Thoughts on the Spanish Grand Prix

[Tim]

Kimi Raikkonen dominated on Sunday starting from Pole he wasn't threatened by anyone. He even had enough time to make his first stop and stay in the lead!

Fernando Alonso seemed to struggle in the first stint but picked up the pace in the second and third stints. He managed to finish second losing just 2 points to Raikkonen.

Jarno Trulli did well managing to finish 3rd ahead of his team-mate Ralf Schumacher who seemed faster this weekend.

Giancarlo Fisichella continues to have some bad luck but at least this time he managed to finish the race in 5th place and set the fastest lap of the race on the final lap!

Mark Webber starting from second ended up in 6th. Not the result expected.

Juan Pablo Montoya had to make an extra pit stop for fuel yet managed 7th. A reasonable effort given that he was out with a shoulder injury for the last 2 races. He finished a lap down on his team-mate though and that must hurt!

David Coulthard managed to get his Red Bull into the points. He has to be one of the most consistent point scorers out there.

Rubens Barrichello after starting from the back struggled on a 1 stop strategy and couldn't make it into the points. Nick Heidfeld also starting from the back finished in 10th just behind Barrichello

Michael Schumacher appeared to be having a good race until his left rear tyre had a puncture then his left front had a puncture. Perhaps pushing to the limit put extra stress on the tyres ? we may never know. What we know is that Michael and Ferrari have a very difficult task in front of them if they aim to challenge for the titles this year.

Thoughts ?

[sgd]

I really liked Fisichella's race, he overtook Alonso, in pits, i think, then Webber in race, that was awesome!!! fastest lap for me he's the driver of the race!!

Three potential podium-drivers with bad luck... MShumierda, Montoya, Fisichella... would be better to see their battle in the track....but anyway Trulli vs Ralf was also interesting.
Still MShumierda's problem maybe was not bad luck, but as Tim suggests, result of over-pushing his tyres, in deed it didn't surprised me as I knew that with those track temperatures, the Bridgestone should melt if don't take care of them... I think with a better managment, MS could finished in top 6, but looks like he uses his premise 'i have nothing to lose'...
I didn't like Webber at all. blocking his teammate there was really dumb.(Nick had to do 1 more pit stop...) and later lose a place to Fisichella was not good in a circuit where is very hard to overtake.

[Graham Ross]

Kimi Raikkonen was in a class of his own I must admit and I would have liked to see Montoya closer to him. Montoya did have bad luck but Kimi had some too in past races

At least Montoya passed Michael on the track and they had similar fuel levels.

It was a strange race from Alonso who wasn't fast early in the race and got hassled by the Toyotas but then he built up a huge gap. Fisichella again having bad luck but setting the fastest lap of the race on the final lap was something.

I was impressed by the Toyotas fighting. It is good to see 2 red cars fighting until the end

Webber, well it seems that he is like Trulli, superb in qualifying but then drops back in the race. I agree with Bill Woods that no one would have thought that his best finish would still be that 5th place with Minardi in 2002!

And the Bridgestones MELTED
They are no good when track temperatures move into the 40's
Aren't we glad that we can't yet control the weather

The championship is starting to look like a 2 way fight between Alonso and Raikkonen and that is if Alonso hits some bad luck soon

[Bundy]

I didn't like Webber at all. blocking his teammate there was really dumb.(Nick had to do 1 more pit stop...) and later lose a place to Fisichella was not good in a circuit where is very hard to overtake.

why would you let your teammate through even if he had another pit stop? would kimi or fernando let their teammate through, i don't think so...
its a bit hard to stop a car overtaking you at the end of the straight when his car is going 10-15kph faster than you...

williams don't have the car to challenge, even sir frank admits it. he qualified 2nd because he was running light.

[sgd]

Webber, well it seems that he is like Trulli, superb in qualifying but then drops back in the race. I agree with Bill Woods that no one would have thought that his best finish would still be that 5th place with Minardi in 2002!

Some time ago I said the same about Trulli - Webber similitude here in the forum... about his best finish... unbelievable!!

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Who voted Webber driver of the race???? it was you Julian? got some more blind fans??

[Julian Mayo]

Webber, well it seems that he is like Trulli, superb in qualifying but then drops back in the race. I agree with Bill Woods that no one would have thought that his best finish would still be that 5th place with Minardi in 2002!

Some time ago I said the same about Trulli - Webber similitude here in the forum... about his best finish... unbelievable!!

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Who voted Webber driver of the race???? it was you Julian? got some more blind fans??

NO, try bundy

[Julian Mayo]

I didn't like Webber at all. blocking his teammate there was really dumb.(Nick had to do 1 more pit stop...) and later lose a place to Fisichella was not good in a circuit where is very hard to overtake.

why would you let your teammate through even if he had another pit stop? would kimi or fernando let their teammate through, i don't think so...
its a bit hard to stop a car overtaking you at the end of the straight when his car is going 10-15kph faster than you...

williams don't have the car to challenge, even sir frank admits it. he qualified 2nd because he was running light.

Williams needs to sack their software supplier (switch to TATA?)
positions on the table:
Wbber 6th
Nick10th
Does Schuey move over for Barrichello (without team orders)?

[Graham Ross]

Williams needs to sack their software supplier (switch to TATA?)

And get truck starting S/W

And Webber did finish 6th yes starting from second while Heidfeld started last and finished 10th. Both poor

What I can't understand is that if Williams know their starting is crap why do they fill Webber light ? Go heavy so even if you lose a few places you stay out and make up position. Just like Michael tries to do knowing his tyres are no good in qualifying (then of course he realises they MELT when pushed in the heat)

[Julian Mayo]

Williams needs to sack their software supplier (switch to TATA?)

And get truck starting S/W

And Webber did finish 6th yes starting from second while Heidfeld started last and finished 10th. Both poor

What I can't understand is that if Williams know their starting is crap why do they fill Webber light ? Go heavy so even if you lose a few places you stay out and make up position. Just like Michael tries to do knowing his tyres are no good in qualifying (then of course he realises they MELT when pushed in the heat)

TATA supply software to Ferrari
Kappy will "moider" you

[Julian Mayo]

Williams needs to sack their software supplier (switch to TATA?)

And get truck starting S/W

And Webber did finish 6th yes starting from second while Heidfeld started last and finished 10th. Both poor

What I can't understand is that if Williams know their starting is crap why do they fill Webber light ? Go heavy so even if you lose a few places you stay out and make up position. Just like Michael tries to do knowing his tyres are no good in qualifying (then of course he realises they MELT when pushed in the heat)

6th and 10th referred to their positions in the championship

[rah]

Was good to finally have my opinion of Kimi changed. He has always been fast but that race was won very proffesionally. Now if only Monty could do the same I might even start to like McLaren.

Webber continues to dissapoint me. I would like, just once, to see what he can do in a fast car with a good strategy. Even a decent strategy with the current car would be nice. I bet he wishes he took that contract with Toyota when it was offered.

I think Kimi will be hard to beat next race. Looks like it is all comming together at McLaren.

I can't say too much about the race, as I fell asleep in the middle. Damn delayed telecasts!

[Julian Mayo]

Was good to finally have my opinion of Kimi changed. He has always been fast but that race was won very proffesionally. Now if only Monty could do the same I might even start to like McLaren.

The Mclaren was a missile on that track with those conditions

Webber continues to dissapoint me. I would like, just once, to see what he can do in a fast car with a good strategy. Even a decent strategy with the current car would be nice. I bet he wishes he took that contract with Toyota when it was offered.

Im sure Mark would just once etc., he wasn't the only one running light in qual

I can't say too much about the race, as I fell asleep in the middle. Damn delayed telecasts!

In my opinion the telecast was poor, Naturally the focus was on Alonso more than anyone else... it was the spanish GP, and the TV crew wanted to get home alive

[Bundy]

it was me and my reasoning is simple;

Heidfeld (his 3rd place excluded) finishes 7-10th. MW worst finish is 8th generally finishes 5-6th.

What this tells you is the car is a lemon and not up to the standard required to compete at the front. Those who knock MW are abviously under the impression that he has a competitive car, which by Williams own admission, its not.

What he has managed to do though is to get the most out of the car for the 2 single qualifying laps and give himself a chance of finishing in the points.

Being quick for 1 lap takes skill, being quick for 60 odd laps takes skill, a quick car, good team, good tyres, good strategy etc etc etc. The last few is what Williams are lacking. I doubt there would be too many other drivers in that field that would be finishing 6th in the 2005 Williams.

[Julian Mayo]

Could'nt have said it better, Bundy

[JayVee]

Kimi was the man to beat and even Alonso The Cute couldn't match him.
He lapped his own teammate and Barrichello.

I was amazed by Fisichella who set the fastest lap time on the last lap. Talk about MicheGrip!!!

Barrichello struggled and Michael cooked his tyres. There is no way that the two left tyres deflating was just bad luck.
Ferrari not only have tyre problems but reliability problems too.

Expect more mistakes!

Good to see Ralf fighting his teammate for a change.

Something is definetly wrong at the Webber/Williams camp. Even their strategies are poor
And Webber should have let Heidfeld through due to different strategies, there is no point fighting like that. He should have saved his car and tyres for the real fight with Fisichella later on

The Red Bulls were fighting the Ferrari's. How's that sgd!!

The Saubers were dissapointing

TV coverage was shocking. The slow mo of Alonso with Ralf's engine sound (I think) was something!!

Monaco next!! How do you pick that!!