Chinese GP 2007

[checkered]

Silly staying out on those tyres though, whoevers decision it was. He didn't have any sort of grip on the circuit. He should have been nrought in much sooner. Race control knew it wasn't going to rain for the rest of the G.P. so why didn't McLaren who claim to have been "waiting to see what the weather was going to do". Way to go Kimi and Vettel though.

I'll second that. The team

should've just told him in no uncertain terms that fighting Kimi for position was inessential with regard to the championship fight, better to go easy on the tyres. I can't quite fathom why they didn't pit him, especially as he lost something like seven (?) seconds per lap due to the tyres' condition at some point. Worn down to the fibre there's just no grip at all to be had from them, not to mention the risk of puncture, structural failure, etc. Tactically this was just as bad as Ferrari with their intermediates in Japan.

A somewhat erratic race. It's my intuition that towards the end of the season that's often the case due to a number of reasons. A lot of action towards the lower midfield of teams, a great boost for STR and points even for Honda. The championship decider to be held at Interlagos for the third year in a row, at this rate the Brazilian F1 fans are being spoiled.

[Ciro Pabón]

Wonderful race. It is hard to keep wet tyres from degrading... poor Hamilton, stuck and all.

It seems he can command stewards to move him when it's convenient. If the six guys that tried to push him had succeded it would have been the... I don't know... third time he can return to the race against regulations? Frankly, I was expecting the crane to deposit the car again on the track.

After all these years when stewards refused to help any driver, Hamilton has found a way to be pushed when he needs it. Funny. Blatantly funny.

He drove a great race, except for the fact he couldn't save the tyres.

The winner of the race: Alonso. Lucky guy.

Miracles can happen. It happened.

Of course, the last GP will be at another price.

[JamesS]

I am mythed as to why Hamilton wanted to stay out on those tyres, he was all over the place. He had a 17 sec lead over Alonso in 4th who was battling Masa for 3rd, plus Alonso hadn't yet changed his tyres, neither had Kimi.

He (Hamilton) should have pitted one maybe even two laps before the saga began, added enough fuel to the end, changed tyres and easily finished 2nd and possibly hung onto 1st. If he did, the title would now be his.

The only explanation I can think of is one of inexperience.

Hamilton's strategy for the first 15 laps worked marvelously well though. He was light on fuel and managed to work a nice early gap. But his / the teams later indecisiveness cost him big.

[waynes]

i watched the first 10 laps this morning then fell asleep (mainly because i was hammered)

i awoke to find not only had Kimi won, but hamilton had slid off in the pitlane

oh the joy

[Haastrup]

Yet another fantastic race and it's good to see a Ferrari cross the line first again But still I can't help feeling a bit sorry for Hamilton. It's going to be a race for the history books in 2 weeks time.

[modbaraban]

waynes, that was a very exciting race to say the least.
You gotta download it and watch it!


That's not a piece of advice, that's a bloody order!!!

[waynes]

ive just this minute finished downloading it mate, getting a coffee and watching it now

[tinhouse]

Here's the real reason it all went belly-up for Lewis:

http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type ... O_ID=41002

LOL.

[Spencifer_Murphy]

I am mythed as to why Hamilton wanted to stay out on those tyres, he was all over the place. He had a 17 sec lead over Alonso in 4th who was battling Masa for 3rd, plus Alonso hadn't yet changed his tyres, neither had Kimi.

Lewis DIDN'T want to stay out on those tyres. Lewis knew for a few laps that the tyres were shot, and the team told him that they wanted to wait until 100% nessecary to pit, so as not to choose the wrong tyre.

Lewis could not see that part of his right-rear tyre was worn down to the canvas, however the team could and as such I'm mythed as to why the team didn't think that racing on three tyres and a rolled up painting canvas was a point that could be deemed 100% nessecary to change tyres.

It was the teams fault, and they've admitted as such.

But these things happen, He's still leading the championship, he's been driving brilliantly these last two races (esp. @ Shanghai which was always regarded as a "Ferrari Track") and Interlargos is thought to favour the Mclaren as it's apparently more compliant with the bumps. And hey, one DNF in the entire season really isn't too bad.

With the exception of the last 6laps on his race @ Shanghai Lewis has got the momentum, he's got the championship lead, and I can see him bagging the title at the next race (I can't believe I'm saying this, this time last year Mclaren were unsure as to whether he was ready for F1).

To be perfectly honest, now I see Kimi as his biggest threat. Fernando's still there of course, but I think if anybody is going to spoil it for Lewis - It's the Iceman.

All said and done, My money's on the boy wonder Lewis.

[vs331]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63139 ... Ron's quote
" The problem was rain and his (Hamilton's) tyres were in the worst condition. But we weren't at all fazed about Kimi. We weren't racing Kimi, we were basically racing Fernando.
Kimi winning and Lewis coming second was adequate. It just didn't quite work out that way."

So finally the cat is out of the bag. All Ron BS about not playing favorites, integrity and such is now out in the open Without Alonso they are gonna suck next year..

I hope Alonso takes out Hamilton in Brazil and Kimi wins the championship. That will be the ultimate justice served.

[vs331]

On Speed TV , they showed Hamilton greeting the entire team after his retirement frm the race.. IMO it was a truly oscar worthy performance by Macca, just a lil sob here or there wud have been enough to clinch the best actor award for Hamilton.. Bravo To me it looked like Nobert Haug was ready to smack him, if it were not for the TV cameras

[Spencifer_Murphy]

What cat is out of what bag - the comment by Ron was in response to a question about Lewis race.

Ron drivers are allowed to race eachother (shock! horror!), so of course its "We were racing against Fernando" as Lewis is part of his team. Just like if roles were reversed it might be "We [Fernando and the team] were racibng Lewis."

At the end of the day I find it hard to believe that you dont understand if Ron would rather have Lewis win. But what Ron would like to see doesn't nessecarily mean that he will give preferable treatment to Lewis. If that was the case, when FA pitted after Lewis tried to, why didn't Ron - i dunno - fix a sort of "Wheel Gun faliure" dropping Fernando a few places as a result leaving only Kimi as Lewis main title contendor going into Brazil? the answer is that even though he probably does rather Lewis win the WDC, he will give 100% professionally (although not personally) to each of his drivers.

I hope Alonso takes out Hamilton in Brazil and Kimi wins the championship. That will be the ultimate justice served

Justice? Justice for what? Fernando claiming to bring all the teams pace since last year alone not withstanding the effort of 1000 other empolyees? Or Fernando trying to blackmail his boss? Or Fernando ranting to the media insted of talking about his concerns to his Boss?

Explain to me how Fernando pushing Lewis off the road will be justice in anyway for anyone? Nobody wants to see a repeat of Australia 1994, after all this politicing people want to see a championship won on track. Unless they have a viod between their ears.

[vs331]

Ron drivers are allowed to race eachother (shock! horror!), so of course its "We were racing against Fernando" as Lewis is part of his team. Just like if roles were reversed it might be "We [Fernando and the team] were racibng Lewis."

At the end of the day I find it hard to believe that you dont understand if Ron would rather have Lewis win. But what Ron would like to see doesn't nessecarily mean that he will give preferable treatment to Lewis. If that was the case, when FA pitted after Lewis tried to, why didn't Ron - i dunno - fix a sort of "Wheel Gun faliure" dropping Fernando a few places as a result leaving only Kimi as Lewis main title contendor going into Brazil? the answer is that even though he probably does rather Lewis win the WDC, he will give 100% professionally (although not personally) to each of his drivers.

Ron used "We" instead on saying Lewis was saying Alonso.. If I'm not mistaken Ron is Macca's boss and so I would take at is "We" means entire Macca and it looks like there are others who agree with this view
http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type ... O_ID=41001 And remember FIA is watching Macca as witness protection.

Justice? Justice for what? Fernando claiming to bring all the teams pace since last year alone not withstanding the effort of 1000 other empolyees? Or Fernando trying to blackmail his boss? Or Fernando ranting to the media insted of talking about his concerns to his Boss?

Explain to me how Fernando pushing Lewis off the road will be justice in anyway for anyone? Nobody wants to see a repeat of Australia 1994, after all this politicing people want to see a championship won on track. Unless they have a viod between their ears.

Justice for Stepney gate and for Macca not respecting Alonso. The same 1000 employees have been working on not winning a championship for the last 7 years and to me they should have been grateful to Alonso, atleast this year for his X factor that has made the difference this year. You have to give credit where it belongs, even though it may be very minimal. I just hope Alonso goes back to Renault next year and things become like 2006
I have been a Macca fan since Senna was there in 93' , but this year I have had enough of their BS..

[lane27]

hello, I guess if you know that in Fuji and Shangai the pressure in the tyres of Fernando Alonso were wrong in the Q3's, in Japan the back tyres, in Shangay all of them, that explains how Alonso was faster all weekend and suddenly in Q3 was slower than Hamilton, Charly Whiting said in Spa he was going to punish McLaren if they betray Alonso, but it is shown he forgets quickly, is this fairness???

Editing: I think nobody deserves to win the championship when somebody else is being sabotaged

[Scuderia_Russ]

hello, I guess if you know that in Fuji and Shangai the pressure in the tyres of Fernando Alonso were wrong in the Q3's, in Japan the back tyres, in Shangay all of them, that explains how Alonso was faster all weekend and suddenly in Q3 was slower than Hamilton, Charly Whiting said in Spa he was going to punish McLaren if they betray Alonso, but it is shown he forgets quickly, is this fairness???

If you englishmen want to win in this way... you can be cunning but you don´t have the litlest piece of honour, it must be in your blood.

What the hell does this mean? (no seriously)