19-May-2011 15:32:00
19-May-2011 17:02:58
Carlos from Spain:
On the other hand, Ferrari needs a driver like Alonso who can develop a car and more importantly lead and develop a team like Schumacher did when he came in. So this deal makes a lot of sense and was probabl very easy to negotiate. Only problem is for the second driver, who ever comes after Massa has got to know that Ferrari & Alonso have a clear "first and second driver" way of doing things.
I will have to diasagree, it's engineers that lead the development, not drivers! Take Brawn for example. They built a winning car and they won. Next year they were nowhere! The same with Red Bull. Newey builds great cars and they win, irrespectively of the drivers! They would have won with Alonso, Hamilton or even Massa in the car!
As both Rob Smedley and Felippe Massa said recently, the car is the most important element and the car derives from the engineers!
Barichello told a great truth some years ago. He said that Schumachers great strenght was his driving skills and workaholic mentality. Ferrari provided him with a fantastic car, as per his wishes, and all he had to do was to drive like a madman! That certainly seems to be true! Look where Mercedes is this year? Where is the great leader that would rejuvenate the team? Truth be told, there never was such a thing! It's all down to the engineers!!!
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FERRARI RULES!!!
19-May-2011 18:46:33
IMO the drivers play an important part in the feedback they give the engineers for them to work with, unfortunately in todays aerodinamics in F1 cars and years to year changing regulations, sometimes a single element gives such a huge advantage that everything else in shadowed, like a rear diffuser or a flexible front wing, but in the "long run" a good lead driver is necesary to hold the team together and in the same direction, and also help development of the car, for a good run like Schumacher had, everything needs to click together.
19-May-2011 20:34:56
20-May-2011 07:51:41
Carlos from Spain:
IMO the drivers play an important part in the feedback they give the engineers for them to work with, unfortunately in todays aerodinamics in F1 cars and years to year changing regulations, sometimes a single element gives such a huge advantage that everything else in shadowed, like a rear diffuser or a flexible front wing, but in the "long run" a good lead driver is necesary to hold the team together and in the same direction, and also help development of the car, for a good run like Schumacher had, everything needs to click together.
I would add that no one with a bad car can win the Title no matter how gifted as a driver he might be (e.g. Ayrton Senna with Lotus). A mediocre driver cannot win the Title also, even in a very good car (e.g. Irvine, Coulthard and perhaps Barichello)
So any championship contender team needs a good car and a good driver. Some of the good drivers also give input into the design and set-up (Schumacher) whilst others just drive fast (Railkkonen).
The optimum is a good design, reliability and a good driver with analytical ability who is a team player too. That was the equation during the Schumacher-Ferrari era and during the Renault-Alonso winning years.
By definition motorsport is a man and machine sport. Therefore you need both elements to succeed.
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"Form follows function"
20-May-2011 09:25:41
Alonso really has aged - he is still a young man - but he looks like he carries such a mental burden within himself - he clearly mulls over issues in his life a great deal - and I think it means he is a very analytical and reflective man.
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
20-May-2011 09:26:24
Live Practice text commentary
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9489157.stm
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
20-May-2011 11:26:06
reginos:I would add that no one with a bad car can win the Title no matter how gifted as a driver he might be (e.g. Ayrton Senna with Lotus). A mediocre driver cannot win the Title also, even in a very good car (e.g. Irvine, Coulthard and perhaps Barichello)
So any championship contender team needs a good car and a good driver. Some of the good drivers also give input into the design and set-up (Schumacher) whilst others just drive fast (Railkkonen).
The optimum is a good design, reliability and a good driver with analytical ability who is a team player too. That was the equation during the Schumacher-Ferrari era and during the Renault-Alonso winning years.
By definition motorsport is a man and machine sport. Therefore you need both elements to succeed.
I agree 100% and the Schumacher vs Raikoinen is the perfect example.
20-May-2011 11:30:04
More reaction to Alonso's long term deal
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2011/05/paddock-reaction-to-alonsos-new-five-year-ferrari-deal/
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
20-May-2011 11:31:45
easy_rider911:
Alonso really has aged - he is still a young man - but he looks like he carries such a mental burden within himself - he clearly mulls over issues in his life a great deal - and I think it means he is a very analytical and reflective man.
Indeed, these guys are perfectionists to the extreme and neurotic personality types. They dwell and dwell over every detail, give everything extra importance, get frustated with themselves and those around him easily, are very focused, and are competitive in everything they do.. and that takes a toll. Some learn to hide it better than others and decreases with age (i.e. Schumacher 10 years ago vs today) but you see that reflected in many F1 drivers since that is what it takes to perform at the level they do
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21-May-2011 12:26:38
1st, 2nd & 3rd Practice lap times
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/results/9418511.stm
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
21-May-2011 12:29:53
Qualification lap times
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/results/9418513.stm
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
21-May-2011 13:49:09
21-May-2011 18:51:18
21-May-2011 19:06:10
Good for Webber to bring a fight, Vettel will enjoy it.
Anyone else notice the stale ranking of the pack. It's always very damn similar. Look where McLaren, Ferrari and MB are floating...
But nice to see Toro Rosso and Sauber tasting some points, and that Williams did great too!!
indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine.. I happen to like both :)
21-May-2011 19:12:32
Rossi:
Happy about Webber being first.
And Ferrari really is in trouble this season, as well as I think MS should retire more sooner than later.
So much for the second driver, ha! Call me distrustfull but somehow I don't think Webber's car is going to run as well as Vettel's come race day though
Alonso's Ferrari was one full second behind Webber's RB, there is no way you can present a fight with those differences between cars. What I don't get is why Massa was one full second behind Alonso with the same car
22-May-2011 13:55:45
What a pathetic show from Ferrari, they should pack up and come back for next season already. Massa was already lapped by 2/3 into the race, and Alonso's Ferrari was 3 seconds off the lead pace with the hard tires (Ferrari's worst proble, achieveing enough temp and grip with the hard tires), and also got lapped by the end, it doesn't matter what brilliant driving he did during the start of the race. The team should be embarrased to show up to the race with such a car. Its not even reliable, Massa's gearbox did not last its 5 race life cycle. Sad, sad, sad...
Too bad Hamilton didn't have an extra 0,2 secs towards the end of the race. He is one the drivers I dislike the most because of his race manners and spoled brat antics inside the team but you have to give credit were its due, he is driving 110% out of that McLaren and has shown the most so far this season of any driver. He seems like a different much more matured and centered driver than in his previous seasons.
22-May-2011 13:59:05
A thrilling race - great start from Alonso, great drives from Vettel, Hamilton, Button ... brilliant recovery drive from Heidfeld ...
Brilliant that Di Resta, Perez and Maldonado all (rookies) who outshone their more experienced team mates ...
Ferrari need to find speed ... Schumi beats Rosberg at last ...
How embarrassing that RBR still can't get KERS to work reliably ...
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
22-May-2011 14:01:10
22-May-2011 14:03:54
It's been really great watching the race on a widescreen TV, with the BBC F1 driver tracker & Official Formula 1 Live Timing data feed on my Mac
It felt like being on the pit wall
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
22-May-2011 14:04:45
22-May-2011 14:15:12
easy_rider911:
"Yabba dabba dee, ring-a-ding-ding"
What on earth is Vettel saying ... ? He's a nice guy but very odd ...
It isn't so odd to express enthusiasm and joy in whatever way when you win in sport. If you are 24 and top at your sport you cannot hold your emotion.
IMO Vettel is a refreshing personality in F1.
I was also very happy to see British born Cypriot Peter Prodromou on the podium for the first time. He is the Head of Aerodynamics under Adrian Newey, ex-McLaren too
"Form follows function"
22-May-2011 14:37:00
Carlos from Spain:
What a pathetic show from Ferrari, they should pack up and come back for next season already.
I think LdiM must dismiss them all and build a new team around Alonso. BTW that is how Ferrari were in the past years between the Lauda years in the 70s and the Schumacher era
Of course, beating Adrian Newey's new masterpiece is a tall order, but McLaren and to a lesser extend Mercedes GP at least try. Ferrari appear that they have already accepted fate.
I am a big admirer of Newey, although most F1 followers are not familiar with him, like with other F1 chiefs of the past. He was also the man behind the dominant Williams and McLaren-Mercedes of the 90s
"Form follows function"
22-May-2011 15:27:39
I was thinking those two exact same things, LdiM needs to roll some heads, some people need to go, and that those left get their act together, and I can't remember how long ago Ferrari was so much off the pace. If it weren't for Alonso, they would look like their even behind Lotus. I say that for starters they need to hire someone like Briatori for Team Boss and let him do the cleaning up and run the ship.
22-May-2011 16:02:31
Carlos from Spain:
Too bad Hamilton didn't have an extra 0,2 secs towards the end of the race. He is one the drivers I dislike the most because of his race manners and spoled brat antics inside the team but you have to give credit were its due, he is driving 110% out of that McLaren and has shown the most so far this season of any driver. He seems like a different much more matured and centered driver than in his previous seasons.
You are actually describing Alonso there, not Hamilton. :)
A great driver do what Hamilton do, extract 110% from the race car that was given to him, no matter how fast or slow the car is. Alonso on the other hand just resigned to be driving a so so car, he has no intention to push the car to the max, know the max is not good enough.
Ever since Alonso arrived at Ferrari, they never match the pace of the Red Bulls, while Hamilton did in a McLaren. Are the McLarens that much better than the Ferraris? I don't think so, I think they are comparable in pace given an equal driver, the difference is only how much the respective driver getting out of the car. Even Button can get more out of his car than Alonso.
Alonso at Renault when he was dominant, he had brilliant people setting the car for him while at Ferrari the talent isn't there, he has to rely on himself, and his shortcoming is showing,