The Motorsport Thread 2016

Unfortunately it doesn't look like the Sporstcar team will get going until '18, so only the one race for him next year.

On the upside Foyt are switching to Chevrolete next year so maybe that will bring them a boost, it's why Sato left the team.

Well...it's down to the wire. 

Really good Brazilian GP today!  I always enjoy the super rainy and wet races, though.  Watching everyone slip and slide around is always fun, and Max definitely showed his wet weather skills today with his late race tear to get up to 3rd.  That kid is going places!

sleeper wrote: That was pretty damned spectacular from Max today, 14th to 3rd in about 15 laps!, and the move around the outside of Rosberg early on too. I think the only one on the same level as him today was Lewis.

Hmm. Would Max do better at Ferrari? I don't see Kimi and Sab clicking with the car/team this year. Max could really shake that team up, me thinks. 

SteveG wrote: sleeper wrote: That was pretty damned spectacular from Max today, 14th to 3rd in about 15 laps!, and the move around the outside of Rosberg early on too. I think the only one on the same level as him today was Lewis. Hmm. Would Max do better at Ferrari? I don't see Kimi and Sab clicking with the car/team this year. Max could really shake that team up, me thinks.

Than Seb and Kimi are? Sure, better than he's currently doing, no as the Red Bull is a better car. Frankly Ferrari's problems start with their president Sergio Marchionne and go down from there, the team is back to the bad old days of political infighting and overly conservative designs out of fear of failure. Firing arguably the second best technical director in the sport, James Allison, because he couldn't gurantee fighting for the title within 3 years due to the need to restructure was a terrible decision.

I reckon we'll see McLaren challenge for another title before Ferrari do.

MillsLayne wrote: Ferrari has peaked and are headed the wrong way.  As good as Ricciardo and Verstappen are, I have a hard time believing they're better than two past champions in Vettel and Kimi.

Honestly, I've found Vettel to be extremely underwhelming since his last title. Ricciardo pasted him at Red Bull in '14, he was good last year but this year has made far too many mistake (5 turn 1 crashes this year, Russia being the only one you can't fault him for, various qualy sessions where he's admited to not getting the best from the car etc) and has turned into the whinniest man in the paddock. On current form I recon if you stuck him in a Mercedes he'd struggle to match Rosberg, let alone Hamilton.

Raikkonen's an enigma. Currently he's driving better now than he has done since he left Lotus, but I'm unconvinced he has the speed that took him to the 07 title or convinced a number of long time McLaren personel that he was the fastest driver they'd ever seen.

Vompatti wrote: sleeper wrote: MillsLayne wrote: Ferrari has peaked and are headed the wrong way.  As good as Ricciardo and Verstappen are, I have a hard time believing they're better than two past champions in Vettel and Kimi. Honestly, I've found Vettel to be extremely underwhelming since his last title. Ricciardo pasted him at Red Bull in '14, he was good last year but this year has made far too many mistake (5 turn 1 crashes this year, Russia being the only one you can't fault him for, various qualy sessions where he's admited to not getting the best from the car etc) and has turned into the whinniest man in the paddock. On current form I recon if you stuck him in a Mercedes he'd struggle to match Rosberg, let alone Hamilton. Raikkonen's an enigma. Currently he's driving better now than he has done since he left Lotus, but I'm unconvinced he has the speed that took him to the 07 title or convinced a number of long time McLaren personel that he was the fastest driver they'd ever seen. I think Räikkönen is one of the drivers who's very fast when the car is exactly how he likes it and only moderately fast otherwise. Plus Ferrari has ruined a lot of races this year with bad strategy and failed pit stops.

I don't know, up to the end of 2005 he was without doubt the fastest man in F1, but he hated the understeery nature of the 06 car and didn't really look like he was trying that hard, just counting down the days till he joined Ferrari. With Ferrari he was never able to replicate that blinding one lap speed on Bridgestone tyres but towards the end of a stint he'd be the fastest guy out there. Since his return with Lotus he's been good, at times one of the best, I've never really got the feeling that he was the force of nature he used to be, by the end of '13 Grosjean was outperforming him and the last 2 years at Ferrari were pretty dire.

Jimmie Johnson won his 7th championship today.  I'm so bummed right now...