Official F1/Motorsport thread

[Alastair]

Dunno, I'll find out.
I find first practice times a little irrelevant as Kimi could have done his fast lap on zero fuel setup and the others all testing long run fuel loads.

[Alastair]

Still dunno the answer but check this out:

http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/otros_deportes/graficos/es/desarrollo/1044759.html

Drag the drivers around to the positions they could finish to really easily visualise who would win in what scenario.

Here we go, as it stands now:
-----------1sts----2nds----3rds------points
Hamilton---4-------5--------3--------107
Alonso-----4-------4--------3--------103
Raikkonen--5-------2--------4--------100

[VR46]

Looks like McLaren may have dropped Hamilton in the brown stuff already

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7053377.stm

EDIT: thanks for the stats Alastair.

[toythatkills]

They're not gonna do anything that affects the race, there's no way they'll threaten the title shootout when it's the most exciting it's been in years.

At worst, a fine.

[VR46]

You're right, penalty confirmed as a fine, lost link now but it's on BBC site.

linkage

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7053377.stm

[adam_the_browndog]

i'd exspect mclaren to spend atleast £20,000,000 for rosberg for 08

[Richard.John]

I have been away for a week so have been starved of F1 news. The Ferrari looks gorgeous in that pic in Alastair's post. The current red is so much better than the Marlboro orange of the Schu era.

[Shez]

Latest rumour is Alonso/Kovalainen + money swap - And Piquet jnr for Renault.

Ye have to laugh at the wisdom of the race stewards, any other time that would have been a ten place penalty for Hamilton - A ten place penatly can affect the outcome of the title at any part of the season.

This season has been a total mess in my opinion, and if one of the Mclaren drivers wins the title, it will be tarnished.

[Roddie]

any other time that would have been a ten place penalty

Er, I thought it had never even happened before... Do you really want to see someone forced 10 places down the grid for something as minor as that?

[Richard.John]

I don't think it's about punishing LH as such but the feeling that the powers that be are manipulating things to achieve the outcome they want. Bernie has publicly stated that as far as he is concerned, Hamilton should be champ. Truly an outrageous statement considering his position as ring master.

[The_G_Man]

I don't think it's about punishing LH as such but the feeling that the powers that be are manipulating things to achieve the outcome they want. Bernie has publicly stated that as far as he is concerned, Hamilton should be champ. Truly an outrageous statement considering his position as ring master.

Totally agree with your post, it's the appearance that something is being manipulated from up top. All season there have been questionable decisions from the FIA...

1. Monaco, FIA investigate mclaren due to Hamilton comments about not being allowed to race and stressing his #2 status at press conference.

2. Hungary, Five grid place penalty for Alonso(which could in hindsight cost him the title) for blocking in pit lane. Is there a rule?

3. Nurburgring, Hamilton getting craned out from the gravel trap...

4. China, more suspicious tyre pressures and the desperate attempts of the marshalls to push hamilton from the gravel once more.

Perhaps all a coincidence, but I have my doubts..golden boy must have his prize. After all, seemingly he was born for this

[Kieran76]

Can't agree with you on the last one, the reason that they were frantically puishing him out of the gravel trap was that he could have been a danger on the way into the pits.
I really am amazed by the strange attitude that some people have to Hamilton, some of it appears to be the classic British attitude to winners, we don't seem to like them.

[Alastair]

I want Lewis to win and I do think he deserves it. I'm starting to route for Kimi though as the total mess of this season is mainly down to McL with the help of some very strange decisions from the FIA.

Whatever happens tomorrow Hamilton needs to go out next year and prove he can do it in a 'normal' season. I've no doubt he'll be a multiple world champion though so everyone better get used to him being in the spotlight.

[VR46]

Dawned on me earlier, imagine it's a Ferrari 1-2 (Kimi first of course) and Alonso is third with Hamilton behind, Alonso would be told to let Hamilton past so Hamilton could take the title (instead of Kimi) - think my maths are correct.

[Roddie]

No, Hamilton would still win, even with Raikkonen in 1st and Alonso in 3rd. Would be:

112 - Hamilton
110 - Raikkonen
109 - Alonso