Massa is starting to grow on me. Kimi screwed the pooch in qualifying and in the race. And I'm beginning to have real doubts over the development of car.
Hamilton was Rubensed -- relegated to guarding Alonso's back at T1. No team orders at McLaren. Yah, right. It was depressing to see Massa come in on the same lap as Alonso. So much for the "light fuel" theory. I remember seeing an interview where Todt said that the longer wheelbase Ferrari wouldn't be a disadvantage in Monaco's tight corners. Looks like that was wrong. I was hoping for a better picture, on TV, of the Ferrari lined up next to the McLaren, to compare wheelbases. If the wheelbase is the issue, that doesn't bode all that well for Canada, either. But I wonder if that might also put the Ferrari at a disadvantage at passing in corners. That might partly account for Kimi being unable to come up through the field. Of course, this is the first race this year where Kimi finished ahead of his grid position --- even if it was all in the pit rotations and the start line. He got off the line so well, I was wondering if he jumped the start. But I couldn't tell from the poor TV coverage. So ultimately, the strongest message of the Monaco race was: We have *got* to get DirecTV to pick up EuroSports. Every time something interesting was about to happen on track or in the pits, SpeedTV went to another commercial. Think maybe they're trying to sell their $15 internet coverage, by mucking up their broadcasts? But, from what I hear about the 2008 rules, it may not matter. FIA has killed WRC, and looks to be about to do the same to F1. Pity Ferrari doesn't have a stronger team for the last year of Formula One.
i love the spectacale that is monaco but as a race it's just not doing it. perhaps they could run it every year as the season opening event to showcase the teams. were the ferrraris engines being saved for canada? massa surely did all he could short of a mistake by merc. kimi was lackluster at best but did bring 1 point home. on to canada.
Fchat was down...was really tuff... but i think, a really really good drive from Fred. he just knew when to push the car, and when not to. he drove a calm and relaxed race. Phil Massa again, saved the Scuderia some blushes...poor Scott Speed tho...was a close one for him to be in the points..
I think the biggest problem is the salary. Kimi makes WAY more then Massa for his fairly mediocre (for a first driver in a top team) performance. I think that their salaries should be switched. That would motivate him.
MS started last in 2006 race, and he fought and finished 5th. Kimi? i really have no words to describe my frustration...is it the car? is it Kimi being demotivated? Had Ferrari asked him to alter his usually aggresive driving style to a gentle and a sleepy one like he drives now? i really don't know..
I agree with everyone, in general a very boring race. My favorite part was when the announcers said Speed is lapping faster than Kimi, someone else responded "with no brakes", the final response was well there you have it. I laughed out loud, thinking Scott can't slow down so he is just driving.
I'm trying to be optimistic because I'm supporting Kimi, Massa, and Ferrari until the end. Maybe this is just going to be a building year, let's not forget that this is Kimi's first season in the F-car (maybe his last). I know he's not really performing right now, but I'm keeping my faith in him, as I think we all should. But accolades to Massa who continues to fight.
??? Massa Q3, Finnished 3 Kimi Q16, Finished 8 I realise that I am partial, but come on, isn't there a little bit too much Kimi bashing going on here ? Sure Kimi screwed up the qualifying, but the race was ok/well driven, (safe and boring) and thanks to the teams good strategy they managed to gain 1 point. I don't think anyone was expecting tons of overtakings in Monaco. Sorry all, Kimi is still my hero. BTW. Did you see/hear Hamilton admitting he hit the wall several times during the race and his car didn't fail...
I think this was Kimi's first really bad performance of the year. The first race he won, then a pair of 3rd's (not bad), then a DNF that was not his fault. He was very promising in qualifying, and would likely have P2, if not the pole which probably would have translated to a win or at least a podium. But he did genuinely screw this one up... however it does appear that he's getting comfortable with the car if the recent test results and quali times are anything to go by. Monaco is an aberration in the way the cars are set up. IMO it's more of a show than an all out race comparable to the others. I think that everyone's performance is different here than at other tracks. The real test for Kimi is going to be the next 2-3 races. If he can't get up to pace, he is going to have to seriously re-evaluate what his issue is and get it fixed pronto. If he does come up to speed, then a DNF and an 8th in amongst a series of wins and podiums is not a bad record by any means. I think the Ferrari is still quicker than the McLarens, and this will prove itself out in the coming races. On a side note, with Bernie axing Euro races in favor of international ones, I think it hampers how much R&D the teams can do. They have less time at home between races, and less opportunity to test new parts and install in the field. It used to be a whole summer of Euro races, but now it's broken up with all the new ones in Bernie's lapdogs, err, I mean new business partners' countries.
LoL..actually, Scott was saying that the brake pedal was right at the floor, and his race engineer responded, keep pushing! i think he trully deserved a point
While I am not ready to jump off the Kimi ship yet either, Merc is in a rebuilding year also, with two new drivers and they lead the championships. So we/Ferrari really can use that excuse.
These next two races should be very interesting to see the relative speed between the teams. With the "guts" that LH has shown, I would not be surprised if he takes the US GP. He slid the car in Monaco, I can't wait to see what he does on the "faster" tracks as he gets more experience with the F1 car
Andreas! What happend to the "Kimi - WDC 2007" sig? I seem to recall a discussion last year about MS coming from 22 to 5th being a so-so result. This year Kimi goes from 16th to 8th. I wish he was living up to the preseason hype!
And this was the first time all year that Kimi improved on his grid position. But lets see: He got past Kovaleinan, Trulli, and DC off the grid. Liuzzi and Webber DNF'd from in front of him. Rosberg spent the race falling through the grid on a two-stop. Kimi (*finally*) got around the Hondas on their two-stops against Kimi's one. 3+2+3 = 8. So there's the "improvement". Even Scott Speed could advance through the field with those "gimmies" -- Oh wait; he did. Speed started from 18th and wound up right behind Kimi. And Speed didn't get around DC, Trulli, and HK off the line. But I don't see teams lining up to pay Scott a gazillion dollars to drive for them. I think there may be cornering issues with this year's Ferrari. But listen to the two drivers talking: Kimi is just waiting for the team to "fix the car", while Massa is looking at his own issues. Massa has areas to work on where he can improve. Kimi is waiting for someone else to "make it all better". Right now, McLaren is leading, because they have a talented (if obnoxious) multiple WDC, and an astoundingly talented rookie. Ferrari has a young committed driver working to improve his racecraft, and a hired gun waiting for a better car. (What's with Alonso flapping his "ears" after the race, as if to say "look at the, um, "donkey" standing on his car"? )
One of my first club rallye wins was after my rear pads "departed the vehicle". I always wondered if that contributed.
naaa..i see Ferraris taking the next 2 races. they're faster on fast, low downforce tracks. plus, Kimi did very well in testing at Paul Ricard, Montreal spec. but then again, testing is testing...
+1 should they remove this track from the calender? of cos, it's not gonna happen...but i've never been a fan of Monaco. maybe, because, i've never seen a race with rain getting involved in it.
Uh oh, Kimi didn't have a podium, the Kimi bashing switch has been turned on. Just a reminder, how many points was MS down by this point in the season last year? 13. Kimi is down only 15, I still see him waking up in the middle of the season and being dominant the second half.
