CANADIAN GP Qualifying ****SPOILER****

Could anyone's race strategy be based on more red flags than usual?

 

Good point.

If McLaren is running low fuel it may be tough for Ferrari if they can't get around Nick. Normally the downside to running low fuel for qualifying is when you do pit early the field hasn't thinned out yet so you're in a lot of traffic. If Kimi and Massa get "held-up" by Nick the advantage of getting some clear track further laps in is somewhat eliminated. But, Nick may not be running all that light either and we might really have a race on our hands.

Either way I'm happy to see the McLaren boys fighting it out. It'll just keep the points race tight until later in the season. Don't worry guys it is a long season and no one's running away with it.

 

Simply no match for the Macs AND Heidfeld. As Alonso said: Now they got a car that is fast on any circuit.

Ciao Mondiale.

 

+1

*Multiple* DNF's would be even better

 

On a tangential note, what the *F* is up with Mario Theissen? He is constantly giving a hard time to Nick Heidfeld, and Nick has given him more glory this season than he could normally have hope for.

He should be tossing his salad, not poo-poo-ing him in the press. If BMW lets Nick go ( a GERMAN at that!) then I will believe they have lost their minds.

 

I mentioned that before somewhere on here:

a) Theissen is abrasive. It takes two to have a fight, just ask Williams.
b) Theissen didn't like it when Heidfeld publicly critized him for using Vettel on Friday. A decision Theissen by now has reversed.

And finally: Heidfeld is a bit of a sleeper. He only got into high gear once the team brought Kubica on board. So maybe Theissen thinks Nick should have been fast all of last year, not just towards the end.

At any rate, I agree, if they let Nick go, then some heads should roll in Munich and Hinwil.

 

Great qualifying session for Mercedes.

 

both Nick and BMW would be wise to continue their relationship. Heidfeld is the best driver available for BMW and I can't see McLaren of Ferrari wanting to take on Heidfeld in exchange of one of their current drivers, and if Nick goes to any other team than BMW, McLaren or Ferrari, his chances of ever winning in F1 are a definate zero. Having said that, Nick is good enough to be a constant winner.

What about Rosberg by the way? All the talk is on Hamilton (and deservedly so) but Nico is also emerging -now more then ever- as a future champion. He is completely destroying Wurz, and the factory Toyota's all on his own.

Rosberg and Heidfeld at BMW would make a great team.

 

Nico is doing well, no question, but I never thought it would be terribly difficult to destroy Wurz. There is a reason McLaren never wanted him back in the racing cockpit.

 

Hopefully BMW doesn't sign Ralf. I don't think I could take another stint of that guy being on my favorite team.

 

Agreed. The Mac is quick and Im not happy.Ferrari no matter, is running out of time. They need 2 wins in North America or its over in my opinion. 4th and 5th is not gonna make a dent given the points system and the gap as it is. Personally the Macs are developing faster than my Fteam. That is the key, who improves faster over time. Lets hope we get some breaks tomorrow. Cheers from Europe!

 

The time has come for Ross Brawn to return!

 

McLaren will return to Europe with 2 victories in the bag. By mid season their points advantage will be so big, that they can start taking down the pace and settle for 2nds. It is a bit like last year's season, but with the difference that the Ferraris aren't really fighting back.

 

haven't been home a lot lately, come on f-chat and see all these sentiments...my goodness, are we calling it doomed already??? talk about swinging by the emotions...

 

Possibly some of us are realizing that the Mac win in Monaco is now becoming something more than just a one off result. The Mac has developed beyond the Ferrari possibly. If so then one can speculate about the future if no North American wins come to Ferrari. We want wins of course!!!
The points system is not helping us. As mentioned a wider gap allows a team to win the title by just placing 2nd potentially. Things for time being are not looking good for the weekend. Lets hope that the result is better than the current positions on the grid!

 

I do think the Mac has taken a step ahead of Ferrari in the last two races. HOWEVER, there are still quite a few races left and Ferrari can find the same quantum leap in performance. It's too early to call the season over, but McLaren is the class of the field at this point.

Honestly, they've been deadly since putting that funky nose wing on (yeah, I know Massa won the first race they had it, but they were just figuring it out at that point)

 

Obviously I didn't get on here to give my prediciton per Ron's initial post but despite my being a devout Ferrari fan, I would have said Lewis for pole. The Ferraris just don't seem to have their act together this weekend. Perhaps they'll have a better showing tomorrow.

I like Lewis' comments about today. . . and not a bad result for never having been to that circuit before!

“I’m absolutely 100 per cent over the moon to claim my first ever Formula 1 pole position and at a circuit where I have never been before. I knew it was a good lap and was absolutely flat out. I almost touched the wall at the last corner but when I came over the line and was told I had pole position I was so happy. I’m really looking forward to the race tomorrow and whilst Fernando and I are not going to do anything stupid, obviously I want to stay at the front. I now need a little time for everything to sink in and have a nice and relaxing evening. The car, engine and tyres are working beautifully and the team has done such an amazing job. We are working so well together all of us and to have both cars on the front row and leading both championships is a super reward for everybody.”

Carol

 

The fat lady has not sung yet. I am waiting until I see the race Sunday before I start feeling any negativity. Michael was what appeared to be insurmountably behind last year, and virtually caught up. Right now, there is not such a deficit for either Massa or Raikkonen. Neither is Michael, but then the deficit is not as bad.

Race strategy for Sunday will be interesting. Difference between Hamilton (1st) and Massa (5th) is .863 - just a few litres of fuel can make the difference. A front end pushing ever so slightly during a qualifying lap can make this difference.

Let's wait and see Sunday.

 

A few litres? Let's see:

0.4 seconds equals about 10 kg of fuel. So we're looking at about 20 litres of fuel or roughly 7 laps.

Given the new tire rules we can assume everybody will be on a two stop strategy. I can't imagine Hamilton will pit 7 laps before Massa.

=> The difference is more in the car's performance than in the fuel load.

PS: Quite frankly I didn't need to do the math. 0.8 seconds is all I need to know. The top teams are evenly matched in their strategies, no need to bluff or to pull rabbits out of a hat. And 0.8 seconds is an eternity in F1.

PPS: The really funny thing is that Ron Dennis will have to eat his words from Melbourne where he accused Heidfeld of bluffing by running empty. Nope, the Beemer is that fast and will give the Mercedeses chase.

 

+1.

The reason Ferrari is not fighting back is because both Massa and Kimi cannot develop cars ... Alonso CAN and that is why he is a deserving WDC.

Also regarding fuel strategies ... there is only one right strategy nowadays to win races and that is get POLE. McLaren for years tried the heavy fuel load and it does not work because you get stuck behind somebody who is simply doing a 78 lap ad for his sponsors.

LH and Alonso will run away and hide and then safely pit and then simply hold position. LH might win this one, but Alonso will get the WDC because as I have said all along he is racing for that only. Alonso is not stupid so will not get involved in a first corner argument with a highly strung and desperate young team mate.

Pete
PS: Nick is reasonably fast but sorry he is not top rung, just like Kimi he lacks that extra drive to be simply flat out all the time and for every session/race. You should not need a team mate to get you going and Kimi has 2 races left IMO to decide if he really should be racing a car at all. Being fast is only 50% of the job, and yet again my wife is being proved right, Kimi is just not interested. Yes he IS way faster than Massa, but to Massa's credit he really wants to be a racing driver ... such a shame when the talents not quite there.

If Kimi does not put in 2 really top notch drives, he should be dropped not just from Ferrari but from F1 completely as we do not need another 'gee I like the lifestyle' bollocks person in F1, way too many of them already!

 

Mclaren ran hamilton way light so he would get pole after all the criticism about them favoring alonso this was just their way of answering back.

I do believe the ferraris are heavier on fuel but I doubt it will matter much. In F1 unless your 1 or 2 it's nearly impossible to win a race.

 

Considering the Toyotas' terrible performance is due to a design flaw that for some reason has come into play here I wouldn't say it's Nico that is destroying them. While Super Aguri do have the pace on the Hondas Williams certainly does not have the pace on the Toyotas and Nico certainly isn't destroying Jarno. If you take a look at position in the drivers championship Nico only has one point more than Jarno.

For qualifying
Aus: Nico 8th Jarno 7th
Mal: Nico 9th Jarno 7th
Bah: Nico 10th Jarno 9th
Spain: Nico 11th Jarno 6th
Mon: Nico 12th Jarno 15th
Can: Nico 7th Jarno 10th

Seems to me that with the suspension failure this weekend on the Toyota and them having to go back to a less advantageous upright design the better qualifying performance is due to a better Williams than a better driver. If you look at the constructors' points with Williams having 7 to Toyota's 5 I'd say the Williams is a better car. If that's the case then why has Jarno out-qualified Nico four out of six in an inferior car? By that rationale Jarno is a much better driver than Nico.

As for teammates destroying one another this result puts Jarno out qualifying Ralph for the sixth time this season as well. I'd like to see Nico and Jarno as teammates in either the Toyota or Williams.

 

Speaking of Trulli:

He has his favourite restaurant in Montreal with some of his F1 memorabilias on display. Oh, and they serve great food as well...

 

I'm thinking KR for third this race. That's the best the Scuderia will do for this one.

 

As for Hamilton's well won pole, don't count out Alonso. When Alonso was on his last lap he went purple in sectors one and two then botched the last chicane and slowed up on coming on the straight. Had he not done that he'd have pole.

Tomorrow he'll pull a Shumi. Tuck in behind Hamilton and then when Hamilton pits he'll rip out the fast laps and come out ahead after his own stop. I'd love to see LH win but, I think Alonso's got him covered here as well.

1. Alonso
2. LH
3. Kimi