the German Grand Prix!

[bigC]

the 12th race of the season, the German GP! :D :beer:

Schumie is trying for his third consecutive win in his attempt to close the gap and catch Alonso, and he started the weekend off on a good note by finishing first in Friday practice whilst Alonso was well down in the middle of the pack (11th, methinks, if you don't count all the test drivers). here's hoping that Schumie wins, Alosno has car problems amd fails to score points, since what this season really needs in the next three months is some real drama in the championship race.

Raikkonen had a very good practice session, as did Massa and weeber. both Hondas were in the top ten (ahead of the Toyotas in 12 and 13). the BMWs were well back (a result of losing the towers? or just saving the engines?). Renault, while "slow", are likely waiting for when things really matter, namely qualifying tomorrow.

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4706/762.html
results: http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=General&PO_ID=36796

Trulli win be causing traffic jams for at least three more years as he's signed a new deal with Toyota: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/Formula_One/news_story/?ID=172581&hubname=auto_racing-formula_one

Renault has been accused of using a "Mass Damper" system that gives that gives them an advantage, but will likely not use the system this weekend as the FIA appeals their legality: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/Formula_One/news_story/?ID=172582&hubname=auto_racing-formula_one
and: http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=36811
what it is: http://www.formula1.com/race/technical_analysis/762/311.html

the BMW twin towers have been banned. not only were they ugly, but they could have potentially blocked the drivers view: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/Formula_One/news_story/?ID=172273&hubname=auto_racing-formula_one

Rubens has a "good feeling." hmm, is that your hand in your pants Rubens, or are you just happy to see Button? think he'll at least finish the race? win, or get a podium? doubtful. despite all the money that the Japanese car manufacturers have spent, they are still middle of the pack teams--F1 is still dominated by European car makers: http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=36809

[Shamrock]

Alonso did a total of 3 laps. Out lap, flying lap, and In lap..They arent slow...just...strategizing ;)

Kimi coulda went faster too, but he missed the hairpin on EVERY lap! Slid into the run off every time, and still managed 4th.

Drama unfolded for Schumie too. In 1st session he had an oil leak on the left rear. Ferrari said they fixed it. I'm guessing a failed wheel bearing that boiled the grease?

[bigC]

pole position for Kimi, with Schumie in second followed by Massa. Button is 4th, Fisichella is 5th, Rubens is 6th and Alonso will start in 8th. the rest of the top 10 are Ralf S, de la Rosa and DC taking the last spot. Alonso will have some work to do if he wants to get a podium and minimize any points lost in the championship race.

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4716/762.html
results: http://www.formula1.com/race/result/762/24.html

[Shamrock]

Kimi was on edge!!!! Almost lost it coming off the last turn...but man, it was awesome! (nana2)

I think Renault isnt doing so well, now that the mass damper has been taken off...hmm...

[mikechai]

Wee! Alonso starts from 7th but Renault has great start on most races. Not surprise if he can cut 1 or 2 places during starting. And he probably has more fuel in his car. Well, I think it will be a great race.

[Sazar]

Good win for Schumi.

Making it interesting again.

[bigC]

great race for the Ferraris, as they scored a 1-2 finish, with Schumie getting his third consecutive win. Kimi was third, Button, who still can't win for Honda, was fourth, and Alonso minimized the damage by finishing 5th and getting 4 points (so he only lost 6 to Schumie). Schumacher is only 11 points behind Alonso woth 6 races left, and Ferrari trails Renault by only 10 points in the constructors race, so the final races of the season should be interesting.

the rest of the top 10 were Fischella in 6th, Trulli in 7th and Klien for the Red Bull in 8th. in a big no-no in racing, JV apparently bumped into his teammate in the first lap and they both had to pit, Heidfeld getting a new tire, JV replacing the nose cone. BMW had an awful weekend as both cars failed to finish, with JV crashing hard (is he on the way out of the sport?).

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4724/762.html
results: http://www.formula1.com/race/result/762/8.html

Midland F1 cars DQed for rear wing flex: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4730/762.html

next weekend, the thirteenth race of the season, the Hungarian GP! :D :beer:

[Mr_LoL]

Fell really sorry for Webber. Everytime he is having a great drive like in monaco Australia and now Germany reliability always lets him down. William should sort it out.

[Shamrock]

Once again, McLaren royally screws Kimi. On his first pit stop, they cross threaded the wheel nut on the right rear, costing him the race. :thumbdwn:

[schuey74]

Once again, McLaren royally screws Kimi. On his first pit stop, they cross threaded the wheel nut on the right rear, costing him the race. :thumbdwn:
I love Kimi, but he wasn't going to finish ahead of the Ferraris anyways. He qualified on fumes. ;)

[NAZCA M12]

I love Kimi, but he wasn't going to finish ahead of the Ferraris anyways. He qualified on fumes. ;)

Correct (though i don't like him, i think he's hyped way too much by the press). In fact, some people expected him to pit on the warm-up lap :D Once again a bull**** tactic by McLaren. They always go the opposite way when it comes to strategy but for Hockenheim, they pull the same crap every year. That way, they can always say afterwards "yeah, but we started ahead folks, and we were in with a shout for the victory until... (insert a problem here)". Average Joe ****ing Moron though, won't understand **** from these tactics and on Saturday night, he'll be like "holly molly, looks like they really improved the car. I'm impressed." Also, i remember again KR grabbing a pole, then 2-3 corners later having a tiny off-track excursion and throw dust/gravel on the track. When that happens in the very last minutes of the session, it's quite possible that nobody else will be able to grab the pole since the track won't be cleaned up in time by the traffic. Though he was all over the place the whole weekend, seeing something like that happen again, well personally i don't believe in coincidences repeating themselves.

Just another example, may i remind you of the bull**** tactics of Toyota on the Japanese GP and Trulli's front row in qualifying? Just to be what? Big in Japan? :p Ahead of Honda on Suzuka (a track owned by Honda)? :p Anyway, the fact remains that McLaren got a pole they did not deserve and as much as i blame them, i blame the ****ty system too. ****ing pit stops have got to be banned.

On to the bad news, Villeneuve's out. Don't rejoice just yet, i mean out for the Hungarian GP due to his massive accident in Germany:

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=126030

Hopefully Kubica will be **** compared to Heidfeld so that all these... excited folks (the press and the BMW team) will realize that there are more important things for a proper F1 driver than just getting the fastest lap on a Friday morning with no competition: Its called racecraft and it happens with the big boys, in the race. And stop with all that "is JV on his way out of F1?" crap ffs (bigC i'm looking at you) :D I hear the same things by the sportscasters all the time, i think thats more than enough.

By the way, JV complained on Friday about the fronts not having too much grip, he complained again on Saturday and then he promptly had a big accident when he lost (you guessed it) the front, twice (what we saw on the replay was the second part of his "moment", he had lost the front again entering the corner but he corrected it). So he was absolutely right about the front lacking grip too. That's some quality feedback right there :D Must have been a bit like this between Theissen and JV:

-(JV) I'm telling you folks, i have massive understeer, front doesn't grip at all.
-(MT) Hang on, hang on. That's not what Kubica said. He...
-(JV) Okay, here. Let me show you Mario.
BANG!
-(MT) Righto, you were right all along Jacques. Listen, **** the car, lets go for some beer and wurst godamnit.

Plus, he once again outqualified his team-mate in his home race and in France, he was the only one who insisted on using the soft tyre choice and an extra stop with all the other Michelin drivers against him and the Michelin and BMW engineers advising him to use the hard one. He put his foot down, he insisted that the soft tyre was the way to go, he got what he wanted. In the end, he was right even though he had to start from a bad qualifying position and mess with a lot of traffic. Imagine what half of those puppets/drivers would have said: "yes master". No, i don't see why he should loose his seat.

Here's another one. Since this whole damp system debate is now going to be resolved in the courts, until that happens, teams that had it can refit it into their cars, thus Renault will have it in theirs in Budapest:

http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/060801101849.shtml

[bigC]

Hopefully Kubica will be **** compared to Heidfeld so that all these... excited folks (the press and the BMW team) will realize that there are more important things for a proper F1 driver than just getting the fastest lap on a Friday morning with no competition: Its called racecraft and it happens with the big boys, in the race. And stop with all that "is JV on his way out of F1?" crap ffs (bigC i'm looking at you) :D I hear the same things by the sportscasters all the time, i think thats more than enough.

By the way, JV complained on Friday about the fronts not having too much grip, he complained again on Saturday and then he promptly had a big accident when he lost (you guessed it) the front, twice (what we saw on the replay was the second part of his "moment", he had lost the front again entering the corner but he corrected it). So he was absolutely right about the front lacking grip too. That's some quality feedback right there :D Must have been a bit like this between Theissen and JV:

-(JV) I'm telling you folks, i have massive understeer, front doesn't grip at all.
-(MT) Hang on, hang on. That's not what Kubica said. He...
-(JV) Okay, here. Let me show you Mario.
BANG!
-(MT) Righto, you were right all along Jacques. Listen, **** the car, lets go for some beer and wurst godamnit.

Plus, he once again outqualified his team-mate in his home race and in France, he was the only one who insisted on using the soft tyre choice and an extra stop with all the other Michelin drivers against him and the Michelin and BMW engineers advising him to use the hard one. He put his foot down, he insisted that the soft tyre was the way to go, he got what he wanted. In the end, he was right even though he had to start from a bad qualifying position and mess with a lot of traffic. Imagine what half of those puppets/drivers would have said: "yes master". No, i don't see why he should loose his seat.hey, i hope JV stay on for another year: he provides personality to a bland sport and, given a good car, can still race with the best of them. that said, F1 is about youth, money and sponsors, and which driver can bring the most to a team. Kubica likely has some sponsors in Poland willing to fund him, so he gets his chance. Villeneuve's silence speaks volumes too: perhaps he is resigned to his fate?

http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story/?ID=173189&hubname=auto_racing