Formula One ( F1 )

So why's he still there?

And don't start with the team spirit bollocks...

Because Ferrari is run by an idiot?

Are you forgetting that he regularly outperformed Kimi and took the 2008 drivers championship right down to the wire. Its sad that he is a shadow of his former self but he was a good driver, who knows what his career would have become if he hadn't got brained.

^This.

Because Ferrari is run by an idiot?

I know what it is: it's impossible to fire someone in Italy. Unions and all that...

Unicorns?

Does he by any chance come with a major sponsor attached?
I wouldn't call him a pay driver, but maybe there's some financial element.

Are you forgetting that he regularly outperformed Kimi and took the 2008 drivers championship right down to the wire. Its sad that he is a shadow of his former self but he was a good driver, who knows what his career would have become if he hadn't got brained.

Yeah it's a valid point but I think at that time Kimi did have a bit of a lack of motivation, he's said he was never that comfortable at Ferrari, maybe they just wanted too much of him out of the car or whatever - he's well known for his dislike of the media bullshit side of things... Maybe he just thought "sod this I'd rather be rallying"..

Maybe there's some Brazilian finance in Ferrari?

Philip Morris International
Fiat
Santander
Shell
Acer
Kaspersky Lab
AMD

No obvious Brazilian sponsors.

I reckon Webber could have a shot at beating Vettel in the championship if Vettel carries on being erratic, he's had 4th at every race so far.

No obvious Brazilian sponsors.

I reckon Webber could have a shot at beating Vettel in the championship if Vettel carries on being erratic, he's had 4th at every race so far.

That's consistent.

Who I meant by "He" in that sentence wasn't particularly obvious was it?

Can't be bothered with quoting each individual post that I want to reply to so i'll briefly sum up what I think.

Alonso is definitely the best all round driver on the grid, Hamilton as much as it pains me to say it is right there with him. They're the only two drivers who can wring the neck out of an underperforming car as opposed to complaining about it (Vettel and Button, i'm looking at you). Very few, if any would even come close to Alonso in that car. Massa is usually about a few tenths down on Alonso in qualifying, which isn't great, but it's not horrible either. Were we demanding Webber got fired when Vettel was walking all over him? No. Just look at what happened when Ferrari tried replacing him after the accident with Badoer (who wasn't that great admittedly) and Fisichella (who managed 2nd in a Force India behind Kimi's Ferrari before moving to Ferrari and never got higher than 9th, usually quite a bit further back than that). I wouldn't be surprised if the main reason Ferrari are keeping him is because they know that if they got anyone else in, they'd probably be even worse.

All in all, Massa is nowhere near Alonso, like most other drivers. He'll most likely be replaced by Perez when his contract runs out. Until then he's doing as good a job as you can expect.

Cheers Mick.

Does invite the question why can Ferrari not make a decent handling car at the moment?

Because they're used to infinitely more pre-season testing and financial clout?

When Schumacher won (consistently), he was rarely out of the car and the first couple of seasons with them he'd have been better off driving a second-hand Granada.

....Alonso is definitely the best all round driver on the grid, Hamilton as much as it pains me to say it is right there with him. They're the only two drivers who can wring the neck out of an underperforming car as opposed to complaining about it .....

Agreed. 100%.

Hmm, I would argue Kimi as a best all round driver over Alonso and Hamilton. Especially as he nearly never moans about a car and just gets on with it. Hamilton and Alsonso can be right little whinging scrots if things/car ain't to their liking.
Anyway such arguments can go on and on and are largely pointless. Best for them to all race each other to find out....

Does invite the question why can Ferrari not make a decent handling car at the moment?

This:

Because they're used to infinitely more pre-season testing and financial clout?

This:

When Schumacher won (consistently), he was rarely out of the car and the first couple of seasons with them he'd have been better off driving a second-hand Granada.

And a lot of the staff who were around when they were successful have now buggered off. It's probably worth mentioning that before Schumacher, Brawn et al came along it was over 20 years since a Ferrari driver won the championship. They may be the most recognisable and have the most history in the sport, but that counts for nothing in the championship.

Hmm, I would argue Kimi as a best all round driver over Alonso and Hamilton. Especially as he nearly never moans about a car and just gets on with it. Hamilton and Alsonso can be right little whinging scrots if things/car ain't to their liking.
Anyway such arguments can go on and on and are largely pointless. Best for them to all race each other to find out....

I find that when Kimi knows he's not competitive, he tends to drive around at a comfortable speed, not pushing at all. Suddenly within the last few laps he'll really go for it and set a fastest lap, just to show that he can. It's not moaning, but it's not much better.

I really like Kobayashi and Perez. Both able to wring the dregs of performance out of their Saubers and also do one stop fewer than the rest. Hoping when they each get a contract from a "big budget" team, they don't get lumbered with being "second" driver.

i reckon Perez is being groomed for Ferrari
kobi id like to see replace Button (aint gonna happen, thats di rasta's seat)

Rumours that Webber is in talks to replace Massa at Ferrari and may already have a preliminary agreement in place.

http://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/formula1/2012/04/29/mark-webber-sera-el-companero-de-alonso-en-ferrari-en-2013-97090/

Today marks 18 years since the death of Senna.

I remember watching Ratzenberger's fatal crash on the Saturday, and Sunday's race. Then the Senna programmes put out on the Sunday evening. A shocking weekend.

So, Kimi for the win this weekend in Barcelona?

Maybe Jenson. Or that dastardly Vettel. But I'm hoping that Lewis is sandbagging, because he's way off the pace. Ferrari aren't looking good, despite Alonso's wishes.

Ooooops, forgot Nico Rosberg. He's definitely in with a shout.