2004 F1 Championship

[the B]

In other news, looks like Toyota may get some bridgestone tyres next season and Sauber get some Michellin ones.

Back to Silverstone, the McLarens look fast - so does Ferrari...

If it rains, I reckon Sauber will do the job very well, the Bridgestones are so dominant in the rain - around 2 to 3 seconds a lap...if it's a mixture, it'll be a weird race because the wetter it is...the more the Bridgestones benefit. In the past, Michellin runners have benefitted from 'drying' conditions but if it dries up, the Bridgestones are better on unrubbered track...

 

[the B]

The new McLaren is a fast car - it's got it's first pole of the season - although Coulthard was one second slower than Kimi...

Barichello, Button, Michael Schumacher and then the two Renaults...

I can see this being a very difficult race for Michael - can't see him keeping both Renaults behind him after the start and possibly losing out to both of them...

In other news...development has stopped on the F2004 - apart from tyre developments which are 'general' and engine developments...Ferrari feel they have the championships in the bag then...

 

[the B]

So, is David Coulthard as rubbish as I've suspected for so long?

Is Kimi that good or, more likely, some combination?

Still wish it rained...

 

[wordie]

So, is David Coulthard as rubbish as I've suspected for so long?

Is Kimi that good or, more likely, some combination?

Who knows? But wasn't it a good race? At last! I can't remember the last time I was on the edge of my seat during a GP.

Felt a bit sorry for Jenson. I still can't understand how/why Rubens got ahead of him... even though I suspect he couldn't have held him off on the track.

Pantano should be in the same series Ralf S deserves to be in.

What happened to Nick H?

Would be interesting to know what would've happened if Kimi had been on the same Bridgestones that Mickey was using.

And god, isn't Kimi boooorrrriiiinnnngggg when he's out of the car!

 

[the B]

Rubens got ahead of Jenson the same way that Jenson got ahead of Rubens (for one stint) - a combination of traffic and slightly different fuel loads.

Pantano is paying for his seat I'm sure...Timo Glock may actually be faster (he managed to get some points on his first and only race, albeity because four cars ahead of him got disqualified) but just can't get the sponsorship.

Jordan generally had a shit race in an uncompetitive car...they seemed to feature most when being overtaken by the faster cars who started behind them because of various penalities...

Kimi has typical Finnish racing driver charisma...Mika never had much of a sense of humour either - he's a driver but not a racer if you get me...

As for your question about Kimi on Bridgestones - the cars are designed to operate with the tyres they are expected to race on. The Bridgestones are designed to run almost exclusively on the Ferraris - Sauber, Minardi and Jordan have a hard time getting the most out of the tyres and it shows...there's no reason to believe the McLaren would fit the Bridgestone 'correctly'

 

[g force]

Well that wasn't too bad...but the traffci really screwed a couple of key players.

The McLaren was fast - it's just DC who's shite now. Seems like JPM is joining them at the perfect time! The BAR really lacked pace in the middle of the GP - Sato was nowhere and Button dropped off - that car is good - mayeb better than the Williams now - but it's race pace is still way off.

Glad Trulli is okay - that was a nasty looking accident Rumours that he's nto signed for 05 and will go to Sauber with Fisi goin the other way. Thought Fisi was easily the driver of the day - that car is no more than very average he had the perfect tactics and the pace.

Gene is clearly rubbish so i expect to see Pizzonia in the next GP. Nick Hiedfeld is so much better thasn results suggest but I fear he may becoem the forgotten man of F1. I can only hope he gets a seat ahead of DC, but I don't think it's goign to happen.

Of course, with the new Dubai team (blatantly buying Jordan why did EJ not just say it?) he may get a decent car under him. Wonder if they'll try and buy customer Ferrari/Merc engines? I'm sure if they wave ebnough $ one of them will take it up.

Pantano isn't bad either, although I think Glock is better, but the Jordan is just a terrible, terrible car. It doesn't handle and it's got bugger all power and for a rookie that's a tough ask to do any better than he is.

 

[the B]

Looks like Trulli wants more money than Sauber can give - he might be going to Toyota with Fisi to Renault - gives Nick Heidfeld a chance to get into a reasonable car.

Gene is rubbish - not sure if Pizzonia will be any better, he was utterly shocking when he was at Jaguar.

 

[g force]

Pizzonia was on a par with Klien IMO - he's quick but very error prone. However, Williams have taken him on and must be impressed with him if they're even considering giving him a drive.

Gene not only seems slow but has no aggression. Trulli and Ralf at Toyota isn't bad but mid-field racing is where they'll be.

I think an Alonso/Fisi pairing would work really well - both very quick and know how to race. And if that meant Nick was in with a shout of returning to Sauber or, fingers crossed, partnering Webber at Williams then great!

Guess that would leave DC with Sauber or Jag...he may as well retire because I think he'd be an embrassment in the Jag. Unless Eddie can persuade him to join Jordan Might not be that far fetched if he gets this cash injection from Dubai.

Ralf/DC partnership wouldn't work for Toyota, particualrly not with the amount of $$ they're paying Ralf. The biggest losers will prolly be Davidson, Da Matta and Panis because the rubbish seats will be left!

To my mind the ideal teams would be:

Ferrari: MS and Rubens
McLaren: JPM and Kimi
Williams: Webber and Hiedfeld
Renault: Alonso and Fisi
BAR: Button and Sato
Toyota: Ralf and Trulli
Jaguar: DC and Davidson
Sauber: Massa and Panis/Klien?
Jordan:Glock and Pantano
Minardi: Whoever has some money. Please not Verstappen!

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

Ideal for Minardi would be for some billionaire to buy it and use it to develop young drivers so we don't get fuckspuds like Alex Yoong on a racetrack

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Ideal for Minardi would be for some billionaire to buy it and use it to develop young drivers so we don't get fuckspuds like Alex Yoong on a racetrack

maybe I'd like to just see them get the cash with out being bought out i kinda have a soft spot for Minardi and Jordan more than the other little teams

 

[bertifrew]

Does anyone here know anything about a guy called pearse flynne? I've read that he was a sponsor for the Jordan F1 team last season. He saved my local football club from extinction recently, and i would like to know if he's going to keep money coming into the club, or fuck off and leave us in the lurch when he gets bored.

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

maybe I'd like to just see them get the cash with out being bought out i kinda have a soft spot for Minardi and Jordan more than the other little teams

True, I'd like to see more smaller teams in F1 but it aint gonna happen anymore

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Does anyone here know anything about a guy called pearse flynne? I've read that he was a sponsor for the Jordan F1 team last season. He saved my local football club from extinction recently, and i would like to know if he's going to keep money coming into the club, or fuck off and leave us in the lurch when he gets bored.

does it matter much it gives them a few more games you can't berate him if he's not asked for any major changes but give you cash to survie for a bit longer... surely ti's up to the team to find and keep a sponsor by performing?

 

[the B]

Nick Heidfeld might get "rescued" from Jordan - he could fill in Ralf Schumacher's seat...

There's been some speculation Hakkinen might still come back, Coulthard is still trying to find a seat for next year...

During testing:

K. Raikkonen McLaren 1'17"649
95 laps of running

That's over half a second quicker than his poll time

Some of this will be a result of better set up, but it seems like the new McLaren is like greased lightning...possibly silly, but is there any possiblity of them doing a really really late charge for a title?

 

[g force]

No the title is in the bag for MS and Ferrari. I view testing times with suspicion - if the car is quick in the next qually session then I'll take note but until then.

I was amazed at Silverstone that the Top 11 qualifiers all went quicker than the 03 fastest lap! McLaren have too much ground to make up on BAR and possibly Renualt too - but like BAR are hampered by only having one driver capable of scoring big points.

If I was a team owner I wouldn't touch DC with a long stick - he's been shit all year, even compared to Kimi. He can't qualify, he's an average tester and he can't really overtake. He may as well go back to Monaco and run his bar.

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

DC has always been shit imo. He makes too many silly mistakes and to have driven for both Mclaren and Williams without ever seriously looking like a contender is apalling.

 

[g force]

Yep I think he's had his shot - time to give people like Webebr and Hiedfeld a go. TBH I can't see Frank taking him back to Williams - they need a hard charger to get the car competitive.

Mod, you must be chuffed by the way this season is going I think MS is driving better than ever before and, perhaps worringly hasn't really been pushed expect for early in the UK and Monaco (which I still think he wouldn't have won - that race was Trulli's) so I don't think we've seen the full pace of the Ferrari.

 

[the B]

I didn't think Michael was going to do many of the fast laps he's done this year...race after race, when he's needed to a series of very very quick times, he's done them.

I didn't think the four stop strategy in France would have worked but it did...for the same reason, I reckon Michael could have nicked it in Monaco.

As for Ferrari haven't been pushed - Ross Brawn was interviewed saying some races have been won and lost by a few seconds difference at critical times during some of the GPs...so it's closer than it looks...apparently...

And the F2004 isn't going to be much quicker in the future, unlike some of the other cars...MS has been saying he doesn't fancy his chances in Germany (and this may be the case in Hungary too).

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

g force, I'm very chuffed at the way this season has been going. Not only are Ferrari running away with it, evil McLaren are nowhere

the B, Ross Brawn always says that! Yes a couple of races will have been won by Schummi putting in a couple of his legendary banzai laps, most noticably France but he's been relentless all season.

God I can still remember when Ferrari used to scrabble about with that dog of a V12 and would be lucky to finish a race. Whatever happened to Ivan Capello?

 

[the B]

Whatever happened to Ivan Capello?

Who?

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

Who?

Exactly

 

[g force]

I'll take your Ivan Capello and raise you a Nicola Larini

According to Autosport (no link cos it's subs only) Hiedfeld is testing for Williams with a view to taking the seat for the German GP BMW want a german driver and Nick wants a good car. Guess if he gets it and does well he's a prime candidate for 05!

Downside? Verstappen will take his place in the Jordan - mobile chicane here we come! Why not give it to Timo Glock?

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

Ah but johnny come lately might remember him from his Sauber days (sorry the B!)

Tim O'Glock should get the nod ahead of the world's fastest (slowest?) atm machine, pity it never works out that way

 

[g force]

Ivan also drove for the very bright, and quite slow Leyton House team. Decent sports car driver though - didn't he win a class in Le Mans last year?

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

I think he did actually, and I was amazed, had to check it was the same guy

 

[mears]

Have you guys seen this? I think the flying Fin is the only driver of his generation that could compete with Schumacher. It would be great for F1 to get him back.

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/formulaone/12012/

 

[bertifrew]

does it matter much it gives them a few more games you can't berate him if he's not asked for any major changes but give you cash to survie for a bit longer... surely ti's up to the team to find and keep a sponsor by performing?

no major changes?....he only as good as sacked our league cup winning manager and replaced him with a unexperienced nobody. But anyway i wont go into that on this thread, i just wanted to know if he has a habbit of gettin bored and running away, or if he stays for the long term.

 

[Ich bin ein Mod]

Got lucky with his car I think, remember his firt ever win was Jerez the year before he won his first championship.

Good driver, not as good as he was made out to be though.

And definately not on a par with Schummi. The Mclaren was way better than the Ferrari and Schummi was still able to push him

 

[g force]

The Hakk is back? Can't see it myself he's been out of the game too long the cars are 4 seconds a lap quicker and there's enough talent around to avoid getting him.

I also think it would seem a bit of a panic move by Williams - talk on Webber has gone cold and being Flavio's 2nd favourite coudl end up at renault with Alonso. Ditto the situation with Villeneuve.

I can't see how a Trulli/Hiedfeld team would be considered bad - no natural team leader, but after all the in fighting and politics of the past maybe they'd be better of just having two fast guys and letting them race. And by fast, i think we can discount DC from the equation!

 

[the B]

Pizzonia has been confirmed as the Williams driver for the next GP, in the final day of testing for six weeks (testing ban starts now) - he was fastest. All teams but Minardi were present and testing I think...

Until Mika or Jacques get into a current F1 car to test them, there is no chance of them coming back. Jacques has the possiblity of getting into one next month but that doesn't mean he'll get a seat next year (would be for Williams).