Official F1/Motorsport thread

[NecronomiconUK]

I do agree with you that ITVs constant coverage of his dad did wear thin. Hopefully now Lewis has the important 1st championship, the family stuff will be pushed back a bit. But then, we know how much TV likes the 'human story' crap

[Roddie]

Hopefully NTSC will introduce the ignore function so that this thread can be free of Dazzyman's pathetic Hamilton-hate (seriously, we get it already, you hate him).

Amazing last race, doubt we'll ever see such a close decider to a championship again. Hamilton deserved to win it last year and he deserved it this year. Hope that Massa continues to be the number one Ferrari driver next year though.

[Dazzyman]

You have the ignore function if you dont agree with me simple as that. And can you again stop with the personal attacks its getting tiresome and again I dont hate him I dont hate anybody you just dont like my opinion of him so dont call me pathetic for having a different opinion to you theirs no need for a personal attack. Why is it pathetic that I would rather have drivers on airtime instead of his dad who isnt a F1 driver? You dont have to agree with my opinion. Im not the only one that doesnt get on with Hamilton but you do seem to go at me instead of the others.

[Number45]

Yes, the ignore function is alive and well I believe. Can we keep this civil please gentlemen, there's no need for any personal attacks, as Dazzyman has requested. Thank you.

[Roddie]

You have the ignore function if you dont agree with me simple as that. And can you again stop with the personal attacks its getting tiresome and again I dont hate him I dont hate anybody you just dont like my opinion of him so dont call me pathetic for having a different opinion to you theirs no need for a personal attack. Why is it pathetic that I would rather have drivers on airtime instead of his dad who isnt a F1 driver? You dont have to agree with my opinion. Im not the only one that doesnt get on with Hamilton but you do seem to go at me instead of the others.

It's getting tiresome? It's the fact that you try and twist every single aspect of F1 against Hamilton that's tiring. It's not an opinion; it's blind hatred.

[Dazzyman]

Yep its getting tiresome that when you disagree with a comment I make you make a personal attack simple ast that. Ive said in previous posts I even started supporting him last year but I didnt warm to him because of his personality I also said they both deserved to win in another one. Thats also an opinion and in your opinion its blind hatred to me it isnt. I dont support him simple as that and your your going to have to live with that and not make a personal comment at me over it. Plenty of others didnt like what happened with Glock I myself never commented much on it, I myself didnt bring up his dad first but you seemed to skirt over that when I added my own opinion so its me with the so called blind hatred. You got others with gifs and saying mercedes paid Glock again you say its me with blind hatred nobody else. Ive also commented that I hope I warm to him in the future like I did Schummy sorry but thats not blind hatred thats your bias towards my post of you liking him and disagreeing with everything I say because I post anything negative about him as I dont support him.

I dont twist anything against Hamilton either thats your opinion not mine your just going to have to live with the fact I disagree with you and Im allowed like everyone else on this forum to have a different opinion to you so stop singling just me out over it and have abit of a look at the others posting saying (before I might add) about his dad and the race and so on.

I like Massa & Kimmi as Im a ferrari fan but also a fan of Alonso (you dont hear me kicking off if you dont like Alonso Massa or Kimi or the Massa gif it all washes over me its part of the sport who you support or not) and Coulthard as my backups. I dont hate anybody thats your opinion not mine and I ask if you want to attack my posts fine attack away but dont attack me on a personal level and be abit less biased towards my posts on a reply to someone thats made a comment about him previous just because I also agree with what they say.

[Dazzyman]

Lovely article about Massa. Hope he really does become the genuine number 1 driver at Ferrari next year as he has certainly matured since being tutored by Schummy

This time last year Felipe Massa was playing the supporting role as Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen took the 2007 drivers’ championship. On Sunday at Interlagos the roles were reversed, as Massa proved he is a nearly man no more, leading Ferrari to the constructors’ crown and almost stealing the 2008 drivers’ title from under the nose of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

Even during a season that saw him miss out on glory by a single point, critics continued to dismiss Massa as an also-ran, claiming his performances were still too erratic to ever mount a serious challenge for motorsport’s biggest prize. The affable Brazilian simply ignored them, got on with the job and proved them wrong in emphatic fashion.

Yes, he made mistakes (he didn’t even score until round three after spins in the first two races), but so did his rivals, and as the season progressed he just got better and better. Even in latter rounds there were still signs of his trademark hot headedness, especially when he needed to fight through the field, but no one can argue with the numbers.

Six wins, six poles, four podiums and 97 points may not be ground-breaking statistics, but then you wouldn’t expect records in a season as competitive as this. In a year when seven drivers and five teams have won races, Massa has shown a prodigious combination of speed, consistency and nerve.

When things beyond his control went wrong - engine failures in Australia and Hungary, that dramatically botched pit stop beneath the lights of Singapore - he refused to let them cast a shadow on his form.

And while Raikkonen struggled to optimise an at times recalcitrant F2008, Massa made the best of it, out-qualifying and out-racing the Finn with increasing regularity, to the point where the reigning champion was forced to abandon his title defence with two rounds remaining and instead play a supporting role to his supposed number two.

Qualifying was key to Massa’s success. All six victories came from front-row starts (a statistic detractors will doubtless use to try and belittle his achievements) but that was far from the whole story.

Arriving in Bahrain without a point to his name, he delivered just when he needed to, beating Robert Kubica’s BMW Sauber off the line and then dominating the Sakhir race. In Turkey, no one ever looked like challenging him, while at the all-new Valencia circuit he led from start to finish. And at the season finale in Brazil - where he knew he had to win - he didn’t put a foot wrong as he left the opposition trailing.

He was also there to pick up the pieces when his rivals tripped up. In France he took victory after Raikkonen’s exhaust problems, and in Belgium he was the man waiting to inherit the win after the slippery conditions left his team mate in the barriers and Hamilton in contravention of the rule book. And there were further podiums in Spain, Monaco, Germany and China.

It all added up to a campaign of remarkable maturity and one which could not have ended in a more fitting location than Massa’s native Sao Paolo. Unfortunately his spectacular home win wasn’t quite enough to give Brazil the champion they crave, but his driving this year - and the grace with which he accepted title defeat - has won him a multitude of new admirers across the globe. No more the Ferrari number two, Massa is now a contender.

Also looks like the Rally uber god Loeb is testing for Red Bull soon

Five-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb will return to the cockpit of a Formula One car later this month when he tests for Red Bull in Barcelona. Loeb will get behind the wheel of the RB4 during an official session at the Spanish circuit in just under two weeks’ time.

Back in December 2007, he got his first taste of Formula One power in a Renault, during a special promotional event at Le Castellet in the south of France. Whilst Loeb took charge of the R26, former Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen tested the Frenchman’s title-winning Citroen C4.

Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel, who will race for Red Bull in 2009, will also be in action for the team at the Barcelona test.

[Dazzyman]

Seeing as we have all forgotten that Ferrari won the constructors title but never mind....

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has paid tribute to the Italian team and its drivers, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, after the outfit claimed their 16th constructors’ title on Sunday in Brazil. Ferrari finished the season with 172 points to McLaren’s 151.

“Winning for the eighth time in 10 years - a feat unequalled at world level in any other team sport - proves beyond a shadow of a doubt what an extraordinary group we are,” Montezemolo told the team’s official website. “We have two great drivers in Felipe and Kimi also, and they deserve all our compliments for a job well done.

“Felipe in particular is in my thoughts as he crossed the finish line yesterday as world champion only to see the title slip through his fingers a few seconds later. I can only imagine how painful that moment must have been for him. However, I would like to give him my very special compliments, not only for dominating the running out there on the track in front of his fans, proving he is worthy indeed of the world title, but also for his maturity and sportsmanship off the track. He's a great champion and a great man.”

Despite winning the Brazilian Grand Prix, Massa lost out on the drivers’ title by one point to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. Montezemolo, however, congratulated Hamilton for his world championship success, and praised the British driver’s performance over the course of the 2008 season.

“I would like to send my congratulations to Lewis Hamilton, the youngest ever world champion in the history of Formula One,” he added. “He was a very powerful rival indeed and his win, close though it was, was well deserved. He'll have the number one on his car next season, but he can rest assured of one thing: we'll be doing our very best to put it back on a Ferrari."

[Dazzyman]

Looks like Bruno Senna is getting a test as well (he worked on Ferrari Challenge)

GP2 star Bruno Senna will sample a Formula One car for the first time later this month when he tests for Honda in Barcelona. Honda will assess the Brazilian during their first winter test at the Circuit de Catalunya on November 17-19.

Senna?s tasks will include an initial familiarisation with Honda?s current RA108 car and its systems before progressing to a full programme during which the team will be evaluating his performance, technical skill and ability to work with a large team organisation.

"I am obviously very excited about being given my first Formula One test and to have that opportunity with Honda is a dream come true,? said Bruno, whose late uncle, Ayrton, worked closely with the Japanese company during his F1 career.

?Although I am still only in my fourth year of motor racing, I have wanted to test an F1 car for a very long time and I feel that I am ready for that challenge. I have already spent some time at the factory in Brackley and have enjoyed meeting the team and working with the engineers to prepare for this test. I hope to show the team what I can do, so it's up to me now to do a good job."

Senna, 25, has impressed in the British F3 Championship and GP2 since his first full season in junior motorsport formulae in 2005. He won two GP2 races in 2008 and finished second in the Series.

"We are delighted to provide Bruno with the opportunity to test for us later this month as we continue to explore all the driver options available to us for next season,? said Honda team principal Ross Brawn.

?After an impressive year in GP2 this will be a chance for Bruno to prove that he is ready to make the step up to Formula One. Our objective is to have the best drivers available to us next season and our evaluation of Bruno's performance will be rigorous. We are looking forward to seeing how he performs.

?Over the next two weeks Bruno will be spending a lot of time with us at our Brackley base, working closely with our engineers and on the simulator to ensure he is fully prepared for this important test."

Honda?s 2008 driver line-up comprised Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. Neither has yet been officially confirmed for 2009.

[Dazzyman]

Glock Q&A

Toyota’s decision to keep their drivers on dry tyres when late ran arrived at Interlagos on Sunday helped set up a thrilling finale to the 2008 Formula One season. It also led cynics to question whether Timo Glock had deliberately slowed to assure Lewis Hamilton of the title. ‘Absolutely not,’ says the German…

Q: How did the rain at the end of the race affect your strategy?
Timo Glock: In the final laps we saw that we had the opportunity to make up some places due to the rain. It started to rain lightly on parts of the circuit with around six laps to go and at that stage everyone was on dry tyres. We took the decision to stay out on dry tyres even though the intensity of the rain was increasing we were sure we could make up positions when the other cars pitted for wet weather tyres and because it was only on the last couple of laps that the wet tyre was superior. We stayed out and I was up to fourth but it was not easy in those conditions in the last laps.

Q: What was it like in wet conditions with dry tyres?
TG: It was not so bad until the final lap when the rain really began to come down very heavily and it was just impossible. It was so difficult to just keep the car on the track because it was very wet and the car was basically undriveable in those conditions. I was sliding everywhere, with absolutely no grip at all.

Q: Were you taking it easy on the final lap?
TG: Absolutely not! It was completely the opposite; the final lap was one of the hardest laps I have done in Formula One because there was no grip at all and on dry tyres it was almost impossible to keep the car on track. I was pushing really hard to keep fourth place and if you look at the lap times I was actually faster than Jarno on the final lap and he was the only other car on dry tyres at that stage.

Q: Was it the right decision to stay on dry tyres?
TG: Absolutely no doubt about it. We were running seventh before the rain came and we would have probably finished there if it had been totally dry. Instead we finished sixth so that shows the strategy was the right one.

Q: Did you realise the significance of Lewis Hamilton fighting with you on the final lap?
TG: To be honest I was racing for Toyota and my place which is the correct thing to do. I didn't even know that Lewis was directly behind me. The team told me that Sebastian Vettel was catching me and they kept me updated on his position but I was concentrating so hard on keeping the car on the track. I didn't even know that Lewis had overtaken me until after the race. I was passed by three or four cars on the final lap and it was not easy to keep track of what was going on.

Q: This is the end of your first season with Toyota, how do you assess the year?
TG: It has been very positive for me. At the start of the season I set myself a target of scoring 20 points and in the end I have finished with 25 and a podium in Budapest, so I am very happy with that. The first few races were a bit difficult as I was adjusting to a new car and a new team but we all worked really hard to improve and we made good progress. Finishing fourth in Canada was a big boost for me and the team but the turning point was Hockenheim, where I was really competitive in the race until the mechanical problem. After that I was fighting high up the grid in pretty much every race and we scored a lot of points. But this is only the first step and next year I want to achieve a lot more, so we are already working hard to make another step.

[Dazzyman]

Lovely Lewis write up

Last year's Brazilian Grand Prix was an unmitigated disaster for Lewis Hamilton. A poor start, a first-lap error and some untimely gearbox gremlins all combined to shatter his hopes of clinching a historic first title at Interlagos, leaving a resurgent Kimi Raikkonen free to collect the crown.

On Sunday, after a nail-biting finish, the failure and heartache were confined to the history books, as Hamilton accomplished what he so nearly achieved on his first attempt. So established is the new world champion, it is difficult to believe that he becomes the sport’s youngest ever title holder, aged just 23, bettering previous record holder Fernando Alonso by just over four months.

Hamilton has just 35 race appearances under his belt, but from that modest tally has gleaned nine wins and 13 poles. To put those figures into context, Alonso had made 69 starts before he clocked up that number of victories, while Raikkonen has scored only three more poles over his eight-year career. Of course Alonso and Raikkonen weren’t gifted with the quickest of cars as their careers began, but even with the might of McLaren behind him, Hamilton’s statistics are peerless.

His 2007 rookie campaign quickly became the stuff of legend. Six pole positions, four wins and 109 points made it the most successful debut season in Formula One history - and severely ruffled the feathers of then team mate Alonso. Ultimately he was just two points shy of winning the title.

He left Interlagos last year disappointed but not disheartened, and at the 2008 season opener in Australia, he made it quite clear he wouldn’t be an also-ran again. Taking pole and victory, he dominated the Melbourne race, stamping his authority on both new team mate Heikki Kovalainen and his other prospective title rivals with a dazzling display.

It was the best of starts. But the next round in Malaysia was different story, with Hamilton dropping five grid places for blocking in qualifying, and then suffering pit-stop problems en route to fifth place. In Bahrain too, he seemed to have lost the poise that singled him out in ’07 and after a fluffed start and a collision with Alonso he crossed the line a miserable 13th, losing his championship lead in the process.

Third place at the subsequent Spanish Grand Prix went some way to boosting his title hopes, but it was far from the bounce-back he’d hoped for, as winner Raikkonen extended his championship lead. And while he left the following Turkey race well-satisfied with his improved performance, second place was not enough. He needed a win.

It came in Monaco. Despite Ferrari locking out the front row, Hamilton drove a faultless race to score a memorable first victory at the track around which hero Ayrton Senna had excelled. He described it as a highlight of his career - but it was to be the only highlight for the next few races. His embarrassing pit-lane collision in Canada and a disastrous stewards’ decision at the French Grand Prix saw him fail to score at either event.

But at July’s British Grand Prix, Hamilton once again showed his rare talent. While his more experienced rivals slipped up in the tricky wet conditions, he handled the pressure with almost nonchalant prowess. He then clocked up a second successive victory at Hockenheim to regain the championship lead.

Fast forward to the penultimate round in Shanghai and you get an even greater sense of Hamilton’s worth as a driver. After coping with front-left tyre damage (Hungary), a dominant Massa (Europe), a controversial stewards’ decision (Belgium), a terrible qualifying session (Italy), unfortunate safety car timing (Singapore) and finally a scrappy start (Japan), Hamilton had made some very costly errors and borne the brunt of his fair share of bad luck.

You could argue that in many ways this season was not been in the same league as his rookie year. There have been several mistakes and he has come in for a lot of criticism from both the stewards’ room and his fellow drivers. But, crucially, he also continued to maximise his scores - even when the chips were down - and just when everyone thought he was about to crack, he found new reserves - as illustrated by his spectacular win in China, a win that all but assured him of title triumph in Brazil. Admittedly aided by some equally haphazard performances from his rivals, Hamilton has won out in the end.

Many drivers find that their second year in Formula One is tougher than the first, as the pressure increases and the sport’s taxing intricacies become more apparent. But Hamilton has bounced back with a maturity belying his years. Congratulations Lewis!

All above from official F1 site

Ive heard on news today that Ron has stuck by what he said if he wins 3 he gets a SE Mclaren F1 (as he said he would when Lewis joined). I saw one of those at where I lived in Stamford Bridge year they came out (one of the Garrowby estate had it where Charles and his bit on side used to go where the tapes where done) was lovely but 500k at time for standard.

[Roddie]

Yep its getting tiresome that when you disagree with a comment I make you make a personal attack simple ast that. Ive said in previous posts I even started supporting him last year but I didnt warm to him because of his personality I also said they both deserved to win in another one. Thats also an opinion and in your opinion its blind hatred to me it isnt. I dont support him simple as that and your your going to have to live with that and not make a personal comment at me over it. Plenty of others didnt like what happened with Glock I myself never commented much on it, I myself didnt bring up his dad first but you seemed to skirt over that when I added my own opinion so its me with the so called blind hatred. You got others with gifs and saying mercedes paid Glock again you say its me with blind hatred nobody else. Ive also commented that I hope I warm to him in the future like I did Schummy sorry but thats not blind hatred thats your bias towards my post of you liking him and disagreeing with everything I say because I post anything negative about him as I dont support him.

I dont twist anything against Hamilton either thats your opinion not mine your just going to have to live with the fact I disagree with you and Im allowed like everyone else on this forum to have a different opinion to you so stop singling just me out over it and have abit of a look at the others posting saying (before I might add) about his dad and the race and so on.

I like Massa & Kimmi as Im a ferrari fan but also a fan of Alonso (you dont hear me kicking off if you dont like Alonso Massa or Kimi or the Massa gif it all washes over me its part of the sport who you support or not) and Coulthard as my backups. I dont hate anybody thats your opinion not mine and I ask if you want to attack my posts fine attack away but dont attack me on a personal level and be abit less biased towards my posts on a reply to someone thats made a comment about him previous just because I also agree with what they say.

You made a comment about Glock in your first post after the race. Ah yes, of course, Glock slowed down and let Hamilton past. Thank goodness we have your unique insight into the sport. Obviously it was nothing to do with the fact that Glock was on dry tires while Vettel, Hamilton (and a third car) were on wets, especially on a corner where a bad exit screws you on the final twist onto the pit straight. Pure coincidence that Trulli (the only other car on dry tires) also did the same lap time as Glock.

Perhaps you didn't comment much on it because there's not much to say other than it's nonsense.

I fail to see where I said you brought up Hamilton's father.

Yes, you keep telling us that you didn't like Schumacher at first blah, blah, blah; Hamilton needs to earn you respect (I'm sure he's in deep anticipation), but anything he ever does is dismissed by you. You have complete double standards. Last year you were accusing of being a sore loser while you were busy slobbering over Alonso (erm, hello?).

I'm not attacking you on a personal level, I'm contesting the contents of your posts. If other people were making the same ridiculous long-winded posts viewed from a skewed reality then I would similarly contest them. The only things that wash over you seem to be truth and logic.

[Dazzyman]

Glock I leave that one out in the domain we will never know if he did slow down or not but he was mighty fine up to the previous corner even with his slicks and held em off no problem. Id rather Hamilton have won under better circumstances.

is exactly what I put in my 1st post about Glock on my first reply after the gifs etc.. of him being paid off. So are you saying I cant have a view on it but everyone else can? I then commented after what David Hollis said

As the final couple of bends are pretty flowing, I'm still surprised Glock struggled so badly on them.

with

Yep the last two bends are a sweeper their is little room for having to back off or steering correction I mean you use the last bend to build up to full pelt. It happened put it down to bad weather but as I said Id rather have seen Lewis win out right than something like that.

so please tell me what is so bad about that? No hatred involved apart from its just a different opinion to you what others have echoed but of course its my opinion that you have gunned for.

Why cant I support Alonso and why couldnt I support him last year when their was a spilt in Mclaren? Just because I went the way of Alonso instead of Lewis who you support doesnt mean Im slobbering (again lay off the personal insults). I didnt go mental as a Ferrari supporter with the owned Massa gif I actually thought it was funny its part of the sport you either support Massa or you dont I aint going to get upset and start making personal insults because they dare to disagree with me. Im sorry just because I disagree with you doesnt mean theirs no truth and logic in it. Whats up cant I have a difference of opinion to you but others can? So because you disgree with me you have to say I personally dont have logic or truth erm ok.

Again as I said lay off the personal stuff.

[Brad]

was lovely but 500k at time for standard.

Sorry mate, that made me laugh. You made it sound like if it had been just a little bit cheaper you'd have bought one

[Kieran76]

Last warning people. We are in danger of me locking this thread until folks calm down and stop winding one another up.