2008 F1 Podium Picker Challenge: Japanese Grand Prix: Rd 16

[Kurt Rahn]

Whatever you say about that race, you certainly can't say it was bad. Racin' is rubbin', babe! That was much better than the usual sterile no-passing-after-the-first-lap crap we're usually subjected to. Everyone was going for it, and it was fun to watch.

The Bourdais thing was a toss up, in my opinion. A car on cold tires shouldn't contest a hot car on track, but on the other hand, Massa cut him off and didn't give him anyplace to go. Massa got one additional point, but as crappy as Ferrari and McLaren were running, who cares? Unless they pull it together, Bobbi's gonna win the championship out from under them.

[Will Kalman]

The Bourdais thing was a toss up, in my opinion. A car on cold tires shouldn't contest a hot car on track....

Don't they use tire heaters for the tires before they go on the car? If so, does anyone know how hot they get them with the heaters?

[KJ Christopher]

The Bourdais thing was a toss up, in my opinion. A car on cold tires shouldn't contest a hot car on track....

Don't they use tire heaters for the tires before they go on the car? If so, does anyone know how hot they get them with the heaters?

the announcers say 'almost race temp'. on the few times they've done an infrared shot of the pit stop, you readily tell the difference between the tires coming off and going on.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Sorry haven't caught up on the latest. Will update the points tonight but from reading the posts it's the FIA at it again, helping out Ferrari by penalizing Bourdais? C'mon! Give me a break Bernie! Now Massa got an extra point? UGH!

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/ ... /8520.html

[Bob Beamesderfer]

And just how stupid is that kid Lewis Hamilton? I want to slap him.

For what? Letting Massa run into him? That drive-thru for Hamilton smacks of another effort to make sure Ferrari aren't really punished for anything. Frame grabs show that Hamilton was cleanly ahead of the Ferraris and it was Heikki who pushed them wide.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

The stewards had plenty of time to decide on the Bourdais-Massa incident before the race was over. It's another FIA decision that makes no sense. Bourdais' penalty -- IF ANY -- should have been a 10-spot grid penalty next race. Instead the stewards, aided by the Ferrari-vetted liason, come up with a way to screw McLaren again.

[Kurt Rahn]

And just how stupid is that kid Lewis Hamilton? I want to slap him.

For what? Letting Massa run into him? That drive-thru for Hamilton smacks of another effort to make sure Ferrari aren't really punished for anything. Frame grabs show that Hamilton was cleanly ahead of the Ferraris and it was Heikki who pushed them wide.

You could see from the time Räikkönen got a better start, Hamilton was out of sorts and was driving super-aggressively to try and get the lead again. He almost ran Räikkönen off the road, then got too aggressive with Massa and and equally pigheaded Massa got him back for it. Why was that stupid? There was no need--all he had to do was finish ahead of Massa. But he let emotion get the better of him, and he paid for it. BTW, what about the drive-thru for Ferrari? If there was some big consipracy, do you think that would've happened?

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Uh, well let's see. The drive thru for Hamilton ensures he remains in the back of the pack, while the drive-thru for Massa still keeps him ahead of Hamilton, five spots to be exact and a considerable amount of time. Toss in the ridiculous penalty against Bourdais, and Massa gets 2 points instead of just one.

Besides, what difference does it make how out of shape Hamilton was? He didn't hit Raikonnen or Massa. Cars are forced wide at Turn 1 at the start of every F1 race without penalty. With the FIA delegate to the race stewards a former Ferrari consultant, the appearance starts out bad and gets worse with each decision.

[Steve Ekstrand]

And just how stupid is that kid Lewis Hamilton? I want to slap him.

For what? Letting Massa run into him? That drive-thru for Hamilton smacks of another effort to make sure Ferrari aren't really punished for anything. Frame grabs show that Hamilton was cleanly ahead of the Ferraris and it was Heikki who pushed them wide.

Well... No not specifically.... Hamilton is an idiot for that first turn stunt with Kimi. He doesn't need to win, he just needs points, especially when Massa is so far back in the grid. Just fall into 3rd. Maybe his teammate then lets him by. Instead he risks everything and in the ensuing near crash, not only does he earn a Ferrari International Assistance penalty, but he lets others like Kubica in the Championship hunt. He falls nicely into line and Massa never has the chance to get close enough to punt him.

Just like last year, Hamilton is showing that amazing talent is held back by a lack of discipline.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

And just how stupid is that kid Lewis Hamilton? I want to slap him.

For what? Letting Massa run into him? That drive-thru for Hamilton smacks of another effort to make sure Ferrari aren't really punished for anything. Frame grabs show that Hamilton was cleanly ahead of the Ferraris and it was Heikki who pushed them wide.

Well... No not specifically.... Hamilton is an idiot for that first turn stunt with Kimi.

Hamilton didn't hit Kimi's car. Was his start bad? Yeah, but what racer wouldn't have tried to make up for that? Hamilton gets away clean, Heikki runs the Ferraris wide and the FIA punishes the driving championship leader.

[Mako Koiwai]

Massa gets a drive thru ... but his action made Hami let the entire field pass him ?! Doesn't seem like the drive thru was enough of a penalty ...

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Results have been updated and posted.

http://www.solo2.com/F1Game.asp