2012 Australian Grand Prix

[F1 fan]

I'd agree with that. I think it's a little ironic that in this day and age, people are complaining about all the young drivers who make their way up through the ranks and have nowhere to go and yet here we are discussing the fact that there are no good candidates to replace Massa.

I personally think Ferrari should take a risk and put an exciting young prospect in the seat. Clearly, Massa isn't what he used to be. They can either accept that, keep him and suffer in the constructors. Or they can replace him and potentially find themselves a Francois Cevert to Fernando's Jackie Stewart.

I still like Massa, but it's getting a little sad watching him at times.

 

[avens]

Doesn't look like so.

As for that "broken leg", it was probably more of an ankle luxation.

That was just a publicity stunt. Kubica can't even hold a glass of water, therefore he's done with F-1 and probably motorsports in general.
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/409330/It_doesnt_look_good_for_Kubica__Alguersuari/

as for massa, he'll never be as good as he was. At the beginning doctors said he lost eyesight because of the incident, but the FIA ruled that out afterwards (hiring other docs to say that so F-1 doesn't get sued).

is there any brazilian driver that could replace him in 2013? As we know Perez is the obvious choice, but ferrari is likely to have a brazilian driver due to its relation with fiat, which sells a lot in brazil,.

 

[slavssn]

That was just a publicity stunt. Kubica can't even hold a glass of water, therefore he's done with F-1 and probably motorsports in general.
http://totalf1.com/full_story/view/409330/It_doesnt_look_good_for_Kubica__Alguersuari/

Did you see the pictures I posted above? Can't hold a glass of water but can drive a WRC car and a go-kart? Interesting, Mr. Algersuari.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

Ferrari are in a very tough situation right now. One race into a twenty race season and people are already calling for Massa to be dropped. If they replace him mid-season, they're best getting some fresh talent in. Perhaps someone like Perez or Kobayashi or maybe even a rookie to evaluate him for the future.

We are 1 race into this season, but people have been calling for Massa to be replaced since last season and possibly even before that. Only this year he is even further behind Alonso than ever and you have to really hope that he doesn't like Albert Park....

Chances are solely with Alonso as it is, replace Massa and get someone in the car who can help Alonso challenge for either of the championships in 2013. And this from someone who doesn't like Ferrari, and Alonso more so!

 

[avens]

Did you see the pictures I posted above? Can't hold a glass of water but can drive a WRC car and a go-kart? Interesting, Mr. Algersuari.

Alguersuari said that before he did that karting session, in a time when there wasn''t a single independent news source about Kubica's condition. Also note there isn't a single clear picture of him doing a major effort with that hand, that you can do several things to lessen the amount of needed strength on that hand on a driving session like that one (that are prohibited otherwise), and that in the end steering a kart wheel doesn't compare to driving a formula 1.

There are dozens of millions of dollars involved in kubica's return to formula 1, therefore it's very likely to have this kind of "fake" news or staged stunts like this one and others he did after getting injured.

Unless a miracle happens he's not going to compete in F-1 again, even though I find amusing that he was at the very peak of motorsports after starting as a simracer.

 

[Matty]

I will be quite saddened if Kubica doesn't return to F1. Renault should just wrap him in bubble wrap until he's able to race..

 

[Liquid]

I will be quite saddened if Kubica doesn't return to F1. Renault should just wrap him in bubble wrap until he's able to race..

Lotus.

But they've got Raikkonen as experience and Grosjean as youth. What do they need Kubica for now?

 

[Pezzarinho17]

The main problem is not just steering the car, but all of the buttons and dials the hand would be required to operate in F1 as well. I think it will be a massive shame, but sadly I can't see him back in a F1 car competitively.

 

[avens]

to put an end to that argument, currently he is one of the best unused drivers if not the very best. If he had really healed from that February 2011 accident then at least one team would have reached him already to sign him up for the the late 2011 or 2012 season, which didn't happen, or at least for 2013.

and about driving a WRC car afterwards, he crashed it on the very first day and broke his leg once again , and actually in January 2012 domenicali said Kubica was struggling to get back to a normal living (before this second accident and before this karting session thing).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/16521193

 

[slavssn]

Alguersuari said that before he did that karting session, in a time when there wasn''t a single independent news source about Kubica's condition. Also note there isn't a single clear picture of him doing a major effort with that hand, and that steering a kart wheel doesn't compare to driving a formula 1.

There are dozens of millions of dollars involved in kubica's return to formula 1, therefore it's very likely to have this kind of "fake" news or staged stunts like this one and others he did after getting injured.

Unless a miracle happens he's not going to compete in F-1 again, even though I find amusing that he was at the very peak of motorsports after starting as a simracer.

Perhaps Jaime is jealous that everybody is more interested in return of a driver that's been out for more than a year now, than in him.

Mikołaj Sokół, who is a Polish F1 expert and a close friend of Robert, confirmed that Kubica's hand is recovering very well and now we have to wait for his rehab (the longer we wait, the better he recovers, obviously) and also said, that now Robert and his doctors have to focus more on his elbow and forearm than on his hand.

So fingers crossed, really. And please be skeptical to the rumors you hear from various media.

 

[avens]

those are just the facts. Facts are he missed 2 full seasons already (2011 and 2012) and that the only independent info about his condition came from Jaime and from Stefano, both saying he's on a way worse condition than what he tries to show.

I'm skeptical about any information coming from him and his friends since it's obvious they will keep trying to get him into formula 1 again, but it's always the same with F-1 really.

 

[slavssn]

Well, looks like you're missing the facts, but that's okay. Kubica can't really be bothered about any comments and he's certainly not desperate to get back to F1, nor are his friends - he's just doing whatever he can to recover and function like a normal human being. Whenever he returns to racing, it's just a bonus and not a must.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

As much as I would like to believe in Kubica's return, I really dont. If he was in really good shape like some of you are believing, why we heard about his condition by other people and not himself ? Why didnt we saw an interview with him showing that his hands is recovering good etc.. ? You know formula one driver need to reassure their sponsor in case of injury, like Raikkonen did with is arm injury.

I believe that if he was that well, we would have hear from him directly in some F1/motor show. Now I really hope I'm wrong dont get me wrong, I really wish to see him in F1 again because he was an amazing driver. Sadly I dont believe it will be the case. Also F1 is one of the hardest sport for the body, because you get huge amount of G's.

Well, looks like you're missing the facts, but that's okay. Kubica can't really be bothered about any comments and he's certainly not desperate to get back to F1, nor are his friends - he's just doing whatever he can to recover and function like a normal human being. Whenever he returns to racing, it's just a bonus and not a must.

Sorry I dont believe in this, Kubica is a racer and a sportsman he need the sport and adrenaline in his life, looks at other sportsman that got big injuries, like Herman Maier, Zanardi, Daniel Albrecht or Djibril Cissé. They all worked hard for one things, come back and do sports, living a normal life would be a failure for them. Does guys only lives to their sport, they not like human beeing that's why they are so good in what they doing. If he can't returns to racing it will be really hard for his life and his mind.

 

[zippy_the_cat]

For someone who other people say cannot overtake. He's not been out in front his entire career, y'know. He's always been able to race and overtake. But if he's already out in front, he doesn't really need to, does he?

Fernando Alonso would beg to differ with "other people." He may still think he had the door closed at Monza.

 

[niky]

I'm starting to think F1 should give up qualifying and run the field back-to-front every race weekend. That way people will shut up about Vettel.

One season in a dominant car that became very unstable in dirty air and suddenly he's "the rookie who can't overtake". Never believed in it.

Amazing work by both the team and the drivers to overcome a disastrous qualifying. Too bad Mark was boxed up at the start, maybe he could've gotten a podium, too.

Ah, a new F1 season on GTP. Infected debates, name callings, delusional images of drivers abilities. I've missed it.

Seriously. Come in earlier. I had to predict Alonso's win. I can't do that every week, you know.

 

[Sach]

Seriously. Come in earlier. I had to predict Alonso's win. I can't do that every week, you know.

We'll take turns. Alonso to win at Sepang...

 

[tribolik]

Amazing work by both the team and the drivers to overcome a disastrous qualifying. Too bad Mark was boxed up at the start, maybe he could've gotten a podium, too.

Mark needs to work on his starts... its kind of getting old (his bad starts)
Until he improves them Im afraid he will have no chance of winning the championship.

 

[Sach]

Mark needs to work on his starts... its kind of getting old (his bad starts)
Until he improves them Im afraid he will have no chance of winning the championship.

Really, he is quite poor at starts. Imagine if he'd gotten Rosberg's start.

 

[velly]

hi all, here is a few of my photos from my Day at the race...

rest of the photos are here...thanks for looking

 

[Cowboys965]

Nice shots!

 

[niky]

We'll take turns. Alonso to win at Sepang...

Take it to the Malaysian thread, quick!

-

Mark's start wasn't all that bad. It's just Mercedes had some awesome starts, and Mark got swallowed up by traffic. If there was an award for worst start of the GP, it would go to Lewis.

 

[nosturbo]

I gotta say I enjoyed Crofty's commentary with Brundle, brings an exciting tone in with him as opposed to Legard and Brundle's dryness. (I've never been a big Brundle fan at all to be totally honest...) And I do miss DC in commentary as well, I think we in Australia are just going to be getting the Sky feed.

Awesome race, I had the pleasure of being in the Force India pit-box throughout the race and seeing them go ballistic when Di Resta pushed past Vergne for 10th was great. They had pretty much counted him out once Vergne and Ricciardo got past him into turn 3.

I have gained a lot of respect for Maldonado for his race and keeping up with Alonso nearly all race. Pretty sure he got a fastest lap in there a couple times as well when he was behind Webber. Shame he threw it away in the final lap but that's the way it goes sometimes.

 

[Alex p.]

God I love this track! So much that I've driven a full virtual race on it in F1:CE for the PS3 (2006), and recorded it. Am in the process of adding even some written commentary, the race itself was pretty close, photo finish: Here the first part:



Here the last:

 

[PeterJB]

God I miss that game.

 

[OK8]

Watched onboards of Alonso and was blown away. That Ferrari is absolutely mad, and Alonso is definitely the best driver on the grid. It seriously looked like he could've crashed at any corner but he held it all race and even in the end under a lot of pressure from Maldonado it was Pastor who spun instead of Fernando.

 

[Alex p.]

Watched onboards of Alonso and was blown away. That Ferrari is absolutely mad, and Alonso is definitely the best driver on the grid. It seriously looked like he could've crashed at any corner but he held it all race and even in the end under a lot of pressure from Maldonado it was Pastor who spun instead of Fernando.

Yep, definatly driver of the day. As I said once already in this thread, he may be the best driver in the grid.

 

[tribolik]

Yep, definatly driver of the day. As I said once already in this thread, he may be the best driver in the grid.

Wasnt he beaten by the rookie Hamilton on his first year in F1?

 

[TopGearFTW]

Wasnt he beaten by the rookie Hamilton on his first year in F1?

He was beaten on countback in '07, obviously he was beaten in '08, he was beaten rather conclusively in '09, Alonso was the "winner" between the two in '10 and '11, though.

This does not detract from the fact that Alonso is certainly one of the best drivers on the grid, though. I can't stand the man but you can't deny he is a massive talent. He has that Hamilton-esque (or should that be Hamilton has that Alonso-esque?) talent of being capable of dragging a complete dog of a car onto the podium.

I also realise you were most likely just making a joke, but the truth is Alonso and Hamilton are very very close in terms of talent, and are both probably the pinnacle right now.

 

[tribolik]

He was beaten on countback in '07, obviously he was beaten in '08, he was beaten rather conclusively in '09, Alonso was the "winner" between the two in '10 and '11, though.

This does not detract from the fact that Alonso is certainly one of the best drivers on the grid, though. I can't stand the man but you can't deny he is a massive talent. He has that Hamilton-esque (or should that be Hamilton has that Alonso-esque?) talent of being capable of dragging a complete dog of a car onto the podium.

I also realise you were most likely just making a joke, but the truth is Alonso and Hamilton are very very close in terms of talent, and are both probably the pinnacle right now.

You can argue that in 2010 he beat hamilton because he was faster than Massa if you catch my drift... but he certainly is one of the best most hard working drivers on the grid and hamilton on the other hand is going through a rough psycological period IMO and isnt definitly in is top form

 

[Ardius]

Some interesting extra team radio from the Sky "Pitlane" stream:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp...rand-prix-pit-channel-team-radio-feature_auto

The most interesting part I found was about Schumacher's gearbox failure which they seemed to think was caused by Michael downshifting with the rears locking.

Oh and Hamilton wanting to pit 4 laps before the end!