Canadian GP this weekend

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

I can understand the frustration that comes from the media frenzy over Hamilton, though it doesn't bother me too much. It happens everywhere and in many different sports. I thought the analogy with Tiger Woods was interesting.

I think the start will be crucial - Hamilton should be OK if he gets away cleanly, but everyone behind the leader (whoever that may be) into the first corner is going to be vulnerable to collisions.

Ian

[Bearface]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Well, thirteen laps in and Hamilton pulls a 20-second lead over Heidfeld in 2nd and Alonso (who's driving like an amateur...) in third. Raikonnen is sixth thanks to a poor start and Rosberg is fifth. Massa is fourth.

Then, just when you think Lewis is showing all the signs of winning his 1st GP having pitted and rejoined in front of Raikonnen, Sutil swings his car into the barrier and the safety car is deployed! Then everyone else (including Alonso) pits, which cost Hamiliton his well-earned advantage. There's just no justice in this game...

If Alonso wins after all this, it'll be a travesty. Dunno if I can carry on watching now...

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Well, thirteen laps in and Hamilton pulls a 20-second lead over Heidfeld in 2nd and Alonso (who's driving like an amateur...) in third. Raikonnen is sixth thanks to a poor start and Rosberg is fifth. Massa is fourth.

Then, just when you think Lewis is showing all the signs of winning his 1st GP having pitted and rejoined in front of Raikonnen, Sutil swings his car into the barrier and the safety car is deployed! Then everyone else (including Alonso) pits, which cost Hamiliton his well-earned advantage. There's just no justice in this game...

If Alonso wins after all this, it'll be a travesty. Dunno if I can carry on watching now...

Alonso has a 10 second stop and go penalty - his race for a win is over, but that shunt by Kubica looks serious. One of the worst I've seen in at least 10 years

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Sato has just passed Raikonen - Super Aguri passing a Ferrari? *eek

But more worrying, Hamilton may have technically broken a regulation by being inside 5 lengths from the safety car when it went off the track.

Drama all around!

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

The other Super Aguri - Hemel Hempstead's own Anthony Davidson, got as high as 3rd and then pitted with no pit crew

[Bearface]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Keep typing Ian and I might just stay up here instead of going back downstairs to watch the race...

Such madness...

[coupekid]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Alonso has a 10 second stop and go penalty - his race for a win is over, but that shunt by Kubica looks serious. One of the worst I've seen in at least 10 years

Ian

They have just said that Kubica is stable. Good news, but still worrying. Fingers crossed he hasnt been hurt too badly.

Poor LH is having to work hard for his first potential win!

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Keep typing Ian and I might just stay up here instead of going back downstairs to watch the race...

Such madness...

Well, around him the all lost their heads, but Hamilton was quite scintillating today. But what a weird day - Sato passing Alonso, too!

Wurz - one of the nice guys of F1 - with a broken rear wing, got the last podium too - brilliant *D

Looks like Kubica broke a leg, but is otherwise not too bad in the circumstances.

Ian

[peter]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

What a win he kept his head when all around him lost theirs. Kubica must be the luckiest man to get away from that crash with only a broken leg. Massa black flagged well it happens to the best of them. Alonso was more like the rookie today.

[Bearface]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Wow, that was memorable

Hamilton was just fantastic. I honestly think the guy's brilliance has already established him as "one of the greats" before he's even halfway through his first season. I love Ferrari as a team and I think Kimi's a (flawed) genius, but Lewis seems to be in a different league to the other drivers and I can't help but be impressed by him.

Great to see Heidfeld coming in second; he didn't have the car to match LH, but for effort and skill he deserves praise. Wurz came from the back to make third, which is just phenomenal and like Ian says, he's such a nice bloke too.

Alonso? Well we've seen all this before........he loses his focus and makes mistakes when under pressure. If he has a good car under him he's a consistent and intelligent driver (which is why he won two championships with Renault...), but I'm afraid he isn't in the same league as Schumacher was, and now Hamilton is peeing on his bonfire. Makes you wonder whether Ron might've given him (and his multi-million pound salary) a miss had he known just how good Hamilton was going to be...

What a great day for racing! I'm actually fulfilled for once

[Ian]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

You can't write Alonso off just yet - he clearly had a problem with his car from early on in the race (there was some reference to a damaged underbody). I think he set the fastest lap and his ignominious end of the race at the hands of Sato was down to the different tyres. I personally feel Alonso deserved the Monaco win - he had pole and made no mistakes in the race. This time, Hamilton had pole and made no mistakes.

Alonso is on record as not liking the next venue at Indianapolis, so Hamilton can hopefully consolidate his lead.

Hamilton has never finished off the podium - how cool is that!?

ian

[peter]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

I have set the dvd to record the highlights show later tonight,hope to see the press conference. Will be nice to hear what Hamilton has to say about his first win.

[Bearface]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

You can't write Alonso off just yet - he clearly had a problem with his car from early on in the race (there was some reference to a damaged underbody). I think he set the fastest lap and his ignominious end of the race at the hands of Sato was down to the different tyres. I personally feel Alonso deserved the Monaco win - he had pole and made no mistakes in the race. This time, Hamilton had pole and made no mistakes.

I've never rated Alonso, so it's probably fair to say that I wrote him off at least two seasons ago

The damaged underbody was more than likely the result of his numerous excursions across the kerbs, gravel and grass.......the first of which took place about fifteen seconds into the race. Many more followed...

It happened in Spain too and it wasn't down to anything other than pure carelessness.

Sato overtook Alonso fair and square today. Sure, he had hard-compound tyres on while Alonso had the white-stripes fitted, but then most of the field had white stripes too and it didn't seem to affect them too dramatically. Everyone has the same tyre allowance and they're all the same make now, so there are no excuses...

Alonso and Hamilton had by far the best cars at Monaco. Alonso won because the team reigned Hamilton in and (however reasonably) controlled the race. Had Sutil or Albers been driving the lead McLaren, they'd have probably won too.

Alonso is on record as not liking the next venue at Indianapolis, so Hamilton can hopefully consolidate his lead.

Hopefully, yes. I just have my fingers crossed for Kimi and Ferrari, because I think we're approaching the last chance saloon now.

Hamilton has never finished off the podium - how cool is that!?

Pretty darned cool

[devilgas]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

sato's move on alonso was pure class. had me yelling at the telly it did! it was great seeing him reel in schu, but then to claim the scalp of alonso as well.....
shame super ag messed up with davidson - i was looking at a nice points haul in the fantasy gp for that ;-)

great drive by hamilton and a truly deserved win. to drive the circuit for the first time, then take both pole and the win is no mean feat.

i think alonso must be getting more than a little concerned at the pressure he's now under from the 'team #2'. his move at the first corner was pretty predictable, and to me, a case of "if you can do that, then so can i" and perhaps showing to the watching world that there is more than one racer at mclaren.

the one thing i did learn from the weekend was that mclaren had pulled hamilton in 4 laps early in monaco. i can fully understand applying racing orders when in a 1-2, but if there was a chance for overtaking during the pit stops because of different strategies, then that should've been allowed to play out. i'm pretty certain mclaren and F1 in general would get much better press with a rookie driver winning the championship in his debut season...it's stuff that legends are made of.

roll on indy.....

[peter]

Re: Canadian GP this weekend

Who was your driver of the day in Canada?

Lewis Hamilton
27.24 % (1772)

Nick Heidfeld
3.74 % (243)

Alex Wurz
4.03 % (262)

Heikki Kovalainen
2.43 % (15

Takuma Sato
62.55 % (406

this is how it looked at lunch time on the ITV F1 site

(Peter - I tidied your post up, hope you don't mind! Ian)