Formula 1

[superfrank]

Lewis Hamilton's really showing himself now. I say fair play to him. I remember when Barricello had to make way for Schumacher that time and it sickened me. Hopefully, McLaren won't apply that tactic to protect Alonso.

As a Raikkonen fan, is anyone else worried about how bad he is off the start. In the last two races now he's dropped two or three places going into the first turn.

[Schumi]

Looks like a two horse race even this early. Ferrari can't pass anyone so they're not going to do anything useful this year, even if they close the speed disadvantage.

Alonso looks fragile with a fast teammate. I think he was flattered by the combination of a very fast car and a mediocre teammate for the last two years. At the moment Hamilton has to be clear favourite to win the championship, unless he starts making mistakes.

[superfrank]

Alonso looks fragile with a fast teammate. I think he was flattered by the combination of a very fast car and a mediocre teammate for the last two years. At the moment Hamilton has to be clear favourite to win the championship, unless he starts making mistakes.
You'd imagine he would but for the time being it's Alonso that making the mistakes. Going over the first corner in the last two races.

[shakermaker1982]

I'm not an F1 fan so could someone tell me how many drivers have a chance of actually winning the championship each year? Is it just McClaren and Ferrari drivers for 2007?

[superfrank]

I'm not an F1 fan so could someone tell me how many drivers have a chance of actually winning the championship each year? Is it just McClaren and Ferrari drivers for 2007?
Well there's 22 drivers......

but already it looks as if it'll be Ferrari and McLaren head to head for the drivers championship. McLaren are already running away with the constructor's championship.

[pete]

Its hilarious the way the UK media are making him out to be the biggest F1 star ever. The Sunday paper was plastered in articles about him. I don't watch F1 anymore but I think up until yesterday he one lucky win (every other challenger had crashed out).

Whatever happened to Button the last great British hope?

:rolleyes:

[Dodge]

Well with viewing figures in freefal for Formula One in Britain, they needed a new star. The fact he's young, black with a likeable personality means that ITV and the various sponsors are pushing him to the max.

No interest in F1 myself but he's had a very impressive start to his career (finishing on the podium in every race so far?)

[shakermaker1982]

Well there's 22 drivers......

but already it looks as if it'll be Ferrari and McLaren head to head for the drivers championship. McLaren are already running away with the constructor's championship.

I know there's 22 drivers but it doesn't mean they all have a chance of winning the whole thing :D

It's like racing 2 or 3 thoroughbred horses against 20/19 donkey's from how I view the sport! I just don't get how so many folk can get excited at such a 'non event'. If they all had the same car then at least it could be competitive......

[superfrank]

I know there's 22 drivers but it doesn't mean they all have a chance of winning the whole thing :D
Well if you'd seen the Montreal GP anybody could've won it the safety car was out so much. I should have said in theory any of the 22 drivers could win it.

It's like racing 2 or 3 thoroughbred horses against 20/19 donkey's from how I view the sport! I just don't get how so many folk can get excited at such a 'non event'. If they all had the same car then at least it could be competitive......
Lots of sports are like that though. The same teams are more succesful over long periods of time.

[paul_oshea]

No interest in F1 myself but he's had a very impressive start to his career (finishing on the podium in every race so far?)

I thought it was 6 podium finishes?

Same as myself no interest in it for years, its all about the cars and not about the drivers anymore. IF you are at a certain level as a driver all it means is that you just need to drive for 1 of 2 cars probably 1 at the moment and you are guaranteed a top podium finish........nothing like it was 10 years ago or so.

[superfrank]

Its hilarious the way the UK media are making him out to be the biggest F1 star ever. The Sunday paper was plastered in articles about him. I don't watch F1 anymore but I think up until yesterday he one lucky win (every other challenger had crashed out).
Not really lucky. The Montreal GP was all over the place. Lots of the cars crashed and the order at the end was far from what was expected yet he still managed to stay at the front for the whole time. Yesterday Alonso ran him very close.

Don't get me started on the English media. :mad:

[Aberdonian Stu]

Hamilton's definitely shown he's the real deal so far. The way he's driving, he should win the championship.

[Schumi]

Its hilarious the way the UK media are making him out to be the biggest F1 star ever.The Brits always over-hype anyone who comes close to winning races, remember all the Mansell hype FFS but Hamilton looks to be a lot faster than Button was. It's far too early to be proclaiming a new Fangio/Senna/Schumacher but he's the best new talent for years.


I don't watch F1 anymore but I think up until yesterday he one lucky win (every other challenger had crashed out).No, no. He was comfortably the fastest in the Canadian race. Without all the safety car nonsense, he would have won by a mile. Alonso getting delayed was completely his own fault (and he was behind Hamilton at the time anyway) and no one else could have got near him.

[bellavistaman]

anyone think alonso seems to be a right w^nker?

[Schumi]

anyone think alonso seems to be a right w^nker?Yes, but as a Schumacher fan I assumed I was biased. :D

[pete]

The Sunday Times had a huge article on Hamilton with a table of how long it took other drivers to win the F1 title. FFS they compared him with other champions with Schumacher listed as having taken 4 years but there is no comparison as he started in a Jordan & took him a few years to make Benetton into the best team.

I only saw a little bit of but i'd give him credit for yesterdays win but all this hype was in advance of it.

:rolleyes:

[Lim till i die]

Am I the only one who only ever watches the first corner of the race to see if there'll be a big huge crash??? :o :p

[BohsPartisan]

Am I the only one who only ever watches the first corner of the race to see if there'll be a big huge crash??? :o :p

Me too. My wife is big into F1. I just go into the sitting room, watch the start and then leave. :D
Sometimes I'll watch the last few laps if theres anything doing.

[pete]

Am I the only one who only ever watches the first corner of the race to see if there'll be a big huge crash??? :o :p

Its no surprise the interest levels have dropped now crashes more rare. No one wants to see drivers hurt but a few spectacular crashes would be good. The drivers also have no personalities anymore.

F1 has been poor since they got rid of slick tyres as seems to be almost impossible to overtake now.

[John83]

They really do need to find a combination of circuits and car specs which makes overtaking much more common.

As for the drivers not having any personality, I don't think that's true. People say it about every sport. I'm kind of left wondering if people just remember the one really interesting guy a decade and think nice generalities about the rest.

[OwlsFan]

Should be an interesting show down today. I might even watch it for the first time!!

[jebus]

Hope Hamilton and Alonso come a cropper today as neither man should be even within a shout of this title given the spying scandal. Either way it's sickening the way the English media have blanked that out of their minds and papers, and equally sickening that no-one is mentioning that it is easier to win a title with the new points system than it would have been for say Schumacher in his still outstanding debut season

[Block G Raptor]

I'll be rooting for Hamilton today
It'll be historical and I think the lad deserves it Scandal or No

[Schumi]

equally sickening that no-one is mentioning that it is easier to win a title with the new points system than it would have been for say Schumacher in his still outstanding debut season:confused: Assuming you mean 1992, no points system would have got anyone within an ass's roar of Mansell. He won 9 of the 16 races, no one else won more than 3. That was one of the most dominant championship wins ever. It was a spectacular first full season from Schumacher but the Williams was so far ahead that no one had a chance of catching Mansell. Patrese came second in the championship that year FFS!

I hope Raikkonen wins today but if it has to a McLaren, I'd prefer Hamilton to Alonso's whining.

[jebus]

:confused: Assuming you mean 1992, no points system would have got anyone within an ass's roar of Mansell. He won 9 of the 16 races, no one else won more than 3. That was one of the most dominant championship wins ever. It was a spectacular first full season from Schumacher but the Williams was so far ahead that no one had a chance of catching Mansell. Patrese came second in the championship that year FFS!

I hope Raikkonen wins today but if it has to a McLaren, I'd prefer Hamilton to Alonso's whining.

I realise Schumacher didn't win, or come close, but he still had an outstanding debut season. The point I was trying to make was that the media has been saying all week that if Hamilton wins this year it pretty much proves that he is better than Schumacher, as Schumacher didn't win the title in his first year, but I believe that it is actually easier to win a title with this new points system then it was back then and so proves nothing*

*That's without even considering that the logic the media are using is nonsense to begin with of course

[Schumi]

I don't think the points system makes it easier to win a title really, only one driver can win either way! The difference is that consistent finishes are rewarded more than intermittent race wins. Whether that makes it easier to win in your first season is arguable. I'd normally expect a rookie to make more mistakes than a seasoned racer so in general, this system should favour experience. Either way, getting a seat in one of the top two cars is a far more important factor in winning the title which is a much bigger flaw in that 'Hamilton is better than Schumacher' logic. In 10 years, a comparison may be valid but not now.

[jebus]

Hamilton in 16th at the moment, looks like the rookie could be in trouble

[Dunny]

11th now..making his way back up

[DmanDmythDledge]

How many points for each positon? Am I right in saying that Alonso has it won if it remains the same? Any chance that Ferrari would order Massa to move aside to let Raikkonnen overtake towards the end?

[pete]

How many points for each positon? Am I right in saying that Alonso has it won if it remains the same? Any chance that Ferrari would order Massa to move aside to let Raikkonnen overtake towards the end?

I am no expert but Ferrari will definitely let Raikkonen win. Means Alonso needs 2nd & Hamilton 5th to take title away from Ferrari.

[Dunny]

Alonso 17 seconds off 1st place now and Hamilton in 13th

[DmanDmythDledge]

Kubica overtakes Alonso. Raikonnen's to lose.

[jebus]

Hamilton is pretty much finished, the McLaren ballsed up by putting him on a 3 stopper, still I don't like him so :D:D:D Forza Kimi!!

[NeilMcD]

So the treble of England qualifying for Euro 2008 and Winning the Rugby World Cup and Hamilton winnning the Formula 1 title is going up in smoke ha ha !!!!

[Schumi]

Wow, what a mad race! Delighted for Kimi, he's been so unfortunate with reliability over the last few years. With all that's gone on this year, I can't help thinking that a Ferrari win is appropriate. McLaren lost it for Hamilton with daft choices both in China with the ****ed tyre and today with the extra stop.


Any chance that Ferrari would order Massa to move aside to let Raikkonnen overtake towards the end?LOL. :D

[superfrank]

Delighted to see Raikonen win it. I am a Raikonen fan and I thought he struggled at first with Ferrari. He's been a poor starter in races even from good positions on the grid. But he did turn it around. He won the most races and I'm delighted for him. He's earned it.

[pete]

Raikkonen Celebrates

WJ17wzNoBLE

:D

[paul_oshea]

Great week for British sport. :D

[Hibs4Ever]

Hamilton may yet be crowned World Champion. The Race Stewards are investigating 'fuel irregularities' in the stuff used by the BMW cars


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12433_2816759,00.html

[Macy]

Only a small infrigment, like using too many tyres or apparently having another manufacturers car and tatical plans*. Justice done with a Kimi win rather than either of the McClarens. Ferrari should never have settled with that result and should resurrect it if McClaren appeal too far.

*Edit - I forgot about stupid driving causing other cars to crash out in terrible conditions.

[superfrank]

If I were Hamilton I wouldn't want to win the title that way.

[Dodge]

If I were Hamilton I wouldn't want to win the title that way.

He was happy enough to benefit from the McLaren cheating earlier this season

[pete]

He was happy enough to benefit from the McLaren cheating earlier this season

I find it ironic that McLaren appealing the decision on BMW fuel (I think it deemed to have no impact on race result) whereas Hamilton was let off with fine for tyre irregularity in practice as it was also deemed to have no impact.

[OwlsFan]

Good entertainment by F1 standards anyway. Pity about Hamilton's engine trouble. WOuld have been interesting to see if he could have fought his way back to 5th, or even 6th in which case would Mclaren have asked Alonso to retire ;) and would he have obeyed?

[jebus]

Good entertainment by F1 standards anyway. Pity about Hamilton's engine trouble. WOuld have been interesting to see if he could have fought his way back to 5th, or even 6th in which case would Mclaren have asked Alonso to retire ;) and would he have obeyed?

Alonso has said today that he wants McLaren to lose their appeal as Kimi is the proper Champion, it seems like Alonso is going out of his way to be fired at this stage!!

[pete]

Good entertainment by F1 standards anyway.

I think you stretching for positives. Bar the overtaking on the first few corners on lap 1 the only other significant passing was by team-mates during pit-stop. After that was a case or hoping for mechanical failure.

[Cymro]

I think you stretching for positives. Bar the overtaking on the first few corners on lap 1 the only other significant passing was by team-mates during pit-stop. After that was a case or hoping for mechanical failure.

How about the Rosberg/Kubica/Heidfeld battle? :confused:

[jebus]

How about the Rosberg/Kubica/Heidfeld battle? :confused:

We didn't get to see much of that though, it was all Hamilton or Kimi on screen

[Cymro]

Well about 10 laps from the end Rosberg almost hit Heidfeld trying to overtake him, they both went wide, and Kubica took both of them for good measure.

Rosberg then tried to pass Kubica later as well.

[Schumi]

Rosberg then tried to pass Kubica later as well.
And succeeded.

The excitement was less about passing in this race than in the championship position, up until the end one crash could have changed the whole scenario.