Who is Going to Win this Weekend?

[barfle]

The answer to the question is Lewis Hamilton, probably. So far, at least in the interviews, his success doesn't seem to have gone to his head.

The fines strike me as pretty serious. I remember some crooked financier being fined $100 million for insider trading back in the 1980s (although now his name simply won't come out of my brain). Heck, I buy lotto tickets when it gets that high.

I believe the fines should wait for a more thorough investigation - one that discovered what changes were made to the McLaren cars that also appear in the pilfered document (although it was 780 pages long). No doubt some things would have been developed in parallel (I see that all the time), so it will take discretion and (hopefully) lab notebooks to discover the invention process.

[Serenity]

[barfle]

[Trumpetmaster]

[BigJon@Work]

It is going to be a great inter-team battle all the way to the season end for World Champion. Can Alonso get the rookie to crack? He's doing everything in his power to get under his skin.

[navneeth]

GO KIMI!

[barfle]

I have to say I'm not much of a fan of Kimmi Raikkonnen, simply because he's so darn dead-pan about everything. But I have to admire his performance today, coming from waaaaay back through the rain to finish on the podium.

While the Japan Grand Prix was very strange because it was so darn wet, I thought it was one of the most exciting races of the year. Did you happen to see the last lap duel between Kubica and Massa?

Louis Hamilton showed he's got what it takes. Again, this time under adverse conditions. Nice contract he's rumored to have received.

And FINALLY someone besides McLaren and Ferrari was on the podium. Congrats to Renault, who ran second in the rain with a dry wing setting.

[navneeth]

I have to say I'm not much of a fan of Kimmi Raikkonnen, simply because he's so darn dead-pan about everything. But I have to admire his performance today, coming from waaaaay back through the rain to finish on the podium.

When I started following F1, I was rooting for Hakkinen/McLaren. And then when his fellow Finn took over his seat, I supported him. Even though a great driver, Kimi was never given a good, reliable car when he was in McLaren, compared to Ferrari (and Renault, a few years later.) And now that he has shifted to Ferrari, I only wish for him to win. Ferrari winning the constructors is immaterial to me. (And now that he is gone to another team, McLaren has become this Super-Team! )

While the Japan Grand Prix was very strange because it was so darn wet, I thought it was one of the most exciting races of the year. Did you happen to see the last lap duel between Kubica and Massa?

That was the best part of the whole race. Haven't seen such a duel in looong time.

Louis Hamilton showed he's got what it takes. Again, this time under adverse conditions. Nice contract he's rumored to have received.

Yes, the wunderkind.

And FINALLY someone besides McLaren and Ferrari was on the podium. Congrats to Renault, who ran second in the rain with a dry wing setting.

Actually, others have been on the podium this year. BMW and Williams made it to 2 and 3 in the Canadian GP. But Kovalainen did a wonderful job of keeping Kimi behind, similar to what he did for almost the full length of last GP in Belgium.

[navneeth]

Who's going to watch the Sino-Showdown* this weekend? I guess it'll be around midnight for most of you.





*Cheesy, I know.

[navneeth]

[barfle]

Well, I attempted to record it, but for some reason my DVR only got the first couple of turns of lap 1, then had a long period that I could not access, and resumed recording about the time Louis Hamilton got into the gravel. I knew there was a battle coming up between Massa and Alonzo, but I didn't get to see that resolved, and I wasn't able to find out what in the world made Hamilton's crew chief let him stay out on tires that had cord showing.

It should be verrrrry interesting in a couple of weeks.

[navneeth]

Well, I attempted to record it, but for some reason my DVR only got the first couple of turns of lap 1, then had a long period that I could not access, and resumed recording about the time Louis Hamilton got into the gravel. I knew there was a battle coming up between Massa and Alonzo, but I didn't get to see that resolved, and I wasn't able to find out what in the world made Hamilton's crew chief let him stay out on tires that had cord showing.

Too bad. In fact, this particular race was quite interesting, with a quite a few good overtakes throughout the race, and it was not just confined to the leaders.

It should be verrrrry interesting in a couple of weeks.

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry.

[Serenity]

I just think it's funny Navneeth is a "motorhead".

[barfle]

It's too bad we didn't find out what Hamilton's problem was. I still don't know. Maybe it was "team orders" and the team manager tweaked something on the car's electronics. It just seems odd that he was off the podium the final two races, after such a strong season.

Not to take anything away from Niki. He even smiled. He had a season of challenges, and ended up on top. Congrats. We need a Finnish grand prix! (not to mention another US GP).

[BigJon@Work]

The issue is still on appeal . . .

[navneeth]

It's too bad we didn't find out what Hamilton's problem was. I still don't know. Maybe it was "team orders" and the team manager tweaked something on the car's electronics. It just seems odd that he was off the podium the final two races, after such a strong season.

Team orders???

Not to take anything away from Niki.

Niki Lauda?

He even smiled.

Yes, I never knew he could do that. And in the post-race interview he was actually audilble!

[barfle]

Team orders???

Of course not. Such things are against the rules, and McLaren has already had their issues with F1's rules.

Niki Lauda?

Kimi.

Yes, I never knew he could do that. And in the post-race interview he was actually audilble!

Peter Windsor has such a great job!

[navneeth]

News came out earlier today that the first ever night race in the history of F1 will take place on 28/9 next year. (Actually, the news was that the circuit was formally approved by the FIA.)

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/ ... /7040.html

And the European GP has moved to Valencia, to yet another street circuit.

[barfle]

One stinkin' race in North America. Pffft!!

Back in the days when I raced, it was almost always at night (half-mile dirt track with a few whoopdeedoos). I think I ran two races in daylight, and blew up my engine in one of them.

The major track I'm closest to, Richmond International Raceway, holds most of their events at night. Twenty one Indy cars doing 17 second laps on a 3/4 mile track. Absolutely insane, marvelous, and fantastic! But getting out of the parking lot is an ordeal that usually takes longer than the race itself.

[Serenity]

I raced vicariously through Speed Racer!