F1 2007/2008 Winter Testing and Rumours

sunama said:
I think next season will be a white wash for Ferrari. Unless you are a big Ferrari or Raikkonen fan, it wont be fun.
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As much as I don't want to say it, I think I actually agree with this comment. I think Ferrari will be extremely dominant, with Hamilton following back in third for the season. I'm hoping Kovalainen will do well this season, he's such a great guy.
 
sunama said:
I disagree on that point.

Over the past few years, the only guys to win the world title are those who have had No1 status. Hence, there is no arguing or infighting within the team. The lions share of the points can be funnelled into one driver and this aids in winning the title. The only guy to have won the title with equal status recently was Raikkonen this year, and that was due to the fact that Alonso wasnt given No1 status - if he was, he wouldve scored an extra 2 pts and won the title.

Giving a driver No1 status helps immensely and most teams in the modern era will have seen this and will have this strategy in place.

In 2008, Ferrari will most definitely have Raikonnen as No1 and wherever Alonso goes in 2008, he will have No1 status. McLaren are one of the few teams who have traditionally allowed their drivers to race eachother, right to the end. All the teams who have won world titles during the last few years (Williams, Ferrari, Benetton, Renault), bar McLaren have ended up either backing one driver from the start or at some point during the season (Ferrari did this in the last few races of 2007, once it was established that Raikonnen had superior race pace).

Having a No1 driver, has now become essential.
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Alternatively, if Lewis had No. 1 status he would have won the championship.

Most teams get around the issue by only employing one No.1 driver. With Renault in the last couple of seasons, even if both Fonso and Fisi had equal status there is no way that Fisi would have made it to world champion. He just isn't fast enough over enough of the season to make it count.
 
Alibaba99 said:
Alternatively, if Lewis had No. 1 status he would have won the championship.

Most teams get around the issue by only employing one No.1 driver. With Renault in the last couple of seasons, even if both Fonso and Fisi had equal status there is no way that Fisi would have made it to world champion. He just isn't fast enough over enough of the season to make it count.
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Agreed.

But, going into the championship, no one couldve predicted Hamilton to show such pace...its just never happened before where a rookie has competed and even finished ahead of the F1 World Champion in a season. A decision wouldve been made at the start of the season (or earlier) as to who to back and Alonso wouldve been the obvious candidate.

In some ways I cant help but feel that Ferrari won the title because the management at McLaren just weren't forthright with their 2 drivers. In 1993, Hill was explicitly told that he was No2 driver. Hill therefore knew what the deal was even before the season started. He dutifully followed Prost around the race track and slower than his ultimate pace, to allow Prost to win races. This secured Prost his championship. Had Williams allowed Hill and Prost to race, they wouldve taken points off of eachother, which mightve allowed Senna to win the title (who eventually finished 2nd in the title race). Team orders at McLaren wouldve seen either Hamilton or more likely Alonso as 2007's world champion. They only have themselves to blame I feel.
 
Ahead of Thursday's appeal hearing, which will (hopefully) finally decide who won the 2007 Formula One World Championship - almost four weeks after the last race of the season - F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has threatened to quit should Kimi Raikkonen be 'stripped' of his title.
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DO IT! DO IT!
 
The test that was carried out yesterday with MS sitting at the top - was that run with the new engine control unit? I presume it was, as there is little point in running the 2007 version, especially when you already have access to the 2008 ECU and cant test/hone it to suit your car.
 
MS 0.5s faster than Massa. I get the feeling that MS was seriously fired up for this test session and was highly motivated.
 
Or... they were testing different fuel loads.

Also for my previous post... even if its a ferrari white was, it can still be an awesome season. I think the "best of the rest" is getting ever more populated; I can see Renault, BWM, Honda and Red Bull or competing for 5th down.
 
Goksly said:
Or... they were testing different fuel loads.
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Possibly. But it would make sense for both drivers to burn right the way through their fuel loads, otherwise you have no real idea of how your car is performing. Eg. MS could be 2s/lap faster than Massa. MS tests the light fuel load. He is running 5s/lap quicker, compared with Massa who has a heavy fuel load. At this point, the team will have no idea of what effect the fuel load is having and what effect MS is having. The best way is to have both drivers go through a full range of fuel loads.

But, hey - who knows how they do these things?

Goksly said:
Also for my previous post... even if its a ferrari white was, it can still be an awesome season. I think the "best of the rest" is getting ever more populated; I can see Renault, BWM, Honda and Red Bull or competing for 5th down.
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Its no fun for me when I'm having to cheer on someone to 5th place. I like it best when there is a Brit involved right at the front of the race. I enjoyed this season (courtesy of Alonso & Hamilton) and loved 1991/1992 (courtesy of Mansell).
 
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http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33409

And people say losing TC will make no difference to the top drivers. The trouble is some of the top teams have monkeys driving the car. The supposed pinnacle of motorsport having a driver bitch about how hard a car is to drive when you have to moderate the throttle yourself.

I'd be surprised if more than a quater of the grid has driven an f1 car without TC.
 
dannyjo22 said:
I'd be surprised if more than a quater of the grid has driven an f1 car without TC.
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In a race situation it's probably only
Fisi
Barrichello
Ralf
Trulli
DC
Wurz
Button
Heidfeld

Of those 2, possibly 3 won't be racing next year. Additionally Webber will have briefly tested pre TC cars.
 
dannyjo22 said:
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33409

And people say losing TC will make no difference to the top drivers.
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It wont. I fully expect the drivers who finished high up in 2007's WDC to finish high up in 2008. The order wont change. Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen will still be fast. Obviously, Alonso might need a year to adapt to his new team, but after that, it should be business as usual.

dannyjo22 said:
The trouble is some of the top teams have monkeys driving the car.
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I disagree. You try getting a guy off the street and he will probably crash the car before clearing the first corner.

dannyjo22 said:
The supposed pinnacle of motorsport having a driver bitch about how hard a car is to drive when you have to moderate the throttle yourself.
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Nothing wrong with having a moan after you have just been compehensively humbled by an old man (MS). ;)

dannyjo22 said:
I'd be surprised if more than a quater of the grid has driven an f1 car without TC.
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This may be true. But it doesnt mean that in 2008 we are going to see a wholesale change in the order of where drivers finish in races/WDC. The drivers will be working harder, but those who have been at the top for the last few years will still be at the top in 2008.

F1 has always done this sort of thing - banning aids, etc - but it has never created an F1 superstar driver. Rain on the other hand, would allow even a back of the grid driver to shine, where car performance becomes less of an issue while driver input becomes more important.
 
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