View Full Version : New Formula One Season
Well, only 18days to go til life re-starts, after all as Steve McQueen said: "Racing is life, anything before or after is just waiting"!
So, if there are any other F1 fans out there, who's your money on for the title?
I'm going for Massa to win.
Also I would be willing to bet (if I was a betting man but I'm not) that we will get our first "Pole on Pole" with BMWSauber's Kubica. I also think he'll get a win.
oh and one more thing, well two actually.
Did anyone else find it humorus that Villenuve said he thinks Kimi Raikkonen is overrated? That from a guy who only got to F1 because of his surname, and as soon as he lost Renault power never won another race!
And Montoya - what a laugh. Says he's got the talent to win NASCAR, well he's got a lot to learn, having watched the Daytona 500 live and the highlights of this weeks race, he looks very very average and certainly can't handle a Nextel Cup car in the draft!
Terrible Timp
01.03.2007, 08:23
I think this season could be closer than ever Massa will be up there challenging but you can't write off Alonso i know he's changed teams but i think he might just sneek it !
Looking forward to see what the others have to offer Kubica looked good last year and i agree we may well see a win from him this year and then there's good old Jenson think he's got another win up his sleeve somewhere !!
With regards old Jenson, he may well have a win in there somewhere, but the car looks awful with that map on it.
In Autosport today they report that there may have been sponsorship problems (ie no one wanted to sponsor HondaF1) and that they were trying to get a deal with Sanyo but it fell through and that's why the livery was chosen.
Also said that the reason the engine cover is black is because the heat from the engine would burn off the stickers - well what about the logos that have been on engine covers for years?
Rumour is that the Ferrari engine was the hottest V8 last year, yet the giant Marlboro logos and the huge red bull on the RBRs never came off.
It's gonna be a complex season I feel
I really cannot get excited about formula one anymore. Too much money, too much technology, too much tinkering by Bernie.
It is useful as a showcase for money buying the title and that is just about it. I hope this season proves me wrong but I doubt I'll bother watching anyway.
Superbikes / Moto GP on the other hand... now that's a really exciting form of racing. Already booked my tickets to go to Estorill.
2nd man down
13.05.2007, 21:23
So....watched today's Grand Prix, with some amazement to see Lewis Hamilton take a forth podium place out of four races...(not to mention taking top spot in the drivers championship!)
So is this lad really the racing phenomenon he appears to be, or is he just lucky to have got a place with the 2nd best team on the circuit behind Ferarri???
Of course he has to be good, but do you think he really is THAT good???
Personally, I'm beginning to believe he may just be!
johnmartin
14.05.2007, 00:14
Even with a good car he would still have to be a fairly decent driver to get the best out of it. Anyway, the best driver in the world isn't driving this year so there's not any great drivers out there for him to test himself against. Personally I would like to see him win it but I don't think he will. At least, not this year.
WoodenFlugel
14.05.2007, 22:13
So....watched today's Grand Prix, with some amazement to see Lewis Hamilton take a forth podium place out of four races...(not to mention taking top spot in the drivers championship!)
So is this lad really the racing phenomenon he appears to be, or is he just lucky to have got a place with the 2nd best team on the circuit behind Ferarri???
Of course he has to be good, but do you think he really is THAT good???
Personally, I'm beginning to believe he may just be!
I think he really is that good. A once in a couple of generations special. Being a motorsport geek I remember him doing the McLaren karting challenge in the 90's when it was televised and he won just about every race going.
Yes he has a pretty good car, but there are two things to remember:
1. Last weekend, for just about the whole time he was faster than a current double world-champion in the same car. But it's not just the last race where he was quick - he's kept Alonso honest all season.
2. Ron Dennis has invested something like 3 million quid into his career. Anyone who follows F1, or has even seen McLaren's monster factory will know that Ron Dennis is no chump. He would not invest that sort of money without a very good reason.
Lewis Hamilton really IS THAT good.
He's got an amazing racing brain (that'll be from the 11 years of McLaren growth he's had). Just look at how stupid Senor Alsono was at turn one and compare that to Lewis, who back off slightly to avoid the said Sapiniard's car as he careered back across the track.
Will Lewis win the title this year???
Possibly, but I still stand by my opening post that Massa is my favourite for the title.
Provided the Ferrari doesnt start to develop Gremlins as can sometimes be the case after one electronics failure, then a Red team driver will win the title I think.
But I think McLaren will have a nice returnee to the trophy room in the shape of the Manufacturers title.
I've guessed at the last 10 champions (my dad - Peter Bale will tell you) and have only got 1 wrong - that was when Alonso beat Michael Schumacher in 05. (well thinking about that its actually only 3 champs in 10 years)
Thirteen Ball
16.05.2007, 17:57
Lewis Hamilton really IS THAT good.
He's still no Valentino Rossi though.... ;)
He's still no Valentino Rossi though.... ;)
Since when was Rossi an F1 driver??????????????
when he tested for Ferrari he was 3 seconds off Luca Badoer's time around Ferrari's test track, and Luca's time was 1.5secs off Michael Schumachers
Thirteen Ball
17.05.2007, 18:00
Funny, it depends who you ask about that. The story in MCN was he was within three seconds of Schumacher in a car that wasn;t set up for him on a track he didn't know. Either way, still not bad for first spin though eh? ;)
Would've been interesting to stick Schuey on a yamaha M1 and see if he could get within half a dozen seconds of Rossi. Probably not, I'd suspect.
If anyone out of the F1 grid could hack a bike rice, I reckon it'd be Coulthard. At least he's ridden bikes before.
I know formula 1 drivers need lots of bottle to bomb around at 200mph, but they've forgotton the one thing that makes lots of fast vehicles on a track into an actual RACE.
I speak of none other than F1's dearly departed friend, the overtake.
Scott Speed would probably be the best F1 driver on a bike, he has in the past raced (or at least tested) desert raid bikes.
Mind you, might be better if he did go bike-racing, would stop him being so bad in F1
Thirteen Ball
20.05.2007, 18:19
Desert raid bikes are a very different proposition to full GP bikes though, albeit the 1990s 500cc GP series was dominated by racers bred in dirt-track. They were the only ones who could master the rear-wheel steering necessary when an engine's putting out 60-70bhp more than the frame can handle. Riders like Rainey, Schwantz, Doohan, Gardner and Hislop kicking 'em sideways with a big fistful of throttle is sadly, a thing of the past.
Seems a pretty specialised field either way. There's only John Surtees ever combined world titles on four wheels and two. But Damon hill is a keen biker, so who knows, if he'd not come to racing so late, he might have had time to go bike racing as well as win an F1 title.
Aaron Slight wound up in British touring cars for a bit too, although I'm not sure he was any more successful there than he was in superbikes!
Steve Parish won world titles on 2 and 4 wheels, but his 4 wheeled one was in truck racing, a very undepromoted minority form of racing.
Back to F1, will be interesting to see how Fernando copes with Lewis around Monaco, should make for interesting racing
I do appologise, Parrish only won European bike titles.
Well Lewis got a great win today.
Kept his nerve for 5 starts (the grid then 4 safety cars) and kept of the way of the once again foolish and extremely over ambious Alonso.
I think that Alonso's impaitience could cost him the title this year.
Thirteen Ball
11.06.2007, 10:19
Could be. He's only human after all.
There is an old saying that you can win a race by trying too hard, but not a championship.
Freddie spencer once won a 500GP title without ever winning a race! Everyone around him was 1st, DNF, 12th, 18th, 3rd and allsorts of up and down finishes like that. Freddie was consistently 2nd and 3rd all season, and his consistency paid off.
Usually it's better to play the percentages and take the 2nd place points than push too hard for the win and have the risk of a spill and a DNF.
All great champions have that mentality in their locker - with the exception perhaps of Senna, who was win or crash trying in every race.
Not sure Alonso's got that coolness about him - although it;s starting to look like Hamilton has.
Brassy Lady
11.06.2007, 10:49
Did anyone else find it humorus that Villenuve said he thinks Kimi Raikkonen is overrated? That from a guy who only got to F1 because of his surname, and as soon as he lost Renault power never won another race!
He's being proved right tho' :wink:
I think that Alonso's impaitience could cost him the title this year.
Alonso is looking so desperate - not necessarily to win but to beat his team-mate come-what-may.
Well done Lewis, a fabulous win :clap:
Thirteen Ball
11.06.2007, 10:58
I think Kimi Raikonnen is immenseley overrrated.
For a man with such breathtaking arrogance - like the incident when he famously said on live TV that he was "Taking a s**t" rather than attending Michael Schumacher's presentation for breaking Juan Manuel Fangio's record - he's done precious little to back it up on the track...exept find more excuses.
And Jaques Villeneuve may be overrated too - but at least he won a world title - something Raikonnen is unlikely ever to do.
barrytone
11.06.2007, 11:19
I have tried and better tried to get interested in this F1 season and I just can't. I didn't miss a race last year and have been a big F1 fan for as long as I can remember. The only reason I can find is that I can't find a "hero" in the sport at the moment. I remember Senna, Prost, Mansell, Hill and laterly Schumacher and can't identify a current driver who is of the same "status" as them. I understand there are some very talented drivers in the sport at the moment but they're lacking something in my opinion and I don't find I am captivated in the same way.
I subscribe to the F1 magazine too and have done for several years, it's an awful feeling losing the enthusiasm for the sport, hopefully it will return in time but currently I have little or no interest in who wins anything.
2nd man down
11.06.2007, 12:10
Amazing Race by Hamilton yesterday.
A lesser spirited person would surely have capitulated having had his lead (a 19 seconds lead the first time it happened) reduced to a cars length not once, but no less than four times by the safety car, and he still managed to finish with a nigh on 6 sicond lead. magnificent. He certainly seems to be the super cool and determined character the sport badly needs.:clap:
WoodenFlugel
11.06.2007, 13:01
Yesterday's drive showed just what a fantastic prospect Lewis Hamilton is. Aside from being blindingly quick with amazing car control he seems to have more mental strength than anyone else. Last weekend he out-psyched Alonso, and kept a cool head while everyone else was busy falling off the race track.
Qualifying was interesting - Hamilton put pressure on Alonso with his lap and although Alonso was quicker though 3/4 of it he buckled at the end, made a mistake and lost out. I think Alonso knew he had to beat Hamilton to the first corner to stand any chance of winning - hence the do-or-die outside move which didn't pay off.
Great race, and I'm glad that Kubica suffered nothing more that a sprained ankle (and no doubt a massive headache!) after that horrific 170mph crash. I really feared the worst when I saw the live coverage - which only caught the back end of the accident, then worried even more when they showed the whole thing. Scary stuff. Thank God he's OK.
The rest of the season is going to be fascinating to see how the Alonso and Hamilton relationship develops - or maybe diteariates!! But don't write Ferrari off yet - I bet they'll be strong again next weekend.
Ipswich trom
11.06.2007, 13:25
Whilst not a great follower of this sport I do ocassionally watch but I have a question about the use of the safety car. I understand the need for it to be used but cannot work out why when this happens they don't also have a rule that simply limits speed for all drivers so that they don't then bunch up.
You could say that it makes for more exciting racing in that the cars are once again lined up but 4 times yesterday drivers which had built up an advantage saw it wiped out as the safety car was deployed.
Any thoughts?
Have to agree with you Ian. It seems people can have driven really well, built up a comfortable lead and then because of somebody elses mistake or misfortune be penalised.
With all the technology officials could tell who was exceeding the agreed speed limit.
Or is the use of the safety car just the organisors way of trying to make the sport exciting?
WoodenFlugel
11.06.2007, 15:17
Or is the use of the safety car just the organisors way of trying to make the sport exciting?
I think that was the reason for the invention of the safety car in the Indycar series - in Indycar after an hour or so's racing the field there could get pretty spread out (as in F1). But with the frequent accidents Indycar has, deploying the safety car allows the race to continue but also has the happy side-effect of bunching up the field too. I guess when they started using it in F1 they realised this happy side effect and thought it might add to the racing.
Personally I don't have a problem with drivers losing their "buffer" from the deployment of the safety car. F1 is a tough school - as Alonso found out yesterday - all he did to get a 10-second stop/go was to be on a strategy that meant him needing to stop for fuel at the same time as the first safety car was being deployed.
Thirteen Ball
12.06.2007, 12:02
There isn't a safety car in bike racing. If there's a big spill or a rider looks like he's injured, the race gets stopped.
This was mainly brought about by the death of one of japan's brightest stars, Daijiro Kato - who was killed at the chicane after the 130R at Suzuka. It used to be as long as the rider wasn't on the track or in immediate danger, the race went on.
But when Kato was dragged off the track by marshalls at suzuka, the race just carried on - and he died rom his injuries.
Safety car is a good thing - but I still reckon there should be 1-lap of waved yellows to get the tires up to temperature again - for safety reasons.
Safety car is a good thing - but I still reckon there should be 1-lap of waved yellows to get the tires up to temperature again - for safety reasons.
Not denying the safety car is a good thing. However I do feel it can penalise people who have extended a good lead. All it would take is once a safety car scenario is applied all cars to travel at an agreed safe speed.
The track gets cleared safely and the race positions remain largely unaffected in terms of distance apart.
Thirteen Ball
12.06.2007, 12:53
Not denying the safety car is a good thing. However I do feel it can penalise people who have extended a good lead. All it would take is once a safety car scenario is applied all cars to travel at an agreed safe speed.
Good Idea... but difficult to enforce on cars which have no speedo. And speed traps only work on the straights.
Plus when racing is all about winning, I'm sure some drivers wouldn't be above adding a few miles an hour over the agreed speed (Then blame a technical fault etc) to close the gap. So others follow, and suddenly everyone's up to nearly race pace again.
Safety car might not be fair, but is really the only way - short of red-flagging the race.
MarkGillatt
12.06.2007, 15:21
They use a pretty accurate speed limiter in the pits! So technology is there. I'm sure Charlie Whiting could be trusted to flick a switch to turn on everyones speed limiter at the same time
Thirteen Ball
13.06.2007, 20:58
They use a pretty accurate speed limiter in the pits! So technology is there. I'm sure Charlie Whiting could be trusted to flick a switch to turn on everyones speed limiter at the same time
Maybe so - but perhaps the organisers rather like seeing the cars bunch up again? I know I do.
Let's face it. There's few enough overtakes in formula one as it is. The lead only ever changes hands in the pits these days. The wheel-to-wheel fights of yesteryear have all but gone.
Surely eliminating the safety car would just make it even less likely that a proper do-or-die late braking move could pay off.
Not only does it make the race safer for the drivers, it makes it better for the spectators too.
I think that bunching the field up also gives the marshals time to work on the track once the snake has passed reasonably safely.
If they're spreading cement powder on the track or clearing up debris they need a time to do it when there aren't cars going past to be safe. Even "speed limiter" speed is 100km/h (isn't it?) which is still pretty fast.
Having the pace controlled by a person (not a computer) also means that the speed need not be uniform for the whole circuit (the Merc safety car isn't that slow!) thus going somewhere towards maintaining tyre temperature.
Robert Kubica is one lucky bunny! That was one big crash...
I think Alonzo was unlucky that he pitted (presumably on schedule...) just as the safety car deployed. I've not fully understood when the pit lane is closed and reopened as of yet :oops:
However, Alonzo's winging about the team favouring Hamilton seems a bit strong after the FIA investigated the team for "team ordering" his win at Monaco a couple of weeks before. Team favouritism is clearly OK if it gets him wins!! Even if they do favour Lewis, its not likely to be nationalistic (did they ever favour DC as a Brit over Kimi or Mika?) - its more likely to be that he's a "McLaren man" through and through and knows everyone there as opposed to just arriving this year!
I actually think the racing is BETTER this year. How many race winners have we had? The podiums have had a mixture of teams too.... There seems to be more overtaking. I was worried about the single tyre supplier, but the "must use both types" rule is providing another variable too...
Neil.
WoodenFlugel
14.06.2007, 16:45
I think that bunching the field up also gives the marshals time to work on the track once the snake has passed reasonably safely.
If they're spreading cement powder on the track or clearing up debris they need a time to do it when there aren't cars going past to be safe. Even "speed limiter" speed is 100km/h (isn't it?) which is still pretty fast.
Great point - and blindingly obvious now you mention it!
Having the pace controlled by a person (not a computer) also means that the speed need not be uniform for the whole circuit (the Merc safety car isn't that slow!) thus going somewhere towards maintaining tyre temperature.
You be surprised at just how hard that Merc needs to be driven to keep the snake travelling at a speed fast enough to keep the F1 cars reasonably happy. Funnily enough I was reading an article on the BBC's website at lunchtime about this very subject: The speed freak in F1's safety car (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6646383.stm)
Robert Kubica is one lucky bunny! That was one big crash...
Too right. As I said I feared the worst when watching the live TV coverage on Sunday - the fact he's got away with nothing more serious than a sprained ankle is testiment to the FIA's drive to improve the safety of the sport. For instance had Kubica not been wearing the HANS device the outcome would almost certainly have been much more grave.
He wasn't the only lucky one though - I stumbled across another angle of the crash on youtube last night - taken by a fan sitting in the grandstand on the inside of the track right by where Kubica's initial impact with the wall was. Its been taken off now (copyright I guess but it wasn't official coverage :confused: ), but it showed a) the sheer velocity of the car before that first impact and b) one of the corner marshals was standing just the other side of the wall his car ran down whilst airbourne and he only just ducked out of the way in time...
I think Alonzo was unlucky that he pitted (presumably on schedule...) just as the safety car deployed. I've not fully understood when the pit lane is closed and reopened as of yet :oops:
Nope I don't understand it either. Maybe its the F1 equivalent of the offside rule!
However, Alonzo's winging about the team favouring Hamilton seems a bit strong after the FIA investigated the team for "team ordering" his win at Monaco a couple of weeks before. Team favouritism is clearly OK if it gets him wins!! Even if they do favour Lewis, its not likely to be nationalistic (did they ever favour DC as a Brit over Kimi or Mika?) - its more likely to be that he's a "McLaren man" through and through and knows everyone there as opposed to just arriving this year!
I think Alonso is rattled. Its as simple as that. He's probably sightly narked too - remember he signed over a year ago, and it was pretty sure that Raikkonen was off by then, so it would be him and Montoya - not really a problem, but then when lardy walked out and with nearly all the established drivers signed, he would have assumed he'd have the focus of the whole team on him alone. I bet he never expected a rookie to be pushing him so hard, and proving to be at least his equal!
McLaren have had this situation before of course, and in fact this is nothing if anyone remembers the Prost & Senna days. At least Alonso and Hamilton will sit in the same room! Well for the time being at least...;)
Markbone
17.06.2007, 21:20
Hamilton does it again!
Hamilton does it again!
Yep, amazing driving from the young lad at Indy.
He's definately broken Alsono's spirit, the Spaniard is starting to look out of control mentally in the car. You can see that from the 'protes lunge' at the pitwall after Lewis blocked the overtake in the middle of the race.
Can you hear the drums Fernando?..................it's the start of the British Naitonal Anthem for Lewis winning again!!!
Thirteen Ball
20.06.2007, 11:11
Always good to see a youngster come in and put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Shame they go to indianapolis though. Such a dull circuit. If there must be a US GP, why can't it be at Laguna Seca? That's a belter of a course.
I don't know what Alonso was on about with that detour to the pit wall.
If you're fast enough, Fernando, get past him!
You are fast enough.... aren't you? That'll be a no then....
PS - British Motorcycle GP this weekend at Donington.... and I'll miss it cos co-op are at the hobbit march contest!
super_sop
07.07.2007, 14:03
i have to say, i've not followed formula one for a number of years.
But how exciting is this season.
I've even been sat here watching the qualifying.
what a cracking last lap for Hamilton!!!
super_sop
07.07.2007, 16:13
Anybody want a ticket for the formula one tomorrow pm me asap!!!
this is a fan ticket for general admision
i have to say, i've not followed formula one for a number of years.
But how exciting is this season.
I've even been sat here watching the qualifying.
what a cracking last lap for Hamilton!!!
Indeed... I've been an F1 fan since the days of Prost, Senna and Mansell and it's sadly been getting more and more processional since then. Now, finally, I find myself on the edge of my seat once again, shouting at the tv ;-)
Go Hamilton!
Andy
WoodenFlugel
07.07.2007, 23:54
Anybody want a ticket for the formula one tomorrow pm me asap!!!
this is a fan ticket for general admision
Dammit matey - I'd have been there with bells on (not literally!!) but I have a band job, so I'm going to have to record it and not listen to the radio on the way home as they have a tendancy to just say "so-and-so wins..." unlike football results where you get some warning.
That reminds me of my dear Dad a few years ago. The Championship was down to the last race and we were out all day so we recorded it and stayed well away from TV and radio all day. When we eventually got back home we cue'd up the video ready to watch the race, genuinely not knowing who'd won what, when the phone rings...
I pick up and my Dad says...."So Schumacher's Champion again then..." :-?
Anyway - great lap from Lewis - I really didn't think he was going to do it as he was just behind the pace all afternoon 'till then. Looking forward to tomorrow, I'll just make sure I turn the phone off before I watch what's happened! :)
WoodenFlugel
08.07.2007, 22:39
Ah well, so he didn't manage to win after all. I have to say Raikkonen was awesome thoughout the race and was a deserving winner. Isn't it strange that everyone was a bit deflated that Hamilton only come 3rd? In his first British Grand Prix. In his debut season. Not bad in isolation is it?
Anyway the Championship is wide open now - and with four spectacular drivers all competing for it, its golden days for F1. I bet Bernie is rubbing his hands with glee...:biggrin:
WoodenFlugel
04.08.2007, 00:10
Sooo what do we make of the current McClaren / Ferrari legal spat?
For me, I thought the FIA's decision last week was spot on - it seems grossly unfair to punish a team or it's drivers for a rogue employee - unless it could be proved that the team benefited from the information stolen. But I thought Ferrari's response was entirely (and tiresomely) predictable. They know that F1 would be a lesser sport with out them so they are pushing the FIA. This is nothing new - back in the day Enzo Ferrari famously built a fully fledged Indy Car just to scare the F1 authorities into thinking he would pull his team out of their championship.
Anyway, I have a problem with the current appeal for the following reasons:
It seems McClaren have been totally correct with their actions when this came out. They immediately suspended Coughlan and have given the FIA full access to any documents for the ensuing legal procedures.
To get to their former employee Nigel Stepney, Ferrari made a deal with Mike Coughlan (from McClaren) to say he'd received documents from him. This deal meant that they couldn't sue Coughlan. Yet they are pursuing his team. It strikes me as double standards and seems to have a lot to do with a legal result against Coughlan having no effect on the championship.
I've been following F1 for nearly 15 years now and the two teams that have always been beyond reproach in their actions and totally sporting are Williams and McClaren. I simply don't believe that McClaren would cheat like this. They have a huge budget and probably the most talented team of engineers in F1, so why would they?
Ferrari on the other hand have hardly been the paragon of sporting virtue over the last few years. Even now their wheel discs are borderline illegal. Some of the tactics employed by messers Brawn and Schumacher were unsporting to say the least. And lets not forget those tactics meant that they were excluded from the 1997 Championship.
While they didn't win the first race, the McClaren's were quick straight out of the box - and this spying row doesn't come into play until after the first couple of races. As an engineer I know that if the car was a dog then no amount of fancy-Ferrari inspired bells and whistles would make it quick in such a short space of time. To me it seem inconceivable that designs meant for a car based around a different concept to the McClaren could be made to work so quickly.I'll make no secret that I admire Ron Dennis and his McClaren team. Equally as an F1 fan and a bit of an Italiophile I like to see Ferrari win. But their actions strike me as being the rich kid kicking up because he didn't get what he wanted. I really wish they'd just accepted graciously the FIA's decision and moved on from that. No-one wants to see races - or worse championships decided in the high court.
2nd man down
04.08.2007, 16:26
Anyone see Alonso's sneaky little delay to slow Hamilton down in the pit lane during qualification today? So much for team spirit eh?
markyboy
04.08.2007, 22:28
Anyone see Alonso's sneaky little delay to slow Hamilton down in the pit lane during qualification today? So much for team spirit eh?
I loved the shots of Ron Dennis talking to Alonso's trainer after the incident , then frog marching him away for a serious ' talking to ' .
Afterwards Lewis and Alonso were seen doing the photo call with arms round each other !?
Looking forward to tomorrow to hear what the team's version of events will be .
WoodenFlugel
05.08.2007, 00:49
Well it didn't work...Alonso docked five places on the grid and Hamilton on pole, but McClaren have been excluded from any points scoring for this race. I bet Ron Dennis is absolutely ecstatic about that.:rolleyes:
So then, bets on Alonso jumping ship from McClaren at the end of the season?
Did anyone else notice Alonso watching the pit wall after the lollipop went up.
Would that have been where his "personal trainer" was standing? I think it may have been...
Was that why Ron dragged him off so "cordially"?
Just deserts I feel....
Neil.
2nd man down
05.08.2007, 19:25
I think Hamilton was extremely dignified in his stuffing Alonso's poor tactics down his throat today. Another good win, the tantruming cheat got nothing (except points for 4th place), and the race for 1st place was kept exciting to the end thanks to a spirited fight all the way by Raikonen.
Thirteen Ball
06.08.2007, 12:50
Oh dear. And motor racing's supposed to be a gentleman's sport.
I still think a lot of this comes from bad man-managment. The boy Hamilton is clearly faster than Alonso, and Ron Dennis must be worried about those two tripping over each other and leaving the door open for a title challenge by ferrari.
Losing all the points for the constructors won't have helped matters from a team point of view either.
Still time and again (Schumacher, Senna, Lauda et al) team bosses have put up with rattle-throwing antics from overrated primadonnas, just because they win races. If alonso walks out on mclaren - or even if he hands the title to ferrari on a plate by a no-brainer overtaking manouver which lands him and hamilton in the gravel - I guarantee there'll be a queue of teams in the hunt for his signature - despite these recent histrionics.
It's not just F1 where a brit's doing well either. Yorkshire lad James Toseland well on the way to regaining his World superbikes crown with a double win at brands hatch this weekend.
Can't wait to see him with Yamaha in GPs next year. Hope he has a better time of it than Shane 'Shakey' Byrne did.
WoodenFlugel
06.08.2007, 13:24
Oh dear. And motor racing's supposed to be a gentleman's sport.
Blimey Andi I don't know where you get that from. Graham Hill summed it up beautifully all those years ago when he said "you meet a better class of person at the back of the grid". :)
I think Ron Dennis has a bigger problem than the Senna / Prost days now. In a way Alonso has a right to be more than a bit narked about the Hamilton situation - when he signed in 2005 it was to lead the team. Back in those days the best driver he was likely to be team mate to was Juan Bloblo Montoya, whose talent was literally outweighed by his love of quarterpounders!! If he had an untried rookie as a team mate - all the better. Even if the rookie was quick the chances are he would've thrown the car into the nearest tyre barrier enough times to give Alonso a big enough points advantage to claim team orders and - most likely - a third Championship.
How wrong everyone was. I don't think Alonso, Dennis or even Hamilton could've expected the year Lewis is having. So Ron is left with the horrible prospect of managing two drivers - one who feels he should win, and one who doesn't see why he should concede. How does he manage that? Answers on a postcard to Woking, because I'm sure the management at McClaren could do with a few suggestions!
As for the race - another great performace by Lewis with all the things going on on and off the track he did well to put it behind him and also hold Raikkonen off, who was quicker several times during the race yesterday.
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