Silly Season

You are reading far too much into the situation. Massa was given one team order all year, at Brazil. They would have done the exact same thing to Kimi had their roles been reversed. If I were put into Massa's situation I would be down too, man! You had the pace to win the race, but you weren't allowed to, and it was your home race. Massa actually cried last year when he did win it. You know how emotional Brazilians are! :) The point is, Massa just put pen to paper on a nice and tidy, lucrative long term contract with Ferrari in the weeks prior to the Brazil race. He knew that he would have to do it if the situation arose, and he knows that Ferrari would do the same for him if the opportunity presented itself. Massa is not the Barichello to Raikkonen, and the analogy just doesn't fit, the two are far too closely matched, as was seen this year, to make such a comparison.
 
IIRC Massa signed a long term contract extension with Ferrari before the season ended. He would be foolish to leave Ferrari and he knows it.
 
Re: No Respect

The F-1 gods are looking for yet another way to push my hot button (snub Champ Car & American drivers). As Nando is talking to Red Bull (which has genuine merit IMHO), the speculation is that SeaBass Bourdais would be sent home to make room for Webber who would be bumped down to Toro Rosso. Sure, it's just wild rumors, but as a former hard core CC fan (say 94-03), it gets to me. :mad:
 
Re: Christmas came early

Brawn to Honda
That's huge and the best news we've had all for a couple of seasons. I had forgotten all about that since there's been no talk of that since back in the spring.

His appointment represents a shift in thinking for which Fry must take much of the credit. .....A management culture unsuited to Formula One, which requires decisions to be taken quickly by one man, not by committee, failed to deliver.
Here's to mother Honda for finally waking up to what is (was) probably the basic problem. And needless to say, Fry's stock just skyrocketed. :cool:
 
Re: Christmas came early

That's huge and the best news we've had all for a couple of seasons. I had forgotten all about that since there's been no talk of that since back in the spring.


Here's to mother Honda for finally waking up to what is (was) probably the basic problem. And needless to say, Fry's stock just skyrocketed. :cool:

Wow. This is the blockbuster move Honda needed to make to compete. They are so far in the hole that only someone like Brawn can pull them out. I didn't think Fukui had it in him.

I like the article's line "The move will ease the concerns of Jenson Button..." You think?! Button's probably been uncorking the Cristal for the past week.

Thanks, Honda, for stepping to the plate and growing a pair.
 
Re: Christmas came early

Thanks, Honda, for stepping to the plate and growing a pair.

My sentiments exactly. And not only just hiring the guy but giving him full control of design, manufacturing, and engineering of the team's car. Thank God he's got control of race strategy as well 'cuz that had absolutely killed Honda in the past.

Now I'm really looking forward to next year. Maybe Brawn will get Honda to produce a legitimate NSX successor too. ;)

Here's the autosport article: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63900
 
Re: An even more outrageous thought

maybe Fred sees himself as the Savior to some well funded team that's hopelessly adrift just as Ferrari was when Schumi rescued them.
Could Fred follow Ross? After all, if Renault is in so much trouble, (eyes glassing over, looking up into the corner)........... Naw..........don't even go there. :redface:
 
Though possible, I think Alonso eyeing Honda or vice versa has a slightly better chance than a snowball in Hades. Alonso wouldn't have automatic #1 status, the RA108 and engineering staff at Honda are largely unproven, and team management across the F1 board have to be leary of Alonso's behavior at McLaren.

Add to that, RB's statements of:

Brawn expressed full confidence in both drivers, saying they were as good as anyone and it was now up to Honda to give them the tools to do the job.

...and it seems fairly clear RB isn't interested in the destabilising influence of a prima donna of Alonso proportions.

The only certainty in this is that Nakamoto will be sent home if he isn't there already.
 
Screw Alonso...Brawn should try to recruit this relatively obscure "has been":

TODAY's testing times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:21.922 64
2. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:22.129 76
3. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:22.687 63
4. Kovalainen Renault (B) 1:22.802 81
5. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1:22.883 56
6. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:23.008 46
7. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:23.187 66
8. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:23.332 55
9. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:23.624 46
10. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:23.671 75
11. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:23.847 58
12. Montagny Toyota (B) 1:23.861 61
13. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:24.048 77
14. Zuber Honda (B) 1:24.065 77
15. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:24.193 51
16. Davidson Super Aguri-Honda (B) 1:24.246 70
17. Rossiter Honda (B) 1:24.480 69
18. Chandhok Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:24.896 39
19. van der Garde Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:25.317 84
20. Rodriguez Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:26.973 87

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63920
 
Re: Un-f___ing real !!

Brawn should try to recruit this relatively obscure "has been":

TODAY's testing times:

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:21.922 64
Doesn't that just take the cake !!! :eek: After he went out on that motorcycle test and turned in some relatively decent times for his inexperience, Despain made a joke about starting the rumor he'd be riding for BMW next year. With talent like that, you can make up almost anything and someone will believe it. :tongue:
 
Re: Un-f___ing real !!

Doesn't that just take the cake !!! :eek: After he went out on that motorcycle test and turned in some relatively decent times for his inexperience, Despain made a joke about starting the rumor he'd be riding for BMW next year. With talent like that, you can make up almost anything and someone will believe it. :tongue:

I don't think anyone ever accused MS of having little talent. He is amazing and probably would have won his 8th title in 2007 had he driven. They always say it's amazing that a man with his talent had to cheat at all...

Anyways, that is pretty impressive beating Kubica and Heidfeld in the BMW by nearly a full second and over a second and a half, respectively. They certainly round out the top 5 & 6 drivers in F1 and the BMW is a very quick car. DLR, a crafty veteran in an equally fast (if not faster) car is no slouch either.
 
Re: What's the big deal??

So what if Schumi was fastest again today and all without traction control?

And not just fastest by a small margin either: almost 6 tenths over his teammate. I'd love to see how Schuey would do away from Ferrari but there's no way he'd leave the Scuderia especially for Macca.
 
Re: What's the big deal??

And not just fastest by a small margin either: almost 6 tenths over his teammate. I'd love to see how Schuey would do away from Ferrari but there's no way he'd leave the Scuderia especially for Macca.

Yes, it's very impressive, no doubt. Remember, he's the only one with experience driving an F1 car without TC other than Coulthard. That's where experience will really show and probably why DC had better times than both Heidfeld and Rosberg who have presumably faster cars.

Is it confirmed the cars in this test are 2008 TC disabled versions?
 
Re: TC, old age and treachery

Is it confirmed the cars in this test are 2008 TC disabled versions?
I was wondering the same thing, but thought, well, if others are still using TC, which I believe is undeniably an advantage, then that makes Schumi's showing even more impressive.

Remember, he's the only one with experience driving an F1 car without TC other than Coulthard.
Good point; the old man whips up on those punk whipper snappers!! :cool: (Oh wait, where does that leave me..............:redface: )
 
Re: Reading between Flavio's lines

OK, Fred is still contemplating where he will land. So, where are we now? Well if Fred believes the WMSC won’t bust Renault’s balls like they did McLaren, fabulous Flavio will probably get his wish:

McLaren
Lewis
Heikki

Renault
Fred
Adrian Sutil?? Nelson Piquet Jr.??

Spyker (Pride of India)
Adrian Sutil?
Ralf? Fizzy-cola? Liuzzi? Klein? Rodrigues? Karthikeyan?

Everyone else has found a seat and will stay put.

Ferrari
Kimi
Felipe

BMW
Nick Heidfeld
Robert Kubica

Williams
Nico Rosberg
Nakijema

Red Bull
David Coulthard
Mark Webber

Toyota
Jarno Trulli
Timo Glock

Toro Rosso
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastien Bourdais

Honda
Jenson
Rubens

Super Aguri
Takuma Sato
Anthony Davidson

Seems too easy; the drama can't be over yet...........:tongue:
 
Re: Alonso to announce today?

Well whenever the announcement comes, it'll probably be more of a whimper than a bang. Everyday it looks more and more like Nando's between a rock and a hard place. His $90 mill Telefonica payday w/ Flavio has left the building; he can't be sure what the Renualt penalty will be on Dec 6, or if parsimonious Renault will even still be around in 08, and he appears to be holding out for one year only (Ferrari deal in 09?), which is not a good deal for developing/struggling teams like Red Bull, Honda or Toyota.

If the Ferrari deal is what he's holding out for, maybe he'll have to race to these next year?

Sorry, slow day. Hey, it could have been worse; I was going to start a new thread: "Roush hires Alonzo" :eek:
 
Re: Are we there yet?

With Renault getting away pretty clean yesterday, and then being quoted on a likely 2 year deal, it sounds like the odds of Fred back to Flav's house are pretty strong. Will this be the likely line-up for the last remaining seats?

McLaren
Lewis
Heikki

Renault
Fred
Nelson Piquet Jr

Spyker (Pride of India)
Adrian Sutil
who cares.....

I'd bet lunch.....:wink: Any takers?
 
Re: Heikki's my bet

I don't think Heikki is going anywhere. With Fisi stinking up the joint even if Alonso comes back Piquet might not work out and Heikki is good enough for Renault to want to keep him but not good enough for McLaren, IMO.
Do you think Heikki will be a foot stool for Fred? He might if he has to, but I don't think he wants to. Fishi is gone, probably out of F-1 for good unless Force India throws him a life line, so he means nothing to this discussion.

And who else does McLaren have to go after? Pedro's over the hill, Rosberg just got a big raise from Frank Williams after happily driving for peanuts. Sutil seems to be appreciated and settled in at Force India. Ron could bring in a dark horse (there's a couple out there), but no one else well known is in the running.

So, where we going for lunch? :smile:
 
Re: Heikki to McLaren or Toyota? it's up to Ron

Heikki's waiting for the call from Ron who's pondering speed and the future vs. Spanish sponsor $$. Pedro has the sponsor $$, Heikki's probably got a trunk load of cheese or whatever Finland's famous for. :rolleyes:

But if this quote
Hamilton, by contrast, is reported to be pressing McLaren to appoint Kovalainen as his team-mate next season rather than the undistinguished Pedro de la Rosa. Rather than be cautious of being paired with a fast team-mate, Hamilton evidently believes that such a challenge will bring out the best of his own talents - as Alonso found out to his cost last season.
is true, Ron should pick Heikki, don't ya think?

And more power to Hamo. :cool: Of course he may be saying that now to make Fred look small, but at least he said it. More than I can say for some guys out there.
 
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