Belgian Grand Prix 2012, Spa-Francorchamps - Race 12/20

Soldato
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Rubens is a nice guy.

Dunno about that, he complains that KV is crap, the tracks are too bumpy and uses Tony Kanaan's setups. That to me sounds like buck-passing. It's not like he didn't have hundreds of laps of testing...

Back on topic, I agree Maldonado is a ***** but FW seems to think his $$$ is worthwhile, and of course there was the Barcelona win (fluke or otherwise).
 

smr

smr

Soldato
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Yeah that surprised me tbh. Then I just thought maybe he he means it's nice to clear his mind of it all so he can come back more focussed. I don't know...Also it's probably to do with the whole thing - Publicity appearances and everything - working with the team at the factory etc. it's not just weekend work for F1 drivers after all, it probably IS nice to just have a few weeks off to sun bathe and forget it all, unfortunately I'll never be able to tell you for sure as I won't park my bum in an F1 car anytime soon ! :)
 
Caporegime
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except JB didnt wipe out LH - as proven by the race stewards on the day (and telemetry for the laps before and laps after where JB went across the EXACT same racing line, if LH decides to go for hole that was never there, thats his issue not JB's)

Not surprised you came out with that though

It doesn't matter the accident happened because jb didn't see him, jb apologised. I'm sure conditions were taken into account and the fact that mclaren were hardly likely to protest against their own driver.

Of course I came out with it, it's pretty clear jb ended Lewis race.

Anyway I was just making the point you are guessing against something that clearly cannot be defined because no one knows how many points are lost because even in the races jb and Lewis retired you can't guarantee where they would finish.
 
Soldato
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Wrong.

Lewis ended Lewis's race all by himself.

Now I'd agree to a shade of grey with the Alonso incident but not a cat in hells chance of Lewis's.

If Lewis had gone the other side of JB he'd of had it in the bag.. Right up until the point he'd have overcooked in the the next corners.
 
Soldato
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I used to read the same after Alonso poo'd all over Mclaren. That he was stuck at Renault and who would want him after he was cheating, threatened his own team boss and sulked and pouted his way through 2007.

Exactly!

At the end of the day, if you are naughty boy, it makes no difference whatsoever to your employability in the sport.

If you are fast and you can score lots of points, you will get a drive. Its as simple as that. Another reason for a team to employ you is from a marketing perspective and the money that you can generate for your team. Lewis, due to his racial background is able to attract a lot of black people to the sport. On top of which, he is (arguably) the highest profile F1 driver in Britain.

He is employable.
He is marketable.
Most teams would love to have him on board.
He is able to put bums on seats.
He has the ability to get column inches.

His options:
RBR - no seats available
Ferrari - Alonso would veto his arrival
Mercedes - no seats available (though this may change if MSc retires, though Merc do seem to want to employ only Germans)
Renault/Lotus (the black car) - this is Hamilton's only real option. If he does arrive at Lotus though, he would need to make arrangements to be outright No.1 and ensure the entire team is focused around him. Without this arrangement, Hamilton will struggle and is likely to have the same problem with Kimi, as he did with Alonso and Button. Put simply, the guy cannot extract the most out of himself, when he is working alongside another top driver. Alonso and MSc are exactly the same, so this is not unusual.

It did make me laugh when when people were suggesting that Alonso would struggle to get a decent drive after 2007. Especially given that at that point, he was widely regarded as the best driver in F1.

When you are the best at something (this goes for almost all professions), unless your are imprisoned or banned, you will find an employer/team to allow you to display your talents. Be it cricket, football, rugby, F1...you name it.

EDIT: I just saw the news story about Hamilton heading to Mercedes. Personally, if I were him, I would try and have an arrangement where he is outright No.1 so the entire team will be focused on his cause. If he can't get this arrangement, I can't see how Mercedes will be better than McLaren.
 
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Soldato
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Anyway I was just making the point you are guessing against something that clearly cannot be defined because no one knows how many points are lost because even in the races jb and Lewis retired you can't guarantee where they would finish.

if you ignore all the times Lewis crashed of his own accord last season then this might have some relevance

edit - and no it isnt "clear", because it was clearly LH's fault however blinkered you want to be. Alonso's retirement in the same race was much more 50/50 imo and that could have gone either way. Of course JB apologized, he wouldnt intentionally take out anyone let alone his team mate.
 
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Caporegime
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Yes you are right, every time Lewis loses points it's been his fault and every time Jenson lost finishes he was going to score heavily. Impossible to prove obviously but thats good enough for you to hang on. Yet when ralf was nailed to damons rear and not allowed to pass you claimed it was impossible to predict the outcome had they been allowed to race.

Any chance I could borrow your crystal ball for Saturdays lottery?

You made a statement plucked out of air about how many points Jenson has lost in relation to Lewis through no fault of his own. Back it up with some stats and facts or move on.....
 
Caporegime
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It doesn't matter the accident happened because jb didn't see him, jb apologised. I'm sure conditions were taken into account and the fact that mclaren were hardly likely to protest against their own driver.

Of course I came out with it, it's pretty clear jb ended Lewis race.

Anyway I was just making the point you are guessing against something that clearly cannot be defined because no one knows how many points are lost because even in the races jb and Lewis retired you can't guarantee where they would finish.

with the new rules it would have been jensons fault
 
Soldato
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Yes you are right, every time Lewis loses points it's been his fault and every time Jenson lost finishes he was going to score heavily. Impossible to prove obviously but thats good enough for you to hang on. Yet when ralf was nailed to damons rear and not allowed to pass you claimed it was impossible to predict the outcome had they been allowed to race.

Any chance I could borrow your crystal ball for Saturdays lottery?

You made a statement plucked out of air about how many points Jenson has lost in relation to Lewis through no fault of his own. Back it up with some stats and facts or move on.....

talk about putting words in my mouth

I never said or even hinted that, so get off your high horse will you.

Given the weather conditions (which you are conveniently forgetting) yes it is impossible to know what would have happened at Spa 98 had the two Jordan's been able to race. Some say Damon 's radio message meant he would take RS out before allowing him to win (and the message is ambiguous in its meaning so its possible , although I dont believe for a second anyone who followed him let alone knew him thinks this is what he meant) or that both Jordans would be so much on the limit that the potential was there that neither would finish (or at least one wouldnt) - and given RS's minor successes in F1 this meaning stands truer imo

it was a jokey comment and you got on your high horse (as per usual)

No it wouldn't.

Exactly (even if a's comment is relevant, which it isnt in the slightest - why judge any result on a different standard of rules than were in force at the time)
 
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Caporegime
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It would be the same outcome using the current rules. The rules about drivers squeezing people off the track relates to moving off the racing line to defend, or when moving back into the racing line after defending. Button didn't move off the racing line at all.
 

Deleted member 651465

D

Deleted member 651465

Who cares? Lewis was unlucky at Spa but wasn't realistically going to win at any rate.

What matters now is Mclaren deliver a strong car for the final races and Lewis and Jenson finish in the points consistently. To win the WDC it will take 2 or 3 race wins with the lead Alonso has (assuming he also scores in the points).
 
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