Post: #251

Well after Marcionne's death last week, maybe Ferrari will take it safe and keep Raikkonen, he's had 5 podiums in a row and will move over for Vettel whenever asked.

Mercedes lucked out with the Rain in Hungary qualy or else Ferrari could have 1-2'd last weekend. I think it'll be close especially with Ferrari now with a superior engine to Mercedes and the overall package being suited to both high and lower down force circuits, where as tracks like Singapore, Mercedes will probably struggle (unless we get rain like last year!!)

Post: #252

(07-30-2018 06:09 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  Rumour has it that Alonso is trying to get a Ferrari seat.

If Vettel doesn't win this year, they may give Alonso a one year deal.

Hamilton is the rain meister.

There was a fabulous segment on Sky Uk's coverage before the race where Anthony Davidson was with Hamilton and they were reviewing coverage of his wet laps.

Hamilton was trying to hide his smugness as he explained how he found the grip in places that the other drivers didn't realise existed. Not sure if you guys get that stuff on the global feed?

Post: #253

(07-30-2018 11:03 PM)UnW Wrote:  Well after Marcionne's death last week, maybe Ferrari will take it safe and keep Raikkonen, he's had 5 podiums in a row and will move over for Vettel whenever asked.

Mercedes lucked out with the Rain in Hungary qualy or else Ferrari could have 1-2'd last weekend. I think it'll be close especially with Ferrari now with a superior engine to Mercedes and the overall package being suited to both high and lower down force circuits, where as tracks like Singapore, Mercedes will probably struggle (unless we get rain like last year!!)

I suspect Merc will come back from the break with an improved car.

It's got all the hallmarks of a cracking second half of the season.

Ferrari have never really done inexperienced F1 drivers in their past...I'd be shocked if they don't keep Kimi.

Post: #254

(07-31-2018 05:12 AM)Saweeep Wrote:  

(07-30-2018 06:09 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  Rumour has it that Alonso is trying to get a Ferrari seat.

If Vettel doesn't win this year, they may give Alonso a one year deal.

Hamilton is the rain meister.

There was a fabulous segment on Sky Uk's coverage before the race where Anthony Davidson was with Hamilton and they were reviewing coverage of his wet laps.

Hamilton was trying to hide his smugness as he explained how he found the grip in places that the other drivers didn't realise existed. Not sure if you guys get that stuff on the global feed?

Luckily, we get the feed in Canada.

I am a fan of Hamilton, he needs to be more gracious in defeat and humble in victory.

Kimi is out of the door, notice since the Leclerc rumours he has been driving like a man possessed.

F1 needs Alonso in that second Ferarri seat for next year.

Vettel would have a hissy fit of gigantic proportions.

Post: #255

I don't agree with you re Hamilton. He's the best; nothing wrong with knowing it and showing it to me.

No way Alonso goes back to Ferrari...Vettel just won't let it happen. The whole World seems to have forgotten how Ricci out drove him at RBR; he's not gonna allow another scenario like that. Alonso is the better driver.

Leclerc sure has a bright future ahead of him.

Post: #256

Would love to see Alonso back at Ferrari but I don't think it'll happen. It's sad, theres a real possibillity Alonso could just race in Indy next year and try his best to complete the triple crown now that he won at Le Mans this year. It's already been 5 years since his last victory in F1 and 4 since his last podium and with McLaren in a bit of a mess, the motivation for him to stay must be waning.

Post: #257

well well well, Alonso won't be in F1 next year, no real surprises but sad to see him go out like this. He still is one of the top 4 in the current field of drivers

Post: #258

I can’t blame the guy, but it does suck that someone with his talent went out with such a whimper. People blame him for the downfall of mclaren. But in ‘07 mclaren had only themselves and Ron Dennis to blame. Alonso came off back to back titles and Ron expected him to be number 2 against Hamilton who was a rookie. No wonder Alonso wasn’t happy there. Mclaren in their current form is one of the largest teams and yet so laden with ineffective management and corporate bureaucracy. They’ll follow Williams right to the bottom.

Post: #259

(08-16-2018 11:54 PM)porscheguy Wrote:  Ron expected him to be number 2 against Hamilton who was a rookie. No wonder Alonso wasn’t happy there.

That's not how it went down. Ron had promised Alonso number one status. there's no reason Alonso would have signed up for a number two role and coming off his second championship he had plenty of negotiating hand in an era when Schumacher had had such an arrangement. Ron just didn't figure on Lewis Hamilton coming in as a rookie and setting the world on fire, and the conflict between the drivers that would stoke.

it's not remotely surprising to see Alonso hanging it up after this year... his hope for a third championship rested with the McLaren Honda partnership bearing fruit. when that failed catastrophically his fate was effectively sealed. the McLaren Renault move was desperation. Alonso was never going back to Ferrari and Mercedes have Hamilton and memories of a 100 million Spygate fine. to say nothing of the trail of wreckage Alonso has left in his wake. it's unfortunate but he's a supremely talented driver with a penchant for poor decisions and burnt bridges.

if he's serious about the Triple Crown we'll see him in America sooner than later.

Post: #260

Monza this weekend, pretty sure a Ferrari 1-2 is on the cards here, Mercedes were clearly beaten in Spa and that was a track they've usually had a lot of success on.

Post: #261

Mercedes have just been riding their luck; the Ferrari is clearly the faster car.

The only question mark over their dominance right now is Seb always seems susceptible to pressure in a way that Lewis is not.

Post: #262

Again, HAM steals another likely Ferrari victory.
Thinking about the mistakes from VET this year:
- Azerbaijan (Missed his braking point against Bottas)
- France (Hit Bottas)
- Germany (Crashed out)
- Italy (Turned around against Hamilton)

Post: #263

(09-02-2018 08:20 PM)UnW Wrote:  Again, HAM steals another likely Ferrari victory.
Thinking about the mistakes from VET this year:
- Azerbaijan (Missed his braking point against Bottas)
- France (Hit Bottas)
- Germany (Crashed out)
- Italy (Turned around against Hamilton)

I think it's now clear that Vettel is a good driver but not a good racer.

He crumbles under pressure when racing too often.

Alonso would be 50 points clear if he was in that car.

Post: #264

McLaren just announced Vandoorne is being replaced by Lando Norris next season

Interesting...

Post: #265

(09-03-2018 06:21 AM)Irish Wrote:  McLaren just announced Vandoorne is being replaced by Lando Norris next season

Interesting...

VD hasn't exactly set the world alight...

Having said that, MCL have been consistently making the wrong calls for quite a number of years now...

Post: #266

Back home after touring Europe.

I was at the Belgian GP last week, Eau Rouge is simply amazing. The race could have been a bit more exciting, instead of a procession.

Anyone planning on attending a race next year?

Post: #267

Next year, Shanghai or Singapore for me perhaps, won't be free to go to Singapore this year for the race unfortunately. Doubt I'll go back to Australia to watch the Melbourne race.

Also.. Lots of rumous linking Leclerc to the Ferrari seat next year.

Post: #268

How about Austin? I've always wanted to go but accommodation is super expensive.

Post: #269

Want to go to the Goodwood Festival of speed either next year or the yeat after.

Went to formula drift this year but missed the Bommarito 500 (vintage f1) this year

Post: #270

Think Monza was one of the best drivers Lewis has done. The Ferrari is clearly 0.1-0.2s faster on the track and he shadowed Kimi around 1 second behind until his stop. Also Vettel could learn with how to deal with overtakes by watching how Kimi and Lewis did it with each other. Verstappen is proving to be a spoilt brat, Ricciardo is doing well to get out. Vettel cracks under pressure and goes all out, I'm sure Hamilton would have been fine with competing and settling for 3rd at Monza, after all hes in the lead and wants to keep getting points in an inferior car. Singapore will provide Merc with problems, feasibly Red Bull could also be ahead of them, they've not done well there for years. Although if Vettel does a repeat of last year you could see Merc getting up there.

Rain is the best thing in F1, basically separates the best drivers. Hamilton is unrivaled in the rain, he's won the last 9 races affected by rain, going back to 2014. A record that would probably be even longer going back to 2011 if he didn't suffer engine failures in races in between. If there's any rain in Singapore, despite the disadvantage the merc has on the street circuit, I'd expect him to challenge and probably win. If you're interested in his wet weather skills, Brazil 2016 and qualifying at Monza last year just show the huge difference (over 1 second faster than anyone else). Last F1 driver as good as him in the wet was Senna.

Post: #271

So Leclerc confirmed at Ferrari for 2019 and Kimi going back to Sauber for 2019 and 2020, interesting.

Post: #272

Hamilton has just pulled off one of the greatest ever qualifying laps. That Merc was third best behind the Ferraris and Red Bulls throughout Practice and qualifying and he's done a perfect lap to get pole. absolutely amazing lap.

Post: #273

Was an insane qualy, 6 tenths clear of Vettel whose driving, what most would deem as the fastest car. Then backs it up with a controlled race for victory and is now 40 points ahead.

Post: #274

I think Lewis will have this tied up with 2 races to spare.

He really is incredible...he has always maintained he doesn't want it but I think Schuey's record is attainable...

Post: #275

Well now Hamilton's 50 points clear, albeit a bitter sweet victory marred with team orders.