i think Kimi was kind enough in post race to thank the team and Massa, for the title he got. he knew, w/out Massa, he cound't have done it. i am a Massa fan. but i've said from the start of the season, i don't really care which one of them wins, as long as it's a Ferrari driver, i don't have a problem with it. as for Hammi, i'm sure he learnt a lot this year. he'll be back stronger next year. but then again, so is Kimster, Massa, and possibly Fred ( depends where he wants to go ). Kimster would learn the tyres and the car and will be more comfortable next year. Massa, will be more prepared, and more aggresive next year. it all depends on what sorta car the Scuderia can supply them.
As darkness was falling in Brazil there was a rush of excitement as it became clear that the FIA Stewards have been asked to look into allegations that there are problems with the fuel temperatures of the BMW Saubers and the Williams. If two of the cars are excluded from the race, Lewis Hamilton would be the World Champion. We will give you more as it becomes available...
The problem in Brazil is that the fuel in the two BMW Saubers and the Two Williams-Toyotas was too cool during the race. Article 6.5.5 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations states that "no fuel on board the car may be more than 10 degrees centigrade below ambient temperature". This is to avoid teams freezing fuel and thus reducing its volume so as to get more into the tank thus gaining a performance advantage. The FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer reported at the end of the race that the fuel temperatures in the two BMW Saubers and the two Williams-Toyotas were in contravention of the regulations at various points during the race. His report states that Nick Heidfeld's fuel temperature was measured during his two stops as having been 24-deg C and 25-deg C, when the ambient temperature was 37-deg
. McLaren to appeal Stewards' decision McLaren says it will appeal the decision of the Stewards in Brazil not to punish the BMW Sauber and Williams teams despite the fact that fuel temperature in all four cars was more than 10-degrees C beneath the ambient temperature, which is not allowed according to the regulations. McLaren says that it accepts that it was beaten fair and square by Ferrari in Brazil and says that that it simply wants to understand how cars can be found by FIA officials to have broken the rules and yet not have any punishment. It is important to point out that the events of Sunday night were not caused by any protest from McLaren but rather resulted from a report from FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer to the stewards, drawing their attention to the problem. This is a fair point and it comes eight years after a ruling by which Ferrari won the Malaysian Grand Prix when the measuring techniques of the scrutineers were called into question in the International Court of Appeal. This is effectively what has happened in Brazil as the stewards ruled that they did not have "a precise reading of the temperature of 'fuel on board the car' which shows fuel at more than 10 degrees C below ambient temperature" nor did they have a regulation stating "in clear terms" that the definitive ambient temperature shall be that indicated on the FOM timing monitors". The stewards added that there was a "considerable discrepancy between the ambient temperatures recorded by FOM and by Meteo France. This provided them with sufficient doubt as to the true ambient temperature and that it was therefore inappropriate to impose a penalty. Given that the outcome of the World Championship might have been at stake, depending on the penalty imposed, this decision was not an easy one to take but it must raise questions about the quality of the scrutineering methods, particularly in the light of the Ferrari bargeboard case in 1999. There is a very sound philosophical argument that asks the question of what technical rules are worth if they cannot properly be measured - and further questions about why things have not been improved during the eight year period since Malaysia 1999. It is a sad reflection that a great sporting day should have to end with such questions, but at the same time it is right that these questions be asked - and indeed answered in a proper fashion.
Then Ferrari should also appeal FIA's decision about their drivers loosing their points as soon as (IF) McCheaters appeal gets accepted. I don't know if it is possible though.
has anyone noticed that this Bauer dude was at the centre of the barge board incident years ago ?? I think we've found the McL mole in the FIA who is at the beck and call of Lucifer, this guy's background needs to be looked into, I smell a rat
oh yea???? http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/2348/sensational--massa-and-kubica-battle-end-of-japanese-gp
He is more Max's lackey than a mole. Max and Bernie wanted LH to win the WDC, and now they have to "cook the books" to make it happen. I do think the teams that violated the chilled fuel rule should get some kind of fine though....
Dont get me wrong and in this time of joy i dont want to start any argument,s but at least 2 races Massa clearly won and had to move over. Look at the link i posted above. he has balls, and i like balls! (apologies to Team America World Police) Even MS thought he was so good he retired than let Massa go to another team (partly). I think that if he had not had the few problems this year he would have been WC! As for the teams in question the FIA should fine them and play "Cold as Ice" by Foreigner in the background! ;-P Rob Image Unavailable, Please Login
Your humility is staggering and your elitist attitude is continuing to be highly laughable! Do you look in the mirror every night and say to yourself......"wow, once again, I was so right today! I amaze myself at how right I am all the time!"... Contrary to what the "all-knowing", "mighty" Senna3xWC may think. A huge congrats goes to...(my favorite driver on the grid for the last 3 years)...Kimi for a great win today and well deserved WDC!
You know, most of you will not remember but back when I was Audiguy I predicted that Kimi would be a WDC half way through his first season. I did not say when but I did say that when Michael retired that Ferrari should really look at picking him up. I have said nothing else about it on purpose so as not to stir anything up. Well, Ferrari picked him up and he is WDC. I will not say "I told you so", but........Kimi has been consistent and shown he has what it takes to be a WDC. He is cold as ice sometimes and is not a flambuoyant personality but he is a great driver and still has a good number of years ahead of him. Great job Kimi, it was a well deserved win............
In the last 2 GP's: - Kimi scored a perfect 20 points - Fernando scored 14 - Lewis scored 2 Seemed impossible after China but it happened. BUT WAIT, it appears that it is not over yet: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22102007/58/brazilian-gp-mclaren-appeal-gives-hamilton-hope.html This story is a bit harsh: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22102007/58/hamilton-joins-sport-s-great-chokers.html Comparing Hamilton to Greg Norman and the Buffalo Bills as the world's greatest chokers!
"Later on in the next week?!" What?! We have to wait that long just to find out if Kimi is really the champion?...and then if the appeal is accepted, we have to keep waiting... Ugh...
Ah but "everyone knows" that Massa can't race in the wet. I have to admit that I was one of the Kimi detractors early in the year. I didn't want him fired, but I suggested he needed a wake-up call. In retrospect, it seems that Kimi was experimenting with tire strategy, and some of the experiments just didn't work. That's the kind of experimentation that should have happened during winter testing, but Kimi was new to the Scuderia. Hopefully, as his communications with the team improves, his performance will just keep getting better and better. But Massa has also improved over the year. From his bad mistake in Malaysia, he's gone on to become a match for any of the front runners. The combination of team errors and the numbers put him in the supporting role for the last few races, and he's accepted that with (clenched teeth) grace. Can you imagine Hamilton or Alonso being asked to give up their home GP to help the team? I was impressed by Ferrari's handling of the Brazilian race, too. I expected them to have Massa purely in the supporting role (tire tester?), but they let Phil run his race, too, to show what he could have managed. Only when the championship depended on it did they call Massa in early to arrange the positions reversal. Ferrari deserves the championship this year -- teamwork versus sibling rivalry. (Or is that "snivelling rivalry"?) FIA's "no team orders" rule is just silly. I had a different opinion about that Rubens/Schumi pass that brought on the "santa clause" rule: Rubens deserved the credit, and Ferrari made it plain that it was only team orders that took away the win. That's, IMO, as it should have been. My only issue with that pass was that Ferrari shouldn't have been worried about Schumi's points with that package -- they should have been supporting Rubens for #2 in the WDC. (With that car, they should have been shooting for #1, #2 and WCC. Hurting Rubens' #2 to advance Schumi's #1 was hunting mice with artillery.) But "teamwork" is what school sports is supposed to teach. The "me" generation needs a reminder that teams are stronger than the "one man show". Perhaps Hamilton learned that lesson, these last few races. Maybe even Alonso might have gotten the memo. (A shot to the ego may be just what Fred needed.) McLaren trying to get this year back in the appeals room is just bitterness over Steppneygate -- for which they can only blame themselves, and the way their story changed every week on the issue. Bernie and Ronco have made F1 the battle of the boardrooms, but it's supposed to be a sport. (A "gentleman's sport", at that.) And sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, and fair play are still supposed to be elements. It's a shame that FIA are mucking up the cars so badly next year. Because there will be a large number of top drivers on the grid: Kimi, Massa, Hamilton, and even Alonso (hopefully).
Read this http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12433_2790604,00.html Lewis said a couple weeks ago he was COOL like Kimi......not even close LH!
What a race! I just got in late last pm to watch the race on TIVO - WOW!!! I think I "almost" called it. I never DREAMED LH would butcher T1 so badly and end up 8th (I predicted 4th)!!! I watched it 3 times before proceeding because I just couldn't believe it. I knew the ego would get in the way. Peter Windsor's reporting (which I have always enjoyed) has become SO biased that it really strikes to his credibility as a journo. The incessant sucking up to LH is nauseating. At least D. Hobbs called it right when he said "Whoah! Boy, what are you doing?!" I'm sure I wasn't the only giving "hand jestures" to the screen when LH's car slowed down. I kept hoping the replays were "live" and he was out permanently! I think LH is a great driver, but I think many will agree the pressure got to him. If you're going to use names like J. Clark, Fangio, Moss, etc., then you must deliver. A great season for a rookie, but Kimi finally got the WDC he deserved from 2005 when his car let him down so many times. It all started falling apart as a team when LH disobeyed team orders at that Q3 session many races ago........ Ferrari winning was IMHO the only salvage of this crazy season. Cheating does not pay, and putting in your time with hard work leads to championships. I may be in the minority, but LH winning as a rookie, as fantastic as he is, I feel would diminish the WDC. Remember Villevueve almost won in his rookie year... McLaren drivers winning this year would be a farce. Massa gave a superb drive for the team and Kimi winning the WDC is a class act! Go Kimi!!! If, IF Renault can give FA a good car in 2008, next year should be amazing.