I feel the perfect fool for letting my heart rule my picks for France. I was so hoping that Kimi would destroy Fernando the Cute and ruin Flavio's party that I didn't even list him in my top 8!
Woe is me; I haven't even checked to see where I might be on the pole n 8 list; I'm sure I'm out in Siberia somewhere by now.
But I have reformed and sworn off for the remainder of the season. Ten races (well, really only 9) down and Nine to go. I've fiddled around, then, this morning with the numbers and...
...after ten races, drivers? average finishing positions may be determined by awarding 1 point for a win, 2 points, for a second place and so on (ten first place finishes would equal 10 or 1.0); ten second place finishes would equal 20 or 2.). Places 1 through 20 are awarded by finishing order, DNF?s in descending order to 20 --and for races not contested, each driver is are awarded 20 points.
The numbers appear to support those who are championing Rubens over Michael and also reveal that Alonso?s march to the WDC is looking much stronger than the WDC points race suggests. If Fernando doesn?t have a DNF in a race that Kimi takes a podium, the Finn won?t be able to catch or pass him! Michael?s apparently being in the running is even more deceptive. In a word, neither of the Ferrari drivers would be even close if not for the Indianapolis fiasco.
On the other hand, Jarno Trulli looks to be a bargain for Toyota and a loss for Renault. Much as I have championed Fisi, I have to say this year he has not delivered. Could it be that J.T. was correct about the Renault effort: that it all goes to Fernando, the Cute? And one wonders, finally, what Ron Dennis is thinking about Juan Pablo these days. And too, the Webbo is looking good here, even if Williams seems to have forgotten how to get rid of hot gasses in their machines!! If things keep on at this rate, Sir Frank will be lucky to get Cosworths next year!!
My picks for pole n 8, then, are determined by my little mathmatical games; it means the Silverstone pole and the win goes to Fernando, and the rest will follow in the order the numbers dictate:
1. Alonso [51] 5.1
2. Raikkonen [74] 7.4
3. Barrichello [76] 7.6
4. Schumacher, M. [77] 7.7
5. Trulli [78] 7.8
6. Schumacher, R. [94] 9.4
7. Coulthard [97] 9.7
8. Webber [102] 10.2
and the rest of the numbers are:
Heidfeld [108] 10.8
Massa [116] 11.6
Monterio [120] 12
Fisichella [121] 12.1
Villeneuve [122] 12.2
Montoya [125] 12.5
Button [133] 13.3
Albers [142] 14.2
Karthikeyan [143] 14.3
Sato [152] 15.2
Frisacher [159] 15.9
Klien [163] 16.3
Liuzzi [172] 17.2
Wurtz [183] 18.3
delaRosa [185] 18.5
Davidson [199] 19.9
You have to ask yourself what has gone wrong at BAR/Honda, don't you? Though, of course, their numbers are affected by their suspension for two races. Still, Button is not outperforming Sato in anything like the way he did last year. And can he really still be looking forward to Sir Frank's burning seats? His numbers don't suggest he'd be any better than Heidfeld there, do they?
And how about Alex Wurtz's terrific showing?!: one race and he gets a podium. And I'll bet he gets paid about 1/5 as much as the Columbian!
I love F1. Even when Jay Vee comes down on me like A.J. Foyt!
Hope it rains and K-D's dreams come true, but I doubt it will happen. Michael used up all his racing luck last year!
Cheers and let's see a more exciting race than the Magny Cours parade this Sunday at Silverstone!
Jim Watt