Malaysian GP***Spoilers***

watching the replay now. i'm hoping for a different outcome. seems massa never learned how to do michael's chop off start move. sad to see hamilton punk him out. i too was confused as to the outside pole position. i thought the pole gave the driver the best line to the first corner. not at sepang. oh well, next race will be here soon. here we go.

 

Your posts are spot on and always excellent, Mike.

 

Ron, I think thats a good summary.
Still a bummer but good thing that Kimis engine held up. I am a Massa fan but very unimpressed by his loss of confidence and skills in the heat of the fray early on.

Continue to enjoy Hamiltons skills and aggression. I bet he will be in the middle podium spot this year, maybe more than once. Great skills and race awareness.

 

When was Alonso ever a midpack driver?

He started out at Minardi in his rookie year, then became a test driver. 2004 was his first real year in a decent F1 and he came 4th in the championship. 2005 and 2006 he won the title. Hardly what I call a midpack driver. Just for comparison: It took MS 3 years at Renault, err Benetton as a "midpack" driver before he clinched the title with them.

I still believe of the current drivers Alonso is the most complete racer. Kimi is a close 2nd.

PS: Most of us (certainly I) thought that Alonso made the biggest career blunder possibly by switching from Renault to McLaren and look where both teams are today. Call it luck or call it another sign of a true champ/complete driver to pick the right team at the right moment. Alesi could probably testify to that.

 

This about the man who took the last two WDC from MS and the youngest WDC ever! LOL! (IMO of course)

 

Personally, I think it came down to who wanted it worse between Alonso and Massa. Everyone knows modern F1 races are won or lost on the first turn of the race. FA chose to take the inside knowing Massa had the line and could either yield or take him out (with him). If Massa had kept his line and taken out FA on the first turn, then Kimi would have had the lead and probably the victory. Ferrari would be ahead in the DC, and Massa's reputation would be intact, Kimi would be the hero and FA the goat. Funny what a little thing like courage does in a driver, or fear of failure. Or was this a team strategy played out to perfection? Disappointing either way.

 

Enough about Massa. How about the great job Nick and Nico did(well until he retired)? Even Fisi had a good performance, so did Trulli and Wurz. Haha Scott Speed finished ahead of Ralf, what happened there?

 

Surely you are kidding. Alonso is the only driver in the field that can legitimately challenge Kimi.

If you think Kubica, Rosberg, & Heidfeld are very good drivers...how many drivers on the field do you consider "very good"? Like 50%?

 

Quote:

When was Alonso ever a midpack driver?

He started out at Minardi in his rookie year, then became a test driver. 2004 was his first real year in a decent F1 and he came 4th in the championship. 2005 and 2006 he won the title. Hardly what I call a midpack driver. Just for comparison: It took MS 3 years at Renault, err Benetton as a "midpack" driver before he clinched the title with them.

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I think it was 2003 when he got into a real car got the youngest ever to win in hungary, lapping MS ... If I'm not mistaken he lapped him again last year. I'm a ferrari fan but facts are facts.

 

You're right. Alonso spent two years (2003, 2004) as "midpack" driver before clinching the title.

 

S.hit Ron......... what crack are you smoking sir? Were you standing right beside Todt with a headset on at Malaysia? Is that why it took you so long to post?..... you had to fly back on your personal jet?

Mate you're excuses are wearing thin with a lot of members on here. Admit Felipe f**ked up and stop coming up with the "inside goss" as you so frequently refer to to try and back up your claims.

Yes, Alonso may have won, but the gap wouldn't have been 20secs or so. If felipe had of just heeded to Kimi in the early laps instead of running the car all over the track (and off it) trying to find a way past a rookie (who i might add is a better steerer than Massa could ever dream of being..... which is why he couldn't find a way past), then Kimi would have found a way through to at least try and be competitive. But noooooo.... by the time felipe had removed himself from the equation, the gates were swinging and the Horses had bolted.

Yes the McLarens were impressive today, and some of Ferrari's tactics (such as releasing Kimi out behind Fisi) were questionable...... but by then the damage had been done.

Face it Ron, your boy choked again, this time compromising the Scuderia's race tactics in the process. Nothing more, nothing less.

He was outthought and out driven today by a kid who has 2 races of GP experience. Thats plain embarassing Ron. Face it.

 

You sir are my new best friend!!!!!!!!!

Agreed 1000%. The best post of the thread!!

 

Alonso = A number 1 driver

Hamilton = A number 1 driver

Kimi = A number 1 driver

Kubica = A number 1 driver

Massa = A number 2 driver cursed with the expectation that he might be the number 1 FERRARI driver of all things. Probably one of the most painful positions you cold possibly occupy in the fickle world of F1.

Tifosron = A number 1 delusional F1 fan.

 

None of the other drivers you mention are even close to Hamilton’s skill and talent. I keep hearing Kubica but he spun off the track under no pressure by himself. Hamilton passed both Ferraris in a slower McClaren. Not only defended the move in an extraordinary way but also forced a far more experienced Massa in the faster Ferrari to make a mistake not once but twice.
Then he proved again he the FASTEST man on the track by setting the FASTEST lap time which held for the rest of the race!!! BTW he’s never been to either Melbourne of Sepang before.
He also proved he was the fast by laying the fastest lap of the whole weekend during and letting Alonso Kimi and Massa chase after it and NEVER succeeding. In that move he said all things even I’m faster.
When Ron lets him win he will and he will decimate Alsono, Kimi, and Massa.
I think might be looking at a Rookie Champion!!!

 

+1

SRT Mike I woln't quote your post but I thought it was spot on.

 

Excellent post, but Ron woln't let him go all out his first year. I get the feeling he wants Lewis to play second fiddle to Alonso this year, and maybe let him have a win or two when it's safe. Next year though, lookout.

 

Best post so far is right.

 

i went to sleep feeling really dissappointed and that feeling has lifted a tiny bit. just a TINY bit. but, was wondering what the excuses for Massa would be. and there are plenty. ENOUGH with the excuses. Ron, i cautioned about that remark you made after qualifying "...it was Massa...remember that when the race begins". i don't understand where your deep support/ wishful thinking of Massa comes from, but remember, when you make boastful statements, be prepared to peck S@#$ with the chickens. SRT Mike, said it very well. so i won't go on my rant. but i will say again, i have NOTHING against Massa, but i've always maintained that he was/is a 'supporting' driver. hoped that he would do great things with a top car. two races in (and considering last year and beyond), he's shown that Ferrari--if they haven't begun already--needs to sort out a replacement for him next year. i just hope this year, the WCC isn't out ouf reach. no driver can be that terrible and hope his team, or any supporter, will be happy about it. there, i won't express my displeasure, dissappointment, much more. on with next race.

 

Although I was quite disappointed with Massa after he let 2 McLarens by at the start, made a foolish, rookie move to fall into 5th, and then not be able to catch Heidfeld the whole race, I still have a LOT of faith in him. He was back probably being pressured so much on the radio to get passed Lewis that he just crumbled under it. I think he will learn from it and prosper from it later on.

Kimi was really impressive near the end of the race when he almost caught Lewis, even with his less than superior engine. He did VERY well at Bahrain last year in the McLaren, so it should be fun to watch him this year in a Ferrari with a new engine.

As for Lewis, I really think he will be a multi-World Champion. He just has so much raw talent. When one of our drivers leaves, we need to get this guy in red.

Finally, I come to Alonso. As always, when he gets out in front, nothing can stop him, except Schumi, but I guess that isn't really relevant any more. I'm definitely not his biggest fan, but I have to show some respect for him.

Ferrari just had a little wake-up call handed to them, so let's just hope they can react quickly in time for Bahrain.

-John

 

I applaud both Massa and Kimi. I applaud Massa for having the orchestras to try to overtake Hamilton, and I applaud Kimi for knowing the limitations of his car on a given day and realizing that a passing attempt would have been a futile maneuver, given his package.

Anyone who thinks that Kimi is making excuses only need look at the relative lap times of the top drivers in recent races.

So does anybody have a clue as to the "compromises" made to Kimi's engine?

 

Well, that may be slightly strong wording, but, Alonso hasn't been in F1 for all that long. I remember when Webber was in the Minardi and he was always singled out by the commentators as being something special. Alonso never really got that same level of respect from the commentators or other folks in F1 like Webber got. When he got the drive with Renault in 03 after Button left, he didn't IMO show anything special. He was back in the points a fair bit and I remember his big crash when the race was red flagged, and everyone sort of laughed at how dumb he was - at that time he seemed to have about the same sort of rep as a mid-pack driver. Not until 04 and then of course 05-06 was he considered a real top tier driver. Even in 04 he wasn't dominating Trulli at every race. Sure it took MS some time to work his way up too, but he pretty much always laid the wood to his teammates... for Michael, it was equipment issues more than driving issues.

 

The Renault was head-and-shoulders the quickest car in 2005, yet Kimi was right on FA's heels. Had Kimi not had a horrendously unreliable car, he would have won the WDC without question. Sure, it takes speed AND reliabliity, but in a knock-em-out-drag-em-out fight of pure speed, Kimi had Fernando beat. 2006 was FA's most commanding year, but Michael was hampered again by unreliable equipment. I don't think anyone would say Fernando has close to the level of talent that Michael has. Fernando is the golden child - he can do no wrong (so far). He got real lucky going to McLaren this year - REAL lucky (or real smart, whichever)

 

Hmm so this would be your expert opinion on TWO races of Hamiltons?

Not sure if you were around during Rosbergs debut but the SAME thing was said. Sure, Hamilton is good - likely very good. Maybe he is an upcoming multi-WDC winner. All I am saying is that being in the fastest car really makes him shine. Sure Kubica, Button, Heidfeld and Rosberg don't fare well against him, they are in comparatively crap equipment. It will take at least a couple or three seasons to see what Hamilton is all about. To call him the equal of Kimi (or even Fernando, much as it pains me to say it) is GROSSLY premature.

But like I said, F1 is bandwagon-ey, and Hamiton has big coattails that lots of people are looking to ride.

 

Yeah, youngest race winner ever, youngest WDC ever, youngest 2-time WDC ever. Against some of the best competition in years. Really lucky. Also perhaps has the best racecraft (better than Kimi).

 

Thanks for the positive comments on my post to Ron, I mean no personal attack on Ron but just like "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof", I feel that "extraordinary arrogance begets extraordinary neener-neener'ing". Massa is good, I like him! I don't like Alonso (however I do like Hamilton, just wish he's stop the "don't talk to me before the race" crap). I would love to see Ferrari be 1/2. Actually I'd prefer to see Massa be #1 because Kimi can be arrogant and he sure isn't interesting in the post-race. Massa seems humble and nice. I'd love for him to win. But he won't, because he just doesn't have the talent. He's probably a fair bit better than Barrichello was as a #2 driver, but IMO several other drivers would do better than him in that 2nd seat. Actually I'd LOVE to see Button get it. He deserves a good car for once (sort of sink or swim thing). But I don't think Ferrari really wants a #2 as good as their #1. They want someone to toe the company line and play good boy and do as he's told. If he happens to be faster, so be it. But I'm pretty confident that the feeling in the team is and always has been that Kimi is the obvious choice to be the WDC, not Massa. Today just proved why - choking under pressure. WDC's dont give up pole's and they don't go off track when trying to make a pass. That was an embarassment. That was a Sato-esque move. It's even more telling that the rookie was able to play Massa like a fiddle. I'm embarassed FOR him