Posts by Joshua Newman2

If Vettel moves over to Ferrari, it’s only natural that stormybadger8 would start pulling for .

Honestly, though, this whole conversation has become complete overkill. Let’s just focus on the race itself. Expectations are sky-high because this specific Grand Prix always delivers some of the best racing on the calendar. But am I really expected to sit here and debate these driver matchups? Is it going to be Webber or Vettel? Alonso or that crybaby? Hamilton or Button? Schumacher or Nico Rosberg? Kubica or Vitaly Petrov?

We've already witnessed some pretty intense internal friction at Ferrari (the pit lane drama), McLaren (what happened last time), and even Red Bull (🤣). At this point, I think it’s Mercedes' turn to deal with some teammate volatility. Maybe Grandpa will decide to give little Nico Rosberg a lesson in how he actually built his notorious reputation on the track. ☕

@stormybadger8 - we'll see about that once Vettel joins their ranks. 😂

That was a hell of an opening, man! 🙏

When it comes to Canada, my expectations are always high. 👍 I’m looking for plenty of overtakes, constant shifts in the order, maybe even a few drivers flying off into the championship wall, and some unpredictable weather patterns to throw a wrench in things...

Ultimately, I’m hoping for a finish that keeps this championship title race anyone's guess. And naturally, I’m pulling for a solid result from Renault. 🙏

shadowtinker29 said:Just yesterday, some guy over on the Autosport forums put together a little statistical breakdown of specific drivers. He looked at the percentage of retirements caused specifically by collisions, incidents, and running off track (based on official FIA Data)...

It doesn't factor in incidents that didn't actually end in a retirement. It’s a rather telling list...

Fernando Alonso: 4.2%
Robert Kubica: 6.5%
Lewis Hamilton: 7.0%
Felipe Massa: 8.4%
Kimi Raikkonen: 9.0%
Nico Rosberg: 9.3%
Jenson Button: 9.7%
Timo Glock: 10.0%
Heikki Kovalainen: 10.7%
Mark Webber: 11.2%
Juan Pablo Montoya: 11.7%
Sebastian Vettel: 12.5%
Takuma Sato: 14.4%
Speed: 21.4%
Vitantonio Liuzzi: 22.4%
Adrian Sutil: 24.6%
Nelson Piquet Jr: 25.0%

There is something deeply fascinating about this data. 🙏

stormyviper11 said:Let’s put it this way:

If a championship title is decided by whether a driver can drive their car over a massive, solid stone wall...

...Michael Schumacher would assemble a pit crew to help him lift the car over the wall, then he'd clear it effortlessly.
...Jenson Button would get a crew to help lift the car, but he’d probably slip on the way up and fall; even if he doesn't break a leg, he still gets over.
...Lewis Hamilton would slam into the wall at full speed trying to punch through it, and then blame the wall for the accident.
...Sebastian Vettel would smash into the wall with everything he's got, then tear up while apologizing to the team and the fans for being an idiot.
...Fernando Alonso would organize a crew and most likely scale the wall, but every third or fourth time, he'd lose his temper and try to tear the whole wall down.
...Felipe Massa would just burst into tears in Smedley's arms and wouldn't even attempt the climb.
...everyone else wouldn't even be able to find the wall, let alone get over it (though maybe Robert Kubica or Nico Rosberg might eventually figure it out).
...Rubens Barrichello would somehow manage to get over the wall, only to realize someone else had already done it before him.

🤣🤣🤣

And what about a young Nelson Piquet? ☕

stormyviper11 said:I have to agree, it’s unfair to Mark Webber. But his issue is that most of us seem to have filed him away long ago in that drawer labeled "the guys who pull off one or two perfect races a year"—think along the lines of Gerhard Berger, David Coulthard, or even Ralf Schumacher (though I'd argue Rubens Barrichello was more consistent and generally a better driver than those three...). I still remember the days when the combined force of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, and Nigel Mansell couldn't touch Berger, or when Michael Schumacher (the real 😬) looked mediocre compared to Coulthard... but those days were rare and fleeting. It’s the same story with Webber; he hasn't convinced me yet that he can turn those occasional flashes of brilliance into actual consistency. In fact, I suspect Jenson Button might actually be leading the championship if he were driving for Red Bull Racing instead. 😉 That isn't to say I think he'd secure the title, but if the frontrunners continue to shoot themselves in the foot and knock each other out, his steady approach could carry him all the way there.

🙏🙏🙏

stormybadger8 said:That’s an interesting take, but why didn't Alonso or Hamilton win then? If Vettel and Webber are such amateurs that they can't manage to bring a dominant car home for a win. 🙄

So, Red Bull wasn't broken in
Bahrain—Vettel just forgot how to shift gears.
Australia—he forgot how to brake.
China—what a disaster, he basically jumped out of the car in the pits to change tires himself, just like Webber did on his own car.
Spain—I missed it, but I hear he forgot how to brake again.

In Bahrain, he had that strange spark plug issue (or fuel starvation, whatever the truth was), and in Australia, he had a mechanical failure. There was no breakdown in China, and in Spain, he was absolutely crushed by a much faster Webber before his brake issues even cropped up. Even if he and Hamilton hadn't dealt with technical glitches, he still would have ended up third. Therefore, using a mechanical failure as an excuse simply doesn't hold water.

stormybadger8 said:Besides, frankly, I'm fed up with all you fans worshiping the legend of Jenson Button. Before 2009 started, there wasn't a single mention of him here except for Stinger; in fact, most people were busy making fun of him. And now, suddenly, he's some top-tier driver? 🙄

And just so we're clear, it grinds my gears just as much when the same crowd starts praising Vettel, despite having spent the first half of 2009 laughing at him.

Once he wins the title next season, you'll all start canonizing him, and I'll be right here to spit on every single one of those posts.

I don't know who's paying you, but since you wrote that immediately after my reply, I'm going to assume you're taking a shot at me too. I am not a Jenson Button fan, let alone a devotee. I root for the team (Renault), not the driver. Last year it was Alonso, this year it's Robert Kubica, and next year (hopefully not, but who knows) maybe even that idiot Felipe Massa. The only reason I write about Button so often is because of you. Actually, it's not just you—it's you and Pilatus (the usual breed of die-hard drivers' fans).

stormybadger8 said:🙏 You see, I’d actually love to see Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton swap seats.☕
I'm genuinely curious if Hamilton would even manage to finish a single race in that incredibly dominant car.

Personally, I don't think he would.

Jenson Button would probably finish steadily, though likely sitting somewhere between 6th and 10th.
Fernando Alonso would probably be winning races, but he'd also have a mountain of DNFs, and he'd spend every post-race press conference slapping the mechanics and Christian Horner before giving his interviews.🤣

Alonso would undoubtedly tear into the team every time there was a mechanical failure, but he'd certainly be taking wins whenever the car held together. Last year, Jenson Button had a dominant car during the first half of the season and was winning regularly. We can safely assume he'd pull off similar results in a Red Bull Racing car. It makes little sense to suggest he could win in a dominant Brawn GP car or even a non-dominant McLaren, yet wouldn't succeed in a dominant Red Bull Racing one... 🤷

We all know Red Bull Racing suffers from reliability issues, but Sebastian Vettel doesn't offer any excuses when he falters due to something other than a technical glitch. That happened in three out of the last five races—including the last one, because even without those brake issues, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton would have absolutely dismantled him.

stormybadger8 said:Does anyone actually have a logical explanation for how Vettel’s strengths and weaknesses are supposed to be linked to Mark Webber's age? 🤣

Most people view him as just another mid-tier driver—someone who isn't even worth mentioning in the conversation about the elite. Last year, he barely managed to make the starting grid because he was still reeling from an open leg fracture and a broken collarbone. Now, there’s even talk that he’s practically the same age as Bernie. Meanwhile, Vettel is widely considered one of the greatest talents currently sitting in a Formula 1 cockpit. So, how is it that when you look at the actual data—the raw pace, the qualifying laps, and the points tally—the gap between them is so incredibly thin?

Andrew Parker41 said:Hold on a second... what exactly are you basing your argument on when you back up Joe's claims about how much that veteran Australian has aged? ☕
☕

I’m not even looking to start an argument here...
I don't know much about this subject, so I figured I'd turn to someone who actually knows their stuff. stormyviper11I’ll probably end up typing more words than necessary anyway. I didn't bother asking silvercobra68 for his take because, frankly, I knew I’d just be served a side salad of arrogant nonsense. But now that stormyviper11 has dropped by the thread, there might actually be some hope for a decent conversation.

stormyviper11 said:It wasn't just a one-off; Gilles Villeneuve was actually two years older than his racing license claimed, and Perry McCarthy pulled the same stunt regarding his age. There have been plenty of instances like this over the years... 😁

And what about Webber?
Age inflation isn't exactly unheard of in sports. You see collegiate athletes lie about being younger to secure scholarships, or Chinese gymnasts at the Olympics claiming they’re older just to meet eligibility requirements. But there is a massive gulf between fudging a year or two and the seven-year discrepancy silvercobra68 is suggesting regarding Webber.

Michael Diaz4 said:If it turns out he’s actually got the talent to be considered a top-tier driver, then he belongs in a Ferrari. Period.

hollowgull5 said:Instead of Fernando Alonso. 🤣

Felipe Massa is driving with such a lack of composure that Ferrari will probably have no choice but to go out and hire both Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel just to fill the void next season. 😂😂

I wouldn't go so far as to say Sebastian Vettel lacks brains. If anything, beyond being blistering fast on the track, he comes across as quite sharp and quick-witted during interviews. In my view, those moments where he acted foolishly earlier in his career were more about a young driver lacking self-control rather than any fundamental lack of intellect. I suppose you could ask his girlfriend for her take, though she’d probably find that question a bit too rushed... you know how it goes.😁

Michael Lee4 said:Another Monday, another pointless thread...

You have to give silvercobra68 credit for putting in the effort. 😁

The analysis itself isn't half bad, either. 🙏

stormybadger8 said:I mean, what was that "invincible" guy even doing out there for the entire race?🤷

He spent 40 laps stuck behind Michael Schumacher, much like how Sebastian Vettel was trailing Lewis Hamilton or Robert Kubica was stuck behind Adrian Sutil.
He rushed through the pits with the same frantic energy we saw from Vettel, just without the backing of Virgin.

Mark Webber was absolutely dominating the race, maintaining a comfortable gap while being smart enough to nurse his engine and tires. Sebastian Vettel just didn't have that same level of control—he was complaining about balance issues afterward—and Lewis Hamilton managed to stay close enough to jump him during the pit stops (which you saw firsthand). Once Vettel lost that position, he wasn't really a threat again, but there was zero action between the leaders; it’s pretty clear this track simply doesn't offer much in the way of overtaking opportunities.

Regarding the retirements, if we assume Hamilton’s tire failure was a result of pushing too hard, it stands to reason that Vettel’s brake issues followed a similar logic. We might get some clarity on the technical specifics in the coming days, but honestly, we may never know the full truth.

Exactly. 🤣

What’s actually interesting is that we still don't have a clear answer for why Sebastian Vettel was struggling, nor what caused Lewis Hamilton's tire failure. 🤷

To be fair, just watch the footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-p_-PI9qS0
Lewis Hamilton is on the right exiting the pits, with Sebastian Vettel coming down the track to his left, and there's some Virgin driver ahead of them in the turn.

The short version:
- Lewis Hamilton managed to jump Sebastian Vettel during the pit stops, pulling off a dramatic maneuver right as he overtook Virginia.
- With about four or five laps left, Vettel makes a sudden dive into the pits. He looks a bit unsteady wandering down the pit lane while they swap his tires. Once he's back out there—sitting in fourth, just behind Alins and twenty seconds ahead of Michael Schumacher—the team starts hammering him with warnings. They tell him he has to slow down because his brakes are reaching a critical failure point. Despite those warnings and the lack of any immediate danger, Vettel keeps pushing, staying within half a second of Schumacher.
- Then, in the penultimate (or maybe even the final?) lap, Hamilton suffers a front tire blowout and ends up crashing straight into the tire barrier.
- Fernando Alonso essentially inherits second place through no fault of his own, leaving Sebastian Vettel to settle for third.
- Meanwhile, Mark Webber drives a race entirely for himself; nobody could even touch his pace, leading to an absolutely dominant victory.

cosmicridge5 said:😬 😁

But you neglected to mention little Vettel in your review... 🙏 who displayed an enviable level of madness 🙏 😁 when his crew was panicking over the radio, screaming at him to just slow down already 😁 yet the kid didn't even flinch 😲 And right as I started typing a post about how the kid is a total legend if he actually crosses the finish line 😁 Hemic's tire blew at that exact moment, overshadowing the whole thing 😬

I wasn't avoiding Vettel on purpose; I honestly can't decide if what he did was brilliant or just plain reckless. On one hand, he proved he’s fearless—a true fighter capable of pulling laps without brakes that would rival Schumacher if he had a perfect car and a clear track ahead of him.

On the other hand, with four laps left and a twenty-second cushion over the next driver (Schumacher), refusing to back off and risking a total brake failure—and a massive loss of points—isn't exactly the behavior of a mature driver with championship DNA. He’ll likely be a multi-time world champion, and he could easily take this title, but he still has plenty of lessons to learn.

@Behemoth - Yeah, Petrov managed to scrape through quite nicely. 🙏

When all was said and done, the race actually turned out to be far more engaging than I had anticipated.

The big winner here is Fernando Alonso; he managed to jump up two spots through no fault of his own, walking away with a massive haul of points in front of his home crowd.

If you ask me, the real masterclass in driving came from Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber. 🙏 🙏

Michael Schumacher displayed those legendary defensive skills while holding off Jenson Button, but the struggle Nico Rosberg faced on those new soft tires in a lackluster Williams really highlights just how difficult overtaking is at this track.

Both Rosberg and Felipe Massa will likely be praying that we all forget this particular race anytime soon.
If they end up putting Massu in a Renault next year, I honestly don't know how I'll cope... 😢

Speaking of Renault, unfortunately, Robert Kubica also finished even lower than where he started this time around. :-/

@Pata - woman witch 🙏