So, onto Brazil

[Amdathlonuk]

Well, it certianly seems like it's going to be an intersting finale to the end of the season.

LH takes a 7 point lead into the final race of 2008 EXACTLY the same as last year, feels like groundhog day.

I think Maclaren are out of the constructors championship now due to Kovi not finishing again but you never know..!

However, Maclaren and Lewis could play this to their advantage, they COULD allow the 2 Ferraris to take 2nd and 1st place to stop them snapping at LH's heels and the possibility of him being punted off the track, and just allow him to cruise home in 3rd taking the WDC with him.

He should carry enough pace to see of all other challenges in the field but crutially Kovi should be able to slot in behind and be his rear gunner, for the 1st time this season.

Either way it's goin to be very interesting, and with NO driver ever winning the WC in the home GP I wonder if that's on FM's mind or if he's planning to change it, but I think we all agree at present - Advantage LH (again).

I think it's his to lose rather than anyone elses to win.

 

[teabagyokel]

Either way it's goin to be very interesting, and with NO driver ever winning the WC in the home GP I wonder if that's on FM's mind or if he's planning to change it, but I think we all agree at present - Advantage LH (again).

Actually, Guiseppe Farina won the Championship at Monza in 1950! The good news for Hamilton is that if Massa wins he can have Raikkonen, Alonso & Kubica between him and Massa and still win, and on form, without mistakes, it is hard to see who else is going to get in there!

It depends as much on Massa's state of mind as much as Hamiltons for the time being, because the home dynamic puts pressure on Massa as much as Hamilton! (Can you imagine the atmosphere if Massa wins it, btw? Pélé won't have seen anything like it! He's always at Interlagos, isn't he?)

So, my prediction for the WDC. The driver who wins it will have a yellow helmet!

 

[Brogan]

So, my prediction for the WDC. The driver who wins it will have a yellow helmet!

Watch out for those splinters

 

[slickskid]

So, my prediction for the WDC. The driver who wins it will have a yellow helmet!

Watch out for those splinters

Is this some kind of new medical condition?

 

[Galahad]

Hamilton should do it pretty comfortably really. He can afford to turn the engine right down from early in the race; let the Ferraris and Alonso past him with a wide berth and use Heikki as rear gunner.

If I was McLaren I would run him very light in Q3 to guarantee pole and to hell with a sensible race strategy. All Lewis needs is a clear run into the first corner and once safely negotiated the only thing to stop him is mechanical trouble.

 

[Speshal]

Hamilton should do it pretty comfortably really. He can afford to turn the engine right down from early in the race; let the Ferraris and Alonso past him with a wide berth and use Heikki as rear gunner.

If I was McLaren I would run him very light in Q3 to guarantee pole and to hell with a sensible race strategy. All Lewis needs is a clear run into the first corner and once safely negotiated the only thing to stop him is mechanical trouble.

Lewis is a racer, If he does qualify on pole he'll be out to win it

and Berger me, I just saw Kimi smile.

BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brogan]

The 1[sup]st[/sup] corner at Brazil can be tricky - remember last year?

As long as the main contenders manage to negotiate that safely then you'd have to say that barring mechanical failures or other issues, it should be fairly easy for LH to finish in the top 5.

 

[Brogan]

A poor choice of words or speaking the truth?

Ferrari team director Stefano Domenicali has admitted Lewis Hamilton's performance in yesterday's Chinese grand prix was "in another league", but said his team will fight to the end as Felipe Massa bids to steal the world title from the British driver.

From the Guardian.

 

[GeoffP]

Let's just hope it doesn't rain - rain in Brazil can be remarkably unfunny...

Still love Kimi's press interview stating that it was team expectations that induced him to allow Massa past, Felipe seems more distracted than any at the moment, and I think that's effecting his ability to get his car right which is why Kimi is outclassing him over the next couple of races. With the vaguaries of Brazil it'll take more than Kimi's generosity to get Felipe to win if he has the same problem again.

Massa's best chance of the championship is if he thinks he doesn't have a chance, he might be able to get his head together then and compete with McLaren, BMW and even his teammate!

 

[Croydon Bob]

team expectations

I like that. "Team orders" are banned but "team expectations" are OK. Do we think that McLaren be allowed to use expectations in future?

 

[teabagyokel]

Yeah, McLaren used "team orders expectations" to put Hamilton past Kovalainen in Germany and Hungary. To be fair, I don't think anyone has a problem with team orders expectations at this stage of a season, but we were all upset that at Austria 2002 ol' Mike Schu was given a race win that Rubinho deserved ? of the way through the season when he was already 20 points clear of JPM (!?) in the Drivers' Championship. http://www.statsf1.com

Anyways, Ferrari dug this hole regarding team orders themselves. You are not allowed to tell drivers to get out of the way, but you have a right to expect them to do so! The use of team orders expectations will be heavily investigated, one imagines, unless Hamilton does the noble thing, and wins the race so no-one has to worry!

 

[wittyc]

As long as he keeps away from Alonso et al, I believe he can do it this year. So looking forward to next weekends race. I'm not sure they will get the WCC, although there is 18 points up for grabs.

 

[Brogan]

Only 36 hours before Friday practice.

Anyone else getting excited?

 

[Speshal]

Only 36 hours before Friday practice.

Anyone else getting excited?

I should coco old bean

Nervous too and reading this the other day didn't help

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 026403.ece

legend!

 

[Speshal]

Looks like it could be wet


http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0307

I was just doing some "research" for another board (read trolling)

Only once this season has Felipe made up a place during the race when starting lower than 4th and hasn't won a race this season starting lower than 2nd

http://www.formula1.com/results/driver/2008/18.html

 

[Brogan]

Personally I hope it's dry.

A wet race turns it into something of a lottery and I'd much rather see the drivers racing each other than spinning off the track.

 

[Croydon Bob]

Personally I hope it's dry.
A wet race turns it into something of a lottery and I'd much rather see the drivers racing each other than spinning off the track.

Half of me agrees with you. I certainly don't want to see one of those heavy-shower-changes-everything races. But on the other hand a bit of light rain, a damp track making things a little slippy and separating the men from the men who can't drive so well in wet conditions... I wouldn't mind that.

 

[Brogan]

Agreed.
A bit of a damp track is fine, just as long as it's not chucking it down so everyone has to drive around gingerly and there are loads of safety car periods.

 

[McZiderRed]

Interlagos tends to be all or nothing when it comes to rain. Wasn't it a few years ago that saw rivers flowing across the track?! Hope it doesn't do that on Sunday...

 

[Croydon Bob]

Wasn't it a few years ago that saw rivers flowing across the track?! Hope it doesn't do that on Sunday...

2003? So-called "rainmeister" Schumacher crashed out because he didn't have the wet-settup on his car that he required to appear to be better than others in the rain. Then Alonso got the entire race red flagged by ignoring waved yellows and hitting bits of Webber's car, an incident for which he should have been punished but wasn't... and Fisichella eventual won the race a couple of weeks later when Räikkönen handed over the trophy that he had been mistakenly awarded by useless stewards. And some people think that controversy is new to F1...