official F1 World Championship 2012 Thread

[123456789A]

And to top off the day there's now a fire in the Williams garage. :blink:

I heard that a KERS exploded and someone was hospitalized.

[Kerm]

Just a little note to mclaren2, go watch the youtube replays of Schuey/Senna, Senna barely moves, Scheuy pulls across way too late. Schuey is unfortunately completely to blame for that.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Just a little note to mclaren2, go watch the youtube replays of Schuey/Senna, Senna barely moves, Scheuy pulls across way too late. Schuey is unfortunately completely to blame for that.

The FIA agrees:

Schumacher given five-place grid penalty for Senna collision

Michael Schumacher will be docked five places on the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix following his collision with Bruno Senna during today?s race.

Schumacher ran into the back of the Williams at turn one on lap 13 while trying to overtake Senna.

Schumacher blamed Senna for the crash, calling him an ?idiot? on his team radio afterwards. He added later: ?I want the stewards to clarify what happened. He moved to the right, but he shouldn?t move back in the braking place to the left that sharply.

?I?m just behind him and I don?t know how sharply he is going to move. So it was all very dangerous.?

Schumacher recalled another collision between their pair in Brazil last year, saying: ?I don?t know what he was trying to prove but in Brazil last year he was driving into my car and today he was doing funny things.

?A lap before he had an accident together with Grosjean so I don?t know what he was going through his mind.?

Senna blamed Schumacher for the crash which ended both their races: ?For sure he had much better tyres than I did at that point, I had quite old tyres. But he decided to try to drive on the inside but he didn?t move there early enough and I had to brake earlier than him so he just hit me.?

Source: F1 Fanatic

[simonlang]

schumachers penalty is just another fia blunder of this weekend. first the over-harsh penalty for hamilton, then, the penalty for vettel who could nothing do to avoid the accident in front of him, and now this.

my only hope is that these things will equal out over the year, so that others will get their share of bad-luck as well.

[spikey_richie]

Schumacher has had his day, and fair play he's doing well with Mercedes but he's never going to win another season. He might as well hang his helmet up. Fair dos' you're Pro-shucy, but we don't all have to be. And I'm not bashing him, it was clearly his mistake; and the FIA seem to have seen sense (unlike with Lewis's penalty). Schuy did something retarded after one of the practice sessions too, but I don't know the detail; just that it was dangerous.

[Lovell]

http://www1.skysports.com/formula1/video/12870/7754160

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/18050463

[philcruicks]

Picture of the aftermath in the Williams garage...shame it spoilt a wonderful win.

http://t.co/npuOY4a4

[Mike]

schumachers penalty is just another fia blunder of this weekend. first the over-harsh penalty for hamilton, then, the penalty for vettel who could nothing do to avoid the accident in front of him, and now this.

my only hope is that these things will equal out over the year, so that others will get their share of bad-luck as well.

pretty sure vettel's penalty was a lap after, it showed him and button going to the corner. Vettel had DRS wide open and Button's was closed well before the corner, guess who had braked?

[philcruicks]

pretty sure vettel's penalty was a lap after, it showed him and button going to the corner. Vettel had DRS wide open and Button's was closed well before the corner, guess who had braked?

You are correct it was the lap after the shume/senna incident so he can and should have lifted/braked earlier. Penalty is fair and consistent with previous races.

[JoeC]

Awesome race, I felt sorry for Hamilton yesterday but he drove a cracking race to get some points, and the battle at the front was hugely entertaining. Roll on Monaco, with the racing we've been seeing so far this year even the bore-fest of Monte Carlo might actually be good to watch!

Also, stop feeding the troll; mc2 has been in here posting silly things for long enough :)

[simonlang]

Also, stop feeding the troll; mc2 has been in here posting silly things for long enough :)

forum rule 1: if you run out of arguments you claim your opponent is a troll. :)

thanks for this, gonna try it in the politics section next time.

[Guest]

R?ikk?nen is looking awesome. Really pleased though that the usual teams this season are not dominating the points. Lewis drove very well. Shame about the fire at the end. Good weekend though.

[Fourjays Veteran]

The fire put a bit of a damper on what was a pretty good race. Sad to hear someone got hurt. On the plus side, nice to see all the teams scrambling to help out. (Y) One of those things that restores a little bit of my (otherwise fast diminishing) faith in humanity.

Nice to see Williams on the top step, although I still dislike Maldonado after Spa 2011. Wonder when a pattern will begin to evolve in the car strengths, or if the whole season is going to be as random as this. Charles Pic to win Monaco? :p

[White Man]

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Ferrari urges Felipe Massa to raise his game in Monaco

Ferrari has said it expects Felipe Massa to lift his performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, amid the first signs that the team is losing patience with his lack of results.

At the start of what was viewed as a vital campaign for the Brazilian driver, he has scored just two points so far, with team-mate Fernando Alonso jointly leading the world championship on 61.

Massa's lack of results means that Ferrari is currently lying fourth in the constructors' championships behind Red Bull, McLaren and Lotus.

In a statement issued on its website after the Spanish GP, Ferrari highlighted Massa's poor form this year compared to previous seasons, and said it was clear what was expected of him.

"In Montmelo, Felipe was very unlucky, both in the race and in qualifying, but everyone, he more than anyone, is expecting a change of gear starting right away with the Monaco Grand Prix," said Ferrari.

Although Ferrari remains committed to Massa for now, AUTOSPORT understands that the outfit is now seriously evaluating options for the future - both short and long-term ? if the situation does not change.

While Sauber driver Sergio Perez remains a prospect for the longer term, Ferrari is also understood to be evaluating Force India duo Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg as well as Lotus test driver Jerome d'Ambrosio.

Although the latter's inclusion as a candidate is a surprise, the Belgian does have the advantage of being available immediately, and would be happy to take a half-year deal which would allow Ferrari to spend longer thinking about its options for a new team-mate for Alonso in 2013.

Source: Autosport

Adeus, Senhor Massa.

[Lovell]

What a bunch of *****, they destroy his morale and turn him into a rolling road block to help Alonso and then they complain? he's a racing driver they have 1 goal to become an F1 champion you can't take that away from them then seem surprised when they lose the will to race.

[TheLegendOfMart]

I loved that view, its amazing how many people have to work in harmony to pull it off, it was like watching a machine.

McLAREN need to study this over and over and over and......um over again to see how the pros do it.

[simonlang]

I loved that view, its amazing how many people have to work in harmony to pull it off, it was like watching a machine.

McLAREN need to study this over and over and over and......um over again to see how the pros do it.

id say first, let mclaren find more mechanical grip, better aero and better race strategies in general, before "fine tuning" their pitstops... its the last priority atm.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Regarding McLaren pit stops:

[Guest]

Awesome :D

[simonlang]

Ferrari urges Felipe Massa to raise his game in Monaco

Ferrari has said it expects Felipe Massa to lift his performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, amid the first signs that the team is losing patience with his lack of results.

At the start of what was viewed as a vital campaign for the Brazilian driver, he has scored just two points so far, with team-mate Fernando Alonso jointly leading the world championship on 61.

Massa's lack of results means that Ferrari is currently lying fourth in the constructors' championships behind Red Bull, McLaren and Lotus.

In a statement issued on its website after the Spanish GP, Ferrari highlighted Massa's poor form this year compared to previous seasons, and said it was clear what was expected of him.

"In Montmelo, Felipe was very unlucky, both in the race and in qualifying, but everyone, he more than anyone, is expecting a change of gear starting right away with the Monaco Grand Prix," said Ferrari.

Although Ferrari remains committed to Massa for now, AUTOSPORT understands that the outfit is now seriously evaluating options for the future - both short and long-term ? if the situation does not change.

While Sauber driver Sergio Perez remains a prospect for the longer term, Ferrari is also understood to be evaluating Force India duo Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg as well as Lotus test driver Jerome d'Ambrosio.

Although the latter's inclusion as a candidate is a surprise, the Belgian does have the advantage of being available immediately, and would be happy to take a half-year deal which would allow Ferrari to spend longer thinking about its options for a new team-mate for Alonso in 2013.

Source: Autosport

Adeus, Senhor Massa.

well i was a big massa supporter since mid 2007 (when mclaren spy affair broke out) but since alonso joined ferrari, i pray every day that felipe leaves at the end of the year and goes to mercedes to drive along the side of schumacher and rebuild his confidence.

i find it ALARMING that the more ferrari decides to focus on alonso and screw up massa over and over again, ferrari hasn't been the fastest car since!!!! (and please leave out 2012, a year when tires are just luck and even williams won a race)

the last time ferrari was really the fastest car on track against red bull mclaren and others was in hockenheim 2010! and, oh what, felipe massa has been the leading driver there. i guess everyone knows he was forced to brake and let alonso through and since then ferrari has fallen backwards massively.

[Noir Angel]

Ferrari aren't trying to screw Massa, he simply lost his touch after the accident in 2009. Sorry, but I see his fans continuously blame Alonso for his misfortunes when the reality is he simply isn't doing the job. Performances in qualifying are most telling and at the moment Alonso is streets ahead in that department.

[OrangesOfCourse]

Random question: Wasn't there a special last season on the F1 trucks driving into and setting up at Monaco? I've been trying to find it with no luck. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Pretty sure it was on the BBC.

[Daedroth]

well i was a big massa supporter since mid 2007 (when mclaren spy affair broke out) but since alonso joined ferrari, i pray every day that felipe leaves at the end of the year and goes to mercedes to drive along the side of schumacher and rebuild his confidence.

i find it ALARMING that the more ferrari decides to focus on alonso and screw up massa over and over again, ferrari hasn't been the fastest car since!!!! (and please leave out 2012, a year when tires are just luck and even williams won a race)

the last time ferrari was really the fastest car on track against red bull mclaren and others was in hockenheim 2010! and, oh what, felipe massa has been the leading driver there. i guess everyone knows he was forced to brake and let alonso through and since then ferrari has fallen backwards massively.

Of course Ferrari are going to favour Alonso over Massa, you don't win 2x world championships by accident.

However, Massa's problems have arised since his big accident in 2009. He hasn't been the same driver since, and from the interviews, his personality has changed too. During race weekends, his problems have been in qualifying, and not being able to pass through mid-field cars.

Don't get me wrong, Massa is one of my favourite drivers over the past few years, but his performance is underwhelming.

[simonlang]

Of course Ferrari are going to favour Alonso over Massa, you don't win 2x world championships by accident.

However, Massa's problems have arised since his big accident in 2009. He hasn't been the same driver since, and from the interviews, his personality has changed too. During race weekends, his problems have been in qualifying, and not being able to pass through mid-field cars.

Don't get me wrong, Massa is one of my favourite drivers over the past few years, but his performance is underwhelming.

he was leading the championship after the first 3 races in 2010 and was the first ferrari driver that year to win a race by superior pace only (hockenheim) and not by sitting on p2 and lucking into the win because of vettels car braking down (bahrain).

so i dont buy the argument that the accident has made him that much slower. he was still beating alonso comfortably. imho it has been a combinition of new tires and ferrari changing direction of support.

my facts remain: since hockenheim 2010 and what happend, ferrari has gone backwards only. yes, they got a lucky win in silverstone 2011 and one this year in malaysia, but that wont discount my arguments.

the only time ferrari really focussed on massa was in 2008 after a few races. and the results have been amazing. they even could have won on tracks like monaco (where they last won in 2001) or hungary (where they last won in 2004). tracks where their car never has been the best, but massa made the difference.

today, i agree. massas performances are not good. but then look at ferrari. its not like they are shining either. i say if the car is great again, massa will be at the front again.