Formula 1.

[Silent]

Yo, I raise this topic about the Formula 1 because I'm a fan of this sport.

Today, it was the Japanese Grand Prix ; victory of Mc Laren's Hamilton, followed by Renault's Kovalainen and Ferrari's Raïkkonen.

I'm a fan of F1 since three years now, and my favourite player ever has always been Raïkkonen. I think he is the most talentuous with Michael Schumacher pilot of these last 15 years ; he is also a very funny guy (see his interviews x d), he isn't big-headed (not like Alonso, the biggest head in the world), and he always make me feel sorry for him, because the most unlucky guy I've seen (look his last year with McLaren, he was the leader in most of the GPs but he never finished them x D).

My favorite team is McLaren, although I really dislike the pilots this year (I can't put up with Alonso, and Hamilton is too much mediatized). It was better last year, even if the car never finished a GP ; Raikkonen was good, and Montoya was a very funny guy (I remember something about him : just 5 minutes before the beginning of a GP, everyone was very focus in his car, looking at the track... but Montoya was eating a hamburger x DDD), and his substitute, De La Rosa, was talentuous.

I think that the Championship is over for this year (Hamilton first, Alonso or Raïkko 2-3, and Massa 4).

Are ther any others fan of Formula 1 here ? =)

[zargz]

aw! I missed it! :o
but ok, I just seen the last 2 or 3 races this seasson ..
yeh, F1 is much better, or should I say exiting, now when shoemaker is out.
the grudge and dirty trick I saw between Hamilton and Alonso like the contact in the first turn the race befor
and the TT pit incident some races ago, also the scandal with the info between the teams
is like taken from the story of the wo league. ;)
although I don't like character driven wipEouts coz I like to be the main character in the games i play :D muaha!
too bad I missed todays race coz I "know" the japanese tracks from some motoGP and wtcc games ..

well, I won't miss nascar at 7pm today that's for sure.

8)

[Dr. Angryman]

W00T! I love F1! I saw the race in Fuji. It was rainy.

I'm not much a fan of Hamilton for some strange reason. I watched the season waiting for either Alonso or Raikkonen to win, then Hamilton butted in with my predictions. Now he's winning every race in some way. He's a good driver, yes, but not my favorite.

[Rapier Racer]

Rub it in eh I have to wait till midnight to see NASCAR lol :-

[zargz]

yeh, and then it's a 3 hrs race! :D

I think hamilton is cool, the little I see of him and I think he deserves to win
especially after the crap alfonso pulled with that TT thing before (first race I seen in 2 years)
I also think it's cool for a rookie to win the title.
normally I'd side with alfonso though o_o'

[stin]

I did watched it today and my, what a race but Hamilton is extremely lucky to won the race with extreme rain! also, Alfonso caught the bump, went out of control and smashed into the wall barrier!. You should had seen his face!:o Sheer disgust!

It was a good race!


I did watched Nascar on ABC1 US and I did really enjoyed it. When I will get Sky Digital back on again and I hopefully get Nascar and Golf channel back on.

stevie:)

[Silent]

The race was too rainy, I get up at 6 o'clock for see the safety car 30 minutes.

I feel sorry for Vettel, he was doing a very good race (younger than Hamilton), and a stupid accident maked him give up, he was second...

[rdmx]

I feel even worse for Mark Webber - he has no luck - Vettel smashed into the back of him IN A SAFETY CAR PERIOD :(

[borell]

Truly a bad day for Webber.

Since I did not want to get up at 6.30 am, I recorded the race. I did not have the patience to follow it closely, though. As you said, Silent, too much rain. Basically, I only watched the last 20 laps of the race.

I checked the tables yesterday. Alonso, Hamilton and Räikkönen have four victories each, and Massa three. This is quite a balanced outcome in comparison to what it has been like in recent seasons.

[KevInCal]

I love F1. I have been watching it avidly for about 4 or 5 years now. I became an Alonso fan in 2002 or 2003 because he is my age and is a very good driver. So, it was really cool seeing him win the Championship 2 times in a row. F1 this year has been pretty crazy, and mostly fun to watch. Everyone is already saying Hamilton won the championship, but there's still 2 races left. You never know what could happen. ;)

[adelheid]

I've always wondered, are there any female drivers?

[KevInCal]

Never in Formula 1.

[Asayyeah]

Actually they were 5 in F1

Maria-Teresa De Fillipis from Italie : season 58/59
Lella Lombardi from Italie ; season 74 / 76
Divina Galica from GB : season 76 / 78
Desiré Wilson from South Africa : season 80
Giovanna Amati from Italie : season 92Isadora Allen from Canada season 2052 to 2197 and continues :g

[KevInCal]

Weird, I had never heard of any women F1 driver mentioned, before now. And not just one, but 5. :o

[Asayyeah]

To be honest only the last one i ve heard about , it's only by searching through a site that i found they were 5.

On other type of championship Michèle Mouton was the unique woman to win a stage in WRC ( she's won 4 in total ) ( season 81/82)

And who can resist to that charming lady (http://www.danicaracing.com/) famous Indy car driver

[mclarensmps]

Favourite team: McLaren
Favourite drivers: Hamilton, Raikkonen, Webber, Sato, Kovalainen, Heidfeld in that order
Favourite drivers all-time: Hakkinen, Prost, Mansell, Hill, in that order (but not including currents)

Since 1991, till Spa this year, I have missed 4 races live. I didn't watch Spa as a reaction to the farce that took place in the weeks coming up to that race.

I watched Suzuka because, at the end of the day, I decided that I cant stand to not watch if McLaren shows up on the grid.

I knew about Hamilton way before he joined F1, and even before his phenomenal year in GP2. I am a huge fan of Ron Dennis regardless of what others have to say about him, and following Dennis, I knew Lewis was destined to McLaren in the coming few years (though not so soon). I agree that he is overhyped, but I've known him since before the media went gaga over him, and so, couldn't care for the bandwagon fans he has.

That said, I am bitterly disappointed to have Raikkonnen go red, and Alonso joining McLaren just adds insult to injury. That said, I predicted that Hamilton would begin to trounce Alonso come the second half of the season, though he has exceeded my expectations in this regard.

--

The team I hate the most: Ferrari, Toyota
The drivers I hate the most: Alonso, Schumacher R, Luizzi, Button
Team members and various personalities I hate the most: Jean Todt, Flavio Briatore, Luca di Montezimolo, Max Mosley
Ex drivers that i hate the most: Schumacher M, Villeneuve, Verstappen, Speed

[Medusa]

ROFL!! Asa sometimes you crack me up too much.:p By the way, did you realize that your abbreviated forum name ASA is the abbreviation for Acetysalicytic acit (and I just know I spelled it wrong...:( ) or Aspirin??

I always think, ah there's Asayyeah the pain killer.:beer

On a less off-topic note, on a new novel I am starting, I am ensuring that female drivers are almost completely equal in numbers to the male drivers in my futuresque race-world...can you guess what inspires this?:p

And hmmm...we all know how Schumacher drove sometimes, can you imagine him as a woman with PMS? Scary stuff. Perhaps that is why there's just not so many woman drivers...that and we are here to perpetuate the human race...what a drag.

[adelheid]

That reminds me:

Women: Better balance due to centre of gravity being in centre of body, brain capable of doing three tasks at the same time.

Men: Dense frame more resistant to forces and impacts, better spacial acuity.

So why are there so few female racers in any professional circuit? They should, on paper anyway, be pwning.

[KevInCal]

Simple answer, women don't have 8@!!$. :p

[Asayyeah]

By the way, did you realize that your abbreviated forum name ASA is the abbreviation for Acetysalicytic acit (and I just know I spelled it wrong...:( ) or Aspirin??

I always think, ah there's Asayyeah the pain killer.:beer.
MAybe i should help those with headaches by a special treatment based on Kai and few plasmas that could stop 'definitely' their pain.
I must honestly admit that i ve lost my killer instinct and let RR reigning in master on that special art.

we ll be glad to read you in your future novel :hyper

[zargz]

atm there are actually TWO women racing in the IRL! :o

[Lion]

to most people in my part of the world, IRL means International Rugby League
which I guess is not what you were going for :P
what is IRL in your context?

[supersocks]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRL

(Wouldn't be surprised if that list just happens to grow in following days...)

[zargz]

nice list sox! the entry I like the best is InterRacial Love :D

lion: as it says in the wiki - 'Indy Racing League, a U.S. based open-wheel racing series'.
may be some one needs to add an entry there about the International Rugby League :g

[Lion]

rugby league (different sport to rugby as in the world cup, being played in france right now) is not a sport I follow, I'll leave it to people who know about it.
if you'd referred to the racing as simply "indy" instead of IRL I'd have known what you were talking about straight away :) I've never encountered the term IRL with that meaning before... learn something every day!

[Asayyeah]

rugby as in the world cup, being played in france right now!

Yeah and guess what's happening on saturday evening ... New Zeland vs France quarter finale !

All Blacks at their top level. Frenchies capable of the best ( 1999 World Cup beating those black beasts) but mostly of the worst ( all the other years, lol)
Ma gonna watch the match

[Dr. Angryman]

I just saw the Chinese Gran Prix. Raikkonein (hope I spelled that right) won followed by Alonso and Massa. Lewis Hamilton really did something stupid. After being on the edge of wearing his tyres down to the rims, he finally decided to go into the pits. Then what happened? He missed the pits and headed into a sand trap. His tyres were so wore down that he couldn't get any traction and drive out. The marshalls refused to push the car out.

In other news, Keanu Reeves was there. Just thought you wanted to know! :)

[KevInCal]

I also watched this race. What an incredible turn of events! I have to say that even though I'm DEFINITELY NOT a Hamilton fan, he was quite unlucky. It looked like the marshals couldn't push the car out. He was only a few agonizing feet from the tarmac as well... This could really mess with him psychologically for the last race in Brasil. We shall see.

[mclarensmps]

Hamilton's stop was a disgustingly late call on McLaren's part. Hamilton's tyres were pretty much delaminated till there was no rubber left on the rears and McLaren were still banking on the weather reports to bring him in at the last possible second. Not a risk that was worth taking to be quite honest. Even if he pitted early, and would have to pit again (if they made the wrong call on tyres), he would still have scored a couple of points and not been in the position he is in now.

Hamilton's mistake was coming in too hot, into the pitlane entry. He had no rear tyres and when the back end came loose it was over. Though to be fair, the pit lane conditions were much different than from the dry line on the track as not many cars had washed the rivers away in the pit lane entry.

I blame both McLaren and Hamilton for his dnf, more McLaren than Hamilton though.

That said, I was happy Raikkonen won, because the only two blokes I want to see as champion this year are either Hamilton or Raikkonen. Alonso doesn't deserve to be the champion this year and I hope he doesn't get it. We will see.

[infoxicated]

atm there are actually TWO women racing in the IRL! :o
At various points in the season there were three of them!

Although, to be fair, only one of them (Danica Patrick) was actually racing. Sarah Fisher had a very poor season in a very poor car, and Milka Dunno is just excruciatingly bad and only there because her husband is on the board of Citgo, who sponsor her car. Milka was parked mid-race in almost every event she took part in - not a good advert for female drivers.

[zargz]

I was cheering for the rookie, Hamilton but ok ..

Good job, Kimmi!

Congrats!

.. sox! :g

[RJ O'Connell]

A very fitting end to a memorable season.

McLaren had themselves to blame for both their drivers losing the Driver's Championship - Lewis Hamilton especially. He lost the championship in China and continued to spiral downward in Brazil, be it the electronics failure or the run-off caused by trying to take it to Alonso too early on in the race...

Now, for 2008...

[Dr. Angryman]

Go Kimi! :g

[infoxicated]

<sarcasm>
Oh yeah, how unpredictable.
</sarcasm>

As if either driver outside of the FIA's works team stood a chance in that situation.

[RJ O'Connell]

^ Not really. If that were the case both Alonso and Hamilton would have been excluded from the Drivers' Championship back in August - and all McLaren staff banned from the sport forever, just to be safe. :dizzy

[mclarensmps]

I am sad that McLaren and Hamilton lost the championship (I really can't give a toss about that hypocritical bastard Alonso, and am waiting for his team exit announcement - which I feel is imminent).

That said, though I absolutely hate Ferrari with a passion, Kimi was my favourite driver in F1 when he was at McLaren (Now Hamilton is, because my rule of thumb is, McLaren first, everything else second), but now he is my second favourite driver.

I really am happy for him winning a championship - I was going to be contented with anyone but Alonso winning this year, however, I am glad this season is over.

Ferrari milked the destruction of McLaren's reputation for all it's worth, and without starting that old discussion again, I am just glad 2007 is behind us, and bring on 2008.

In my eyes, McLaren still has an impeccable reputation of having the highest integrity (as a team, and especially Ron Dennis) of any other F1 team on the grid (maybe with Williams coming in a close second).

[infoxicated]

Frank Williams? Integrity?

I'd say you're right on the money with Ron Dennis - he's a gentleman in a sport full of slimey bastards, but Frank Williams is a complete weasel. If you followed the sport in the early 90's you'll remember what he did to Canon and Nigel Mansell.

[RJ O'Connell]

McLaren have launched an appeal over the decision not to penalise the BMW and Williams teams over cold fuel. The penalty would likely have been all four cars between the two teams being excluded, moving Lewis Hamilton up enough in the finishing order to score more points than Kimi, and making Lewis the World Champion.

If this is how the World Championship is ultimately decided, I won't be watching any part the 2008 Championship...ridiculous.

Even Lewis agrees. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7056308.stm)

[Asayyeah]

Technically speaking there's no chance this appeal may change Kimi's 1st F1 trophy.
Bernie said no chance ... so there will be no chance :nod
Honestly McLaren shouldn't have lauched this appeal, this is not very good for their reputation especially after the recent affair.

About Fernando if he can leave his current team it should be for Renault, thus it will be very hard for him to broke his contract ( 2 more years) even after what has happended with Ron, he can be forced to stay in the team or have a free year out of F1 world to let him enter Renault season 2009 or last solution for him to pay back 2 years contract value which is a lot !

few weeks for decision i don't think we will have news before them

[RJ O'Connell]

I'd personally like to see Alonso and Kovalainen drive for Renault next season, Giancarlo Fisichella has had a good career, but he has never been spectacular and this year he has proven that he's no longer a driver you can build a team around. Actually you could make the case of Fisichella being washed up all the way back to the second half of 2005.

But I can't see him leaving McLaren right now...

[The Gracer]

If you followed the sport in the early 90's..

Ah yes...the days where F1 was what it should be...Wings and Slicks. i miss the days of the steep-angled nosecones and ground effects, and Senna being god... and Schumacher coming up in the Benetton...

unfortunately, i was too young to remember the politics, so i cant relate to you on that front :p

[Asayyeah]

2008 Could be a very interesting season again and not only if Alonso is going back to his roots into Renault's team ( like you RJO i wish he could but...), also for the huge difference of rule next year.
No more driving electronical help for the cars which means spectacular races and pilots with their own skill.
Can't wait to know Ron's answer about Fernando and the next season starts :rock

[mclarensmps]

Alonso's gonna be out of McLaren (thank god), you can be pretty sure about that.

(edit) ugh im reposting half the stuff i posted before (/edit)

I think engine mapping technology has come so far that a lack of TC will not make as huge a difference as it used to, however, it will truly separate the truly world class drivers, from just really really good ones.

5 Benefactors of lack of TC:

- Kimi (Likes neutral to oversteery cars, great wet weather capability)
- Lewis (Phenomenal car control in the wet, the biggest simulation of lack of TC you can get so far. An "if" statement would be if he can make his tires last)
- Mark (Banking on his experience in sports cars, that said, it was a long time ago)
- Sebastian B. (Having to learn to drive an F1 car in it's first year without TC, means he won't have to change any habits as such, and GP2 showed his car control)
- Rubens (He has shown that he has substantial car control in F1, he won the race in the rain with Stewart, he is no Michael Schumacher - I don't like MS, but he was a phenomenal driver, I cannot take that away from him - but he can hold his own without TC)

5 Losers when TC is gone:

- Felipe (He is great when the car is great, but his wet weather driving leaves much to be desired, and he was pretty terrible at keeping his car on track in his early years, so i think TC has helped him ore than it has helped anyone else)
- David C. (He is a smooth driver, but needs a perfectly handling car to make it happen. He lacks ultimate pace when his car isn't perfect, and lack of TC will amplify his dependence on a perfectly balanced car for his good race)
- Jenson (About the same as above, would do better than Coulthard, but only marginally)
- Sato (His banzai mentality is going to work against him, sadly. He has great car control when he's on it - remember Jordan and Suzuka? - but he overcooks it too much, and now there will be no TC to help him out of the messes he sometimes gets into)
- Fernando (Okay, you may accuse me of bias here, BUT, I think I may be onto something here because, I am not so sure if his "throw the car into the corner" turn in technique is going to bode well for him without TC, however, this is just conjecture on my part and he may adapt his driving style to suit. He didn't win 2 championships out of nothing, so maybe he will do fine - I don't like Alonso either)

[Silent]

Congrates to Kimi...
He missed the championship two times, now it's the good one^^
Nothing to say for Hamilton, except Mclaren's tactic who was the worst for Hamilton this year :?

Alonso has done the useless track, and a special mention for Massa who repaired very well Hamilton's act (during the qualification, with Raïkkonen) by stopped Hamilton's trajectory at the beginning, for let Raïkko pass through.

Very good track indeed^^

Next year, it will be very hard, with the battle between the "old" generation (Raïkkonen, Alonso, Massa, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Webber, Trulli, Button, Fisichella...) and the "young" generation (Hamilton, Kubica, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Vettel, Nakajima, Sutil...).

Good luck to Sebastian Bourdais, for his next year in Toro Rosso =)

[mclarensmps]

I agree the Ferrari strategy worked out absolutely perfectly, Both Kimi and Felipe executed the start flawlessly. Alonso also took full advantage of it, and it lead to Hamilton catching himself out.

I thought the bumpy Brazil had quite some character, as you'd see the drivers trying to optimize their lines to avoid the bumps, but I think the smooth track surface is a wonderful improvement to the track!

[stin]

Here is the link, http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20071102/tts-uk-motor-racing-alonso-ca02f96_4.html

stevie:)

[Asayyeah]

Thx Stevie for that early hot news !
This is the best thing that could happend to Maclaren and Fernando and also for the 2008 championship season. Maclaren will be able to get back his serenity and confidence cause this is a great team, Ferrari will have a über-motivated Raikkonen and Renault/fernando duo where anything is possible to get a 3rd world crown.
According to Bild magazine Alonso could sign in Renaul's team for a 3 years contract but anything has been confirmed yet.
i ve heard about some rumour existing that Alonso's teammate could be Nelsinho Piquet( currently 3rd pilot during 2007 season ) to let Kovvalainen flies to Maclaren ( as 3rd pilot?) and push Fisiccho to his own retirement ( i think he beat Patrese's record of participation to F1 races)

[supersocks]

Kovvalainen

Vattanen :)