F1 Australian Grand Prix

[Cali_F350_XLT]

With all this Nascar talk, I feel like I'm watching the Speed Channel. So, thoughts on F1 this year, drivers you favor, races you are looking forward to? Lots of new drivers this season, and musical chairs with previous ones.

-Markus-

[Jarvis]

Its gunna be a tough one this year now that Shumy is out. I think i like the look of McLaren this year you got Alonso who won last year and a new british kid who is turning heads every time he gets in a car.

Ill be flying to Bahrain for stage 3 so ill report back. I have a freind in the BMW pit so hopefully ill get sum good photos.

[Racer277]

Looking forward to a great season where everything is wide open.
Despite this weekend's finish, Ferrari does not have a lock on the year.
I too am watching for Mclaren's rise, and of course many of the other teams.

We will look forward to your Bahrain report and pics.
That would be a cool race, for the lack of spectators.
Of course the umbrella girls could dress better...

[Hemp]

i think kimi is gonna be pretty tough this year, but i would like to see alonso win again

[Samco Fab]

That was a great race to watch, to average 140 on a road circuit is awesome!

I almost bet that Lewis Hamelton may win as many as Alonso, and that may be the story of the year, super rookie vs. seasoned champion.

Kimi has the best chance for a championship that I see by far, but those Mclaren's are awesome.

[Cali_F350_XLT]

There is no doubt in my mind that Kimi is an amazing driver, probably the favorite for the championship this year. But did anyone see him at the after race interview? Guy was a corpse, and he mumbles more then anyone I have ever seen! Now Schumi was a dry guy as well, but he had enthusiasm at some points, a smile here and there. Kimi......nothing. Some may think I am crazy to judge a driver on that, but I need some passion shown, something anything. I know thats why they call him the Iceman, but comon. Lewis Hamilton is going to the be Driver I root for this year, the kid blew me away in Australia. 22 Years old and he is fighting it out with the veterans, and in some cases winning(lead the race for a while). This season is going to be amazing, I am pumped. On a side note, is Kimi's helmet not one of the coolest designs? I don't know why, but I love this helmet(very random haha)....

-Markus-

[Samco Fab]

There is no doubt in my mind that Kimi is an amazing driver, probably the favorite for the championship this year. But did anyone see him at the after race interview? Guy was a corpse, and he mumbles more then anyone I have ever seen! Now Schumi was a dry guy as well, but he had enthusiasm at some points, a smile here and there. Kimi......nothing. Some may think I am crazy to judge a driver on that, but I need some passion shown, something anything. I know thats why they call him the Iceman, but comon. Lewis Hamilton is going to the be Driver I root for this year, the kid blew me away in Australia. 22 Years old and he is fighting it out with the veterans, and in some cases winning(lead the race for a while). This season is going to be amazing, I am pumped. On a side note, is Kimi's helmet not one of the coolest designs? I don't know why, but I love this helmet(very random haha)....

-Markus-

I agree, Kimi is painful to watch after a race, but I heard Senna was similar, they look like they are at a funeral at the post race:p I like how the Schu had is victory Jump, and he seemed pumped after a victory....duh.

[Cali_F350_XLT]

Samco, I am glad I have someone on here to shoot the F1 sh@# with. Senna is a legend in my mind, my favorite racer of all time across all motorsports, the man was amazing. Senna was all business, he was there for one thing, and one thing only, to WIN! If that meant taking out his teammate in the process, then so be it. He was seen as cold, and heartless when it came to racing, and most of the time a bully. The days of Senna and Prost(although not my era) were some of the best races I personally have ever viewed(Dad taped every race). You don't see driving like that anymore, it was a drivers sports back then, and not so much based on technology like today. Now I am not taking away from present drivers, they are at the pinnacle as well.

Back on our main topic. Schumi did show enthusiasm, like you said the victory jump, spraying fellow racers with the champagne and so on. Kimi didn't really even spray the champagne, he drank it, sprayed for a second and gave the bottle away. I might come off as crazy for paying this much attention to something like that, but I just don't find a racer who doesn't show enthusiasm and excitement appealing. Go Hamilton.

-Markus-

[gary]

Yes...happy to see F1 talk!

i was shocked to hear of Shumi's retirement last year, and that last race was a heartbreaker...maybe he'll resurface elsewhere, like hakkinen racing german touring cars...he's got too much talent to couch race like me!

funny, how kimi's known to be a party animal off the track, but dullsville post race. i don't know who i'm rooting for this year. back to back to back would be cool for alonso, and the rookie is way talented too, no doubt. i'm rooting for scott speed to at least finish a few this year, maybe even a podium? long shot, i know...

all i know is i look forward to the season, and i've bought plenty of coffee so i can watch the 3 am televised races and practices...

ps, i miss WRC on speed. that was my other late night racing fix. i guess we need more time for nascar, busch, cascar, hooters pro cup and whatever other oval races are boadcast...don't get me wrong, i like all forms of racing, but stock cars just don't cause excitement. there's something about watching a driver outbreak his opponent, and slip past going into a turn, that gets the blood pumping. not just repetitive bump drafting... :(

[kaw500]

Yes...happy to see F1 talk!

ps, i miss WRC on speed. that was my other late night racing fix. i guess we need more time for nascar, busch, cascar, hooters pro cup and whatever other oval races are boadcast...don't get me wrong, i like all forms of racing, but stock cars just don't cause excitement. there's something about watching a driver outbreak his opponent, and slip past going into a turn, that gets the blood pumping. not just repetitive bump drafting... :(

And more time for PINKS, Unique Whips, Barrett-Jackson – Life on the Block, & Street Tuner Challenge. More of any racing in evening would be better.

I grew up on open Wheel, Prost was the man in F1 IMHO I kinda lost interest when Senna died. I have 4 sisters that are die hard F1 fans they travel to Canada & Monoco every year. When it comes to FI knowledge past & present the girls rule in my family.

[LOW FRICTION]

Senna is my favorite driver as well. I used to love watching him drive the Marlboro Mclaren. The 1988 to 1992 cars were my favorite....no ribbed tires, no traction control, no pneumatic shifting....it seemed the cars were at the peak of performance with out having computer assisted driving....the steering wheel looked like a go-kart steering wheel....no buttons or knobs! It is cool to watch Senna's 1990 qualifying lap on you tube in Monaco. The dude would scream that motor when downshifting going into a turn.

[Cali_F350_XLT]

Here I am going to turn this into a Senna topic instead of about the Australian GP ha. There are F1 purists out there who will balk at people who say Senna was the best ever, but in all honesty the man was a true champion, and drove the wheels off of every car he was able to pilot. The biggest travesty is he passed away at the peek of his career, we will never know how many championships he would have gone on to win. Now Schumi was on his was up when Senna's fatal Imola crash occurred, so the next few seasons would have been sensational.

I would challenge any F1 driver today to go up against Senna in the wet. Put Senna at the back of the field, and I guarantee you before 10 laps are finished he will have picked off more then half the field. He pushed it to the limit, was loved by so many fans, and when he passed, the world of motor sports stopped.

-Markus-


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEJDLdF2gBY

[kaw500]

I know this is the Australian GP thread but as long as we are name dropping. I thought Lauda was an awesome champ and Piquet was a head strong son of a gun. Aw heck there were some incredible drivers in the 60's & 70', Fittipaldo, Stewart, and no telling how championships Clark would have won. Rene Arnoux was underrated IMHO.

Point being in a 20 year period 65 to 85 I think the fields overall had more talent and potential winners at each race. Like Supercross today 2 or 3 have a chance at a win and then there's the rest of the field trying not to get lapped. This year will probably be no different but let's see who steps up at Malaysia.

[Samco Fab]

Yes...happy to see F1 talk!

i was shocked to hear of Shumi's retirement last year, and that last race was a heartbreaker...maybe he'll resurface elsewhere, like hakkinen racing german touring cars...he's got too much talent to couch race like me!

funny, how kimi's known to be a party animal off the track, but dullsville post race. i don't know who i'm rooting for this year. back to back to back would be cool for alonso, and the rookie is way talented too, no doubt. i'm rooting for scott speed to at least finish a few this year, maybe even a podium? long shot, i know...

all i know is i look forward to the season, and i've bought plenty of coffee so i can watch the 3 am televised races and practices...

ps, i miss WRC on speed. that was my other late night racing fix. i guess we need more time for nascar, busch, cascar, hooters pro cup and whatever other oval races are boadcast...don't get me wrong, i like all forms of racing, but stock cars just don't cause excitement. there's something about watching a driver outbreak his opponent, and slip past going into a turn, that gets the blood pumping. not just repetitive bump drafting... :(

Are you nuts, Cascar and Unique Whips are WAYYY better than boring ol WRC Ralleye:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I like watching Nascar, but when I record a race I fast foreward most of it and watch the whole thing in about 1/2 hour. When I watch WRC (never anymore:mad: ) and F1, I watch every second, and re watch sections.

[DanDan]

I hope I don't get flamed too bad or given a TO but I have a problem watching F1. It must be a personal problem because the bulk of our team is the opposite and can't watch nascar. My problem is the lack of passing on the track. Most of the passes occur when someone is in the pits. I think this is because of the extreme performance of the cars. All of the cars have to run the same lines and there is no place to pass. If the tracks were much wider then you might see multiple lines, out braking maneuvers, etc. I would like to see a F1 race at the airport in Cleveland.

[b-makk]

Are you nuts, Cascar and Unique Whips are WAYYY better than boring ol WRC Ralleye:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:


Are you serious you get Cascar down there? You're talking about the crappy Canadian series right?

[DanDan]

Are you serious you get Cascar down there? You're talking about the crappy Canadian series right?

Yes. We get Cascar. Its not that crappy. At least its real racing.

[Samco Fab]

I guess I cant really bag on Cascar, I have never watched it. Who woulda thought there was Cascar Fans......:o :p

[kaw500]

The Australian GP was a good show of performance of the cars and how below the curve some teams are. The haves really have it and the have nots are still shelling out tons of money to be a back marker. Except for a very few it's not so much about the driver but the car. So my comparison to Supercross is not quite accurate because the rider's talent has more bearing on the win. I'm not saying all drivers are the same, talent does vary but the performance of the cars will usually determine the front runners. I doubt even Senna could have gotten a SPYKER up front.:)

Oh yeah CASCAR isn't the worse way to waste a little time before lights out.

[Chris_Wilson]

Another F1 junkie here. I often find the qualifying show is better than the race. I watch every minute of the practice show as well as the qualifying and race shows.

F1 is about the only worthwhile tv for me. I've never been able to sit through a nascar race.

So is Scott Speed really the best the USA can produce? Not impressed.

[Cali_F350_XLT]

Another F1 junkie here. I often find the qualifying show is better than the race. I watch every minute of the practice show as well as the qualifying and race shows.

F1 is about the only worthwhile tv for me. I've never been able to sit through a nascar race.

So is Scott Speed really the best the USA can produce? Not impressed.

I will second this Chris. Although Scott is a spectacular driver, I don't think he is at F1 competition level. Another thing that hinders him greatly is the team he belongs to, Toro Rosso. Being an American in a euro dominated field is bad, but being an American in a euro dominated field and on a team that has its fair share of problems, just adds fuel to the already blazing fire. I mean this last race, he lost a tire, lost control and was lucky to find some run off space, race over. The only time they mention Scott is when something bad happens to him, he never is given any positive press. If it is positive, it is a 2sec clip and then they are on to Kimi, Coulthard, Wurz, or some other driver. Its very sad, but very true. I hope he has a good showing this year, at least a top 10, or hell lets shoot for the moon, a top 5.

As far as Nascar is concerned, never watched it, never been a fan, more than likely never will be a fan. I just cant sit down and watch race cars go around in a big circle. Now, I am not saying there is no skill involved, I am just saying that format of racing is not one big appealing to me. Formula 1 and ALMS(Go Porsche Spyder) are my favorites.

-Markus-

[LOW FRICTION]

Don't knock Scott Speed. It is his car and team that is to blame for his performance...not him. His is consistently faster than his teamates and occasionally faster than the factory RED BULL team. Technically, he is the best the US can put forth. I believe his dad is the North American importer for CRG and Scott Speed won the SuperNats back in 2001 or 2002 before moving on to big cars. The next best person to challenge him from the US is Gary Carlton...who won the SuperNats this year. Gary is now in Europe racing in their series.

[gary]

i love ALMS, or even the speed challenge cars...heck, i made my wife watch the trans am race while at the LBGP last year, and she agreed it was some excellent racing...when speed plays the porsche super cup races, that's considered must see tv for me. those guys nerf like TT drivers. same goes for german/british touring car races.

i don't get unique whips. add big rims and tvs and ugly upholstery to a car every week, and you can get your own show? i'm just not impressed by anything that comes out of there. pimp my ride is even worse, as those cars start off as pieces of s#*t and end up as ugly, gawdy pieces of s#*t that may or may not blow bubbles out the tail pipe...

[DanDan]

i love ALMS, or even the speed challenge cars...heck, i made my wife watch the trans am race while at the LBGP last year, and she agreed it was some excellent racing...when speed plays the porsche super cup races, that's considered must see tv for me. those guys nerf like TT drivers. same goes for german/british touring car races.

i don't get unique whips. add big rims and tvs and ugly upholstery to a car every week, and you can get your own show? i'm just not impressed by anything that comes out of there. pimp my ride is even worse, as those cars start off as pieces of s#*t and end up as ugly, gawdy pieces of s#*t that may or may not blow bubbles out the tail pipe...

I agree with all of that. Mixing classes in ALMS adds to the racing. BTC are never lacking in action. Whips sucks and I'll watch Andy Griffith if its my only other choice.

[BigWave300]

WOW, you guys are all over the place,
Kimi will take the championship this year, he was a better driver than shumy, with a car that would blow up every race. Senna was great but times change and with it technology, I own a SENNA shirt and wear it proudly.


I want to know what you guys think about the bridgestone monopoly, trying to slow down the cars with certain compounds to make the sport "SAFE". I liked the tire war.

And about the passing issue, When it happens it's super crazy. It makes me hold my breath.

Scott Speed is cool I only wish he had a name brand car like Ferrari or Merc. BMW, ect.

See you guys @ Indy.