News On F1 Forums - Talk Formula 1

Because I don't post as often as I used to and at a different time from what I used to, everyone can be forgiven for forgetting that I have a curious sense of humour. Whilst being in a reflective mood and troubled by a lot that I have read in the press and other forums I was not particularly troubled by your exchange. I am actually guilty of using it as a pretext to pin my firmly held convictions (which of course I am completely innocent of) upon. With little snippets of information filtering out about the actual events that occurred in Hungary I wanted to air my views. And I was rather hoping someone would put a match to them so I could be excused for going into a rant and having a bout of verbal fisty cuffs and at the end of it be able to claim innocently that I had been the victim of an unprovoked attack. You see I too am capable of learning! And Lewis Hamilton is IMO a worthy roll model and has some rather interesting moves both on track and off.

I apologise if I am again out of bounds (he said all innocently)

Ah Snowy, you're too deep for me! And, so is Julian! But I'm just a poor old unsophisticated 'wanna be tifosi' who wonders why everyone so hates the red cars and their drivers

I say 'wanna be' because I don't think I'll ever see Maranello even from the OUTside.

Come to think of it, I'll probably not see Woking (now I'm misspelling it I know) either. I mean that place recently built somewhere in England by Goldfinger, oops, I mean Ron Dennis, to house the forces of Daimler Benz where they'd be safe from Bomber Command.

When I visit England, I am always drawn to the South and West, tho' I do plan next time to get up to Norwich. I always try to get as far from London as possible.

But come on, chaps. You've got to admit that the Germans are ganging up on the French and Italians: It's looking like next year Ferarri will be struggling to stay ahead of BMW Sauber for crying out loud!

As to Renault... I look to them dropping even further down, if not out altogether.

Maybe Kimi wasn't so dumb after all for leaving McLaren: if it was he being outpointed by the rookie, EVERYONE would be talking about how badly he had been over-rated. Instead, he's making Michael's little buddy look more and more like Rubino every day.

But wouldn't it be REALLY rich if the racing gods made Massa the WDC this year! It could happen; McLaren is long overdue for a little Ferarri luck in the reliability area. And as to luck, if Kimi didn't have BAD luck, he wouldn't have no luck at all!

But, in fairness to JayVee's lad, on the circuit, there's no question which driver is the more exciting of the McLaren duo. Lewis is a pure driver (like the seven time WDC Michael Schumacher), but Fernando, like Kimi and Juan Pablo Montoya, is a RACER! Look at hia overtaking clinic from Hungary again. (I think he didn't get past Nick because they told him to save his engine for the next race. Lewis, meanwhile, spent a lot of the race in Kimi's crosshairs.)

How lucky are we to get to watch (at least when the T.V. coverage is anything like average!) so many fine --and different kinds of-- drivers: all having a go at one another in qualys and races!

So. For now it's the Kimster and the Rookie with 4 each. And both of them with tired engines. So I am thinking maybe Felipe will "catch up" with Kimi & Lewis, thus going ahead of his partner again in WDC points --just the thing to make Jean Todt tear the bandages off his fingers & the remaining hairs from his head! Of course, for that to happen, Fernando's luck would have to desert him. I think the next race for the pole is going to be something to see! And Fernando is going to be so close to the edge that he could well go over it.

Oh. I know, this is all madness. But, jeez! it's two more WEEKS!! What else is there to do? (besides watching IRL cars take off and fly!!)



Jim Watt

Snowy wrote:

Because I don't post as often as I used to and at a different time from what I used to, everyone can be forgiven for forgetting that I have a curious sense of humour. Whilst being in a reflective mood and troubled by a lot that I have read in the press and other forums I was not particularly troubled by your exchange. I am actually guilty of using it as a pretext to pin my firmly held convictions (which of course I am completely innocent of) upon. With little snippets of information filtering out about the actual events that occurred in Hungary I wanted to air my views. And I was rather hoping someone would put a match to them so I could be excused for going into a rant and having a bout of verbal fisty cuffs and at the end of it be able to claim innocently that I had been the victim of an unprovoked attack. You see I too am capable of learning! And Lewis Hamilton is IMO a worthy roll model and has some rather interesting moves both on track and off.

I apologise if I am again out of bounds (he said all innocently)

What is it with the different times Snowy? Have you turned into a bat?

I enjoy very much reading your posts Jim Watt

As an admirer of Renault in what they did in record time (with the help of The Cute of course ), I very much doubt they will go down further, I think they are starting to recover from the loss of two major assets (Michelin and Alonso) and we are seeing Kovalainen do his stuff.
So next year they will be back and who know Alonso The Cute could be back with them.

I agree about BMW, I think they are ready and perhaps too Alonso will go there ..... just imagine 2 World Championships with Renault followed by 1 with McLaren followed by 1 with BMW. No one has ever done that, even Fangio (ok calm down Snowy! I know you are very hopeful this year)

Just a side on that last McLaren statement trying to clarify Hamilton's language, did anyone wonder why McLaren didn't release what was actually said ? Methinks even if he didn't say the F word, the exchange would be far too damaging to release!! Anyway they seem to have calmed down but we didn't have any races so I reckon hostilities will resume in Istanbul

I must raise an objection to Jim's comment about Kimi and the Rookie on 4, sorry but The Cute, the Rookie and the Kimster are on 3 each.
And in an earlier post Jim said Michael broke his leg in Canada, well Panis did that in Canada, Michael did so at Silverstone. Only for accuracy purposes

Finally to jacfan, I will always support Alonso The Cute wherever he goes and that was the reason for my comment. However what he did in Hungary isn't something I support but as it was a tit for tat then I can understand it. Had he done it without provoking then for me it would have been his first strike.
(Not trying to find excuses for him but it seems that behind that nice person who is called Hamilton a dark side that tries to manipulate his team and the media)

Julian Mayo wrote:
What is it with the different times Snowy? Have you turned into a bat?

Yes!


. . . well actually no, I'm not teaching at the moment, just working from home and I can't be bothered to get up until midday!

I am almost certain Fernando Alonso will not win the Championship this year. Ferrari will almost certainly have the upper hand in all of the remaining races, therefore McLaren will be scrabbling for points. They will be fighting a rearguard action trying to protect the lead they already have, and with pressure from BMW and possibly even Renault inevitable errors will creep in and positions will be squandered. When you get on the front row and are running in clear air it is easy to stay out of trouble, when you can't lock out that front row all manner of things come into play. We have seen it all season long!

IMO. Worst case senario is that Lewis and Fernando will start tripping one another up and Ferrari will trounce them in both championships. Second worst senerio is McLaren will attempt to consolidate and will unite behind Fernando's challenge. Because Fernando is easily rattled and destabilised and will not get any support from Lewis, he will be easily overtaken in the WDC by both Ferraris , McLaren might possibly hang onto the Constructors. Third worst senario: McLaren unite behind Lewis, Fernando will be totally and justifiably insensed and will take every opportunity to destabilise his teammate and (soon to be ex) team.

Best and only hope for McLaren IMO is that Lewis continues to be given room to show his ability to consistently perform under pressure, something Fernando has shown only glimpses of this season. And Lewis salvages the Constructors with consistent podium finishes and wins the Drivers Championship by a very slender margin from the hard charging and highly motivated Ferraris of Kimi and Felipe.

And Lewis Hamilton is IMO a worthy roll model and has some rather interesting moves both on track and off.

Please excuse my "curious sense of humour" but I just can't help myself... you really left yourself open to this...... so do not blame me for taking the bait.
Now as to what I wish to ask. What type of roll model is Lewis Hamilton. I would imagine that with that name he would be a ham roll. But then again he could be ham and cheese.... ham with mustard.... ham salad.... the choices are endless.
Please let me know.

Ham &
perhaps

Thanks, JayVee, for your kindness in correcting my clearly unstable memory. Of course it was at Silverstone where Michael broke his leg; I don't know why I "remembered" it being Canada. As to my ridiculous assertion that each of the three musketeers had four wins: I think I must have had in my mind that the real pressure comes with Istanbul, when one of the three pulls ahead in the win column with four.

I, of course, want it to be Kimi; Snowy wants it to be Lewis; and you want it to be Fernando. So, come what may, two of us will be disappointed and one will be dancing! Or, maybe, all three of us will be sad because Felipe will join the others.

I am, of course, assuming that Snowy's confidence in Ferrari is misplaced; if they were really that good, by now they would have crushed McLaren. As it is, they'll be lucky to stay ahead of BMW!

The thing is that we have so many talented drivers now; we have so many really reliable and quick machines, the difference really does come down to strategy and tactics. And I don't think Jean Todt (without the assistance of Ross Braun) is up to Ron Dennis. I was reading an interview with Adrian Newey just the other day and he remarked on the genius of Ross Braun; that he was able to get all the people working at their very best, from the tyre changers to the World Champion --and that meant that they could overcome just about anything that came their way.

Ron Dennis, I believe, will be trying very hard to avoid the scenario that Snowy outlined. He's just too close to winning the WDC and the Manufacturers' Title to let it all slip away because his drivers are undercutting one another.

I am less sanguine about Renault's chances. Flavio is still Flavio, but I believe he's not getting what he needs from the corporate types. It was a mistake to lose Fernando the way he did, but Heikki is a good investment and I wouldn't be surprised to see him partnered next year with another "young gun." I always loved watching Giancarlo drive; but in the end it looks like he'll be listed below even Ralphie in points and wins. He's probably done. Finished. Kaput. Did I read or hear somewhere that Toyota was STILL staying with little bro? If so, I hope they fall behind Honda next year.
Who knows, maybe Nick H. will be on the top step in Istanbul; stranger things have happened. Remember Hungary last year!

Jim Watt

I'm tired of all the nonsense..... ALO refusing to go on this "peace" vacation.... Hamilton already there. I thought Montoya was a baby and a whiner, I'm thinking the same about ALO if he doesn't get over it nd get back to doing his best on the track!

The FIA have set the appeal date for McLaren's penalty at the Hungarian Grand Prix for the 19th of September. Once again the FIA have opened the hearing to members of the press.

The FIA statement read:

The International Court of Appeal (ICA) will meet in Paris on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 to hear an appeal lodged by the Motor Sports Association on behalf of its licence-holder Vodafone McLaren Mercedes concerning a decision of the Panel of the Stewards of the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In the interests of transparency the hearing will be open to members of the press and details of the accreditation procedure will be published closer to the time.