eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Almost as exciting as the end of winter storage is the upcoming F1 Season . Only so much WRC you can watch

Fun to see people writing off Ferrari just because they are still drudging around with the 'old' car. Same old. Pre-season testing is just a smokeshow anyway. Spain is a long wait till the full 2005 car, I just hope its worth the wait...

JPM vs Kimi should be great. That could be the best rivalry of the season.

Waiting to see how long JV goes before he starts whining about his Sauber. Or maybe he's finally past that and will just drive

Can you say 8X!!!!

concept-R

Im looking forward to JVs official return to F1. 13th place during last years latter races is not very impressive. Im hoping that he gets back on track this year with better placing.

I hope the other cars can do something about Ferrari this year, but MS is very talented and can almost win in any car.

And there is no such thing as too much WRC

eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Well my buddy Gronholm hasn't been doing so hot! Unimpressive in Monte Carlo and crashed out in Sweden (while pushing hard...)

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

WRC has pretty much just started also...then again it really only takes like a 1 month vacation, lol.

i'm so over Gronholm. i much prefer raw talent and good looks of Loeb an Solberg...i mean, er...their cars look better than the Peugots


as for F1 it will be interesting to see the regulation changes. i'm really wondering how different this year will be from last.
and i can't wait to go to Montreal again for F1!!

concept-R

Ive been to the Montreal GP several times. Always a fun weekend. The girls...er...the cars are hot!!!

RacerJason

iTrader: (5)

F1? Schuey is overrated... Put any of the top 10 drivers in the world in that car with that kind of money and they'll perform exactly the same. He's simply in the right place at the right time. Just like JV when he was with Williams Renault, the right equipment during the right time. Mika Salo was put in Schuey's car for two races when Michael had to sit out with a broken leg from qualifying. Guess what happened? He was lapping the field and would have won had Ferrari not told him to pull over and lets Barichello win. That's racing? No.

Ferrari's period of domination will end one day mercifully. F1 broadcasts are painful when the camera is constantly focused on someone who has a 20-30 second lead on the rest after 5 laps. Boring. The technology is interesting but I've seen Le Mans teams better outfitted then even Ferrari.

Many other series offer more passing, more applicable technology, more marquees that people can relate to, etc. The F1 balloon is full of hot air. But the sound of 19,000 RPM is lovely I must say...

Oh and Shuey is a perfect gentleman. I was in Race control in the pagoda tower at Indianapolis when he came in looking to speak to someone. Very gracious and friendly. Not even what I had expected.

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

I totally agree. But some people here are blinded by Ferrari and Schuey Hype. *cough* *cough* eViL *cough* *cough* But Ferrari "Fans" shouldn't worry. The way the FIA and Ferrari are in bed together these days, every F1 race will be won by Ferrari, as they will be the only team competeing!


You know, I used to think his arrogance was constant on and off the track - but then I read about how he treats his team members (on the road and at the shop). He knows the names of every race team member, as well as their birthdays. He also knows the names and birthdays of every one of their wives and children. He believes very strongly in interpersonal relationships.

Mika Hakkinnen's the same way. We sang Happy Birthday to him near the Pagoda at Indy and he thought it was fantastic. He came over and shook everyone's hand and signed some autographs. I'm looking forward to seeing him in DTM this year!

13b_drifter

F1 was fun to watch back in the day when Senna, Prost, and even Schuey was having at each other on the track. It's kinda boring now.

F1 is akin to contemporary consumer vehicles, in my eyes--lotsa glam and expensive stuff that almost seperates you from the real experience of driving. Sure F1 cars are fast and the races still dangerous, but all that technology almost makes the car seem to drive itself.

There is a huge difference between top-level racing and the grassroots level that most of us are involved in. I think there is more of a connection between the driver and the car and the driver is still mostly responsible for how successful they are in a race--which is a good thing.

On a side note, I love WRC--a great mix of tech and grassroots racing.

eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Haha. I have to laugh at all you guys that think MS is overrated! I'll leave that opinion to people that matter. Like if Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, or Jackie Stewart where to say that, then maybe I would consider it.

Yes, he surrounds himself with top quality support people, and has had role-playing teammates, but he's not overrated. You don't achieve that many poles, or win that many races, let alone 7 championships with just a horseshoe up your ***.

Heck, he was winning races for Ferrari back in '96 when the car still sucked ***.

Anyway, yeah I see Ferrari Red!!! 8x!!

WankelingBeer

pit crew to MS "I need you to get another 10 seconds on the second place driver so we can make a 3rd pit stop"

MS to pit crew "ok"

Less than 5 laps later, lead was increased by another 10 seconds, MS makes third stop and still ownz the race. Ya, he sucks large!!!

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

Big deal. With the right car you can do that! Hey PT did the EXACT same thing in Portland last year - and that was in a near 'spec' series!


Nobody ever said he sucked. I just don't think he was the best ever - as many would suggest. While there is nobody better at "The Business of F1" than Schuey and Ferrari, you can't convince me he's the best driver ever - not when you've seen someone like Senna in action.

eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Lemieux vs Howe. Orr vs Gretzky vs Howe. Richard vs Lemieux. Sound familiar?
Era vs Era is pointless...

Senna was great.
Unfortunately, Schumi vs Senna can never happen. Nor Fangio vs Senna vs Schumi.

He's not overrated, is all I said. I'm sure none of you Williams, or McLaren fans would ever want MS. Which is just fine with me

Anyway, I was hoping to talk more about this upcoming season

Neo

iTrader: (3)

I guess everyone likes ganging up on Evil.. lol

The only problem with F1 right now is the lack of competition... Ferrari owns the series... You have to remember Ferrari has been in the series since it's conseption... It only makes sense they have the strongest car in the field. Who else employes around 480 people just to the Formula 1 side!! Crazy!!!

I hope Toyota have a better year this time around... They show promise... Hopefully Williams and McLaren have a better go at taking down Ferrari. I know it'll be a long shot, but it's always good to see them try...

All the drivers in F1 are A1 drivers! Some better than others... Just because Shuey is with Ferrari doesn't mean his team mate can't be as fast or faster than he is..
At this point in the game the hardware matters the most!! Ferrari has the better car, and I think will always have the better car simply because of all the resources they have.

It would have been nice to see Senna against Shuey (I was always a big Senna fan!). Senna drove with alot of heart... Where I think Shuey is more systematic. Different styles, but the results were always the same...

I also hope JV comes out guns ablazing!! Show the world that he hasn't lost his driving edge!

There is talk about this season being more interesting... But they always say that..

We'll find out soon enough...

Lates,

mungrin

where do u guys watch all this WRC stuff? im a HUGE WRC fan... but its always only on speed and only for like an hour and a half for the whole 3 days they race... what a gip!

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

Ok then, here are some of my random thoughts...

The end result of the season will be the same as last year - Ferrari on top. After that, it will get more interesting.

McLaren: They have the weight of the rest of the world on their shoulders. Most people are touuting them as the team to beat Ferrari this year. And on occasion - they will. The question will be how do Montoya and Kimi get along near the end of the season. Personally I think it'll be fine. Montoya will "go off" on people - but Kimi wont let it get to him like Ralf. I think this team rivalry will be great to watch. Frank Dennis takes drivers under his arm and makes them feel at home - PR, driving, everything. Frank Williams just wants a driver to be fast. This works well for some, but not for others. Montoya is already liking Dennis' approach.

Williams: On paper they have one of the worst driver pairings in years. Two unproven drivers who have been given the chance to shine. There is a lot of hoopla surrounding Mark Webber - most of which is a result of a 5th place finish in a Minardi... and little else. This guy should win races, but I think it will be more a result of others misfortune than his outright speed. I am so glad that Heidfeld has been given this chance. I think that he will on occasion outshine Webber, and could surprise a lot of people in the paddock.

Renault: This could be a lot better year for Renault. Theirt car seems promising, and the driver lineup is solid - if not heated. The much-touted Alonso will have to have his best year ever - ie win a race early in the season. Fisi wont stand to be number two to Alonso. We saw it Last year with Truilli. He won Monaco - yet everyone bowed down to Alonso. As far as Briatore is concerned, Fernando is the next Shumi, and he builds the team around that. Fisi will be gunning early! Another good duel.

B.A.R.: Dissapointment. Last year was a breakthrough year, but they'll be hard pressed to repeat that this year. Their car suffers from a lack of grip, and Honda's reliability has been **** poor at best. BAR is the only team on the grid that is yet to have an engine last 2 full race distances. I think that podiums will bew few and far between for this squad, and they will return to earth this year. If they win a race it will be a total fluke.

Toyota: What can you say - this team on paper should be part of the top three. Two proven drivers, a legendary designer and the biggest budget on pit lane. But they are still in the small-team mentality. They launched their car less than a month ago, and it was slow. So slow that they will be releasing an all-new car before melbourne! If they don't get their **** together quickly, heads will roll. I think that Ralf will get tired of fighting againt Sauber and RBR and will start to moan and whine like he's apt to do!

Sauber: Well, hopefully they will improve - and I think they could - but they've already admitted that their car has some major flaws (at certain style circuts) and JV hasn't exactly set the worl on fire with his speed. Massa's stock will rise after this season. He's been fast and consistant. He and JV will push each other. I do hope this team gets some good points.

RBR: Call it RBR, Jag, whatever - not too much will change in '05 for this squad. For Coulthard, this is the equavalent of Hill going to Arrows. Although I do think that on occasion when all the stars align, he will be fast and score a point or two.

Midland aka Jordan: Like RBR, not much will change. Their driver lineup is suspect and there hasn't been enough time to implement major changes or improvements.

Minardi: Will they even be at Melbourne? Their "Ultra Radical" '05 car wont be ready until the fourth race, so they've petitionned to be allowed to run a revamped 04 car for the first 3 races. To get that to fly, all teams have to agree to allow it. So far every team has said yes - except Ferrari who are being a bunch of bitches about the situation. In the end they'll say yes but why be whiners about it? I have a lot of time for Paul Stoddart and I wish Minardi all the best.

As for the state of F1 in general - that's a whole different farce. Three weeks from the start of the season and they haven't even got a qualifying format! They talking about having it all on sunday (like suzuka last year) but it is a **** poor idea that better get knocked down! In the end, I'm just hoping for good racing. In theory, the new aero regs could produce some good racing, but only time will tell. We all talk and complain but the bottom line is that my tickets for Montreal and Indy are already bought and paid for, and I'll enjoy every minute!

ScrappyDoo

iTrader: (7)

I hate MS for one reason only, that is he stole my dream. I was supposed to restore Ferrari to the top of the game. I had it all planned out but nobody would listen.

Anyhow, MS's stock went up for me when he opened his wallet for the Tsunami relief. I think he is still the largest private donor. Speaking of Tsunami Benefits(nice segway), my family is arranging a benefit gala to be held this Friday the 18th at Le Jardin banquet hall in Woodbridge. Check out the link www.tsunamibenefit.ca you're all welcome, some local personalities will be in attendance as well as great prizes. 100% of the proceeds will be going to the Red Cross.

Back on topic, is it too late to arrange a decent priced room for the Montreal GP?

concept-R

I stayed at a bed n breakfast 20 mins away from Montreal. Great stay, good food and cheap rates. Im going again this year....woohoo.

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

Too many thoughts in my head a one time! That would be Ron Dennis. The Frank was Frank Williams. I need some coffee...

Snrub

iTrader: (1)

I find Jason's comments quiet surprising. I must ask if MS could be beaten by any of the top 10 drivers, where does Rubins rate? The equipment is unequal but the margin between the two is typically substantial. BTW: What were you doing in the Indy control tower? The F1 cameras aren't nearly as bad as they once were.

I don't think MS is the fastest on pure pace, but he's able to do everything so well. Ever noticed how he virtually NEVER has poor luck, etc.? Even when he does, he recovers and does well.

Last year everyone was inconsistant, I think it only further emphasized why MS is on top. He typically only put in ~5 fast laps per GP.

* I think McLaren might be quiet interesting this year, testing doesn't mean much, but given the new regs there appears to be some validity to comparing 2004 times to new as a benchmark. JPM has never really been at his full potential in F1 with Williams and if he's in the right environment I think he could potentially be unstopable.
* I'm quiet interested to see how Williams fairs. I rate both Heidfeld and Webber highly so it will be interesting to see how they do.
* Fisi FINALLY has a chance with a real car, I think it will be a real eye opener for many. That is if you couldn't see what a terrific job he's done in the past.
* I'm not sure what the deal is with JV, but it will be interesting to see if he can get up to pace.
* Toyota has two highly touted but inconsistant drivers. Toyota have never succeeded before, so I somehow doubt they will this year.
* Klien barely got the Jordan drive. I thought he was really underrated in 2004, so I think it will be interesting how he does against DC.
* Jordan/Midland look to have a lousy car, but I'm interested to see how their drivers do, hopefully Red Bull will be close enough that there will be some reference for comparison.

eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Even if it's just the F2004M

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

And the F2005:

Mld>7

uh ho!... sounds like someone is a little bit jealous of the mans success...
You know you’re big when an "Anti-you" club starts forming...

So do I... I mean, even us shumi fans are sick of seeing the man win every race but to down play his talent or his accomplishments in the sport is just hitting below the belt.

For all you people who think for a second that what he does is easy because of his car or that he has been handed any of his championships on a silver platter with a prancing horse on it. If that were true and Shumacher was no better then any other driver in the series then there wouldn’t have been a 34 point gap between him and his team mate, and there was none of that team order **** last year either so no one can play that card. For anyone who is willing to be proven wrong I can dig up countless examples of why so many people in the sport know he is not overrated.

Case in point:

I don’t see Rubens pulling seconds out of his *** like that...

Just let me know and I'll post some up for you guys...

Nick86

iTrader: (1)

LOL - Jealous, not really. Sick of it? Yeah. It's true though that once you have the "Anti" group forming you know you've made it! Just ask Senna or the Yankees! Regardless of his talent or accomplishments I never have liked him. In the end, I don't think it's as much him, as it is the public perception of him and Ferrari - that they make the sport what it is and that they have always been and will always be the best.


He never had a championship handed to him on a platter -no matter what anyone says. What happened is that Ferrari was given the financial means by which to amass the best technical people and driver of the time, and mould the team around him. For his part, Michael did an outstanding job of not just driving, but creating a winning atmosphere. That added to the success of the team. His driving job was made easier (not easy) by the fact that everything from the steering wheel to the tires were made to accomodate him and his driving style.

While I dislike Ferrari F1 and their politics, it is up to the rest of the grid to catch up. If they can't Ferrari will still win. The problem is that the rules don't allow teams to try something new and different - so you end up with 9 teams trying to copy one, and it becomes a game of "who can beat Ferrari at their own game?"

While I'll never say that Schumi or Ferrari sucks, or that their championships came easy - you wont find me with at a GP with a red wig on any time soon! And I'll continue to bug eViL Rotor and WankelingBeer. Just as they will continue to rub it in when Ferrari wins...

eViLRotor

iTrader: (2)

Awww. Poor Rubhino.

I know a certain fair-weather-only FD driver, that thinks Barichello is better than Schumi.

When Schumacher crashed and broke his leg in 1999, bigmouth Eddie Irvine had the chance to win the Championship. We all know what happened (MS even gave Irvine the Malaysian race to pad his points).

I just hope RB can still win for Ferrari when MS retires...

Neo

iTrader: (3)

How did I get dragged into this again??

Are those pics of the 2005 Ferrari doing testing???