KR announced that he has all but given up on the driver's championship for 2006 following his finish in the Spanish GP. Sad, unless the Renault starts to break, this year may develop into a run away for Alonso. By the 8th race, if Schumacher is not within 16 points, it is doubtfull even he can challenge for the championship. So much for the silly points system.
Unfortunately I agree. As it is if alonso plays conservative and finishes 2nd MS needs 8 1sts to catch up, basically all due to 1 DNF! Right now, FA needs to finish 1 race out of the points with MS finishing 1st or second for MS to even get back in the fight. As for KR, despite being 3rd in the Driver's standing's, it's over for him unless both MS and FA have multiple finishes out of the points, and the McLaren team gets back on track! Wonder what FA is thinking about his decision to go to McLaren right now???
The points system is the best way to reward consistent performance. But, there should be a larger gap between 1st and 2nd place than 2 points IMHO. The gap should be a least 5 points...
I don't think FA is necessarily regretting his decision, after all look how quickly fortunes can change. Ferrari were dominating for several years and people thought they were invincible but then look what happened. McLaren had that AWFUL car, what, 3 years ago now? Ron was basically embarassed to the point where he admitted the car sucked and they would just try to pull it together for the next season. McLaren is a very strong team and they are definitely due up for a good season and a good car. Renault have been very good for 2 years and pretty good for a year before that. Who'se to say that next year they will still be good? For those that say "of course they will!" just look at Ferrari. Toyota is looking to move up and are getting tired of their bad finishes. Same with Honda. Same with Ferrari. Same with Red Bull. They can't all be #1 and Renault has some pretty stiff competition.
I totally agree with everything you said, but obviously he (FA) would feel better if they (McLaren) were doing better. Also remember, last years dismal ferrari performance was at least in large part due to a change in tire regs, and this years resurgeance also likely largely due to change in tire regs and engine rules. Big changes in rules shakes things up... Not aware of any big changes coming for 2007, but it's early! Obviously McLaren has the ability to rebound, but I think it's a safe bet that when Alonso signed on, he expected better performance from this year. I'm betting he expected them to have their reliability issues of 2005 solved, and that McLaren would win the WC.
McL's largest problem is that they lost 2 key engineers in Newey and Prodromou to RBR. And this is starting to manifest itself in the way of not being able to develop the car further to match the front runners. I've read where McL are looking to poach some key engineers from Renault and they certainly have the wallet to out pay anything Renault can offer. If they are successful in replacing the lost engineering talent and along with FA they will be back winning races if not next year then not long thereafter.
It really is a shame that they lost Newey, why on earth he would leave a winning team (besides money) is beyond me. I hope we'll see the McLaren team pick up some Renault engineers, it'll be sad to see them out of the top 2-3.
He might know more about Renault's situation in 2007 than we do. I'd rather sit rich in a mediocre McLaren, than nowhere with no salary. As far as Kimi goes: Only makes sense with Alonso having twice the points and the McLaren trend pointing downwards. However I don't see Alonso run away with this thing. 15 points is still nothing. One DNF and the chase is wide open again. But as MS said: The Scuderia has already used up all its jokers, they need to be consisten till the end.
3 years ago? I'd say 2. They were pretty bad in the 2004 season with the MP4-19. That's when I think they ended up 5th in the CC and in 2005 they had to wear the number 9 and 10. 2005 of course was great for them and now it's bad this year. 3 years ago, 2003, was good for Kimi. Finished 2nd in DC and had a chance to win the DC I think at the USGP if he finished 1st and Michael out of the points, but of course we know that didn't happen. Recap: 2003 - Good 2004 - Bad 2005 - Good 2006 - Bad 2007 - ??? Good??? Similar for Williams. 2001-2003 were great years, but then terrible in 2004 like McLaren (both had 1 race win). 2005 wasn't hot for Williams and neither is now. I'm hoping they get better, I'd hate to see Frank leave
Interesting statistic. Does that mean it takes McLaren simpy 2 years to develop a good car? Problem with your trend analysis is, that it doesn't account for Newey's departure.
Point taken and it's very understandable. Maybe this can further convince you: McLaren F1 - Good McMerc SLR - Bad Next? - Good??? J/k! Either way, McLaren will be strong next year with FA coming on board. They'll probably get some new personnel or slap them in the face to make them understand failure is not an option.
Renault now stay in F1 until at least 2012. (GPMA members have agreed to sign a new commercial agreement this past weekend) Renault F1 president Alain Dassas said they are ready to pay out 'whatever is necessary' in the bid to land a top-line driver to replace Alonso next year.
I guess they figured out that Megane sales are wayyyyy up in Spain. I wonder how long that will remain the case or whether there will be an increased demand in SLRs next year.
kr giving up at this point? not surprising. based on the current point system , by finishing 2nd at every gp means the championship...something quite silly. but thats whats rewarding FA at the moment over MS. just wish FIA will do something about it next year
People say it was boring when MS used to run away with the champsionship every year (some years it was), but it would be much worse to watch such a dull person as even-tempered Alonso doing the same. The Spanish GP for example was very boring, and I'm a huge F1 fan..........
