Formula One 2008 - Page 2

**Tifosi** · #16 (**permalink**) 02-07-2008, 08:23 PM

He's already beaten the track record at Barcelona by almost 2 seconds (throwing down a 1:30.455) during a full race simulation a day or two ago.

Massa is right behind him and has gone faster than the pole time and fastest lap of the race from last season.

straight8/2 · #17 (**permalink**) 02-08-2008, 07:25 PM

do you guys think the traction control ban will bring forward the vets like fisichella, coulthard, barrichello who've been there already? I guess Kimi had like four races without TC in 2001.

Alfonse22 · #18 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 07:28 PM

I know the score, and I know there's nothing to be done about it, but it's a damn shame to look at an 18 race F1 schedule and not see a USGP. Honest to God, for the life of me, I will never understand how NASCAR has drowned out all sanity in motor racing.

**Alex Csank** · #19 (**permalink**) 02-11-2008, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfonse22

I know the score, and I know there's nothing to be done about it, but it's a damn shame to look at an 18 race F1 schedule and not see a USGP. Honest to God, for the life of me, I will never understand how NASCAR has drowned out all sanity in motor racing.

**GTA # 14** · #20 (**permalink**) 02-11-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Csank

Not having a USGP is a disgrace, but it is to be expected. Formula 1 racing has lost ground to NASCAR and other easily-accessed US sports events (Football, Basketball, Baseball, etc.) for several years. F1 is like soccer. There just isn't enough of a fan base to make it a really marketable venture anymore - as perceived by those who could make it happen. Oddly, smaller, less economically-gifted nations like Canada and Belgium (to name just two) seem to have no trouble organizing and running consistently successful GPs.

Of course, there is a LOT more to the story of why the USGP isn't going to happen. But frankly, I just don't see F1 coming back any time soon, and I'm just glad we still have TV coverage! I'd hate to see that go the way of WRC!!!

**aldo** · #21 (**permalink**) 02-11-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Csank

Not having a USGP is a disgrace, but it is to be expected. Formula 1 racing has lost ground to NASCAR and other easily-accessed US sports events (Football, Basketball, Baseball, etc.) for several years. F1 is like soccer. There just isn't enough of a fan base to make it a really marketable venture anymore - as perceived by those who could make it happen. Oddly, smaller, less economically-gifted nations like Canada and Belgium (to name just two) seem to have no trouble organizing and running consistently successful GPs.

Of course, there is a LOT more to the story of why the USGP isn't going to happen. But frankly, I just don't see F1 coming back any time soon, and I'm just glad we still have TV coverage! I'd hate to see that go the way of WRC!!!

davidteachey · #22 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 05:35 AM

A point that I wholeheartedly agree with Alex on:

Thank god for Speed's live coverage of F1. Remember when we had to check Road & Track magazine for the results of races that had happened ~7wks earlier? And if we were lucky, Wide World of Sports or some such would show the Monaco GP. I hope for Speed's continued live coverage for years to come. As long as Bernie The Exalted doesn't somehow put the kybosh on it, of course!

David

**Alex Csank** · #23 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Csank

Of course, there is a LOT more to the story of why the USGP isn't going to happen....

**Alex Csank** · #24 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 07:09 AM

Alfisti,

Because not everyone knows a great deal about the USGP troubles, here's a brief history of the "recent" GP history in the USA. I'm not an expert or anything, I just want to make sure that folks know the basics of the US GP history.

I'd sure like to see a regular USGP, but I just believe that the fan base is not big enough given that even sports like Hockey and baseball are losing ground to NASCAR, basketball and football. It's a big money game and F1 just isn't as big a draw as NASCAR and those other sports.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the info:

In the 1989 season, the USGP was moved to Phoenix, Arizona (from Detroit and Las Vegas). The Phoenix street circuit was laid out in downtown Phoenix and was unpopular with drivers and the local crowd. After the race in 1991 was attended by fewer than 18,000 spectators, F1 left until 2000.

In 2000 F1 returned, with a race at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The attendance at that first race was estimated at over 225,000, perhaps the largest ever in F1. Michael Schumacher's win was his second of four straight to end the season as he overtook Mika Häkkinen for his third Championship. In 2001, the race went off less than three weeks after 9/11, and many teams and drivers featured special tributes to the U.S. on their cars and helmets. The 2002 edition was known for Schumacher and teammate Rubens Barrichello trading places near the finish line. Held in September its first four years, the USGP at Indianapolis was moved to an early summer date in 2004. In 2005, problems with Michelin tires led to seven teams withdrawing from the race after the formation lap. Only the three teams (six cars) with Bridgestone tires started the 2005 United States Grand Prix, and the event was considered a farce. Many commentators questioned whether a United States Grand Prix would be held in Indianapolis again, but the 2006 United States Grand Prix was held the next year, on July 2, 2006, without controversy.

On July 12, 2007, Formula One and the Indianpolis Motor Speedway announced that the 2007 US Grand Prix would be the last one held at IMS for the forseeable future, as both sides could not agree on the terms for the event. Reportedly the door has been left open to renegotiate the possibility of returning the USGP to Indianapolis, but Formula One has not included a USGP venue in its 2008 schedule.

FMG_V6_btb · #25 (**permalink**) 02-14-2008, 10:57 AM

My predictions for 2008 season:

first third: Ferrari will dominate the races, McLaren will be near but we will see driving fails of Hamilton, Renault (well, Alonso) will be near Mclaren, maybe some race in front of them

Mid season: Ferrari will continue winning, but Alonso with Renault will become to be the second force, McLaren will start to deal with BMW.

End of season: First Ferrari with Raikkonen, second renault with Alonso, third Hamilton with his father...

domgul · #26 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 05:01 AM

I am interested in FMG V6 comment about Hamilton.Your prediction third Hamilton with his father !!! Could you explain please.
The behaviour of part of the partisan crowd towards Hamilton (racist) during testing in Spain was disgusting.This is a sport and such behaviour doesnt belong there.
Regards
Dominic Gulotti

davidteachey · #27 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 06:47 AM

"Hamilton with his father"....hah! Thanks for the good laugh, FMG!

(Dominic, I took FMG's comment to mean Ron Dennis, rather than a racial slur...hope I'm right.)

I predict another Ferrari/McLaren battle, and I don't really factor in Renault (I factor in BMW more so than Renault). We've only got a month to wait now!! Game on, babies!!!

David

FMG_V6_btb · #28 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 08:22 AM

Hamilton's father has play an important role last season, he was responsible of many of the problems among Hamilton-Alonso-Ron, and the final unsucces in results of the "team".

In my opinion, fathers, wifes, girlfriends, and also driver's managers must remain apart during races.

Whats the matter? everything against Hamilton is racialism because he is the only black?????, I'm Spanish, and many many many expresions of American English are just impossible to understand for me, I try but believeme I'm not able, the same problem happened with the declarations of the "Spanish partisan crowd" during testing in Barcelona, it was not racialism insults, just only insults in the Spanish way, believeme.

For example: "Hamilton bocachancla!!!" that means textually: Hamilton boca(mouth)chancla(summer shoe), this expression is used when somebody speaks too much without care about somebody.

Is it clear???

Regards

FMG_V6_btb · #29 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 09:38 AM

Ah!! I forget to mention that as Alonso said two seasons ago, formula 1 is not a sport, is a business, If not why uncle Bernie is questioning the continuity of the races in Silverstone?, because he wants more money, as in USA.

Last new:

Did you all know that the EMS of ALL the teams comes from McLaren Electronics Co. and that the engineers from Honda discovered that making a combination with three buttons you obtain a different more agressive mapping for the engine, and launch and traction control (which is forbiden), is this sport?

These are the things that FIA must investigate, and not send menaces to the Spain Grand Prix organization for the behaviour of some people in the stands.

Sprintn · #30 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 02:01 PM

Personally... I think the Spanish fans should be disgraced by the Pathetic, childish, Primadona (sp?), manner in which Alonso acted last year, and be standing in the stands making fun of him at testing... calling him a Bambino!!! If an American there was an american driver getting that sort of publicity and acting in such a way... i would have been embarrased! So what is Alonso actually saying... THat he can't win unless he gets preferential treatment as a team leader?!?! What a JERK and a LOSER!