With todays disaster there is no doubt in my mind. Domenicali, Massa and Räikkönen need to go. ASAP, which means from the beginning of the next season. Domenicali: He may be a very nice guy, but I think maybe he is too young? Obviously nothing seems to be working for the team this season. A catastrophic amount of errors have been made this year. We need Jean Todt back SOON! Who knows, maybe Ross Brawn still got what it takes and can get a good position in the team as well. I know Honda is not performing very well, but I believe that's more because they are ricers Kimi Räikkönen: He is clearly not "into" racing anymore. Some say his driving style does not work well with the tyres. Could be, but then he need to change. This is what you got boy, deal with it! He may drive fast periodically throuthout the race, but periodically is not enough. I think he is fed up, no matter what he say. He should work MUCH harder than what he does, or have been doing this season. If he started racing constantly, he would also not have to push as hard towards the end, and thereby risk wrecking the car. I think he should retire, and if not, sack him from the team. Filipe Massa: He is a joke. He can only, and ONLY race when he is leading?? WTF is up with that?? I know todays pit problem wasn't exactly his fault. But he got out, could catch up with the field, and STAYED PUT for the rest of the race. That piss me off more than anything. He is and has always been a total NO-SHOW when not being in the top 5. IF he should somehow pull a rabbit out of the hat and win the WDC I would be happy, but I would also know it was not because of his driving, more than it would be because of Hamilton's mistakes. And he is still a rookie and can afford to make those mistakes. Massa have been in the game for too long to IMO constantly getting away with the mistakes he make. Massa just need to be sacked. Neither Kimi or Filipe seem to be particular proud of driving for Ferrari. Michael Schumacher was proud, and he was showing it. Kimi and Filipe shows absolutely nothing. Shame on them!! From the next season Todt should be back in charge of the team. Alonso and maybe Vettel should drive the cars. The other three just don't have what it takes. So, lets start all over in 2009 with a new boss and new drivers. But lets make the first step from the next race by getting the lollipop man back! That light system needs to be sacked as well!!!
Mmmm.... I think we saw different races because if someone is proud to be part of the Scuderia is Felipe. About Alonso thanks god he will never drive for Ferrari he is a CANCER and he don't race for any other besides himself. The Vettel thing I don't know if he is ready to jump red, no I will put him on hold until the 2011 season.
What races are you watching?? You are incredibly wrong. Massa is the untlitmate team player. He represents Ferrari in the best way possible. He is positive, he works with his teammate, he never gives up. He leads over any other driver in qualifying, he is second in points, would be first if not for problems with the engine and the pit crew. You have to be kidding right? This is a joke thread, right? Because you are so far from correct it is a joke.
I think he's right. Massa has done a fantastic job this season, but he's most definitely not someone who can do anything when he's not starting up front. He's not the total package that Schumi was. He has one method... to qualify very well and win the race from the front row. Other than that.... there's nothing there, IMO. That's great when you have the fastest car on the grid, as Ferrari does. It's not so great whenever anything doesn't go your way (like track position craziness that shuffles everyone around), and it's also not so great when you've not got the fastest car. I think if MS was still at Ferrari, he would be holding a 30+ point lead at this point. I just wish Kimi could come to terms with the car - because he's awesome when he gets it going. If he was able to get the car working the way Felipe seems to, Kimi would be kicking ass this year. I seriously hope that Ferrari has the fastest car on the grid next year because if they don't, and if Kimi still hasn't figured out the way to get the tires working to his satisfaction, this is not going to be a team that can win races if Felipe isn't qualifying in P1.
No, the original post is way off reality. Nobody is the total package as was Michael Schumacher. Bottom line, Schumacher is not at Ferrari, and will not be at Ferrari as a driver. I have no idea why anybody bring ups Michael Schumacher, it is the past, it is different today. I think you underestimate Massa, I continue to disagree with the original post, and with yours also. The fact is that Massa does qualify in P1 muchof the time. Since most F1 circuits are not condusive to passing, this is an excellent attribute. Massa is not second just because he qualifyies well, expecially since the best car on the grid has a chrome finish. There are about 20 other drivers on the grid, and I would still suggest that Massa is at the top of that list.
Hamilton shows signs of being the total package. He's great in the rain, is a very good passer, a good qualifier and has the same "win at all costs" attitude. He lacks the experience of Schumi, and we don't know if he ranks in car development or what not. Alonso is also sort of the total package. He's great in the wet, or the dry. He's a great qualifier and calm and cool racer. And he can actually make a pass! Guys like Kubica and Vettel seem to be pretty good drivers too - they can drive in the wet and make passes too. Regarding Massas attributes, I never said being a good qualifier is a bad thing. It's a GREAT thing, especially (like you said) when you have tracks where passing is difficult. The problem however, is when you don't have the clearly fastest car... and you end up qualifying in P3, P4 and such. If your guy can't pass, then you are screwed. Massa is that guy - he can't pass. Don't take my word for it - look at the facts: Bahrain - qualified P2, managed to grab P1 with a good start and kept it to win the race Spain - qualified P3, managed to grab P2 with a good start and kept it to the end of the race Turkey - qualified P1, kept P1 to win the race Monaco - qualified P1, but we know Massa sucks in rain, finished P3 Canada - qualified P6, finished P5. He only got P5 due to Hamilton crashing into Kimi. Massa had nothing for Glock, Coulthard, Heidfeld. France - qualified P2, finished P1. This was the one where Kimi has an exhaust failure and Massa grabbed the lead. Silverstone - qualified P9, finished P13. This was again proof he sucks in the rain Germany - qualified P2, finished P3. This is the one where he got smoked by Hamilton and eveyrone here was POed that he didn't put up a fight Hungary - qualified P3, finished last due to engine failure. He got a smoking start and got Hamilton and Heiki off the start and cruised in P1 until the engine blew Euro GP - qualified P1, finished P1 Spa - qualified P2, finished P2. Gifted P1 with the penalty Monza -qualified P6, finished P6 Singapore - qualified P1, finished P13 due to team screwup Where on earth do you get the idea that Massa is a good passer? He has never won a race if he didn't start on the front row. NEVER. Not once in his whole career. Every race he won in 2006 and 2007, he started from pole. And that would have held true this year if it wasn't for the French GP where he started in P2 but got P1 because Kimi had an equipment failure and lost the pace and his good start in Bahrain where he managed to snag P1 off the start line. Other than those two events, all of his wins has come from starting on the pole. Massa has never been known as a good passer... for you to suggest that his wins come from something other than qualifying well and holding the lead is crazy - and factually incorrect. As for your assertion that the fastest car is the McLaren - that's also a bunch of crap. Ferrari has 11 fast laps this year. McLaren has 2. BMW has 2. Clearly, the Ferrari *IS* the faster car. Everyone acknowledges the Ferrari is the faster car in the dry. The McLaren is faster in the wet. Massa has done a great job this year... the way things have worked out perfectly suits his driving style and racing skill. When he's in the fastest car, he can qualify well and win from the pole. If that situation does not occur, he can't do squat.
Massa CLEARLY gave up yesterday. He should have floored the dam car, raced up through the field and hoped for another full course yellow, which also came. Had he wrecked the car, big deal. Atleast he would have showed he meant business. And he would have a new fresh engine from the next race. Instead he decided to drive around and pick his nose.
Thanks to SRT Mike. I agree with all of what you said. I would like to add that Monza, although in rain, was a pretty good example on hos much he suck at overtaking. IMO he should have grabbed atleast Heidfeld and Alonso.
Massa did everything he could, he really got screwed when they gave him the drive thru penalty. He overheated his engine waiting to have the fuel hose removed from the car. Now Kimi, is another story. The ice man has brain freeze.
If Massa had wreck the car, what will everyone be saying Massa Sucks, or wow he is a real fighter, do or die attitude... Forza Massa
Here's the bottom line: Right now, Ferrari is competitive only due to the lack of a Michael Schumacher-like talent in Formula 1 racing against them--Hamilton/McLaren included. Massa doesn't have the killer edge to go head to head with someone like Michael, and Kimi is clearly too inconsistent. And it's evident that when things don't go 100% properly within the team, the drivers are unable to step up and compensate. Right now I would be assembling my short list of drivers to consider in replacement of both Massa and Kimi. Think about this--a common defense of Massa is that he's still second in the championship. 30-40 years ago, Commendatore would be threatening him with his job for being second.
well, from what i observe, it's Massa whose saving Ferrari's face this whole season. Kimi, and Ferrari both, have been making mistakes, rookie mistakes, that is. i just think the whole team needs an overhaul. The team made plenty of mistakes during the pitstops, something that barely happened during the Schumacher-Brawn-Todt era. now, it's like happening every 2 races. then there's Kimi. Good 'ol Kimi has been making wayy to many mistakes, mistakes that champions don't make. i'm pretty convinced that he won the WDC last season on a fluke shot. so much of being the 'fastest' guy on the grid.
Kimi will go down as this era's James Hunt. Strong charger when the stars are aligned, and able to take the championship when the door is swung wide open. One of the drivers you'd most like to party with, but doesn't seem to have his whole heart and soul into the sport. Who's to say if Kimi had spent the usual number of years hammering away in the lower ranks, he may have a different focus and appreciation now. Maybe not. But I get the feeling that he'll feel the same way whether he's racing Formula 1 next year or sitting on a yacht.
Your dead wrong about Massa. I did not see really any passing going on the entire race.....it might be cool to be under the lights, but the track sucked as far as ability to pass. Maybe next year without aero but if Massa should have made it back up through the field why did Hamilton stay in 3rd?
I agree with the point that the todt, brawn and schumacher era was amazing, and the current formation of the team isnt as good. You cant blame massa, he has done a great job so far this year, also the race yesterday which the TEAM screwed up, NOT massa. If massa had a normal pitstop he would have won the race, no doubt. after all the time he lost there was just no point in racing the car, and as you say 'race through the field and overtake everyone', is simply not possible on a street circuit. Kimi drove a good race yesterday, up to the point he took a few inches to much of the curb and got launched into the tires, a driver error for sure. but if the curbs werent stupidly high he would have finished fifth. I think the car just doesnt suit him properly, he finds it harder to set it up how he would like it and therefore doesnt qualify for the races well.
Hamilton stayed put because he knew two things. 1. It would be stupid to risk the points by pushing. 2. Massa suck at driving up through the field. I am not blaming Massa for the pit screw-up yesterday. I know that was not his fault. However, I AM blaming him for not doing enough to score points when he is trailing. He never move up through the field when he is behind. Yesterday was no exception. it was the same old story with him. Saying he would have won, if he had had a normal pitstop is likely, but also pure speculation. he didn't lose too much time in the pitstop as there was a full course yellow. And it is possible to overtake on a street circuit. As for Kimi. Sack him as well. He tried too late to change things. If he still have problems setting up the car this far into the season, then his heart is not in it. Sack him.
Singapore was not easy for overtakes, Valencia was not easy to overtake, Monaco...and they are street circuit. Massa had to make a "Drive through" and a rear puncture also, to deal with (so I read)
