I'm not exactly a Hamilton fan, but it isn't all his fault (despite what Alonso fans claim), because here is yet another blunder...:
The F1 Safety Car (SC) features a light bar on its roof with both yellow and green lights; that green light is specifically there to signal that the driver directly following the SC is cleared to overtake. Once the race leader is right behind the SC, the yellow lights go on.
James Peterson said:I really don't know why you refuse to grasp this—I mean, seriously, 🤷 the point is that Hamilton didn't violate any rules; if he had, he would have dropped to 9th place, which means he’d be just one position ahead of Alonso rather than staying in 2nd. That matters immensely—and I don't just mean for this specific race, but in the broader context of everything (though, I suppose, depending on how wide one's mental horizon is, perhaps the gravity of the situation isn't quite as clear), and that is the entire championship standings at the end of the season..
In my entire post (which was admittedly quite insulting, assuming you possess enough wit to actually recognize insults), you've picked out a single problematic snippet—specifically, the part where I suggested that an absolutely unbearable dose of stupidity and lack of decency, stemming from that absolute mess you have going on in your head, is what provoked me (even though I've been lurking on this forum for quite some time) to finally register and share my thoughts with my very first post. So, how else could I have possibly started other than from square one, Albert Einstein? Since you haven't bothered to address any other part of my argument, I'll just assume that you either agree with me, or perhaps your intellectual capacity simply prevents you from mounting a satisfactory rebuttal.. It seems to me that your comparison of fans to drivers doesn't hold water, because honestly, I'm not sure the world could handle another person like you.. by the way, I'm not even an Alonso fan; this is merely an attempt at an objective assessment of a specific incident.. cheers ☕
If Alonso had broken the rule too, he would have finished 3rd... maybe even 2nd. So much for your mental horizon.
Hamilton's situation didn't have any direct impact on Alonso's race at all.....but what can you really say about a man who worries more about whether his neighbor's cow is going to drop dead than how he actually plans to drive his own machine...
Christian Williams61 said:Yeah, and? It just happened to work out for Sauber to have one decent race. Honestly, it’s the same kind of thing that happened with that absolute junk pile from Renault last year. 🙂
Decent?!? Do you even realize where Kobayashi started? Compare his starting position to where your little protégé began, then look at where they actually crossed the finish line, and then maybe come back to me...
Christian Williams61 said:Stop fighting over nonsense!
Kamui had a fresh set of tires to make that pass☕—mistybear87 said the exact same thing, since apparently you won't listen to me. I didn't say he drove well—I mean, yeah, he had guts, but there's no need for everyone to act like he's the second coming. He's not *that* much of a genius.☕ But hey, since you always feel the need to go overboard, go right ahead.
Nonsense. I have no idea which race you were watching, but that was clearly a Sauber... 🤷
Only 20 laps into the race and Fernando Alonso is already starting with his usual whining... honestly, I feel like ever since Monte Carlo, he’s spent every single race complaining about someone or something 🙏🙏
Is this version really going to be such a massive memory hog compared to Vista? I’d honestly love to hear what you all think before I pull the trigger on the upgrade...😁
Adam Jones said:One thing isn't adding up for me. In that first video showing Tim Glock's fastest lap, you can see he clocked a 1:38:532, yet they have him sitting in second place. That implies someone else actually went faster with a 1:38:464.
If someone else beat that time, how can we possibly call his lap the track record?
Am I missing something obvious here, or did I catch that correctly? 🤷
Now I'm just totally confused myself, because according to formula1.com, the record listed right under the video is 1:38.683 — T. Glock (2009).😕
Joshua Newman2 said:Don't get mad, Kimi Raikkonen, but this is a textbook example of how not to open a thread: way too much text and it isn't even in English... I highly doubt anyone is actually going to slog through all of this, even if the idea of quoting statements from the key players is brilliant. If you had just picked two or three, it would have carried much more weight.
Regardless, I'm expecting a good nap during the race. If Blažičko were in charge, we'd be stuck listening to endless complaining about the America's Cup again, but luckily, since this guy is just a local working at JAR, the other managers should spare us the headache. I’m anticipating a comeback from Red Bull; in my view, they have a car that's simply too fast and drivers far too talented to let a third consecutive win slip away. A strong showing from Ferrari is also on the cards.
I'm holding out hope for a fifteen-minute downpour right after the start followed by the track drying out by the end—and, of course, a strong performance from Renault. It would also be wonderful to see Sauber pull themselves together and secure a decent result.
briskhound76 said:intro😕
So, honestly, I’m fully expecting a repeat of those last two races🙏 when it comes to the podium, obviously.😁
Michael Lee4 said:Man... Miami... just another race where Saturday will probably be more interesting than Sunday actually happens. ☕
And good grief, what an opening 🙏 three kilometers of English text... if you'd at least run it through a translator, we'd have something to laugh at, but even that's too much to ask. 😁
Since this is my first time posting here, I decided to start this thread exactly the same way I do on other forums... though clearly, I’ve already encountered the first group of people who seem to have a problem with anyone writing more than a few words at a time... 😁Well, at least I know where to find a drink next time...😉
Michael Diaz4 said:Well, I did a little digging online just now, and I can't find any mention of anyone actually losing their life during that 1977 race in Brazil. Pace had a nasty wreck back then, sure, but that’s about it. It was ages ago—I think I even used to collect old car magazines when I was younger. I’ll have to track down an old issue of *Car and Driver* from '77 to get the full rundown on that specific race. If I remember correctly, the Porsche 928 was being showcased at the Geneva Auto Show around that time, and I believe it was driven by someone like Dan Gurney.
Pace had his accident following the death of Tom Pryce during a race in South Africa.
Jenson Button, McLaren 2009 Qualifying - 5th, 2009 Race - 7th “We’ve pulled the maximum amount of points possible over the last two rounds, and honestly, it feels like we’ve finally caught a massive wave of momentum... The whole crew is operating as one cohesive machine right now, so we’re heading into Valencia next weekend with plenty of hope that we can lean into that collective drive and ambition. While it is technically a street circuit, it doesn't feel like your typical urban layout such as Monte Carlo or Singapore. It’s significantly quicker—you have these tight, low-speed turns where the walls are unforgivingly close at the apex, yet you're simultaneously dealing with rapid high-speed direction changes and sweeping long straights, making the setup incredibly complex. You can't just lean entirely on downforce; there's a delicate balance to strike, and I suspect our current configuration should handle that trade-off quite well.”
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren 2009 Qualifying - 1st, 2009 Race - 2nd “I am genuinely excited to get out there in Valencia. I put on a hell of a show last year, driving very aggressively—but having spent the last two seasons finishing in second place, it feels like I have some serious unfinished business to settle! I also believe the championship benefits from this kind of diversity; we’ve transitioned straight from a fast, flowing road course in Canada to this tighter street layout in Valencia. Then, just next month, we hit Silverstone—one of the fastest tracks of the year and a venue steeped in legendary history. For a driver, that kind of variety keeps things electric and unpredictable, which is really the only thing you can hope for. The recent Grands Prix have delivered some spectacular racing lately—it would be wonderful for all the Spanish fans if we can provide a similarly thrilling spectacle here. Passing hasn't been easy at this circuit historically, but I have a feeling Formula One will be different this time around... the field is so tightly packed, and seeing those intense battles stretching through the entire pack in Montreal last week makes me think we're in for a close, nail-biting race this year.”
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal “Following those two back-to-back one-two finishes, it truly felt as though Bruce McLaren himself was watching over us with a smile, especially since we just marked the 40th anniversary of his passing. I’m certain Bruce would have been proud of the relentless and dedicated approach we have taken to the engineering and development of MP4-25... We proved over the last two races that our hunger and motivation are second to none. Because our car is under constant evolution, I’m confident we can remain a genuine threat at most of the remaining stops on the calendar. We aren't new to this kind of non-stop development—it’s arguably the team's greatest asset—and we are fully committed to squeezing every ounce of potential out of every single component in our pursuit of speed. No detail is too minor to ignore; it’s that comprehensive, big-picture mindset that actually yields results, letting us find marginal gains in every corner of the car. We’re applying that same rigorous focus to the wider operation as well, looking closely at everything from pit stop execution to engineering and race strategy... and we are already seeing the tangible, material benefits of that work.”
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP 2009 Qualifying - 7th, 2009 Race - 5th "This will be Formula One's third visit to Valencia and I'm really looking forward to the weekend. The city is pretty cool and the Spanish fans are always enthusiastic so there should be a good atmosphere around the Marina. Valencia is a really good track and not what you would usually expect from a typical street circuit. There are a lot of corners but it's quite fast and flowing which combined with the barriers that line the circuit means that you have to keep your concentration levels high. The last race weekend in Canada was quite a tough one for us but I was pleased to finish in sixth and score decent points after being in thirteenth place on the first lap. Our pace was quick in the race and I hope that the upgrades we have for Valencia will bring further improvements..."
Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP 2009 Qualifying - n/a, 2009 Race - n/a "Valencia is a track which I have never raced on before so it will be another new experience for me but one which I am very much looking forward to. I always have been quite good in adapting quickly to new situations and I strongly expect that to be the case in Valencia. I like going into new experiences like this and having detailed discussions with my engineers about the challenge. We will bring further updates for our car which should help to improve the performance. We have already seen that the car has improved steadily over the last few races and in Canada, the pace was better even if unfortunately that did not show in the results. That's why I look forward to travelling to Spain a great deal..."
Ross Brawn, Mercedes GP team principal "Our car was well suited to the circuit in Montreal and our pace during the race was encouraging. Unfortunately qualifying was a disappointment and we placed well below our potential which compromised our weekend. Nico was clearly one of the quickest cars during the race and his climb from the midfield to sixth place was a very impressive performance. Michael showed good promise but damage to his front wing on the first lap and then the puncture put him out of the running and we were too ambitious with the use of the option tyres which left him struggling for pace. Looking ahead to Valencia, the circuit is similar to Montreal in many ways with long straights connected by slow corners which should suit our car. We have an upgrade package which will be another good step in our development towards competing at the front of the field. With the new points system this year, we are still within striking distance of the championship leaders and we will continue with our efforts to become more competitive. We have a number of the basics right and the difference between winning and losing is small. We need to close that difference..."
Norbert Haug, vice-president, Mercedes-Benz motorsport "The track at Valencia's harbour side, where the America's Cup took place in 2007, is not a typical one on the Grand Prix calendar. It consists mainly of slower corners with the last sector then being quite fast and presenting some quicker turns. The lap is close to 3.4 miles which is above the average length of most circuits. We are planning to introduce some important upgrades to our cars in Valencia and are looking forward to making a step towards the top of the field..."
European Preview Quotes: Bridgestone, BMW Sauber, Mercedes GP & more
Following the action on the streets of Montreal’s Ile Notre Dame, Formula One racing heads to the streets of Valencia. Instead of the stop-and-go nature found at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, the Spanish track offers a demanding series of twists and turns. With 25 corners in total—comprising 11 left-handers and 14 right-handers—the circuit pushes drivers to their absolute limits. Both the drivers and senior team personnel are turning their attention toward the forthcoming European Grand Prix...
Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development "Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development from a riverside street course in Canada we now head to a seaside street course in Europe. In common with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Valencia street course has several high speed sections, though it features even more corners. The layout and the track surface are far more punishing on the tires than they were in Montreal, so we aren't anticipating the same level of difficulty for teams trying to extract peak performance from the medium and super soft compounds as we saw in Canada. This year's European Grand Prix takes place in June, as opposed to the late August dates of the first two Grands Prix in Valencia, but we don't expect the shift in schedule to bring any radical changes in the weather..."
Pedro de la Rosa, BMW Sauber 2009 Qualifying - n/a, 2009 Race - n/a "I’m definitely looking forward to my second home race of the season, even if the weekend promises to be incredibly hectic. It’s a massive win for Spain to have two Grands Prix, especially since the crowds are always so incredible. If there's a downside for the fans, it's that overtaking is notoriously difficult on both Spanish circuits. You rarely see much passing in Barcelona or Valencia. Turn two should be the best option for overtaking, but since I haven't driven the Valencia street circuit yet, there might be other opportunities... In the two races I have finished this year I have been fighting for the points until the last few laps of each race. We’re introducing several new components to the car, so I'm expecting a significant step forward here."
Kamui Kobayashi, BMW Sauber 2009 Qualifying - n/a, 2009 Race - n/a "Based on what I've seen, the Valencia street circuit might not look like the most thrilling track, but I've only experienced it through two GP2 races, and Formula One will be different. I actually enjoy the section crossing the bridge; it gives the track a unique character. It likely won't be quite as sweltering as it was last year when the race was held two months later, but I'm still bracing for high temperatures, which I personally don't mind. Since it's another race in Spain, and in Barcelona we had one of our better weekends in terms of performance, I’m hopeful we can pull off a strong result."
James Key, BMW Sauber technical director "For Valencia we return to a higher downforce level, similar to what we had in Istanbul and a step up from what we had in Canada. Because Valencia is a street circuit with minimal run-off areas, things can get chaotic quickly—you simply cannot afford to touch the walls. The track is very stop-and-go, meaning acceleration and braking are everything, especially with those slower corners tucked between the straights. We’re debuting a new aero upgrade for the European Grand Prix, which should increase efficiency and make the car a bit more user-friendly to set up. This marks the start of our mid-season updates. We'll have to wait and see how we fare in Valencia, but we are determined to bounce back after a rough weekend in Canada..."
Timo Glock, track record http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq_X2...layer_embedded
FIRST RACE: August 24, 2008 LAP LENGTH: 5,440 meters TOTAL LAPS: 57 FASTEST LAP: Timo Glock - 1:38:683 (2009, Toyota) 2009 PODIUM: 1. Rubens Barrichello - 2. Lewis Hamilton - 3. Kimi Raikkonen
Regarding those qualifying formats, I personally preferred the previous setup where everyone just gets one clean lap and that's that, though if I'm being honest, I liked the one from two seasons ago even better...
When it comes to the old days, there isn't much to say about the competitive aspect. There were far more direct head-to-head battles between the elite drivers back then, and having a top-tier driver on your team meant everything—honestly, anyone would have walked away with the championship last year if they had been driving that Brawn GP car... Driver safety was abysmal, particularly during the early 80s; you’d have a car slammed into a wall, the safety car would pull out onto the track, yet everyone else would just keep racing right through it, and don't even get me started on the pit lane protocols...
Even though we saw plenty of intense rivalries between the greats, they really functioned as a tight-knit community, stepping up to help one another whenever necessary, especially if someone had suffered a nasty wreck on the circuit.
A few classic battles, including this last one which remains the single most brilliant move I have ever witnessed in my life...
