[valis]

Originally Posted by johnnyburst79

Hamilton, I think, has blown away all doubters and even surprised the believers as to just how good he is.

and I think that is an understatment akin to calling the Pacific Ocean 'damp'. The kid can flat out drive.......and he is cooooooooool, so cool, uinder pressure......reminds of another young kid coming up through the ranks that set the industry on it's ears when he finally got there.....goes by the name of 'tiger'......

[pyritechips]

Damn! A full month between races...what do we talk about now?

http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?T...al&PO_ID=39049

I love the F1 grapevine and the Silly Season. Imagine Alonso being under the gun after only 3 races with McLaren.

[johnnyburst79]

We talk about technicals, racing politics, and stupid driver comments like Ralf stating that Toyota is the 4th fastest team on the grid.

I'd like to find some aerodynamic alteration websites that allow you to make changes to a car's design for optimum downforce and best CoD.

[RSM123]

Anyone care to state now - who they think will lift the trophy for '07 ?

[valis]

i already got my money on massa....he's quicker than kimi is during qualifying, but nobody is quicker than kimi on raceday, apparently, so I dunno. One of those two, however......it's ferrari's year.

Having said that, my main reason for stating so so early (back in december, I think) was that McLaren had a history of grenading AND had signed some kid named Hamilton, an unknown at the time. Tell you what, though, the kid can drive. He has made this a much more competitive season than it would have been otherwise. I thought Ferrari was going to run away with the constructor's championship, but Hamilton has kept McLaren right there.....kudos to him for that......

[johnnyburst79]

I'm gonna go with Alonso, still. He has proven that he can beat Hamilton and Ferrari given the quick enough car. It is now up to McLaren to provide him with that car.

Ferrari for the constructors championship.

[RSM123]

Originally Posted by valis

i already got my money on massa....he's quicker than kimi is during qualifying, but nobody is quicker than kimi on raceday, apparently, so I dunno. One of those two, however......it's ferrari's year.

Having said that, my main reason for stating so so early (back in december, I think) was that McLaren had a history of grenading AND had signed some kid named Hamilton, an unknown at the time. Tell you what, though, the kid can drive. He has made this a much more competitive season than it would have been otherwise. I thought Ferrari was going to run away with the constructor's championship, but Hamilton has kept McLaren right there.....kudos to him for that......

I personally think this will be be Raikonnen's year ( - perhaps his only one ?)

As for Hamilton, the media here in the UK, being fickle to say the least - have switched loyalties from Button to Hamilton. It is supposedly agreed that this will be Coulthard's last season.

[pyritechips]

i already got my money on massa....he's quicker than kimi is during qualifying, but nobody is quicker than kimi on raceday, apparently, so I dunno. One of those two, however......it's ferrari's year.

AS Billy Joel once said, "You may be right, [but] you may be wrong." Massa quicker in quali, Kimi quicker on race day is all fine and good but what you haven't mentioned is the key ingredient to any championship: consistancy. Alonso proved it the last two years; he was never really quicker with his Ranault but consistantly finishing on the podium gave him P1 for the season. It looks like Hamiltion is on track so far...

[valis]

Originally Posted by RSM123

I personally think this will be be Raikonnen's year ( - perhaps his only one ?)

As for Hamilton, the media here in the UK, being fickle to say the least - have switched loyalties from Button to Hamilton. It is supposedly agreed that this will be Coulthard's last season.

with good reason, regarding Button. Hamilton can actually drive AND keep his mouth shut, something Button never quite learned. DC I'll always respect; good guy, honest guy, fair driver. Hamilton, methinks, is going to have a long and storied career in F1; at his age, he's already with a premier team; him and Alonso should provide for many years of Prost/Senna type racing.

[valis]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

AS Billy Joel once said, "You may be right, [but] you may be wrong." Massa quicker in quali, Kimi quicker on race day is all fine and good but what you haven't mentioned is the key ingredient to any championship: consistancy. Alonso proved it the last two years; he was never really quicker with his Ranault but consistantly finishing on the podium gave him P1 for the season. It looks like Hamiltion is on track so far...

yup...if if if.....you should've heard the house when Schumi's Ferrari went boom at Suzuka last year.....bad words reverberating.....very bad words......still, made for a rather exciting season, eh?

[buck52]

Originally Posted by RSM123

Anyone care to state now - who they think will lift the trophy for '07 ?

Tony Stewart... whoops wrong series...

[pyritechips]

I lost respect for Schumey years ago after he couldn't lose a race with dignity. And when he beached his car last year at Racasse I was disgusted...good riddance.

A very exciting season so far indeed! I called the last 3 championships (Schumey, Alonso, Alonso) so I will try 4 for 4: (Jim takes a deep breath here and plunges in)

Raikonnen, because Ferrari will have a slight lead and Ferrari always has a #1 and team politics won't let the highest paid driver be #2. Massa will be told to suck it up for the team and let Kimi rack up the points: one reason I no longer like Ferrari, especially after what they did to Barrichello.

[valis]

we'll see about that; note Ferrari still hasn't released any team orders, and massa has out qualified kimi last two races......something to consider.

[pyritechips]

Officially, team orders are forbidden, unofficially and not secretly, Ferrari lives by them.

[RSM123]

Does anyone know when traction control is due to be outlawed ?

I read that both that and launch control were due to be banned, several years ago ... but either one or the other was deemed too difficult to detect, making it pointless to rule it out.