F1 Discussion Thread

[edawg99]

I thought I would start this thread so we can talk about F1 in one place. This weeks race was good and Kimi smoked everyone and Kubica had great 2nd place finish and Hamilton made a bad tire choice which slowed his pace a lot.

[Val]

so we can talk about F1 in one place.

That's why I did this a stick thread.
Good idea Eric.

[Blackmask]

BMW is looking strong so far this season, more consistent than either Ferrari or McLaren.

[edawg99]

It's just a matter of time before BMW Sauber get there first win. I see it happening this year.

[Val]

April 5, 2008

Massa fastest, Hamilton crashes in Bahrain



Brazilian Felipe Massa is intent on opening his bid for this year´s world championship with a win in Sunday´s Bahrain Grand Prix after clocking the fastest time in Friday´s practice sessions.

The 26-year-old topped the times for Ferrari as rival and championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed out in the second practice.

Eu gosto da pista, eu sempre ando muito bem lá.

I'll translate: "I like the track, I always go very well here," Massa told reporters after stepping from his car. "Hopefully I can say the same thing on Sunday. I love the track. I have good memories.

[Captain Beefheart]

Kinda looks like Massa's incident last week, losing the rear by running over the curb. And his reaction from the onboard is really weird applying opposite lock even though all the wheels were locked and the direction he was steering would have resulted in a head on collision with the wall WTF?

Bahrain should be Massa's race to take, and if he gets another horrible result the Italian press will probably be calling for his head. He's a good qualifier but not great consistent championship driver i'm afraid.

[Plastic Flute]

LOVE YOUR AVI VAL I want to steal it. My new love is the Mini Cooper

[edawg99]

It looks like Hamilton just lost it and spun.

[Val]

Originally Posted by Plastic Flute

LOVE YOUR AVI VAL I want to steal it.

Nein, nein!!!
I'll send you some nice ones.

Pole takes poll in Bahrain

April 5, 2008

Robert Kubica, the first Polish driver in Formula One, secured the first pole position of his career here on Saturday when he planted his BMW at the front of the grid for Sunday´s Bahrain Grand Prix.



The 23-year-old from Krakow, taking part in only his 27th Grand Prix meeting, outpaced nearest rivals Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari and old friend and current drivers championship leading Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.

Massa was second-fastest endorsing his improved challenge this weekend after two pointless and error-strewn outings in Australian and Malaysia, and Hamilton third.

Hamilton, 23, crashed heavily in his McLaren on Friday afternoon in practice and had to use the team´s spare chassis, built up overnight at the circuit.

[Plastic Flute]

Well did Hamilton race or was he really hurt?

[Captain Beefheart]

Hamilton screws up at the start(color me surprised) and now Alonso is running with a rear clipped wing, thanks Lewis!

Looking like a Ferrari double, unless Massa acts up.

PS: This time Massa did not crack and repeats Bahrain. Mclaren looks to be crumbling. They lack the guidance and experience that Alonso brought them and now they look very sloppy, with Hamilton looking like a novice driver. Big crash in practice, terrible start then ramming Alonso. One thing is to race with the pole and no one to clear, and another very different thing is to overtake people in front.

[Val]

Massa answers critics in winning style



MANAMA, April 6, 2008 (AFP) - Brazilian Felipe Massa stormed to victory here on Sunday for his second successive victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix and answer his mounting bank of critics as his Ferrari team celebrated a comfortable one-two with Kimi Raikkonen finishing second.

The 26-year-old Latin American, who had failed to score a point after an error-strewn performance in both opening races, came home as a comfortable winner ahead of his team-mate defending drivers world champion Finn Kimi Rakkkonen.

In a race overshadowed by the sex scandal surrounding embattled 67-year-old Briton Max Mosley, who is fighting to keep his job as president of the sport´s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), Ferrari were the dominant and supreme force.

They came home first and second ahead of third-placed Pole Robert Kubica of BMW, who had started from the first pole position of his career, and his team-mate German Nick Heidfeld.

This was enough for the BMW-Sauber team to lead the constructors´ championship for the first time.

"For sure I had a not very easy couple of weeks, but that´s life," said Massa.

"It´s not the first time and won´t be the last. I had two bad days in the first two races, but I know that we are quick.

"The race was difficult because I didn´t want to make mistakes. I was just controlling the pace and wanted to bring the car home. What was in my mind was the last race.

"I love this circuit. It is my second victory in a row. Always I have gone very strong here."

Raikkonen said: "All weekend has been really difficult. It has been just one of those things and I couldn´t get the car where we wanted. It was a bad weekend, but I still finished second and I am leading the championship.

"In the second stop, we had an easy time. The first stop I had some difficulties and some problems with the light system, but it didn´t change the things in the race.

"The car has not been perfect all weekend, but that´s life. I have never been too happy in this circuit, but out of the three races it is important to get as many points as possible. I am happy to be leading going back to Europe."

Kubica said: "We had some problems on the formation lap with a lot of wheel spin and with the race start I had a lot of wheel spin. Then unfortunately on the second lap I didn´t know about the oil and I took some debris in corner one and thought I had punctured the tyre.

"I didn´t know if I was going to pit and I lost second place to Kimi. But anyway a good result - third and fourth for the team and to be leading the Constructors´ championship.

Massa clearly loves the 5.412 kms desert track in Sakhir as he repeated last year´s triumph, dominating the 57-lap race after blasting off the grid to take the lead from BMW´s Robert Kubica, the first Polish driver to start a grand prix from pole.

It was Massa´s sixth career win.

Massa, whose future at Ferrari is already the subject of speculation, led for all but six laps following his second pit-stop and always kept Raikkonen, winner of the last race in Malaysia, at bay.

Kubica finished third ahead of his team-mate German Nick Heidfeld, confirming BMW´s emergence as a championship force. The German car giant leads the Constructors´ championship for the first time by one point from Ferrari.

Finland´s Heikki Kovalainen was fifth for McLaren with Italian Jarno Trulli sixth in the Toyota.

Red Bull´s Australian Mark Webber and Williams racer German Nico Rosberg were the other points scorers in seventh and eighth.

Raikkonen now leads the drivers´ standings on 19 points, three ahead of Heidfeld with Hamilton, Kovalainen and Kubica all on 14.

Pre-race championship leader Hamilton was always struggling having dropped from third to 11th at the start after getting stuck on the grid when the red lights went out.

The British driver then lost his front wing after ramming into the back of former team-mate Fernando Alonso´s Renault on lap two. He survived a massive trip across the gravel to pit for a new nose but returned back in 18th spot.

Ferrari dominated from the start. On a hot, windy and sand-strewn circuit, the 23-year-old Kubica was left behind as the leading Ferrari F2008 driven by the Brazilian took control.

Massa had a minor drama before the formation lap when he was called back to the Ferrari garage to have his radio system checked over and have new ear plugs fitted.

But that did not hold him up on the track and while he pulled away at the start, the luckless Hamilton was left struggling to leave the grid.

From third on the grid, the 23-year-old Briton fell back to 10th and soon after was involved in a dramatic collision with his great rival and former team-mate double world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso.

As they exited a slow corner, it appeared that the Renault driver slowed slightly and Hamilton, accelerating hard, hit the rear of his car with the front of his McLaren, and flew into the air.

Hamilton´s car was damaged and he had to pit for a new nose and front wing.

This left him 18th when he rejoined as his chances of hanging on to the leadership of the early-season drivers´ championship were wrecked.

At the front, as Massa pulled away, Raikkonen worked his way past Kubica for second and the two Ferrari were then able to pull away in a race of their own.

Hamilton was battling with a wounded car and others suffered, too, from collisions including the two Britons Jenson Button and David Coulthard.

The Honda driver attempted to pass the Red Bull man but ended up hitting him as the Scot ´closed the door´ in the braking zone.

"That´s not the first time he has done that," stormed Button, talking about one of his best friends and Monte Carlo neighbours. "He left it too late and there was nowhere for me to go."

[edawg99]

It was a really exciting race. Hamilton had an awful start then he got to agressive to early and took himself out of the race. BMW looked really strong and they maybe the second best team now. To bad Kubica couldn't win the race and Fernado is doing a great job with what he has. If you ask me Massa is the new Barrichello of Ferrari. He wins sometimes but he will always be a second best to Kimi.

[Captain Beefheart]

I thought it was a pretty boring race, and if it wasn't because I enjoy the atmosphere of the desert and the thought of knowing Massa could screw himself all over again I would have tuned out after the 21st lap.

Biggest story was probably Hamilton vs. Alonso. For the first time in his career Hamilton is actually facing the spotlight in not such a good light, going back to last year he threw the title race away in China wearing out his tires, ran off entering the pits and got beached in gravel trap, then tried to punk Fernando in Brasil and ran off again.

It seems when he doesn't have the pole he's a very sloppy driver. We will now see what kind of character he truly has. Is he really is in a class with the elite of the sport? Or has he been fortunate to have a very good car under him making him look good?

And i'm glad ITV and the british media got a massive OWNED for even daring to suggest Alonso would breakshift him on the second lap. What a bunch of tossers.

PS: The Massa/Barrichello analogy isn't really appropiate. I DO think the intentions of signing him where to make him a backseat driver for Schummi, not for Kimmi.

BMW has a good driver mix and they're smart enough to know it. It remains to be seen if either of them are strong enough to win on a regular basis. I kind of doubt it, but in a dominant car, both are consistent enough to be a season-long threat. Kubica and Heidfeld are different style of drivers but actually complement each other well.

[edawg99]

I was actually surprised that Massa didn't make a mistake and cost himself the race. In driving skill Massa isn't even close to Kimi.

[Val]

Raikkonen had ear infection in Bahrain

Apr.10 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen struggled through the Bahrain grand prix weekend in more ways than one, according to reports.

The reigning world champion was off-colour at Sakhir, as he was outperformed all weekend at the desert venue by his Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa.

The Finn, 28, argued that he simply did not get the setup of his Ferrari right, and it is true that he is not a fan of the Bahrain layout.

But the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell claims that Raikkonen also struggled physically, with an ear infection.

Kimi also encountered a dose of bad luck, when Ferrari's novel new pitstop lights system - which has replaced the more common 'lollipop man' - didn't function well during his first stop.

At recent races, a series of LED lights, mounted horizontally on the team's pitlane gantry, informs the Ferrari drivers when it is time to exit the pits.

The 'green' light is apparently triggered automatically with the removal of the fuelling hose.

"There was a problem with the system, so it took a bit longer, but it didn't change much," Raikkonen insists.

[Val]

Dino Toso stepped down from Renault role

Apr.11 (GMM) Leading Renault engineer Dino Toso has been shuffled out of his position at the French formula one team.

With the title 'director of aerodynamic technology', Toso was promoted to lead the Enstone (UK) based team's new CFD centre just last year.

But in a communique to the press, Renault confirmed that head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer will now take over from Toso.

"Dino Toso remains an employee of the company and we can not make any further comments on his position at the moment," Renault said.

Toso joined Renault from Jordan in 2001, before he began a three-year battle with cancer in 2004.

[Val]

Ferrari´s Massa clocks fastest time



BARCELONA, Spain, April 14, 2008 (AFP) - Brazilian Felipe Massa clocked the fastest time in his Ferrari during private practice at the Montmelo circuit near here on Monday.

Massa, using slick tyres expected to be in use in 2009, managed 1min 18.339sec, which was almost three seconds ahead of the other cars on this track which will host the fourth Grand Prix of the season on April 27.

Monday´s time

Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1.18.339 (77 laps)

Alex Wurz (AUT) Honda 1.21.059 (75)

Pedro Mtez. de la Rosa (ESP) McLaren 1.21.566 (113)

Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW 1.21.679 (105)

Nelson Piquet (BRA) Renault 1.21.913 (90)

David Coulthard (ENG) Red Bull 1.22.193 (59)

Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) Williams 1.22.431 (72)

Timo Glock (GER) Toyota 1.22.590 (93)

Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) Force Italia 1.22.846 (91)

[edawg99]

Whoa Mclaren ran 113 laps, seems like there working hard to catch Ferrari.