Canadian GP 2008

[donskar]

GOOD race. With good RACING.

Too many commercials, AND we'll have to endure Fox and those commercials for another TWO races. On that point: there were more commercials because there was more appeal for advertisers - larger audience on Fox mid-day than on SPEED very early in the morning. We take a little solace in that.

Massa has moved up a notch in my opinion. IF Kimi retires and IF Alonso moves to Ferrari, I think Alonso will want Massa out.

I'm half-Polish, so VERY happy for Kubica. Now let's see how long it will take BMW to be able to win without weird circumstances! Weird circumstances: Massa's fueling problem and Hamilton's brain fade effectively removed all competition. (Whatever happened to Heiki?)

Hamilton. Suffering from the "too-much-too-soon" syndrome? Really stupid mistake. Think what we lost: Kimi and Kubica leaving the pits side-by-side with Hamilton right behind them (with a bit of momentum). THAT could have been good!

[WhiteBlue]

Massa's pass at the hairpin was real eye candy. I agree. Here in Germany you can get the race comercial free on pay TV. this was a race that was worth the money.

[Moanlower]

Looks like Kubica will get his contract for 2009 on that performance.

You can turn that around and say BMW will have to dig even deeper in their pockets now if they want to prevent Kubica from going to Ferrari. He is now earning (only) $5m but i'm sure you can multiply that by 4 for next year. I would love to see Kubica and Alonso at Ferrari but i'm afraid it will be one or the other.

Piquet drove a good race and showed what he's capable of. Next 2 races will be on circuits that he knows well.

Also a very good race for Massa which had bad luck with the pitstops but was able to cruise through the field and made some very nice passings.

[Belatti]

I can´t believe there is still people comparing Kimi-Sutil crash to what this dyslexic kid did.

From the other 18 drivers in the grid, for sure 17 would have crashed with the wall AND with Sutil at a higher speed than Kimi did! He was racing in a wet difficult track for god sake! That doesn´t deserve punishment!

Again, Kimis behaviour is superlative. Just remember Shumacher in Belgium 1998 and you´ll understand what I am talking about!

BTW, France GP has a clear spot to overtake (Adelaide hairpin) and also the brave would try in the last corner.

About comercials... FOX LA (Latin America) also sucks with comercials... luckily I have got TV OGlobo from Brazil, that shows the full race, so when FOX LA is off, I can make some Zapping and put the "Picture In Picture" function so I know when to return to spanish TV.

[DaveKillens]

I'd like to go along the sequence of events that culminated in Hamilton hitting Kimi. A car on the track was in trouble, even the TV announcers predicted that a safety car would go out. Hamilton was near his pit window, and JUST before the safety car came out, Hamilton had the opportunity to nip into the pits. He did not, and wound up behind the safety car. (Kubica mentioned that he had intended to pit, but three seconds before he was at the pit entrance, the red light came out and he had to stay on track) First point, Hamilton and McLaren missed a golden opportunity to get in and pit just before the safety car. Then, once the pits were open, Hemilton came in first, but was beaten out by the two cars behind him, namely Kimi and Kubica. Second point, McLaren did not perform a good pit stop, and lost positions. So Hamilton probably had a lot of angst inside his helmet, had too much thoughts rolling around in his noggin, and made a very human mistake.
If blame is to be laid, on my opinion, his team fudged up and started the train of events that led to Hamilton's problems.

[roost89]

why would it be better to start from the pit lane??? doesnt he have to wait until all the cars pass until he can leave which means he will be last...and if he's fulled for a one stopper he wouldnt be super fast which would make it harder for him to overtake

and if he was stuck behind someone like coultard.....

I know I'm tking the bait here but...who landed in 3rd and who crashed? I distinctly remember it was Coulthard in 3rd and Hamilton that crashed. I'd be scared to be in-front of Hamilton

A good strategy for Lewis could be to run light, secure Pole, be relegated to P11, as he's light he should be able to make up 2 or 3 (perhaps more) positions from start alone and then push very very hard in the opening laps to push into the top 4 or 5, once he's in that position he can continue with a normal two stop strategy.

Should Nico try and do a similar strategy to that?

[WhiteBlue]

Again, Kimis behaviour is superlative. Just remember Shumacher in Belgium 1998 and you´ll understand what I am talking about!

I also thought that Kimi was pretty cool. Compare that to Massa who could be showing the finger at that stage. I think he did this to Alonso last year in the dressing room when they had an argument about an incident. Later when Kimi was interviewed by Italian TV he got more lively as well.

[sebbe]

I can´t believe there is still people comparing Kimi-Sutil crash to what this dyslexic kid did.

Now you're showing how much of a tifoso you are, like most Argentineans...

Lewis' was a stupid mistake and didn't deserve any punishment.
Nowadays drivers are just sissies and they need the aid of FIA to prevent themselves against crashing with each other!

[JamesS]

Should Nico try and do a similar strategy to that?

Won't be affective with Nico, due to his slower race pace.

I think Hamilton has a chance to make up the places running light and a short 1st stint.

[Conceptual]

I can´t believe there is still people comparing Kimi-Sutil crash to what this dyslexic kid did.

Now you're showing how much of a tifoso you are, like most Argentineans...

Lewis' was a stupid mistake and didn't deserve any punishment.
Nowadays drivers are just sissies and they need the aid of FIA to prevent themselves against crashing with each other!

And Kimi didnt deserve to have his race ruined by a guy that he beat out of the pits. On top of that, Ferrari didn't deserve to lose the manufacturer points due to McLarens incompetence.

Anytime there is a non-racing incident that is (should) avoidable, there should be a penalty. These cars are too expensive, and to be honest, so are the drivers lives. Hamilton should have his super license pulled after showing how badly he pays attention to what he is doing.

There is no excuse for idiocy like that at this level.

Chris

[WhiteBlue]

This is what Kimi said to Italian TV

I'm not angry but what Hamilton did was stupid. I'm not the right person to talk about a shunt, given what happened in the last race, but it is one thing to collide on the track in the heat of the race and another in the pit lane when you are stopped at a red light.

It is really a most annoying experience, I can tell you, even when you are on a road and not on a track. Twelve years ago I was hit by a completely drunk driver from behind while I was stationary at a red traffic light waiting for a left turn. The two other lanes had a green light. I never thought that accident could happen. aparently it can even to the best drivers in the world.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGW6ypQUztY[/youtube] this adds a better perspective.

[sebbe]

There is no excuse for idiocy like that at this level.

Last time I said stupid-Takuma Sato was stupid and a no-brain because of his fearsome and idiotic moves everybody stood in his defense.
Now that Hamilton does a stupid thing everybody has something to say because he is successful and thus, controversial.

Besides, poor Ferrari was damaged because they were doing such a great work. And McLaren didn't suffer for their own stupidity?
It would been different if Lewis had nothing to loose and smashed Kimi just to inflict damage. That's why I say NO the the 10-grid penalty.

I'm just trying to keep the same line of thought; Kimi is stupid for having crashed in Monaco and Lewis is stupid for having crashed Kimi. Neither of them deserve a punishment because it was a bad move in both situations.
But one of them was punished, Red FIA in action again.

[Belatti]

I can´t believe there is still people comparing Kimi-Sutil crash to what this dyslexic kid did.

Now you're showing how much of a tifoso you are, like most Argentineans...
...

[-X No no negro la pifiaste!
I´m not a Tifosi, I´m just saying that Kimi´s mistake was due to driving fast in a wet tricky track and Lewis´s mistake was cause he lost focus (come on, he wasn´t even looking foward)

And Kimi didnt deserve to have his race ruined by a guy that he beat out of the pits. On top of that, Ferrari didn't deserve to lose the manufacturer points due to McLarens incompetence.

[-X
McLarens incompetence? What has McLaren got to do with it?
McLaren is a TEAM and Lewis is a DRIVER.
The mistake was made by Lewis, the DRIVER, not McLaren, the TEAM!

You sebbe may think "Red FIA" acting again, but tell me why didn´t Lewis choose to hit both (Kubica and Kimis) cars? Or even the Bimmer?

Again (yes, because maybe it is not quite clear):
- Kimi: fast cool WC driving dude, can make a mistake
- Lewis: a newbie, has lots to learn, lacks humility

[Conceptual]

I can´t believe there is still people comparing Kimi-Sutil crash to what this dyslexic kid did.

Now you're showing how much of a tifoso you are, like most Argentineans...
...

[-X No no negro la pifiaste!
I´m not a Tifosi, I´m just saying that Kimi´s mistake was due to driving fast in a wet tricky track and Lewis´s mistake was cause he lost focus (come on, he wasn´t even looking foward)

And Kimi didnt deserve to have his race ruined by a guy that he beat out of the pits. On top of that, Ferrari didn't deserve to lose the manufacturer points due to McLarens incompetence.

[-X
McLarens incompetence? What has McLaren got to do with it?
McLaren is a TEAM and Lewis is a DRIVER.
The mistake was made by Lewis, the DRIVER, not McLaren, the TEAM!
You sebbe may think "Red FIA" acting again, but tell me why didn´t Lewis choose to hit both (Kubica and Kimis) cars? Or even the Bimmer?

Again (yes, because maybe it is not quite clear):
- Kimi: fast cool WC driving dude, can make a mistake
- Lewis: a newbie, has lots to learn, lacks humility

I would say that lewis is a representative of the McLaren team, thus it was an accident caused by McLaren incompetence.

Maybe if McLaren had thought to teach Lewis what the red light at the end of the pit lane meant sometime within the last 10 years of his development, this wouldn't have happened...

Maybe it is time to remove all controls from the steering wheel? That way, the driver isn't distracted while leaving the pits.

Chris

[WhiteBlue]

I agree with Belatti. the team was all right. they even warned Hamilton about the red light (but perhaps too late).

I would never have contemplated a penalty for Kimi's driving at Monaco. It was very obvious that he tried to avoid the accident and DC's shunt showed that the driving mistake could be easily made. I thought at the time that Ferrari should compensate FI financially but not about a penalty.

Shunting in the pit lane for not realising other cars are stopping at a red light is dangerous driving and can easily be avoided by concentrating on the job at hand. a penalty for this is appropriate while one can argue for 5 or 10 places. Martin Witmarsh agreed to this. perhaps the team must do abit of training for such situations. with a proper mental check list you are prepared for a red light.

having looked at the constructors I am really amazed how Red Bull have jumped ahead of Renault. Alonso has thrown away a lot of points in Monaco and again in Canada. I'm afraid 2009 will not go much better for them considering their late start on KERS.

another bad race for Williams and Nico. they need to focus on points. the first BMW victory could not have found a stronger contrast than the zero points result at Williams. Frank Williams clearly took a wrong turn in 2004 and 2005 in my view when he allowed Pat Head to go to war with Theissen. Theissen has now shown that he can build up and lead a team and Head demonstrated that he cannot lead an engineering team in the age of aerodynamics. he was lucky he had Newey in the 90ties but moderate success only came after Sam Michael took over.