After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
ESPImperium
64
Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 00:08
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Contact:

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

andartop wrote:Here we go again about Nick Heidfeld.. just like last year!
Last time I checked the guy had the same amount of points as Alonso, Kovi and Lewis, when Kimi, Massa and Kubica still have nil.
Give him a break, ok?
He might not be quite the crowd pleaser but he IS a very solid driver.
I would say he is easily as good as Button, and possibly better than Rubens as well.
We KNOW he scored better than Kimi at Sauber in 2001, better than Massa at the same team in 2002, better than Pantano ( :D ) and Glock at Jordan in 2004, almost as good as Webber at Williams in 2005, better than JV and Kubica at BMW in 2006, better than Kubica at BMW in 2007!
Yeah, he is not the next Schumacher, but he surely deserves his place methinks..
And that was his 24th and record equaling classification finish in China as well.

He was the only driver to complete as close to 100% of the laps avalable last year, only missing out on 4 of them.

I rate Nick, maybes not as a first driver, but certaily as a second driver than can push the first driver all the way. Id say he would be a awsome foil for the likes of Alonso or Vettel, not Hamilton as he is too aggressive, and thats where i feel BMW Sauber have the problem, they have a traditionaly conservitive driver in Nick and a Modren Agressive driver in Kubica, and cant develop a harmonious car.

If i were BMW Sauber, id think about getting shot of Kubica and getting Alonso and teaming him with Nick.

User avatar
ringo
225
Joined: 29 Mar 2009, 10:57

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

I would drop both Kubica and heidfield. Though i must agree that Nick is a low risk driver compared to kubica, i would rather a driver that slowly accumulates points than one who wins once in a while.
Who to replace them with? i have no clue; Alonso is a top driver probably close to hamilton in raw skill and aggression, but i dont know if BMW is a good match for him.
They may well be the next team he drives for if it isn't a ferrari.
I agree with BMW needing a driver with killer instinct, its just hard to find one that is available from the current grid.
For Sure!!

User avatar
teecof1fan
0
Joined: 02 Apr 2007, 03:51
Location: Saint Louis, USA

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

[quote="n smikle"] Look at the big picture...Just think deeply about it... [/quote]
I've thought deeply about the big picture, and Hamilton is not in this title hunt
Ahhh, the most soothing, relaxing, and beautiful sound in the world. Looks cool too! http://youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-9Io41bt8

donskar
2
Joined: 03 Feb 2007, 16:41
Location: Cardboard box, end of Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Contact:

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

sticky667 wrote:we don't have a true pecking order yet because we've only had 3 races! one on a street circuit and two of them were wet. hopefully bahrain will show the true pace of the entire field on a full race distance. obviously, we they return to europe, we will see who has the development in line as well.
This thread is good fun, but the above is the most (only?) sensible post yet.

Three races down and we are counting out some teams, crowning a new WDC, pontificating on teams' technical ability, etc?!?!

One comment -- Webber. Will one of you Webber lovers please list his F1 wins? Just the wins, not the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" -- just the wins.

Thank you.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill

sticky667
0
Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 21:33

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

donskar wrote:
sticky667 wrote:we don't have a true pecking order yet because we've only had 3 races! one on a street circuit and two of them were wet. hopefully bahrain will show the true pace of the entire field on a full race distance. obviously, we they return to europe, we will see who has the development in line as well.
One comment -- Webber. Will one of you Webber lovers please list his F1 wins? Just the wins, not the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" -- just the wins.

Thank you.
touché


common sense prevails! yay me!

User avatar
ISLAMATRON
0
Joined: 01 Oct 2008, 18:29

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

donskar wrote:Three races down and we are counting out some teams, crowning a new WDC, pontificating on teams' technical ability, etc?!?!

One comment -- Webber. Will one of you Webber lovers please list his F1 wins? Just the wins, not the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" -- just the wins.

Thank you.
Get off that BS, before this season Button had exactly 1 win, a lucky one at that!
Vettle's 1 last year wasnt as lucky but still only 1. How many wins did Hamilton have before his title run in 2007? ZERO! And Alonso before his 2005 WDC? 1. KIMI before his 2003 2nd place WDC? ZERO!

Prior wins has nothing to do win a drivers ability to mount a championship run.

Before you discount Webber, will you tell us how many wins has anyone had in an RBR before this weekend? We are all smart enough to know that in F1 the car must be capable of winning for any driver to even have a chance.

A Bunch of people were jumping up and down about Kubica's championship creds last year and what is his career win total?

donskar
2
Joined: 03 Feb 2007, 16:41
Location: Cardboard box, end of Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Contact:

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

ISLAMATRON wrote:
donskar wrote:Three races down and we are counting out some teams, crowning a new WDC, pontificating on teams' technical ability, etc?!?!

One comment -- Webber. Will one of you Webber lovers please list his F1 wins? Just the wins, not the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" -- just the wins.

Thank you.
Get off that BS, before this season Button had exactly 1 win, a lucky one at that!
Vettle's 1 last year wasnt as lucky but still only 1. How many wins did Hamilton have before his title run in 2007? ZERO! And Alonso before his 2005 WDC? 1. KIMI before his 2003 2nd place WDC? ZERO!

Prior wins has nothing to do win a drivers ability to mount a championship run.

Before you discount Webber, will you tell us how many wins has anyone had in an RBR before this weekend? We are all smart enough to know that in F1 the car must be capable of winning for any driver to even have a chance.

A Bunch of people were jumping up and down about Kubica's championship creds last year and what is his career win total?
So . . . Just as I thought. No answer. Just smoke.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill

xpensive
214
Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
Location: Somewhere in Scandinavia

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

You know WB, I don't belive it is against the rules of this forum to use the occational "I think" now and again. :)
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"

User avatar
Chaparral
0
Joined: 01 May 2008, 13:10
Location: New England District NSW Australia
Contact:

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

Here's a piece from Ned Flanders and I shake my head - you wonder some time whether F1 sits down at a weekly marketing meeting to plan out the monthly press strategy and marketing mix - I know we used to in the music industry. Then I see Ned would like to see everyone playing by the same rules - well err I thought they were and some people/teams got the mix wrong - gee lifes like that Ned - sorry mate your car is a dog like the Fukari - why do you sound so nervous - oh! I see the board aren't too happy over at Gagaworks - yes well I can see that - so what do you reckon they will do - what!! - bit late for another invasion mate - more like an inversion - so the team will disappear up its own rectum after this year - well --- happens :lol: :lol: what a load of bollocks :)

Theissen: New order good for F1

By Edd Straw Wednesday, April 22nd 2009, 10:04 GMT

BMW-Sauber boss Mario Theissen believes that the mixing up of the competitive order this season is good for Formula 1, even though his team was off the pace in the Chinese Grand Prix.

Responding to comments from Flavio Briatore suggesting that the sport's credibility is being damaged by independent teams beating manufacturers, Theissen said that he disagreed, but that he shared the Renault boss's frustration at the confusion over the diffuser regulations.

"It's refreshing to have a new order on the grid, even if it is not us who has benefitted," said Theissen. "But he [Briatore] is right in saying that a lot of time and money is wasted until all the teams are playing on the same playground again.

"That is something that is not good for the sport. Sport is only interesting and exciting if all the players play by the same rules. We have to get back to this as soon as possible."

Theissen added that despite his team's disastrous showing in China - Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica finished outside the points after qualifying in the bottom half of the grid - the closeness of the field exaggerated their disadvantage.

"There are several effects that haven't been there in previous seasons," said Theissen. "If you look at the field, it's 1.5 seconds from first to last. Years ago, it has been five or even seven, so the slightest mistake in set-up or by a driver puts you low down the grid.

"That's what happened to us in China and it has happened to others before. For the fans, it's generally good, as long as it's not up to us to go down."

Theissen also refused to lay the blame for his team's lack of pace purely on not running with the controversial double decker diffuser. BMW-Sauber is working on its version of the design after it was ruled legal by the FIA Court of Appeal last week, but must also improve other areas of the car.

"I wouldn't say it's purely the diffuser," said Theissen. "We see a big up and down with the other teams, which is quite natural with a new set of regulations. Everyone brings improvements on a race to race basis. There is no clear picture.

"We have a package underway for Barcelona. There's not much for Bahrain, but for Barcelona we will have an upgrade.

"We are still developing the package. It will affect the aerodynamics, but I'm not sure how far we can go with the diffuser and what would be included.

"It will definitely not be the full potential. What we see now is that diffuser development has just started. There is more to come."
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs - there's also the negative side' - Hunter S Thompson

User avatar
WhiteBlue
92
Joined: 14 Apr 2008, 20:58
Location: WhiteBlue Country
Contact:

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

If there is a German manufacturer who might pull out of F1 it is more likely Mercedes. They are considering to go back to supplying just engines in the light of the embarassing experience of the Hamilton lying scandal and seeing their works team beaten by a customer.

I thought that Theissen gave a reasonable and appropriate statement. At the moment it looks like Merc are ahead of them in terms of getting a new diffuser and finding performance. But there are still a lot of races and BMW could be back at the sharp end in the second half. It will not be enough to meet the target of fighting for the championship in my view. But such plans are always difficult to pull off.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best .............................. organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)

firefly
0
Joined: 21 Apr 2009, 06:15

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

WhiteBlue wrote:If there is a German manufacturer who might pull out of F1 it is more likely Mercedes. They are considering to go back to supplying just engines in the light of the embarassing experience of the Hamilton lying scandal and seeing their works team beaten by a customer.

I thought that Theissen gave a reasonable and appropriate statement. At the moment it looks like Merc are ahead of them in terms of getting a new diffuser and finding performance. But there are still a lot of races and BMW could be back at the sharp end in the second half. It will not be enough to meet the target of fighting for the championship in my view. But such plans are always difficult to pull off.
The story as follows: :o

The future of Mercedes' Formula One engagement is constantly under review, Norbert Haug has admitted.

"At least once a year the F1 project is presented to the executive committee and decided for the future," the Stuttgart marque's racing boss said in interview with the SID news agency.

The report said one possibility for Mercedes, this year powering six of the 20 cars on the grid, would be to focus on being a mere engine supplier.

Honda pulled out of the sport at the end of last year, and observers wonder if the economic recession and slump in new car sales will convince another carmaker to follow suit.

"There is no special situation for Formula One, nobody can predict in this crisis what the future brings," Haug admitted.

Haug admits the 'lie-gate' affair, to be probed by the World Motor Sport Council next week, is not good for Mercedes' image. It is clear the marque is therefore not entirely happy about the current shape of the McLaren collaboration.

"We stand with our partner (McLaren) and the current view is that in 2010 we will still be together. But the crucial functions of the team are not engaged by Mercedes," he added."

User avatar
PlatinumZealot
550
Joined: 12 Jun 2008, 03:45

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

Bump
🖐️✌️☝️👀👌✍️🐎🏆🙏

Miguel
2
Joined: 17 Apr 2008, 11:36
Location: San Sebastian (Spain)

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

I'm sorry, but I feel only Ferrari may mount a credible threat against Brawn. It's clear to me that once (if) other teams catch Brawn pacewise, they will favour the faster driver with a good car and the one with most points (Button), but I can't see any team other than Ferrari winning this year on sheer pace. 100 points should be enough to be world champion, and Button only needs 50 points in 12 races. Compare that to the 90 that Alonso, Hamilton or the Ferrari drivers need. And then factor in current car pace.

I may have to eat my words once the RBR DDD proves its worth in Turkey, but it seems to me that Ferrari is closer to Brawn right now.
I am not amazed by F1 cars in Monaco. I want to see them driving in the A8 highway: Variable radius corners, negative banking, and extreme narrowings that Tilke has never dreamed off. Oh, yes, and "beautiful" weather tops it all.

"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." Niels Bohr

User avatar
Ciro Pabón
106
Joined: 11 May 2005, 00:31

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

If the white cars were red and instead of Button the name were Schumacher, I would confuse this championship with the 2004 one... O:)

Interesting the resurrection of Ferrari... on a track low on downforce. Will it continue? Perhaps they will start to beat Brawn if they can put together the aerodynamic package. I think that "gripwise" Ferrari is the best. On the other hand, have you seen the inverted keel design of Brawn for the rear suspension? Notable.
Ciro

Slife
0
Joined: 01 May 2009, 22:05

Re: After three races: who's still in the title hunt?

Post

I think if Ferrari want to have a chance winning WDC/WCC, the other teams would have to also improve alot. That way, hopefully to Ferrari, those teams would occupy the points, rather then Brawn.

So basically unless the whole field improves, Brawn would probably be hard to beat.