Honda were completely focusing on their '09 car this year so hopefully they too should move up the ranks.

Yeh Glock was unlucky not to get fourth *runs away from Jan*

Definitely!

The "Alonso effect" is pretty amazing to be honest - after Schumacher, he must be the best engineer I've seen behind the wheel of an F1 car.

After he signed up for Renault the first time, the team steadily improved. Then, after moving to McLaren, which at the time was a pretty struggling team, that team suddenly started going in the right direction as well, while Renault dropped out of contention in the blink of an eye. Then now, back in Renault, the pendulum is swinging back the right way yet again.

No coincidence to all that.

Schumacher showed the world just how important it is to have good engineering skills (and the skills to communicate properly all aspects of the car to the team engineers). Alonso most certainly is another very strong example of that effect.

I very much look forward to what Renault can put together for next season - the more teams we have in the battle for the podium the better!

i dont think the media has been ott about hamilton we dont win things often, it should be enjoyed, a small minority of ardent ferari fans might find it hard to stomach, but they know theyed be equaly delighted if there favourites won in such dramatic circumstances. and obviously hamilton is not a legend yet but it is preposterous to suggest he is not in a better position than anyone in history to achieve legendary status

Well, technically they ARE

The road to ever matching the achievements of Schumacher is long for sure, but right now Hamilton has started on that road and has a good head-start compared to the progress Schumacher had in his early seasons. Arguably Hamilton has started his career in a better seat, but that is kinda irrelevant in terms of what future achievements are likely to be expected from him.

I suppose it is one of those things. If Hamilton manages to break records or even equal them, the debate will always rage on:

"He started off with the fastest car"
"He was spoon fed"
"If you swapped Hamilton and Alonso cars around, Alonso would have won it way before the last corner of the last race"

There are loads of them and it will never ever stop IF he can achieve what he is in the position to achieve.

Fagin it is 'ott' I mean flippin heck it's annoying when he has not hit greatness yet. E.G. he might be the best British sportsman of to 21st century(Because I've never heard so much rubbish)And it never stops! he will be great, he is great, his road to greatness, how he made it to greatness, Hamilton on top gear.

I aint arguing he is in a amazing position to achieve greatness but at the moment, it's silly.
Especially when the Welsh team is being announced today and we don't know who is going to be our wing or hooker

Edited at 08:35 Tue 4/11/08 (GMT)

And on that bomb shell..................

Alonso is just another spoilt idiot though, bit like Schumacher!

I just can't understand why everyone hates Hamilton so much. I think he's a really nice guy.


Maybe we should create a thread of greatest British sporting heroes!? I personally wouldn't choose Hamilton, on top of that it can only come under the context of sport you both watch and enjoy, and the era of which you've watched it.

I think when the British Lions had a massive fight with New Zealand in a test match will get my vote - brave brave men...........

(This might take some thought)

Thats F1 if you wan't the title drive better

Alonso started off in a Minardi though, he was hardly spoilt...

Just as Schumacher started of someone small...... it's not really my point.

People seem to think that Hamilton doesn't deserve to be where he is and that he should of started with Force India or something. They're wrong and obviously don't listen to the stories of where he's come from and what he's achieved before F1.

He earned his seat at McLaren before he entered F1, and has now proven to deserve it. I keep hearing people say that he was in the best car for the job, when in actual fact Ferrari are just as strong......... <insert bafflement>

I know Alonso started from the bottom. My point is that he's an idiot. He lacks sportmanship with comments made and is a big moaning jessie!
When Hamilton was racially abused (in Spain) he tried to defend the fans. I refuse to like the man anymore, whether he's a good driver or not. Just as I always did Schumacher.

Doesn't seem to prevent Vettel from doing well

(j/k)

I was always rooting for Alonso when he was fighting Schumacher.. then again, compared to that guy, ANYONE would have looked like a nice guy.

The behaviour Alonso displayed during his year in McLaren easily lost him whatever respect I might have had for him up to that point - that was just pathetic.

i think both drivers deserved to win the title b bein a McLaren fan and a gr8 supporter of my fellow countrymen i was delighted wen lewiswon te title

Haha

Toro Rosso have better car though, and back in the Minardi days only top 6 got points

Wont take anything away from Vettel though, fast becoming my favourite driver along with Kubica.

I think that's a bit unfair. I'm sure that the booing was due to Massa being Brazilian and the way he lost the title in Brazil, I'm sure it boiled the Brazilians blood. I don't think there was much racism involved, if any. I'd also stick my neck out and say I'm sure mr_mcquiston was not supporting racist behaviour with his post, but was completely agreeing with booing of Hamilton winning the title.

Edited at 21:08 Tue 4/11/08 (GMT)

I don't think it was because of his colour Stew. Any racial comments made where at Spain, not Brazil. He was booed because he won and Massa (who is Brazilian) didn't!

And I for one don't hate the Scottish! I married into a Scottish/Irish family. They love me.......... and my jokes..........

Dave is my mate, and he's a bit of a numpty at time but he's not racist, and he certainly don't hate English people - or he wouldn't chat to me!!


EDIT: Posted the same time as Sporting - and agree with what he says.

Edited at 21:11 Tue 4/11/08 (GMT)

Branded a racist??? YOU ARE HAVING A LAUGH!

I'm a fan of Ferrari. Does that make me what you branded me then?
What John said, i think you should choose your words more wisely in future.
It's all banter on here, remember that.




Moving onto more relevant matters...
Anyone heard the rumours about the single engine cars next year, apparently cost cuts are going to play a massive part.

Edited at 21:39 Tue 4/11/08 (GMT)

Standardized engines or drive-trains is not happening as soon as 2009. It's a 2010 issue at the earliest, IF it happens at all.

Ferrari is not the only team who will protest massively towards such a development (or rather a lack thereof) in this sport.

The only known changes for 2009 is getting slicks back, and hopefully losing the retarded rules governing having to use both available compounds during each race (unless wet).


What *I* am looking forward to, is the day aerodynamics take a big hit in terms of rules. We need to see the effect of aerodynamics reduced drastically if we are ever going to see more real racing again - like we had back in the good old days.

FIA knows this. It's hardly rocket science (and I should know since I am one, lol). The problems are apparent tho:

1: You can't hurt F1 performance much in any way at all without bringing it too close to GP2 level (F1 clearly having a need to stay a notch ahead)

2: Reducing aerodynamical grip while still keeping more or less the same lap times means one of two things: More mechanical grip and/or more engine power. There is only so much you can do to gain mechanical grip beyond what F1 cars already have. That leaves increased engine power - which in turn translates into increased risk. Which seems to be considered very politically incorrect these days.

Oh well, enough of my ramblings for tonight

Edited at 22:15 Tue 4/11/08 (GMT)

the last race was fixed

hey dave i would like to apolagise for what i said it was very stupid of me not to look into it a bit more the last thing i heard bout hamilton was that he was getting abuse of the crowd because of his colour (don't know how long ago) and i thought it was carrying on in brazil also i was very intoxicated as i had been drinking all day i hope you except my apology and we can put this all to bed again im sorry