Japanese F1 Results & discussion

[CEG]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

Ayrton Senna....one word in your post said it all....Magic!!!!!

Senna was the ultimate IMO - looked like a maniac at times, simply amazing.

[Gedanken]

Ayrton Senna da Silva - he was right up there with Jim Clark and Juan Manuel Fangio.

[Tripp11]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Ayrton Senna da Silva - he was right up there with Jim Clark and Juan Manuel Fangio.

Ahhh, Fangio - my all-time favorite driver. The quotes he would give to reporters were classic.

My personal favorite:

"To race is to live but those who died while racing knew, perhaps, how to live more than all the others."

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by Tripp11

Ahhh, Fangio - my all-time favorite driver. The quotes he would give to reporters were classic.

My personal favorite:

"To race is to live but those who died while racing knew, perhaps, how to live more than all the others."

Classic indeed!

And after his last victory at Nurburgring 1957, winning his fifth WDC, "I don't ever want to have to drive like that again". You have to admire the man's sense of irony.

[Tripp11]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Classic indeed!

And after his last victory at Nurburgring 1957, winning his fifth WDC, "I don't ever want to have to drive like that again". You have to admire the man's sense of irony.

Fangio was a great, for sure.

That quote always comes to the forefront when another on track tragedy occurs. I still remember the day Tony Renna earned his big break with TCGR and was testing out at the IMS only to have his number called. So young with so much promise...

God speed to all those who have passed.

[Tripp11]

Back on topic though, CEG, what a bizarre race!! With those rooster tails being kicked up I'm sure it was almost impossible to see at certain parts of that track!

[Tripp11]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

There's a promising new development at the moment, involving splitting the cars' rear wings into left and right sections, which promises to reduce the turbulence left in the wake of the cars and thereby bring back some real racing. There's also been talk of bringing back slicks. If Mad Max had any sense he'd give both the OK, but I'm not holding my breath.

I concur. Reduce driver mechanical aides, reduce downforce, run slicks again and make the driver more important than the engineering on the car....but I supposed that would go against the grain of everything F1 is all about.

I'm hopeful the ICS can make some tweaks to their aero package in the off season and tighten up the racing on the 1.5 mile ovals.

[CEG]

Originally Posted by Tripp11

Back on topic though, CEG, what a bizarre race!! With those rooster tails being kicked up I'm sure it was almost impossible to see at certain parts of that track!

Absolutely, the view from on board camera's showed...............nothing !!

A quick lap (in the dry) round there is 1 min 26 secs - some of those guys were lapping 1 min 30 secs - in terrential rain - unbelievable..

[dman]

Originally Posted by CEG

I would say, VERY harsh, but there.

Maybe harsh, maybe not seeing through rose colored glasses. Just read the transcripts of the press conferences. Lewis is a phenomenal driver, especially with his lack of experience.

But I am sort of amazed he has not broken his arm while patting himself on the back, just MHO.

[S2000 Driver]

Originally Posted by CEG

Senna was the ultimate IMO - looked like a maniac at times, simply amazing.

This video of Senna qualifying for Monaco in '91 always gives me goosebumps:

Senna at Monaco

[Flyjet601]

I dont care what the politics, ego's, or any other silliness that goes along with F1. This sport will always be a soap opera.....big bucks involved.

But to take one of those cars, more like rockets, and whip it around a track at hyper speeds is truely amazing. These drivers are amazing.......

Congrats to Hamilton to do it in his first year.

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by Flyjet601

But to take one of those cars, more like rockets, and whip it around a track at hyper speeds is truely amazing. These drivers are amazing.......

Amen to that! My first live F1 experience was Montreal about 20 years ago. Got settled into the stands near the pit exit and a fast left-right on the Saturday just before 2 or 3 cars passed. Wow... look at how fast they are...

Then a minute or so later they came around again. That was when I realized they'd just been warming up the tires the first time around. Absolutely unbelievable! It's hard to comprehend that a human mind could work that fast, they had to be thinking 3 turns ahead because in a blink they were there and gone.

I'll paraphrase something I read years ago. "Driving really, really fast is when what's about to happen has already been decided. You're just along for the ride now."

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by S2000 Driver

This video of Senna qualifying for Monaco in '91 always gives me goosebumps:

Senna at Monaco

Now that's something - going round Mirabeau as fast as you can with with one hand on the wheel and the other on the gear lever.

[Flyjet601]

Originally Posted by Alcan

Amen to that! My first live F1 experience was Montreal about 20 years ago. Got settled into the stands near the pit exit and a fast left-right on the Saturday just before 2 or 3 cars passed. Wow... look at how fast they are...

Then a minute or so later they came around again. That was when I realized they'd just been warming up the tires the first time around. Absolutely unbelievable! It's hard to comprehend that a human mind could work that fast, they had to be thinking 3 turns ahead because in a blink they were there and gone.

I'll paraphrase something I read years ago. "Driving really, really fast is when what's about to happen has already been decided. You're just along for the ride now."

The Canadian F1 race was great. My first race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was in '83 when Ricardo Palletti died in an accident at the start of the race, I think he hit the back of the Ferrari(cant recall the driver) anyway burst into flames...very bad.
I attended until about 2003.
To see the F1 cars live gives you an appreciation for the talents these drivers have.
If anyone questions the guts of these drivers, take a look at Spa in Belgium, and Eau Rouge..that famous part of the track. These guys go flat out.......unbelievable.

[Welshwatchman]

I watched a BBC documentary on the Hamiltons and I was even more impressed by Lewis. Seeing him as a 7 year old doing his stuff, just amazing.

One side comment from a newspaper hack - the Hamiltons are "infected with ambition". What a joke !

With the 2012 Olympics around the corner, the state of our national football team, tennis players etc etc etc, SPREAD THAT INFECTION PLEASE !

Raikonnen - £25m a year
Ralphy - £12.5m a year (for a while)
Alonso - £11m
Button - £9m

Lewis - £250k a year, this year AND next. He does not want a pay rise but sponsors are already falling over each other to stuff his pockets with riches beyond anyone's dreams.

Get used to seeing Lewis at the top of the tree for the next decade. I think history will be kind to this boy, he's a winner.

[watchloverdave]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

There's a promising new development at the moment, involving splitting the cars' rear wings into left and right sections, which promises to reduce the turbulence left in the wake of the cars and thereby bring back some real racing. There's also been talk of bringing back slicks. If Mad Max had any sense he'd give both the OK, but I'm not holding my breath.

They gotta do something. The current situation is nuts with passing being almost an impossible accomplishment unless the other guy is much slower or you take an unnecessary risk that might eliminate you both. These days, the race is pretty much over after qualifying. Where ever you end up on the starting grid is pretty much how you are going to finish barring someone else' serious miscue.

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by Welshwatchman

Lewis - £250k a year, this year AND next. He does not want a pay rise but sponsors are already falling over each other to stuff his pockets with riches beyond anyone's dreams.

Haven't you heard the latest news, Paul? Two days ago McLaren just raised Hamilton's 2008 salary to £10 million. His base salary this year was indeed £250k, but with his bonuses for points he's taking home at least £1 million this year.

As for his not wanting a pay rise, that's good to know because he's in it for the right game, just like when Senna offered to drive for Williams in 1993 for free - he just wanted to win races.

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Haven't you heard the latest news, Paul? Two days ago McLaren just raised Hamilton's 2008 salary to £10 million. His base salary this year was indeed £250k, but with his bonuses for points he's taking home at least £1 million this year.

As for his not wanting a pay rise, that's good to know because he's in it for the right game, just like when Senna offered to drive for Williams in 1993 for free - he just wanted to win races.

Perhaps now he will stop wearing the Tag and get himself a decent watch sponsor.

[Gedanken]

Maybe Omega's scratching about for a new face since Schumacher called it quits.

[Tomi]

[Tripp11]

Talk about a driver blowing the World Championship in the last two races!!! I'm confused why Lewis couldn't see the "big picture" when trying to race Alonso so fierce in the opening lap yesterday...oh well. There's always next year!

Might be interesting to see what happens with the McLaren appeal of the fuel for certain points earning teams being too cold during post-race inspection.

[S2000 Driver]

Originally Posted by tomijantunen

Gotta watch those "Flying Finns!"

[Gedanken]

The kids squabble under the not-so-watchful eye of the Photocopy Bandit, and the quiet guy comes up and takes all the goodies. Ladies and gentlemen, the 2007 Formula One Championship was brought to you by Enid Blyton.

Frankly, with the way Hamilton, Alonso and Dennis were carrying on this year, it would have been a travesty if they had won either championship. The hilarious thing is that McLaren made up a replica of the constructors' trophy to give to Ron, claiming a moral victory, but when the last chequered flag fell, Ferrari had more points than Mclaren even if McLaren's disqualification had not held up.

Congratulations to Kimi - he finally made the right move and got the championship while McLaren dropped the ball again and again.

Even better, Bernie Ecclestone gets to choke on his bickies while Kimi, rather than golden boy Hamilton, is crowned the champ.