#what's the magic formula

[jaynovz]

According to my mood tracking app, the longest I have gone without writing since I started up again in Jan 2021 was ten days in a row, which was when I was in GA for xmas during the last two weeks of Dec 2021...

The overall effect on my mood when including the writing activity is pretty high, in a positive way, based on the data.

All of that to say that my current depressive slump as a result of facing the fact that I may have finally hit a hard wall of burn out, after two years of intense output?

...well, it makes sense lol.

[alexturntable]

Charles and Carlos with Magician Shin Lim | Las Vegas GP

[mrsbrxkkxr]

[skitskatdacat63]

Fernando Alonso & His Relationship With Cards

I'm sure we're all familar with the cards on the back of Fernando's Vegas GP helmet by now, but did you know his relationship with cards goes a lot deeper?

I. Magic Tricks

You've probably seen or heard someone at least mention Fernando's propensity for card tricks. As far as I can tell he was doing them(publically) as far back as 2003 all the way to as recently as 2018. Even once performing a card trick, with a condom and a teddy bear(!??!?!??!!), in front of Valentino Rossi who said "How was that possible?"(x)

But how did this start? According to James Allen, "Fernando admits to having been heavily influenced by his grandfather, a mercurial figure, who taught him magic and card tricks, still one of his passions away from the race track."(x) And I'm not sure the validity of this one, because I couldn't find an actual source, but apparently he once said: "My parents are responsible for the two things I like doing most - driving and magic tricks. They bought me my first go-kart and a magician's kit."

In several interviews he described it as his hobby off track, and that he loved learning new tricks and surprising others in the garage with them! So clearly cards are pretty important to him both as a hobby but also to who he is as a person since they've been with him just as long as racing has.

II. Card Symbolism in His Helmets

This is the reason I originally made this post, but I thought I should also explain the origins of his card fascination first. As I said, we probably all remember the cards on the back of his helmet in Vegas, but did you know that wasn't the first time he had cards on the back of his helmet?

From 2008-2013, he used to have a pair of cards on the back of his helmets. The symbolisms of the cards themselves as well as the evolution of their design is really fascinating to me! Even more so with the recent development of the card choice in 2023.

Fernando said he wanted to reference his two titles in some way on the back of his helmet and after his friend sent him several ideas, he decided on having two cards(an ace of clubs and an ace of hearts, sometimes pictured with 05 and 06 on them as well), saying: "I picked the cloverleaf [the ace of clubs - Ed] to give me luck, but the only pity is that it doesn't have four leaves!"(X)

2008.

Here's the very first appearance of the cards! They're displayed flat, with the 05 and 06 clearly visible

2009.

Very similar to 2008, but with a slightly different design, and they're maybe a bit more straight with less shadow?

2010.

This is the first major change! I was sad they didn't have the years on them anymore, but then I realized they're sparkly to match with his signature lightning bolts on the top of the helmet!!

2011.

Honestly I'm still somewhat unsure if this is the actual 2011 helmet? It's pretty difficult to find clear photos of the back of helmets from older seasons. It's easiest to find them on replica sites or auction sites so I'm not 100%? But anyways, I like that this has the championship years on the underside of the cards

2012.

This is when I started getting weirdly emotional about the helmets. Do you see how they've progressed from being a centerpoint to being curled up and sad at the bottom of the helmet? Not listing the year anymore??

2013.

Same thoughts as 2012. And after this season, they cease to exist (just like his ferrari chair in the garage, WOAH CALLBACK), until cards make a reeappearance in his Vegas helmet, albeit in a different form

2013 Monaco(Honorable Mention):

For some reason 2013 helmets were easier to find proper pictures of, so I happened to witness this absolute beauty. The creativity of this helmet genuinely blows me away??? Wanting to keep the card motif, but making sure to incorporate it into the rest of the puzzle piece design?? Mwah! There was another special 2013 helmet but they didn't change the cards at all so I really applaud this one

2023 Las Vegas(The Return of The King):

The magnificent return! But look! The cards are different cards! Instead of being two aces, it's now an ace of hearts, a four of hearts(his driver number of course!) and, the, now iconic, representation of himself as a Joker. I literally could not believe my eyes when this helmet was released and I saw the Joker card, what a fucking silly old man....I really wonder if he felt nostalgic having cards on his helmet again or if he didn't think about it all and was just like, "ah cards because Vegas!!!"

III. Why Does This Matter?

*The rest of the post was factual, this is moreso my personal thoughts on the symbolism of the cards/designs

This post spawned from me recently watching the 2010 Bahrain gp and noticing "hey wait a minute...are those CARDS ON THE BACK OF HIS HELMET!?" It's a really tiny detail that's unfortunately covered up by the HANS device pretty much whenever he's wearing the helmet, so it's really difficult to spot! But I became fascinated with the fact that he had cards on his helmet before that recent helmet, and now here we are!

There's something to me about how the design of the cards evolves over the course of six seasons from the cards being front and center to being smaller, more folded up and closer to the bottom of the helmet. As I said, the 2012-2013 ones genuinely made me depressed because it feels, symbolically, like his hopes for getting another Ace are becoming more and more unlikely and falling away until they eventually fall falt and fade away entirely after 2013 and disappear for basically a decade.

But when they return? They're not the same cards! Instead of representing Fernando's championships, they now represent him as a person, displaying his driver number and his persona of being a Joker!! Though I do think it's interesting he happened to keep the Ace of Hearts, even though he talked more about the Ace of Clubs before. I'm not sure it's actually this deep in reality, but I like to think that it's him not letting his championships(and the lack thereof) define him, but rather letting who he is as a person shine and be the centerpoint instead! But on a sadder note, as @suzuki-ecstar said to me, maybe the Aces aren't there anymore because he's lost all hope for a chance at a third Ace entirely :(

[versatancore]

"she is a bad person but at least she makes max happy" okay?? that doesn't change the fact she's still a terrible person?? your only condition to like/respect someone is for them to make max happy?? i mean at some point jos makes max happy too?? do yall respect that abuser too?? have some standards and learn to separate people from their surroundings because this is not even being a fangirl its just stupid lol

[sangre]

doodles that have been in my head today lol. im sorry phaesus you're just amicable and easy to pick on

[shakemelikeasnowglobe]

Do I understand brocedes? NO

Do I want to understand brocedes? Also No

Do I still stand mesmerized like an ipad baby watching cocomelon to every single brocedes dramatic tiktok video ? YES absolutely and it destroys me every time

[firstroseofspring]

exploring klingon ridge variation!

[2129888]

higuchi sensei when it's time to cook up the guy that'll be falling in love with the main character in one of her little stories

[nerdyfangirlingbooks]

I like to believe he runs his own social media

[paradigmrust]

april's fool

[urfavsidekick]

one thing about jane remover is she knows exactly how many sections of a song there needs to be always

[cosmicrhetoric]

last night i was so sick of my skin i was like thats IT im DONE im going to the drugstore and buying what my famously clear skinned mother used in the 90s. woke up this morning to find out it made me break out 🤡

[take-me-to-valhalla]

reading this old book that scar(r)ed me for life when I was 9 and discovering that the goddamn Necronomicon was in it

[skitskatdacat63]

2023 Bahrain Grand Prix - Fernando Alonso(ft. Max Verstappen, Checo Perez & Lance Stroll)(my personal post-race highlights)

[f1]

Its not that they have a magic bullet Vasseur outlines what it will take to reel in Red Bull over second half of season

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur has expressed optimism that current F1 pace-setters Red Bull can be caught, claiming marginal gains “in every single pillar of performance” will be key, as opposed to unleashing one “magic bullet”. Red Bull have dominated the 2023 season so far, winning all 13 races from Bahrain to the Netherlands with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to build up comfortable advantages in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. BEYOND THE GRID: Fred Vasseur on his ‘biggest challenge’ and pursuing the ‘pinnacle’ with Ferrari Nearest rivals Mercedes are now 285 points adrift, followed by Aston Martin and Ferrari, who have experienced an up-and-down campaign with an SF-23 package that has reached the high of pole position but also left drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz scratching their heads. Asked about this year’s titles being out of reach, and what would represent a successful second half to the year for Ferrari, Vasseur said: “For sure, if you have a look on the numbers, it’s quite difficult to imagine we could be champions on the team and driver championships. Ferrari are fourth in the constructors’ standings after 13 races, behind Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin “But we need to keep the same mindset, to try to get the best on every single weekend, not to be focused on the championship. We have to improve the package, also to improve what we are doing on track, to try to get the best from the package that we have – it’s where we have to be focused. “I don’t want to fix a target to say we have to do ‘this’ or ‘this’. As long as we have room for improvement, we have to be 100% focused on this. It’s clear that on every single topic, and every single pillar of the performance, we need to take a step forward.” IT’S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the Italian Grand Prix Pushed on where he feels Red Bull are making the difference, Vasseur added: “I’m not sure that they have an area where they are much better than someone else. I think it’s everywhere they are performing, in every single pillar of performance, the drivers, engine chassis, aero, suspension, strategy… “I think it would be a mistake to say, ‘Okay, they are much better than us in this area, let’s be full push on this one’. We have to try to get the best from what we have in every single area and to do a small step everywhere.” This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your cookie preferences TECH TALK: Who's got faster so far? | Crypto.com Ferrari confirmed at the Dutch Grand Prix – where Leclerc and Sainz endured a particularly challenging weekend at the wheel – that they are working on a “brand-new” car for the 2024 season, as they look to deliver on Vasseur’s wish to improve in all areas. With all of the above in mind, Vasseur underlined his belief that Ferrari have the “team spirit, passion, budget and facilities” to get back to winning ways and end a title drought that stretches back to the 2008 campaign. “It’s never that something is missing in a team when you are not winning,” the Frenchman commented. “Even when you are winning, it’s not that you have something special – I’m really convinced about this. THIS WEEK IN F1: 10 quiz questions on all the F1 news ahead of the Italian Grand Prix “It’s not that Red Bull have a magic bullet. Perhaps that Max is doing a mega job today, but also it’s coming from the fact that they are dominating and they are putting Max in a very good position to do a good job. “I’m not sure that we have to change something. We have to improve everywhere, in every single area, in every single department. If two or three tenths are missing, I’m much more convinced that it’s 10 times two or three hundredths of a second per lap than something else.” via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com