The Formula One Thread

Lethevich · July 29, 2009, 12:59:47 PM

Ferrari is in a very bad situation at the moment. While Raikkonen is less of a lame duck now, Massa was still probably their number one driver and the Schumacher appointment seems bizarre at best. But whatever, let's wait for the fun.

If Massa is out for good, I feel that they would do well to sign Kubica as soon as they can now that BMW is toast, as he is one of the best drivers in the sport but was stuck in a shockingly bad team. If they were replacing Raikkonen with Alonso next year as some rumours are suggesting, then they shouldn't go back on it - Kubica probably has more drive to succeed and would be a great team mate.

mahler10th · July 29, 2009, 07:07:33 PM

So much has happened and is happening in F1 it is difficult to keep up.
I have so many other writing commitments that getting to this may never be on time.

Anyway, Lethe, I completely agree with you about Kubica. Give that man a faster reliable car, a Ferrari, and he'll crush all of next years championship contenders in about 7 or 8 races.
Massa will be racing in time again, I believe.
I am less sorry for BMW and more sorry for Peter Sauber, who developed that team in the first place before handing over to BMW.
The appointment of Schumaker is priceless, every race is a must see.
The Brawn lag is taking place as I predicted, but I expected it to surface around the Spainish GP...it took a little longer.

It is still anyones championship at the top.
VALENCIA this weekend...

mahler10th · April 02, 2010, 11:57:11 PM

The F1 season started with a whimper in Barhain a few weeks ago. The first race was dubbed as another Borefest, the likes of which we haven't seen since Schumakers time. But it still is Schumi's time, because he's back...so maybe we were in for a boring season yet again. Even with NO REFUELLING.
Alosno won the first race, and I do declare that I thought it was a borefest as well...
Then came Melbourne, Australia last week.
Things were a little different there. In fact, they were a lot different there. Drivers were overtaking each other willy-nilly, there was off road action, intermittent rain, wheel to wheel action, and everything you'd expect from a brilliant race. Button came first, Kubica second having raced up from 9th on the grid (great to see him on the podium where he should be) and a committed Massa swept in third.

This weekend the race is in Sepang, Malaysia. The weather forecast is decidedly miserable, so another great race is garunteed.

Schumakers return is just what I expected. Low key (in an under performing new car) but steady, I think we will see him in the race press room for the top three now and then in a month or two. Massa...he's a racer...it burns in him. No flying nuts and bolts will keep him off the track. I would like to see him build on the 15 points he won in Australia. Of the new crop of drivers, Vitaly Petrov, the Russian (Russian GP for 2012, and a projected NEW YORK GP in the same year, can't wait!)...Vitaly Petrov, the Russian, seems to be strong but with a failing car, and Karun Chandhok...well...Chandhok really talks a good race, but we're still waiting to see if he can get a few laps in...Bruno Senna is a welcome addition to the 2010 lineup. I have a video of Ayrton Senna on a boat, talking to camera, with his wee nephew beside him...the wee nephew turns out to be Bruno, whom I've followed in development through the lower leagues since 2006. He has a bit of a way to go before he's competitive, mostly because he has a car (Hispania) which doersn't work.

In the background, former F3 title winner Paul Di Resta, a Scot with a fine non-scottish name (ala his cousin, Dario Franchitti), is test driving for Force India. I bet he's on the track before long, and he will do wonders there. I say this not because he is Scottish like me, but because he has proved himself in the lower leagues, and he has raced AND beat Vettell and Kubica in the past. Paul Di Resta is fast...fast fast fast...

Qualifying for the Malaysian GP is beginning in 18:20 minutes, so I'm away for a good watch....

Lethevich · April 03, 2010, 06:07:18 AM

It is looking quite good so far, shame that Kubica got cheated out of a possible pole this race...

Opus106 · April 03, 2010, 06:22:59 AM

Quote from: Lethe on April 03, 2010, 06:07:18 AM
Kubica got cheated out of a possible pole this race...

At least he has his own self -- a Pole.

matti · April 03, 2010, 07:02:37 AM

Quote from: Opus106 on April 03, 2010, 06:22:59 AM
At least he has his own self -- a Pole.

mahler10th · April 03, 2010, 09:11:39 PM

Yes. An F1 car driven by nothing other than a pole is an alarming thought.
Alas, Kubica is more than that, and I still rate him in the top three drivers out there. When Lewis Hamilton came into F1 he was asked which driver he would find most challenging to race against. His answer was Kubica, and for good reason, because Kubica has beaten him before. Kubicas talent speaks for itself. This is the guy who won races with with a plastic brace and 18 titanium bolts in his arm...er...because he was involved in a car crash...

Anyway, he is solid World Champion material.

Qually results...

1. Webber. A dynamite qualifying session in near Monsoon conditions.
2. Rosberg. A driver much admired, but I don't rate him. Not as good as his Dad, less aggressive.
3. Vettel. The Red Bull top gun is another World Champion in the making.
4. Sutil. Aggressive and under-rated.
5. Hulkenberg. German new boy tipped to be the next Schumaker. Hmm...
6. Kubica. Enough said.

The race begins in about 4 hours...I'm up for it.

Opus106 · April 04, 2010, 01:35:46 AM

That was simply dumb, Alonso!

sospiro · April 05, 2010, 11:55:39 AM

Hiya fellow petrol heads. Have been a fan of motor sport & F1 in particular for ages but don't follow a particular driver or team. I enjoyed Malaysia but there's already rumour that the Red Bull has an illegal active suspension. I hope not as I like Vettel & his 'Luscious Liz'.

Going to Barcelona and Monza this year. I try to indulge my passion for opera while I'm on a race trip & as there's nothing I want to see at the Liceu I'm going to a concert at Palau de la Música Catalana. It's advertised as Òpera I Flamenc and I have no idea what it will be like but I'm sure it will be great!

mahler10th · April 05, 2010, 06:07:51 PM

Well Annie, what a wonderful combination of passions!

The Malaysian race went with a ... well, another whimper. Not much excitement, other than waiting for the rain during the race...all manner of tropical storms were predicted, but nothing turned up! Hamilton raced a brilliant race, ending in sixth from 20th on the Grid. The top three were the same as the top 3 qualifiers, but they finished in a different but unsurprising order.
Man of the race was Hamilton.
I sincerely hope we can get another Australia at the next race.

1 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 1:33:48.412
2 Mark Webber RBR-Renault +4.8
3 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP +13.5
4 Robert Kubica Renault +18.5
5 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes +21.0
6 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes +23.4

sospiro · April 06, 2010, 09:45:19 AM

My friend & I went to the German GP (Nurburgring) last year & stayed in Koblenz. Found Beethoven's mum's house

Me by advertisement for exhibition of F1 photographs by Czech photographer Jiří Křenek.

Met Jiří later at the circuit.

Our grandstand from behind

View from

'Kate's Dirty Sister'

Opus106 · April 06, 2010, 09:51:42 AM

Awesomeness! (Does anyone here hate that word?) Thanks for putting those up, Annie.

sospiro · April 18, 2010, 01:26:25 AM

Fantastic race in China!

Hope the teams manage to get back to Europe for the Spanish GP on 9th May, otherwise there won't be much for me & a few thousand Alonso fans to see.

Opus106 · May 30, 2010, 09:49:30 AM

So, who do you think was the turkey in Istanbul? Vettel or Webber?

sospiro · May 30, 2010, 10:14:45 AM

Vettel ... I think. But it was just two guys wanting to win.

Opus106 · May 30, 2010, 10:19:57 AM

Quote from: sospiro on May 30, 2010, 10:14:45 AM
Vettel ... I think. But it was just two guys wanting to win.

Everyone wants to win. The young 'un was just too aggressive (for his own good), and it seemed with his move he wanted to convey "if I don't get anything, you don't too." It's now quite apparent that he is the Hamilton of Red Bull.

(Okay, maybe the last part is a bit speculative. 0:))

Lethevich · May 30, 2010, 02:01:15 PM

I found it strange that the Red Bull team seems to have largely given the vibe that they sympathise with Vettel. The steer to the right means that even if Webber was out of line by not yielding (which I don't think he was), Vettel still had at least a 50% part in causing the accident.

Anyway, I liked how close it was until the end, it was rather more motivating than usual for my usual exercise routine during the race. One sad thing is that if the accident didn't happen there was a high chance of yet another parade race with no overtaking amongst the top four. They really need to fix this - KERS didn't work, but the FIA should still be looking at other alternatives.

sospiro · May 30, 2010, 11:15:33 PM

Christian Horner has now said Webber was in fuel saving mode so there's probably more to it then RBR are prepared to say.

With Ferrari going backwards, Mercedes & Renault improving the season's cooking up nicely.

springrite · May 30, 2010, 11:21:27 PM

Quote from: Lethe on May 30, 2010, 02:01:15 PM

Anyway, I liked how close it was until the end, it was rather more motivating than usual for my usual exercise routine during the race. One sad thing is that if the accident didn't happen there was a high chance of yet another parade race with no overtaking amongst the top four.

Most people watch races for one of two things or both: overtaking and crashes. While we hope not to see the latter because of the danger involved, we sure can't go without the overtaking. We can't be without SOB's like Hamilton. Ideally, for me anyway, he overtakes a few and crashes before the end. Oh, well.

Opus106 · May 30, 2010, 11:38:16 PM

Quote from: sospiro on May 30, 2010, 11:15:33 PM
With Ferrari going backwards, Mercedes & Renault improving the season's cooking up nicely.

Not really impressed with the way things are at Mercedes, but Petrov has been quite good so far.

And here's adding some fuel to the fire, courtesy one Lewis Hamilton.

Quote
Lewis Hamilton, who profited from the collision, pointed out that Vettel had done a similar thing to him earlier in the race. "He was so aggressive as he tried to turn into me, but fortunately I had enough space," Hamilton said. "It was the exact same thing as he did to Mark.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/7787059/F1-Turkish-Grand-Prix-Sebastian-Vettel-ruins-hope-of-Red-Bull-one-two-in-Istanbul.html