Best of the new boys ?

**Craig** · 3 Mar 2001, 03:21 (Ref:67688)

Could this be the year of the new boys ? Who do we think is gonna be the best of the new crop ?

Sparky · 3 Mar 2001, 03:28 (Ref:67691)

For sheer spectacle and 'We'll show 'em' attitude, it has to be Alonso. Or Raikkonen. Or Montoya.

Oh dear... Help!

**Craig** · 3 Mar 2001, 03:32 (Ref:67692)

I want all three of them to go out and show em - Kimi because we saw him so often over the past couple years, JPM because, well, because he's JPM!

, and Alonso because he's in a Minardi.

The one I *don't* want to see doing well is Burti. Not liked him since he harpooned Marc Hynes at Silverstone in 99

Liz · 3 Mar 2001, 03:46 (Ref:67697)

I think it's amazing that all the little new boys look so good! But for sheer impressive drive tonight I would have to pick Alonso. A 19 year old in a diecast he'd barely even tested before, and he IS NOT last on the grid!

However, I think Tarso Marques drives like I do. He manages to make Ricardo Rosset look competent.

P.S. How come I knew Minardi didn't have a spare car and neither Murray nor Martin did?

Sparky · 3 Mar 2001, 03:50 (Ref:67699)

I wondered about the so-called 'common knowledge' that is the spare-less Minardi team.

You know what it is...

M&M don't visit 10 Tenths as often as they should!!

EERO · 3 Mar 2001, 03:51 (Ref:67700)

Kimi Raikkonen has shown real speed right from the beginning. He is a revelaation. But to my mind, Alonso with that under-funded, undeveloped car with lump for an engine has shown real cajones. The boy is brilliant!

Valve Bounce · 3 Mar 2001, 04:38 (Ref:67715)

I hereby announce that I am sorry for all teh pessimistic comments I made about Minardi. It surely must be a miracle that Alonso qualified to run. Paul Stoddart said that the engine had only run for a small number of hours in testing, and the cars barely did 30 laps in a shakedown. From now on, I will cheer exclusively for Alonso amd Kimi, (and Ralf too just to annoy certain people). If somebody told me Alonso could qualify within 4 seconds of TGf, I would have said they were totally mad.

Forza Minardi

DNQ · 3 Mar 2001, 07:47 (Ref:67745)

Bloody hell that Alonso bloke is incredible. Sure, he may only have been 19th in qualifying, but he 3-4 seconds up on his team mate. Amazing. Oh, and fifthteenth in practice this morning!

Gt_R · 3 Mar 2001, 13:58 (Ref:67810)

Alonso is the man no doubt, putting a well underpowered car with 6wks developement on the grid with the rest. Kimi aint far off too!!~

I had expected more from JPM and Burti

Liz · 3 Mar 2001, 14:32 (Ref:67819)

In Burti's defence, I think it is the Jaguar. In this respect Eddie seems to have been bang on.

As for JPM, I think he will be all right on the day. He certainly inspired Ralfie to get his narrow German butt in gear, didn't he?

R · 3 Mar 2001, 14:41 (Ref:67822)

Burti was lucky his car didn't roll in his big accident. He would have qualified better had he stayed on the track. JPM was a little disappointing, but I expect better things from him maybe already tomorrow. Alonso and Raikkonen has had excellent qualifying debuts.

Gt_R · 3 Mar 2001, 14:59 (Ref:67827)

Alonso is the man no doubt, putting a well underpowered car with 6wks developement on the grid with the rest. Kimi aint far off too!!~

I had expected more from JPM and Burti

F1FansClub · 3 Mar 2001, 15:23 (Ref:67831)

For me it has to be Kimi Raikonnen! He was flying in quals and the practice sessions and if he didn't have a few bad last corners on one of his laps he would have been well up the grid but he's doe extremmely well for a Sauber!

Ally

Ralf's Girl · 3 Mar 2001, 17:17 (Ref:67847)

For the moment, I would definitely say Alonso. To go out for your first ever qualifying session, driving a car that was very nearly not in Australia for the race (and also knowing that if you trash it, there's no spare) is something else.

I think Raikkonen has shown so far that he was worth a gamble. The real test will be in the race, of course, but he's obviously determined to prove to everyone that he deserves a drive in F1. I'd like to see him do well - I want him to show Mr. Mosley that he was wrong!

Jay · 3 Mar 2001, 17:53 (Ref:67851)

Raikkonen! Raikkonen! Raikkonen!

Nice job by Alonso too!

And Montoya showed he will most likely not be another Zanardi or Andretti.

Carla O · 3 Mar 2001, 19:02 (Ref:67870)

i quite like Raikkonen...
but i will post a better formed opinion today after the race... if i remember to come online and don't go straight to sleep!

x
C

Jay · 3 Mar 2001, 20:45 (Ref:67895)

hehehe I know what you mean. I was in the UK for last years OZ GP. Luckily where I am this year, it will ony be at 10:00 PM. Right after the hockey game

.

stubert · 4 Mar 2001, 01:13 (Ref:67967)

I thought Kimi did very well especially after all the fuss about them giving him a license.

Race starts at 8 pm our time.

Valve Bounce · 4 Mar 2001, 01:50 (Ref:67973)

I know that its all and well to say Alonso was 16th in the warm up this morning. Then I look at the cars behind him, and that says he is doing really well. The cars are in racing trim for the warm up, so this is very indicative. This car has had no development whatsoever, and only 30 laps shakedown before this weekend. Can you imagine where this guy would have qualified in one of the Macs or a Ferrari? He is improving on the gap to the top - he is only 3.7 seconds off the pace. And this is in the car I have been bad mouthing all month saying they won't even get onto the grid.

I do feel very guilty

for saying all those things, but now I am deliriously happy.

I hope the Ferrari or Mac have to pit earlier than the Minardi, and they have to fight for track position with Alonso.

Sparky · 4 Mar 2001, 01:53 (Ref:67974)

It's alright Bouncy - we won't hold it against ya! We just needed the power of positive thought, that's all!!

I'm hoping for a little of that great leveller - the damp track, then we could see Alonso shine for sure.

NOT LONG NOW!!!

Valve Bounce · 4 Mar 2001, 01:59 (Ref:67975)

Positive thought??

That effort of Alonso was a miracle

I do feel sorry for Marquess though, he was all over the place, and I don't think he should be in the race. Maybe if he had more time to get to know the car or learn how to drive. Still, he is good looking, so Liz will have a good word for him.

Liz · 4 Mar 2001, 06:06 (Ref:68029)

My Alabama gran always said about men she did not like, "Well he's a nice LOOKING man."

But I'm sure Memo Gidley isn't doing anything much right now and would have showed much better speed and ability in the Minardi than Marques did.

Best of the new boys as far as finishing goes would be Kimi; but Burti, Kimi, Alonso and JPM all showed very good speed and good driving sense for guys in their first F1 races. I almost think Montoya will get a podium in the next four races.

I also expect the average age of the grid to continue to drop as the cars become more RC and as the team owners realise they can be had for 1/10 the salary. Brundle remarked that the combined age at Sauber was 44, while that at BAR was over 60. THAT is something to think about, yes?

Billy_Hunt · 4 Mar 2001, 11:30 (Ref:68091)

The newbie of the day for me has got to be Kimi Raikkonen I was very impressed especially the way he held off HH Frentzen towards the end of the race.

Alonso was also very Impressive

I wasn't impressed by JPM much ok it's his first race and he had a solid drive but I thought he was going to be something really special I saw no evidence of this and he was in the faster car of the new boys.

Liz · 4 Mar 2001, 12:49 (Ref:68112)

And whose voice has been saying the loudest, "Don't expect miracles?" Montoya's. He is not (unlike some Benetton pilots) trumpeting himself as the next Senna. He is saying Wait and See. And for a first effort his was a good one.

Remember that My Ricardo was vouchered into the points last year at Melbourne after a very good drive, too, and look where he ended up.

Tristan · 4 Mar 2001, 13:29 (Ref:68123)

It's got to be Kimi. Sauber show what should REALLY be done with the Ferrari engine/gearbox. Prost, take note.

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