Would Kimi have won?

[Wrex]

Off topic for a second, but does anyone really think Kimi was going to make life hard for Michael?

[DKGandBH]

Not in the long run...
But he was the best chance last night.

It would have been interesting to see Kimi vs Button

David.

[graves]

Originally posted by Wrex
Off topic for a second, but does anyone really think Kimi was going to make life hard for Michael?

Actually Wrex, I do. He'd stuck with him through the first stint and was pushing him even harder until his accident. I think he may have had him beaten. One question. Why didn't Mclaren short fill Kimi to get track position at least. Just gives Ferrari something to chew on.

[R]

Originally posted by Wrex
Off topic for a second, but does anyone really think Kimi was going to make life hard for Michael?

Hope springs eternal. The best answer I can give to your question is "maybe". We don't really know, but with Button starting down in 13th, Kimi was for sure the only one who could have made life hard for TGF yesterday. Ferrari and TGF aren't unbeatable, but they are so close to perfection each and every time that just one slight mishap from anyone who could possibly challenge means TGF wins the race.

[Wrex]

Split thread as I did'nt want to hijack the other topic.

Personally, I think it was Silverstone all over again. It looked closer than it really was.

[Cougar]

I was VERY disapointed when Kimi went off... But only because it would give some hope to fans thinking... "what if" Given it would have been a close race... Michael would have won no matter what IMO.

[Aysedasi]

Very disappointed? I was gutted. I really believe Kimi could have given Michael a race.

So thank the Lord for Jenson, eh?

[graves]

Originally posted by Wrex
Split thread as I did'nt want to hijack the other topic.

Personally, I think it was Silverstone all over again. It looked closer than it really was.

Not so sure he had the same advantage he had in Silverstone. Whether he could have pushed much harder is something we don't know, on this occasion I personally don't think could.

[Peter Mallett]

Frankly no.

It was Silverstone all over again and as we saw the pit stops weren't going to go in his favour.

[Adam43]

After the first stops I thought Kimi might have had more fuel on board. At Michael's pitstop he seemed to stay still for a couple of seconds with the fuel hose disconnected, but his overall stop time was similar to Kimi's. Maybe Kimi could have gone a lap or two longer in that stint and get in a few fast laps while Michael's new Bridgestone's were coming up to temperature?

I think it would have been a lot closer than Silverstone (in real terms). Although I think Michael would have probably come out on top, but it wasn't a clear cut thing...

[jetsetter]

Whilee it is hard to say as it's pure speculation i think that he most was certainly in with a chance.

[Dani Filth]

he had a chance .. that's for sure

[Kicking-back]

Isn't it great that we've reached a point where there's a car/driver combination we can speculate about like this, rather than just seeing Michael drive off into the distance?

Roll on Hungary.

[ljakse]

Yes.

[johnh875]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
After the first stops I thought Kimi might have had more fuel on board. At Michael's pitstop he seemed to stay still for a couple of seconds with the fuel hose disconnected, but his overall stop time was similar to Kimi's. Maybe Kimi could have gone a lap or two longer in that stint and get in a few fast laps while Michael's new Bridgestone's were coming up to temperature?

I think it would have been a lot closer than Silverstone (in real terms). Although I think Michael would have probably come out on top, but it wasn't a clear cut thing...

I think we can definitely say maybe here, a shame it didn't come to fruition. Oh well, bring on Hungary!

[N I Tram]

He seemed to have more fuel on board than Michael, and wasn't slippng away at a massive rate. That segment of the race might've been his only chance to get in front, but I think he could've challenged, although it's Michael who always does the fast laps when they're needed.

[Down F0rce]

Probably not. But he would have been second, and quite close to Micheal as well. He did set the fastest lap after all.

[F1Pete]

Hmmmm, I'm confused. People are saying/agreeing that Kimi seemed to have more fuel on board, he had the fastest lap and still believe Michael would have won?? I strongly believe he would have won. Kimi was driving agressively and the car was handling well. He did the fastest lap in clear air and had a great chance to leap frog at the next stop. BUT, we shall never know.

Silverstone can't be compared to this race. MS on a two stopper with more fuel and was able to hold off the McLaren on a three stopper indicating to me that the Ferrari was real fast. This race was different imho.

When Kimi's wing blew off, I watched him chuck his steering wheel into the car (I thought they get fined for not re-attaching the wheel) and flail his arms a bit and that was it for me. I turned it off and went for a boat ride to blow off some steam. It wasn't hard to figure out what the outcome was going to be.

[Logrence]

Ifs and buts...

Whatif Button had started 3rd? Whatif Monty hadn't such a bad start? Whatif Michael had had the accident at Indy and not Ralf?

Maybe Kimi could've given Michael a run for his money - the two of them would've been slower and Button would've come into the mix, but it's all conjecture.

[Aysedasi]

But at least we're able to have a small amount of conjecture - even if TGF did win yet again, there is some vague prospect of competition for him......

[BootsOntheSide]

True Ayse. It was such a letdown to see Kimi go out, because he could've made for an exciting race. On the other hand, it could've easily petered out and been another redwash - at least the mystery and intrigue of the debate remains alive.

The best chance of Michael losing again this year could be versus Renault in Hungary, although this was definately a near-miss.

[Logrence]

Renault were expecting to be strong at the Nurburgring - I don't think things are going exactly their way this season...

My hopes are on BAR providing us with a little light entertainment at the Hungarian GP.

[Kicking-back]

The McLaren package was very good round the twisty sections of Silverstone and likewise seemed solid at Hockenheim.

I'd still expect this to be the case in Hungary and would imagine that Kimi rather than Renault will be the closest contenders to Schumacher in Budapest.

[Mr V]

At their first stops, Michael didn't seem to take on as much fuel as Kimi, dispite being stationary for the same amount of time. (iirc, Michael was held up by another car coming in?)

This could have bode well for the race. Michal finished only 10 seconds ahead of Jenson, obviously Michael had the luxurary of being able to take it easy, had Kimi stayed in the race it proberbly would have been a different matter for Michael in the closing stages of the race, who knows.

My question woud be, would Michael still have won had Jenson started in 3rd place? 5 laps extra fuel and 0.3 seconds down on the pole time, incredible pace from Jenson and the BAR.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide

The best chance of Michael losing again this year could be versus Renault in Hungary, although this was definately a near-miss.

According to James Allen yesterday (and i have read posts by Gt_R saying the same thing) Ferrari have one more engine development to come, but no car mods, where as the other teams will carry on developing their cars during the rest of the season.

Hockenheim showed that the other teams ar getting closer to Ferrari, imo, Michael may struggle to win all remaining races of the season, and (again imo) Hungary isn't the only place that the others could get a "sniff" of a victory.