I think I’m turning Japanese…

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Blake

Blake

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Round 18 – Suzuka, Japan

Oh god it’s been a long season … but, unfortunatly, it is almost at an end. Alonso has taken the drivers crown and now the fight is purely for the constructors cup.

McLaren – 164
Renault – 162

Barring any mechanical difficulty or collisions, McLaren should win the title.

This weekend McLaren will bring revised aero to Japan, Renault will bring some new aero parts and a suspension update, Williams will (again) bring a new aero package as well as other teams birnging various revisions. The biggest update for this weekend, however, is Toyota bringing their TF105B:

trulli01_300905.jpg


It might even rain! :trouble:

Predictions
JPM
Kimi
Alonso
Trulli
MSC
Fischella
Webber
RSC

Blake
 
omg i just edited my whole post... damn it!!!

1st: JPM
2nd: Button
3rd: Kimi (I knew he would mess things up in practice...)
4th: Alonso
5th: MS
6th RS
7th: Sato
8th: Fisi
 
Yeah, the “Suzuka Special” … BAR used it in Sato’s car in Brazil.

Blake
 
If the McMerc's manage not to go boom all weekend I expect a 1/2 finish with Alonso a distant third. Business as usual.

I dumped Toyota this weekend in my fantasy F1 series. Risky move as I am trying to get back into the top 25. It's the first race this season I won't have Toyota on my team. I took Ferrari instead. I just don't see the new Toyota finishing, if it does not in the points. Toyota has really dropped the ball the past few races and they rushed this new car, basically forcing Trulli and Ralf to drive it. Both say it needs alot more work as far as durability and setup.

I'll be cheering for Ferrari this weekend. I'm sporting my MS 6times WC hat today and wearing red. I like seeing the red cars run around Suzuka.

I expect BAR to do pretty good here too. JB in the top 5.
 
Im curious how BAR and Toyota will do on their home ground, especially BAR.
 
Don't forget Sato, its his home GP too, he usually does well here.
 
Bee
Don't forget Sato, its his home GP too, he usually does well here.
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He’ll be doing well to finish. He really hasn’t impressed this year.

And kensei, Trulli has said the new car is better over long runs and have more potential than the old car, and Ralf has said the car suits his driving style much more. I’m hoping this will be a good weekend for Toyota.

Blake
 
kensei
If the McMerc's manage not to go boom all weekend I expect a 1/2 finish with Alonso a distant third. Business as usual.
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Grand-Prix.com
Kimi Raikkonen's Suzuka weekend got off to a bad start on Friday morning when the Finn suffered what appeared to be an engine failure just 20 minutes into the first session. It is not yet clear whether this will entail a change of engines and a drop of 10 places on the grid but that certainly looks like a possible conclusion. The team will only know that when the car is returned to the garage at the end of the session.
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Dang!

Oh well, even so McLaren should still get more points than Renault.

Blake
 
Shoot... still, Kimi has second sewn up, doesn't he? Too bad for McLaren.
 
I've been loyal to Toyota all season, mainly because of Trulli. I'm gambling this week in my Fantasy F1. Either it is going to pay off or I'm screwed. We will see.

Blake...I read all that. The car sounds like it is promising once they get the bugs worked out, the basis of next years car.... It has been on and off with the car the past few weeks. Yes Trulli and Ralf saud those things but they also said they were worried about reliability andthe like over long runs. Plus early on they had alot of suspension issues and the car we destroying tires. I kinda hope they do well, I'd love to see Trulli on the podium...but I just can't feel this car. I'm worried.
 
Friday Practice 1

Pos. Driver Team Time Laps
1 P. de la Rosa McLaren 1:30.532 23
2 R. Zonta Toyota 1:31.075 16
3 J. Button BAR 1:32.043 18
4 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:32.229 23
5 JP. Montoya McLaren 1:32.321 9
6 F. Alonso Renault 1:32.370 22
7 G. Fisichella Renault 1:32.470 19
8 T. Sato BAR 1:32.791 20
9 M. Webber Williams 1:33.098 13
10 C. Klien Red Bull 1:33.139 19
11 F. Massa Sauber 1:33.257 16
12 V. Liuzzi Red Bull 1:33.441 22
13 K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:33.486 8
14 A. Pizzonia Williams 1:33.528 22
15 J. Villeneuve Sauber 1:33.645 15
16 R. Barrichello Ferrari 1:33.700 9
17 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:33.735 10
18 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:33.886 9
19 J. Trulli Toyota 1:34.535 11
20 S. Yamamoto Jordan 1:36.296 23
21 C. Albers Minardi 1:37.153 16
22 N. Karthikeyan Jordan 1:37.154 13
23 R. Doornbos Minardi 1:37.816 17
24 T. Monteiro Jordan 1:38.250 17

Blake
 
Friday Practice 2

Pos. Driver Team Time Laps
1 R. Zonta Toyota 1:30.682 21
2 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:31.716 16
3 P. de la Rosa McLaren 1:31.821 28
4 R. Barrichello Ferrari 1:32.267 15
5 K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:32.849 13
6 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:32.917 13
7 J. Trulli Toyota 1:33.122 13
8 F. Alonso Renault 1:33.259 7
9 J. Button BAR 1:33.453 20
10 M. Webber Williams 1:33.520 14
11 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:33.563 11
12 A. Pizzonia Williams 1:33.679 14
13 T. Sato BAR 1:34.330 16
14 G. Fisichella Renault 1:34.400 7
15 F. Massa Sauber 1:34.421 17
16 C. Klien Red Bull 1:34.707 12
17 S. Yamamoto Jordan 1:34.829 19
18 J. Villeneuve Sauber 1:34.874 18
19 V. Liuzzi Red Bull 1:34.977 7
20 R. Doornbos Minardi 1:35.150 8
21 T. Monteiro Jordan 1:35.388 12
22 JP. Montoya McLaren 1:37.371 5
23 C. Albers Minardi 1:37.626 7
24 N. Karthikeyan Jordan 1:38.034 7

Blake
 
I have a feeling ferrari will be a lot stronger this weekend, dunno why....
Trust Kimi to have another blown engine, i thought that mercedes had sorted their problem out because recently they have been fairly reliable. Toyota's are looking kind of handy, but i dont think they will challenge for a podium that is if both of the Mclarens dont finish. (which has yet to happen this year).

1.JPM
2.Alonso
3.MS
4.Kimi
5.Button

Kimi might be able to get on the podium from his starting position as long as he starts 11th and has a decent fuel load. Overtaking here isnt overly good, but going into the final chicane is always a good spot.
 
Blake
I think I’m turning Japanese…
Click to expand...
...you really think so? ;)

Be disappointed for Sato if he doens't out-perform JB this weekend, but it doesn't look likely already...

Shame the season is over already as the climax at Suzuka is always something quite special... atleast we will see a straight out race with no reason for any behind-the-scenes jiggery-pokery, my money is on Montoya to hustle Kimi and have an old-style coming-together at Casio... Montoya will spit the dummy and throw his hamburger at Kimi, Kimi will not even flinch, and Alonso will go on to pick up the pieces and claim the win...
 
Touring Mars
my money is on Montoya to hustle Kimi and have an old-style coming-together at Casio... Montoya will spit the dummy and throw his hamburger at Kimi, Kimi will not even flinch, and Alonso will go on to pick up the pieces and claim the win...
Click to expand...

You know what, that sounds like a real possibility lol I hope Sato does do well too, he deserves a break and infront of his home crowd would be nice.

Don't see it though, maybe he will go kamazee on someone else..
 
Touring Mars
...you really think so? ;)
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I was waiting for that :p
Be disappointed for Sato if he doens't out-perform JB this weekend, but it doesn't look likely already...
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Yeah, probably not going to happen.

Blake
 
"If a Mercedes Engine grenades at a race circuit and there is nobody around does it make a sound?"

wait...wait....

"If a Mercedes engine doesn't grenade at a race circuit is anyone not surprised?"

Gotta love that fine German engineering. BMW gets it right. Porsche gets it right. Audi gets it right...even VW can get it right (sometimes)...why can't Mercedes/Ilmor.
 
Reliability has been a thorn in their side since the last time Mika won. This year they seemed to have gotten it right, and whoops... there it goes again.
 

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