Any F1 fans?

After being bored silly watching Ferrari dominate for the past few years I'm watching races again!

I saw the progress renault was making and figured they would content this year but I'm mildy surprised they've done so well. Fernando is certainly a good driver. Kimi is terrific in the new McLaren and if not for the bad tyre and the baffed engine he'd be very close in points to Alonso.

What's with Williams? down the tubes, BMW buys Sauber to get away and start a new team. Looks pretty good for Sauber and BMW, terrible for Williams.

Ferrari will improve but IMO too litlle too late. Kimi or Fernando are likely this years champ, barring anthying absurd.

Toyota. When? With all their resources they qualify OK then fade out. I woudln't be surprised iif they fold the team this or next year. Bernie will do everything to keep them in but I smell another Ford/Jaguar style bailout.

Finally, Bar. The season was done for them when they were penalized 3? races. Everyone else is also rans IMO and there to provide some obstacles for the front-runners.

Bye-bye Ralph, Jaques, Ruebens, Jarno, and if not for Silverstone, Jaun. There's pleny of better drivers for those seats. Betcha Micheal retires if he isn't crowned king this year

Great sport, bet there isn't one of us that hasn't dreamed of driving.

Holy Smokies! An F1 fan!!!!

Now Wally, you should know that I have been trying for years to spread the F1 gospel to the H/PC community. I'm glad to find someone of like mind. I've even got Chris keeping up with it and he doesn't even like sports per se.

Yes, I'm a huge F1 fan. I began watching in 1996 while I was in University in Oxford. I've pretty much been watching since. I have always been a big McLaren fan (Mercedes owner, what can I say?) with little loyalty to any other team. Mika Hakkinen was and still is my all time favorite driver from the modern era. All time, Gilles Villenueve is probably my favorite.

As for the 2005 season, I obviously think it has been great. I'm glad to see McLaren back on the bubble and if they could just get that Merc lump to play nice, they could have run away with the season. Renault is strong but it is clear that the MP4-20 is THE car this year. Monaco and two mid-pack to the front races from Kimi can testify to that.

I said last year that BAR was a fluke (although I picked them as my dark horse team in 2004) and that has proven true. Buttongate gutted them, plain and simple.

WilliamsF1 has just completely lost the plot. I would bet that even with the aero changes made to the FW26 they will be mid pack again this weekend at Hockenheim.

Toyota has Gascoyne doing their aero now... they will continue to improve just as Renault did when he was there and just as Jordan did when he was there. Give them another year and they will be regulars at the sharp end. Shocking Predition: They will win their first race before BAR does (2006 I'm guessing).

Ferrari, in my view, got two things wrong this year. 1 was the car. Clearly it doesn't have the front end grip they need. 2 was Bridgestone, completely out of their control. They will be back though. I still say they will win a race this year. I don't agree with the Michael retirement though. He is contracted until the end of next year and he will finish it out. He hates loosing so going out now would almost be an admission of defeat - not his style.

The Silly Season will be great for sure, that I do agree with you on. I don't know if Jensen really wants to go to WilliamsF1 at this point. Rubens is gone from Ferrari I would bet. Same for Mark Webber with WilliamsF1 - his bang-to-hype ration is proving to be a bit out of wack. Ralphy is going to be pushing it to stay on at Toyota, I agree. Juan still may not be out of the woods. The team is not really please with him but another win will solve that problem. Or maybe avoiding black flags and paying attention to red lights! I think Jarno and Fisi are okay. Who know who will be driving at BAR. Sato may stay with Davidson but I dunno. That team is rapidly loosing the plot as well. RedBull is my dark horse team this year and with DC signed for next year, they will technically continue to improve. Sauber will probably get Quick Nick from WilliamsF1 given he's German.

As for the championship, as much as I hate to say it, Alonso has to have some DNFs at this point to loose it. Kimi could run the table but he needs help from Alonso. I just don't know if that'll happen. I'd love to see him win it obviously, especially given he was so close in 2003 But I just think that McLaren gave him too big of a lead.

Have you heard the V8s yet? They sound amazing... 21,000RPMs out of the Mercedes lump and nearly 22,000 out of the Honda. Sound like MotoGP bikes...

Any thoughts on the Midland (ex Jordan) team with the new Ferrari engines next year? Will either of the existing drivers retain their seats, next year? Will Jacques get a ride with Midland, since the Russian owner lives in Canada?

Ferrari ----- Ruebens out - Fernando in?

Button at Williams --- There is justice in the world!

Midland and Ferrari? I thought they were going to continue with Toyota.... news to me. I know RBR is going to Ferrari.

There is no way Flavio will let Alonso go to Ferrari... especially if he wins the championship. You've gotta explain your thoughts on this one buddy. I'm real curious.

Button and WilliamsF1 do deserve each other at this point after the nonsense of last season - which I think caused BAR to loose out on that first win.

Yes,I thought Midland & Toyota were paired up as well.

I love Mclaren for nostalgia reasons. As a kid I watched their orange big block Chevy powered cars dominate Can-Am until Porche spoiled the party with their twin turbo beast. I watched Bruce (and denis) drive at Mosport and Watkins Glen and walked on clouds for weeks.

I truly miss Mika but understand his leaving. He's my favorite recent driver. Look up tenacity in the dictionary to find his picture. Kimi has managed to fill his large boots really well.

Sadly, I agree with Fernando one day being with Ferrari. Micheals clock is winding down, McLaren (Kimi) don't want him and as of now no other teams are contenders, so it's his only logical choice once Ferrari pulls it back together and his Renault contract expires. We'll see.

My only point of naysay is Jaques. As a Canuck his recent behaivour has been an embarassment to my countrymen. If he isn't making excuses for driving off a clear track he's dissing other drivers for their errors.All the while demanding top salary.

We had a money scandal in Canada recently, and it came out that Jaques, who pays no taxes to Canada, received several million dollars in secret payments to waer our flag on his suit. I think he's a tasteless has-been, but that's IMHO as a Canadian. Living in Monaco I must wonder if he has a gambling problem?

Err, you had to remind us of Suzuka 2003? i still grind my teeth when I think of it

Here's to an exciting weekend at Hockenheim !!!

Edited by wallythacker 2005-07-22 1:28 PM

Hey F1 Fans



I love F1, been watching since errrr can't remember but my earliest memory is was watch nigel mansells tyre blow when he was red 5 i think (hey i was only about 13 and it was 4 in the morn) I even did my masters project on it and went around croft in the UK and went to bizarre creations in liverpool creators of the best F1 game in the late 90s.

race was good this weekend kimi poor bloke why does his car blow when JPMs doesn't and JPM could have won easily if it wasn't for his mad slip. Button was good but Honda need to raise their game my civic is faster going to williams would be a back wards step surely?

Agree that Ralph, Jaques, Ruebens, Jarno, are past it, if it wasn't for siblings, a championship and driving in the best car they would have all disappear. impressed by red bull little money but a few points more than ford/jaguar, down to coulthard

JPM has talent but is so hot cold flawed genius maybe?

F1 had what it needs this weekend racing people overtook people amazing they need to widen the tracks to widen the appeal watching cars in procession is dull,dull dull.

So who will replace schummy? massa,button, your thoughts?????

It was a weekend I expected. Kimis merc melts on him. FA wins again. Renault will be the first non Ferrari/Mclaren team to take a championship since 1998. That is good for the sport.

We need rules changes that allow every team a realistic shot. Micheal did win the crown 2x with Benneton. Those days strike me as more exciting than the modern procession. Maybe giving each team the same bodywork and aero bits is a start. They can concentrate on engines and chassis more.

Ferrari won't settle for a second best driver. IMO, they want Kimi or FA. They'll get one or the other somehow. With Kimis recent luck I suspect he is thinking long and hard about a jump when his contract ends.

Here's to Hungary. Kimi wins or becomes a very depressed young man for the remainder of 2005.

hehe nice thread. i won't write a long post now, but.. replying to the last post made by wallythacker:

i think it wouldn't make any sense to give each team the same aero etc... no, a little competition is definitely needed there too (but beware, i'm no expert!)

ehehe.. i should visit hungaroring .. but i don't have the money now!
anyway i wouldn't mind if FA wins instead of KR (i don't really like KR.. don't ask why.. i just don't)

all it does for me is bring up the help menu.....

cmonex,
You realise that you just got your name struck off Clint's Christmas card list don't you

Jenson on the podium.. whatever next!
He always qualifies well, but gets a lousy start on the grid on race day... always. His start on Sunday was just poor really.
Though he made up for it by overtaking Schumi

Did I hear correctly that he's now not moving to Williams, but staying put?

As of race day JB was still dithering over where to go.

It's looking like FA will be the new king. He would have to DNF a few times while Kimi wins to alter things. I'm all for a non Mclaren/Ferrari king for a change.

Egads, if Ferrari pulls it off and Shoe is crowned king again I'm tuning out of F1 forever ......

Oh well, I can always watch the good ole boys bang fenders at 200mph. At least with that series there is an element of surprise for who shall be crowned king. JG, who I detested but now that's he's humble is a likeable fellow, may not even make the chase.

Besides, I love the watching the "big one" at Daytona/Talledega. 10 seconds of pure adrenaline rush.

Edited by wallythacker 2005-07-26 7:52 AM

Now that I've somewhat gotten over my depression...

It is pretty clear that if Kimi is to win the championship, ole Fred Alonso has to have trouble at this point. Kimi doesn't control his own destiny.

Why on earth McLaren can't keep they hydraulic pumps running is beyond me... This is the third such failure this year (2 to Kimi and 1 to Juan).

I do not think Kimi will leave McLaren. Put it this way, I don't want him to leave McLaren!

Hey now....

You need to settle down, take a deep breath....

Words like that and she sure will be!



The problem isn't Jensen per se. The problem is that the BAR has very little low-end torque this year. So when he trys to get going, he just can't. Sato has the same problem and Ferrari has the same problem. That said, JB did have a heck of a race on Sunday. Well done passes on Schumi and Fisi.

He has the option to go to WilliamsF1 if his is >75 points behind the championship leader after Hungry. He will be for sure so he will have the option.... That said, I don't know if he'll be just running to Grove to jump in. WilliamsF1 lost the plot two years ago and is still lost. Anytime you have two cars with two completely different aero packages racing and you are telling people "we are confirming our wind tunnel figures", you've lost the plot...

oooh i'm so sorry