The Official 2008 F1 Series Thread

[Jon325i]

Watched Friday practice from Hungary this morning. I never read too much into what happens this day because (as I've stated in the past) you just don't know what the teams are running in terms of set up. Still it was interesting to watch because this track is tough to pass on.....T1 being the only really good spot. The track also never stays still either thanks to all the corners. Very much an aero-dependent circuit. Loo-weese was on top with Pee-Kay-don't-call-me-junior taking second and Alonso 3rd. Both BMW drivers are battling stability issues and as a result they are almost mid-field runners.

Jon

[TDE30]

Watched Friday practice from Hungary this morning. I never read too much into what happens this day because (as I've stated in the past) you just don't know what the teams are running in terms of set up. Still it was interesting to watch because this track is tough to pass on.....T1 being the only really good spot. The track also never stays still either thanks to all the corners. Very much an aero-dependent circuit. Loo-weese was on top with Pee-Kay-don't-call-me-junior taking second and Alonso 3rd. Both BMW drivers are battling stability issues and as a result they are almost mid-field runners.

Jon

Yeah I caught it this monring as well. For once in a long time, I am really impressed with the pace of the R28's. Both Piquet Jr. and Alonso seem to be performing better and better throughout the year. I'm still not (nor will I ever be) an Alonso fan, but he does seem to performing up there with the Ferraris and McMerc's. BMW continues to struggle in more ways than one, hopefully they'll pick up the pace tomorrow.

I was happy to see Heidfeld jump from P10 to P6 in one of his final laps in today's practice session. However that happened, it seemed like he was trying to get the car in that position for quite a while. One interesting thing I noted was the amount of laps Heidfeld completed today, more than anyone in the field. You can tell that he (especially) and Kubi are trying to sort out the issues with that car.

[E30Kaiser]

I just wish Vettel had gotten some laps in :( as usual hydraulics are the problem hahaha

[Hick]

i think the rest of this season is going to belong to Hamilton. boo

[E30Kaiser]

i think the rest of this season is going to belong to Hamilton. boo

Unless he DIES! No but really, the possibility is there as long as his car stays reliable. And as long as he stays away from DC.

[Jon325i]

i think the rest of this season is going to belong to Hamilton. boo

I think you are correct with this observation. However, I don't think it will be handed to him on a silver platter. The lil Brazilian will probably do all he can to make Hamilton's life miserable and take this driver's title chase down the last event (which always makes for a great conclusion to the season). Going out on a limb here: I think the constructors title chase is going to be very close between McLaren and Ferrari. BMW have gained a lot of ground this season, but I can't see them taking it. Maybe runner up providing some serious brain farts unfold with the top two teams.

Jon

[Hick]

im still shock with how well the two BMW drivers have kept up with the rest of the field, in points that is.

Hamilton 58
Massa 54
Kimi 51
Kubica 48
Heidfeld 41
Heiki 28

Had Kubica not crashed out of Silverstone, she could be ahead of Kimi.

[TDE30]

im still shock with how well the two BMW drivers have kept up with the rest of the field, in points that is.

Hamilton 58
Massa 54
Kimi 51
Kubica 48
Heidfeld 41
Heiki 28

Had Kubica not crashed out of Silverstone, she could be ahead of Kimi.

Makin' fun of the BMW-Sauber drivers, eh? j/k

I agree that BMW has really performed better than anyone expected this year, hopefully they'll get the drivability issues sorted out and continue fighting for podium positions. I never expected Kimi to do as poorly as he's been doing, nor did I expect Massa to be in WDC contention, but I would have to agree with the observation that Hamilton will most likely take it in his sophomore year. Hopefully Heikki will do a bit better (read: ignore team orders,) as I'd love to see him on the podium more often.

[Jon325i]

So who wants Hungarian quali spoilers? Hint: its not looking good for BMW.

[E30Kaiser]

So who wants Hungarian quali spoilers? Hint: its not looking good for BMW.

If it really is so hard to pass people there, there will probably be an accident as someone tries to pass DC or Hamilton laps someone so I think you could just throw them on a 1 stopper and they could get some positions.

[sennafan]

Kimi is going through some issues or something. I think he will get his head out of his tail in time to have a run like last year. Lewis needs to get every point he can NOW. He has to be ready for the end of the season run and make up for the points he pissed away at the start of the season.

Toyota is getting some returns on their investment. When did Glock learn how to drive:D

[E30Kaiser]

Kimi is going through some issues or something. I think he will get his head out of his tail in time to have a run like last year. Lewis needs to get every point he can NOW. He has to be ready for the end of the season run and make up for the points he pissed away at the start of the season.

Toyota is getting some returns on their investment. When did Glock learn how to drive:D

I think when he slammed into that wall he found out it is better to be good rather than fly off the track all the time. No but really I think he has always been good, just the car has come to him recently and he has matured as a driver. Same thing Vettel has gone through and most of the younger drivers. Also as they learn more about the cars they can relate that to the mechanics to create a better setup on the cars which in turn lets them do better in the cars.

[Lair]

How about Ross Brawn's comments about Alonso & Button?

Double world champion Fernando Alonso is the only 'totally complete' driver in F1, Ross Brawn insists, whilst acknowledging that Honda would 'love to have' the disenchanted Renault star.

Honda has redoubled its efforts to secure the services of Fernando Alonso for 2009, claiming that the double Formula 1 World Champion is the only 'totally complete' driver currently competing in the top flight, and stressing: 'If Alonso is with us, we can have a winning team.'
Though Ross Brawn has previously hinted that Honda is not yet ready to accommodate a driver of Alonso's calibre, it now seems that the team has changed tack - and is ready to pull out all the stops to attract the disenchanted Renault star away from Enstone and across to Brackley next year.

"Hopefully Fernando will decide to come to us," the big-budget Japanese outfit's CEO Nick Fry is quoted as having said by Spanish newspaper El Pais. "We have developed a very advanced KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system and we are working very hard on the car for next year. We have four wind tunnels - one of them in Japan - working on the project, which is well under way.

"If Alonso is with us, we can have a winning team."
"We'd love to have him," concurred team principal Brawn, "because he is the best. Of all the drivers right now, he is the only one that I see as totally complete, as Michael [Schumacher] was."

The former Ferrari tactical genius did underline, however, that Honda would demand a minimum commitment of two years from Alonso, something the 27-year-old is perhaps unlikely to be willing to agree to - with paddock whispers continuing to insist that the man from Oviedo is Maranello-bound in 2010, if not before.

"It would have to be at least for two years," Brawn added, "because that is the time we would need, with Fernando's help, to become a winning team and then convince him to be with us even longer - but when someone gets married, they always think it is for life."

As to the future of Honda's current line-up of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello - experienced grand prix winners both - Brawn offered no guarantees, save for acknowledging that Alonso is the only driver who would be capable of ousting either the Briton or his Brazilian team-mate, the latter being the man who many believe to be most under threat.

"We are happy with the performance of our drivers," he stated. "At this time, I don't know which one of them would move for Fernando, because Rubens is doing well at the moment."

:shock:

[Jean]

Kimi needs to do less drinking and more driving.... seriously though, I hope Ferrari still comes back around or heads will roll.

[Lair]

Given a choice between the two top teams, I'd rather see Ferrari dominate.

I just don't like Hammy.