montoya cant beat ralf

[Marshal]

Good call Russian Friend. I'd agree with that.

Its strange isn't it, JPM has his least impressive weekend of the year (IMHO) at Barcelona, and finishes 2nd. Roll on Austria, which is all about grunt out of slow corners, I wonder who that will suit??

[Sonatrap]

Red

He was hired to crush Ralph? who said that ?

He did a pretty good job at crushing all comers in the Cart series in his first season and at the INDY 500 on his first opportunity. So the press whip up a whole load of expectations ...the usual comparisons with all time greats etc etc. and some people get sick of it and try and shoot him down at every opportunity.Meanwhile JPM gets on with the job ... he´s shown moments of brilliance, he´s overdriven at times, he admits he hasn´t got the hang of qualifying, he´s not as fast Ralp YET!Whatever is said following his development certainly makes for interesting viewing!

This idea that he was driving camly and waiting for opportunities is questionable...his career to date suggests that he drives flat out and takes the race to his opponents, He doesn´t know any other way. He is a racer...that´s the hope in the future anyway because there aren't many left.No, he wasn´t driving camly, he was pushing a car that was tricky to handle that day.

[Damon]

yeah, the car simply wasn'y hooked up in spain and Montoyas starting 12th was down to back luck in qualifying. He managed to gain six positions in one lap to get himself close enough just incase somthing did go wrong with those ahead of him. Nice one Pablo. Oh, BTW Ralf proved just how hard to handle that car was when he lost it under braking!! He was clearly pushing a little too hard.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Damon
yeah, the car simply wasn'y hooked up in spain and Montoyas starting 12th was down to back luck in qualifying. He managed to gain six positions in one lap to get himself close enough just incase somthing did go wrong with those ahead of him. Nice one Pablo. Oh, BTW Ralf proved just how hard to handle that car was when he lost it under braking!! He was clearly pushing a little too hard.

Sorry I don't buy that. His car was as good as Ralf's. He made a hash of qualifying and then had to hope that others fell off. I'll accept his overtaking abilities but he's not proved anything by lucking into a podium.

To say that Ralf fell off because of ill handling is a little naive. Especially when all reports suggest it was a gearbox problem.

I'm afraid I still await the coming of the messiah.

[F1 Jonny]

The original post was "Montoya cant beat Ralf".

JPM 2nd - Ralf DNF

Doesnt this mean that "Montoya CAN beat Ralf"????????

[laxman]

jonny,
im afraid the statement has not yet been answered.Ralf went out because of a mechanical failure.SO "montoya cant beat ralf" still holds good from the practice and qualifying times.
It will change only if mr. toya does soemthing good in teh next race.

[Valve Bounce]

I think that on certain types of track, JPM will be better, and on others Ralf will be better. I was, however, quite surprised to see Ralf slip back so quickly after he gained such a good position from the start. Rubens passed him as if he (Ralf) was looking for a parking meter. Then he continued to slip back quite rapidly. I know that with the F1 teams, they often hide their problems behind smokescreens, and I am sure we will never get the full story on Ralf's demise in Spain. Suffice to say that it was uncharacteristic.

[Damon]

Ralf's 'gearbox' problem is as beleivable as TGF 'vibrating wheel' problem. ('not very' insinuted just in case you missed it)

[Sonatrap]

On the subject of JPM´s tremendous start in which he made up six places:

Who should get the credit? Juan Pablo or his launch control system?
In the press conference he was asked the leading question ...was that a Juan Pablo start or a launch control start... to which he answered the latter.

But what does that actually mean? He still has to push a button to start moving, doesn´t he? and once he´s rolling steer his way up the field. On a replay I watched he seemed to do a sterling job avoiding Frentzen and weaving up the field.Surely at least a driver´s reactions still play a key role at the start!

So exactly to what extent was that a launch control start.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Sonatrap


So exactly to what extent was that a launch control start.

From what I have read so far, this wasn't supposed to happen with launch control. I think there is a helluva lot we don't know about with eh software for TRACS and associated usages. I mean the guy made up three rows, which isn't supposed to happen, and Ralf also had a great start, but then went backwards soon after.