F1 Racing Thread

[JusSumguy]

How about Kimi Räikkönen?

Again he's in the points with a 5th.

Keep it up Kimi.

Mexico is standing in applause for today's winner, huh?


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[OzExorcist]

I never realised until now just how much I missed having Kimi in the sport - in an era where everyone has been trained to deliver the perfect soundbite every time he's just so... awesome:

Q: How do you feel seeing your former team Ferrari struggling so much?
KR: I don’t care. We try to beat all the teams and they are just one of them. If they do poorly it is bad for them but as we are ahead of them I could not care less.



On that note though, outstanding result yesterday for my boys in red - at least from Alonso's perspective. My gawd that man can drive.

As for Massa though, how many people think he'll actually last out the season? I'm wondering if it's lack of other options as much as anything else that's keeping him in the seat. Although Reubens isn't driving anything at the moment...

 

[ChuckyEgg]

I never realised until now just how much I missed having Kimi in the sport - in an era where everyone has been trained to deliver the perfect soundbite every time he's just so... awesome:

Q: How do you feel seeing your former team Ferrari struggling so much?
KR: I don’t care. We try to beat all the teams and they are just one of them. If they do poorly it is bad for them but as we are ahead of them I could not care less.



On that note though, outstanding result yesterday for my boys in red - at least from Alonso's perspective. My gawd that man can drive.

As for Massa though, how many people think he'll actually last out the season? I'm wondering if it's lack of other options as much as anything else that's keeping him in the seat. Although Reubens isn't driving anything at the moment...

I'm glad you posted the comment by Kimi, I did not hear it properly. And yes, excellent. I must admit, I wasn't that keen on Kimi or Schumi back in the day, but I am totally enjoying them now. I won't be at all surprised if we see them on the podium a few times this year.

Massa should retire and give Barrichello the seat. At least for this year. If Rubens doesn't perform, then time for him to retire for sure. Rubens is/was my favourite With him and Kubica (another fave) out, I'm a bit lost as to who, driver wise, to support.

McLaren FTW !!

I'm not an Alonso fan, but man I thoroughly enjoyed his win. What an excellent race, and ONLY 2 DNF !!

 

[Pothole]

Barrichello is racing in the States.

 

[JusSumguy]

Barrichello is racing in the States.

Yeah, with the league most likely to kill you. IRL aint the Champ cars we know and love.


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[OzExorcist]

Barrichello is racing in the States.

Yeah, I wasn't making it as a serious suggestion

I don't know if he'd want to go back to Ferrari anyway, given how happy he was not to have to be the number two driver any more when he left them last time. He'd almost certainly be taking up that role again if he were to race with Alonso, especially joining mid-season.

Who else could Ferrari possibly call on though? There was a bit of scuttlebutt around the last race that maybe Sergio Perez could be a possibility, since he's part of the Ferrari Young Driver program or something.

As a lifelong fan of Ferrari, I was surprised to hear this because I didn't even know we had a young driver program...

 

[JusSumguy]

Michael was fastest in practice.

If it's possible for him to cop another title after all this time. Had to rehabilitate his old man neck. Was reluctant to do it.

That would be special, huh? He's still got that twinkle in his eye, too.

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[Pothole]

Michael was fastest in practice.
If it's possible for him to cop another title after all this time. Had to rehabilitate his old man neck. Was reluctant to do it. That would be special, huh? He's still got that twinkle in his eye, too.-

I'll reserve judgement till there is a real positive result. According to the team principals, they were low fuel runs. One thing for sure about MS, he doesn't drive for a paycheck ( unlike others ), and it sure would be nice to see a real challenger to the top three teams.

As for Oz's comment about a Massa replacement, I would love to see Rosberg drive for the Horse, providing Alonso doesn't start whining when he beats the pants off him.

 

[Pothole]

3rd & 4th for Rosberg & MS in 3rd practice!!! could be interesting

 

[JusSumguy]

Couple of points...

1. And I really hate to say this... Massa's gonna go. The question is. Half season or at the end. If it goes halfway, who knows. But if they let him stay the season, MS might be going back to big red. I say might, but...........

2. I've seen the layout of the Mercedes wing but no real explanation of the purpose. Since it was an aerodynamic change I was thinking that it would help the aero, Well, it does. Ummm, in reverse.

The air is brought from the top (high pressure area) of the rear wing and dumps it at the bottom (low pressure area) of the front wing. Whenever the DRS system is (driver) activated by a button on the wheel.

What this does is stall the front wing, effectively making the wing a front DRS system. The side gaps on the rear wing, which feed the system, are only open when the DRS button is depressed. So, in essence, the aerodynamics are changed by the driver. Thus breaking the rules. Mercedes defense is twofold.

1. The situation is already there and they are just taking advantage of that.
2. The mere fact that the DRS is in place nullifies the "No real time driver activated aerodynamic changes allowed" rule.

I'm thinking this is gonna get a bit bigger.

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[ChuckyEgg]

Great race, and excellent to see Nico totally own the track. And absolutley excellent to see the Williams cars in with some decent points. Shame about MS, I would have liked to have seen him on the podium, finally. And oh my god, what an ending. Vettel got taken by Button, Hamilton, and Webber, in quick succession, LOVED IT

I really hate to say this... Massa's gonna go. The question is. Half season or at the end. If it goes halfway, who knows. But if they let him stay the season, MS might be going back to big red. I say might, but...........

Yes, Massa has definitely got to go, but I think MS would be a fool to leave Mercedes. The silver arrows are proving their worth this season (ok, would do if they could stay in the race), and as long as the team can keep up the good work, I reckon we will see both the drivers on the podium many times throughout this season.

Thus breaking the rules. Mercedes defense is twofold.

1. The situation is already there and they are just taking advantage of that.
2. The mere fact that the DRS is in place nullifies the "No real time driver activated aerodynamic changes allowed" rule.

Yes, 2. is actually a very good defense. They can't really argue that DRS is not a "real time driver activated aerodynamic change".

Considering that, I'm sure it won't be long before the other teams make use of this technology. Then the silver arrows will probably be knocked back behind the front runners (considering potential ability), or maybe further back. If they keep this technology and the other teams don't take it on, then Mercedes must be considered a contender for the title, with really only McLaren as any kind of competition.

 

[Chemist]

Much better than last season.
And so close with so many teams and drivers in full contention for podiums.
Vettel dropping 3 places and Raikonen 10 places in quick succession whilst still racing at pace, shows just how close the whole field is, (well with the exception of one team, which you just have to ask why they are there).

 

[Neoblast]

You don't get it... F2012 is an awful car ( not to say shitty ) , Massa is still one of the best drivers but not on pair of Alonso, like it or not he's one of the best drivers in this generation, he squeezes the car like no other.

I like this season because the first 8 cars are so tight ( Ferrari being the last ones ), anyone could win the title...

Vettel isn't as shiny as last year or 2010 ( he's not that genious, but having a 1 second of gap between his car performance and the rest of the paddock does a lot, any driver with that car would have won, remember F1 drivers are the best of the world... ).

Raikkonen hast gotten up to F1 in no time, I bet he will win some races, and heck even maybe another title.

 

[JusSumguy]

Raikkonen hast gotten up to F1 in no time, I bet he will win some races, and heck even maybe another title.

Yeah... I have my eye on Kimi.

I can't believe the problems Michael has had this year. And still he smiles with the face of a young boy at his first race.

I so want him to be up there with Giles, and just dominate because he's a better driver, not because he's got a better car. For me, Villeneuve's finest moment was a practice session for the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1979. Jody Scheckter (his teammate) was confident of being fastest, until he looked at the timesheets; Villeneuve was over 9.5 seconds quicker.

I wan't to remember him like I remember Hakkinen passing him back for the win after he pushed him in the grass @ 200 MPH at Spa in 2000.

I dunno. I really think he, and F!, deserves that kind of season again.

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[Neoblast]

Yeah... I have my eye on Kimi.

I can't believe the problems Michael has had this year. And still he smiles with the face of a young boy at his first race.

I so want him to be up there with Giles, and just dominate because he's a better driver, not because he's got a better car. For me, Villeneuve's finest moment was a practice session for the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1979. Jody Scheckter (his teammate) was confident of being fastest, until he looked at the timesheets; Villeneuve was over 9.5 seconds quicker.

I wan't to remember him like I remember Hakkinen passing him back for the win after he pushed him in the grass @ 200 MPH at Spa in 2000.

I dunno. I really think he, and F!, deserves that kind of season again.

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Schumacher just had VERY bad luck, he will be up there soon though, and expect Ferrari to get in the battle as well if their new parts for Barcelona really improve their car.

Also Webber has had overall more performance than Vettel this year... just like it was in 2010 ( Webber leading most of the championship )

... Anyone else thinks RB didn't give Webber the same car as Vettel in 2011?

 

[sagiPOTM]

this F1 season shuld be interesting... Schumahere my favorite since i started watch F1, befor more then 10 years ago. This is hist last season and i hope he do some sucess this season, since their MercedesGP is pretty good this year.
F1 <3

 

[Pothole]

Schumacher just had VERY

... Anyone else thinks RB didn't give Webber the same car as Vettel in 2011?

1/ Shumi is experiencing Karma, and they say "Karms'a a Bi-ch", all the underhand stuff is coming back to haunt him.

2/ No 2 drivers in ANY team have the same car. Each has his own pit crew, race engineer and tactical race plan. So no, RB did not "give" Webber the same car as Vettel, he had the car and set up he wanted to drive.

 

[Chemist]

1/ Shumi is experiencing Karma, and they say "Karms'a a Bi-ch", all the underhand stuff is coming back to haunt him.

2/ No 2 drivers in ANY team have the same car. Each has his own pit crew, race engineer and tactical race plan. So no, RB did not "give" Webber the same car as Vettel, he had the car and set up he wanted to drive.

Except when they took his front wing of and gave it to Vettel who had broken his own.
I don't think Webber wanted to use the old wing.
But he still won with it, so 'not bad for a number 2 driver'.

 

[Pothole]

Except when they took his front wing of and gave it to Vettel who had broken his own.
I don't think Webber wanted to use the old wing.
But he still won with it, so 'not bad for a number 2 driver'.

Which any other team would have done for a driver leading the championship. Webber will always be a No2 driver at RB, and would be at Ferrari or Mclaren as long as either Button, Hamlton or Alonso are there, all are superior drivers.

 

[OzExorcist]

Also Webber has had overall more performance than Vettel this year... just like it was in 2010 ( Webber leading most of the championship )

... Anyone else thinks RB didn't give Webber the same car as Vettel in 2011?

I'm an Australian who would love nothing more than to see Webber bring home the championship (even if it meant him beating my beloved Scuderia). So understand that it's no small thing when I say...

...that it's not the car. Vettel is simply the better driver, and it's not even close. The only reason Webber was within even a whiff of the championship in 2010 was because Vettel was making immature mistakes left right and centre. Now that he seems to have gotten all of that out of his system, he's miles ahead of Webber.

 

[Pothole]

I'm an Australian who would love nothing more than to see Webber bring home the championship (even if it meant him beating my beloved Scuderia). So understand that it's no small thing when I say...
...that it's not the car. Vettel is simply the better driver, and it's not even close. The only reason Webber was within even a whiff of the championship in 2010 was because Vettel was making immature mistakes left right and centre. Now that he seems to have gotten all of that out of his system, he's miles ahead of Webber.

Spoken like a true F1 fan, and an honest guy, no matter how painfull.

One day, maybe Webber will end up with a 'lucky' season and win the championship, I hope he does. He is a capable driver but, not top top flight.

 

[JusSumguy]

 

[JusSumguy]

 

[OzExorcist]

Six races, six winners. Excellent season

Anyone else think Hamilton was acting like even more of a petulant child than usual (which is saying something...) during the Monaco race?

 

[JusSumguy]

I really think if ANYBODY had run that race as if no rain was coming, they wudda ran away. Really enjoyed the race though. The only consistent result this year is Micheal's bad luck.

Winners car is under scrutiny

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