F1 World Championship 2008 Thread

[Fourjays Veteran]

Pretty dull race, apart from Ferrari's fun and games in the pits. I guess everyone was being cautious about trying anything, hoping that someone ahead might make a mistake and create a safety car incident which they could take advantage of.

Good race from Massa. He is starting to show Raikkonen up as being fairly mediocre in comparison.

I hope Massa at the very least gets a fine of some sort. Races in the pit lanes do happen, but the pit lane there was only wide enough for one car. Massa did not leave in front of Sutil and did not back-off until it was at the point of almost losing a wheel. It's pretty clear in the rules that it is his responsibility to leave safely.

23.i

It is the responsibility of the competitor to release his car after a pit stop only when it is safe to do so.

I don't like things being decided off-track anymore than anyone else, but it's getting pretty daft that the FIA do not have the balls to apply the rules consistantly and to the letter.

The FIA need to look at the Taekwondo in the Olympics - a referee missed a point and the result was overturned according to the rules of the sport. Despite the fact that the official who announced it could have been lynched by the Chinese crowd. :laugh:

Edited August 24, 2008 by Fourjays

[Mike]

Felipe Massa has been allowed to keep his European Grand Prix victory after the stewards investigated his near-collision in the pits with Adrian Sutil.

The Ferrari driver’s win was initially in doubt pending the outcome of the post-race investigation, but he escaped with a 10,000 euro fine and a reprimand.

source: http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=43713

epic failure, that is all.

[FlibbyFlobby]

I guess the rules don't apply to Ferarri. Regardless of whether or not Massa was lapping Sutil, he had no right to pull out in front of him in the pits almost causing a collision. If they were so concerned about losing time behind Sutil they should have sorted their strategies out.

This kind of ruling just prove monetary fines should not apply to top teams, only loss of a race win would teach Ferarri that playing dirty is not acceptable. ?10,000's is a drop in the ocean to Ferarri and their drivers.

[Fourjays Veteran]

Giving a fine is ok (although fines should really be higher these days as €10000 is nothing to most of these guys), but I'm utterly disgusted at their apparent reasoning:

The stewards deemed that although Massa was released from the pits in an unsafe manner – breaching Article 23.1 of the sporting regulations – he gained "no sporting advantage".

Source

That isn't the point of the damn rule! :angry:

It does not say "if the driver is deemed to have gained an advantage from" or something like that. It only mentions safety. It is there to stop nasty pit lane accidents from occuring! Massa went too early, thus creating the potential for a very nasty accident.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Fourjays

[Fourjays Veteran]

The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. Not at Massa or Ferrari, but at the FIA. Their inability to enforce all of the rules at every single race is turning the sport into a joke. :( I'm not sure there is a single ruling so far this year that I have been totally happy with when the ruling has been made and the "dust has settled" (me being ****ed off about it because it goes against a driver I like, until the logic settles in :p ).

Considering writing a letter to the FIA, Bernie and each of the teams to complain about the complete incompetence of the FIA to enforce the rules. Maybe if enough fans complain they'll listen.

[Crazysah]

Massa was really racing well and a good weekend for Vettel!

Kubica still proving strong this season. Who else agrees with me? Heidfeld is letting him down in the constructors championship though?

[Fourjays Veteran]

Kubica is great and Massa is coming on very nicely too. He needs to drive that well at all races though. Hopefully this upturn is permanent.

Massa, Kubica and Hamilton get on well too apparently. I think the next few years are going to be dominated by them.

[Crazysah]

Kubica is great and Massa is coming on very nicely too. He needs to drive that well at all races though. Hopefully this upturn is permanent.

Massa, Kubica and Hamilton get on well too apparently. I think the next few years are going to be dominated by them.

Maybe a fab-four like in in the Barclay's Premier League?

[simonlang]

i wonder about the last 3 votes in the poll for felipe massa, they came in very short time. bandwaggoning? :p

[Fourjays Veteran]

Maybe a fab-four like in in the Barclay's Premier League?

No clue what you mean. Can't stand football. :p

[.KICK]

Okay saw that clip, how the hell did Massa get away with that :s

[bayrider]

Any word on what causes Kimmi's engine to blow? Was it another "freak incident" with the crankshaft?

[Mike]

Any word on what causes Kimmi's engine to blow? Was it another "freak incident" with the crankshaft?

same thing as massa's engine blow up:

Ferrari says the engine failure that ended Kimi Raikkonen’s European Grand Prix was triggered by a broken conrod – the same problem that caused Felipe Massa’s blow-up in Hungary three weeks ago.

[bayrider]

Massa's engine blow up in Hungry was the 2nd race on that engine and so was Kimmi's in Valencia. Does that mean Massa's engine is going to blow up next race?

[Mike]

afaik they fixed it before valencia but they couldn't change Kimi's engine as he already used up his free change (australia i think) so the blow-up was probably half expected by ferrari

[Fourjays Veteran]

Yes they as much as admitted they expected it but didn't want to change it at Valencia as they expected overtaking to be impossible.

It will be Massa's second race on the engine. Valencia and Spa seem to be tough on the engines, so if there are going to be any more problems, they will likely happen at Spa.

[brentaal]

A little reminder of the Belgian GP from ten years ago...

[Fourjays Veteran]

Spa is great. Hoping it rains tomorrow. The GP2 race was pretty chaotic and it was only slightly damp...

[Mike]

isn't the gp2 race tomorrow?

besides, f1 drivers are better than gp2 ones :p

[Fourjays Veteran]

isn't the gp2 race tomorrow?

besides, f1 drivers are better than gp2 ones :p

They have a 26 lap feature race after the F1 qualifying, then a sprint race tomorrow morning. First time I've watched it and there was some good racing. Although the entire series is set-up for it - full slicks, equal cars, reverse grids and so on.

Spa 1998 says differently. :p

[Scazza]

What a last 3 laps!!!

Such an amazing result! Hamilton with a great drive! Kimi, blew it with that spin......

Also hats of to Heidfield for coming in and getting the Wet Tyres on, from 9th to 3rd in the space of 2 laps, was a cracking decision on him and bmw's behalf!

One of the best conclusions to a race this year!

[.KICK]

Awesome race, the last few laps were exciting! Gutted for Kimi though! Seems title race is between Massa and Hamilton now. Well done Hamilton (Y)

[plan-9]

this just ruined my whole day. :(

[Mike]

awesome end to the race, shame ferrari have a #1 to back for the championship

[Mosqutus]

Congrats Lewis

YOU SUCK KIMI!!!! hahaha