Posted May 9, 2011 I like Vettel, I really do but he's becoming irritatingly good at this F1-thing. Lets hope somebody at least gives him a good run for his money before the end of the season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 9, 2011 Basically Vettel is Schumacher v2 It could well be the case he dominates F1 for the coming years now, why would he want to move to Ferrari or McClaren when he's clearly already part of the fastest team at the moment. only 4 races into the season but given his pace in qualifying and his flawless driving in the races, you can already start to think this season will be about battling for second place, rather than the championship. a very early prediction, but can't help but feel that way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 10, 2011 I'm still frustrated with Williams, I wish they were more competitive, I was happy to see Barrichello up in the top 10 at certain points but then he just fell down the field like a stone near the end. If anything Williams are going backwards which is sad to see of an independent team with such an F1 heritage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 10, 2011 I have quite enjoyed the season so far although i still recon F1 is only truly exciting when it rains on raceday,I sort of want the teams at the back like Lotus,Virgin and HRT to improve and add more interest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) Well I haven't posted since the race, I might aswell add my thoughts. Turkey was decent enough, but for some reason and I'm not really sure why, I didn't enjoy it all that much! I don't think they set DRS up to work in the right way, the overtaking didn't feel right, and I also felt like we were missing too much of what went on during the race... due to too much going on. I'm also worried about the state of Qualifying as it stands now... soon we're going to have a situation like they have in the WRC... where drivers purposefully slow down at the end of the stage so that they have a better running order for the next day. Qualifying was a bit of a non-event on Saturday... due to teams like Red Bull and Ferrari already deciding it's better to just do the one run... having seen the benefits it gave Lewis in China... and it's only gonna get worse from here on out. I wouldn't be surprised to see some drivers choosing to go out in Q2. As Trulli has come out and said today... Trulli: It is 'the end of qualifying' http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91312 I like Vettel, I really do but he's becoming irritatingly good at this F1-thing. He's still yet to prove himself to me. Any decent driver in the fastest car can win from the front. Edited May 10, 2011 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 I liked Vettel last season, when he snatched the title. Ever since then he's gone down in my books.. just his personality! I don't think I can take any more quotes from him at the end of a race. It's almost worth muting it for that final Team Radio.. just so I don't have to hear him shout "That's what I'm talking about!" any more It's getting a little predictable having Red Bull snatch it every time. And it's not even close (bar the previous F1 of course - what a stunner!) at the finish line which is the frustrating thing. I 100% agree with Retro; Turkey was a good race and there was plenty of action but it all felt a bit pointless given that Vettel was an unstoppable force from turn 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 I 100% agree with Retro; Turkey was a good race and there was plenty of action but it all felt a bit pointless given that Vettel was an unstoppable force from turn 1 I agree completely. Even though so much went on, Vettel was always likely to win and I wish it would even up and make the championship more exciting! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 He's still yet to prove himself to me. Any decent driver in the fastest car can win from the front. He's the youngest Champion ever, qualified 1st (an well ahead of his team mate) every race so far this year and won 6 of the last 8 races. Are you expecting him to do it blindfolded or something? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) He's the youngest Champion ever, qualified 1st (an well ahead of his team mate) every race so far this year and won 6 of the last 8 races. Are you expecting him to do it blindfolded or something? ... no, but I'd like to see him actually win races, as opposed to walking them. Jenson won the championship in '09 as a result of having the fastest car and capitalising on it early in the season, but he also proved in Brazil, and at his years at McLaren that he has what it takes to fight. How many races has Vettel won that weren't from pole position?... I don't think many. And when we have seen him try to win a race from behind... Turkey/Spa 2010... he's caused crashes. I like Vettel, and of course he's got every right to capitalise on the position he's found himself in, but until he proves he's got the race craft to back up his speed, I'll continue to look on him the way I do. I liked Vettel last season, when he snatched the title. Ever since then he's gone down in my books.. just his personality! I don't think I can take any more quotes from him at the end of a race. It's almost worth muting it for that final Team Radio.. just so I don't have to hear him shout "That's what I'm talking about!" any more Agreed. Edited May 11, 2011 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) I just don't feel that the fastest driver winning is a legitimate complaint against the driver. I know it's annoying when we want to see good ol' scrap for it and one man walks away with it but that's sport for you. F1 is a competition of the best car and best driver and Vettel in the Red Bull is clearly both - a car designed by the most successful designer in F1's history piloted by the man who became the youngest points scorer on his debut for BMW, later the youngest GP winner in a Torro Rosso (their previous best was 4th, again in Vettel's hands). It irks me greatly when people talk about world champions "not earning it" as if this sort of talent is some sort of common accident, like finding a ball of lint in your pocket. Edit: Hehe. [one year later] Well, made me laugh anyway. Edited May 11, 2011 by gaggle64 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 11, 2011 I totally agree with the above, it's not like Vettel has never proven himself in a lesser equipped car. You can't expect the guy to slow down in order to show of his other skills. Though I do agree he's a little erratic at times, I'd rather see failed attempts than nothing at all. Personally I'm a big fan of his, as long as the rest of the race gives me something to watch I don't mind someone dominating it, thank God it's not 10 years ago and Shumacher is winning everything but NOTHING is happening behind him either. THAT's what I'm talking about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) I just don't feel that the fastest driver winning is a legitimate complaint against the driver. I know it's annoying when we want to see good ol' scrap for it and one man walks away with it but that's sport for you. F1 is a competition of the best car and best driver and Vettel in the Red Bull is clearly both - a car designed by the most successful designer in F1's history piloted by the man who became the youngest points scorer on his debut for BMW, later the youngest GP winner in a Torro Rosso (their previous best was 4th, again in Vettel's hands). It irks me greatly when people talk about world champions "not earning it" as if this sort of talent is some sort of common accident, like finding a ball of lint in your pocket. Edit: Hehe. [one year later] Well, made me laugh anyway. Think your taking my comments a bit further than I intended. Vettel was a deserving champion in 2010 (I preferred him to win over the others that year) and he'd deserve to win it this year based off his flawless qualifying and race performance... especially qually to consistently put in a faultless lap when needed. And every World Champion deserves to be so... they've been the best across that year. All I'm saying is, it's alot easier to be winning from the front (yes you have to put yourself there in the first place), I'd just like to see if he's upped his all round game and is capable of racing to victories. haha, I'm sure there's a Kimi-Vettel one out there somewhere, where Vettel was a season behind Kimi each time with growing his hair then wearing Kimi's bigger style caps. Edited May 12, 2011 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 14, 2011 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91404 Ecclestone keen on Austrian track Bernie Ecclestone suggested that the door was open to the Austrian Grand Prix returning to Formula 1 when he made an unexpected visit to the official opening of the revamped Spielberg track - now rechristened the Red Bull Ring - today. Although Red Bull and circuit chief Dietrich Mateschitz is not aiming to bring F1 back to the circuit at present, when asked if a grand prix would be possible at the refurbished venue, Eccletone replied "why not?" He added: "This [refurbishment] should have been done 10 years ago. Without the rain I might have never realised it's the same area." But Austrian triple world champion Niki Lauda was cautious about the chances of F1 coming back to the nation for the first time since 2003. "It's a tremendous achievement by Dietrich and a fantastic thing to have this facility here," Lauda said. "But it would be much premature to speculate about a F1 comeback. These things take a long time." The Red Bull F1 team is demonstrating its cars at Spielberg this weekend as part of the reopening. The track's first major event will be a DTM round at the start of next month. The first bit of sense he's talked in years! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 15, 2011 The first bit of sense he's talked in years! That and "F1 is not for sale" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 15, 2011 What's happened here is Austrian billionaire, Red Bull co-founder and now circuit operator Dietrich Mateschitz has ordered his butler to creep stealthily through the bushes and deposit a very large sack with a dollar sign imprinted at Bernie's doorstep, fleeing back into the night before the hounds could be released. It could all just be coincidence of course, just like I could be an unusually dexterous parrot or possibly some breed of super intelligent marmoset writing this post right now. We just can't say for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 18, 2011 Silverstone Launch the Silverstone Wing... Video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13432673.stm ^ Complete with a 'Green' Pit Wall!... or will be! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 18, 2011 It does look nice but seems strange that they've built it at an angle and made the pit wall further away than normal. Although, is it just me or does the space between the concrete for the pitstop area and the tarmac look rather narrow at the pit exit area? I know you can't see it properly but it does look like it's lacking a bit of space at the exit corner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) Fernando signs new 5 year deal http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91501 Pretty much guaranteed to win at least one World Championship with Ferrari then surely! Unless Red Bull/Vettel really do turn out to be the new Ferrari/Schumi. Wonder how long Massa will stick around as the new Barrichello? I think Vettel has already said Fernando being there for that long doesn't put him off the idea of driving for Ferrari in the future... but then he has no reason to look elsewhere right now. Edited May 19, 2011 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 19, 2011 I'm definitely loving Fernando at Ferrari for the next few years. Hopefully he can nab a few titles Massa is so undeserving of his Ferrari seat, one of the slowest drivers I've watched over the last few years. Get Koba in a top seat! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 19, 2011 I'm definitely loving Fernando at Ferrari for the next few years. Hopefully he can nab a few titles Massa is so undeserving of his Ferrari seat, one of the slowest drivers I've watched over the last few years. Get Koba in a top seat! Felipe Massa, the guy who regularly beat Schumacher in the same equiqment, who beat his team mate world champion in his title defence year, whilst simultaneously missing out on becoming champion by one corner? I'll admit he's been a little shaky since his life-threatening crash but he is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think Alonso's personality and attitude help with his confidence, seeing as how he isn't exactly a team player, and constantly whines when he's behind Felipe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 20, 2011 Felipe Massa, the guy who regularly beat Schumacher in the same equiqment, who beat his team mate world champion in his title defence year, whilst simultaneously missing out on becoming champion by one corner? I'll admit he's been a little shaky since his life-threatening crash but he is not slow by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think Alonso's personality and attitude help with his confidence, seeing as how he isn't exactly a team player, and constantly whines when he's behind Felipe. Gonna have to disagree with you on a few things there. Firstly, when Michael and Massa were team mates, Schumacher out qualified him in 51 of the 54 sessions that year (Q1,Q2 and Q3) with the average time difference between them being over half a second. Massa beat Michael at Turkey but only because Schumacher was so confident of beating him he carried 8 laps more fuel and made a mistake going into T1. This was compounded during the race when there was a safety car and Michael had to queue behind him. Massa was go destroyed that year, it was embarrassing to watch. Massa was awful in 2007 too; the Ferrari was the best car but he was just too inconsistant. I remember him getting passed on the final few laps of Europe 07 by Alonso. That said, he did improve a lot in '08 but Kimi's season was over after Canada; the car leaned towards inherent understeer and whilst he was quicker in the races he was let down by qualifying. It was clear he was also losing motivation at this point afterall he had already won the title. Even then, massa didn't score many points that season; you could argue it was Hamiltons worst season in F1 and he still scraped the title. I really hope Kubica ends up being able to be competitive in F1 again, he would be great at Ferrari. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 20, 2011 Being new to F1 I keep finding myself questioning why there is always such a massive difference between Alonso and Massa, considering they're both in the same car. The only thing I can put it down to is attitude and personal racing style. I can't help but think that if Ferrari had another Alonso-style driver in their #2 seat they might become more of a force to be reckoned with! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 20, 2011 (edited) I still think that if Ferrari had built their cars around Kimi [judging by the first few races of '08 and the 2nd half of '09], they could have had a 3 time champion with him, he really should have made his voice heard in the team... but C'est la vie! It's a pretty exciting prospect, who's gonna get that second Ferrari in the future. Lewis, Vettel, Kubica... none of them would be afraid to take the fight to Alonso in that team... I imagine only Fernando playing a 'I'm scared' clause in his contract would rule out one of those getting a seat at some point in the future. I think it's pretty safe to say Alonso will never accept Hamilton into Ferrari, but I love this quote from yesterday: Hamilton said on Thursday: "I don't have a drama being alongside him, but I assume he wouldn't allow it to be the other way around. I don't really care. I'll beat him in another car." And Vettel, who has said recently that he would like to drive for Ferrari at some point in his career, said: "I never said anywhere that the fact that Fernando or Felipe drives for Ferrari, or any other driver, it is impossible to go there. "As far as I know, F1 teams have two cars. Probably that kicks off some headlines! But I am very happy where I am so at this stage I don't care. Vettel could be equally exciting/explosive, but I don't think Vettel will drive a Ferrari until quite some time in the future, so that driver combination probably won't happen. Maybe Ferrari have confirmed Massa for 2012, waiting to see how Kubica is during that season, before signing him for 2013. Webber has already said, he'd likely retire if his Red Bull contract isn't renewed... and Button has said he'd like to end his career at McLaren... so yeah, that second Ferrari seat is pretty open for someone else to try stepping up! Edited May 20, 2011 by Retro_Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted May 20, 2011 So all these 'big updates' that Mercedes were bring to this race are apparently worth....... 1 tenth. Seriously?! Fucking hell. I want Michael on the podium Also I can't help feeling the DRS zone is too big this weekend? Last year Michael held off Jenson just BARELY and that was with the f-duct giving a few kph extra. Surely they are just gonna walk past each other this weekend? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
