Post Nurburgring Talk

[Gt_R]

Okay..the race ended.

Another wonderful 1-2 for Ferrari.

Flawless drive from MS..simply close to perfection again.

Some great drives/duels from other drivers, eg Sato, Klien (at least for half a lap in front of JPM)..

Some silly moves, eg Sato on RB, Webber on MS, JPM on Ralf

Some sad days for others , eg Coulthard and Kimi (link = Mercedes)...SMoKin!

Pretty decent a race overall!



PS. if any similar threads are floating..feel free to merge!

[Knowlesy]

It wasn't exactly a rip snorter of a race, but after Monaco anything was gonna be a dissapointment.

Roll on 4:30, Indy 500.

[ralf fan]

It was a bore to be honest... i dont take pleasure watching Ferrari 1-2's like the Ferrari fans do...

[Gt_R]

Today's full of racing aye?

Gonna get some stretch before getting back into the couch.

But i'm particularly impressed by Klien..Bahrain he showed his desire to go wheel to wheel with anyone around him...and he's in this struggling car, with an overtaking expert behind him with a quicker car, yet he managed to defend his position in a very clean, skillful manner that's impossible to fault. And the best thing is, he didn't crack.

And the start is one thing strange..once again Ralf tasted the kitty before he could do anything about it. Sure, Ralf didn't exactly impress with his performance, but luck definitely isn't giving a helping hand either.

And third thing that i find irritating is that once again, backmarkers has been quite a problem in this race. We saw Bruni (?) holding up a Renault, then MS encountering more than once backmarkers exiting from the pitlane yet refusing to concede, almost collecting MS and forcing MS to take avoiding actions. Also, backmarkers don't really give way..but instead are mobile obstacles, if not hazards...ie Panis and one of the Jordans..

[neilap]

I may actually watch an oval race for the first time in its entirety. Honda is raping the other teams with regards to pace. Nah! Cant do it. I will read about the results. Maybe I will watch the start, middle and the end.

MS was made to look better because of KRs start. KR was 2 seconds slower than the drivers behind him. Had Sato not messed up the first lap MS's strategy would have seemed like more of a risk. BAR and Renault was not very far off their pace. Then again MS did not really have to push after KR played the good team mate by holding everyone up.

[Knowlesy]

To be honest, they can have their 1-2's as much as they want. I just want to see some racing. That's all that bothers me. I have no objection to Ferrari winning constantly, but when there are lot's of less than exciting races it starts to grate a little more.

Our expectations for this year were massive after 2003, too big in fact, and Ferrari have shattered our dreams!

Boo-hoo, it's not fair.

[Gt_R]

ralf fan - the result of a Ferrari 1-2 is a bonus for fans, but what makes a good race isn't the result, but rather the process. I'm sure Ferrari fans won't complain if we have great racing but no Ferrari wins (we've afterall sat through a very long drought before). One thing i have to complain though was the TV director's obsession with looking at MS lap people and pitstops...And a great battle between Button/Sato/RB is sadly robbed.

But Indy's coming...ah...something different.

[enemy-ace]

I think it's raining in Indy.
Ferrari back to their dominant form. Is Ruben's ever going to be allowed to run a front running strategy. At least give him a fighting chance.
Really good race from Sato, except for that one move. That's the thing about motor-racing, there isn't a lot of room for mistakes. Sato is making to many, the potential is there though.
Jenson looked like he was struggling a bit but kept it together and got on the podium. Solid mature race. Good job.
Good race from Webber too. Looks like the team made a bit of an error in judging the tire degradation for his strategy, but he drove around it a brought it home in the points. C'mon Ford, pony up for God's sake. Let's see some development.
Mclaren is making me very very sad.
Highlight of the race. Montoya stalking Klien. Great racing! I was rather impressed by Klien who I thought defended quite well against the best passer in the game in what was obviously an inferior car.

[Knowlesy]

Wow...I thought mentioniong Indy would get me lambasted!

[ralf fan]

what chance Sam Michaels first job as Tech director was to split a JPM/RS brawl after the race...

[Knowlesy]

Probably a very high chance Mr R fan!

I can't help notice with Rafe these days that he laughs a lot during interviews. He seemed to be tickled when talking about the Alonso Monaco incident ("ha, ha, what was I supposed to do, ha, ha he ****ed up, ha, ha,") and when talking about Da Matta today ("ha, ha it wasn't my fault, he, he").

Laughing gas?

[dretceterini]

Has Button gotten better, or has almost everyone else gotten worse?

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by dretceterini
Has Button gotten better, or has almost everyone else gotten worse?

Very strange comment

[ralf fan]

Originally posted by knowlesy
Laughing gas?

Probably a look at Louise Goodman is enough to get anyone laughing!!!!

No but it was quite funny " ha ha ha im sorry i dint see him heheh heh.. all i can say is sorry hahahah"

[Mr V]

Originally posted by enemy-ace
Is Ruben's ever going to be allowed to run a front running strategy.

Something i have wondered myself, and to be perfectly honest, don't understand why Ferrari (and Rubens?) continue with the 2 stop stratergy. Sure, it allows him to finish second, but going on a 3 stopper and starting closer to the front row would also allow him to do the same :confused:

The key to Michaels victory was the start, fortunatly for him, it worked out and he didn't get swamped at the start (although Trulli gave it a very good go ), had Trulli or Sato been able to get past it might have been a more entertaining afternoon.

[Gt_R]

I think it's just Ralf trying to portray a laid back "I'm-not-affected" mood to his competitors...Kinda not let others know that such incidents affect him.

I'm sure he's ****ed or something..but to laugh it off effectively doesn't allow others to know what really troubles him.

[f1manoz]

TGF just way out front. RB did ok, but the strategy is killing his overall pace.

BAR were again best of the rest. Sato just desperately unlucky while Button again achieved the maximum he could.

No-one else had a look in. Renault solid but unspectacular, Fisichella drove a demon of a race, McLaren are becoming laughable, Williams aren't much better and their drivers aren't helping and no-one else is worthy of a mention.

[Meroo]

Mac are in real strife. Anyone else notice MW Jag's slow get away from the grid again? Still having start problems, which may have cost at least one finishing position.