They say, "Test, test, and test again." I’ve been hard at work refining the F1 Predictor experience, testing across Chrome, Safari, Brave, and Edge. Everything looked lightning-fast and responsive—on my Mac.
However, it was recently brought to my attention that players using Chrome on Windows were hitting a roadblock. While the carousels worked perfectly on macOS and mobile, Windows users were finding it nearly impossible to scroll through the driver lists and bonus categories.
What went wrong?
The issue came down to how different operating systems and browsers handle "touch" versus "mouse" events within modern CSS layouts. While macOS handles overflow-scrolling very gracefully with trackpads, Chrome on Windows was occasionally ignoring the horizontal scroll commands for certain mouse setups.
What we’ve changed:
- New Drag-to-Scroll Logic: I have completely overhauled the carousel code. You can now click and "grab" the cards with your mouse to slide them left or right—mimicking the feel of a mobile app.
- Navigation Buttons: To ensure no one is left behind, I’ve added dedicated < and > navigation buttons on every carousel. If your mouse wheel or trackpad is being finicky, one click will shift the view for you.
- Cross-Platform Parity: I’ve verified the new logic to ensure that whether you are on an iPhone, a Windows PC, or a MacBook, the experience is identical.
We noticed that a few of you clicked through to the bonus page but didn't finish your entries. I'm hoping this scrolling bug was the culprit and not a lack of interest! If you tried to enter before and got frustrated, please try again now. The experience should be much smoother.
A Fair Start for Newcomers
If we see a big influx of new players for the next Grand Prix who missed the start because of these technical gremlins, I want to make sure everyone is looked after. I am looking into a fair way to allow late starters to compete without a penalty. We might even look at running two leaderboards: one for the "Season Veterans" and a "Newcomer Sprint" leaderboard so everyone has something to play for.
F1 News: Middle East Rounds Cancelled?
While we are waiting for an official word from Formula 1, major outlets including The Athletic and the BBC are reporting significant changes to the 2026 calendar.
It appears that Round 4 (Bahrain) and Round 5 (Saudi Arabia) have been cancelled due to the ongoing instability and trouble in the Middle East. Security for the teams, staff, and fans is always the priority, and it seems the situation has reached a point where the races simply cannot go ahead as planned.
There are reports that F1 held emergency discussions about "emergency" replacement rounds in Europe to keep the calendar at 24 races. However, the timescale involved in preparing a circuit, moving the logistics, and selling tickets on such short notice has apparently made a European pivot impossible.
For our Predictor game, this means we will likely have a gap in the schedule. We will adjust the game weeks accordingly once F1 provides the final updated calendar. Stay tuned for more updates, and get those predictions in for the next active race!