I didn't see any secondary contact with Alonso's car and Webber. Appeared that all the damage was done in the turn 2 collision with the back of Vettel's car. You can see it in this video until FOM takes it down - they weren't even close when the wing gives way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwESzWe8_So >8^) ER
Thanks. That's the way most seem to have seen it. I still won't fault Alonso for taking the chance. Fortune favors the bold more often than not.
While the Alonso model of racing failed today it produces better results over the course of a season. Phil did what Ferrari wants him to do. Picked up points. Call it the tyranny of low expectations.
I know you weren't talking to me, but I'm going to say I am certainly not celebrating his 5th place. His start was bad and he got balked by Alonso when Alonso made contact at turn 2. He shouldn't have ever been there though. After that, his race was very mediocre and safe. He brought home points where he should have been fighting for the win. All round bad day for the red cars. It's sad because this could have been a really good day for them. The loss of major points will come back to haunt them. Mark
Not all was bad from a red perspective: - Lotus was out to lunch - McLaren took a sabbatical - MB has now one pissed off #2 - same for RB - Ferrari looks even better than ever to Seb Divide et impera!
Some things your missing. Mclaren had the quickest car at the finals stint. Lotus were very quick but caught in traffic. RB has #2 issues, MB by the look of it don't, and neither are#1 at this point anyway. And Massa is now superior to Alonso due to wdc points. /eye roll in case my sarcasm isn't getting through on that last bit. None of the top 4 look any better or worse at this point. Everyone has shown something.
I suppose it's understandable that this thread dropped off the front page of the F1 section, as people hoped that Massa was finally going to have a decent season... but 2 races does not a season make! China 2013 was OK qualifying, back behind Alonso where he usually is, but how does he go backwards in the race so much? It wasn't even wet! 40 seconds back of his #1 driver?? His post-race comments show that the old, sucky Massa is back: Massa searching for answers | Planet F1 | Formula One News Alonso = adaptable, can make the tires work in most conditions and get the maximum from the cars/tires that they are capable of delivering. Massa = if the car or tires don't suit him, then he's back to sucking and not having a clue as to why.
I was giving him the benefit of the doubt with a strong quali performance but ending up 40 seconds behind Alonso in the race is a bad sign.
Truer words have never been spoken. As for him being 40 seconds behind, so what? He was just a few seconds behind Jenny - Maybe he'd have been a lot closer if he hadn't been in the way..... Cheers, Ian
You serious? Been in the way? They were on completely different strategies and were only close to each other at the very end. I'm sure Giedo van der Garde was lamenting being unable to win this race, too bad 21 other cars were in the way. So close!
Best pass of the day was Massa on Hamilton early on. Then, he just faded. I thought we were in for a one-two today.
He's a great driver no matter what the "experts " here say, at least he doesn't have the same " luck" as Webber
Alonso in the same car, same day, same tires, won the race. He's a great driver. Massa in the same car, same day, same tires, same strategy, running one position behind at the start - finishes in 5th place, 40 seconds down. That is NOT great driving! People can claim all they want that Massa is "a great driver", but the results, hard facts, for the past 3 seasons, and again this season, prove otherwise.
At the end of the day, it's a distance race... Massa covering the same distance 40 seconds slower is over 7 tenths slower per lap. That's a huge difference. As for him being closer if Jenson wasn't in the way - well, he was in 3rd place after the first corner, then in 2nd place just a lap or two later... the only reason he was behind Jenson in the first place was that he was going slow. I think the big deal about that is that Ferrari could have scored a 1-2 today and be leading the WDC.
then why was he left out there for another couple of laps on quickly deteriorating tyres ?? same strategy would have had him pitting behind FA like they did at the Merc garage, plus I've heard Schuey say in the past that he has got a set of tyres that went off quickly and everyone accepted his word. Massa pulled off some great passes, like the one on Hamilton, but all you hear from the haters is that he went backwards