isn't really there. The fact I needed someone else to show me the James quote after the Carlos signing of him saying it was awesome of Logan to be on the team etc. etc...you know doesn't bode well. I feel like everyone has really said everything that needs to be said: really unfair treatment, thrust in too early into an F1 seat, etc. etc.

That being said. I cannot stand this woobification babygirlification he's just a sad puppy losing dog stuff any longer. Annoying as fuck. I feel there's kind of always been this narrative around him of his isolation which is just...I don't know man. I really have so much feelings about it I'm losing my mind a little but I never really understood this. There are so many other drivers with the same "foreign place, had to move and migrate to push my F1 career." Doesn't make it right. But I can't imagine being let's say Zhou or Checo in a similar situation.

Also there is (was, I guess now he's got a foot out the door) so much to talk about with the fact I've seen people try to co-opt social justice language to make him seem like his treatment is worse than it is is pissing me the hell off. Man oh, man.

In terms of fandom/fan reception, OBVIOUSLY can't control fans yk etc. etc. BUT i do think it does affect my perception of drivers sometimes. NGL I haven't looked in the James Vowles tag in so fucking long bc everyone thinks I want to read the haterism about JV and how he's mistreating Logie and how he should get his revenge on that middle aged man. And beyond that, I don't think the Alex heads who have probably more of a community around them don't want to fucking see the shit talking about their guy and would rather live in peace too (not to mention...wtf did alex do to deserve that huh? why are u in that space?). People can say this is just a general community thing but also...yeah I mean fucking seeing the same guy in the wrong fucking tag would make me insane too. Especially when ppl r like "look at how logan OWNS and alex is LAME AS FUCK -> #alex albon".

In my complex nuanced mind, I think it's easy to bring up the European treatment (loose) of American Racing (loose) as lame, lacking history or interest, basically dirty poor ppl shit. I think this is also part of why people are so protective about Logan. And while I do think this is such an ignorant take on Racing in the US (and America's presence in F1 period), I think ppl are really using this to dismiss the amount of privilege Logan has.

My ass getting tired you know I've ranted about this in DMs and also voice call but like...Logan got a chance. I hate that it didn't work out. But also, you know how many people don't get a chance? That's just the reality of the sport. And it sucks balls.

[indycar-series]

zak brown is 100% using f1 as the "goal" to attract these drivers to sign with him as if there's nothing to win or fight for in indycar or FE and I find that disrespectful as someone who wants to "dominate" every racing series he signs up to

literally this, its sickening

first of all, he lures these young talented drivers in with the promise of an f1 ride, which there's only 1 that might be available if he breaks daniel's contract (and he has done this before so there is precendent for it to happen). second of all, he uses top tier motorsport series like indycar and fe as development series for his f1 team. third of all, once he signs all these drivers to the 'mclaren family of racing' with the promise of an f1 ride, he can't deliver to all of them so he sets up a culture of 'you dont perform to an unrealistic standard and you get the axe'. he's done this in indycar already (most notably with oliver askew after forcing him to race after his indy 500 concussion-inducing wreck) and he's poised to move his drivers between series on a whim if they fail to perform. the mclaren racing organization as a whole is a toxic place to be and i have no respect for them. i hope any driver who gets lured into this hellhole of an organization realizes they're throwing away their careers.

[meaningofmotorsport]

Mid-Week Motorsport Headlines - 31st March 2022

F1

The former President of the FIA, Max Mosley, has committed suicide after learning of his terminal cancer. Whilst Mosley was definitely a questionable person, there is no denial that he had a huge impact on F1, and it is saddening to hear of his passing. His most well known incident was the 2005 USA Grand Prix, however, his firm stance also likely was a massive bonus at that time in a lot of scenarios. My thoughts are with his friends and family.

The cost of Schumacher’s crash has come out as $1 million, which under the cost cap era is a staggering value. Hopefully Haas had accounted for this possibility in the budgeting, otherwise it could severely hamper their development moving forwards.

There is a lot of talk about DRS, following another case of drivers trying to let the other through in Saudi Arabia. This does seem to be an isolated situation, although that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. The simplest solution would be to put the detection line on the exit of the corner, so the drivers would not want to slow down, yet I am not sure about the logistics from a technical perspective, of having the detection point so close to the activation point. If that isn’t a problem, I feel it should be done in cases where this could occur.

IndyCar

Testing of the next generation of IndyCar engines has been underway at the IMS Road Course. There have been no issues as of yet, and the sounds of the cars has not changed majorly. The Chevrolet engine at least on the first day, was able to do more mileage, but beyond that, there isn’t much to read into it yet.

Dreyer and Reinbold Racing will not be contesting any races outside the Indy 500 this year, due to their commitments in Rallycross. In all honesty, given how stacked the field is for most of the races this year, it is probably a good thing they aren’t, and speaks to the strength of IndyCar right now. That being said, it sounds as though it will be a struggle to get beyond 33 cars at the 500 this year, which is a surprise for the reason I just mentioned.

MotoGP

The Red Bull Ring has unveiled an alteration to their track for the MotoGP race, to improve the safety of Turn 2 and 3, following some bad crashes there. A chicane has been installed just before the old Turn 2, so that the bikes will not be approaching the flat out turn at the same speed. This seems to be an excellent decision to make, my only worry is it does look quite tight and could cause some dangers of its own.

Other News

On top of his commitments in Extreme E and the odd WRC rally, amongst other races, Loeb might be stepping into DTM in the near future. He has tested the Ferrari DTM car, and is linked with a possible ride in the future.

WSR topped the first BTCC test of the new hybrid cars for 2022, which is not a surprise given their strength over the past 5 or so years. Second to Turkington was Shedden for Team Dynamics, suggesting those two teams may be the front runners for the season, which would not be a surprise. Excelr8 with Ingram also were fast, as they build on their first year together in 2021.

-M

[coffeewaff1e]

This is my opinion on Kimi’s merch. I just wanna say that I also love this man a lot, he was basically why I fell in love with the sport itself. I’ve supported this man for his driving and interview ways but that doesn’t mean I agree with everything he does.

The merch line I’m talking about is the one with West Coast Choppers (WCC), founded by Jesse James (JJ). Things will be hyperlinked for easy reference. This gets very long. I’m long-winded.

So in case you didn’t know, Kimi’s merch has raised some eyebrows due to certain symbols on them that could point towards the Nazi Party. Namely being his face mask and t-shirt design as seen below:

Now, where does the Nazi symbolism come in? Let me start with the face mask. On the right of “7″, there is a symbol, and it’s supposed to point towards WCC, since it is their logo (1st in collage below).

However, it is more commonly known as an Iron Cross (2nd pic below) and it has been in use for a very long time, ever since 1813 as a military decoration. Nazi Germany picked it up in 1933, with an added swastika in the centre (3rd pic below). Now compare those three and look at the logo of WCC, pretty damn similar right?

The Iron Cross, with the swastika, is still unfortunately used by and seen on neo-Nazis. It’s also recognised as a hate symbol. In the article linked, it is said that bikers adopted the Iron Cross to add “shock value” or to signify rebellion and as time went on, it became a logo used by many on clothing, equipment, etc. So we do have to keep in mind what context we see the Iron Cross in, as it’s not always representing neo-Nazism or white supremacy.

JJ has said before that his logo is actually based on the Maltese Cross (2nd pic below), and I don’t need my glasses to see that they’re very different.

Instead I think he might’ve actually been referring to the Cross Pattée (3rd pic below), which is a similar cross that at times, is mistakenly referred to as the Maltese Cross. However, it is worth noting that the Iron Cross is recognised as a variant of the Cross Pattée. (mentioned in the Wiki articles of Cross Pattée and Maltese Cross)

So, the WCC logo is a Cross Pattée, which the Iron Cross is a variant of, but definitely not a Maltese Cross, as stated by JJ. 

So now you would say, it’s a Cross Pattée, not an Iron Cross, therefore there’s no link to Nazis. I can agree with you on that, it is a stretch to connect the 2 at this point, but let me add more context as I go along in this post. Bear with me.

-

Moving on to the t-shirt design. 

“Kimi” is designed with a lightning bolt for the “K”, to represent him being fast, as seen from the t-shirt’s name, “Kimi Fast As Heck Tee”.

Though...there is also a hate symbol that depict lightning bolts, called the SS Bolts (seen below). As you can tell from the name, it’s also related to neo-Nazism and white supremacy. You might say, “both bolts (“K” and SS bolt) are different”, which I agree they are, but who in their right mind would copy it so blatantly? Would you want WCC to add another bolt? Make the base of the bolt in the “K” to be flat as well? This is already after they’ve been accused before of using Nazi symbols and having their merch outright banned for it. 

Like the Iron Cross, the bikers adopted it for themselves. So, we cannot say for sure that just because they sport this symbol, they’re bad. 

I know lightning bolts are used EVERYWHERE. Even Harry Potter had one on his forehead...does that mean he’s bad too?! No. With context provided, things can change. So if the books had mentioned Harry doing salutes with his right hand and swastikas decorating his room then that bolt would mean something...🤷🏻‍♀️y’know🤷🏻‍♂️.

So is it still a stretch at this point to say WCC/the design is linked to neo-Nazis? Yes, but the stretch has lessened a little bit.

-

We move on to just WCC and JJ now. I’m just going to straight up use these pictures lol. I don’t think there’s anything much to say for the 1st pic, it speaks a thousand words. 2nd pic, I understand it’s his friend doing something stupid but JJ seems fine with it and it’s obvious he doesn’t find it wrong, as evidenced by the 1st pic.

Now, let’s look at a bit of WCC’s merch that I found online. There are other designs I wanted to include as well but I’ll just focus on these two.

Left | Right

Do they look familiar? No? 

How about now?

The Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle), is the heraldic eagle used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in the coats of arms of Germany, even till now. Different eras in Germany had different depictions. Nazis used the ones above, with swastikas.

It is also recognised as a hate symbol, appropriated by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. In their case, the swastika can be replaced by other symbols such as the SS Bolts or Celtic Cross. In places where swastikas are prohibited, the inside of the circle/wreath are occasionally left blank.

Notice how both the swastika and WCC logo is tilted slightly, and how a wreath is being held by the eagle on the white shirt. The resemblance is uncanny, no?

Before you bring up the eagle depicted on the Great Seal of the United States, I’m just going to say, don’t. The designs are very different and original sketches of it dates all the way back to 1782. It uses a bald eagle, holds an olive branch and arrows on each leg and has a shield as the focal element.

The 2nd pic looks more like the 1st than the 3rd. Just saying.

-

I’m at the end of my comparisons. If I see everything on it’s own, without taking into account the others for more background/context, of course there’s no link to Nazis or whatever. It’s just a Cross Pattée and a lightning bolt. No big deal, right?

Bikers, which is what WCC is about, did use the Iron Cross and SS Bolts for shock value. They weren’t promoting neo-Nazism or white supremacy with them.

But now that I’ve shown you the pictures of JJ and his friend doing a Nazi Salute and other merch resembling Nazi symbols, it kinda adds up. It’s no longer a stretch to say it’s linked, it’s reasonable. I’ve given you more context, do with it what you will.

To me, WCC designs are in very poor taste since they are based on “outlaw biker culture”, who literally appropriated them from Nazis. Am I calling them Nazis? No, because I don’t know what went through their minds when they designed and approved them, so I can’t say that. I am, however, calling them really fucking stupid though, and that’s being nice. They have shown that they do not care for what the symbols represent and the history behind it, it’s being wilfully ignorant.

So for Kimi to collaborate with them? It’s disappointing for sure. For him to wear it so blatantly? I’m just gonna say he’s an idiot, because I really don’t think he knows what it means, which...might seem confusing but Kimi really doesn’t seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to stuff outside of F1 cars. Really. I honestly think he sees things in a literal way so this collaboration to him is just with a famous person and motorcycles, nothing else. At this point, I just hope he stops wearing them and stops the collaboration.

-

So the above was the logical and rational part of me explaining why I think it’s wrong for Kimi to have those symbols on his merch. It is my opinion and my perspective.

Now here comes the irrational part of me cause I feel like it’s really obvious?

The damn crosses are so similar, like wtf Cross Pattée or not, it still looks like a fucking Iron Cross, no?? And who do we think of when we think of the Iron Cross? Then there’s the SS Bolt, which is nothing on its own but seeing WCC’s other merch with the fucking eagle holding a wreath with the WCC logo tilted, JUST LIKE THE NAZI’S, isn’t it fucking obvious?? Omg like I don’t like people “reaching” or “twisting things to fit the agenda” but this is literally fucking not. I started out trying to defend Kimi in my mind but after reading about JJ and seeing the other WCC merch designs, I just can’t.

Context/background matters!! Though it wasn’t really a good one, please refer back to my Harry Potter and his lightning scar example. 

I also liked what @mistressemmedi had to say about it here.

This post won’t show up in searches/tags so...haha fml I’m speaking into a void.

[jedivszombie]

HI! For f1 asks - 5 (+9 if you could give me some recs), 12, 13, 23, 28, 32, 33 sorry if its kinda a lot you dont have to answer all of them!!!

HI ANONYMOOSE! Thank you for the ask, I hope you see my answers and I apologise for replying a few days late! I once again ended up writing essays so you will find my answers under the cut! I hope you enjoy them!

it’s hump day: let’s talk about F1 baybee

5. Are there any movies or documentaries you would recommend to understand F1 better?

So I actually have not watched loads of F1 films or documentaries but I have watched a few that I think give an interesting and varied perspective on some things. 

Grand Prix (1966), this is a film and a very good film at that! It has a lot of drivers from that era who make cameos and comprise the background drivers - so it’s really cool to see them. The story is interesting and the direction and cinematography is top notch! It gives you a really good idea of what older cars and circuits and safety used to be like, albeit in a dramatised way. There are also a lot of nods to how teams like Ferrari etc used to be at the time. 

Race to Perfection (2020), this is a recent documentary mini series that is made up of a bunch of different episodes that cover different aspects of F1 and its history. There’s stuff about how the cars have developed since the 50s, there’s episodes about Schumi and Ayrton and all sorts. Also a lot of ex drivers and people who were involved with teams are interviewed so it’s interesting to hear from them about how situations unfolded or to reflect on some of their glory days. It is worth mentioning though that some of the people being interviewed have a vested interest in coming across a certain way (I’m looking at you Ron), or are choosing to remember things in a certain way. BUT it’s a great starting point for a good overview of different aspects of the sport and how it has evolved. 

Grand Prix Driver (2018), is a really good insight to McLaren starting to rebuild under Zak Brown. It follows Fernando and Stoffel during the 2017 season and gives some interesting insight to how one of the most successful and well known teams in the sport started to change their image and rebuild to how we know them now. 

I would also recommend trying to watch as many Ted’s Notebooks and Weekend Debriefs as you can find - Ted Kravitz hosts both of these shows and they cover a lot of interesting aspects from races that have happened and explain a lot of technical and complex concepts in a really accessible way. They talk about the drivers abilities, the way the cars are developing, the politics of the sport and other very interesting and key aspects of F1 to be aware of if you would like a broader understanding of the sport outside of just the racing and drivers personalities. 

There are definitely loads more documentaries and things you can watch but these are the ones I have personally watched and enjoyed. I have a few more on my list that I would like to watch, such as Grand Prix: The Killer Years and the McLaren doc about Bruce McLaren. 

9. Could you recommend anyone?

I think this is related to F1 YouTubers? I pretty much only follow Chainbear on YouTube in terms of F1 YouTubers. Out of Context F1 has a lot of good little clips and snippets of older footage from drivers - a lot of it is more on the meme side/funnier side but there are sometimes interesting clips from interviews there as well. 

The other F1 YouTube content I look at is the team’s socials or the stuff from F1 itself and older interviews/features with drivers etc that I can find. 

12. Which was the first driver you supported?

The first driver I supported was Schumi - my Dad is a MASSIVE Schumi fan and I have been watching since I was very very small and Schumi was very much involved and on a climb upwards. 

The first driver I actually chose to support myself was Fernando Alonso, it was my minor act of rebellion when I was a child. I still loved Schumi of course but for some reason I latched onto my man Flonso. I also absolutely loved Jenson too, but again so did my entire family. But those are the first three that I supported and remember supporting. 

13. Which was the first team you supported?

Ferrari baybee! Once you’re in, you can never leave!

The first team I chose to support was BAR Honda though - thank u Jenson.

23. Is there a driver that you think is underrated?

I have written a very long answer to this question here. 

28. Do you have a least favourite team? Which one and why?

Yes I do have a least favourite team. Red Bull is my least favourite team. I mean no shade to the engineers and mechanics and people working for the team because they are doing their jobs and doing their best. BUT I do not like their management in the slightest my god. I could rant about Red Bull for days but my main issue is the extremely toxic duo of Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. A lot of people talk extensively about the long list of Red Bull Juniors they have fucked over or passed over for the next big thing or not given proper chances to or actively fucked over (e.g. Buemi, Hartley, Sainz Jr, Gasly, Albon). But really you only have to look at the insane treatment that Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniil Kvyat endured during their time there. JEV was hospitalised trying to keep his weight down. Marko actively trashed him in the press and said he was lazy. There were jokes and comments about Daniil being on ‘shoelace watch’ after his demotion from Red Bull. Sure, if they drop you from the F1 team they will usually still sponsor you in your other series or help you find somewhere to land or even keep you on as a development/test/sim driver but at what cost? 

I know it’s F1 and I know the sport is brutal and to an extent there is always someone getting fucked over in teams or by the sport. I don’t expect drivers to be coddled but I do think more should be discussed about drivers mental health and the ways in which teams either help or do not help with that. Personally I would rather the guys behind the wheels of the super fast cars are actually feeling comfortable in their position in the sport and not super desperate because that’s hella dangerous for them and everyone else on track. BUT with Red Bull it’s more than a worrying pattern, it speaks to an entire culture and is downright neglectful at best and abusive at worst. 

Also fuck Haas, they fall under a similar toxic culture from management in my opinion. 

32. Which one is your favourite team principle and why?

I wrote my answer out in a previous ask here.

But I also just wanna do an honourable shout out to my man Franz Tost, he’s been putting in the work with the Red Bull Juniors and managing to nurture quite a few of them to success over the past decade and keeping a rather chaotic ship running - sure he’s not perfect but he’s been doing a pretty dope job, their treatment of Daniil aside.

33. Do you have a favourite team principle duo or ship?

I also answered this question here.

[lovewillthaw-j]

Forest of Shadows review

I finally read FoS, because my recent post on the “Secret Room” led me to search FoS and I also had some time on hand. I’m writing this post to share my views and invite conversations. Spoilers ahead! Also; I have not read any other full reviews of FoS. This is also the first Frozen-related official fiction I have read other than the Dark Horse comic True Treasure. Long post ahead.

Background: Ever since joining the fandom, I have seen mentions of FoS by other bloggers and get the general feeling that it’s a great book; thus I had high expectations of FoS. I had obtained the book in early February, read the first chapter and found it interesting. Didn’t have time to finish the book till now. Unfortunately, to be honest and true to myself, I did not like it.

The Good: I give credit to the author for 1) Exciting writing, it is truly quite a page turner, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day, reading into the night way past my usual bedtime. 2) A complex plot that did not feel drawn out for the sake of filling pages 3) Focusing on the sisters throughout and the climax being about their love for each other 4) The new characters do not take too much focus away from the sisters 5) Countless F2 references such as the scarf, Iduna singing the lullaby and cuddling both children, mention of a Dark Sea on the map, mention of Runeard and the Northuldra. 

The Bad: I will touch on 6 areas (with some unavoidable overlap): 1) The premise 2) Anna’s characterisation 3) The Nattmara 4) Aren and Revolute sword 5) Myth vs Reality 6) Plot holes. Spoilers ahead!

1) In this story, Elsa is 24 and Anna is 21 - 3 years post Frozen 1 and in the same year as F2. The premise of the story is that Elsa is fearful of being a bad queen, and Anna is insecure about how Elsa feels about her. Elsa is also about to leave, without Anna, on a world tour on a ship. Elsa has planned for Anna to be the “keeper of the kingdom” while she is away but for some reason, has not told Anna, even up till 3 days before the voyage. The Blight starts and Elsa feels powerless, amplifying her fear, which brings on the wolf form of the Nattmara. Anna, who is insecure for almost the whole story, gets freed from her insecurity when it is revealed to her that Elsa intended for Anna to be the “keeper of the kingdom” all along. And then, Anna figures out the Nattmara is Elsa’s nightmare (and not Anna’s) and in the climax, uses “true love” to free Elsa and the whole kingdom. I feel that the entire premise of this story is thin and very OOC for the sisters, at least in my headcanon. 

It is illogical to me that after 3 years of rule, Elsa feels fearful of being a bad queen. Surely she would have feared she would be a bad queen for the entire time since Agnarr died 6 years ago? Why now? Why would she feel this way 3 years after the great thaw and when she has Anna by her side? It is illogical to me that Elsa wouldn’t bring Anna on the world tour, and illogical that she would make Anna the keeper of the kingdom but not tell her about it or even give her some preparation and instructions, up till 3 days before the voyage. In the library, the sisters spent a whole afternoon together reading books and they couldn’t find the time to talk to each other? 

Regarding the climax, I acknowledge that the author found a clever word play with “Revolute” being an anagram of “True Love”. But, using an act of “True love” to save the day felt stale and rehashed from F1, as if Anna’s act of true love in F1 was insignificant. I was sorely disappointed when I reached the climax.

2) I was very irritated with how Anna was characterised in this story as it clashes with my headcanon of how 21 year old post F1 pre F2 Anna should be. The author decided that “Anna is really, really, REALLY insecure” and bombarded us with reminders every few sentences about it. For example, when the sisters talked to SoYun, Elsa told SoYun “you did the right thing coming to me” and Anna felt insecure that Elsa had not said “us”. When Anna suggested to send Kristoff to look for the trolls, Elsa hesitated and Anna felt insecure that Elsa did not seem to like Anna’s idea. When Anna discovers the secret room, she is reminded of how she was always “the last to know” as a child. When Elsa talked to Gerda, Anna “would have been even happier if Elsa had told Gerda that Anna had found something important”. Anna also has a nightmare that there is another “Anna” that Elsa and Kristoff interact with, while she, the real Anna watches from outside. Why is Anna so insecure 3 years post F1 when she knows that Elsa’s love for her is so great that Elsa would willingly lock herself away from her? The book also tells us that Anna felt that she needed to “prove her worth” to Elsa, and this led to Anna becoming fixated on fixing the Blight, to earn Elsa’s approval and to bring her on the boat trip. To me, Anna giving up her life for Elsa in F1 has “proved her worth” for all time!! The author also took pains to bombard us with reminders of how ditzy and clumsy and awkward Anna is eg always waking up late, walking into the great hall in her nightgown, interrupting Elsa and embarrassing Elsa in front of the people, running off with Revolute sword with no plan. This is not what I headcanon 21 year old post-F1 Anna to be. She might be awkward, yes, but not to this level.

Anna also did a couple of immature things. 2 big examples: Elsa held a meeting in her bedroom and Anna wasn’t invited, but Anna could hear that the meeting was going on (outside the door) and was upset and fled to her room. I would have expected Anna to knock on the door and go in and be helpful, after all, she is the royal princess and Elsa’s confidante. Anna’s belief in the spell that grants dreams is also rather immature, as a 21 year old adult I would have expected her to know better. 

I also expected Anna to sleep in Elsa’s bed every night to be there for her, especially when Elsa has been troubled by events (think about F2). Since when does Anna put anything, including her own insecurity over her love for Elsa? but no, upon finding Elsa’s bedroom empty, she goes back to sleep in her own room, and Elsa also didn’t come over to look for Anna. Why couldn’t the sisters just TALK to each other?? At the end of F1 they couldn’t stop touching each other, holding hands, hugging each other, making up for lost time.In summary:

I just cannot see my darling Anna as this person, sorry! 

Yes she could have been like this before F1, but not after her epic F1 journey to save Elsa and not after 3 years with Elsa by her side. 

3) The Nattmara. I have trouble with the Nattmara’s existence. As mentioned above, Elsa should have been fearful of being a bad queen 6 years ago - Nattmara should have appeared way earlier, why now? 

The powers of the Nattmara were also ill defined. First, it was a sickness on animals and crops. Then it became a literal, physical wolf with capabilities to inflict real physical harm. Then, it also gained the ability to scare humans (not as a wolf, but as some unseen, spiritual force) but additionally, turn humans into zombies (Kai and Gerda, while half-awake, were able to hold weapons against Anna) Next, the Nattmara gained the ability to turn into black sand, reform into a wolf, and turn back into black sand effortlessly. IIRC, the Nattmara only demonstrated the ability to turn into black sand after they read about it in Sorenson’s book, and then it started to use this power extensively. But even more confusing, when they were leaving the Huldrefolk and rushing back to Arendelle, they met up with Sorenson who was “possessed” by the Nattmara but didn’t have the yellow eyes and was able to speak normally and deceive the main characters about a magical water source. And after that, “possessed-Sorenson” (an old man) gained the physical ability to take on Kristoff in a fight. 

I feel that the author twisted the powers and capabilities of the Nattmara to keep the reader on the edge. (doesn’t everybody like zombies) I’m not sure if the Nattmara is just darkness or does it have a mind of its own? And every normal person has nightmares and fears, why hasn’t Nattmara appeared before? In chapter 9, it is stated that “Anna had dreamed of the wolf her entire childhood” - what is the explanation for that from a Nattmara perspective?

4) Aren and the Revolute sword are confusing as the author first introduces it as a myth (a sword that can create an actual, geographical fjord miles wide, is a myth) and the sisters acknowledge that it is only a tale. Sorenson debunks Aren and Revolute. Inexplicably, after Sorenson debunks it, Anna immediately says “So we need Revolute!”, showing that she now believes that there is a real Aren and a real sword, and this leads them to look for the Huldrefolk because “the Huldrefolk always find that which is lost”. To put it another way, a group of adults decided to enter dangerous, abandoned mines, based on the thinnest of suggestions that a mythical sword exists and a magical people that may not exist, somehow have it. Their quest to find the sword then leads them back to the tumulus, which they now believe is Aren’s. After some difficulty, they actually find a physical sword named Revolute, but my question is, do the sisters believe this is a real, normal sword owned by a normal human warrior called Aren or do they now believe they have found the mythical, fjord carving sword? They then try to use a physical sword against a mythical creature - doesn’t that contradict the “myth to destroy a myth” bit? 

Nattmara destroys the sword, and eventually the “myth to destroy a myth” is revealed to be True Love, which happens to be the anagram of “Revolute”. Clever, but too convenient! What does the sword have to do with true love? Couldn’t Anna have figured out that the answer was true love by another way? 

Historically speaking, warriors would be buried with their swords next to them or laid on their bodies with their arms crossed over the sword, so why is the sword found in the ship’s dragon mouth? And, the book said that the tumulus may be thousands of years old, how can a sword that old not have rusted and disintegrated by now?

Additionally, the Earth giant’s passage starts from the castle and passes the tumulus of Aren; Iduna knew the existence of the passage because she wrote about it in her book, so why wouldn’t any other king, Agnarr included, have examined/exhumed the tumulus and made it a museum, or store the artifacts in a museum, and research to see whose tomb it was? These are the 1800s after all, archaelogy had already begun post-renaissance.

5) As an extension of point 4, the treatment of myth/magic and reality is confusing. The story starts off on the premise that aside from Elsa’s magic and the rock trolls, we are in the real world dealing with real botanical and animal farming issues. Sorenson is introduced by Oaken as a “mystic” but in person, Sorenson is actually a scientist (reminds you of Varian from RTA/ TTS). Sorenson makes an excellent speech debunking the Nattmara, Huldrefolk and Aren and Revolute. When I got to this point in the book, I thought, that’s an absolutely correct 21st century mythbuster/human psychology explanation of nightmares and magical creatures and other unexplained phenomena. The book that he is holding is even called “Psychologia”. I was expecting that there would be a real world, logical explanation for the wolf and the Blight and Kai and Gerda going mad (Zootopia and the “night howlers” serum causing savageness comes to mind) However, the author then throws this away and the Nattmara is shown to be a real magic force, the Huldrefolk are shown to be real, Aren and his sword are actually real. Sorenson is the one who said “you can only defeat a myth with a thing of myth” but in the same breath says that all of these don’t truly exist; Yet, the rest of the story rests on defeating Nattmara with a thing of myth. 

 If the author had intended to portray this as a magical world and Sorenson as the “skeptic”, she didn’t write it clearly enough; or she shouldn’t have inserted so many sentences on debunking to maintain the suspension of disbelief. 

6) Plot holes: Why is Elsa the only one who can deal with mundane problems like cracks in chimneys and animal illnesses? Hasn’t she heard of delegation?

Why isn’t Elsa interested in the contents of the secret room, as an educated adult and ruler? She took one look at the portrait of Aren, thought about “great leaders”, felt consumed by fear that she isn’t one, and decided that she will shut the secret room and inexplicably says “mother and father intended for it to be hidden, so it should stay hidden”. A great leader would read extensively and do research and build on what your forebears have done; here is a treasure trove of work done by her parents, the previous rulers.

If Elsa could make the massive snow bear, Bjorn, then why didn’t she make an army of snow bears to fight possessed-Sorenson? Instead she left Kristoff to face him alone?

When Elsa was consumed by the black sand and Anna ran towards her, it is clearly written that Elsa attacked Anna with the black sand, but in the next chapter Anna is still Anna and not zombified.  

==

Wow, I have really written a lot. I guess I was really invested in the story, but my disappointment at the ending and the overall premise is too great. I really wanted to like this story. I don’t mean to start any wars, I hope I haven’t offended anybody and I’m willing to consider other perspectives. Please talk to me in the comments! Thanks for reading if you reached here!

[robertkstone]

2020 Lamborghini Huracan Evo First Drive

“TELL ME SOMEBODY GOT THAT!?!?”

I have just executed what has got to be the most heroic drift out of a cresting right-hander at Bahrain International Circuit in Lamborghini’s latest supercar. The name is Huracan Evo, and its 630-horsepower 5.2-liter V-10 and bright orange paint job scream almost as loud as I do.

“OH C’MON, NOBODY SAW THAT??”

I scan the track walls for the lenses of Lamborghini’s hired shooters and the sky above for a drone I saw earlier. Nope. Guess I’ll have to find another way to “do it for the ’gram.” Such a pity, too, because Lamborghini has baked a ton of new features into the Evo, expressly for the social media generation.

Evo is essentially the midcycle reset for the entire Huracan model line. The three letters means evoluzione and reflect the evolution of the new base model. Gone is the Huracan LP610-4 coupe (and that naming convention); every future Huracan variant will be based on the Evo. And what a place to begin, as Evo upgrades the base coupe with the Performante’s 630-horsepower V-10 and next-generation electromechanicals culled from across Lamborghini, including torque vectoring, rear-wheel steering, and something called inertial platform. Everything else is about the same. The Evo’s chassis components, stiffness, and even overall weight are the same as the coupe, Lamborghini chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani claims. From a hardware perspective, the Evo’s V-10 has 99 percent parts commonality with the Performante’s, but Reggiani says the software has many key differences; notably, the Evo redlines 500 rpm lower at “only” 8,000 rpm.

The design is evolutionary, as well; 20-inch Y-spoked wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber are the most obvious tip-off from afar. Only the nose and tail of the stealth-fighter-influenced Huracan have been Evo-tweaked with a front chin spoiler and a small integrated wing in the rear decklid. Repositioning the exhaust pipes to the middle of the rear fascia, with their twin cannonlike tips protruding around the license plate, doesn’t just look a lot more racy (and indeed were inspired by MotoGP bikes and Lamborghini’s GT3 race car). It also provides real estate for a taller, more substantial rear diffuser. There is no large rear wing or ALA active aerodynamics system, but Reggiani claims a sixfold improvement in aerodynamic efficiency and seven times more downforce over the Huracan coupe.

Evo is the same weight as its predecessor, which means it’s about 88 pounds heavier than the Performante. But here’s where it gets interesting: Reggiani claims the Evo is a whopping 3.0 seconds faster than the base Huracan coupe over Lamborghini’s 5-mile test course at the Nardo Ring, where it also just clips the Performante.

How? Lamborghini Dynamic Vehicle Integration (LDVI), a fully integrated vehicle dynamics control system with a single CPU that governs five main subsystems: torque vectoring all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, traction control, adaptive magnetorheological dampers, and that inertial platform (called LPI—Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale). LPI 2.0 is an updated set of accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors placed near the vehicle’s center of gravity to monitor the real-time attitude of the car, including acceleration in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical directions, as well as roll, pitch, and yaw. LPI and the other systems inform the LDVI controller (by relaying such inputs as steering wheel, brake, and throttle position, as well as engaged gear, drive mode, and torque split). Lamborghini claims external conditions can be determined via feedback from the active suspension and a grip estimation function of the all-wheel-drive system. Reggiani says LDVI processes all of this information in real time and uses “feed-forward logic” to make new, dedicated settings for all subsystems in 20 milliseconds. (In comparison, a human eye blink takes between 100 and 150 milliseconds.) “It doesn’t just react; the car predicts the best driving setup for the moment,” says Reggiani, who also confirmed that LDVI is a Lamborghini exclusive; platform-mate Audi R8 won’t get it.

To find out whether any of this was remotely discernible or true, we took a total of 12 hot laps in three lead-follow sessions (chasing a Lamborghini test driver) at the glorious Bahrain International Circuit, the Middle East’s premier F1 track, which debuted in 2004. Last fall, we named the Huracan Performante our Best Driver’s Car, so prior to this outing, I pinged my fellow editor-judges for thoughts on how the best could be made better. Brakes were a consistent theme.

“I’d prefer more feel from the brake pedal—it’s just hard and dead,” road test editor Chris Walton said. Guest judge and Automobile’s own Jethro Bovingdon agreed: “They go very hard and dead under extreme use. The ABS was also triggering a lot of you touched any curb.” There were also some requests for increased nimbleness and a more neutral attitude (less under- and oversteer, through corners).

First, the bad news. No one on Team MotorTrend is going to like the brakes. Despite six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers grabbing cross-drilled and ventilated carbon-ceramic discs, the feel is surprisingly soft at first stab, without the linearity of the very best sports cars. Judging braking points at high speeds is tricky, often requiring an exploratory dab to find the engagement point, and then harder and harder effort to bring about predictable deceleration. A full damn-the-torpedoes stomp at the end of one of BIC’s long straights sends the Evo (and my jowls) diving forward, but as the car slows, the lightened rear end wags noticeably. Not scary, but not reassuring, either. When I mentioned that perhaps more wing (a la Performante) might help settle the rear, Reggiani nodded knowingly and said, “Yes, yes, but we need to leave something for later, right?”

As for the soft brake setup? Reggiani is even more clear about Evo’s intent: “This is a car for the street; we couldn’t give the brakes race car feel because on the street, it wouldn’t be acceptable.”

The opposite is true, as well; on cool-down laps, I toggle the ANIMA mode switch at the bottom of the steering wheel to Strada (street), and the Evo goes dead asleep. The exhaust flaps shut immediately, rendering the cabin library quiet in comparison to Sport and Corsa (race) mode. Toggling the button on the transmission array from manual to automatic calms things down even further. For the sake of serenity and fuel efficiency, the seven-speed dual-clutch takes every opportunity to select the highest gear possible; matting the throttle does nothing to wake things up. The transmission is so slow to downshift that you’re much better off pulling back a few times on the left downshift paddle.

Or just drive around in Sport mode, as is Reggiani’s preference. With this middle mode engaged, the Evo is completely transformed. As the exhaust flaps click open, the dual-clutch drops gears until you’re in the meaty part of the rev range and a deep roar fills the cabin. The digital dash display shifts, from a smaller, traditional needle and dial combination to a wider view that enlarges the gear indicator and emphasizes revs. Sport mode is by far the most playful, a word used a lot by Lamborghini’s senior staff, as the LDVI system makes magic for us mere mortals. Attacking corners and exiting sideways in the Evo are easy, on-demand thrills. Do something wrong, and LDVI steps in, most noticeably in the drift recovery stage, where it can brake an inside wheel (via the traction control system), accelerate an outside wheel (via the torque-vectoring all-wheel drive), or even adjust the angle of the front and rear wheels (via the all-wheel steering system) to tuck the tail back in line. It’s most impressive (and obvious) the more poorly you drive; in one corner I got the car so sideways that a tank-slapping sashay off track was clearly inevitable, but the Evo would have none of it; sensors sensed, actuators fired, and a single dab of countersteer on my part straightened the car out. Like a boss.

For a real-time display of what LDVI is doing, the Evo has an 8.4-inch touchscreen mounted vertically above the ignition button. Select LDVI mode, and it shows a top-down view of the powertrain, axles, and wheels, lighting up bits to show torque split (front/back, left/right) while digital gauges show the attitude of the four-wheel steering system. The screen also serves as a touch controller for the infotainment and climate control systems. Big news: The volume knob is gone, so to adjust sound, Lamborghini has added limited gesture control, familiar to any tablet or smartphone user. Slide two fingers up or down on the screen to raise or lower volume. Tap three fingers to mute or unmute the audio.

In a more substantial nod to the Facebook generation, the Evo is the brand’s most digitally connected car. The Lamborghini management team says its clients demand it, so Apple CarPlay comes standard, and Reggiani says Android Auto will be on board by the time the vehicle launches in the second quarter of 2019. What’s more, LDVI data can be downloaded to a thumb drive via the car’s USB ports and uploaded to another Evo for comparison, in-car, while driving. Want to see how you and your Evo stack up against Randy’s laps at Laguna Seca at Best Driver’s Car 2020? That will be possible, Reggiani says. More intriguing, the system will apparently allow for comparative analysis of hot lap data from popular racing games.

But there’s nothing like racing in real life, and in Corsa mode, LDVI is programmed to ensure the fastest attitude in all situations. Drifts are kept to a minimum but still gloriously possible, while everything else feels maxed out. Corsa makes the dash display even bigger, the exhaust louder still, and it completely ditches the automatic mode. You’re the captain now (sorta). The Evo has moments when it feels more neutral and nimble than its predecessors, but not without the sensation of LDVI lurking in the background. Come in to a corner too hot, and a slight push of understeer is quickly subtracted. That whoop-inducing drift—all you? Probably not. That LDVI isn’t completely invisible and will likely be problematic for track purists and hardcore racers, like our resident hot shoe Randy Pobst. Reggiani admits that some of his test drivers had the same feelings initially but that in the end, they were all converts. Why? Because they were faster with LDVI fully engaged.

Make no mistake, the Huracan Evo is huge step above the previous base coupe and a legit challenger to the Performante crown. It fully deserves every heart, thumbs-up, and retweet it will get on social media, as there might not be a car within 100 horsepower that’s easier to drive and drift at full tilt. But we’ll need more time in it to see if we come to the same conclusion as Lamborghini’s test drivers and to sort out what’s possible with the downloadable LDVI data. And the biggest thing we were not able to asses is how Evo handles its true mission, as Lamborghini’s most affordable and daily-drivable supercar.  So stay tuned for updates here, or on MotorTrend’s Instagram.

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