Yeah, but that's part of the reason there is a 'problem' to begin with. Some teams took the opporunity to enhance performance (allegedly) while (?) improving reliability - although I'm not sure how'd you measure that success rate.
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2008 Formula One Thread
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Yeah, but that's part of the reason there is a 'problem' to begin with. Some teams took the opporunity to enhance performance (allegedly) while (?) improving reliability - although I'm not sure how'd you measure that success rate.
I dunno? We'll find something
Seriously, good on Ferrari: this is not a rule I like...
I dunno? We'll find something
Seriously, good on Ferrari: this is not a rule I like...
I'd go back to moaning about Ron Dennis.
To go to the very edge of tin foil hat territory you could say that if the FIA back down then they really are Ferrari International Assistance.
But not even I'd go so far as to say that seriously. F1 needs Ferrari and I need a team to despise.
Every pantomime needs a villain eh?
And you can't get more pantomime than Ferrari!
Not so much "He's behind you!!"
As "He's in front of you (until you get him a 25 second penalty after the race which is not disputable)"
Well BMW's principle has noted that they are not in favor of a spec engine that BMW just slaps their badge on.
I mean Formula One is about showcasing technology, which is why the manufacturers are all blowing nine figures a year on it.
In other news, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay and two senior Cabinet ministers are expected to meet with Ecclestone this week, with the Quebec government keen to retain the event because of the boost it gives to the local economy. Ecclestone previously said no chance for Canada coming back even with France off the calendar, but as always with Bernie, money talks.
I mean Formula One is about showcasing technology, which is why the manufacturers are all blowing nine figures a year on it.
In other news, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay and two senior Cabinet ministers are expected to meet with Ecclestone this week, with the Quebec government keen to retain the event because of the boost it gives to the local economy. Ecclestone previously said no chance for Canada coming back even with France off the calendar, but as always with Bernie, money talks.
but as always with Bernie, money talks.
Perhaps a marionette made out of (biggest denomination bill in Canuckistan)s?
Massa looked in fine form this morning, and even Kimi eventually woke-up and put it a good time. Both McLaren's looked a bit weak, but it is Friday they may have been mostly practicing long runs to determine tire wear. Lewis did his usual BBQing of the fronts so that likely hurt his times, as well.
Lewis will have his China engine in the car, so it will be interesting how conservative McLaren run him versus the new engines in Kimi's and Massa's machines. Heikei will also have a new engine, as well, so he will likely try and play spoiler.
What will be interesting is if Lewis' engine lets go on Saturday during practice. He has never used his "one free spare" engine, but McLaren do not trust the stewards (likely both in general and the Brazilian ones in particular) so they are not putting it in before Saturday practice lest they get hit with a 10 position penalty. But if they blow it and have to change, I wonder if the rules allow them to use that "one free spare" and avoid the penalty. I mean the stewards could slap em with the penalty, anyway, but McLaren would at least have grounds to appeal post-season (especially if they lose the WDC to Massa).
Hopefully, we won't need to test this scenario. I admit that I am really torn this year. I wanted Lewis to win last year - both because he was a rookie and his season was just so amazing - but when Kimi pulled it off, I couldn't feel bad considering all the bad luck he'd had at McLaren.
Massa has been a loyal teammate to both Michael and Kimi in season's past and I tend to think that, like Irvine in 99(?), this is his only shot at the title. Of course, Ferrari threw Eddie's title away with a botched pit-stop (they forgot one of the rear tires) and it is possible Ferrari did the same with Massa in Singapore...
Regardless of who wins, I'll be happy on Sunday.
Lewis will have his China engine in the car, so it will be interesting how conservative McLaren run him versus the new engines in Kimi's and Massa's machines. Heikei will also have a new engine, as well, so he will likely try and play spoiler.
What will be interesting is if Lewis' engine lets go on Saturday during practice. He has never used his "one free spare" engine, but McLaren do not trust the stewards (likely both in general and the Brazilian ones in particular) so they are not putting it in before Saturday practice lest they get hit with a 10 position penalty. But if they blow it and have to change, I wonder if the rules allow them to use that "one free spare" and avoid the penalty. I mean the stewards could slap em with the penalty, anyway, but McLaren would at least have grounds to appeal post-season (especially if they lose the WDC to Massa).
Hopefully, we won't need to test this scenario. I admit that I am really torn this year. I wanted Lewis to win last year - both because he was a rookie and his season was just so amazing - but when Kimi pulled it off, I couldn't feel bad considering all the bad luck he'd had at McLaren.
Massa has been a loyal teammate to both Michael and Kimi in season's past and I tend to think that, like Irvine in 99(?), this is his only shot at the title. Of course, Ferrari threw Eddie's title away with a botched pit-stop (they forgot one of the rear tires) and it is possible Ferrari did the same with Massa in Singapore...
Regardless of who wins, I'll be happy on Sunday.
Do you happen to know if that is confirmed in the regulations?
During the China GP broadcast the SPEED TV folks brought up that in talking with McLaren the team had made a decision to not do it with either Lewis' or Heiki's car due to worries about them being tagged with a penalty, but they implied that it was (at least technically) legal to the regs (which they seem to know).
No way, they need to cut costs further. They need Ford flatheads!
But DAAAAAAAMMNN 15:1 compression!
But DAAAAAAAMMNN 15:1 compression!
I can't be bothered to trawl through the regs, but the Official F1 site confirms it.
Nobody's perfect.
If you didn't have such a rule, anyone with a joker would just play the card on the last race, making a mockery of not only that rule, but also the 2 race engine one.
GO FOR iT lEWIS-WELL NOT TOO MUCH.
JUSTGET 5TH AND STAY ON THE TRACK.
KEEP OUT OF ALONSO'S AND RAIKKENENS WAY AS THEY WILL TRY AND TAKE YOU OFF THE TRACK.
JUSTGET 5TH AND STAY ON THE TRACK.
KEEP OUT OF ALONSO'S AND RAIKKENENS WAY AS THEY WILL TRY AND TAKE YOU OFF THE TRACK.
Sorry, but regardless of if Lewis needs that spare, that's a crap part of the rule. You can have one freebe, but ....ummm, not on the last race. What purpose does that serve? And how is it fair to anybody who hasn't used their spare yet?
Thanks.
Honestly, the fact that you can have a joker, period, makes a mockery of the rule. Felipe Massa used his joker at Monza which means he started 6th instead of 16th and most likely let him finish in the points, period, much less ahead of Hamilton. So he was "gifted" three points and Hamilton was denied at least one (since he would have finished at 6th instead of 7th).
If not for Massa using the joker and finishing as he did, Hamilton would have left China with the Championship since his total would have been 95 and Massa's would have been 84...
McLaren could have used it earlier to change the schedule (or whatever it is they call it) so that Hammy would have a new engine for Brasìl.
Well arguably that would have had to been Japan and then hoping the engine was okay in China. Otherwise, they wouldn't want to risk using it earlier and then ending up needing it at a race prior to Brazil.
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