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[Foliorum Viridum]

My missus and I watched the FIA review of the 2000 season tonight. Pretty damn eventful. The actual production could've been edited down though - we did a lot of fast forwarding!

I think 2001 is when I started watching originally, so I look forward to watching that review soon and seeing how much I can remember.

 

[Leunam]

This season has been a million times better than last year already, and were just at the half of the season. I love vettel like most of F1 gaf i think he has a lot to prove. The last 2 races were pretty mediocre performances from him. If he does not improve in the overtaking department, i can see alonso and hamilton making it much harder on him than he should let them. I think alonso will do what he did last year, continue finishing on the podium and make the gap smaller and smaller to vettel.

With the summer break signalling the second half of the 2011 F1 Season, I thought I'd collect some stats for the first 11 rounds as well as some brief thoughts from some of our members.

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1st with 234 points - 6 Wins - 10 Podiums - 8 Pole Positions - 1 Fastest Lap
2. Mark Webber - 2nd with 149 points - 6 Podiums - 3 Pole Positions - 4 Fastest Laps

Qualified ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 8/Mark Webber - 3
Finished race ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 10/Mark Webber - 1
Laps spent ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 616/Mark Webber - 65

Best car in the first half, but they will need to respond to recent 'weak' form after summer break[On Vettel]He can win from front row. Even from 2nd place if his teammate is in front![On Webber]"I think that team is happy with the result today" /Glass smash.

[On Sebastian]He's obviously quick when he can run at his own pace, but we've seen repeatedly that he's prone to cracking under pressure. It's hard to bet against him considering the points lead he has, but with Ferrari and McLaren catching up we'll see how he copes with being the man to beat.

Fuck you finger fanboys, calling off Webbsy! They've been so smug. I need an engine explosion from Vettel.[On Mark]LEARN TO FUCKING START A RACE.

We all remember his first pole lap and victory in Monza 2008, the year after he moved to Red Bull. A young team that became dominant in F1, with an Adrian Newey designed car. He won his first championship in 2010 and is on track to win again this year. People have been discussing Vettel’s overtaking abilities since last year and again after last race at the Nurburgring. Not being a good overtaker isn’t a shame, every top driver has his weakness, but I don’t think it’s only his overtaking ability. Vettel doesn’t seem to be able to bounce back mentally as Hamilton and Alonso can. When everything goes his way, Vettel is unstoppable, but when things seem to go wrong and not according to plan during a race, he seems to lose his edge.

[On Sebastian]Obviously amazing at qualifying and winning from the front, Germany showed that he may not be so flash at racing from down the order. Will this chink in the armour be enough to cause doubt in a back-to-back WDC? This Webber fan hopes so.

Mark Webber is still the most handsome man walking the Earth and probably beds Lee McKenzie every night.

The pinnacle of Newey's genius carrying over the best updates from its 2010 WCC car. Its downforce advantage (lower top speed) and KERS weakness means it may not be unbeatable this season.[On Sebastian] flawless from the front, time will tell if he can pull it off when Red Bull has an off-day.

[On the RB7]The class of the field, what more can be said.

What on Earth is this team doing? I mean really, why do you continue to dribble out the rubbish that you don't have team orders, that you let your drivers race, when you quite clearly don't. 'Team Vettel' might as well just hire the cleaner from down my road as their second driver. It's painfully obvious that they're only interested in one of their two drivers.

As much as I respect and support both Webber and Vettel, it makes my life increasingly harder to support Vettel when the team so obviously refuses to ignore Webber as a number one driver. The now infamous "Mark, you need to maintain the gap." comment by Horner during the closing stages of the Silverstone GP, eerily brought back memories of 2002, when Barrichello was ordered to pull over and let Schumacher take the victory, when there was no threat of Schumacher losing the title at that stage of the season.

I have absolutely no doubt that Red Bull will stay at the sharp end of the grid until 2014 at the earliest, but until then I would like to see the team handle their PR a bit more, responsibly. I'll be honest, if it wasn't for the fact they're in the sport to sell energy drinks, I probably wouldn't have as much of a problem with them.

[On Sebastian]Above average. Exposed when he's forced to race other drivers, but has proven so far this season that he has good speed and consistency. Tends to drive off into the sunset when he's on the front row of the grid. If McLaren and Ferrari eventually catch up with Red Bull, we will finally be able to gauge his talent. [On Mark] A solid driver. But one that tends to falter under pressure. He's been held back by the team dynamic so far his season, making it hard for him to finish in front of his team-mate.

Might be going to pull a Brawn and make winning the championship as difficult as possible after dominating that start of the season.[On Sebastian] Still can't pass![On Mark] Manliest jaw of all time.

1. Lewis Hamilton - 3rd with 146 points - 2 Wins - 4 Podiums - 2 Fastest Laps
2. Jenson Button - 5th with 134 points - 2 Wins - 5 Podiums - 1 Fastest Lap

Qualified ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 8/Jenson Button - 3
Finished race ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 5/Jenson Button - 3
Laps spent ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 378/Jenson Button - 202

Car made with EBD exploit in mind and it works well in cold. They need to do something with tyre wear in hot weather.[On Lewis]Maybe too aggressive, but he can race and win even without the best car [On Jenson] Light on tyres, but not aggressive enough

The almighty McLaren, one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 history, has failed to win the constructors trophy for twelve years running now. On top of that, they have failed to produce a WDC winning car from the start of the season for two years running, 2009 and 2010. The 2011 winter testing held a lot of hope, and hype over the MP4-26, the car was 'innovative' through and through. Unfortunately, for one reason or another the car was a failure in winter testing. After covering a shameful amount of miles and numerous reliability problems McLaren changed their exhaust design, ironically copying that of Red Bull.

The car was deemed a failure before the season was underway. Fortunately for McLaren, Bah'Rain was postponed from the calendar, I've no doubt those extra two weeks proved invaluable in their championship efforts. Fast forward to free practice 1 at Albert Park and I think it's fair to say that everyone was blown away. All of a sudden the car had gained over a second and a half from what we had seen in winter testing. The icing on the cake was the second place Hamilton managed to secure.

What has happened to the once almighty McLaren? The answer, I don't know. Regardless of the last twelve years, I believe we're seeing a new Resurrection of McLaren. We've all been under the same technical regulations for two and a half years now, obviously Red Bull managed to grab those regulations by the horns, but it would appear McLaren, and even Ferrari, are catching the raging Bulls. With by far the quickest race pace in Catalunya, Monaco, Montreal and Nurburgring we may well see another McLaren WDC in the next couple of years.

[On Jenson]Classy. It's a shame he's been hampered by issues with the car. And strange that someone as consistent as Jenson is having such a mixed season. [On Lewis] The fastest driver on the grid. Montreal aside, whenever McLaren have been close Red Bull this season he has won the race. Has incredible confident, which often leads to some questionable decisions both on and off the track. Still shows signs of immaturity, best demonstrated by his comments in Monte Carlo.

McLaren needs a strategist. [On Lewis] This first half has been like witnessing a parent taking care of their child. The FIA and Hamilton are positive at the start of the year, then Hami sees another one of the kids get all the shiny toys and throws a tantrum when he can't have it too, so now he's been told to calm the fuck down and he's been rewarded with a lollipop.

Obviously, there is are a lot of different opinions about Lewis Hamilton for various reasons. When he is not in a real championship winning car (which McLaren haven't really had since 2008) he tends to take more risks then the average driver on the grid. This works both ways, he managed to be a championship contender at the end of last season, but he also lost valuable points in Singapore and Monza when going for a gap that wasn’t really there. That doesn’t mean Hamilton isn’t a good driver, as far as I’m concerned he’s the complete package. He can overtake, he is a great driver in the wet and he has the raw pace which he demonstrated at the Nurburgring. His only downside is that he sometimes takes uncalculated risks, but mostly it only adds to the spectacle.

[On Lewis]Seems to have matured more than previous years for the 2011 season. Aggression is more focused and drives less recklessly.

Lewis Hamilton is proving that good, attacking racing can sometimes end in contact, but it's more fun than tippy toeing around.

The bi-polar team with a bi-polar driver. When its good, the car and Hamilton pull off amazing results. When things don't work out, both team and driver are strangely off-key.

[On Jenson]One race - best driver in the world. Next race - drives like Orgun.

1. Fernando Alonso - 4th with 145 points - 1 Win - 6 Podiums - 1 Fastest Lap
2. Felipe Massa - 6th with 70 points - 2 Fastest Laps

Qualified ahead: Fernando Alonso - 10/Felipe Massa - 1
Finished race ahead: Fernando Alonso - 6/Felipe Massa - 2
Laps spent ahead: Fernando Alonso - 476/Felipe Massa - 117

Costa made it, Fry unlocked its potential. [On Fernando]can't stand him [On Felipe]Playing the fifth trombone in Ferrari, he lost it after close encounter with bouncing spring two years ago

still shit at pit stops.[On Fernando]Has the worst fans. Still.

Oh dear. Ferrari is Formula 1, and Formula 1 is Ferrari. Regardless of your opinion of Ferrari, this is a team that should be on the front row of every single race. For the last three years now, Ferrari have failed to build a decent car.

2008 was the last time we truly saw a solid Ferrari, 2009 was a shambles for both McLaren and Ferrari, and 2010 saw Ferrari start off the season in horrible form, but later come back to dominate the podium with a certain Spaniard, and miss out on the championship due to their 'excellent' strategy team. This year, we're seeing a mixed repeat of 2009 and 2010. One driver has stormed away in the first half of the season, as in 2009, and Ferrari has made a massive comeback, as in 2010. Will Ferrari manage to challenge for any championship this year? I doubt it, but they've got to attack attack and attack for the rest of the season.

I fully expect Ferrari, likewise with McLaren, to have caught up the Bulls by the European leg of the season in 2012. Otherwise Domenicalli is going to end up with a long, unpleasant talk with Montezemolo.

Love them or hate them, Ferrari will never settle for mediocre. They've made a tradition recently of surging midseason, and if they continue to push at the pace they've shown they could really shake things up for the second half of the year.

[On Fernando]Needs to get a haircut. Has a gigantic neck

Like Lewis Hamilton, Alonso managed to stay in the running for the world championship in 2010 until the last race where Ferrari made a dubious pit stop call and Alonso got stuck in traffic. Even though he didn’t become a world champion last year, he seems to have kept his form this year. The Ferrari has definitely become better and the gap to Red Bull is closing, but Alonso manages to get something extra out of that car. If Ferrari can deliver a championship winning car at the beginning of the season, Fernando Alonso will be there to use it to its full potential, instead of playing catch-up with the competition.

Ferrari: Carbon copy of 2010 season without learning from the mistakes of last year. Middle of the road car, no massive flaw or advantage versus the top teams who as the season advances seem to get stronger and stronger.[On Fernando] Ultra consistent driver who will deliver the best possible every weekend.

[On Fernando] He is so much more likeable when he is not whinging and winning everything.

[On Fernando] Probably the best all round driver on the grid. Is getting better and better as the season goes on (as is his car). A perfect blend of consistency, raw speed and intelligence. The most legitimate threat to Vettel's Championship bid.

1. Michael Shchumacher - 10th with 32 points
2. Nico Rosberg - 7th with 48 points

Qualified ahead: Michael Schumacher - 1/Nico Rosberg - 10
Finished race ahead: Michael Schumacher - 3/Nico Rosberg - 5
Laps spent ahead: Michael Schumacher - 176/Nico Rosberg - 372

Only good thing on this car is their DRS, otherwise second failed attempt from Ross Brawn and his team[On Michael]Retirement callin'[On Nico]Britney could be better, but this is maximum that he can achieve with this car

Biggest disappointment of 2011. No progress made since last year, have a car on the grid lacking downforce and destroying rear tyres. Was the Honda designed Brawn a once off fluke? 2 drivers who can't get results, no outstanding drivers from either except for Schumacher in Canada.

[On Michael]I think Schumi hit a realization some time this season that he'll never relive his glory days, and he seems alright with it. With no expectations and nothing really to prove, he's racing now for the pure joy of it. Don't look for him to pick up an eighth title, but do expect some incredibly entertaining performances from him.

[On Michael]As entertaining to watch as he has been in the past, he seems to be more humble in 2011 and his racing is better for it. Being in a lesser car than when he was at Ferrari has made for some great mid-field scuffles for points with far younger drivers.

[On Michael] The legend continues to falter, albeit much improvement in his race pace, he continues to be pounded into submission by his compatriot in qualifying. This hampers the once impervious master, as he continually finds himself embroiled in incidents down in the midfield. Must improve or should be shown the door.

1. Nick Heidfeld - 8th with 34 points - 1 Podium
2. Vitaly Petrov - 9th with 32 points - 1 Podium

Qualified ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 3/Vitaly Petrov - 8
Finished race ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 5/Vitaly Petrov - 2
Laps spent ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 237/ Vitaly Petrov - 313

Being too radical (front facing exhaust) is not always the best way. Drifting towards midfield.[On Nick]Replacement gettin' replaced soon. Only 2 points more than Petrov? Not enough.[On Vitaly]His manager is creepy.

Leaderless.. On a massive downward slope since Kubica got injured. No leadership from drivers or management with later taking to blame game in the last few weeks. Started very strongly based on Kubica's pre-season testing but unable to develop car due to poor technical feedback or progress on front exiting exhaust.

The Renault team got rebranded Lotus-Renault for the 2011 season, keeping its drivers from the 2010 season. The wintertesting looked promising, and people were keen to see how their exhaust solution would work. Sadly, Kubica had a rally crash that severely severed his hand, so Renault had to find a replacement. Heidfeld was a logical choice, given his experience he could replace Kubica and take over his leading and development role while Petrov started his second season. However, since the season started Lotus-Renault has been going backwards slowly and Petrov ironed out the errors he made during his rookie season and is pretty much on par with Heidfeld. Considering Bruno Senna is getting a practice session, it’s going to be interesting to see if Heidfeld is going to finish the season. Lottus-Renault best hope at the moment is Kubica’s recovery before testing next year, because they really seem to need more input.

[On Robert Kubica] Can't wait for him to be back, I hope he is still fast, and still ridiculous looking.

 

[Leunam]

1. Kamui Kobayashi - 11th with 27 points
2. Sergio Perez - 15th with 8 points

Qualified ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 5/Sergio Perez - 6
Finished race ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 5/Sergio Perez - 2
Laps spent ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 372/Sergio Perez - 162
*Note: Stats for Perez include Pedro de la Rosa

slowly losing form after great start, best midfield car in this moment[On Kamui]Driver that deserves seat in one of the top teams.[On Sergio]his first season, so we must be merciful. Far better than Maldonado.

[On Kamui] I can't get enough of watching Kobyashi drive. He's just fun to watch. I'd be surprised if a faster team doesn't come knocking at his door sometime soon.

Kind of disappointing to be honest. Kobay has been great as always, but he needs a quicker car. Kobayashi, read: best.

[On Kamui] Can pass, but can't get a result!

1. Adrian Sutil - 12th with 18 points
2. Paul di Resta - 16th with 8 points

Qualified ahead: Adrian Sutil - 4/Paul di Resta - 7
Finished race ahead: Adrian Sutil - 5/Paul di Resta - 4
Laps spent ahead: Adrian Sutil - 287/Paul di Resta - 349

slowly gaining momentum, they should be better in second half[On Adrian]He is ok, he likes dolphins, just do not show him Renault banner [On Paul]Another rookie, good start but he is quite lost right now.

[On Adrian] Never judge a book by its cover - the most dangerous man on the grid.

[On Paul]As a relative unknown in the F1 field, has lifted his game and boosted the profile of Force India with some solid finishes, almost all just outside the top 10. Very entertaining to watch!

The Force India is still dominating the grid by having the sexiest car in F1.

Di Resta has looked really strong as well as the team as a whole the last few races. It's too bad Sutil kept his seat, Hulk deserves the drive.

[On Paul]Rookie of the year so far, has thoroughly exceeded expectations and has put his much vaunted team-mate into the shade. A bright future ahead of him and could be the next British World Champion.

I was going to write a piece of a bunch of drivers, but in the end I decided to go with teams instead, but I'll cover the one driver that interests me the most for the future.

Di Resta has more than enough motorsport achievements behind him, he beat Vettel in the same team & car in Formula 3000 (please correct me if I'm wrong) and he won the DTM series with Mercedes in 2010. In my opinion, going to Mercedes to replace Schumacher would be a terrible move. It's painfully obvious that Mercedes is going no where unless they throw more money at it, which isn't happening any time soon. They bought out a team under the false illusion that they would be able to perform to their 2009 standards once again. If anything, Di Resta needs to get into McLaren as soon as possible to replace Button. At Red Bull, Webber will only be replaced by Ricciardo and Perez already has Massa's seat lined up at Ferrari. Di Resta needs to get himself into a team where he can either be the solid number one driver, or on equal terms to his team mate (McLaren hoy!).

One of the least charismatic teams in F1, they seem to have slipped quite a bit after a few breakout races a couple of years ago. Seemingly unable to compete with Renault and Mercedes, and facing stiff competition from Sauber and Toro Rosso, they're at serious risk of being forgotten in the back of the field.

[Vijay Mallya] needs to shut up about the other Indians in F1 and focus on his under performing team. They have not progressed very well from their good start to the season.

1. Sebastien Buemi - 13th with 12 points
2. Jaime Alguersuari - 14th with 10 points

Qualified ahead: Sebastien Buemi - 8/Jaime Alguersuari - 3
Finished race ahead: Sebastien Buemi - 5/Jaime Alguersuari - 3
Laps spent ahead:Sebastien Buemi - 340/Jaime Alguersuari - 247

Only visible when rallying over sandpits. Very mediocre season for both drivers, they are both prone to errors

1. Rubens Barichello - 17th with 4 points
2. Pastor Maldonado - 21st

Qualified ahead: Rubens Barichello - 5/Pastor Maldonado - 6
Finished race ahead: Rubens Barichello - 6/Pastor Maldonado - 1
Laps spent ahead: Rubens Barichello - 331/Pastor Maldonado - 187

another failed season, they scored 4 points in 10 races. [On Rubens] Retirement callin' #2 [On Pastor] Sponsored by Hugo Boss...em, Chavez

[On Rubens]I hope some day my grandchildren and I can watch Rubens make the start for his billionth GP.

1. Heikki Kovalainen - 23rd
2. Jarno Trulli - 19th

Qualified ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 10/ Jarno Trulli - 1
Finished race ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 3/ Jarno Trulli - 2
Laps spent ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 265/ Jarno Trulli - 177
*Note: Stats for Trulli include Karun Chandhok

They are trying to catch midfield, but progress is slow[On Jarno]"Where is my power steering?" He is no longer locomotive for Trulli trains [On Heikki] He is more like Slowalainen

[On Heikki]Consistently showing he's the best backmarker.

Karun Chandhok deserves a seat in a good car just for being a top bloke.

[On Heikki]His may be seen as a failure because of his stint at McLaren, but the Finn has had a thoroughly good season so far in the Lotus. He continues to out qualify his team-mate, who's known as a one-lap specialist and his race pace is not to be disregarded either. He'll certainly benefit if/when Lotus start progressing up the grid.

1. Vitantonio Liuzzi - 20th
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 26th
3. Narain Karthikeyan - 25th

Qualified ahead: Narain Karthikeyan - 0/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 10/Daniel Ricciardo - 0
Finished race ahead:Narain Karthikeyan - 1/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 5/Daniel Ricciardo - 1
Laps spent ahead:Narain Karthikeyan - 125/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 307/Daniel Ricciardo - 65

well, someone needs to be last![On Vitantonio] Fighting for 2nd place from behind! [On Narain] born winner in reverse dimension!

[On Narain]Total beast. You know he wouldn't bog down off the line from pole.

1. Timo Glock - 24th
2. Jerome D'Ambrosio - 22nd

Qualified ahead: Jerome D-Ambrosio - 2/Timo Glock - 9
Finished race ahead: Jerome D'Ambrosio - 2/Timo Glock - 5
Laps spent ahead: Jerome D'Ambrosio - 88/Timo Glock - 445

maybe their cooperation with Mclaren will bring some results...in 2013[On Jerome]Is he racing? [On Timo] sold his racing career to the devil with long term contract with Virgins

[On KERS]I know it was popular to hate the idea, but I really like it, I just wish the designers had more freedom with the system. It is hard to argue it is high tech when it is a spec system. It certainly seems to be one way to maintain speed while reducing engine size.[On DRS] A joke. Utter contrived rubbish. Just free up the aero rules while mandating maximium downforce limits if you want to achieve overtaking. Saying 'No moveable aero devices... except this one we will mandate' is rubbish. It has certainly increased overtaking, but in a way I find meaningless and artificial.

DRS and KERS have definitely made overtaking easier and it doesn't feel half as artificial as I thought they would. Although I do like racing to be very much about the cars and drivers without too much technology, these two innovations are definitely making the sport more exciting. Pirelli tyres are also a great improvement over the previous years as strategies are more important than ever and a race can be won or lost in the pits. At times it can be slightly too hard to follow who has and hasn't pitted, but I hope the rumours of Pirelli making the tyres last longer aren't true because it would be a step backwards in terms of entertainment for the sport.

------

There you have it gents, a summary of the season so far provided by your own friendly F1-GAF. Fuck, I'm tired. I need food.

Thanks to everyone who was able to contribute. Special trophy for DrM, who managed to come up with something for every team and driver!

------

Don't you dare give up the broadcasting rights to F1. Since 2009 the BBC's coverage of Formula 1 has continued improving, time and time again. This year above all years is the greatest Formula 1 season of all time. Why? Because Brundle & Coulthard are the best commentating duo I've ever heard. Nothing is missed out during the race, and us F1 junkies get more than our fair share of techie talk whilst the race is airing.

Oh, and no adverts.

 

[Dead Man]

Damn nice work!! Interesting to see what other people commented on, too.

 

[RoaringHawk]

Wow, really awesome work Leunam.

I was busy at the start of the season, so this summary is very much appreciated!

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Leunam, we're not worthy of you.

 

[Shaneus]

That was great. Really good to see what other people think off the cuff on certain drivers/teams.

Love being involved in this thread. With the exception of Webber, has single-handedly rekindled my interest, knowledge and enjoyment of Formula 1. Bravo to all of you!

 

[Ark]

I got the closing words! \o/ I must have forgotten to put something down for DRS/KERS/Pirelli, ah well.

Great work though Leunam It would appear I overestimated how much you wanted written

That was great. Really good to see what other people think off the cuff on certain drivers/teams.

Love being involved in this thread. With the exception of Webber, has single-handedly rekindled my interest, knowledge and enjoyment of Formula 1. Bravo to all of you!

The thread is great when we're not busy arguing over drivers :lol

 

[Shaneus]

Agreed. If all people here could just put their stupid patriotism aside and realise that Webber is easily the best driver out there, things could be so much better.

 

[AcridMeat]

Would have liked to see Leunam's thoughts as well.

I had to find something wrong with the post.

 

[navanman]

This is amazing work Leunam.
Very interesting to read others people views of the F1 teams and drivers when its not in the heat of the moment during or after a race.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

Wonderful work as always Leunam. Great thread, great contributors and a pleasure to be part of this little F1 community we have.

 

[Ark]

Agreed. If all people here could just put their stupid patriotism aside and realise that Webber is easily the best driver out there, things could be so much better.

Shaneus
Banned
(Today, 03:32 AM)
Reply | Quote

Wonderful work as always Leunam. Great thread, great contributors and a pleasure to be part of this little F1 community we have.

I couldn't agree more. Just hoping Evilore doesn't sell the discussion rights to some third party company.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Shaneus
Banned
(Today, 03:32 AM)
Reply | Quote





I couldn't agree more. Just hoping Evilore doesn't sell the discussion rights to some third party company.

That's not what he got banned for.

 

[Templar Wizard]

My tickets for Suzuka Grandstand B1 were just delivered... sweet sweet smell of Japanese GP KK crazy!

 

[Lucius86]

Leunam, you are awesome. As always.

Orgun, I hope you liked my reference to you there.

 

[Ark]

That's not what he got banned for.

I know, but F1 GAF needs our Webber mascot.

 

[Lucius86]

I know, but F1 GAF needs our Webber mascot.

There are plenty of Webber lovers here.


It's just that not everyone has realised their true love for him yet.

 

[schroddycat]

This thread deserves its own sticky thread. Why isn't F1 a Sticky yet???

 

[Dead Man]

This thread deserves its own sticky thread. Why isn't F1 a Sticky yet???

The reasoning goes that it is popular enough to not fall very far off the front page. Of course, that would seem to cover the actual stickies as well, so the reason is mainly...just because. I think.

There are plenty of Webber lovers here.


It's just that not everyone has realised their true love for him yet.

Indeed. Time will show them the way, they will be drawn in.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

I know, but F1 GAF needs our Webber mascot.

I'm sure the ban will be lifted before the next race.

 

[mclaren777]

While I whole-heartedly agree that Kimi didn't deserve the 2007 title, I think it's crazy to claim that Felipe deserved it more than Lewis did.

Thoughts?

Jacques Villeneuve says Kimi Raikkonen did not deserve his Formula 1 title

Kimi Räikkönen - 110
Lewis Hamilton - 109
Fernando Alonso - 109
Felipe Massa - 94

 

[PdotMichael]

While I whole-heartedly agree that Kimi didn't deserve the 2007 title, I think it's crazy to claim that Felipe deserved it more than Lewis did.

Thoughts?

Jacques Villeneuve says Kimi Raikkonen did not deserve his Formula 1 title

Kimi Räikkönen - 110
Lewis Hamilton - 109
Fernando Alonso - 109
Felipe Massa - 94

Whoever else? But its funny to hear this from the lamest world champion ever

 

[brotkasten]

Thoughts?

1.
Of course you'd agree.

2.
Who gives a shit about a one-time WDC winner like Jacques Villeneuve? He never did anything significant after that, as far as I can tell. He's just a statistic on the long history of Formula 1.

 

[Leunam]

Glad you guys got a kick out of it. Acrid, I may edit my own thoughts in later. If we need to start another thread, then I'll do it for sure.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

There are plenty of Webber lovers here.


It's just that not everyone has realised their true love for him yet.

Don't encourage others! You and I are set up nicely for a spit roast with him.

 

[mclaren777]

NOIDA farmers vow to dismantle F1 track

Over 300 farmers — whose lands were acquired for Jaypee's Formula One race track — held a mahapanchayat at Kanarsi village under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, about five km from the track site, on Wednesday and threatened to "dismantle the racing track with force if necessary" if their demands were not met.

After eight hours of agitated discussions the farmers drafted a letter addressed to the Yamuna Expressway Authority, demanding more money, reservation in educational institutions and setting up of more industries to generate employment in the area.

"We are warning you that if our demands are taken casually, we will be forced to launch an agitation," they said. The farmers are opposed to "the district's land being given to the builders." Instead, it "should be allotted for industrial purposes so that our children may have employment in the future," the letter said.

Source

 

[dubc35]

Excellent mid season review! I only had a chance to skim it for now but will definitely be back to read through in its entirety.

I watched Senna last night. I don't know. I'm going to be roasted for this but I thought it was ok; not beyond great like the majority it seems. I found the movie informative and I liked it because I didn't really know too much about Senna. Perhaps that is it though, I didn't have that emotional tie to him like many others. I was born in '80 and didn't acquire my love of motorsport until I was about 14 or so. I didn't start following F1 until about 6 years ago too. I'm sure that all comes into play in my review. Anyone else find the movie good but not great like me? [edit] It's funny, I watched the movie last night and have had the same feelings about it (as posted here) yet I find myself singing the "Senna, Senna!" of the Brazilian crowd all day today.

 

[RomanticHeroX]

While I whole-heartedly agree that Kimi didn't deserve the 2007 title, I think it's crazy to claim that Felipe deserved it more than Lewis did.

Thoughts?

Jacques Villeneuve says Kimi Raikkonen did not deserve his Formula 1 title

Kimi Räikkönen - 110
Lewis Hamilton - 109
Fernando Alonso - 109
Felipe Massa - 94

He won the most grands prix that year, and that seems like a pretty good metric on which to judge a champion (

Spoiler

fanboy

).

Midseason review turned out well! I wanted to say something controversial at least once, so Force India responded by doing quite well in Hungary. I still haven't cared for that team since they were Jordan though.

 

[WorriedCitizen]

I can't take anything serious that comes out of JV's mouth. The guy is a complete joke.

 

[anonnumber6]

While I whole-heartedly agree that Kimi didn't deserve the 2007 title, I think it's crazy to claim that Felipe deserved it more than Lewis did.

Thoughts?

Jacques Villeneuve says Kimi Raikkonen did not deserve his Formula 1 title

Kimi Räikkönen - 110
Lewis Hamilton - 109
Fernando Alonso - 109
Felipe Massa - 94

Kimi won the most races that season. Very funny that Villeneuve is talking about undeserving champions.

 

[AcridMeat]

Excellent mid season review! I only had a chance to skim it for now but will definitely be back to read through in its entirety.

I watched Senna last night. I don't know. I'm going to be roasted for this but I thought it was ok; not beyond great like the majority it seems. I found the movie informative and I liked it because I didn't really know too much about Senna. Perhaps that is it though, I didn't have that emotional tie to him like many others. I was born in '80 and didn't acquire my love of motorsport until I was about 14 or so. I didn't start following F1 until about 6 years ago too. I'm sure that all comes into play in my review. Anyone else find the movie good but not great like me? [edit] It's funny, I watched the movie last night and have had the same feelings about it (as posted here) yet I find myself singing the "Senna, Senna!" of the Brazilian crowd all day today.

Same exact thoughts. I thought it'd be the best thing ever, I thought it was good but not great. I wanted to see more race footage, they seemed to glance over a lot of his success.

 

[Goldrusher]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkbGbS7QhlI

Verstappen putting the pedal to the metal in the '98 Tyrell at Zandvoort today.

Impressive driving for a guy who hasn't been in an F1 car in ages.

 

[mclaren777]

Kimi won the most races that season.

True, but only because Lewis had two bad races at the end. I think he easily could have won in China if not for the pitlane incident and we'll never know what might have happened in Brazil if not for the gearbox glitch.

It might sound fanboyish, but I truly think Lewis deserved the championship more than anyone else that year. His jealous douchebag of a teammate was actively trying to make things difficult for him, whereas Kimi was literally handed the championship by Felipe at the last race in Brazil.

 

[Dilly]

He screwed up his own race, I don't see what's the relevance of speculating what would happen if he didn't. Kimi was the only one of the 3 who wasn't acting like a spoiled kid throughout the season. McLaren ruined their own championship chances, Kimi deserved that title.

 

[mclaren777]

Heikki's girlfriend doing all the work--Heikki just taking pictures.

 

[Leunam]

I like the little lake house. Very quaint.

 

[DrM]

Leunam, fantastic work with midseason review

hm, is Heikki's GF much taller than he is?

 

[h3ro]

He screwed up his own race, I don't see what's the relevance of speculating what would happen if he didn't. Kimi was the only one of the 3 who wasn't acting like a spoiled kid throughout the season. McLaren ruined their own championship chances, Kimi deserved that title.

Agreed wholeheartedly. Let's not forget what might have been if the Mclaren stayed in one piece or the Ilmore lumps stayed intact during the years prior when it was Kimi drove for them. He might have had another one or two titles before '07. The MP4-20 was the class of the field in '05. Reliability cost them the title then.

To say Felipe deserved the title more than Kimi in '07 just doesn't mesh with the results we saw. Kimi earned that championship.

 

[PdotMichael]

True, but only because Lewis had two bad races at the end. I think he easily could have won in China if not for the pitlane incident and we'll never know what might have happened in Brazil if not for the gearbox glitch.

It might sound fanboyish, but I truly think Lewis deserved the championship more than anyone else that year. His jealous douchebag of a teammate was actively trying to make things difficult for him, whereas Kimi was literally handed the championship by Felipe at the last race in Brazil.

There were two big mistakes by Hamilton himself no "incident" or "gearbox glitch".

 

[Ark]

hm, is Heikki's GF much taller than he is?

..That's not exactly hard :lol

 

[olore]

Heikki's girlfriend doing all the work--Heikki just taking pictures.

Looks like an episode out of Alan Wake

 

[Ark]

Just over a week and a half until Spa!

 

[ANDY_098]

Uni work is bordering on enjoyable when I can write about Formula 1.

That said, I'd prefer not having to do the work at all...

Also, I've discovered the reason MGP are so slow this year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14528118

They've been building robot hands!

 

[navanman]

Hope for F1 coverage on BBC?
BBC4 being scaled back is the latest word from Twitter tonight.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

BBC4 getting cuts when it's the station that gives so much diverse content for the PSB remit?

I don't buy it.

It won't bring F1 back, even if it happens. Any future cuts are to save more money, they won't then start spending it on F1 again.

 

[TylerD]

That mid-season wrap up was fantastic Leunam. This thread has been a pleasure to follow thus far and hopefully the remainder of the season will deliver more of the same in crazy races and F1-Gaf commentary. Coming back with a trip to Spa probably won't hurt.

On the Indian GP, I don't blame those farmers for being upset and I hope they have most of their demands met. They got screwed.

 

[f0rk]

Hope for F1 coverage on BBC?
BBC4 being scaled back is the latest word from Twitter tonight.

Every department has having to make cuts. F1 was part of Sports, this is probably arts or whatever.
The budget freeze is really dumb when Sky's profits are up every year.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

Just over a week and a half until Spa!

Can't come soon enough.

Hope for F1 coverage on BBC?
BBC4 being scaled back is the latest word from Twitter tonight.

Should be BBC3 instead.


Latest image from the Buddh International Circuit.

 

[mclaren777]

A great look at radio stats...

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/08/17/radio-broadcasts/