The 2007 French Grand Prix

[RE30B#16]

Magny Coors is always an interesting race sometimes producing unexpected winners, but you have to have it all together to win there. It is a shame the greedy Bernie Ecclestone is pricing Formula 1 out of so many good markets, and the race will not return next year.

Otherwise...

Great solid win for Raikkonen. I'm glad we cannot stick a fork in him and cal him done.

Massa put in a solid performance pushing Kimi the whole way and not making mistakes.

Both Ferrari drivers made great starts, so pretty much that was the race. Lewis Hamilton did a fine job to finish a record 8th time on the podium. He put in some nice driving on cold tires. He continues to impress. Well done, Hambone!!

A brilliant showing from BMW Sauber demonstrating both drivers are a solid threat. Once again, I predict a win for Nick Heidfeld at the Nurburgring. Glad to see Robert Kubica back on form.

Another rock solid performance from Giancarlo Fisichella trading fours with ex-teammate Fernando Alonso whose McLaren looked faster with the harder tire compound in his 2nd stint. Nice job, Fisico!

My driver of the day is...

JENSON BUTTON!!! Great job, Jenson for bringing that bucket of bolts in solidly 8th and in the points. I believe this was his first finish of the season. Jenson has such a great driving style which is well suited for Magny Coors. Actually, both Button and Barichello looked great when they were on TV. They are just too slow!!

My final kudo goes to Nico Rosberg who was fastest in the speed trap clocking in at 306.5 k/ph. The next fastest driver in the speed trap for the day was 1 k/ph slower. I wonder how well he would be doing right now if he were in a Ferrari or a McLaren.


Also, a congrats to Robert "Doorknobs" Doornbos for winning his first ChampCar race in Montreal.

[Southernman]

My driver of the day was a toss up between Kimi and Kubica. I have gone with Kimi as he won the race. Good drives also from Button, Massa and Hamilton. Alonso looked like he was tring too hard and his driving seemed ragged.

What I like about formula 1 this year is that after eight races Hamilton, Alonso, Massa and Kimi have all had two wins each.

[JayVee]

Well done to Raikkonen and Ferrari. I am happy that they are allowing their drivers to race. Massa blamed the traffic but in reality he didn't really build a gap and Raikkonen was a bit heavier so he should have.

Hamilton it seems needs Alonso to be pushing him, I wouldn't blame the strategy, didn't Michael win last year on 3 stops ?. He was lighter yet was dropping away in the first and second stints, had he been heavier (2 stopping) he would have dropped further.

Kubica had a good but lonely race but great to see him still competitive.

But the most interesting parts of the race were Alonso's fights with Heidfeld and Fisichella. I think he/McLaren gambled on switching to a 2 stop and it didn't work. As much as Massa and Hamilton complained about being in the dirty air and losing downforce, etc... as much as it show what Alonso was trying to do both in France and in the US as well. The problem in qualifying couldn't have come at a worse time so well done to him (he gets my driver of the day).

Button did well to and so did Rosberg.

Tough luck to Kovalainen (I think I picked him )

I agree with Southernman, 2 wins each is great for F1. One of them will have 3 come Sunday and that will be Alonso

[jacfan]

Interesting race. Not good for my tips though Well done Robert Kubica... you got my DotD.

[F1greyhound]

My driver of the day is KIMI, first he beat LEWIS to the first bend and then he pushed at the right time to pass FELIPE during the second stop. All he had to do really...

FELIPE was almost unbeatable but should have stayed in front, traffic regardless..FERRARI in general were different class just like MCLAREN had been overseas.

LEWIS did nothing wrong and his manoevre on cold tyres against ROBERT was legendary. He is seriously heading towards the Championship. The package was inferior to FERRARI here but a lot quicker than 3rd best BMW.

ROBERT was very good just like NICK. BMW are not really closing the gap since beginning of the season. They are close but if everything`s right at the 2 top teams they are a clear No.3.

FISICO was very determined to beat FERNANDO in his inferior package and credit to him for achieving so. RENAULT are moving closer to BMW.

FERNANDO showed great things but was a bit over motivated and made too many errors as well. No driver of the day for me.

Finally JENSON was awesome in a somewhat improved HONDA. Hardly anyone recognizes what a smooth and determined drive he shows at every GP. He must have a top package next year, he deserves it.

Great racing at Magny-Cours, definitely one of the best circuits and bad logic to let it go.

[Dzu-Fast]

Also, a congrats to Robert "Doorknobs" Doornbos for winning his first ChampCar race in Montreal.

• Yes , and for not having to suffer the indignity of having his name abbreviated to "Doo" as the world feed for F-1 did . I still think there must have been a Fernando fan responsible for that .

[gkaytaz]

Interesting race. Not good for my tips though Well done Robert Kubica... you got my DotD.

I didn't even send my picks... Using those of the US GP. Cannot get less than that though. Tad of a consolation

[gkaytaz]

Also, a congrats to Robert "Doorknobs" Doornbos for winning his first ChampCar race in Montreal.

• Yes , and for not having to suffer the indignity of having his name abbreviated to "Doo" as the world feed for F-1 did . I still think there must have been a Fernando fan responsible for that .

Could have been worse

Congrats to Robert by the way

[Jim Watt]

Ain't F1 grand?! No matter how Bernie and the moneybags try to screw it up, when you get the best drivers in the world and put them in the best cars the engineers and mechanics can create, you get excellent racing. Even when you have stupid rules about tyre use. I mean what's next for F1? Are they going to insist that drivers stop and get a manicure before returning to the track?

Still, I was totally surprised by the Ferarri start; I couldn't believe how fast Kimi slid in behind Felipe; there just wasn't anyplace for Lewis to go.

And, by the by, Kimi's 'explanation' was totally unconvincing don't you think? If all they had to do to get the jump on McLaren was 'adjust the clutch,' don't you think they would have tried it before the 8th race!!??

I was pretty sure that Kimi would win the race, even when he failed to 'pass' Felipe on his first pit stop. He was so close in the practices. I think he's one of those drivers who do better racing than they do qualifying because they don't really get energized until the flag drops. I loved seeing Felipe's pouty face after the race. Reminds me of another driver's pouty face.

So my excellent record (I broke the first century at Indy!) in pole n 8 must be in tatters now, [I picked Lewis to win and Kimi 2cd, Felipe 3rd] tho' I DID pick Fernando to miss the podium.

I hope somebody does a good article soon in the press about how the 'old guard' guys (Fernando and Kimi) have been simply OUT-CLASSED by the new guys. Numbers don't lie. Not when you're at the half way point.

I hope it gets nice and wet next week in England. I want to see how Lewis does in the Rain. My hunch is that he'll be, like Michael, un-beatable.

I agree with most of the other postings; Nick was excellent, and it was great to see Robert K. answer all that chatter about Sebastian V. with such a solid drive. I think, like F1 greyhound, that I'm voting for Jenson for drive of the day. He got that worthless scrapmobile into the points. If that ain't earning your keep as a GP driver, I don't know what is!

cheers to all who love open wheel racing.

P.S. on that topic, the IRL has been staging some great races; I don't know if they get International coverage, but they should. The race in Iowa[?] last week end, that Dario Franchitti won -- it was very exciting.

Jim Watt

[gkaytaz]

Ferrari had a good weekend and lo and behold, Jim Watt's back

[Redhead]

Kimi gets my vote, under big pressure, great start and then put in the hot laps when necessary. Im still a beleiver and had him picked to win.

The antics of the Mclaren duo were highly entertaining. Hey Jayvee, do you still want to talk abut reliability!

I wonder what they hoped to gain by adding the third stop to Lewis's strategy.

You would expect Ferrari to maintain the advantage for next week, but the way this year is going who knows, bring it on!

[JayVee]

The antics of the Mclaren duo were highly entertaining. Hey Jayvee, do you still want to talk abut reliability!

I wonder what they hoped to gain by adding the third stop to Lewis's strategy.

The gearbox failure was a disaster for Alonso. Had it happened a lap earlier he could have played with the strategy but I suppose had it happened 15 laps later he would have retired from the race!
Being the first in 8 races, it must be a record for McLaren so they still have an amazing record and they have a perfect points finish record this season too.

The 3 stop business, to me it was clear that they both were 3 stopping. It was Alonso who they/he decided to switch to a 2 stopper and it didn't work.

BTW: Did anyone notice that Hamilton was again lighter than Alonso (Snowy ? No complaints ?)

[GhoGho]

Good post again Jim

I hope it gets nice and wet next week in England. I want to see how Lewis does in the Rain. My hunch is that he'll be, like Michael, un-beatable.

Jim Watt

I would love to see him against Fernando in the wet. Some rate FA as a better wet driver than Michael, but I think you are right, and LH will show the rest how it should be done!

[gkaytaz]

Good post again Jim

I hope it gets nice and wet next week in England. I want to see how Lewis does in the Rain. My hunch is that he'll be, like Michael, un-beatable.

Jim Watt

I would love to see him against Fernando in the wet. Some rate FA as a better wet driver than Michael, but I think you are right, and LH will show the rest how it should be done!

I believe that Fernando indeed is better on wet pavement. Schumi was quite okay but after seeing Fernando doing the miracle run there was little room left for arguments.

[gkaytaz]

The antics of the Mclaren duo were highly entertaining. Hey Jayvee, do you still want to talk abut reliability!

I wonder what they hoped to gain by adding the third stop to Lewis's strategy.

The gearbox failure was a disaster for Alonso. Had it happened a lap earlier he could have played with the strategy but I suppose had it happened 15 laps later he would have retired from the race!
Being the first in 8 races, it must be a record for McLaren so they still have an amazing record and they have a perfect points finish record this season too.

The 3 stop business, to me it was clear that they both were 3 stopping. It was Alonso who they/he decided to switch to a 2 stopper and it didn't work.

BTW: Did anyone notice that Hamilton was again lighter than Alonso (Snowy ? No complaints ?)

If Alonso had had that failure in the previous round the 2-stop strategy would have worked nicely and we'd have seen him in the 4th spot, if not on the podium.