'You Gotta Love It!'

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Tuesday 18th March 2008

While some PF1ers hope the Australian Grand Prix is a sign of things to come, others fear Bernie might soon be changing the rules again.

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You Gotta Love It
I thought this was one of the best races in the dry that I've seen in a long time. You never knew what was going to happen next! It's that unexpected element that's the best part of racing. I hope the FIA (or whomever) continues to put the control of the cars back in the drivers' hands.

Next on the list... rev-limiters. I'd love to see them tossed out so that the boys in the cockpits can trash their engines a little easier. Or at least be able to intentionally push their engines beyond their built specs and take the risk that it'll blow. Risk vs. reward is what it should be all about. So I totally disagree with the bloke who said this race was a farce. I loved it. I hope the rest of the season is just like it.
Butch, USA

Bernie Looks To Save Ferrari
Bernie has seen McLaren gain a points advantage already. Worse still they look rock steady reliable AND both drivers are clearly able to handle the lack of traction control. What to do...?

If Ferrari are to have any chance to win the championship it will be through GP wins... so lets change the rules once again to suit Ferrari!

Ferrari really are the official FIA endorsed team, why can't we just be honest and say it?
Peter Freeman, South Africa

Whatever Happened To Equal Treatment?
Ron Dennis is quoted after the race as saying "Lewis drove a faultless race with a strong strategy where his stops were timed in anticipation of possible Safety Car periods". I thought McLaren policy was to have equal treatment for both drivers (only one lap difference in when they pit) yet it seems that Lewis Hamilton got the better strategy as he was filled lighted to take pole position and given a strategy in anticipation of safety car periods. Was Fernando right in that Lewis gets better treatment because he is British?
CARL -Canada

F1 A Joke?
I guess now that Michael and his domination of the sport has come to an end it's time for Bernie to shuffle the rules again. This time, instead of diminishing wins as they do now in F1 by making a win no more important than finishing second, he wants to make wins a factor in the championship again.

This is utterly ludicrous and makes the sport appear as a total sham. And next year, after we make this change why don't we reverse the grid too. Hey, and maybe the year after that we can make a win count as 2 wins if a second tier car wins! That way it will be more exciting!

The sooner Bernie kicks the bucket the sooner we'll get our sport back. Oh, and don't forget to switch to diesel fuel Bernie! Then we can watch the F1 cars compete with the diesel trucks on the same track at the same time. First corners out to be really exciting then and lapping slower traffic will be fun too!

F1...what a joke!
Michael J Strong

Kimi / Massa Make Way For Alonso
Ever since Michael left Ferrari, there hasn't been ONE driver out of the 22 on the grid that will make you love him for just his driving skills, intelligence on the track and charisma. Look at how Kimi blew up all his hard work after making up all the lost ground. Tough task, it was, no denying it. But heck, who wouldn't remember the way Michael fought back from the back of the grid in Brazil 2007. No stupid adrenaline-driven mistakes. Plain and simple surgeon-like precision combined with one of he best driving skills seen in F-1. Where do you get that anymore?

Maybe a little bit in Alonso. Give him a Ferrari (one that doesn't have god forsaken reliability issues!) and he won't let you down once, and yes, he wont be pushing away his rivals from the podium for that perfect picture with his champaign bottle neither (LH ( the "reincarnation of Jesus H Christ to most Britishers))

The quality of input he gives to the team, the kind of acumen he has reminds you in a way of Michael Schumacher. Pity Ferrari have to stick to both the current drivers until 2009.
Abe

Barrichello's Flexing Rear Wing
Hi,

I've waited to days to see all the reports on Rubens Barrichello's rear wing. When Kimi was chasing him on Sunday's race, we had lots of vision looking rearward from Rubens' car and his wing was dancing the entire time! After Barcelona last year DC's rear wing was one of the most reported items. Why isn't Ruben's? Perhaps Honda's incredible aero pack isn't exactly legal.

As far as getting rid of the Australian GP - I think the idea is a farce. I'm glad Melbourne are standing their ground on a night race - how can a 'greener' F1 justify the amount of carbon emissions produced in order to light the event - they can't? When Bernie wants to show Grand Prix Organisers around a GP he brings them to Albert Park to show them how it's done - check out Martin Brundle's grid walk last year for proof - he was introduced to a group from Singapore including the prime minister if I recall correctly. Everyone in the paddock loves the race and the location (including a holiday in the sun after winter testing). The race is set in a great location with plenty of action. The crowd is entertained all day, which can't be said for many other GPs on the calendar. Instead Bernie will send it to countries to pay $50 million Euro who can't even afford to properly provide food, clothing, shelter, heating for their people just so he gets richer. Yeah that makes sense?
Rob Thomas, Auustralia

Lewis' Dominance And Massa Is On His Way Out
Once again Lewis Hamilton showed his a top contender for this years championship crown. I only worry that he's winning ways does not make formula one a boring thing to watch, as we witnessed in 2000 when Schumacher won almost every race. It's nice to see him winning, but i hope others can put a lot more pressure on him, 'cause lets face it, LH is simply a great driver. The ban on TC does not affect much on his driving (at least so far, let the rain come),in fact it seems to be in his favor. One driver who might be on is way out if does not have his performance improved, is Felipe Massa. I personally think he should be out right before mid-season, i completely lost my confidence on his driving abilities and the Aussie GP was Massa's template for future races. He cant' handle without TC, simply can't.
Round the outside, Macau

Lack Of Traction Control
If the Australian GP is the shape of things to come now that TC has been banned, I might end up watching GP's all the way through for the first time in about 5 years.

It certainly shows up any mistakes the drivers make in the heat of the moment.
Colin M, Australia

Can Ferrari Come Back
Yes , I cannot disagree with Ron Dennis' reasoning on making such a statement. Perhaps the only thing that can be said negatively, is that if Lewis had started mid-field, things then can be a lot different, as we all know. However, he took the pole, earned his position, kept first place, and went beyond in that he had another 3 re-starts (albeit rolling which is easier than standing), to contend with. He also kept a very quick pace out in front, for most of the race. A very well deserved win and so congratulations to him. After Ferrari's poor showing, it will be interesting to see if they can come back in Malaysia. I believe they can.

As I said above, starting in the position Kimi did, makes a world of difference in every aspect. Even his start from 15 to move to 8, would have taken something more out of the tyres, brakes and car, than to have started from pole. And as far as the "mistakes" he made, well, they kind of look like basic errors to most onlookers, but anyone who has some racing knowledge, will know that in the circumstances , like following a car so closely at high speed , will unbalance the car to an extent that it becomes easy to make a mistake. Sure F1 drivers have to be good enough to overcome that challenge, which they do pretty well generally, but occasionally, things will go wrong.

I'm surprised Mr Brundle (a past F1 driver) and his partner James Allen, were so quick to slam him hard for the move on Glock, where he spun out. I could clearly see that the car, upon approaching the Toyota, twitched nervously, and all it took was the wheel to touch the grass, and that was it. Anyway. its time to move on, to Malaysia, I can't see Ferrari will have fixed their qualifying pace in such a short time , so McLaren should get pole again , but Malaysia is a much wider track, therefore I expect Ferrari should not end up like in Melbourne - provided reliability of course is OK.
Jean, SA

Safety In Modern F1
While I agree with Jackie Stewart that Hamilton should, like all drivers, be part of the GPDA I disagree that the sport is surviving on luck, just waiting for a big shunt.

Robert Kubica's accident last year was not survived due to luck, it was down to technical development. At that point F1 proved that it is still on top of its safety demands.

At the moment it's the marshals that need the safety rethink, had Kubica hit the wall a few meters further up we would have been talking about the accident in different tones.
Daniel Petit

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