F1 World Championship 2008 Thread

[Shibby]

Yeah that was a very boring race, at least mclaren could claw back something.

On another note, I do not want Todt become president of the FIA.

[arrrgh]

haha, Massa is such a screw up.. he did it all by himself. Raikkonen came out first after the pit stop because he put much faster in and out laps than Massa did. Raikkonen has done it several times before and it has nothing to do with the Ferrari pit team. Face it, Massa just sucks big time without driving aids.

Edit: Luckily the next race is Bahrain, they have much wider safety zones so with little bit luck Massa will be able to keep the car moving..

Edited March 23, 2008 by macel

[.mcman]

I wonder Ferrari will fire Massa during the season or after. :D

[Neil]

Even I support the scrapping off race fuel. But because of the engine rules, they will still go a slowish pace.

They may have to rejigg how many cars can be out on the track at the same time, then as soon as the driver enters the track, the clock starts for them. If he comes into the pit, then no one else can go out till his time has run out.

Thats is a way to get rid of this stupid slow lap stuff.

I'll wait till I see footage tomorrow to judge, but I'm sure the other slow cars were causing problems as well.

Well thats what they had in 2003 and 2004 but it is just boring, they had an out lap, a fast lap and an in lap. It is mainly to do with the fuel not he engines. They didn't slow down last year because they got the fuel back in credits, but it has happened this year because of them not getting the fuel back. Thats why IMHO opinion just scrap the whole fuel system and have it like the two previous sessions.

I listened to the Race on 5 Live but it sounded pretty dull, shame about Hamilton Wheel Gun. Rumours having been floating about Vettle replacing Massa at Ferrari from 2009, maybe it will be coming true.

[Shibby]

Yeah I've heard that about Massa going.

Tell you the truth I dont think Massa is that bad. Kimi is just a class above most drivers.

If Massa was to go to another team soon, who would he join? At the moment it seems the teams aren't looking at replacing drivers.

[Neil]

Yeah I've heard that about Massa going.

Tell you the truth I dont think Massa is that bad. Kimi is just a class above most drivers.

If Massa was to go to another team soon, who would he join? At the moment it seems the teams aren't looking at replacing drivers.

Well it would be at the end of the year, my guess would be Toyota however lots of drivers contracts expire at the end of this year. There were hardly any changes this year other than Renault/Mclaren.

[Fourjays Veteran]

Well thats what they had in 2003 and 2004 but it is just boring, they had an out lap, a fast lap and an in lap.

I actually preferred that format. Was really boring until the last 6, but it at least put some real pressure on the drivers and gave some interesting grids for the race. I'd actually favour dropping qualifying altogether and doing reverse grids from the last Grand Prix results (championship results for the first race of the season). Seems daft to expect overtaking when you put the fastest car on pole and the slowest in last.

Was a pretty boring race, although Malaysia usually is. I think Lewis did well to make good of a bad race. Kubica did very well too.

[CrashG]

Well, I got half of my Birthday wish, one Ferrari on the podium. :fun:

Congrats to R?ikk?nen, Kubica, and Kovalainen. Also to Trulli, good results for Toyota.

Hamilton got good points despite that first pit stop.

Full results:

[Crazysah]

The commentators on TV were saying that Honda are leading the pack for 2009-2010 cars development with all the rule changes slated to come next year. Is this true? If they are not doing too badly this year (so far) and they are leading development for next year... then they could be a front runner next year?

[Neil]

The commentators on TV were saying that Honda are leading the pack for 2009-2010 cars development with all the rule changes slated to come next year. Is this true? If they are not doing too badly this year (so far) and they are leading development for next year... then they could be a front runner next year?

To improve overtaking they changing the aero rules and basically are starting again so the teams will have a clean slate. With Honda hiring Ross Brawn who was at Team Principle at Ferrari from 1996 - 2006, while the other teams are trying to win this Honda are working on next years car, they would be the favourites for next year.

[Snoopy2005uk]

I say scrap the whole qualifing, if you win the race you go to the back of the grid, if you loose you go to the front. gives the slower cars a chance and the faster cars have to work harder.

[Fergie]

I say scrap the whole qualifing, if you win the race you go to the back of the grid, if you loose you go to the front. gives the slower cars a chance and the faster cars have to work harder.

F1 isn't about giving someone else a chance though. That would just cause unnecessary havoc.

[simonlang]

The commentators on TV were saying that Honda are leading the pack for 2009-2010 cars development with all the rule changes slated to come next year. Is this true? If they are not doing too badly this year (so far) and they are leading development for next year... then they could be a front runner next year?

it is widely expected that honda and toyota will profit most from the new rules because it gives them the chances to more or less transfer their road-car energy-technologies to f1.

mercedes and bmw should find a way to deal with it at least, but i worry about ferrari. they never managed to build a reliable v8 (their experience on their roadcars is mostly v12 and v10) and they could really struggle with the new rules. but then they have mosley and co to help them out again don't they? :D

about the qualifying format:

reversing the grid would be a nice idea but big teams for sure would simply block rule change. however i don't know why the system in place between 2003 and 2005 was scrapped. it was at least a reversed-grid "light" with the wdc leader having to start his single lap on green track first and the slowest and worst placed cars had the best track condition for their lap.

with weather combined it even brought up a minardi in the first 2 rows one time :woot:

it was really the best system, the most ecological friendly one (only 1 lap each and no refuelling) and it was exciting for the drivers - they had 1 lap and had to make the best out of it. seeing it under these aspects it's still sad it was given up for the "joke" which we have to watch since 2006.

[sundayx Veteran]

V8 just means the return of the Ferrari Dino!

[Fourjays Veteran]

mercedes and bmw should find a way to deal with it at least, but i worry about ferrari. they never managed to build a reliable v8 (their experience on their roadcars is mostly v12 and v10) and they could really struggle with the new rules. but then they have mosley and co to help them out again don't they? :D

V8 just means the return of the Ferrari Dino!

The cars are currently running V8s. 2005 was the last year of V10s. I remember Alonso running the engine at full throttle until it blew, after stopping at the end of the Brazilian GP. If memory serves me correctly, they said at the time that Renault pioneered the first V10 in Formula 1.

however i don't know why the system in place between 2003 and 2005 was scrapped. it was at least a reversed-grid "light" with the wdc leader having to start his single lap on green track first and the slowest and worst placed cars had the best track condition for their lap.

with weather combined it even brought up a minardi in the first 2 rows one time :woot:

it was really the best system, the most ecological friendly one (only 1 lap each and no refuelling) and it was exciting for the drivers - they had 1 lap and had to make the best out of it. seeing it under these aspects it's still sad it was given up for the "joke" which we have to watch since 2006.

You got it the wrong way round. The lowest finishing car of the previous race went out first on the "green" track. The winner went last. It did produce some good races. The most notable is Suzuka '05, which due to rain mid-qualifying, resulted in Raikkonen and Alonso starting at the back of the grid and having to race through.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Fourjays

[Crazysah]

Ahh! I hope this season will be very close before next season!

[Neil]

Ahh! I hope this season will be very close before next season!

Judging by the first two races it will be!

Ahh! I hope this season will be very close before next season!

Judging by the first two races it will be!

[Rappy Veteran]

Alonso To Quit After 1 Year?

Fernando Alonso has said he can leave Renault at the end of this season.

The double champion, who returned to the team after a stormy year with McLaren, has had a disappointing start to the season in an uncompetitive car.

"I'm at Renault because I wanted to get back to winning, like in 2005 and 2006, if not this year then next year," Alonso told Spanish newspaper As.

"But I have an option to leave so I can be in the best possible car, and it is clear Ferrari is one of the best."

When Alonso signed for Renault last winter, there was widespread speculation that he would only stay for one year before joining world champions Ferrari for 2009.

And his comments seem to confirm suspicions that the Spaniard does indeed have a break clause in his contract that would allow him to leave after just one year.

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

basically he wants to go to Ferrari ? :p good luck with that!

he is still cheating >.> trying to force D.C. off of the track!

[.mcman]

basically he wants to go to Ferrari ?

Exactly my thought. Why Ferrari would want Alonso... :huh:

I think the only chance for Alonso to start winning again is if Renault will build a fast car again. I will be very surprised if any of today's top teams will hire him.

[sundayx Veteran]

... or a lighter car.

[Crazysah]

I think he should just stay with Renault or maybe go to Honda!

[Fourjays Veteran]

I'd respect Alonso more if he stayed at and rebuilt Renault (and let's face it, he can do it). Going to Ferrari is the easy route.

[Powa]

I don't like Hamilton. Raikkonen is the man for me - he is ice cold.

[bayrider]

Why don't they make it so that race fuel is determined by what you start with in Q3 instead of what you finish with?

Just a thought.