Best of the rest behind Schumacher this year?

[Andrew2001]

On several occasions Montoya, Coulthard and now Kimi, have given Schumacher a bit of a shove just to make their point and in those particular races, SChumacher seemed unable to do anything about it, to win, or take back the place.
It seems, does it not, that when given a bit of his own medicine back he doesn't seem to know how to take it.

Kimi put on a beautiful display of driving (being a big Hakkinen fan from long before he won his first GP and now supportive of Kimi), I was really happy with his defensive driving. He let Schumacher go on the outside, then held the inside line, knowing that Schumacher would race up the left going to turn 3, so he just kept driving left to force Schumacher off the track just like what happened at french gp last year except it was schumacher doing it to Kimi.
What pay-back! Fantastic! He doesn't look so menacing or threatening when someone else is out there really socking it to him does he?
I WANNA SEE MORE MORE MORE MORE. Shop his nose off, force him off line, make him brake earlier, really **** Him off. Juan Pablo, David and Kimi are the men to do it this year. Ralf is a pussy and so is Rubens.

Anyone wanna have a bet on who is gonna either win, or be the best of the rest behind Schumacher this year?
My pick: Kimi Raikkonen. Said this a month ago, and am still confident. Anyone wanna bet something, like, err, something minor? Like, a poster or something. A friend of mine had a bet that Schumacher wouldn't win the 2001 world championship, and well, he had to buy the other guy a Ferrari poster...

[Snrub]

Rubins will be MS's closest title competition. Non-Ferrari would be Kimi, looks like McLaren will have the #2 car this year.

As for the other part, I dislike dirty driving. Doesn't matter if it's the passer or the passed. F1 is so high stakes, money driven and difficult to pass that dirty driving is becoming the norm.

[Lee Janotta]

Rubens doesn't count, he's not allowed to win the championship unless Schumi breaks his legs... And they wouldn't even let Irvine do that.

Kimi will be closer to the Ferraris than Juan Pablo this year, simply by virtue of having the better car.

[J.McClane]

Monty is the only man to take the race to Shu i think.
I agree Barras don't have a chance, he's not allowed.
I don't think Kimi has the balls, though good driver he is.
DC.....Mmmmmmmmmmmmaybe.
Ralf, now that is funny.
Other? There are no others.

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by J.McClane
I don't think Kimi has the balls, though good driver he is.

Are we talking abut the same guy who took on both Montoya and Michael Schumacher, two of the hardest racers on the block, and won?
The same guy who ran wide and kept his foot in it, had a puncture and kept his foot in it? Kimi doesn't have BALLS???? Oh pleeaasse!!!
Kimi's the guy that will take it Schumacher this year. Montoya will too, but only on a limited basis, only because of his lack of car.

[Mal]

And remember that qualifying lap in Spa last year.

[Mark Webber]

I'd like to say Ralf but Kimmi IS the man

[av8rirl]

Guys, you're getting carried away. At the moment it should be best of the rest behind DC!! He's leading the championship (not sure for how long)!

However, I think it'll be a three-way battle right to the last round between MS, JPM and KR (not necessarily in that order).

[Glen]

I voted Kimi - I want it to be JPM. Unfortunately I think the McLaren will edge out the Williams... depends a lot on relibility for the new McLaren and development of the FW25 - but as of this moment I'd say McLaren were doing enough to negate JPM's natural advantage!

[fiona]

well if you take Rubens out of the equation it leave DC, KR and JPM
Kimi wants to get his first win
JPM wants to show that he aint a one race wonder
and DC wants to show folk that he *could* possibly win WDC

and well personally at the moment i cant decide between the 3 of them

[Peter Mallett]

Well there are a number of points here. Firstly how can we have this after only the first race>

Next only Kimi did anything of note against Mickey on sunday.

Then I don't believe Mickey forced Kimi off in France last year (he skidded on oil and Mickey passed him).

Next we have kimi (last year) giving JPM a number of lessons.

So all-in-all it has to be Kimi at the moment.

[J.McClane]

I agree, it is a little early for this kind of question.

But when it comes down to driver skill JPM is the only one close the Shu. Kimi is good, but Shu will all over him.

[Mattracer]

RB- forget it, not allowed and not as good as Kimi and JPM anyway.

DC will slip through to lead as in Melbourne but not consistently enough to rack up enough points. Experience counts but not that much.

JPM- hmmm, has everything it takes but has to put it together.

Kimi- not just yet, but developing just as he should.

Ralf- err, next.......

Others- sorry, no.

[ASCII Man]

RB - Sure...
JPM - Balls but no brains (or temper)
DC - Too inconsistent
KR - A bit too soon, but still the best of the 5
Ralf - Well, that's a bit diffi... NO!

Others - Jacques! (very wishful thinking, i know...)

[Inigo Montoya]

Best of the rest: Fisichella
Who will finish second: Barichello

[Aysedasi]

I think you have to be as optimistic as possible. Maybe there will be several more races with the same result as last Sundays. As far as TGF is concerned, that is.

[MichaelH]

On the track, Raikkonen. On points, Barrichello.

[BootsOntheSide]

Hopefully Montoya or Raikkonen can not only be 'best of the rest' but also make a genuine title challenge. They seem better placed than DC, Ralf or Rubens, all of whom have bigger weak points, and have no further to go in improving their driving.

[Spaced Invader]

kimi's got grit, determination, pace and balls the size of melons (not literally!) so i think he will be the closest challenger along with DC.

[TeddyG]

Wow! Sad too see such little hope for DC to be the main challenger!?!

Granted he has failed many times in the past but I think you have to give it to him this time. He has the experience over Kimi and McLaren have taken a leap this year. Whereas Williams seem to have gone backwards or not improved very much. They will be lucky to keep up with the Mac's let alone challenge MS. Hopefully the BAR's can take their spot as 3rd best! (fingers crossed)

Rubens????? hahah don't make me laugh... sure if they were allowed to race maybe (just admit it Ferrari fans your so called team is and always will be a sad one man show as long as the Shoe has his "no teammate shall challenge me" contract!)

[Glen]

Hmm. Not much doubt in my mind over who is the best at McLaren - Kimi is way faster.

BAR will shoot up the field and eclipse Sauber, Renault and Williams - and then TeddyG will wake up! Always nice to have a dream - but Renault and Sauber are both looking very tidy - and at least one of the Wiliams drivers knows how to make the FW25 go fast. Sorry TeddyG and other BAR fans, but you've got a very long way to go before even regular points, let alone podiums and beating Williams!

[Logrence]

Why does it have to be BEHIND Michael?

I think it's a fight between the McLaren boys this year.

What F1 needs most now is for Ferrari not to win. If Schumi doesn't want to have to take a pay cut in his next contract then he really ought to cede this championship to someone else.

[Glen]

Originally posted by Logrence
Why does it have to be BEHIND Michael?

I think it's a fight between the McLaren boys this year.

What F1 needs most now is for Ferrari not to win. If Schumi doesn't want to have to take a pay cut in his next contract then he really ought to cede this championship to someone else.

Huh? I doubt that a pay cut is very much on his mind - and even if it were another WDC would surely be the way to avoid it! The poll is for behind Michael because he's the best driver in the best car simple as that.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by Snrub


As for the other part, I dislike dirty driving. Doesn't matter if it's the passer or the passed. F1 is so high stakes, money driven and difficult to pass that dirty driving is becoming the norm.

What Kimmi did, or Montoya at Brazil '01 wasn't dirty driving, its was brilliant hard agressive driving, what F1 should be about.
If you want to see dirty driving i suggest you look at TGF, the king of dirty driving, when he deliberatley hit hill (williams) when he was in the Renault to win the title by 1 point, or whenj he tried to take off JV (williams) when he won the title bu8t ended going off himself. TGF is a dirty driver who will stop at nothing to win. I also don't think that it ispossible (not agree but wouldn't supprise me) if the roumors about him using traction control in the Bennerton were true as well.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by enemy-ace
Are we talking abut the same guy who took on both Montoya and Michael Schumacher, two of the hardest racers on the block, and won?
The same guy who ran wide and kept his foot in it, had a puncture and kept his foot in it? Kimi doesn't have BALLS???? Oh pleeaasse!!!

i also remember Kimmi driving flat out over Eau Rouge (perhaps in qualifying, i dont know) even though another car (possibly BAR or something) has spun or blown an engine and there was smoke all over the track so he didn't even know where the other car was, NO BALLS! hah Kimmi's got balls of steel.