Formula 1 - Archive Thread

[Iceman]

Stupid, let them go racing, Webber was clearly faster, im delighted he ignored the team.

I also think Hamilton is on his way out of McLaren, his team messages tell a lot.

[Iceman]

So webber in McLaren on a 1 year deal and Hamilton in Ferrari on a 3 year deal with Rosberg in Red Bull for next year,

[Niamh.]

Stupid, let them go racing, Webber was clearly faster, im delighted he ignored the team.

I also think Hamilton is on his way out of McLaren, his team messages tell a lot.

well, he listened to them in the end though :/

[Iceman]

I dont think he di, he was going for it right up until the last corner, any news on hamilton and his favourite people? The Stewards :devil:

[Niamh.]

hahaha, his interview about the stewards was funny and no, I haven't heard anything

[Iceman]

Havent seen it yet, Im reliving Oxegen :love:

[Niamh.]

So webber in McLaren on a 1 year deal and Hamilton in Ferrari on a 3 year deal with Rosberg in Red Bull for next year,

I'd love to see Webber replace massa in ferrari

[James]

Nigel Mansell was saying there on the Massa and Hamilton action - racing incident.

[Iceman]

http://www.vivaf1.com/penalties.php this should get updated ina while

[Iceman]

Nigel Mansell was saying there on the Massa and Hamilton action - racing incident.

What do you mean On? like they're looking at it?

[James]

I think he meant they've looked at it and decided to take no action. Also explained that Schumacher was penalised and di Resta not because Schumacher closed in from way back di Resta was side-by-side with Buemi.

[Iceman]

Oh right, Schumi had great pace today which is promising, just needs to know when to take action.

[Grimnir]

What do you mean On? like they're looking at it?

lewis is fine :hugesmile: racing incident means no further action

it was much better race than last one

wet = leveller

hamilton was pwning everyone under level playing field

once dry he could not do much because his car is fail

mclaren need to pull finger out and give lewis car he deserves

he still held off vettel (made him pit :joker:) and then massa at the end even in slow poke car

[Iceman]

lewis is fine :hugesmile: racing incident means no further action

it was much better race than last one

wet = leveller

hamilton was pwning everyone under level playing field

once dry he could not do much because his car is fail

mclaren need to pull finger out and give lewis car he deserves

he still held off vettel (made him pit :joker:) and then massa at the end even in slow poke car

Ferrari were immense yesterday, A slow poke car? Massa was 20 seconds behind with 5 laps to go and he caught up. The rule change clearly favours Ferrari.

[James]

So webber in McLaren on a 1 year deal and Hamilton in Ferrari on a 3 year deal with Rosberg in Red Bull for next year,

I don't think Hamilton and Alonso would want be team-mates again. Red Bull would be the only other team that, at the moment, matches Lewis's ambitions but I think he might be better staying at McLaren. I can't really see McLaren signing Webber.

[Iceman]

I don't think Hamilton and Alonso would want be team-mates again. Red Bull would be the only other team that, at the moment, matches Lewis's ambitions but I think he might be better staying at McLaren. I can't really see McLaren signing Webber.

That would be my ideal Line-Up for next year though..... also get Kimi in a red bull heck get him in a HRT for the sheer laugh.

[Grimnir]

Ferrari were immense yesterday, A slow poke car? Massa was 20 seconds behind with 5 laps to go and he caught up. The rule change clearly favours Ferrari.

hamilton has the slow poke car not massa

[Iceman]

http://www.michael-schumacher.de/sites/img/hauptbilder/gp-wins_01.jpg

:lovedup:

[michael21]

Bernie Ecclestone says News Corp bid for F1 likely to fail

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8642744/Bernie-Ecclestone-says-News-Corp-bid-for-F1-likely-to-fail.html

[Iceman]

Of course it will now, lucky they didnt get in w few months back.

[Iceman]

With seven titles, 91 wins and 68 pole positions from a Formula One career spanning three decades, when it comes to Michael Schumacher the line between fantasy and reality becomes very blurred indeed. But while matching his stats may be the stuff of fantasy for his rivals, the German legend still has dreams of his own: Norbert Haug as his team mate; a circuit in the Big Apple combining the best parts of Spa and Suzuka; and his very own motorhome bed. Sweet dreams Schumacher…

Q: You must choose a city for a new Formula One street circuit - which city, anywhere in the world, do you choose, and why?
Michael Schumacher: New York. It is a cool city.

Q: If you could choose one former world champion as your team mate, who would you choose and why?
MS: I’d choose (Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport) Norbert Haug. I know that he is not a world champion, but he is a drift king.

Q: Formula One innovations of the past - ground effect, active suspension, turbocharging, six wheels, the list goes on. If you could bring back one past innovation, what would it be and why?
MS: Nothing technical, but human. I’d want more people in the paddock, like in the past.

Q: What innovations would you like to see in the future?
MS: Even more overtaking.

Q: You can only drive at one circuit for the rest of your life - which circuit, past or present from anywhere in the world, do you choose?
MS: Spa? Suzuka? Monaco? Not sure.

Q: Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Tyrrell, March are just some of the teams that have departed the sport. Which former team would you most liked to have raced with and why?
MS: I am more than happy with the teams I have raced with.

Q: You have to design a new F1 circuit, combining all your favourite corners from other tracks around the world. Which three corners are top of your list and why?
MS: Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, the Esses from Suzuka - all are just sensational if you can drive them in a good car.

Q: You can travel back in time and compete in any decade of Formula One racing, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Which decade would you choose and why?
MS: I’d rather travel into the future and see how racing would be then.

Q: What current Formula One regulation would you most like to change and why?
MS: A bit of testing during the season would be better for the competition.

Q: If you could pick two Formula One greats of the past (from different eras) to watch race against each other, who would you pick?
MS: Ayrton Senna and Juan Manuel Fangio.

Q: If you were a team boss, which current driver would you pick first for your team (excluding yourself and your current team mate)?
MS: I think it’s good that I am not a team boss…

Q: You are having a dinner party and can invite four people from the world of motorsport, past or present. Who do you invite?
MS: Ross (Brawn), Norbert (Haug), Jean (Todt) and Luca (di Montezemolo).

Q: You are given the chance to drive any legendary Formula One car of the past (excluding those made by your own team). Which car would you choose?
MS: The (future) 2022 Ferrari.

Q: Rooftop swimming pool, bowling alley, revolving sushi bar - just some of the features most F1 motorhomes don’t possess. If you could add one thing to your team’s motorhome, what would it be?
MS: A proper bed!

Q: Imagine you have just won the world title - again! Where would you go for your celebratory meal and what would choose from the menu?
MS: Champagne, Bacardi and Coca Cola. It could be straight after the race in the motorhome!

[James]

German Grand Prix coming right up.

[Marc]

Hamilton wins.

[Grimnir]

Hamilton was excellent and thoroughly deserved the win

awesome qualifying lap to split the red bulls

then during the race some epic moves

when webber passed him and hamilton retook him :elephant:

webber tried to pass hamilton after pit stop and hamilton said no thanks :elephant:

then hamilton needed to do exact same on alonso that webber failed to do, hamilton sailed past him on the outside :joker: owned :elephant:

[Iceman]

Formula One team principals are seeking clarification on the new broadcasting rights deal that will see the BBC share live coverage of the motorsport with Sky.

The deal, running between 2012 and 2018, means Sky will broadcast all races, qualifying and practice sessions live on pay-TV, but the BBC will only have rights to half the races and qualifying sessions for free-to-air.

The BBC will broadcast all the "key races", including the Monaco and British Grands Prix, while the corporation will also carry highlights of any races that it does not show in full.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has hailed the "super" deal, saying: "There will be highlights as well as live coverage on two different networks now, so we get the best of both worlds."

However, the McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has asked for clarification from Ecclestone on the deal due to fears that the sport could lose fans with only half the races on free-to-air TV.

Speaking to Autosport magazine, he said: "As I understand, the BBC are covering half the Grands Prix, and Sky are doing every practice session and everything else. It's interesting. I don't think anyone should be immediately reacting to say this is good, bad, or indifferent.

"What we need to understand is whether the large audience we currently enjoy in Formula
One will be maintained. I think we also need to understand exactly how this is being done."

Williams team chairman Adam Parr also gave a lukewarm welcome to the deal, but noted that the sport could benefit from the increased investment from Sky.

"In principle I have no issue with optimising the balance between the revenues that we need, and getting a good reach in the audience. The devil is in the detail," he said.

"I think it is a balance and, without knowing the details, you cannot comment on whether it is good or bad. What I do know is that Bernie is a very passionate believer in getting the broadest audience possible and I think he has almost certainly done this in order to do that."

Parr expressed sympathy for fans who would no longer be able to watch all the races live on free-to-air TV, but said that F1 was also an expensive business to run.

"I am sympathetic to them. I understand it is difficult - but English Premier League fans have had that for a while haven't they?" he told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

"The one thing I would say, which I have said before, I know that whether you are coming to a race or are watching the sport at home and have to do that on pay-TV which seems expensive, people have to bear in mind what it costs to put on this show. It is part of the character of F1.

"For us to design and build the two cars that we will have on the grid on Sunday here, without putting an engine in them, without putting a driver in them, without accounting for the 70 staff that we bring to each race - without all of that, those cars cost £2m. You multiply that by all the cars on the grid and that is £24m minimum of the costs just to make the parts. That is part of the show.

"It is not a bloke or two blokes with a tennis racket and a pair of plimsolls with zero cost. It is a very, very expensive sport. The best thing we can do for fans, whether they want to come to the races or want to watch it on TV, is to reduce the cost of the sport without spoiling the show."

Last month, it emerged that the BBC had decided against renewing its exclusive five-year deal to cover F1, which runs until the end of next season. It was understood that BBC bosses felt that the money spent on F1 would be better used elsewhere, as the corporation attempts to slash its budget by 20% under the new licence fee settlement.

In a statement today, BBC Sport director Barbara Slater said that the joint deal with Sky has "delivered significant savings" while also ensuring that live and extended highlights coverage of the sport "continues to be available to licence fee payers".



****ing *****

[James]

Rain. Should be a good one.

[Marc]

I don't really know much about F1 but the commentators always shout and when I look up not much has actually happened :joker:

[Wildcat!]

Well, Mclaren totally killed lewis today, with their tire choices

[James]

Hamilton should have won that one. Vettel doing what he needs for the championship.

[James]

Hamilton should have won that one. Vettel doing what he needs for the championship.

[Jords]

I didnt wake up in time :bored:

Good on Jenson!

[Marc]

I didnt wake up in time :bored:

Good on Jenson!

What time do you wake up?!!?

I like Jensen, I don't really follow but well done Jensen :D

[Niamh.]

It was a nice way to mark Jensons 200th race

[Iceman]

LONDON: Formula One great Niki Lauda believes it’s only a matter of time before Michael Schumacher announces that he is quitting F1 after failing to succeed in his comeback.

Earlier this week, Corriere dello Sport published comments in which Schumacher reportedly stated that he had become a burden to his Mercedes GP team.

“If anything, I am the problem,” the Italian publication reported the 42-year-old as having said.
Time’s up: Michael Schumacher of Mercedes GP reacts after spinning off the track during the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring race track last month. — EPA

“It is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before, and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team. At some point, we will evaluate whether I will continue or stop.”

Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm was quick to deny the reports, telling the Bild that “Michael has not spoken with anyone from the Corriere dello Sport.”

The reports, though, have again raised questions about Schumacher’s long-term future in Formula One with the German contracted to Mercedes GP until the end of next season.

However, triple world champion Lauda reckons Schumacher must be asking himself whether this year’s season-ending Brazilian GP will be his last in Formula One.

“In the end you has to ask yourself, ‘Can I do it or not?’ and frankly I do not think it will work out for Michael now,” Lauda told motorsport magazin.

“If you want to be faster, you try everything – and if you’ve tried everything and you still cannot do it, then that is it.

“One day he will realise that he cannot do it, and then he will make a decision.

“He has said that he needs more time, blah, blah, blah, and he presents himself as a relaxed guy who really still enjoys it - but inside he is not relaxed because no top racer enjoys being defeated.”

Lauda added that while Schumacher has given some leeway last season when he finished down in ninth place in the drivers’ championship, the German has no excuses for his disappointing results this season.

“Last year we understood that he needed time to get used to these different cars. Plus the handicap of not being able to test and everything else I had the feeling that this year was his last chance to create a proper comeback and this year it’s the same as last year.”

DEVESTATED

[Iceman]

"I'm certainly not here next year, this is definite" - Schumacher

:bawling:

[Wildcat!]

Is that confirmed!

[Marc]

Aw I certainy wont say I am an expert at F1 but I know he's a legend and it's got to be sad for any fans!

[Jords]

aw i certainy wont say i am an expert at f1 but i know he's a legend and it's got to be sad for any fans!

[2]

:(

[Iceman]

Is that confirmed!

Aw I certainy wont say I am an expert at F1 but I know he's a legend and it's got to be sad for any fans!

[2]

:(

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Michael+Schumacher+ends+retirement+rumours+insists +race+2012+Mercedes/5253885/story.html

No I was trying to translate this earlier and I did it wrong he's staying :elephant::elephant::elephant::elephant:

[Wildcat!]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Iceman]

“Yeah, despite some funny rumours and stupid untruthful stories, I keep repeating myself, that you will see me in 2012,” he continued.

“I will be here and the good thing is I have a lot of support from all around, in particular from the company and in particular from the team, they all wish for me to be here and I wish to be here. I am looking forward to it.”

Asked what will happen after 2012, Schumacher noted that at the moment it is too early to say.

“We will have to see how things develop and how much energy and fun is still there,” he explained.

As for his hopes for next season, he isn't expecting any miracles: “It would be presumptuous if one expects us to fight for the title next year, at the moment we are too far behind.”

[Iceman]

I think he's hinting at staying on. :o

[Iceman]

Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher has moved to rebuff rumours that he is set to retire (again) at the end of the 2011 season. It follows recent speculation that the seven-time champion could be replaced for 2012 in light of his disappointing form since joining the German team last year.

Schumacher was overshadowed by younger team mate Nico Rosberg in 2010, and although he has closed the gap this season, Rosberg has still scored 50 percent more points thus far in 2011. Nevertheless, the 42-year-old insists he will be fulfilling his Mercedes contract next year.

"Despite some funny rumours and stupid untruthful stories, I keep repeating myself that you will have to see me in 2012, whether you like it or don't like it," Schumacher said in an interview with Mercedes' website.

Schumacher’s best result this season has been his fourth place in June’s Canadian race and the team have already conceded that their 2011 car, the MGP W02, is unlikely to ever challenge frontrunners Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

"I will be there,” said Schumacher, looking ahead to what he hopes will be a brighter 2012. “And the good thing is that I have a lot of support from all around, in particular from the company, in particular from the team, that they all wish me to be there, so I wish to be there, so I look forward to it."

Rosberg has also struggled to extract podium-challenging pace from the MGP W02 and despite consistently strong qualifying performances - he has reached Q3 at every 2011 round - has yet to better fifth place in a race this year.

Source: www.f1.com

They never do this, Bernie must be pissed

[Iceman]

Formula One cars will be racing on the streets of Dublin next year in an event which is expected to bring more than a quarter of a million people into the city.

City racing featuring the F1 cars already takes place in Moscow and Rotterdam and today, Bavaria Beer, the event organisers and main sponsors, announced they were adding Dublin to the roster.

The day-long demo will take place on June 3rd next year and the organisers expressed confidence that it would prove to be a significant boost to the local economy and would showcase some of the city's key landmarks to a global audience.

The demonstration race track will start at the Central Bank before passing Trinity College and going down Burgh Quay and crossing the Samuel Beckett bridge. The track ends on Custom House Quay.

City racing, featuring the high powered Formula 1 cars, first took place in 2006 and today close to half a million people turned out in Rotterdam for the event.

'It has been 16 years since Ireland witnessed the excitement of a current F1 car but Bavaria City Racing is about to change that,' said the managing director of the event Gavin Collins.

He praised Dublin City Council and the gardai for the manner in which they embraced the concept and said the track had been specially designed to showcase some of the city's oldest and most modern sites, including Trinity, the Bank of Ireland on College Green, the Custom House and the Convention Centre.

While tickets will be on sale for some sections of the course from tomorrow, 96 per cent of it will be free to spectators, Mr Collins said. Cars from all the main F1 teams will take part and while there will be no competitive edge to the racing he said it would give an Irish audience a real feel for the high octane experience.

Former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan said he was looking forward to bringing the event to Dublin.

“It’s not really feasible for Dublin to consider hosting a full Formula One race. It would place an unfair burden on the taxpayer.”

However, an event like this would give people a real flavour of what Formula One is like,” he said.

“And the great thing about it is, it’s almost entirely free which makes it accessible to everybody.”

In addition to Formula One racing demonstration there will also be stunt car racing and other classes of motor racing vehicles on display.

[Marc]

:shocked: What? Seriously?

[Iceman]

It's just an event not a race but still I'll get to see the current F1 cars (well next year's) for free!!!!!! OMG what if Schumacher drove a car around the city........... OMG hyperventilating.

[Iceman]

Aug.19 (GMM) Maria de Villota's management is in talks to secure the 31-year-old a test driver seat in formula one.The Renault team on Thursday confirmed reports the daughter of former Spanish F1 driver Emilio de Villota recently made her F1 test debut in a 2009 car at Paul Ricard.Spain's AS newspaper said it was the "beginning of a journey that could take Maria to the grands prix"."The ultimate goal is to reach the grid and it's a shorter term project than you might think," added the report.De Villota is quoted as saying: "I've always wanted to reach formula one and after this test I know more clearly than ever that I can do it, I can drive a F1 car."Physically and as a driver I'm at my best, so I have to use it. We are working on it already. It will not be overnight, but we have to do it soon," she added.Renault said di Villota completed 300 kilometres at a "very reasonable pace", with team boss Eric Boullier adding that she did not "put a foot wrong all day".

[Iceman]

Aug.19 (GMM) Maria de Villota's management is in talks to secure the 31-year-old a test driver seat in formula one.The Renault team on Thursday confirmed reports the daughter of former Spanish F1 driver Emilio de Villota recently made her F1 test debut in a 2009 car at Paul Ricard.Spain's AS newspaper said it was the "beginning of a journey that could take Maria to the grands prix"."The ultimate goal is to reach the grid and it's a shorter term project than you might think," added the report.De Villota is quoted as saying: "I've always wanted to reach formula one and after this test I know more clearly than ever that I can do it, I can drive a F1 car."Physically and as a driver I'm at my best, so I have to use it. We are working on it already. It will not be overnight, but we have to do it soon," she added.Renault said di Villota completed 300 kilometres at a "very reasonable pace", with team boss Eric Boullier adding that she did not "put a foot wrong all day".

[Iceman]

Red Bull have revealed that Hollywood legend Tom Cruise recently tried out one of their Formula One cars in a specially organised test in the United States. Cruise took a break from his current film project, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, to get behind the wheel at the Willow Springs circuit in California.

Cruise’s instructor for the seven-hour session was Formula One veteran David Coulthard. They began by lapping the track together in a road car before Coulthard helped Cruise familiarise himself with the F1 machine, which was supported by a 12-person crew flown in from Red Bull’s UK factory.

After a total of 24 laps, with time out between track stints to compare his telemetry to Coulthard’s, Cruise cut his initial lap time by an impressive 11 seconds and reached a top speed of 181 mph, just 4 mph short of Coulthard.

"Tom's the real deal,” Coulthard told Red Bull’s website. “I was surprised that he picked it up so quickly and is such an accomplished driver. His recall was incredible considering how complicated driving an F1 car is. He's a guy who really pushes the envelope in real life. This day was not green screened. He thoroughly impressed me."

Cruise, a long-time motorsport fan, has driven several competition cars over the years, but this was his first F1 experience. Formula One returns to his homeland next year with a race at the all-new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

[Iceman]

Bruno Senna will make his Formula One race return in Belgium this weekend, replacing Nick Heidfeld to partner Vitaly Petrov at Renault. It will be Senna’s first Grand Prix start since his final appearance for HRT in Abu Dhabi last November.

Renault drafted Heidfeld in at the start of their 2011 campaign as stand-in for the injured Robert Kubica. His future with the team now looks uncertain and further details are expected to be confirmed on Thursday.

Senna completed a full rookie F1 season with HRT in 2010 before joining Renault as a reserve driver at the start of this year. The Brazilian recently made a Friday practice appearance for the team in Hungary and will appear in Thursday’s FIA press conference at Spa on Thursday afternoon.

His prospects of a full-time race drive with Renault are likely to depend not only on the team’s negotiations with Heidfeld - who could be facing the end of his F1 career should he lose the seat - but also on their plans for their other reserve driver, Frenchman Romain Grosjean.

Grosjean is on the verge of wrapping up the 2011 GP2 championship and has previous F1 experience with Renault, having made seven appearances for the team in 2009 following Nelson Piquet’s departure in the wake of the Singapore ‘crashgate’ scandal.

[Iceman]

have a feeling Senna will cause loads of crashes.

[Iceman]

Michael Schumacher celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Formula One debut by dominating the first practice session at Spa on Friday morning, with team mate Nico Rosberg backing him up less than half a second behind.

But… the two Mercedes drivers were the only ones to venture out at the start of the 90-minute session, while the track was dry. They lapped in 1m 54.355s and 1m 54.829s respectively. Then, surprise, surprise, it rained.

For a while it was torrential, then the sun came out and gradually the track began to dry again. But not before Bruno Senna, talking over Nick Heidfeld’s ride at Renault, and Force India’s Paul di Resta spun exiting Turn Nine and hit the tyre wall in separate accidents. The Scot’s incident came late in the session, momentarily bringing out the red flag and giving the track more time to dry out.

As the session resumed with a few minutes left, the times started tumbling again. McLaren’s Jenson Button had been ‘fastest’ on the wet track with 2m 09.682s before Di Resta’s spin, but when running resumed he cut down to 2m 02.740s to take third overall behind the Mercedes.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was fourth on 2m 03.752s, then came McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, whose 2m 04.301s had been the initial post-di Resta pacesetter, and Adrian Sutil who was up there all morning with Force India before ending the session with 2m 04.663s.

Felipe Massa was seventh for Ferrari on 2m 04.728s. Rubens Barrichello was an encouraging eighth for Williams on 2m 05.391s, then came Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari on 2m 06.583s and Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi on 2m 06.886s. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso recorded 2m 07.055s and Sauber’s Sergio Perez 2m 07.481s, before Lotus’s Jarno Trulli headed Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi and Williams’ Pastor Maldonado on 2m 08.233s, 2m 08.239s and 2m 08.918s respectively.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber, an early wet-road pacesetter, ended up 16th on 2m 09.792s after failing to get a good lap on the drying track, then came a group comprising Virgin’s Timo Glock, HRT’s Tonio Liuzzi and Virgin’s Jerome D’Ambrosio on 2m 12.278s, 2m 12.389s and 2m 12.772s respectively.

Di Resta lapped his Force India in 2m 13.058s before his off, which left him 20th from Karun Chandhok on 2m 13.090s, the Indian standing in at Lotus for Heikki Kovalainen. Vitaly Petrov was 22nd on 2m 13.601s in the lead Renault from team mate Senna, whose 2m 14.340s before his spin had been fractionally faster than the Russian’s best time to that point. At the back, Daniel Ricciardo was 24th for HRT on 2m 14.933s.

[Iceman]

Q: (Alexey Popov - VGTRK) Question to all five drivers - except Michael. It’s just about you! Can you remember, gentlemen, your first race with Michael, when you first saw him on TV or maybe as a spectator? And secondly, will you try to be more respectful than usual with him on Sunday?
BS: Well, the first time I saw Michael racing was Spa in 1991, on his debut in Formula One. I remember it pretty clearly when he had a really…
MS: How old were you??
BS: Um, eight?
Jd’A: How old are you?
BS: 27. Not that young any more. So I saw a great performance in qualifying but unfortunately he had a bit of a failure on his car up Eau Rouge, which denied him a good result but obviously he showed that he had great potential to fulfil in the following steps of his career.

Q: And will you show him respect?
BS: We’re racing aren’t we, so if it’s close racing or more distant, we will have to see, but we are fighting for every inch of the track and it’s a great privilege for me to be racing with him and hopefully he will be in a good position to be fighting for points.
Jd’A: Well, it wasn’t the best weekend actually. I was in the paddock at Imola in ’94 on Saturday and that was my first weekend in Formula One. Obviously, Michael was driving there.
BS: Will you show him any respect?
Jd’A: Well, I will really make sure he doesn’t lose… try not to lose a tenth when there’s a blue flag situation. I will really try hard on this weekend for him.
SB: For me, ’91 is a long time ago. I was a bit small, so I can’t really remember. I think the first races I really remember were ’94, ’95 when he was driving for Benetton.
VP: As you know, I started to watch Formula One very, very late because I was in my town to be honest, I never saw racing – I was racing myself but I never even knew what Formula One was, so I think I started to watch when Michael was battling with Alonso, at this time. And when I heard that he would stop racing, I was a little bit, you know… I said why? Because I wanted to race with him.
SV: I think Michael asked me to have some respect, so I’m not sure. I think the first time I was in touch with Michael was 1991 or 1992, probably as a toy car in kindergarten. I remember the first time I went to Hockenheim with my father to see free practice. We went all the way down to the first chicane. It was raining like crazy and Michael had this yellow Benetton at the time. To see a Formula One car and then to see Michael passing… he was probably just on an install lap, nothing spectacular but it was really very special. Unfortunately, nobody else went out because it was raining so hard. There was only a couple of cars but that was the first time that I remember. Obviously, after that there were a lot of races… when I was go-karting, Michael was sort of all the kids’ hero. When we had this race in Kerpen at the end of the season, he handed over the trophies and it was very special to see him, to meet him, to shake his hand and to get our trophies presented Fthe past and to see today that we are racing against each other in Formula One is quite crazy. Obviously, I have a lot of respect. It’s very special to me. As I said, he was the hero of my childhood. I can’t give you too much credit now, but I think he’s an OK driver.

:bawling: its so emotional.

[Iceman]

Q: Michael Schumacher celebrates his 20th year in Formula One this weekend. You started to race in 2007 - can you imagine still being around in 2027?
SV: Gee, that’s light years from now - and no, right now I cannot imagine it. Sure at the moment I don’t want to be anywhere else, but 2027 is a number hard to imagine still being around. Congratulations to Michael. He’s not only been around for 20 years, he’s also achieved more than anybody else. I don’t think that there will be anyone beating his seven titles and I am almost sure that there will be nobody beating his 20 years, because it’s a bl**dy long time to be around that long.

Good now seb when you win number 6 **** off.

[Legend killer]

Michael really has not done as bad as people would like to make out. Granted his qualifying pace is extremly slow and he is always quite far behind in Rosberg but in terms of race pace he is still very fast and is often quicker than Rosberg. If he could just improve qualifying i could easily see him getting a few poduim finishes

[Iceman]

Michael really has not done as bad as people would like to make out. Granted his qualifying pace is extremly slow and he is always quite far behind in Rosberg but in terms of race pace he is still very fast and is often quicker than Rosberg. If he could just improve qualifying i could easily see him getting a few poduim finishes

Definitely, he has such great starts he's always gaining 2-3 places.... and lets look at it like this, the man walked bak into the sport and became a top 10 driver instantly.

[Iceman]

Schumi finished 11th there, only 2 tenths behind tenth placed man Sebastian Vettel. :o

[Legend killer]

I really hope they fix the Mercedes up next year with Ross at the helm and Schui the greatest ever driver they really should have a much better car

[Iceman]

Yeah something really isnt clicking right at the moment.

[Legend killer]

Don't think Schui will be making G3 today has not looked good at all in the practise sessions i expect Webber to get poll

[Iceman]

Depends on the rain, expect him to finish Q3 10th if he makes it.

[Iceman]

Heidfeld taking legal action against the team

[Legend killer]

Eoin very good point about the rain in all honesty i would say other than Button Schu is the best driver in the rain

[Iceman]

Yeah, he always was. I just dont think the car is competitive enough but with no DRS its gonna be a close race (hopefully).

Also I remember Vettel's first ever win in the rain and though 'wow he's always gonna be brilliant when its wet' but he's just fell off when its rained.

[Legend killer]

I love Eddie Jordan lol easily the funniest presenter

[Iceman]

yeah but he hasnt a notion of what he's on about LOL he does add something funny to the show though.

[Iceman]

Ross Brawn saying Merc will try and have a drier set up in Qualifying.

[Iceman]

Schumacher out on the first lap. **** ****

[Iceman]

they never put the wheel on

[Iceman]

OUT
Dir :o
Tru
Glo
Dam
Liu
Ric
Msc :sad:

[Iceman]

Senna makes top 10 :o

[Iceman]

Session Red Flagged Sutil crashed out.

[Iceman]

Hamilton made contact with maldonado. :o

[Iceman]

Maldonado turned into Lewis. should be Dq'd

[Iceman]

OUT

Buemi
Kobayashi
Button
Barrichello
Sutil

Senna makes the top 10 :o
Maldonado

[Legend killer]

LOL oh gosh that Mercedes car is AWFUL but this qualifying session is fuken amazing

[Iceman]

Vettel
Hamilton
Webber
Massa
Rosberg
Alguesairi
Senna
Alonso
Perez
Petrov

Driver of the day is Senna :o

[Iceman]

Senna outqualified Alonso :crazy:

[James]

I'd say Alguersuari in sixth in the Torro Rosso for top performance in quali.

[Iceman]

I just expected Senna to be all over the place.... I suppose if you take into account the people who'd usually be there.... both Force India's, Button and Shumi.... Tomorrow sh0uld be great.

Also best Quaily of the season i think.

[Iceman]

Michael Schumacher (24th, Q1 - no time)
"Well, obviously I would have wished for a different end to today's qualifying, but it is difficult to drive on three wheels - even if I should have the experience to do so in Spa. Seriously, this is certainly something that should not occur, but then this is also Formula One; we are working at the highest level but still things can happen. At first, I wasn't sure what had happened, as I just felt myself lose the back end suddenly which is why I instantly apologised to the team. But then I saw the wheel off the car and understood the reason why I had lost control. Trying to find the good in the bad, I'd probably say that I still have some fresh sets of tyres left, and that there is only one direction to go tomorrow: forward."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes GP team principal
"Nico had a very good qualifying session this afternoon. He drove intelligently, pushed when he had to, and the guys on the pit wall called the weather just right. I was really pleased with how things went for him today. Naturally, I am on the other hand disappointed for Michael, because the conditions would have suited him perfectly. We need to look at exactly what happened, but it would appear there was something amiss with the right rear wheel attachment, and we need to go through it carefully tonight to ensure there can be no repeat. Both cars were running a dry set-up, so we did not compromise anything for today's conditions and we are hoping it will stay dry for tomorrow. Time will tell if that is the right call."

Norbert Haug, vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Nico and the team delivered a good performance this afternoon. Thanks to the right timing and an excellent lap, we got the most out of the conditions with his fifth place - and Nico also qualified ahead of two of the current Championship contenders. It was a real shame for Michael that he lost his right rear wheel on the very first lap out of the pits. Our apologies go to him, and we need to investigate exactly what happened. Along with all the spectators, we and Michael are looking forward tomorrow to what we hope will be an attacking drive from the back of the grid in his anniversary race. Spa always has something special in store for Michael - just as Michael does for Spa."

:mad:

[Iceman]

Williams’ Pastor Maldonado has been dropped five places on the Spa grid as a penalty after clashing with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton during qualifying for Sunday’s Belgium race. Maldonado, who had qualified in 16th, will now start the race from 21st.

Hamilton and the Venezuelan banged wheels towards the end of Q2. The Briton, pushing to complete his final flying lap of the session, initially made slight contact with the Williams. But moments later Maldonado appeared to veer to the left into the McLaren on the exit to La Source.

As a result of Maldonado’s penalty, Lotus’s Heikki Kovalainen, Force India’s Paul di Resta, Lotus’s Jarno Trulli, Virgin team mates Timo Glock and Jerome D’Ambrosio will all move up a place on the grid. Hamilton, meanwhile, was given a reprimand for his involvement in the incident.

[Wildcat!]

What happened with Michael!!! :(
Damn, that sucks, but at least it will be exciting to see him take over half the field! :)

[Iceman]

What happened with Michael!!! :(
Damn, that sucks, but at least it will be exciting to see him take over half the field! :)

faulty wheel gun apparently :( ut who knows what'll happen. This is Spa, he has some fresh tyres and if it rains im picking Michael or Button to get into the top 3.

[Novo]

What time is the race?

[Iceman]

1 PM I think.

[Iceman]

Yeah 1 PM

[Novo]

Perfect. though it was one of those morning races :bored:

[Iceman]

Perfect. though it was one of those morning races :bored:

I think we're good timewise for a few races now.

[Blog Rider]

I didn't know there was a F1 area on here until now, I like F1 :)

[Iceman]

:amazed:

But who's your favourite driver :suspect:

[Wildcat!]

Lewis hamilton now!
All time favorites:

Michael Schumacher

























Alain Prost

Lewis Hamilton





Ayrton Senna

[Iceman]

Where's Iceman on the list :sad:

[Wildcat!]

Ahhh! Raikonnen!! LOL! he was not anywhere on my radar dude! :D
Cmon, he didnt stick it out, and he seemed disinterested in F! near the end! Big "L" I am afraid! :(

[Iceman]

He was a speed demon. He was so cool he showed no emotion at all an was hated for it :laugh:

[Stu]

How does a man who wants to get into F1 get into it? Where's the best place to watch it on Irish TV?

[Iceman]

How does a man who wants to get into F1 get into it? Where's the best place to watch it on Irish TV?

Setanta or BBC1 :)

Setanta the channel though.

[Stu]

Good man. I'll keep an eye out.

[Iceman]

Tomorrow at 1, best circuit on the calendar and its gonna rain, and loads of big names are at the back so hopefully some good racing.

[Wildcat!]

I liked the teams he raced for though at least! :) While he was racing he was one of my favs. He never deserved to win his championship though. Stupid Lewis just gave it to him! :( :)

But overall, he is on my pluses, I quite liked him as a racer. BUt I prefer Barichello, AlesI, and others above him....

[Iceman]

I liked the teams he raced for though at least! :) While he was racing he was one of my favs. He never deserved to win his championship though. Stupid Lewis just gave it to him! :( :)

But overall, he is on my pluses, I quite liked him as a racer. BUt I prefer Barichello, AlesI, and others above him....

You're killing me here. :sad: Lewis threw it away cause he hadnt got the head to be a champion.

[Wildcat!]

Tomorrow at 1, best circuit on the calendar and its gonna rain, and loads of big names are at the back so hopefully some good racing.

The last interview I hear was with Button, and the lady said it was gonna be a dry day!! :conf:
Maybe things changed later, an the forecast is different!
bUT IF ITS RAiny, it will definitely be fun. Button, is always a factor in changing conditions, and Michael also enjoys those! :)
Basically means, Vettell will either DNF, or finish 6th or something! :D

[Wildcat!]

You're killing me here. :sad: Lewis threw it away cause he hadnt got the head to be a champion.

yEAH, AND FAIR play to him! you can just see as a L Hamilton fan, how much that would have sucked at the time! :)

[Iceman]

The last interview I hear was with Button, and the lady said it was gonna be a dry day!! :conf:
Maybe things changed later, an the forecast is different!
bUT IF ITS RAiny, it will definitely be fun. Button, is always a factor in changing conditions, and Michael also enjoys those! :)
Basically means, Vettell will either DNF, or finish 6th or something! :D

Oh was it I missed the interviews and just went by the F1 website thing, it says thunderstorms :devil:

And I agree Button and Schumi will thrive....be interesting to see what Senna can do aswell

[Iceman]

2 hours till race :D

[Novo]

My prediction is

1st - Hamilton
2nd - Vettel
3rd - Webber


Didn't see practise or Qualifying though

[Iceman]

I'll get the qualifying line up in a minute...

[Iceman]

1. Sebastian Vettel
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Mark Webber
4. Felipe Massa
5. Nico Rosberg
6. Jaime Alguersuari
7. Bruno Senna
8. Fernando Alonso
9. Sergio Pérez
10. Vitaly Petrov
11. Sébastien Buemi
12. Kamui Kobayashi
13. Jenson Button
14. Rubens Barrichello
15. Adrian Sutil
16. Heikki Kovalainen
17. Paul di Resta
18. Jarno Trulli
19. Timo Glock
20. Jérôme d'Ambrosio
21. Pastor Maldonado
22. Vitantonio Liuzzi
23.Daniel Ricciardo
24. Michael Schumacher

[Novo]

I wonder if Bruno Senna will have a good race if he gets in the points it would be brilliant

[Iceman]

i dont think he will, I reckon he'll drop down quite a bit, I expect button to be top 10 by the first corner. Shumi should bide his time and not be stupid on the opening lap.

[Iceman]

Here we go coverage has started

[Grimnir]

Maldonado only gets 5 place grid drop????

That is pathetic decision by stewards, he should have been DQd and sent home

He deliberately tried to **** up Hamilton after the qualifying had finished.

What is stop other drivers doing the same now that they know the only punishment is 5 place grid up

ridiculous

[Iceman]

Yeah he shouldnt be racing at all.

[Iceman]

Grr no more Vettel wins please

[Iceman]

Aw Michael drinking with everyone :sad:

[Iceman]

Coulthard in that T-Shirt will be my new signature

[Iceman]

here we go, time for hearts in mouths

[Grimnir]

SPAAAAAAAA :elephant:

this is the best track in F1

[Grimnir]

nnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooow

hamilton is gonna be first at end of lap 1 :dance:

[Iceman]

This should be EPIC

[Niamh.]

Grr no more Vettel wins please

More Vettel wins please :hugesmile:

[Grimnir]

:worship: rosberg pwning everyone

[Iceman]

Schumaher got 9 places in 1 lap.

Rosberg wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooo

[Grimnir]

i want a few vettel DNFs :devil:

not because no a fan, but because i want exciting end of season

[Novo]

Vettel :bored:

[James]

Messy start.

[Iceman]

Schumacher 11th :worship:

[Grimnir]

why hamilton so slow :shrug:

[Iceman]

great battle with Mass, Alonso and Lewis

[Grimnir]

exciting :elephant:

[Iceman]

Vettel pits :o

[Iceman]

So many crashes

[Grimnir]

hopefully red bulls can't manage their tyres and pit 8 times each :joker:

[Iceman]

Schumi pit

[Iceman]

car 9 gets a drive through

[Iceman]

Bruno Senna and Glock drive throughs

[Iceman]

Alonso leads

[Iceman]

Alonso pits

[Iceman]

4th leader of the GP already

[Iceman]

this is immense

[Iceman]

Vettels tryes are blistering :D

[Grimnir]

vettel need to pit again :elephant:

[Marc]

VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!/caps

[Marc]

I don't really 'get' F1.. LOL what am I looking for?

[Grimnir]

they are gonna run out of tyres at this rate :joker:

[Marc]

What's up with everybodies tyres?

Is the course really hard or something?

:joker: I'm so clueless

[Iceman]

I don't really 'get' F1.. LOL what am I looking for?

good racing :laugh:

[Iceman]

Schumachers made 14 positions

[Iceman]

What's up with everybodies tyres?

Is the course really hard or something?

:joker: I'm so clueless

Basically yeah

[Marc]

BOOM! is that Hamilton?

[Niamh.]

hahahaha bu bye Lewis

[Grimnir]

noooooooooooooooooooo

hamilton crash :bawling:

[Marc]

hahahaha bu bye Lewis

That's not very nice :suspect:

[Novo]

Kobayashi = ****

[Iceman]

Bye Lewis

[Novo]

Need Button to get into the race now

[Iceman]

Schumacher and Button will gain a bit from pitting there

[Niamh.]

That's not very nice :suspect:

Well, I'm not very nice :idc:

[Marc]

Well, I'm not very nice :idc:

Yes I know that.

Was Lewis just being cocky or was the other dude a bit of an idiot?

[Iceman]

Lewis looked like he was hurt

[Iceman]

Yes I know that.

Was Lewis just being cocky or was the other dude a bit of an idiot?

neither I dont think, he didnt see him and just turned in, should be a racing incident

[Grimnir]

excitement level dropped right down now

hamilton out, no one up front to cheer on and vettel probably gonna win yet again :sleep:

[Iceman]

Schumacher 9th :love: :amazed: :worship:

[Iceman]

safety car in

[Iceman]

Schumacher 7th holy ****bricks

[Grimnir]

safety car helped vettel a lot

he has pitted twice and is almost 1st, so a whole pit stop ahead and faster on track

[Iceman]

Button will get Schumi now

[Novo]

In the past 15/20 minutes Button has gone down to 4/1 to win from 28/1

He was on 28/1 then he took over Schumacher and went to 16/1 and then Sutil to go down to 11/1 then soon after he went to 9/1 then 4/1 just now

[Novo]

Vettel 10/11
Webber 6/1
Button 4/1
Alonso 3/1

[Novo]

Vettel 10/11
Webber 6/1
Button 4/1
Alonso 3/1


Vettel - Evens
Webber 13/2
Alonso 10/3
Button 10/3

[Novo]

Now Vettel is 1/3...

[Novo]

1/9

[Novo]

Vettel 1/7
Webber 7/1
Button 33/1
Alonso 9/1

[Iceman]

Schumacher finishing 5th place, what an absolute here, 19 places up from where he started, Drive of the day baby!

[Iceman]

Vettel wins so thats game over for the title now.

Button & Schumi were immense, have to give Schumi drive of the day, coming from last to 5th was crazy.

[Niamh.]

Go on Seb!

[Novo]

Boring and predictable in the end

[Niamh.]

It's not Vettels fault he's better than everyone :idc:

[Iceman]

Great race

[Novo]

It's not Vettels fault he's better than everyone :idc:

I'd like to see how good he is if he swapped cars with Timo Glock :idc:

[Iceman]

I'd like to see how good he is if he swapped cars with Timo Glock :idc:

Well he did win in a Torro Rosso, their one and only win.

[Iceman]

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqm2rgnFoJ1qkz54go1_500.png

:lovedup:

[Iceman]

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/9475019432/1/tumblr_lqm095wMFd1r1exvn

[Iceman]

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/9475019432/2/tumblr_lqm095wMFd1r1exvn
What a nice present

[Iceman]

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqltjlHQUd1qhniczo1_500.jpg

[Iceman]

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/9467794732/4/tumblr_lqls121owi1qeuwh5

[Iceman]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqloprOi361qeuwh5o1_500.jpg

[Iceman]

After the race, Michael was very happy with his race, and described his weekend as “wonderful”: “I think more than fifth place would not have been possible today but making up 19 places was a good feeling. With all my family, friends and fans here, it was an extra motivation, and I would like to thank all of them for their support. They saw an exciting race with a great strategy from our team. So all in all, for me, there was a lot of emotion and a lot of overtaking today. At the beginning I was a bit afraid that some of the flying parts might hit and damage my car, but I was lucky that nothing happened. After that, I had big fun hunting and making my way forward.”

:love: happy Michael

[Legend killer]

OMG just got in and saw the results well fuken played Michael still one of the best RACERS if not the best on the circuit

Mercedes give him a good car and he will win you things

[Iceman]

OMG just got in and saw the results well fuken played Michael still one of the best RACERS if not the best on the circuit

Mercedes give him a good car and he will win you things

:love:

[Legend killer]

Seriously though Eoin if he could just be quicker in qualifyng he would avtually be challenging for poduims

[Iceman]

Seriously though Eoin if he could just be quicker in qualifyng he would avtually be challenging for poduims

I know, if the team had given him the chance to get to Q3 he could have made a podium today. Rosberg was leading outright after the third corner.

[Legend killer]

Man it would be Orgasmic to see both Vettel and Schui in the same car just to give Michael the chance just to show he is still the superior driver

[Iceman]

Yeah it'll never happen though :bawling:

So happy for Schumacher, 1 week ago he was apparently retiring again now he's back in the top 5. some turnaround

[Legend killer]

We love you michael

[Iceman]

We love you michael

Indeed we do, we need a fanclub! :amazed:

[Iceman]

Double DRS announced for Monza :o

[Iceman]

Renault and former driver Nick Heidfeld have reached an amicable settlement and chosen to part company with immediate effect, it was announced on Friday. It follows the team’s decision to drop Heidfeld in favour of Bruno Senna ahead of last month’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Heidfeld, who was drafted in by Renault at the start of 2011 as stand-in for the injured Robert Kubica, was sidelined after the team said he had failed to display the leadership qualities they had expected. He has now abandoned plans to contest the move in the High Court.

“Our disagreement with Nick has been the subject of much media coverage lately, and we are pleased to have reached a swift and reasonable solution,” said Eric Boullier, Renault team principal. “Our separation process was already a painful one, and neither of us wanted to go through another legal hearing.

“We’re very grateful to Nick for the highly valuable contribution he’s made to the team. We certainly had good times together, in particular remembering our podium finish in Malaysia. He is a very strong and determined racer and we wish him every success in the future.”

Heidfeld commented: “Obviously I’m disappointed to be leaving Lotus Renault GP in the middle of the season. I thought I could still make a big contribution to the team, but I have to see things as they are and I want to turn my attention to the future.

“We have taken the right decision by choosing to end our collaboration today. I would like to wish all the friends I made at Enstone a successful end to the season. One thing is for sure - I’ll be back racing at the highest level soon.”

Senna will now retain his Renault race seat alongside Vitaly Petrov for the remainder of the 2011 season, with newly-crowned GP2 champion Romain Grosjean as the team's reserve driver.

[Iceman]

Renault and former driver Nick Heidfeld have reached an amicable settlement and chosen to part company with immediate effect, it was announced on Friday. It follows the team’s decision to drop Heidfeld in favour of Bruno Senna ahead of last month’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Heidfeld, who was drafted in by Renault at the start of 2011 as stand-in for the injured Robert Kubica, was sidelined after the team said he had failed to display the leadership qualities they had expected. He has now abandoned plans to contest the move in the High Court.

“Our disagreement with Nick has been the subject of much media coverage lately, and we are pleased to have reached a swift and reasonable solution,” said Eric Boullier, Renault team principal. “Our separation process was already a painful one, and neither of us wanted to go through another legal hearing.

“We’re very grateful to Nick for the highly valuable contribution he’s made to the team. We certainly had good times together, in particular remembering our podium finish in Malaysia. He is a very strong and determined racer and we wish him every success in the future.”

Heidfeld commented: “Obviously I’m disappointed to be leaving Lotus Renault GP in the middle of the season. I thought I could still make a big contribution to the team, but I have to see things as they are and I want to turn my attention to the future.

“We have taken the right decision by choosing to end our collaboration today. I would like to wish all the friends I made at Enstone a successful end to the season. One thing is for sure - I’ll be back racing at the highest level soon.”

Senna will now retain his Renault race seat alongside Vitaly Petrov for the remainder of the 2011 season, with newly-crowned GP2 champion Romain Grosjean as the team's reserve driver.

[Legend killer]

Michael looking very good in Practise today 3rd fastest

[Iceman]

Yeah came out of nowhere too, I dont wanna get my hopes up though :) lets wait an see how Q's go.

[Iceman]

Half an hour till playtime

[Legend killer]

Cant see past a Vettell Pole sadly but i am expecting Michael to do well might even beat Rosberg in qualifying for once lol

[Iceman]

I dont think so I still think Michael in 8th :(


they wer giving 11/1 odds of vettel getting pole, win and fastest lap...

[Legend killer]

Not bad odds but i don't think he would get fastest lap more likely Hamilton or Webber

[Iceman]

Here we go :D

[Iceman]

Fabio capello there as a ferrari guest.

[Iceman]

Not happy with schumi's place......worried :o

[Iceman]

Actually he should be okay

[Iceman]

Q1 OUT

18. Alg
19. Tru
20. Kov
21. Glo
22. Dam
23. Ric
24. Liu

[Iceman]

Q2 OUT

11. Dir
12. Sut
13. Bar
14. Per
15. Bar
16. Bue
17. Kob

Senna makes top 10 again :o

[Iceman]

1. Vet
2. Ham
3. But
4. Alo
5. Web
6. Mas
7. Pet
8. Sch
9. Ros
10. Sen

hamilton messed up Schumi's lap :bored:

[Legend killer]

I can see Michael having a cracking race 2moz he would have been higher if it was not for Hamilton

[Iceman]

They gave him praise at last :worship: I expet a top 5 finish, hopefully he'll get to 6th by first corner.

[Novo]

Hamilton to win tomorrow please

[Wildcat!]

Vettel on pole, zzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shame shiit different day! :bored:

[Iceman]

Hamilton to win tomorrow please

i reckon he's a strong chance. Vettel will let him by if he makes a move....vettel only needs to get points every race.

[Legend killer]

Hamilton will crash out as per usual

I have a feeling Alonso may do the buisness 2moz

[Iceman]

No i think Lewis has made his only mistake of the weekend in Qualies... he seems in a good place now.

[Iceman]

Mercedes GP
Michael Schumacher (8th, Q3 - 1m 23.777s)
"Qualifying today went mostly according to plan. I don't think we could have taken much more; maybe I could have ended up one place higher. I didn't have an ideal fast lap as I tried to use the slip stream from Lewis but then he locked up in the second chicane which made me lock up too. However I will be on soft tyres tomorrow which should be better for my race. As our race pace looked quite good yesterday, I was more focusing on the race and trying to use the tyres in the right way. For tomorrow, I will try to get a good start and take it from there."

Nico Rosberg (9th, Q3 - 1m 24.477s)
"I'm happy with today's qualifying and the compromise that we made to be strong in the race tomorrow. The performance in Q2 shows that the car is working well here, and we saved two sets of options which is good. I'm the only driver who took part in Q3 who will be starting on the hard tyre, so it will be interesting and should help me a lot at the start of the race. I think it will be a really good race tomorrow."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes GP team principal
"Tyre management will be crucial in the race, and we were very mindful with both cars that we must start the race on the same tyres as we qualified on. For Nico, we opted for a prudent approach by running the hard tyre which could open up a nice opportunity for him tomorrow and it will be very interesting to see how he progresses. Michael decided to use the soft tyre in Q3, but only completed a single lap to preserve them for the race. Both drivers have fresh sets for the race - two sets of softs for Nico, and one for Michael - so we will see how this afternoon's tactical decisions play out. I think we can look forward to plenty of action."

Norbert Haug, vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Our target since Friday has been to get our preparations right for the race. We knew this could cost us one or two positions on the grid, but we hope that our strategy will pay off in the race tomorrow. Both Nico and Michael will have a number of fresh tyres for the race which should help us too. But of course we are realistic in our targets and a result similar to Spa a fortnight ago is what we can achieve in a best-case scenario."

[Wildcat!]

WOOOHOOO!!! What a start By Schumacher, up to 4th I think! And Alonso as well, piping Hamilton and Vettel! Vettel screwed Hamilton, because he suckks!!
Safety car! :D

[Wildcat!]

ANd of course, everyone passes Button! :bored:
Probably waiting for the rain!

[James]

Schu 3rd.

[James]

^ Where's Eoin lol.

[Wildcat!]

He must be jumping up and down and hit his head on the ceiling! :D

[Legend killer]

For **** sake Mercedes give Michael a decent car and let him school this young Pretenders Esp Vetell

[Legend killer]

LOL the BBC hating on Michael just face it Hamilton is not in Michael's league

[Iceman]

^ Where's Eoin lol.

:hugesmile:

My PC broke last night, using a temp one now.

But **** yeah schumacher was a force to be reckoned with today, Hamilton couldnt do anything other than bitch and complain........

[Dilligaf]

LOL the BBC hating on Michael just face it Hamilton is not in Michael's league

At the moment i tend to agree with you. Button is far closer to being the better driver. In a year or two i think Hamilton will be right up there though, alongside Vettel (who IS going to be the greatest driver of our generation).

[Dilligaf]

:hugesmile:

My PC broke last night, using a temp one now.

But **** yeah schumacher was a force to be reckoned with today, Hamilton couldnt do anything other than bitch and complain........

He hardly bitched and complained. He mentioned once on his radio that Micheal 'may' have moved twice.

Shumi was hardly a force to be reckoned with. Button pwned him within one lap. What Shumacher is doing though is brilliant. His craftmanship around the track was perfect yesterday. If it wasn't for him losing his concentration for a split second (due to being on the radio to Ross Brawn), i think he would have help Hamilton off for the entire race.

[Iceman]

Hamilton needs something to happen that's for sure. He's gone from being a really competitive aggressive driver to a sulk in the space of two years. I agree though baby schumi will become the greatest driver of our generation. I think he may win 7 titles. Definitely gonna beat Schumacher's wins and poles.....not sure about championships....I dont know if he'll stay for that long or if the car he's in can deliver year after year.

[Legend killer]

Michael cant afford a poor quali on Saturday. On these street circuits there is hardly anywhere to pass so qualifying is really important this weekend hopefully he can get a 5th or 6th place

[Iceman]

looked okay today. SV has pole though i think.

[Iceman]

How Vettel can become champion in Singapore 22 Sep 2011

Four drivers have won in 2011, but one man has won four times more than anyone else - Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel. With eight victories and only one non-podium finish - a fourth in Germany - he now stands on the brink of a second successive drivers’ title.

A third place in this weekend’s 2011 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix could be enough to see the German crowned champion with five rounds to spare. But, of course, Formula One is never that simple. It all depends on how his key rivals fare at Marina Bay.

They (in championship order) are Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, McLaren’s Jenson Button, Red Bull’s Mark Webber and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

The big picture:
- Vettel has to be on the Singapore podium to become champion.
- if Alonso is on the podium, Vettel can’t do it.
- if Hamilton wins, Vettel can’t do it.

The detail:
To become champion, Vettel requires one of the following three scenarios:
1. Vettel wins; Alonso 4th or lower; Button/Webber 3rd or lower.
2. Vettel 2nd; Hamilton 3rd or lower; Alonso 8th or lower; Button/Webber 5th or lower.
3. Vettel 3rd; Hamilton 4th or lower; Alonso 9th or lower; Button/Webber 7th or lower.

[Legend killer]

Nah it won't happen this weekend Alonso looked quite good in quali so did Button who didnt even use the super softs

[Iceman]

I think he might do it, he's certainly gonna be on the podium.

[Iceman]

Keep an eye on Michael, I think he seemed too happy in that Interview.....hmmmmm

[Legend killer]

Good stuff has saved himself a set of super softs which will be massive come race time

[Iceman]

Yup, Kobayashi was lucky not to get stuck up on the wall

[Legend killer]

LOL yea he was it's fuken ridiculous that they have the curbs so high

[Legend killer]

LOL yea he was it's fuken ridiculous that they have the curbs so high

[Iceman]

Thinking about it Michael has a huge advantage on anywhere up to 3rd.....this could be a great race.

[Legend killer]

I am feeling a poduim tomorrow he just has to avoid trouble on the first lap or so

[Iceman]

Yeah first lap might do him actually :sad:

Dont forget back to 1 PM

[Iceman]

Hamilton being an idiot again. 2012 cant come fast enough fpr him.

Schumi is flying

[Iceman]

Okay Schumi out, completely his own fault.

[Iceman]

these commentators are twats. 'Where did Schumi think he can go?' Eh he was coming out of a croner and backed up behind Perez. Martin Brundle needs a good kick in the teeth

[Iceman]

looking at the other angles Schumi had nowhere to go, racing incident, nothing else IMO

[Iceman]

all Seb needs to do now is win get 1 point from the last few rcaes LOL He's Double World CHampion

[Iceman]

Vettel 1 point away from the title.