Schumi outduels Mika ( Qualifying report)

[neutral]

Watching qualifying on the internet is hard at the best of times. But today I was treated to one of the best sessions of the year. The lead continued to change hand until finally Schumi took the honours. I think this session is a reflection of what we should expect tomorrow. I CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!

[Billy_Hunt]

I cant help feeling that TGF wants this a lot more than MH what happened to him in the last run I know it was close but TGF seems to have really got the fire in him

[Valve Bounce]

Hey Guys, the qualifying times were close - there really isn't that much in it. Silly to say TGF wants this a lot more than Mika is a little overboard - there isn't more than a blink between the times. I am wishing that everything works perfectly for both drivers and their cars, and I sincerely hope there are ovretaking opportunities at Suzuka. By the way, where are the overtaking opportunities at Suzuka?? Sorry I did not post this question as a thread like I normally do - damn!!!

[downforce]

yeah...FIRE!!!!!
neutral...prepare to party!!!

[chow wei hsien]

i agree with the fire stuff ... coz i can feel when i was watching the TV at home.

i am feeling so nervous now. tommorow is gonna be the biggest day in my motor racing life!

[R]

That was a great qualifying session, with the lead shifting between the two title contenders five times!

I cannot agree that the reason TGF is on pole is that he wants this a lot more than Mika however. The difference was 0.009 seconds remember (less than a hundredth). I think this qualifying session shows that both these men are equaly eager to win - TGF wants to settle the WDC here at Suzuka, Mika wants to take it to the wire in Malaysia. That's also the reason why I think that none of them will try to take each other out, it wouldn't really serve either's purpose. I think we'll be in for a treat on Sunday, it should be a cracker!

[botsquad]

that was one great show.

just what is the differece, in track position, spanning 9/1000 of a second? an inch and a half?

way to go jenson and ralf. i hope then can get special starts.

[Bononi]

Both of them have reasons and motivation to win this title.
I would not consider one more than the other, I just hope the race won't end at the first corner.

[Ralf's Girl]

That was a seriously exciting qualifying session!

Let's hope for these things in the race:

1. A close race
2. A race with no dirty tricks
3. A race where Ralf is on the podium...

[R]

Originally posted by botsquad

just what is the differece, in track position, spanning 9/1000 of a second? an inch and a half?

About 55 centimeters if my calculations are correct. Have no idea what that equals in inches...

[Dhru]

Who said that Michael isn't as fast as Mika over a single lap??? What do you say now?
I think that James Allen said there was about eight inches between the two.
Dhru.

[Rated R]

It is 55 cm or more(if the speed at the SF line is greater than the average 220 km/h) which is about 21.65 inches. Sometimes those time differences are rather misleading-22 inches is a pretty reasonable lead for a lap.

[chow wei hsien]

mystery about Mika's superb qualifying edge.

well ,everyone seems to be saying that Mika is quicker over a single lap than Michael. This year, it proved to be otherwise. And, i feel a little bit irritated when Murray Walker keeps on saying that Mika is like The Great Ayrton Senna in a way that both can pull out something extra at the end of the session.
Look, i would put it this way, it is not Mika pulling out something SPECIAL when it is needed, i would say that Mika do not qualify at his full potential until his provisional pole time is threatened, then only Mika get together a maximum qualifying lap.

If Mika always pull something SPECIAL , how come Michael has more poles than him??...

[Dhru]

Finally, someone who agrees that Mika isn't as quick as we're led to believe.
Here are the stats:
Total no. Poles: Michael 31
Mika 26
And bear in mind that Mika has had the fastest car for three years now.
Number of fastest laps in a race: MS 40, MH 20
And Michael has come up with poles at title deciding races, with the exception of Jerez where he equalled JV's time, but was second due to JV getting it first.
Dhru.

[Jared]

What an incredible session. Even better that the drying-track, who runs last is on the pole crapshoots. It looked like Hakk and Schu were performing that song, "Anything you can do I can do better..."

Just incredible. One goes out and sets a time. The other sits in his car in the garage watching, sees the time the other puts in and shakes his head, smiling. Then he goes out and bests it by thousandths of a second. And the cycle starts again.

And you could see it on the track, especially in the left-right-left esses after the first corner, that both were going at ten-tenths, absolutely balls-to-the-wall.

That session is one reason why a point should be awarded for pole position.

[R]

Originally posted by Dhru

Here are the stats:
Total no. Poles: Michael 31
Mika 26
And bear in mind that Mika has had the fastest car for three years now.
Number of fastest laps in a race: MS 40, MH 20

When you look at those stats you must also bear in mind that TGF had the faster car from 94-97 when Mika had the sh!tbox that was McLaren in those years. That's why the statistics go in TGF's favour. And in 98 and 99 I agree, Mika had the faster car. But this year? I think Ferrari has had the faster car to be honest.

[Dhru]

To see which car is better you should look at Mika, David and Rubens, we know that Michael can make a car look better than it is. If you look at their performances, you will see that both David and Mika have out-performed Rubens at most of the races and qualifying sessions. Even if Mika is a better driver than Rubens is, I seriously doubt that Coulthard is. Rubens would surely not have been qualifying fourth or lower for most of the season if the Ferrari was better than the McLaren.
Dhru.

[R]

Ross Brawn:
"I think we had a very good car this year. People said we didn't but I think that was doing Mika a disservice. We've every faith we're going to have a good car next year too."

Ralf Schumacher:
"This year, for sure, the best driver in the best car and the best team has won."