Round 4: Spanish GP preview/weekend thread!

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Bononi

The chemistry is there because they're friendly rather than being bitter with small things... maybe the 2 WDC made Alonso see things in a different way.

Originally Posted by deejay

There was something in the exchange post race between Massa and Lewis that suggested a camaraderie between them in their desire to one-up their more fancied (and grim) No. 1 teammates...

Massa and Hamilton both had something to celebrate. Alonso didn't really.

[Greenback]

Originally Posted by deejay

Massa didn't give an inch on corner exit and sent Alonso off the road, very much like Schumacher would have done.

Personally I thought it was good to see, other drivers won't consider Massa a push over now and will be more circumspect when trying to pass him. After Malaysia Massa needed to make a statment like that.

Exactly. being half a car ahead by braking late on the outside, doesnt mean you have the right of way into a corner. Furthermore, massa was just following the racing line, he didnt purposely push FA out of the 2nd corner.

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by deejay

Massa didn't give an inch on corner exit and sent Alonso off the road, very much like Schumacher would have done.

Personally I thought it was good to see, other drivers won't consider Massa a push over now and will be more circumspect when trying to pass him. After Malaysia Massa needed to make a statment like that.

correct, for a while (possibly upto the first tap) he was ahead of Massa. One of Autosport.com piccys does show that, but he then got pushed off line and Massa took the lead.

You cant really blame Massa though, he was on the line and it was a very risky move. As you say, Massa is showing that he's no wet lettuce.

[Inigo Montoya]

Again, Massa has learnt from the master, Schummi

I think Massa put it best in the post race press conference:

"If I am wrong, which in my career I have always been the first one to say when I am wrong, or made a mistake, but this time don’t tell me I made a mistake. Come on, this is racing. This is Formula One and this is the first corner. When I make a mistake I will be the first one to say."

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

Again, Massa has learnt from the master, Schummi

Does this mean he's going to "park the car" in Monaco.

[Inigo Montoya]

If necessary to win, I would not doubt it

[Sodemo]

I do think Alonso took a big risk around the outside at turn 1, though at the apex his car was ahead, so it could be argued that it was Alonso's corner.

[Gt_R]

Interestingly, Alonso "caused" his own incident... for by squeezing Massa towards the curb, it basically meant Massa has no where to go but to hold that line he did. And there's only space for one.

Alonso was SLIGHTLY ahead, but not sufficient for him to claim the line. Hence, it's ridiculous that Alonso turn in so early to attempt regaining the "racing line", where he should know another car is inside. To suggest that Massa's at fault, or that it is dangerous, isn't making sense, especially when his attempt to rejoin the race almost completely disregard track safety, and could have caused an accident if not for drivers taking evasive actions.

[Bononi]

Well... that's the way it goes, fighting for the first corner in a track with no overtakes.

[johnh875]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

I don't think it was safe for him to have waited. He did not have the option to stop and wait - it doesn't work like that. He had minimal control when off the track. The safest thing he could do was keep up his momentum and rejoin a the highest possible speed (i.e. as close to the speed eveyone else was doing). How could he have waited?

I agree exactly, he rejoined the track at barely reduced speed. It really seems people are looking at this from a couch perspective not a racing driver red-mist perspective!

[Adam43]

Even a considered racing driver with no red-mist would have do that though.