The 2007 FIA Formula 1 World Championship thread

[Canadiens1131]

Malaysia will be a 3-in the morning race for me. I might just avoid sporting news and download the race off Bittorrent after the fact.

I'd be all for night races for venues such as Malaysia since it would mean I could wake up around 5 or 6am

 

[Adam'sbaby]

Formula 1 is actually the only thing that I get out of bed for at 3am.. I don't mind it I'll just go back to sleep after the race..

 

[cobl04]

It's at an awkward time for me... 11pm. So I can't go to sleep before it, and it means I'm going to be tired as all hell when I watch it. I prefer the 2am races because then I can sleep on either side. Actually that's how I got really into F1... I woke up at 2am one morning a few years ago and just flicked on the TV... the Canadien GP was on and I watched that.

I'm very excited that Channel 10 are showing the qualifying this year... it's a terrific format! For those who watched Australia through ITV, were Martin, James, Ted and Lousie commentating? Cos I've grown to love them, and I'm not an overly huge fan of Murray Walker

 

[christiana]

No one? I'll start first lol

Massa had a terrible day to forget...

I have to say that Hamilton was impressive, keeping his cool all the way. The race was exciting at the start, but when the teams were starting to preserve the machineries I almost fell asleep

The interactions between Alonso and Hamilton were cool, teammates who can get along is so cute.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I think I am going to have to start rooting for Hamilton as my new underdog hero.....

I haven't had a real favourite competitive driver in F1 since Villeneuve back in his Williams-Renault days.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Singapore circuit layout revealed
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19001.html

 

[Adam'sbaby]

Hamilton really did great! I can imagine him winning races....




I'd hate to be Button right now...

 

[Adam'sbaby]

Singapore circuit layout revealed
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19001.html

Another F1 street circuit. I would like to see another one apart from Monaco but I thought those were considered to be too dangerous.. Did the FIA say anything about this track yet?

 

[cobl04]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

There were about two overtaking moves. The start, and when Wurz overtook someone. How about some intersting racing? People would much rather see big accidents that wipe out half the field then a race where all 22 drivers finish as they started.

I'd hate to be Button right now...

They weren't too bad last year. Now they suck. AGAIN.

Oh Webber. Are you the unluckiest driver in F1? Or just the dumbest?

 

[digsy]

the dumbest

 

[gump]

So, Mass will have the pole-position tomorrow again. Any bets???

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

There's great excitement over the Singapore race here, and a night race would be pretty damn exciting.

 

[INDY500]

 

[Adam'sbaby]

Heidfeld overtaking Alonso was pretty cool . Never thought he could do that. Oh well, maybe Heidfeld just got lucky this race.

But, then again, Alonso was just disapointing this weekend.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I am officially a Lewis Hamilton fan.

 

[cobl04]

I am officially a Lewis Hamilton fan.

Yeah, they weren't lying about him were they? Extremely impressive. He'll be the first since Villeneuve to win the championship on debut I think.

Man, a night GP here in Melbourne would be mad. They were worried about numbers this year, a night GP would boost them significantly.

 

[BoMac]

Yeah, they weren't lying about him were they? Extremely impressive. He'll be the first since Villeneuve to win the championship on debut I think.

Just to clarify, Villeneuve finished second in the standings in his rookie year. He won the championship in his second—and last—year with Williams Renault.

So what Hamilton is doing and may continue to do, is unprecendented!

 

[cobl04]

Oh, wow! I think I mixed up that Villeneuve stat. He won his debut race, not season I think. He has to be the only driver I know of who went in a downward spiral in his career.

 

[BoMac]

Honda unveil new nose cone winglets

5/3/2007 8:42:45 AM

Honda Racing are the latest to debut a radically new aerodynamic design on their car at this week's test in Barcelona, Spain.

Following on the heels of McLaren's nose-spanning front wing, the RA107 driven by Christian Klien on Thursday sported a pair of winglets protruding from the front nose.

However, after setting the slowest time of the day in less than ideal conditions, it's believed the team will not move forward with the aerodyamic change as it did very little to improve their current woes with the car.

"The main purpose of our test programme this week was to evaluate different aerodynamic configurations which have been developed in order to improve the braking stability of the car," said engineering director Jacky Eeckelaert. "The braking is definitely better now and the lap times have improved and become more consistent, but there is still a long way to go to bring the team back into contention."

Honda have been working feverishly to correct the handling problems experienced by the new car since the start of the season. It's believed the team are currently working round the clock on an entirely new car which could debut in time for the Canadian Grand Prix next month.

As for the rest of the day, David Coulthard and Red Bull Racing turned some heads by posting a new track record with a time of 1:21.066. The quick lap came during a qualifying simulation, which means the RB3 was running on light fuel and just before a heavy downpour hit the circuit, meaning it was unlikely anyone else was going to eclipse his mark.

McLaren's Pedro de la Rosa was 2-10ths back as he continued to test the team's new front wing, which could make its debut in two weeks time at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa finished with the third fastest time despite a mechanical failure which interrupted his running in the morning. Ferrari finished the week having set the fastest time on three of the four days.

Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella was fourth quickest with Robert Kubica rounding out the top five.

Ralf Schumacher was the only other driver on the track for Toyota, finishing sixth fastest.

 

[cobl04]

Good to hear about Red Bull.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Some of the new front wing concepts are goddamn ugly!

 

[cobl04]

The Honda's are ugly enough themselves.

When's the next race? Next weekend?

 

[Adam'sbaby]

Some of the new front wing concepts are goddamn ugly!

So true

 

[cobl04]

Hamilton's getting cocky...

And according to the paper technically he isn't the first black driver in F1. That honour belongs to one Narain Kartihkeyan, who debuted a few years ago and is testing now I think., But he's the first Afro-Caribbean drvier in F1.

 

[Adam'sbaby]

I'm not surprised about Hamilton...

Everyone is kissing his ass at the moment.

 

[cobl04]

Qualifying in about 15 minutes...

What do we think? More of the same?

 

[Canadiens1131]

 SPANISH GP GRID

1.  MASSA          Ferrari
2.  ALONSO         McLaren
3.  RAIKKONEN      Ferrari
4.  HAMILTON       McLaren
5.  KUBICA         BMW
6.  TRULLI         Toyota
7.  HEIDFELD       BMW
8.  KOVALAINEN     Renault
9.  COULTHARD      Red Bull
10. FISICHELLA     Renault
11. ROSBERG        Williams
12. BARRICHELLO    Honda
13. SATO           Super Aguri
14. BUTTON         Honda
15. DAVIDSON       Super Aguri
16. LIUZZI         Toro Rosso
17. SCHUMACHER     Toyota
18. WURZ           Williams
19. WEBBER         Red Bull
20. SUTIL          Spyker
21. ALBERS         Spyker
22. SPEED          Toro Rosso

Observations..... Bravo to BMW and Trulli and Toyota, and Spyker still sucks with new aero....

 

[gump]

Go Massa!

 

[cobl04]

Kudos to Trulli, here's hoping he doesn't fall away within five laps...

Kudos to Coulthard, thought you might have been a bit higher though consider a promising test last week...

Kudos to Barrichello and Button, for at least getting into the second part of qualifying...

No Kudos for Webber's car though. Boo.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Spanish GP result

1.  MASSA        Ferrari       66 laps

2.  HAMILTON     McLaren       +6.790s

3.  ALONSO       McLaren       +17.456s

4.  KUBICA       BMW           +31.615s

5.  COULTHARD    Red Bull      +58.331s

6.  ROSBERG      Williams      +59.538s

7.  KOVALAINEN   Renault       +1m02.128s

8.  SATO         Super Aguri   +1 lap

9.  FISICHELLA   Renault       +1 lap

10. BARRICHELLO  Honda         +1 lap

11. DAVIDSON     Super Aguri   +1 lap

12. BUTTON       Honda         +1 lap

13. SUTIL        Spyker        +2 laps

14. ALBERS       Spyker        +2 laps

R.  HEIDFELD     BMW           +18 laps

R.  SCHUMACHER   Toyota        +20 laps 

R.  LIUZZI       Toro Rosso    +45 laps

R.  SPEED        Toro Rosso    +55 laps

R.  RAIKKONEN    Ferrari       +55 laps

R.  TRULLI       Toyota        +56 laps

R.  WEBBER       Red Bull      +57 laps

R.  WURZ         Williams      +62 laps

Hamilton leads the championship This is awesome!