Massa out qualifying Alonso for the first time this year, Hamilton and Button strong, Webber with a drs issue and poor lead up to flying lap starting from 6th, Ricciardo closing the gap and Vettel taking another pole … brewing to be a very good race.
If Alonso and Webber get stuck behind Massa … thats race over for them and Massa seems to have a bloody wide car this year lol.
If there’s one thing I took from watching the qualifying, it’s that Hamilton looks like he’s on it. I’m thinking it’s going to be a good race from him.
I don’t think Massa will be too much of a problem, his times were down on Webber’s for all the practise sessions, he just got a good run imo.
I backed the wrong McLaren, lol. Always happy to see JB win though, seems to be one of the few drivers that haven’t let their status go to their head.
Button is the king of the changing track… great to see him win on his 200th GP start.
I still take my hat off to Hamilton though. Had the call to opt for the intermediates and took it when the track was on the edge… turned out wrong but kudos for having the nuts to try it. I wish i could say the same for Mark, but being behind Vettel i bet he was running under team direction all race for it as the feeler for vettel. He needs to tell RBR to fuck off and take Massa’s spot next yr imo.
Shows so often that he has the ability but gets a raw deal more often than not from his team… get into a red jet and be allowed to race like hamilton and button are with a co driver in Alonso rather than being driver 2.
Vettel drove smart. Didnt push too hard and lose out… just maximised where he was to grab 2nd and put more gap between the rest of the field … i heard them saying by Singapore he might even get it wrapped up - would be a sensational season if he can get it in the bag early.
Top effort from ricciardo … 2 spots up on his teammate and showing big improvement every race. Certainly showing his worth and future in the sport. Finishing each race on its own is merit enough imo, seeing others failing more often than not.
3 weeks off sucks balls majorly , want more racing next w/e heh … will have to wait and see what the 2nd half brings.
I thought it was funny when the BBC commentators said something in the lines of ‘Hamilton shouldn’t get penalised simply because he had plenty of room to get his car facing the correct way’, then 10 minutes later he gets penalised :yahoo:
It’s definitely hurting Webber now. A season ago I wouldn’t of wanted to see Mark anywhere else, but it seems that McLaren and Ferrari are fairly competitive again after a slow start this season.
That Helmut Marko poof was talking about Webber’s retirement before the race and you could tell it was something he liked the idea of. Poor bastard, even with a competitive team, he’s still dragging that trademark bad luck around with him.
Mate, can’t wait to see Ricciardo in a more competitive car, even if it’s a Toro Rosso.
Watching Webber and Hamilton in the closing laps was exciting, if you want to know the definition of frustration, just take a look at those two boys over the entire season thus far.
Would guarantee that if he were to move to Ferrari, he’d be in no different a situation than he is now. Man has the pace, but his biggest problem is that he doesn’t always make it count the way Alonso/Hamilton/Vettel do - he’s just not quite as good a driver as them imo (particularly the first 2).
On a side note, all F1 races should involve rain at some point
I dont think so Patty, IF he went to ferrari, they would know he can do as well as Alsono if given the same car. Lets be real… this season is showing that Vettel is getting the full concentration of RBR and Marks the test dummy/base to work on. Not saying thats wrong … as lets face it… they are still strong in the constructors and have a driver sitting pretty for another championship… and their second driver is doing well.
I certainly think we look harder at the relationship due to it being Mark… but its business and RBR are doing it well. From looking at every race this year… i really think Fernando and Mark would enjoy being together - They have been very chummy this year from what you see on the broadcasts ( ie manage to congratulate each other first and have a chat before Vettel etc) That makes the structuring/team play easier to take if one gets the pampering… rather than feeling like your getting shafted every minute and told to smile.
Don’t forget Mark giving Fernando a lift after his car ran out of fuel, lol.
The biggest thing I have trouble grasping is that last season, Webber was easily keeping up with Vettel (outperforming even) but due to a few unfortunate circumstances, he lost out right at the end. This season, Seb has become almost God like. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a top notch driver, but he’s made too much progress from the end of one season to the next, I’m thinking that Newey must of spent a lot more time with developing the car around Vettel than Webber.
I’ve got no idea whether Mark would actually perform better with another team, but I just want to see him away from RBR due to all the shenanigans going on there. Webber looks deflated every time he has to speak on camera, he’s obviously not happy.
Plus (i dont know if this is entirely accurate) but foxsports had an article months ago stating the drivers and their salaries, and massa was almost double to what marks making… if thats the case, I would be happy for him
Edit… Just did some more research and found thats not true, but Massa is still making alot more the Webber
Im not worried if he drives a slower car… but as long as he gets fair ( close to equal) treatment from his Team. IF he does indeed move on … the next RBR driver will be a yes man. No hot blooded drivers to contend with Vettels place.
In it all… last yr, i saw alot of the faults in marks races as his own silly mistakes costing him, this year its his driving keeping him where he is (eg 18th - 3rd anyone lol)… rather then 4-6th atm where his team is putting him imo
Yep, that’s would I would be interested to see. Fair treatment.
He’s definitely improved his consistency from last season, he’s 2nd in the driver’s championship having not won a race yet, that’s impressive on its own. The 3 drivers directly below him have at least won 1 race, if not 2.
No doubt that his performance is also related to a better than average car, my main gripe is that it I honestly think that it still isn’t getting the same attention as Seb’s car, I’d near put money on that.
http://en.espnf1.com/redbull/motorsport/story/56144.html
But Marko, a Red Bull advisor and mentor to the team’s young drivers, said that if Webber leaves in 2013, Ricciardo, who is currently gaining race experience at HRT, is at the top of the list to take his place.
“Mark Webber will stay with us for another year, and then he will decide what to do in his career,” Marko told the Italian press. “Red Bull will decide who takes his place, although it is likely it will be Ricciardo”.
I just finished reading something like that a couple of days ago, I half guessed that is what they had planned.
Wonder if the drivers have a chuckle over that site? The banter between Alonso and Massa is always awesome.
Im sure one or 2 would love to slip a comment or 2 in of their own under the guise of the site hehe