2008 Australian GP QUALIFYING ***SPOILER***

the loss of michelin did play a part for renault..

 

A little optimistic, but I like your enthusiasm I really hope you're right.

And I agree, I can't see Ferrari wanting to add the turmoil or frusteration of Alonso's ego to the team. I could be wrong, but I too see Kimi and Massa in red for the next couple of years.

 

Wow, I've never seen so much BS being pulled out of people's asses before. This is ridiculous.

 

please elaborate Jim..

 

Fisi came literally a few months before the '05 season when Fernando won the WDC that year. Fisi did not develop that car.

 

In an interview with Briatore in F1 magazine last year, when asked why he kept Giancarlo another year in 2007, he stated because he was the primary driver involved in the ongoing developement of the car, not Fernando. The key words, "on going development". F1 cars undergo continung changes all season. The 2006 chassis was being finalized by the end of the third quarter of 2005. Trulli was involved with the development 2005 car as he is now in the ongoing development of the Toyota. Ralf was not good at that. Trulli stays, Ralf goes.

Fernando Alonso does not actively participate in this development. The lousy 2007 Renault was being developed while Alonso was still there in 2006. As a driver he had nothing to do with it being lousy. Fernando usually shows up, drives, and then leaves. During tests he does what the engineers ask, but his input is very limited when it comes to chassis and gearing. He comes back after a few laps and they take their readings. Kinda like Kimi until mid season last year. Then he really got involved and changed the car to his liking. Then he won the 2007 WDC.


At this point, I would believe what Briatore says, not anyone else. He is the horse's mouth.

 

I'm sure the fact that he was losing his #1 driver and didn't want to start a new season, on new tires, with two completely new drivers had nothing to do with it...

Here's a hint for you: it's called "saving face"

If Fisi was so important to the car's development and Alonso a mere hanger-on...then why is Alonso being paid 46 million and Fisi now driving for Farce India?!?

Complete nonsense. Even McLaren engineers will tell you how much he did to develop the McLaren. Furthermore as it had been pointed out so many times last season, he was setting up the McLaren, not Hamilton. I recall more than a few people on here wondering how Hamilton would be doing without Alonso's set-up help. Surely if all Alonso did was follow the engineers' advice, then Hamilton would not need Alonso's set-up...he could just get it from the engineers and save himself the criticism?

We all know how honest team principals are, especially Briatore, when it comes to their own drivers

 

I couldn't agree with you more!!!

Especially when people throw in the towel over qualifying in the first race of the year! LOL... people are ridiculous... that or DRAMA QUEENS

 

Thats because he is a real dedicated fan and just loves Massa

 

For all those that cant seem to contain their jealous commentary on Hamilton....Grow up. The guy is good period. I believe he has handled things very well considering that while leading last year (although it was a Mcheater car) the FIA told Mcheater to figure out a way to loose it and Hammy and Alonshole did just that. I know for a fact the Hamilton will not be parking it in the gravel in pit lane again this year or pushing the wrong button which just so happened to put him 1 point out of winning it all. Yes he has stayed very cool through all the crap and FIA deception.

 

FIA Deception? McLaren deception?

 

I didn't read this whole thread, so I'm not sure what all has been posted... but I just wanted to share my thoughts.

BMW is set to have an impressive season. Even if this is just a one off type of thing, no other team even came CLOSE to qualifying on pole last season except for McLaren and Ferrari. BMW wouldn't sacrifice an incredibly low fuel load for a chance of getting on pole. I have high hopes for them.

I was somewhat dissapointed with Massa's performance. I thought for sure he would get into the top 3, that was quite a let down. I was also devestated when i saw Raikkonen's car come to a stop. Rumor has it that his fuel problems may have been haunting him throughout the weekend. I believe once that is sorted out he's going to show Ferrari's true form. Before this season started I had a feeling that one team was going to be competing at McLaren's level, and Ferrari was going to be a little bit ahead. I still think Ferrari has it. Besides, the last time Raikkonen started off in 15th he finished 3rd!

McLaren did about exactly as was expected without the pressure from Ferrari. What is it...14 or 16 of the last 18 Australian GP winner's have won the Championship? Hmm...

The Renault was impressive, or was it just Alonso? I personally haven't written off Piquet, but he needs to find his focus quick. Australian GP is probably a very difficult first race of the season for a rookie without TC, so we can't be "too" hard on him. And we thought Flavio was ticked last year at Kovalainen's performance...

I'll say the exact same thing about STR that I did about Renault. Even more impressive that they are using an 07 car basically. I don't see Vettel driving for STR for too many more seasons.

I thought Williams and Toyota were going to be a little bit faster than they were. Honda was a pleasant surprise though. One of the Speed TV commentators said that when Barichello was asked what kind of difference Brawn was going to make he said something of the sorts "Somtimes I would get on the radio and be told to pit, and then i would hear people in the background yelling No! DONT PIT, DONT PIT!!! I don't see that happening with Brawn" haha.

I also thought Force India (Sutil in particular) was going to be faster, I still think they may be... time will tell. Sutil has always had a better race pace than qualifying. Redbull is pretty much where I expected as well.

All in all I think we're going to have a fantastic 2008 season. It's so interesting watching these cars go around the track now. Without the TC they aren't so precision perfect anymore, and this is just a few laps in practice and qualifying? I wonder what the race pace is going to be like? I bet there will be a lot of mistakes for this first GP.

 

Kubica!!!!

 

Let's not get too wound up. All the teams are playing with the new quali rules, the new fuel issues, the new cars. The first qualifying session isn't going to give away the season results. Where's the "entertainment" in that?

Remember last year? Kimi won -- largely because the McLarens got tangled up with the Beemers, letting Kimi walk away from pole. Fuel strategy could shape this race, if the lead group can keep contact with Lewis. If the Beemers and Heikki hold Massa up, it could be a walk in the (Albert) park for Lewis.

But McLaren doesn't do "team orders", right?

 

100% wrong about Seabass. The ChampCar years weren't in vain after all. They gave him about a light year's worth of experience in a non-traction control world and racecraft talents no 'rookie' could even imagine. Even though Vettel will outqualify him all year, Seabass will have more points at year's end.