The Formula One Thread

Lethevich · May 09, 2009, 07:07:12 PM

Just watched qualifying on iPlayer - the manner in which the top three appeared for photographers afterwards was neat. One of the nicest things about this season's shake up are that the people on top aren't the usual super egos. They are all half disbelieving their position, or simply have been at the back of the grid often enough to have some humility ingrained in them. They come across as genuinely affable in their interactions with each other (especially Button and Vettel, I think Barrichello is more introvert).

Opus106 · May 10, 2009, 12:53:11 AM

Just wait for them to compete for or win the championship and get into one of the (original) top-tier teams.

But yes, Button and Vettel did appear to be quite friendly and were even making jokes in the post-qualifying press conference.

Opus106 · May 10, 2009, 06:17:09 AM

I suggest that this image be used as the emblem for the Ferrari F1 team hereafter:

I feel sad for Rubino, really; he's forever destined to play the role of second fiddle.

mahler10th · May 10, 2009, 09:31:45 AM

Well, not the most exciting race today, but, as they say...thats racing. You see what happens when you put the right package under a talented driver? All of a sudden he's Michael Schumaker II. I thought Glock would get a podium, but he didn't, Webber did, and rightly so. Webber has always been fast - he even won a race in a Minardi, that takes some topping. Instead Glock got into a nice tussle with Lewis Hamilton in the middle of the field.
Alonso came a creditable fifth in front of his fanatical home crowd.
At the beginning of the race, just after turn two, cars went skittering off thanks to Trulli's off track antics in his duel with Rosberg. The two Sebastiens, Buemi and Bourdais, paid the price too, having nowhere to go behind the ill fated duel.
Barrichellos three stop strategy, called by his engineers, cost him the race, (Button two stopped) and one wonders if all the Brawn clout is unfairly behind Button. Hmm. I've never been a fan of team orders, but as they say...that's racing.

mahler10th · May 14, 2009, 07:36:06 AM

Briatore and Benneton join Ferarri in the tussle over the £40 Million budget cap. They don't want it either.
I think the cap is a good idea, levelling the playing field some more, and making (the still obscene) money in F1 less of an issue. But Ferrari want to make it more of an issue, probably because they're having such a shoddy season so far. I can't think why they want to spend more than the already gob dropping £40m cap.

mahler10th · May 22, 2009, 12:25:59 PM

MONACO GP 2009
Early Practice Results

First Practice
Thursday, 21 May 2009

1 brazil Rubens Barrichello 23 Brawn-Mercedes 1:17.189
2 brazil Felipe Massa 3 Ferrari 1:17.499
3 great britain Lewis Hamilton 1 McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.578
4 finland Heikki Kovalainen 2 McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.686
5 finland Kimi Raikkonen 4 Ferrari 1:17.839
6 japan Kazuki Nakajima 17 Williams-Toyota 1:18.000
7 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:18.024
8 great britain Jenson Button 22 Brawn-Mercedes 1:18.080
9 spain Fernando Alonso 7 Renault 1:18.283
10 australia Mark Webber 14 Red Bull-Renault 1:18.348
11 switzerland Sebastien Buemi 12 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:18.695
12 brazil Nelson Piquet Jr 8 Renault 1:19.204
13 germany Sebastian Vettel 15 Red Bull-Renault 1:19.233
14 france Sebastien Bourdais 11 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:19.255
15 italy Giancarlo Fisichella 21 Force India-Mercedes 1:19.534
16 poland Robert Kubica 5 BMW Sauber 1:19.560
17 germany Nick Heidfeld 6 BMW Sauber 1:19.579
18 germany Adrian Sutil 20 Force India-Mercedes 1:19.600
19 germany Timo Glock 10 Toyota 1:19.698
20 italy Jarno Trulli 9 Toyota 1:19.831

Second Practice
Thursday, 21 May 2009

1 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:15.243
2 great britain Lewis Hamilton 1 McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.445
3 brazil Rubens Barrichello 23 Brawn-Mercedes 1:15.590
4 great britain Jenson Button 22 Brawn-Mercedes 1:15.774
5 brazil Felipe Massa 3 Ferrari 1:15.832
6 germany Sebastian Vettel 15 Red Bull-Renault 1:15.847
7 finland Heikki Kovalainen 2 McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.984
8 finland Kimi Raikkonen 4 Ferrari 1:15.985
9 japan Kazuki Nakajima 17 Williams-Toyota 1:16.260
10 brazil Nelson Piquet Jr 8 Renault 1:16.286
11 spain Fernando Alonso 7 Renault 1:16.552
12 australia Mark Webber 14 Red Bull-Renault 1:16.579
13 germany Adrian Sutil 20 Force India-Mercedes 1:16.675
14 italy Jarno Trulli 9 Toyota 1:16.915
15 switzerland Sebastien Buemi 12 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:16.983
16 france Sebastien Bourdais 11 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:17.052
17 germany Nick Heidfeld 6 BMW Sauber 1:17.109
18 germany Timo Glock 10 Toyota 1:17.207
19 italy Giancarlo Fisichella 21 Force India-Mercedes 1:17.504
20 poland Robert Kubica 5 BMW Sauber

Lethevich · May 22, 2009, 12:50:32 PM

Poor Kubica, stuck with a car which has probably not been equaled in awfulness since Minardi...

Bogey · May 22, 2009, 04:45:51 PM

Quote from: John on May 22, 2009, 12:25:59 PM
MONACO GP 2009

Second Practice
Thursday, 21 May 2009

1 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:15.243

Opus106 · May 23, 2009, 12:02:24 AM

Quote from: Bogey on May 22, 2009, 04:45:51 PM

You've chosen your driver, I see.

Bogey · May 23, 2009, 05:46:43 AM

Quote from: opus67 on May 23, 2009, 12:02:24 AM
You've chosen your driver, I see.

More of a team. Competitive, but probably not going to win much, so when they do, it will be fun. Plus the fact (I believe) that they almost did not have a team makes it fun.

Opus106 · May 23, 2009, 06:14:46 AM

Quote from: Bogey on May 23, 2009, 05:46:43 AM
Plus the fact (I believe) that they almost did not have a team makes it fun.

mahler10th · May 23, 2009, 07:27:11 AM

GRID ORDER MONACO GP 2009

1 great britain Jenson Button 22 Brawn-Mercedes 1:14.902

2 finland Kimi Raikkonen 4 Ferrari 1:14.927

3 brazil Rubens Barrichello 23 Brawn-Mercedes 1:15.077

4 germany Sebastian Vettel 15 Red Bull-Renault 1:15.271

5 brazil Felipe Massa 3 Ferrari 1:15.437

6 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:15.455

7 finland Heikki Kovalainen 2 McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.516 $:-\$
8 australia Mark Webber 14 Red Bull-Renault 1:15.653

9 spain Fernando Alonso 7 Renault 1:16.009

10 japan Kazuki Nakajima 17 Williams-Toyota 1:17.344 0:)
11 switzerland Sebastien Buemi 12 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:15.833

12 brazil Nelson Piquet Jr 8 Renault 1:15.837

13 italy Giancarlo Fisichella 21 Force India-Mercedes 1:16.146

14 france Sebastien Bourdais 11 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:16.281

15 germany Adrian Sutil 20 Force India-Mercedes 1:16.545

16 great britain Lewis Hamilton 1 McLaren-Mercedes 1:16.264

17 germany Nick Heidfeld 6 BMW Sauber 1:16.264 $:-\$
18 poland Robert Kubica 5 BMW Sauber 1:16.405

19 italy Jarno Trulli 9 Toyota 1:16.548

20 germany Timo Glock 10 Toyota

Button and Brawn do it again.

springrite · May 23, 2009, 08:50:37 AM

First victory this season for Kimi?

Opus106 · May 23, 2009, 09:48:05 AM

I missed the qualifiers today. As for the race, Kimi could use the KERS right at the beginning and easily overtake Button -- and this could very well mean victory since the streets of Monte Carlo aren't exactly an overtaker's paradise, but given the recent reliability issues of the Limping Horse, I doubt he, or rather his car, would last all the laps. And what's worse: right behind him are another Brawn and Sebastian Vettel (who, by the way, is my season favourite)!

Interesting line-up of emoticons, John.

mahler10th · May 23, 2009, 10:30:02 AM

Top 8 - Predicted Result...

1 Rubens Barrichello (Because he deserves it.)
2 Sebastian Vettel (Because 'he's worth it'.)
3 Jenson Button (Because he's had it.)

4 Nico Rosberg (Because he's near it.)
5 Kimi Raikkonen (Because he's colder than normal.)
6 Fernando Alonso (Because he likes card tricks.)

7 Mark Webber (Because he's on it.)
8 Lewis Hamilton (Because he's a chosen One.)

Lethevich · May 23, 2009, 10:32:31 AM

Care you put some money on Button not winning, John?

Quote from: opus67 on May 23, 2009, 09:48:05 AM
I missed the qualifiers today. As for the race, Kimi could use the KERS right at the beginning and easily overtake Button

The TV commentators were oddly not talking this up when the final quali results came in - I figure because a car on the inside can seem very wide when it's pushing you against the outside wall, with or without KERS. I would be interested in seeing whether both Kimi and Jenson could get jumped by a 2nd row car during that defense...

If only two teams start to dominate again like in the previous years, I could root for my (totally unrealistic) dream teammate couplings of Kubica and Hamilton vs. Alonso and Vettel (the most racey drivers vs. the most scintillating)

mahler10th · May 23, 2009, 10:37:02 AM

Quote from: Lethe on May 23, 2009, 10:32:31 AM
Kubica and Hamilton vs. Alonso and Vettel (the most racey drivers vs. the most scintillating)

A superb summary!

Opus106 · May 23, 2009, 10:41:09 AM

Alonso and another good driver? We all know what happened the last time there was such a coupling.

Lethevich · May 23, 2009, 10:45:08 AM

Quote from: opus67 on May 23, 2009, 10:41:09 AM
Alonso and another good driver? We all know what happened the last time there was such a coupling.

Just ensure that he is not British - everybody hates it when those people do well 0:)

Opus106 · May 23, 2009, 10:47:18 AM

Lots of love for Brawn and Button of late, though.