Italian GP - Monza

Well, that was the wettest practice day I can remember, let alone at Monza where it hardly ever rains. We were dire. Anything with a Ferrari engine looks solid and it seems to suit the BMWs very well.

A wet qually and race and anything could happen but I think the usual suspects will take the first 6 points paying places with a couple of surprise (or maybe not) points places for the STR boys.

Worth noting that Raikkonen has extended his Ferrari contract to take in 2010 alongside Massa. This raises the speculation that Alonso will either sign for BMW or remain at Renault. The Honda option was touted as a one-year deal to take him to the Ferrari ride that Raikkonen has just signed up for.

Interesting to hear all the other drivers saying Lewis DID have an advantage, but Jackie Stewart and Nicky Lauder being of the opposite opinion, and suggesting the drivers' stance is born out of bias and jealousy.

I hope it rains this weekend. It adds so much more excitement to the sport.

Well this be be good viewing.

So wet there, could be some surpises at the end of the sessions.

Was gonna go to this one, good thing i didn't!

Hamilton is struggling. Might not even make the top 10 and 3rd qualifing session!

And he's going to finish in in 15th place. Kimi will start in 14th. Massa has just made it into the top 10.

He stupidly thought the inters were going to be suitable.

Well thats it for Hamilton have to wait till next season!

Well they certainly ****ed that up.

Superb for Minardi (aka Torro Rosso.) Vettel really is looking impressive. Bourdais too.

1) Vettel

2) Kovalainen

3) Webber

4) Bourdais

5) Rosberg

6) Massa

7) Trulli

Alonso

9) Glock

10) Heidfield

11) Kubica

12) Fischella

13) Coultard

14) Raikkonen

15) Hamilton

16) Barrichello

17) Piquet

18) Nakajima

19) Button

20) Sutil

Should be a good race with that starting grid.

I've just heard that the reason Lewis ran (slowly) on intermediates was because the car was called in for a random weight check, meaning he didn't have time to change tyres.

I don't know if this is just rumour. If it isn't then it smells a bit doesn't it?

Any views Ponty?

Anyone watch the GP2 race, at least 15 cars cut the chicane, all of them choosing to gain time rather than avoiding contact, a couple did it to save their position and one guy was even setting fastest laps after cutting the chicane 3 laps running, guess what?

Not one penalty to any of them.

I've just heard that the reason Lewis ran (slowly) on intermediates was because the car was called in for a random weight check, meaning he didn't have time to change tyres.

 

I don't know if this is just rumour. If it isn't then it smells a bit doesn't it?

 

Any views Ponty?

Maybe I'm being stupid, but a)surely they wouldn't give random checks halfway through qualifying, and b) doesn't it take less than 5 seconds to change a set of F1 tyres?

Maybe I'm being stupid, but a)surely they wouldn't give random checks halfway through qualifying, and b) doesn't it take less than 5 seconds to change a set of F1 tyres?

Well Lewis was on the wrong tyres, and they didn't change them. You must be stuck on one compound/tyre type for a qualifying segment.

Well Lewis was on the wrong tyres, and they didn't change them. You must be stuck on one compound/tyre type for a qualifying segment.

I think the random check was between after segment 1 and into 2 hence he was stuck on the intermediates.

In other words, he'd finished seg. 1 and was sitting there still in intermediates because there was some talk that the rain was stopping. Just before he went to change into wets for seg. 2 the random test was ordered, leaving him no time to change afterwards.

As I said earlier, 'twas a rumour I heard - I don't know if there's any truth in it.

I think the random check was between after segment 1 and into 2 hence he was stuck on the intermediates.

 

In other words, he'd finished seg. 1 and was sitting there still in intermediates because there was some talk that the rain was stopping. Just before he went to change into wets for seg. 2 the random test was ordered, leaving him no time to change afterwards.

 

As I said earlier, 'twas a rumour I heard - I don't know if there's any truth in it.

No, my point was about him not changing the tyres even though he had time to during seg 2. I wasn't aware that you where stuck on one tyre type for a segment!

Maybe I'm being stupid, but a)surely they wouldn't give random checks halfway through qualifying, and b) doesn't it take less than 5 seconds to change a set of F1 tyres?

Yes they do.

Yes it does.

Well a safety car start. Could just makes things even worse.

It is wet, it is raining. Lewis just needs to take it steady. Think people will be going off everywhere so even those at the back could have a chances of points.

Hamilton starting to get it together, up to 8th place now.

More rain expected

Well he's up to 2nd. And done the fastest lap of the race.

Vettel wins the race. Excellent drive by him.

Vettel under investigation for not being Felipe Massa.

vettel under investigation for not being felipe massa.

.

Vettel under investigation for not being Felipe Massa.

quality :-)

Very well driven Vettel. Can't say it was the brilliant race ITV were saying it was. It was good for not having the usual 3 drivers on the podium. There was little real incident, that I saw, but as usual, I was finding an alternative channel to flick to, during ITV's very many adverts. Hence I missed quite a bit of the race due to the other channel getting my attention for too long.

Does anyone remember ITV's proud boast, when they took over the broadcasting of F1, that we'd not miss a single second's action..? Well that myth was put to bed during their first ever race. And nothing has changed. Roll on next season.

Great race considering the usual Monza procession. I think we've been spoiled this season as spectators, largely down to the inclement weather that seems to be following the F1 circus around the circuits. Very good drive by Vettel, plus he had the sort of good fortune regarding pit stops and tyre changes that usually only affects the big boys. I did predict a couple of surprise appearances in the points for the STR boys but I couldn't have predicted that. Bourdais would have had a likely podium too, were it not for the electrical melt-down on the start line. I enjoyed Kimi, Felipe and Lewis being humbled by the little guys, and Heikki was very disappointing considering he had all the advantages of the McLaren, plus a good strategy and a front row position.

On a more personal note, after qualifying yesterday it looked nailed-on that Toyota would extend their five point lead over us in the WCC but thanks to an inspired tyre change by Alonso, a long first stint and some unfortunate pit stop windows for the Japanese team, we are now level pegging. Good stuff.

A point worth noting: that's the first race a Ferrari customer engined car has ever won. I'm surprised that wasn't worth a mention during the ITV coverage.

Answering BTF's question; no, it's not unusual for cars to be pulled into the weigh-bridge during qualifying. I can remember Jensen suffering badly season after being called in before he had time to complete his best lap. It's just the way it goes tbh, it's happened to everyone. The weigh-bridge is in pit-lane and it doesn't take long to weigh the car. Hamilton went out on inters thoroughly by choice. It was just the wrong one unfortunately for him. Still, he made a good fist of the recovery drive, though it was interesting to hear Brundle disapprove of his technique more than once.

Didn't see that one coming. Well done Vettel. Can see him ending up in a Ferrari in a couple of years.

Minardi HAS finally won a Grand Prix (In spirit.)

A small team, with employees who remember the old desolate times, and a true rising star at the wheel have prevailed. This is why I love F1. Dreams came true today and the beaurocracy was immaterial.

Minardi HAS finally won a Grand Prix (In spirit.)

 

A small team, with employees who remember the old desolate times, and a true rising star at the wheel have prevailed. This is why I love F1. Dreams came true today and the beaurocracy was immaterial.

I love the fact that Vettel and STR have won a race but that's rather romanticising things. STR aren't really a small team, they have the financial muscle of RBR, along with the Newey chassis, plus the mighty Ferrari engine in full works spec. Realistically they have more clout than "bigger" teams such as Williams and Renault. They may only have 160 or so employees in Italy but they're just assembly guys. The engines and chassis are built and developed for them in Maranello and Milton Keynes respectively.

Minardi were a small team, developing their own chassis, one early year using 12 month old Ferrari engines and later on the cheap Cosworth engines. STR are not.

I love the fact that Vettel and STR have won a race but that's rather romanticising things. STR aren't really a small team, they have the financial muscle of RBR, along with the Newey chassis, plus the mighty Ferrari engine in full works spec. Realistically they have more clout than "bigger" teams such as Williams and Renault. They may only have 160 or so employees in Italy but they're just assembly guys. The engines and chassis are built and developed for them in Maranello and Milton Keynes respectively.

 

Minardi were a small team, developing their own chassis, one early year using 12 month old Ferrari engines and later on the cheap Cosworth engines. STR are not.

As a fan who watches the sport for entertainment. I'll stick to the romantic viewpoint thankyou very much!

I fully appreciate the differences between the two organisations but for now, I'ld rather be elated for the staff there who have carried over from the old Minardi days for whom this will mean so - so much!