2008 F1 Season

[m3gtr]

You know... I dont think Heikki is the right guy for that other seat - I never felt he was to begin with. Lewis is obviously incumbent, was always going to be, so i cant for the life of me understand why they haven't put a level head next to him - one with experience and scars to show for it, yes as BB mentioned, someone like Webber. Webber can offer the platform that Hamilton can grow from and Webber in turn can benefit but he would have to understand he would be playing a large part in the growth of the other driver. I wonder if theres a driver as accommodating as that...

The simplest reason is that there was no more experienced pair of hands available since everyone had their contracts.

I dont even think Webber would have to consider capitulating to the youngster, i think he would be a great steadying hand to the rapidly growing Hamilton. The Young gun, Older wiser head have always been a great combination and more often that not, have been like iron sharpening iron.

Both became sharper.

Unfortunately for Heikki, Lewis is forging ahead - one look at the drivers standings and the points gap and you can clearly see.

Ive still go hope for Webbo - at Mac.

[m3gtr]

Heikki, despite being fuelled heavy by Mclaren...

“Not only was Heikki fuelled longer than anybody who qualified ahead of him, but we were also heavier than anybody who was subsequently placed ahead of him on the grid due to his penalty. That puts his qualifying performance in proper perspective and shows just what an outstanding job he did in Q3.

He also did a great job to overcome the disappointment of his demotion on Saturday to drive a fantastic, attacking race at a circuit that's notorious for its difficulty to overtake. He only really had one or two opportunities to run in free air and he grabbed them with both hands. Between laps 42-52, he was the quickest guy on the circuit; and immediately after his second stop, on laps 52-57, he galloped up to Trulli and really hounded him to the flag."

Martin Witmarsh.

[Roy]

Adam, you need to go easy on yourself, you are going to pop a blood vessel

[Beer Baron]

change of topic.

I reckon bourdais is not long for this game. no doubt his car is sub par, but looking at what vettel is doing in it is making bourdais look very second rate. I predict at the end of the year he will be one more camp car driver who couldn't cut it in F1.

I'm not sure if this is the 'wife' they keep referring to, or if he just took a photo op with her (miss france) but if he's getting in there then it is the best move he will pull all season. she is smoking.

[Beer Baron]

even the loser F1 drivers can pull super hot chicks. I really am in the wrong field.... even the likes of sato probably got to dip his wick in a few groupies.

[djr81]

change of topic.

I reckon bourdais is not long for this game. no doubt his car is sub par, but looking at what vettel is doing in it is making bourdais look very second rate. I predict at the end of the year he will be one more camp car driver who couldn't cut it in F1.

I'm not sure if this is the 'wife' they keep referring to, or if he just took a photo op with her (miss france) but if he's getting in there then it is the best move he will pull all season. she is smoking.

Miss France is the one with the handbag?

[Roy]

I disagree, considering Bourdais is learning the ropes at STR and an F1 car not to mention tracks he hasn’t driven in years. I think Bourdais is coming along nicely and is doing a sterling job of keeping up with a very talented Vettel. And Bourdais is another guy who I like because of the way he approaches F1. He is there for the racing, not the glitz and glamour. LOL, have to remember his entry to the Aus GP, back entrance driving a Camry!

And at present we pull the best chicks, imagine if we were 4ft 10” F1 drivers! Paula says hi by the way

[m3gtr]

Adam, you need to go easy on yourself, you are going to pop a blood vessel

Dezz baited the hook well.

[Beer Baron]

I disagree, considering Bourdais is learning the ropes at STR and an F1 car not to mention tracks he hasn’t driven in years. I think Bourdais is coming along nicely and is doing a sterling job of keeping up with a very talented Vettel. And Bourdais is another guy who I like because of the way he approaches F1. He is there for the racing, not the glitz and glamour. LOL, have to remember his entry to the Aus GP, back entrance driving a Camry!

And at present we pull the best chicks, imagine if we were 4ft 10” F1 drivers! Paula says hi by the way

yes it is true. I guess in a way I am an F1 driver. I told plenty of people that when I was in japan and they all seemed to believe me. things went even better though when I started telling people I was a team owner... paula can shuffle my deck any time...

[ctjet]

is it true that this is the first time that Massa has lead the WDC?!

... if it is, i find it a staggering statistic

[Marco-R34GTT]

4 different leaders in after 4 different races..

Kimi.

Louise.

Kooby.

Leep.

[ctjet]

i see what you're doing... and its not going to catch on

Mclaren and teh Fez are MILES infornt of everybody thats testing at Silverstone, and seeings its the next race, expect a two horse race to the finish

On a happier note Honda is testing a very different nose to the current dumbo ears 'solution'

... much sexier

[ctjet]

Force India considering engine supplier switch

Force India may be considering a change of customer engine supplier for the 2009 season, according to reports.

The Silverstone-based team, having changed ownership prior to the start of this season, is currently powered by Ferrari's 2.4 litre V8s.

But according to the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell, meetings may already have taken place - in the Montreal paddock earlier this month - between Force India and Honda chiefs.

Force India is contractually bound to the Ferrari deal, but it is suggested that the Vijay Mallya-owned squad is interested in Honda's offer of engines plus its KERS system at a lower price.

Rumours have abounded since the collapse of the Honda satellite Super Aguri this year that Honda is still keen to expand its F1 presence beyond the Brackley based works team.

Motorsport Aktuell claims that Honda is offering its engine-KERS package to Force India for a price 10 million Euros per season lower than the Ferrari deal, as long as Takuma Sato is accommodated for a race seat.

Force India has reportedly not yet taken a decision.

... good and bad

good that Force India is looking to be a long term player

bad that fkn Taku seems always to shaft more deserving guys out of seats solely because of his nationality

[dezz]

and where do they think they're gonna go with a Honda engine....Its not taking Honda anywhere...

[ctjet]

because they've spent a mountain of TIME and money developing their systems to a standard that Vijay sees fit to run his cars for the forseeable future. Much more time than any other potential top team anyway.

Most of the other top teams had already heavily invested TIME and money in 08 cars, to the detriment of their '09 programs.

that, and they're asking 20million dollars less than ther current suppliers... and money talks

[dezz]

Well I personally see it as a step in the wrong direction. Save 10million, yes, but how competitivie will they be with the Honda engines as opposed to the Ferrari engine. Race performances = money, so saving some money here, may cost them there.

[ctjet]

the differnce in horsepower between the big spenders these days is negligible, especially in 09 trim... your talking about 10-15hp max

Vijay is banking on tha fact that Honda have spend MUCH more time than ferrari and are rumoured to be a long way infront of most other teams and their respective KERS systems. To expect that this years running order will be the same next year is short sighted. Honda WILL do well next year, and Force India are taking a calculated risk in jumpng onboard with them

You dont get to be billionaire by playing it safe

[ctjet]

Thursday morning testing times from Silverstone

1. HAMILTON McLaren 1m19.170s

2. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m20.321s

3. HEIDFELD BMW 1m21.011s

4. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m21.059s

5. ALONSO Renault 1m21.297s

6. BARRICHELLO Honda 1m21.344s

7. SUTIL Force India 1m21.564s

8. GLOCK Toyota 1m21.666s

9. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m21.961s

10. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m22.306s

... woah

[dezz]

Honda in front of Ferrari? lol. ok then.

and 10-15hp at this level can separate the front runners from the back markers.

[ctjet]

ah no...

Aero, suspension compliance, driver skill, balance etc play a much bigger part than 15hp. 50hp-60hp would seperate first from last. And as far as KERS systems go, whats to say that Honda arent infront of ferrari, how would you or i know? How that transates to ontrack performance is still very much unknown

So again, its all about value for money, and currently Force India must not feel like they're currently getting that