F1/ Formula E/ Motorsport Thread

Great end to the season. I disagree about Senna taking Vettel off - the way it panned out made the whole race exciting right to the (second from) last lap. I was really hoping Nico could hold on for the win, shame it didn't quite work out - although I think the drive-through was harsh, the back end stepped out like it had done for most other drivers, Hamilton was just in an unfortunate place. I remember seeing Hulkenburg in the wet before F1 and he was different class then, it looks like he still is!

Alonso wasn't the best driver, he would've won if he was! Just saying.

Its hard, if not impossible, to compare Schumacher to Fangio - the eras are so different, its almost a different sport. But the sport will be worse without the greatest champion of the post-Imola era.

 

Was a fantastic race to cap a very entertaining season.

It's all very well saying if Alonso hadn't been taken off on one GP... but similarly, had Vettel not suffered a retirement for a mechanical failure... and had Hamilton not suffered so many mechanical failures, or been subject to so many pit-stop faults, then the season may have been entirely different. At the end of the day, fair play to Vettel, he's picked up most points and deserves the title for it. Alonso has been fantastic though. Unable to put the car anywhere near the front row for most of the season in qualifying, yet still there and in with a fantastic shot come the last race. He was driver of the season for me.

Although I wasn't particularly fussed who came out on top in term of the WDC, I've got to say I was particularly gutted for Hamilton. Definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time when Hulkenburg's back end stepped out on him, but it was typical of his season that that would deal him a fatal blow in the race. Would have been fantastic to see him cap off this stint of his McLaren career with the win he deserved, but it wasn't to be - and I hope he's given a car that he will be competitive in at Mercedes, because he's a top-class driver.

Good season all round. Roll on 2013!

 

i agree with this. i find him a very entertaining driver.

 

I have seen the clip of Vettel's pass, and its clear he did nothing wrong. Cant even see Ferrari bothering appealing it

 

The overtake was still in a yellow flagged zone, he hadn't crossed the white line into the green light-ed area. By the letter of the law, it's an illegal overtake - as BBC picked up during the race... but no one made anything out of it then.

I can't see them appealing it as it seems like a very petty thing for the Championship to hinge on, and it would be a shame after a good season! However, if they were to appeal, then it really wouldn't surprise me if Ferrari were to have some success... their relationship with the FIA and all that...

 

No case to answer.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104644

 

Was about to post this myself - on the BBC now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/20541589

Fair enough. As I said earlier, would have been a big shame if something like this post-race were to alter the entire championship. Good thing that the season won't be tainted.

 

I'm very tempted to have a flutter on Kimi this season. He was Mr. Consistent last season, and was still in title contention up until the last race or two. With a win or two more, he'd have been there or there abouts, but that Lotus looks like it's taken another step up this season! I can see him challenging for sure with one or two more wins thrown in there whilst consistently picking up points. Relatively decent start for Hamilton at Mercedes, and good to see Massa is getting back to his best.

MW really really needs to resolve his starting problems.

 

Track only 17 degrees, it could all change next week in normal temperatures

If RB really do chew through tyres at that rate of knots though then the WDC is wide open

 

I hardly ever bet but i put a few euros on Kimi to win the championship last thursday...wish i had put on a few more now. What a driver, I have a feeling this year could be his. He said himself the race felt easy and he basically pulled out fastest laps when he felt like it.

Was great to hear the Finn and Brit anthems again after the race. Well done Lotus.

'Just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing!'

 

How come Finnish people are so good at driving?

 

good question that has been asked many times, especially in neighbouring sweden! (not easy to name a famous swedish driver)

I think there are alot of in depth answers but Finns do have quite a fondness for daring sports that carry a health risk...ski jumping, ice hockey, sauna heat endurance(until a bloke died in front of a big audience)motor sports etc. They have a certain calm matter of fact attitude when doing these sports which others might consider to be a bit crazy. Also car control is an essential skill here as we have all been driving now for well over 100 days on snow and ice(still no sign of spring yet). Despite having studded tyres my car quite often has all four wheels sliding around a roundabout at slow speed. you soon get to learn how much grip the tyres have and control your driving style to suit. similarly in the summer there is always a gravel road somewhere nearby where the grip levels are similar to snow/ice. on tarmac that fine line of speed vs. tyre grip limit is much harder to find out...and usually results in a spectacular crash when the grip suddenly gives out and the driver doesnt know how to deal with it in time. also on ice/gravel the tyre wear is obviously less, so practicing sliding/controlling the car at relatively low speed is pretty easy/cheap to do.

another thing is that many local car clubs(and karting clubs) make circuits on frozen lakes which anyone can drive on and practice drifting, including youngsters (not a public road see) there is minimal risk of car damage as around the track is soft snow bank if things go a bit wrong. old bmws are popular with 'boy racers' here due to the rear wheel drive and their drifting possibilities

 

I think the big question this season is whether the Lotus can keep up with the development of RB and Ferrari over the season, especially after the mid-season break. Just look at how bad the Ferrari was at the start of last season, and how close they ended up! The Lotus always looked like one to watch from the practising, and I'd love to Kimi win the title... But I think this year is Alonso's. Massa was excellent too, hopefully he can keep up his form of the last few races, and maybe get a long deserved win.

 

Will teams bother with much development this season with the new regs next year? I read that a lot of this season's cars are really updates on last season. The double diffuser and vanity nose panel are the only major changes this season aren't they? If so, Benetton/Renault/Lotus will be in a strong position. I really fear for McLaren, they could well go the way Williams went from the 1990's dominator to back of the pack challengers, Jenson to Red Bull as Seb's partner for 2014 I reckon.

 

Yes, partly due to funds available, but also partly due to the facilities and experience at their disposal. You only need to look on Google Maps at the Ferrari's Maranello plant to know they have incredible facilities, and Red Bull with the likes of Adrian Newey can't be ruled out when it comes to developments. Although, I have to admit I don't know much about Lotus's factory or team, maybe they do have some big names?

Wow, footage like that just reminds you what a fantastic impact the likes of Sir Jackie Stewart and the late Sid Watkins, and even Ayrton Senna, have had on advancing the safety of motorsport. I'm so glad we only have to witness things like that on very, very rare occasions now.

 

Fair point, in fact there has been talk of McLaren going back to last seasons car if they can't fix issues with this! I'm sure if teams are challenging for the title, they will develop mid-season, but lower down the pecking order you may well be right. However, the added prize money is bound to help out with the development of the new turbo cars for next season... Even if it will be last-minute funds.

Jenson to Red Bull could be a good call. I can see them trying to bring in a young driver, maybe Jean Eric Vergne, and Vettel moving to Ferrari to replace Massa within the next few seasons.

 

Whats interesting is the undercut that can be gained, by a car that pits a lap, or so before its rival. It gives rivals only a laps worth of thinking time to decide wether to pit in an atempt to cover them off, and therefore does cause panic. Of the front runners Alonso was first to make his 2nd stop early, and switch to a 3 stop race. This then gave Red Bull little time to decide wether to stay out, or not. They were so worried about losing their place to Alonso that they forget about Kimi. Ferrari was also so keen to pass Vettel they switched both cars to a 3 stop race, and just expected the others to follow suit, forgetting about Kimi. In short had either Alonso, or Vettel stuck to a 2 stop race they would have won, but instead they got caught up in fighting each other. This race is not a sign that the Lotus is the best car, it just shows that they were the team that despite what the other were doing stuck to there race plan, and won.

 

It's early days but remember that Kimi set the fastest lap of the race on lap 56, which was the 23rd lap on the same set of tyres. This was two laps before the end with nobody catching him but while the rest of the field was still racing. My guess is that Kimi has quite alot up his sleeve as he said himself it was one of his easiest wins. Also I believe the driver who wins the first race has quite often gone on to take the end of season prize. Lets see but I hope we hear the Finn and Brit anthems many more times this season

I admire your knowledge about Finland Smudger! Barkov is not even a household name yet here. Apart from F1/rally Finnish sport overall is pretty much in the doldrums at the mo. One nice story though today is that Teemu Selänne became the 15th highest points scorer in NHL history last night..he's 42 years young and still at the top of his game!

 

I was watching Selanne help down the Blackhawks last night, always had a soft spot for Teemu. Last year he played all 82 games!