Signature Race

[teabagyokel]

Thanks to Brogan and Keke for the idea.

Does every driver have a race that sums up his career in a nutshell. Not necessarily a great win, or a particularly memorable race, but one that epitomises a driver's entire career.

What is the most typical win? How is each driver best summised? Anyone got any good nominations?

For example, Fernando Alonso. Singapore 2008.

He started at the back, though he was touted as one of the fastest. Then came the whiff of corruption - something that Fernando benefited from but was not proven to be a party to. However, when it came to the racing, no-one was going to stop his excellent, consistent lapping despite his inferior machinery.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Senna - Monaco 1988 (Not least for the onboard pole lap). Destroyed Prost in quali, was destroying him in the race yet still couldn't accept that Prost on the previous lap had lapped quicker than him (despite being told over the radio that his lead was safe). He pumped in a couple of fastest laps before binning it in the wall at Portier. Anything less than 100% was never enough, even if it wasn't actually required, which is what made him so great and equally at times frustrating to watch. I could have course chosen Donington 1993, but it would only have been for his exceptional wet-weather skills.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Keke has a few. But I'll start with this one. Zolder 84.

Qualified 3rd, over 2.5 seconds faster that teammate Laffite. Got away very slow, fell to almost dead last, P20 after the first lap. Fought his way back up to P2 before a pit stop, was set for a podium until running out of petrol on the final tour, and eventually classified P4.

Unbelievably aggressive drive from the back of the field, passing several cars twice along the way.

 

[RasputinLives]

For example, Fernando Alonso. Singapore 2008.

Ouch - poor old Fernando - a little bit harsh on the fella ain't it?

You're out by one race - Japan 2008 - After the front 3 trip over each other Kubica goes through to the lead and Alonso follows closely behind in second. Kubica pits a lap before Fernando who puts in a superb in lap and out lap and comes out in front - knowing he has quicker runners closing on him and that he'll have to pit earlier than Kubica in second the pit wall inform Alonso that he'll have to do all the next 10 laps in the low 1m 19 mark in order for him to pull enough lead to make sure he's not passed by Kubica and Raikkonen. Fernando then pumps in 10 laps all consistanly around the 1.19.2 mark including the fastest lap of the race of 1.19.1. Alonso pits early but the gap is big enough for him to stay in front despite Kubica and Kimi having 2 laps extra to chase him down. For the rest of the race Fernando paces the gap between himself and the 2 following him making sure he can cruise to victory.

Now that race sums up Fernando Alonso.

 

[teabagyokel]

Ouch - poor old Fernando - a little bit harsh on the fella ain't it?

I think if you want a microcosm of Fernando's career it is difficult to beat Singapore 2008. One of the things it is easy to forget is that he was driving bloody brilliantly in that race. He was "on it" all weekend despite not having the best car. He started at the back (like his career with Minardi) due to a failure, and quickly (with some help from Briatore) made it to the front. Sadly this brilliant performance is tinged with an utterly subserviant team-mate and a dollop of controversy.

Simply, Singapore 2008 sums up Alonso because he was fast and consistent, but he just doesn't seem to be able to escape the controversy, particularly with relation to number 1 status.

I'm not criticising him with that conclusion.

 

[Il_leone]

Mansell
- Silverstone 1987
- HUngary 1989

the legendary charge through the field and overtaking in style to win

Prost
- Adelaide 1986
- Mexico 1990 - nowhere in quali but came through to win

Fisichella
- Nurburgring 1999 threw away the race when comfortably leading as he is one of the best in wets

Montoya
- Melbourne 2003 no pressure and spun in the lead
- Turkey 2005 a comfortable 2nd place and got tagged by MOnteiro and then went wide two laps from the end gifting ALonso 2nd place

Trulli
- Spa 2004 - was on pole and ended up 9th and sacked aftewards

Alesi
- Melbourne 1997 - ignorant in the fact that the pitstop was due..his crew were hanging a big board telling him to come in
James Allen " What is this man thinking?" lap after lap Alesi carries on thinking about the lead then runs out of fuel embarrassingly

Asked what happened Jean reply " He could not hear anything on the radio". Flavio " NExt time I see Jean I will shoot him with fake bullets then real ones "

- Portugal 1995 holds up Berger then was asked to move over and ignores team orders. Team switch the two in the pitstops. Alesi moans about the team asking him to move over to Berger who admitted he asked them to do it

Frentzen
- Japan 1997

Only 4th mid race then suddenly puts a devastating spurt of quick laps and ends up 2nd. Up to that point he had no pace which made everyone wonder why he suddenly turns it on when its too late

Button
- Canada 2011
- Spain 2009 - beats a thee stopping Rubens with consistent pace on his two stops

 

[Il_leone]

Berger
- Hockenheim 1997
ill and missed three races, father passed away and seat under pressure from Wurz

Turns up at the weekend in blistering form with pole and victory. He admitted he was on painkilling injections and Flav did not want him to race. He was so determined and scored a popular victory.

Such was his form that weekend and the victory it makes you wonder why he could not do it consistently and made a mockery of the fact that the Benetton was a terrible car to set up and qualify as well all season. It was Schumacher esque

 

[Il_leone]

G Villeneuve
- Dijon 1979
- Jarama 1981 both class wins

Reutemann
- Watkins Glen 1981 started from pole and only needed to finish ahead of Piquet to be world champion and mysteriously faded to 8th place
like Berger a talented driver but seems to have a knack of having a series of poor races as well

 

[RasputinLives]

I think if you want a microcosm of Fernando's career it is difficult to beat Singapore 2008. One of the things it is easy to forget is that he was driving bloody brilliantly in that race. He was "on it" all weekend despite not having the best car. He started at the back (like his career with Minardi) due to a failure, and quickly (with some help from Briatore) made it to the front. Sadly this brilliant performance is tinged with an utterly subserviant team-mate and a dollop of controversy.

Simply, Singapore 2008 sums up Alonso because he was fast and consistent, but he just doesn't seem to be able to escape the controversy, particularly with relation to number 1 status.

I'm not criticising him with that conclusion.

I still think Japan 2008 sums him up better. It was all about consistant lap times and awareness of where his competitors were on the track and that for me sums up Fernando

 

[Road of Bones]

Jenson Button (quiet at the back there!):
- Hockenheim 2004, demoted to 14th (I think) after qualifying due to an engine change, fights his way back to 2nd behind Schumacher including a thrilling side-by-side duel with Alonso and having to hold his helmet down on the straights.
- Hungary 2006, starts 14th after an engine change penalty, fights his way through the field in a wet race and is rapidly closing on Alonso when the Renault team fluff his pitstop and send the champion out with a poorly-secured wheel. Manages the changing conditions and the cars ahead of him beautifully for his first victory.
- Brazil 2009, starts 14th after a poor qualifying and overtakes his way to the title.
- Spa 2011, starts 14th after a cock-up in qualifying and overtakes his way to the podium...

Anyone else see the signature pattern here?

 

[KekeTheKing]

I still think Japan 2008 sums him up better.

Hopefully I don't derail a good thread, but I would like to point this out.

To say a near perfect race sums up Fernando's career is to ignore the fact that he's been involved in several controversial moments on the circuit as well.

In my mind a "microcosm" race should involve both ups and downs, as no driver has ever enjoyed a perfect career.

 

[Il_leone]

Jenson Button (quiet at the back there!):
- Hockenheim 2004, demoted to 14th (I think) after qualifying due to an engine change, fights his way back to 2nd behind Schumacher including a thrilling side-by-side duel with Alonso and having to hold his helmet down on the straights.
- Hungary 2006, starts 14th after an engine change penalty, fights his way through the field in a wet race and is rapidly closing on Alonso when the Renault team fluff his pitstop and send the champion out with a poorly-secured wheel. Manages the changing conditions and the cars ahead of him beautifully for his first victory.
- Brazil 2009, starts 14th after a poor qualifying and overtakes his way to the title.
- Spa 2011, starts 14th after a cock-up in qualifying and overtakes his way to the podium...

Anyone else see the signature pattern here?

Sorry to burst your bubble

Hockenheim 2004
Button qualified 3rd but demoted to 13th due to engine change

Spa 2011
he started 13th as well

 

[Road of Bones]

Nitpicker - the point I was making that he can qualify outside the top 10 & finish it strongly

 

[Il_leone]

Webber
- Malaysia 2005
- on course for his first podium frustrated by Fisichella's lack of speed due to worn tyres..passes him and gets repassed at the last corner but rather than yielding and cutting back. He decides to fight him wheel to wheel sending both off the track and out of the race.

Post race comment " Fisi 's tyres were finished he should have let me through"... then why did you race him so hard if you knew that was the case

- Japan 2007
hit by Vettel behind safety car and his post race comment about kids

 

[teabagyokel]

I think Canada 2011 is a very good example of a Button microcosm. Poor qualifying, first bit behind team-mate. A couple of incidents and everyone thinks he's going to bow out at the back. But suddenly, a stroke of luck and he's competitive again, passing everyone and turns out to be a winner!

 

[Il_leone]

Nitpicker - the point I was making that he can qualify outside the top 10 & finish it strongly

Yes I agree Jenson is one of a few drivers who does not need to start from the front row and capable of winning races or racing strongly

 

[Il_leone]

Keke has a few. But I'll start with this one. Zolder 84.

Qualified 3rd, over 2.5 seconds faster that teammate Laffite. Got away very slow, fell to almost dead last, P20 after the first lap. Fought his way back up to P2 before a pit stop, was set for a podium until running out of petrol on the final tour, and eventually classified P4.

Unbelievably aggressive drive from the back of the field, passing several cars twice along the way.

I believe his drives in

Dallas 1984 when the track broke in pieces was typical Keke drive as was Detroit 1983 . I think Keke bought a skull cap to combat the heat

But as Nico said South Africa 1985 he enjoyed it because his dad should have won but spun and then charged all the way back to 2nd

 

[Il_leone]

Senna
Donington 1993 - the supreme wet weather master topped off with a " Maybe we should have swapped cars " to Prost afterwards classic


Schumacher
Spain 1994 - stuck in 5th gear for 40 laps and still came 2nd

Spa 1995 - 16th on the grid and won

 

[Slyboogy]

Buemi
Hungary 2011 - Unlucky with the grid drop penalty, starts 18th, finishes in 8th and shows why he should get kept on

 

[RasputinLives]

Japan 2007
hit by Vettel behind safety car and his post race comment about kids

Mark had food poisoning that day and if you search on You Tube you'll be able to find footage where he's trying to tell the team he feels ill and you actually hear him throwing up in his helmet. They tell him to box straight away and he insists he'd keep going. If I'd have gone through all that whilst feeling like that and had been hit in the rear by someone from the supposed junior team I think my words would have been stronger.