Formula 1 07

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 8 2007, 05:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think the two Ferraris will perform evenly, neither driver is gonna stand out too significantly. The renault car seems to be doing ok, ut Fisi is an average driver, new boy will be bettering him regularly soon enough.
I have to differ about this i'm afraid. I'm not being biased but I think when you've got Kimi Raikkonen in the best car like a Ferrari, he will be too quick for everyone and will easily win the race. The thing with Kimi is that he doesn't help Ferrari to set up the car/s much unlike Michael Schumacher who they could never get to shut up about problems they had (which is a good thing). This could have a chain effect on Massa if the car isn't too perfect for him either, so yeah both cars could fail to perform. Still - Kimi is a driver who would wake up, have his breakfast, make his way to the track, get in his car, win the race, celebrate and go home, however he's not the most reliable driver on the track and I feel he may retire a few times this season which would wind him up and could cost him the championship. Massa is a brilliant driver but I still don't think that he's in the same class as Alonso or Raikkonen, he's like an advanced Button or Fisichella. However I do feel he has the ability to beat these guys in the odd race and grab himself the win, but Raikkonen and Alonso are still the main contenders through my eyes.

You say that "new boy" (Heikki Kovalainen) will be "bettering" Fisichella soon, this is debateable and we won't really know until the season's over I suppose. You never know, Kovalainen could be just another Nico Rosberg, but then again so could Lewis Hamilton and Anthony Davidson - but I very much doubt it from what i've heard of him from practasing over the years. On his day Fisichella could even beat Massa and challenge for the race win, but he doesn't have "his day" too often and I wouldn't be at all suprised if Kovalainen pulled a huge gap of points on him at the end of the season.

Super Aguri have launched their new car for 2007!

So do we think they will be last or what?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Alex @ Mar 9 2007, 10:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I have to differ about this i'm afraid. I'm not being biased but I think when you've got Kimi Raikkonen in the best car like a Ferrari, he will be too quick for everyone and will easily win the race.
Sorry mate, Kimi is good, but he aint that good. As a package hes overrated and I kind of hope he doesn't win the championship because it will seem as if raw talent is all you need to succeed. Alonso is the most complete driver in F1 at the moment, and I believe he has Raikkonen covered nowadays even on the speed front. I think Massa and Button aren't quite as naturally quick as Raikkonen, but they are hard workers and more determined and passionate I feel (which I respect a hell of a lot more than someone who is just naturally quick).

Kovalainen will be world champion...you heard it here first...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Orrmate @ Mar 15 2007, 07:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sorry mate, Kimi is good, but he aint that good. As a package hes overrated and I kind of hope he doesn't win the championship because it will seem as if raw talent is all you need to succeed.

May be sometimes, you could win with raw talent.

Let's look at things on two planes:
1. F1 is a team sport. Everyone's work affects the final outcome of the race. It's a a+b=c kind of things.

2. Life is not fair. It is even full of .... sometimes.

So how do I mix the two planes together? It goes something like this: F1 is a team sport. Everyone's work affects the final outcome of the race. But life is not fair. It doesn't say that if F1 is a team sport, everyone works equally to come up with good results.

So what if Kimi's not like Schumi or any other driver that helps with the car's step up? May be it's not his strongest asset. As Alex had pointed out, Kimi wakes up on race day, gets into the car, races his very best, gets out and heads home.

Since this is a team sport, the team needs to find the perfect adjustment where both crew and driver could bring out the best in each other and have the most optimum result. a+b=c it not the same with 1+1=2 thing. Sometimes to get to 2, it could be a 0.5+1.5 kind of equation, or a 0.75+1.25.

However you look at it, it still delivers the same result. And that is what Ferrari needs to figure out.

Ferrari need to work out which of their drivers is most likely to be world champion and once they work out its Massa, they need to hope the Mclaren is .... because if its not FA will be laughing his way to the title.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Ferrari need to work out which of their drivers is most likely to be world champion and once they work out its Massa, they need to hope the Mclaren is .... because if its not FA will be laughing his way to the title.

quite agree, except for the line I stressed out.

Yeah well its gonna be close between those two, but i don't think as highly of Kimi as i did in the past.

why?

Because i don't think he drove well enough in 2006. I know the car wasn't especially good and i'm not trying to blame him. But it wasn't the Kimi who challanged for the title, he seemed a little un-motivated. But maybe the team switch and hope for the title can sort that out. Or maybehe can hit another wave of strong form. Either way, i think Massa is a big talent and is gonna be driving even stronger than he was last year.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Because i don't think he drove well enough in 2006. I know the car wasn't especially good and i'm not trying to blame him. But it wasn't the Kimi who challanged for the title, he seemed a little un-motivated. But maybe the team switch and hope for the title can sort that out. Or maybehe can hit another wave of strong form. Either way, i think Massa is a big talent and is gonna be driving even stronger than he was last year.

Well may be after years of "almost there but not enough" challenge to the title, I don't blame him for being unmotivated. And yeah, felipe has a new found strength and maturity from what he had learned and achieved last year. I have big amounts of respect for him and if Kimi can't win the title (but I hope I'm wrong), then I want Massa to win it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Mar 15 2007, 11:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well may be after years of "almost there but not enough" challenge to the title, I don't blame him for being unmotivated. And yeah, felipe has a new found strength and maturity from what he had learned and achieved last year. I have big amounts of respect for him and if Kimi can't win the title (but I hope I'm wrong), then I want Massa to win it.

I think with mclaren and Kimi knowing for so long that they would part ways, both sides got de-motivated. I'm not too surprised and i don't judge either for it. But if a ferrari driver wins i would like it to be Massa, however i am definately in the Alonso camp this year.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>however i am definately in the Alonso camp this year.

...why am I not surprised? Haha, even in formula 1 we're in opposing camps.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Mar 15 2007, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>...why am I not surprised? Haha, even in formula 1 we're in opposing camps.

Is it a coincidence that your camps are both largely italian??

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Is it a coincidence that your camps are both largely italian??

yeah, it happened because of twisted fate.

Motogp-wise, I'm a vale fan from the start.

F1-wise, I was first a Macca+Mika Hakkinen fan. Then Kimi came along and I became his fan. When they decided to part ways, I needed to decide who to go to: (1) stay as a Macca fan and support whoever rider they sign up or (2) stay as a kimi fan which means supporting ferrari as a consequence. I chose the latter.

Mind you, for the longest time, the my whole clan has been ferrari fans and I was the only one who's not wearing red come race day. But well, we're all wearing red now.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Mar 15 2007, 11:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>yeah, it happened because of twisted fate.

Motogp-wise, I'm a vale fan from the start.

F1-wise, I was first a Macca+Mika Hakkinen fan. Then Kimi came along and I became his fan. When they decided to part ways, I needed to decide who to go to: (1) stay as a Macca fan and support whoever rider they sign up or (2) stay as a kimi fan which means supporting ferrari as a consequence. I chose the latter.

Mind you, for the longest time, the my whole clan has been ferrari fans and I was the only one who's not wearing red come race day. But well, we're all wearing red now.

I've never really been keen on ferrari, i am a Mclaren fan since they are quite local to my home town and like you said, they had Hakkinen. But more recently i wanted Shuey to beat Alonso just to make a point, and because i really hate FLavio Briatore. But when Alonso beat him i was just even more impressed with him.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I've never really been keen on ferrari, i am a Mclaren fan since they are quite local to my home town and like you said, they had Hakkinen. But more recently i wanted Shuey to beat Alonso just to make a point, and because i really hate FLavio Briatore. But when Alonso beat him i was just even more impressed with him.

You just gotta love Mika.

Hmm, fair enough. Can't wait on Sunday's race!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Mar 15 2007, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You just gotta love Mika.

Hmm, fair enough. Can't wait on Sunday's race!

Me too its gonna be exciting.

As for Mika, i went to see him driving DTM last year but was a little disapointed, i hope he pulls it together this year.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Mar 15 2007, 07:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Me too its gonna be exciting.

As for Mika, i went to see him driving DTM last year but was a little disapointed, i hope he pulls it together this year.

same here. I miss him really. There's not much coverage of DTM here.

We get coverage of all the races, some live some not, but i tend not to watch it because its quite long and the comentary is awful. But they came over to brands hatch and there was no way i could miss that.