2011 Formula 1 Gran Premio Santander d'Italia
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Button has been great this season. He is a poor qualifier, but can turn it around in the race more often than not. Aside from pulling into the Red Bull pit box in Shanghai, he really has been faultless this season and would be in much further ahead of Hamilton, had it not been for those back to back DNF's at Silverstone and the Nurburgring. Neither of which were his fault. He deserves to be team leader at Mclaren, because he just keeps hoovering up the results.
Sure, Lewis may be quicker on a qualifying lap and may be stronger in terms of out and out pace, but Button is far more mature in his driving and Lewis would do well to learn from him.
No, they aren't. But neither are they obliged to boo anyone who isn't in a Ferrari (and to a lesser extent, a Toro Rosso) either.
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- RowdLL
So... Ferrari confirmed to brazilian press that it is testing Sergio Perez and Jules Bianchi today at Fiorano with a 2009 car. They are saying this is a kind of shootout between the two in the Ferrari young driver program.
Could this be "Arrivederci Massa" for 2012?
Could this be "Arrivederci Massa" for 2012?
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- GTP_BlacqueJack
Your avatar pic looks like it is Charlie Brown's (from Peanuts; Snoopy, etc. - dating myself 
) helmet 
) helmet 
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- GOTMAXPOWER
Not for 2012, Perez is signed with Sauber and Bianchi is a F1 rookie (his GP2 results haven't been great either), they're probably considering Perez and Bianchi for a possible drive in 2013 alongside Alonso.
Seismica
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Agreed. Or Kubica, if he drives well in 2012 (That's if he's driving at all in 2012) I think he would be a target for the team too. I doubt Ferrari would pass up on an opportunity to get one of the top drivers in favour of getting a no. 2 to support Alonso.
I don't think these young driver programs work unless you put them in a prime seat to see how they do in a rookie season. If they can adapt to a frontrunning car quickly that shows their potential more than a year in a backmarker car can. I can't really comment much on Perez this season because we don't see much of him. Infact, we haven't seen much of Sauber apart from when they have a queue of cars behind them (Which FOM classes as a 'battle') due to being on a different strategy.
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- RowdLL
Your avatar pic looks like it is Charlie Brown's (from Peanuts; Snoopy, etc. - dating myself
Yes it does, that is the idea!
I use this for indoor/rental karting... Its just a very cheap helmet I bought, cut a black decal shaped ^^^ and applied to it.I made it like this because I like Charlie Brown and it would be a very easy design to make, not much thinking, drawing, cuting involved. Just yellow plain helmet and black decal. Besides, I like simple helmet designs (hate Vettel's, by the way)...
I dont think Perez being signed to Sauber makes a big difference if Ferrari offers him a drive. As we saw with Heidfeld, contracts dont matter that much in F1.
I dont think Ferrari is considering doing this for 2012 (although it could), but we have to admit it is the F1 way of telling Massa to raise his game.
ROAD_DOGG33J
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So you would say Massa is a better driver than Alonso?
Massa is a very good driver but not in the same league as Alonso (and I dont even like the guy) and just because he can have on or two very good days that doesnt mean that they wont use that to favor their best driver with team orders and I cant blame them... that said Im sure that Ferrari wouldnt mind at all to have a better driver than Alonso to race with him but the 2 or 3 few that are as good or slightly better than him are taken... so IMO that remark wasnt very bright...
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I meant that every track should have a similar podium position and allow fans on to the track.
As for the booing. I think the booing only adds to Monza's atmosphere. Is Formula 1 too classy for the fans to boo? Is this Golf or Tennis. It's not like they were throwing garbage at the opposing drivers. Would anyone expect the home fans at a football, basketball, soccer, or baseball game to cheer/clap for the opposing team? No... So why would anyone expect it at Monza. A track notorious for its Ferrari support.
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ROAD_DOGG33J
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Why would you even ask that?
Massa doesn't really even have a chance of getting a good result. If he's doing good, they put him on the worst strategy in the history of F1.
Alonso has a contract until 2015, so Ferrari will want to keep him happy until then. We all know what happened in 2007.
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- tribolik
Because you seem to think that they favor Alonso regardless of what the other driver is worth...
Dont tell me you think Massa is better than Alonso? he certainly has his moments but Alonso is more consistent and a lot faster or do you think they also mess with Massa's car for the qualy sessions... In fact even though I really dont like Alonso or Vettel I would have to say they are the two best drivers out there at the moment... both in terms of performance and consistency... and not only that but they seem to be able to provide the technical team with valuable imput that really helps to improve the car something that some dont seem to understand that is also a very important part of being a good race driver and is what sets the trully great appart from the rest... much like Shumacker and Kubica also...
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- Wardez
- Wardez
I don't think the Scuderia will ever go with another 2007 situation like with Hamilton. We all found out what happens when Alonso has a team mate that can regularly out do him and it's not pretty. So I always really doubt speculation about strong drivers that can win championships being paired with him simply because I'm pretty sure they don't want that. Ferrari already has a driver capable of winning WDC's so they'll be looking for that next driver that can be a good compliment to Alonso, not a total threat.
I love Checo, I'm Mexican myself and was super excited to hear of the prospect of him going to Ferrari but from what I've seen so far, I think he has about the same amount of potential as Webber in his better years, so it's not too bad, he'll have plenty of great races ahead of him (and hopefully wins too) but I really can't see him ever being a WDC. But what I love more about predicting a champion and being comfortably right, is being completely surprised and floored by the realization of it ever coming true.
I love Checo, I'm Mexican myself and was super excited to hear of the prospect of him going to Ferrari but from what I've seen so far, I think he has about the same amount of potential as Webber in his better years, so it's not too bad, he'll have plenty of great races ahead of him (and hopefully wins too) but I really can't see him ever being a WDC. But what I love more about predicting a champion and being comfortably right, is being completely surprised and floored by the realization of it ever coming true.
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As if people never saw what Ferrari did with Massa and Raikkonen... Kimi leading the championship? Felipe, let him through please. Massa leading the championship, Kimi, would you please? Thank you.
Ferrari favor Alonso because he is their best bet for a Driver's Championship. Period. Massa may have had his day against a half-asleep Kimi, but against a committed Alonso, and given his recent accident and problems, he's simply not keeping up.
Ferrari favor Alonso because he is their best bet for a Driver's Championship. Period. Massa may have had his day against a half-asleep Kimi, but against a committed Alonso, and given his recent accident and problems, he's simply not keeping up.
Seismica
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Whilst they only have the 3rd fastest car that is their best shot yes as they don't have a hope in hells chance at the contructor's. But what if next season they are the pacesetter, then what do they do? Watch Alonso walk away with the WDC but lose the Constructors to Mclaren or Red Bull who both have drivers who could outperform Massa going from his current performances? I think it's silly, they should be trying to recruit the two best drivers they possibly can and then beginning to favour one for the WDC when they're a significant number of points ahead fo the other.
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What we don't know is how Massa would perform in a car that is on the same level as McLaren competitively. Alonso has much more ability to work around a struggling car, along the same lines as our conversation of Lewis vs. Jenson. Massa has shown the pace on the softer tire races, and if Ferrari can work out their issues with tire temp, he might be a more viable option.
That said, I would also prefer to see Kobayashi in that car.
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- pezzarinho17
Similar to what happened last year and what is again happening this year... Vettel winning title, Alonso second place. And yet in terms of constructors, you have Red Bull, then McLaren and Ferrari a distant third. Considering the prize money is for constructors positions they should surely be looking for someone who had a shot at 4th in the drivers championship which should secure 2nd in the constructors. I don't suspect for one moment that they are struggling for money, however if money on the table which could be reinvested in research and development then I don't see why they are not going for it.
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- AlexGibbo27
Most appropriate place for this:
Autosport:
Here is a Formula 1 quiz question for you. Out of the regular drivers who have thrilled us with their racing this year, how many of them thought it would be a good idea to go and visit Pirelli's headquarters last winter to find out all about its tyres ahead of its grand prix racing return?
Was it just the frontrunners who could be bothered to take a day out of their holidays to go and get an understanding of what to expect from Pirelli's products in 2011? After all, it made perfect sense to find out what was on the horizon, with F1 openly preparing itself for a very different type of rubber compared to what had been delivered before.
Well, the number of drivers who signed in at Pirelli's Milan base did not even stretch to potential race winners - because the answer to the original question is a simple 'one'.
You'll never guess who it was.
Autosport:
Here is a Formula 1 quiz question for you. Out of the regular drivers who have thrilled us with their racing this year, how many of them thought it would be a good idea to go and visit Pirelli's headquarters last winter to find out all about its tyres ahead of its grand prix racing return?
Was it just the frontrunners who could be bothered to take a day out of their holidays to go and get an understanding of what to expect from Pirelli's products in 2011? After all, it made perfect sense to find out what was on the horizon, with F1 openly preparing itself for a very different type of rubber compared to what had been delivered before.
Well, the number of drivers who signed in at Pirelli's Milan base did not even stretch to potential race winners - because the answer to the original question is a simple 'one'.
You'll never guess who it was.
Who was it? I'm going to guess an Italian driver; Either Trulli or one without a seat, like Badoer for Fisichella.
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Given that the title of the quoted Autosport piece was "How Vettel got an edge over his rivals," no prizes for the right answer and only booby prizes for all others.
As for those still pining to see Kobayashi in a top car, all I see from publications like Autosport and web sites like Planet-f1.com is a lot of commentary that suggests KK has taken a large step back this year. Autosport's Monza recap assigned him partial blame for triggering the Lap 1 crash by brake-checking Liuzzi.
As for those still pining to see Kobayashi in a top car, all I see from publications like Autosport and web sites like Planet-f1.com is a lot of commentary that suggests KK has taken a large step back this year. Autosport's Monza recap assigned him partial blame for triggering the Lap 1 crash by brake-checking Liuzzi.
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Typical that as soon as the car doesn't perform, people suddenly change their minds and consider him as taking a step backwards.
He was in the top 10 every race this year till Valencia which coincidentally happened to be the first race that the new blown diffuser rules came in. His only weakness has been qualifying where most of the time Perez has been faster.
Honestly, I can't see how Kobayashi could have done any better this year, its been a better season generally than 2010 as he has been far more consistent. His exciting overtaking image has been somewhat diminished this season partly because of all the ridiculous DRS overtaking and partly because Sauber have been constantly putting him and Perez on 1-stop strategies every race, which never leads to much overtaking. He has had some great duelling moments, off the top of my head I can recall he had a great fight in the opening laps with Schumacher in Malaysia and he was defending pretty well at Canada.
And brake testing Liuzzi at Monza? So Liuzzi was in the right to be coming flying in trying to out-brake half the field? Personally I think too many F1 journalists have favouritism for Liuzzi as I can't explain the conclusions they come to sometimes like this. Anyone who can watch a video could surely see Kobayashi brake-tested no one at Monza...its called "turn 1"..you know, where people brake a lot to avoid each other?
I don't think Kobayashi has done everything needed to confirm a Ferrari seat or any other top drive, but he certainly hasn't been given a fair shot every race by Sauber and I don't think its particularly accurate to call it a poor season for him. Perhaps if Sauber let him do some 2-stop strategy races for a change and give him a more competitive car, perhaps we would see more of the excitement again. But as long as they keep putting him on 1-stoppers, he isn't going be doing much last-corner dives or whatever.
It should be noted though that Kobayashi has made his 1-stoppers work to the best of his ability. He is able to push and conserve his tyres when he needs to and although its not exciting to watch, its still a good thing to have.
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http://www.crash.net/f1/news/173052/1/ferrari_stops_development_switches_focus_to_f1_2012.html
Ferrari makes it official, focusing on 2012 now. Hopefully McLaren will do the same...
Ferrari makes it official, focusing on 2012 now. Hopefully McLaren will do the same...
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Kobayashi was praised for the 1st half of the season for his ability to finish in the points race-after-race. But now that he's not finishing in the points he has taken a large step backwards? I'm sorry but that's not fair. It's been clear for a number of races now that Sauber has fallen behind both Force India and STR in terms of race pace. Which means it's going to be difficult for Kob or Perez to put the car into the points.
The reality is it's the car that has taken a step backwards the 2nd half of this season. Not Kobayashi. He's done a fantastic job in his 1st year as the team leader at Sauber. And you can't ignore the fact that he had to adjust his driving style for Sauber's pit strategy to work. Something that isn't easy for a driver to do.
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