Formula 1

[mbamber]

Well Lewis has equaled Schumacher's record of poles and the fastest pole of the track. The commentators were expecting it he has been ahead all weekend. Alonso was 10th but lost power as usual.

[Kim Jong Il]

Summer break over and we kick off with Spa.

A long track, some 7kms.

It rained overnight but all dry for qualifying.

Hamilton dominated all 3 sessions setting lap record after lap record on his way to his 68th pole, matching the all time record set by Michael Schumacher.

A nice touch in the interview after quali when Ross Braun came on to pass on congratulations from the Schumacher family.

Ferrari look good in race trim so we will hopefully see a good race tomorrow.

Commiserations to Alonso who was looking good for a Q3 place when he lost power and to Palmer who was having his best quali of the season when his gearbox hydraulics let go on the warm up lap of Q3.

Edited August 26, 2017 by Kim Jong Il
mistake

[mbamber]

1 minute ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Summer break over and we kick off with Spa.

A long track, some 7kms.

It rained overnight but all dry for qualifying.

Hamilton dominated all 3 sessions setting lap record after lap record on his way to his 57th pole, matching the all time record set by Michael Schumacher.

A nice Touch in the interview after quali when Ross Braun came on to pass on congratulations from the Schumacher family.

Ferrari look good in race trim so we will hopefully see a good race tomorrow.

Commiserations to Alonso who was looking good for a Q3 place when he lost power and to Palmer who was having his best quali of the season when his gearbox hydraulics let go on the warm up lap of Q3.

You missed the numbers on your keyboard it is 68th. And I am sure he will take the record by the end of the year 

[Kim Jong Il]

^^^^^

Fingers like sausages....well spotted.....and corrected.

Edited August 26, 2017 by Kim Jong Il
addition

[PepeLePew]

14 hours ago, mbamber said:

You missed the numbers on your keyboard it is 68th. And I am sure he will take the record by the end of the year 

I'd give odds he'll take it in Monza. By the end of the year he'll probably be on 72 or thereabouts as at least 50% of the tracks left would appear to favour the Merc.

Interesting that Vettel announcement was made the day after Kimi's and a week early. Ferrari traditionally announce both together and often at their home race. I love Ferrari but I hate the way they go racing. They should have signed Leclerc.

[mbamber]

5 hours ago, Pepe Le Pew said:

I'd give odds he'll take it in Monza. By the end of the year he'll probably be on 72 or thereabouts as at least 50% of the tracks left would appear to favour the Merc.

Interesting that Vettel announcement was made the day after Kimi's and a week early. Ferrari traditionally announce both together and often at their home race. I love Ferrari but I hate the way they go racing. They should have signed Leclerc.

Yes Monza will favour Mercedes and Hamilton is 7 to 2 over Bottas.  Last race showed the difference Hamilton was allowed to pass Bottas to have a go at Ferrari but gave it back when he could not that would never happen in Ferrari Vettal will always be given the place even when team orders were not allowed. 

[jerry]

Red Bull ... get your shite together ... 80.000 Dutchies made their way over to Spa and you can't even put a car together that can do 8 laps without breaking down ... it's getting a bit pathetic now . 

[Edge]

6 minutes ago, jerry said:

Red Bull ... get your shite together ... 80.000 Dutchies made their way over to Spa and you can't even put a car together that can do 8 laps without breaking down ... it's getting a bit pathetic now . 

How long before he can move to Fellali?

[mbamber]

4 minutes ago, Edge said:

How long before he can move to Fellali?

2019 at the earliest. 

[Edge]

2 minutes ago, mbamber said:

2019 at the earliest. 

As Kimi leaves?

[mbamber]

Just now, Edge said:

As Kimi leaves?

Maybe but he did not slow down as he passed Verstappen broken car so might not let him have his seat.

[mbamber]

Force India might be looking for a new driver 

[Kim Jong Il]

Race over and the order is Hamilton Vettel and Ricciardo.

From the beginning the first two looked comfortable and the race was pretty uneventful until around lap 30 when Perez got his silly head on as his teammate tried to overtake him and caused a safety car to come out giving us a pit stop free for all.

The restart was quite interesting as Vettel on the ultra soft tyres gave it a good go against Hamilton on the soft tyres but to no avail. Hamilton never looked under threat from then on.

So, whats going on with Verstappen's car. That must about 5 DNF's for the Dutchman due to car failure.

Equally, whats going on at Force India. My prediction is Perez might well be disposed of at the end of the season.

And poor old Fernando, what can be said that's not already been said.

Gap at the top closed a bit now, roll on the next race.

Edited August 27, 2017 by Kim Jong Il
mistake

[jerry]

51 minutes ago, Edge said:

As Kimi leaves?

As Vettel leaves i guess ... Vettel don't want to have Max as a teammate ... just like he don't want Alonso ... or any other driver that could give him a run for his money and wants to go for the championship . Kimi is 38 and only interested in the money . 

[jerry]

1 minute ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Race over and the order is Hamilton Vettel and Raikonnen.

Think Ricciardo was third ... 

[Kim Jong Il]

Just now, jerry said:

Think Ricciardo was third ... 

Thanks. I noticed the mistake as soon as I had posted. Your'e just to quick for me :-)

[jerry]

Just now, Kim Jong Il said:

Thanks. I noticed the mistake as soon as I had posted. Your'e just to quick for me :-)

Yep i'm a Dutchie too ... as long as the car doesn't break down we're quick ... 

[mbamber]

3 minutes ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Thanks. I noticed the mistake as soon as I had posted. Your'e just to quick for me :-)

It is very easy to tell them them apart one always smile's the other one never smile's 

[PepeLePew]

Verstappen (and Danny R) could of left at the end of the year were it not for the victory in Azerbaijan. That event killed a lot of the 2017 driver market, Kimi re-signing did most of the rest of it in. The only real interest left is Alonso and therefore Palmer. Clearly Merc wouldn't give Mclaren engines, nor will Ferrari (How wrong would a Mclaren-Ferrari sound?) and the Alonso contract is the reason Mclaren have not yet secured Renault engines as, aside from the fact the works team would be concerned about having another customer beat them, if they can tempt Alonso to join them by forcing Mclaren to stay with Honda why not? Zak said yesterday that it would all be sorted next month as Oct/Nov would be too late in terms of car design. That was corporate bull, it is already at least 2 months too late, more in an ideal world and they are already on the back foot. It wouldn't surprise me if they had split that area of the team and had them working on both options.

This is one of the things I love about F1, the track action is only 1 part of the overall interest.

[Kim Jong Il]

Lots of rain in Monza.

FP3 cancelled till now...may have to go straight into qualifying without any free practise today.

Could make for a very interesting weekend if this weather keeps up.

[mbamber]

20 minutes ago, Kim Jong Il said:

Lots of rain in Monza.

FP3 cancelled till now...may have to go straight into qualifying without any free practise today.

Could make for a very interesting weekend if this weather keeps up.

McClaren Honda will qualify 1st they are using jet skis 

Edited September 2, 2017 by mbamber

[Kim Jong Il]

Red flag after just a couple of minutes of Q1.

Pretty wet out there!

[jerry]

Rain tomorrow , lot of quick drivers in the back ... this could finally be an exciting race . 

1. Hamilton ... 2. Verstappen ... 3. Vettel ... 

[mbamber]

PC brigade have hit Niki Lauda doing an interview and he said it was pissing down and got told off it is pissing down at Monza. Sunny in Blackpool 

[Kim Jong Il]

This is starting look like Sunday for qualifying???