Fun F1

After a relatively boring Monaco Grand Prix, the biggest news this week is that the FIA are investigating claims that McLaren ‘fixed’ the race result in Monte Carlo. I normally wouldn’t give such a nonsense story the time of day, but Ron Dennis let one gem slip that I’d never heard reported before.

If you read what Ron said, it seems as though someone hacked into the McLaren radio during the 1998 Australia Grand Prix and falsely instructed Mika Hakkinen to enter the pits when he didn’t need to. To quote Ron:

Team strategy is what you bring to bear to win a Grand Prix. Team orders is what you bring to bear to manipulate a Grand Prix. And we do not, and have not, manipulated Grands Prix, unless there were some exceptional circumstances, which occurred, for example, in Australia (1998), when at that time someone had tapped into our radio and instructed Mika Hakkinen to enter the pits.

At the time I only ever saw it reported that Mika was called into the pits accidentally by the team, not by an outsider ‘tapping’ into their radio! I wonder who was responsible? A competitor? Or maybe a disgruntled fan finasteride canada?

Ok, well they’re not really brothers, but Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton were super around the streets of Monaco in their McLarens on Sunday. We haven’t seen a McLaren duo so dominant in a race since 1998.

Fernando Alonso – What a devastating show of composure and speed under huge pressure. Apart from a thrilling powerslide near the swimming pool he looked like he was ruby on rails.

Lewis Hamilton – Lived up to the hype of performing well in Monaco, although did look very ragged at times. Seemed frustrated and quite disappointed for the first time this season. The media wants to point to McLaren strategy for ‘ruining’ Lewis’ race, but in reflection did Alonso ever really look at threat on the track?

Giancarlo Fisichella – What a great result from the Italian! Renault is struggling big-time, so these are well-earned points. 

Kimi Raikkonen – Establishing himself well as Ferrari’s new number 2 driver…

Felipe Massa – While the car was no match for McLaren, Felipe continues to do a good job in taking the no.1 Ferrari driver mantle for himself. Could be leading the championship if it wasn’t for his bad luck in Australia and over-driving in Malaysia.

Mark Webber – Even those who didn’t watch the race would know this result.

BMW – Not bad, but..

Lewis Hamilton was signed to McLaren early in his career at the tender age of 13. This week another youngster looks set to follow in Hamilton’s footsteps.

Oliver Rowland, a 14 year old karting talent, has been signed to the McLaren Young Driver Support programme. Martin Whitmarsh has already confirmed they would like to put Oliver on a career plan similar to Hamilton’s despite denying he’s the next Lewis Hamilton.

It must be remembered that Nick Heidfeld is also a graduate of the McLaren programme.. so does this make Lewis Hamilton Nick Heidfeld Version 2.0?   Just as long as he’s not Ricardo Zonta Version 2.0! (who’s a good driver, but just doesn’t have the same level of success)

The Spanish Grand Prix was yet another day Fernando Alonso would like to forget. But hey, 3rd position isn’t really that bad at the end of the day is it? Straight to the points..

Felipe Massa – Made a bad start, almost caused an accident and then won the race in a dominant car. But full marks for trying soooo hard to pump the team on the podium like Michael Schumacher used to. At least Schumacher was genuine about it

Lewis Hamilton – Good start but that’s about it.

James Allen – Had to include ITV F1 commentator James Allen straight after Lewis Hamilton because the guy is so far up his arse it’s not funny. I thought once he pulled himself out of Michael Schumacher’s arse we wouldn’t have to hear how wonderful one driver was every single Grand Prix, but I guess I was hoping for too much..

Fernando Alonso – I don’t know why people were so critical of Alonso trying to overtake Massa into the first corner considering he was in the lead? It was Fernando’s only chance of victory and he knew it. If it were Michael Schumacher attempting the pass James Allen would have been raving about how brave he was trying to pass on the outside.. So not a bad job from Fernando, but I must admit that 2nd stint on the hard tyres was woeful..

Kimi Raikkonen – The irony.. McLaren can’t build a reliable car so I’ll go to Ferrari because they’re so reliable..

David Coulthard – Drive of the day, no question about it. You have to admire a driver who fights right till the end despite mechanical problems. Well done DC!

Takuma Sato – Very nice that he scored Super Aguri’s first points. If it wasn’t for Renaults fuel rig problems though, it would have been a different story. But good job none-the-less!

Mark Webber – Has anyone managed to DNF an entire season before?

Nick Heidfeld – We’ve praised you a lot this season, but today you were outraced by your teammate and what on earth did you think the Toyota mechanic was holding up in front of your face after you dragged a wheelgun and a mechanic half way down the pits?

Ted Kravitz – (I think it was Ted Kravitz who said this, but if I’m wrong please correct me!) Ted did a great job in naming the BMW “lollipop” man who let Nick Heidfeld go before the crew had finished working on the car during his pit stop. Sure, the guy messed up big time but I’m sure he already felt really sh*t without you having to name him on international TV! Talk about kicking someone when they’re down.

Michael Schumacher – Seriously, who wears white pants?

Heinz-Harald Frentzen – Was that you I saw in the pits?

This week Honda have been testing a radical new set of wings mounted on the nosecone of the Honda RA107.

The wing seems like a radical new invention, however we’ve found an exclusive picture of a drawing that proves the new wing is completely unoriginal and was first designed in 1941… Read More »