ROAD RAGE!!!

[Mr.S]

That was a good battle between David and TGF! What did you guys think about the little hand gesture from DC? Then there was Trulli's little wheel banging pass on Frenzy. But who could forget about Hiedfeild and Alesi's little get together? (the funny thing about it is that Prost blamed the Benetton)- Overall, doesnt it seem that there is alot more action this year?

[Jay]

I remember Greg Moore in the Cart, got a hefty fine for giving the finger to Al Unser Jr. last year.

The Americans are generally less tolerant to little things like that than the Europeans are, so I wouldn't think that the FIA would do anything. At least I hope not. But, you know the FIA, they pretty much proved what many have suspected recently; they are biased towards Ferrari.

I think there has been more action in the recent races. I would attribute this to a tightening mid field, and McLaren and Ferrari almost being dead even. So we have a good battle at the front between the usual duo, and usually a number of battles in the mid-field involving the Williams, Jordans, Fisichella and Villeneuve.

Next race is in Austria. Although the track is one of most boring in F1 (even worse than Magny-cours), it does have a number of places where a pass can be made. Should be good!

[Minardi fan]

The A1 Ring is one of the best circuits, and the only decent modern one, I reckon.

[Gerard]

In the post race press conference they asked David Coulthard what the hand gesture meant.
David immediately apologized for that.
He said it was done in the heat of the moment, but there was no cause for it.
He called it an unsportive gesture and said he was sorry.
Think about it whatever you want, but here's not only a great driver but also a gentleman.

[Mr.S]

Don’t take me the wrong way, I'm not criticizing DC for that little gesture. DC is now in my top five drivers list, he's added so much action to this year.

[Red]

When I was a kid my mum told me that doing un-sportive gesture and apologizing afterwards means not a gentleman. A gentleman does not such gestures at all. And I'm not talking about the "finger thing".

And Gerard, all the press conference was about MS trying to push poor DC out of the track, all within the rules (but the rules should be changed, and we all know FIA's bias towards Ferrari and MS, don't we?). On my TV, David pushed wide MS when he passed, in fact they touched. So, a small apology with a big smile on his face does not make him a gentleman.

[Mr.S]

All I can say is that if Schumacher would have done the same thing there would be no apologizing.

[Red]

All I say is that I never saw such "action" in a competition of any kind. (Well, maybe I'm not watching enough football).

[Cameron]

No doubt DC will be fined 10 points if it's close towards the end of the season!

[Minardi fan]

Cameron... So young, so naive, so cynical.

Well done chap! Welcome aboard.

[Bononi]

I can clearly remember Frentzen doing that "finger gesture"... I have it on tape... I think it was on Australian GP... anyway I will check !
But if that move had resulted in a out-of-track-ride, Coulthard would not be so nice... he's happy with all he has done...
again, Thanx David...

[Sharky]

OH Mr. S. That is so true. In fact, schu would probably complement his gesture during the race with "rough" declarations in the press conference.

But I have to say that I like that...it gives the sport a more..."human" touch. He has all the right to get mad.....much more when he's "insulting" his championship contender and ,certanly, not very close friend after that move.

[Liz]

While I do not approve of French Salutes and I agree that apologizing for an unsporting gesture is like trying to take the nail you hammered out of your mother's coffee table - you can remove the nail but you can't remove the hole - there are times when absolutely nothing else will do. And such gestures and the words that accompany them have a great deal more force and effect when they are almost never used.

DC did not after all trot down to Ferrari and try to attack TGF and accuse him in ungentlemanly languages of seeking to end his life.

[Red]

Well, after the finger thing (I still do not agree in a competition)... the second part... did not look like a fist to me...

[Cameron]

Talking about Road Rage, how much screaming do you think there would have been if McLarens had been 1 & 3 on the grid and No 1 had parked and lifted off in fromt of a TGF and No 3 had elevated itself to No 2?

Maybe it's true I'm young, naive & cynical (I wish I was the first)

[Red]

You mean Mika helping David? Or David helping Mika? Hmmm.
But here's another example: MS leads, DC attacks him in Adelaide, on the outside, DC fails and makes big show. DC attacks, again, on the inside this time and pushes MS wide. Doing exactly what he blames MS for. Do I hear something? Did Ferrari or MS say something? No, I hear David Coulthard and I quote: "I expected him to close the door again..."!!!!! Oh, speaking of lifting off... nah, let's forget it.

Off topic: is it some kind of contagious disease at McLaren? Blaming backmarkers is one thing. Blaming Jacques for defending position is already too much, but blaming the leader of the race 'coz he didn't let him pass? And people say MS is the arrogant guy...

[Minardi fan]

Erm... the gesture which followed the finger was not a fist being shaken... My mother asked what it was and I refrained from explaining.

Plus if I type in the word which it represents I'll get banned from this thing, so I'll leave it to your imaginations...

[Gt_R]

Hmm....DC is really shooting his mouth everywhere, and his fingers too. On both overtaking moves, i dont see any wrong with MS and the ferrari. On the first one, DC forced MS wif wheels up the inner curb, which results in the car slightly overshooting the corners(well the commentators were questioning DC's move with "where does he xpect...MS to go?" or something along that line), and on the second, DC forced MS all the way towards the outer dirt. He did not give MS any room, so what's his problem? Learn from Ralf, DC, comment only after you watch your owndoings on tape, and stop those signs and ur mouth. GENTLEMANLY Behavoir indeed from dear DC. Unfortunately, to succeed nowadays, one have to play a little rough....

[Gerard]

Wasn't it only a year ago a lot of people, even on this board, said DC was a 'softy'?
That he should be tougher on himself and on others?
That if he didn't show a bit more of an aggression he would never become world champion?

Well, he's showing it now, isn't he?
He's exactly the kind of man the media and a lot of fans were asking for.
So, please, give the guy a break.
Besides, aren't a lot of us wanting to show the 'finger' to Schumacher sometimes?
What would you like to see more?
Two cars driving behind each other for most of the race, or a real fight for a position in which some wheel banging is involved?
What we saw last Sunday was racing, real racing.

[EERO]

Gerard, you took the words out of my mouth.

DC, I have a few gestures I'd be happy to teach you.

[Mr.S]

This is great two drivers who hate each other, and they're championship contenders!!! Unless they are

[Gerard]

Mr S., I don't think they hate each other.
They can't because they both have to go through the same door, that of the Grand Prix Drivers Association.
Ofcourse there's a lot of rivalry on the track and they probably aren't the best of friends but I'm absolutely sure there's no hate involved.

p.s. you didn't finish your sentence. Now I'm curious.

[Nuvolari]

DC's "gesture" aside . . . his real salute came a few laps later when he sent up a puff of smoke as his left rear kissed the right front of Schu's Ferrari while overtaking.

[Mr.S]

I dont mean pure-hatred, they just dont like the other guy. I'm sure Schumacher didn't feel the same way about Hakkenin as he does about DC. Unless they are

[Jay]

If you look at some of DC's moves on the track, he is a much more aggressive driver than Mika ever was. He is actually giving us something we have not seen since 1997, passing for the lead. When was the last time we had a truly good battle for first place that actually involved a pass?