The F1 Racing Thread: From GP to GP Weekly Discussion

[Loki0012]

Belgian GP

 

 

For those Formula 1 fans

Im a kimi fan and I was a Mclaren fan since kimi was on mclaren but now hes on ferrari im rooting for ferrari and Kimi!!!!:laugh3::D

 

Kimi crashed !!!!! why???? 2 laps to go and he crashed!!!! Damn that Hamilton(no offense i think hes too much, he boasts too much) But as a suprise hamilton got penalized!!!!! and was 3 rd behind Heidfeld and Massa!!!!WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE:P

 

Poor Kimi though better catch up!

 

Italian GP

 

1st Pole - Sebastian Vettel (Torro Rosso)

2nd Pole - Heikki Kovalainen (Mclaren)

3rd Pole - Robert Kubica. (BMW Sauber)

 

I think the race was okay Kimi sucked again ..but massa did good snagging a few points! Vettel made history by being the youngest driver in f1 history by getting 1st pole position :) ... He could be a f1 championn material in the future! Good luck to the german!

 

Singaporean GP

 

ingapore

 

Singapore has the honour of hosting the first night-time event in Formula One history. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix will be staged on a new street circuit, with the city's famous skyline providing a truly spectacular backdrop.

 

The race was announced in May 2007 following the agreement of a five-year deal between Formula One Management (FOM) CEO Bernie Ecclestone, Singapore entrepreneur Mr Ong Beng Seng, and the Singapore Tourism Board.

 

“I am very pleased to welcome Singapore to the Formula One family and we look forward to this exotic addition to the championship,” said Ecclestone at the time. “This will be the first fully lit street race in Formula One.

 

“As a night race we anticipate it will quickly establish itself as one of the most dramatic and atmospheric races on our calendar. I know the Formula One drivers, teams and fans are all looking forward to coming to Singapore.”

 

The timing of the night event means it can be broadcast at a convenient time for European television audiences as well as thrilling local fans. It is also expected to have a hugely positive economic impact on the region.

 

"We are delighted to have reached a deal to bring this landmark event to Singapore, and look forward to working with F1, the Singapore Tourism Board and the business community to deliver a great race and vibrant support events together with the very best of Singapore's famed hospitality and cuisine.” Ong added.

 

The Singapore Grand Prix will take place on public roads around the Marina Bay area. The design proposal includes powerful lighting systems that will replicate daylight conditions and the most stringent safety protocols will be applied to ensure driver and spectator safety.

 

Grandstand seating and hospitality areas lining the track will be able to accommodate more than 80,000 spectators, while a permanent pit area with deluxe paddock facilities will be located adjacent to the existing Singapore Flyer complex.

 

“It will be more than just a motor race,” commented Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr S Iswaran. “We envision it to be a national festival, and one that presents many opportunities for participation for everyone, both visitors and Singaporeans alike.

 

“Singaporeans are excited about the race coming to Singapore and I share their enthusiasm. Singapore looks forward to welcoming the Formula One drivers, teams and fans to Singapore.”

 

Im clearly excited any bets on the pole position?

Ive watched the practice session looks pretty ahrd to race on!!!!!!!its gonna be great race!

 

Pole postions:

1st - Fernando Alonso

2nd - Nico rosberg

3rd - Lewis Hamilton

 

Japanese Grand Prix

 

 

Japanese Grand Prix preview - title battle to intensify at FujiThis weekend Formula One racing returns to the revamped Fuji International Speedway near Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, for the 16th of the 18 races that will decide this year’s world championship.

 

And the title battle between McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will get even hotter as the Brazilian seeks to claw back some of the seven-point advantage the Englishman opened up at the Singapore Grand Prix.

 

“Seven points to make up in three races?” Massa asks. “That can be a lot or it can be a little. We have the potential to do well, as we saw in Singapore and we will give it our best shot. We mustn’t give up and I’m sure we won’t.”

 

Ferrari will revert to a traditional lollipop system for their pit stops, after the debacle in which Massa lost the race in Singapore during his first refuelling stop.

 

Hamilton remains highly upbeat about his own chances of increasing his lead, and believes the MP4-23 will be very competitive on the track on which he won in such style in the rain last year when the race transferred from Suzuka.

 

Hamilton says he learned something while trapped behind David Coulthard’s Red Bull in Singapore. “There was less pressure to achieve a victory because of the unusual circumstances, which meant I was actually able to start thinking of the world championship. I hate driving for points, but I think we can all see the benefit of that approach at the moment.

 

“I love Japan. Last year might have been difficult because of the wet weather and the poor visibility, but I actually really enjoyed that weekend. The Japanese fans are some of my favourite in the world: so passionate, but really polite, charming and respectful. As for the race, one of the questions I get asked most is whether I prefer to drive in the rain: my answer is always the same, I’ll race in the wet or dry, I don’t mind.

 

“But it’s always easier for us drivers to race in the dry; I’d always prefer a dry race. This weekend, I’ll be hoping for dry weather for another reason - I want the fans at the track to have the best weekend possible and to enjoy the atmosphere of one of the season’s best races.”

 

The race will also be crucially important for Toyota and Honda.

 

"Singapore was a good race for me and I was pleased to score five points but we still lost ground in the constructors' championship so we want to hit back immediately and that means scoring plenty of points in the Japanese Grand Prix,” says the former’s Timo Glock who, with team mate Jarno Trulli, will be battling Singapore-winning Renault for fourth place overall. “This will be my first visit to Fuji Speedway and I am looking forward to it, especially as I am a Toyota driver and I'm sure we will get a lot of support.”

 

Once again, Jenson Button took part in the annual Tokyo Motorsports Festival in Odaiba last weekend to demonstrate a Honda RA108. "The Japanese Grand Prix is always a special weekend for the team as our second home race of the season,” the Englishman says. “Racing for a Japanese team, we always have fantastic support and the fans are so enthusiastic that it makes for a great atmosphere. For me, the true home of the Japanese Grand Prix is Suzuka, which is just one of the best circuits in the world, and I can't wait to return there next year. However I did enjoy driving at the Fuji Speedway last year and the circuit has a nice mix of twisty corners and the high-speed pit straight. A lot of the corners have a very late apex, which is quite unusual.”

 

Fuji demands similar medium downforce levels to Spa-Francorchamps, and has the longest straight in Formula One racing - 1.5 kilometres past the pits. That inevitably necessitates a compromise on set-up: the need for low downforce and minimal drag on the straight versus the need for sufficient downforce to deal with the twisty and tight sections of the track with their predominantly first and second gear corners.

 

Oversteer is a common sight, wet or dry, and the car that behaves predictably through the numerous direction and camber changes around the lap will be the quickest. Unpredictable weather is also another factor at Fuji, as proved to be the case last year. Bridgestone will bring plenty of standard wet and extreme wet-weather tyres, as well as their medium compound ‘prime’ dry tyre and the softer compound ‘option’. These will have special green grooves to mark Bridgestone’s support of the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign.

 

 

Pole postions:

1st - Fernando ALonso

2nd - Robert Kubica

3rd - Kimi Raikkonen

 

Chinese Grand Prix

SOrry guys havent been here in a while

Pole postions:

1st - Luis Hamilton

2nd - Felipe Massa

3rd - Kimi Raikonnen

 

 

Brazilian Grand Prix

Who will win???

Pole postions:

1st - Felipe Massa

2nd - Fernando Alonso

3rd - Kimi Raikonnen

 

 

 

Brazil to pose championship dilemma for McLarenMcLaren could find themselves facing some tough calls at next weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, as they look to balance the respective needs of their drivers’ and constructors’ title campaigns.

 

Lewis Hamilton requires only a fifth place to be sure of securing his first drivers’ title at Interlagos. However, to stand any chance of overhauling Ferrari’s 11-point advantage in the team standings, McLaren would almost certainly need a one-two finish.

 

“Clearly, we can afford to be more conservative than normal in our approach to Lewis’s race, but we are still pushing to win the constructors’ championship and it would be wrong of us as a team to overlook this fact,” said McLaren’s Formula One CEO, Martin Whitmarsh.

 

And with another 18 points up for grabs, Whitmarsh is not only confident of taking McLaren’s impressive China pace forward to Brazil, the team could even add further new developments to the MP4-23.

 

“We do have a number of minor aerodynamic upgrades in the pipeline that we are evaluating for inclusion on our Brazil-spec car,” he said. “As with every race this season, we have brought something to the car - even if it has only been generating a few extra hundredths of lap time - and it would be wrong of us to close down that option for Interlagos.”

 

With no ‘joker’ engine changes allowed at the final round, McLaren will also have to keep a keen eye on Hamilton’s Mercedes V8, which will start its second race in Brazil. However, having turned the engine down in the latter stages of his Shanghai win, the team are not expecting problems. Kovalainen, who failed to finish in China, will have a fresh engine for the season finale.

 

 

Championship

Who won

positions:

1st - Luis Hamilton

2nd - Felipe Massa

3rd - Kimi Raikonnen!

[Evori]

Great race!

Alonso could have been in 3rd place! Damn!

Poor Kimi, he crashed the car.

[Scribble127]

I call shenanigans. Lewis did nothing wrong, how did he gain an advantage by being right on Kimi's gearbox when before the incident, he was already there? He overtook Kimi because the McLaren is simply faster in the rain.

 

Whatever you think of Lewis' character is irrelevant, he nursed it home on a damp track and was the better driver on the day. The FIA ruling is an appalling misjudgement and ruined one of the most exciting finishes to a Grand Prix ever.

 

Kimi's championship is over, Ferrari will go all out for Massa now.

[Evori]

Fia is giving Hamilton what he deserved last year... :rolleyes: :P

[a_face_of_light]

I just can't get into F1, the races are so long and a lot comes down to stratagy, I much prefer the battles and insanity of the Moto GP field.

[Petit Prince]

I call shenanigans. Lewis did nothing wrong, how did he gain an advantage by being right on Kimi's gearbox when before the incident, he was already there? He overtook Kimi because the McLaren is simply faster in the rain.

 

Whatever you think of Lewis' character is irrelevant, he nursed it home on a damp track and was the better driver on the day. The FIA ruling is an appalling misjudgement and ruined one of the most exciting finishes to a Grand Prix ever.

 

Kimi's championship is over, Ferrari will go all out for Massa now.

 

Hamilton cut the chicane BUT he let Raikonnen pass before the starting line. There's no reason to punish Hamilton whatsoever.

 

But I am not surprised that the FIA could find one.:dozey:

[Loki0012]

No he may have backed out a bit but after that he went straight through as fast as he can giving kimi no time to recover....... hes a git..........he deserveda penalty:laugh3: and yeah the race was pretty exciting even the end!

[Evori]

Last year he was not punished, lucky him... This year he has realised he cannot do whatever he wants, there are rules... :rolleyes: Last year he always went to Fia saying... "Alonso whatever...", so now he has his own medicine :P

 

And it is getting better now, the championship is still open! More fun!

[Black Rose]

F1 is fixed.

[Petit Prince]

That's the thing, there are no clear rules. Well there are be but the FIA seems to apply them however they want! Hamilton let Raikonnen pass, which he has to according to the rules.

 

If you watch the replay you can see that Raikonnen struggled to keep his car on the track when it started raining, whereas Hamilton seemed to have less problem with the conditions. Hamilton did let him pass as I said before and I don't think there is any doubts about this. I honestly can't see where you are coming from.

 

And you can't say he deserved it because of what happened in previous years. Surely you need to look at this incident and nothing else! Besides no driver goes to the FIA to complain about his team mate.

[Black Rose]

Hammy passed Kimi on a corner by cutting the corner, he pulled over to allow Kimi pass before overtaking Kimi again on another corner legally.

 

How can he get an advantage by letting Kimi back pass?

[Evori]

As you say, there is not a rule in Fia at all. Last year, yes, last year I realised about that... now something is punished with 25 seconds, next day the same thing with 5 positions, etc. They just do whatever they want.

And as I said before, as they do whatever they want they decide now that the championship must go on. It is not interesting if there is only a champion now when there are several races to come! So, if the battle Massa-Hamilton, and Ferrari-McLaren can still go on... Fia is going to make it possible :rolleyes:

[Black Rose]

FIA can't have McClaren winning, they will do anything in their power to stop McClaren from winning

[Petit Prince]

I don't think this is about McLaren, this is about Ferrari if you ask me. Remember when they banned Villeneuve for the Japan GP in 1997 when he didn't slow down because of yellow flags?

[Loki0012]

Im excited for the Singaporean Grand pprix.Its so close to us!ANd I cant even watch!!!:cry:

[Space Cadet]

Hooray for Vettel! :D

Great race. :nice:

[Black Rose]

We will see on Tuesday if the FIA reverse the decision last week, which they should because he broke no rules, he didn't gain an overall advantage

[Loki0012]

Thoughts on The Italian GP May START BELOW THIS!

[Evori]

great race!

[Loki0012]

Its tonight the Sinagaporean gps tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Larry]

 

 

Haha, anyone has watched the race? I couldn't stop to laugh about Ferrari! That was classic! :D

[busybeeburns]

oops!

[Guest Grace]

i don't even know what to think about today's race.

i'm glad fernando won. he really deserved it, since he would've got a better position yesterday if only his car would not have stopped running.

however, nico did a good job too. :)

 

i can't remember the last time kimi scored a great amount of points... and it was not neccessarily massa's fault leaving the pits like this because the lights turned green for him and f1 drivers usually trust those lights/lollipops. hope the mechanic is okay. ferrari mechanics lead a dangerous life ...

but those ar ejust my usual two cents on defending ferrari.

 

phew, it's so annoying that lewis scored 6 points today... :angry: can't stand that man.

 

i'm happy for vettel! he's such a talented and fresh young driver. i'm a bit annoyed by the media frenzy about him now. i mean.. i've been a fan of him since he started as a test driver for bmw, but now that he's won his first gp two weeks ago, the media is going mental. typical f1 hype.

[Larry]

i'm happy for vettel! he's such a talented and fresh young driver. i'm a bit annoyed by the media frenzy about him now. i mean.. i've been a fan of him since he started as a test driver for bmw, but now that he's won his first gp two weeks ago, the media is going mental. typical f1 hype.

 

That's why I watch Formula 1 on Premiere instead of RTL. ;)

 

I can't stand the hype about Vettel (although I really like him), only because he has won a race last time. Oh and Kai Ebel is such a style freak. I would make fun of him if he would do an interview with me while wearing a poncho. :dozey:

[Guest Grace]

^ nah, to be honest, it's not RTL that gets on my nerves.

i must admit that they have focussed on the german drivers anyway, so they always had a good connection to sebastian.

(hehe, i once watched it on premiere and i didn't like it too much. especially, that weirdo woman that always wears a headband.)

it's just that every channel now broadcasts specials about vettel. i do like him, too. especially because he somehow grew up next door. yet i fear that people might hype him too much and will be disappointed next season when he might not be that successful. and then they're gonna start talking shit about him... just the usual way.