Posts by swifttiger75

graniteharbor502 said:Mercedes looks terrifyingly dominant.

Way too strong...
On the other hand, you've got Ford... what's that old saying... "I'm scared of the horse, I don't..." 🙂

Edward Howard2 said:there goes the maestro's Ferrari... 😢
well, fine—better it dies during practice than in the actual race 😍

the maestro, naturally, did a masterful job managing the crew to get the car back to the pits ASAP... 🙏

Looks like the red tractor is in a bit more trouble than expected—hoping they can actually get it back into contention. 🤷

Jason Campbell70 said:Oh yeah—what’s the schedule looking like for practice?

What time are we looking at on Friday?

Friday, July 5th, 2013
FP-ove 1: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
FP-ove 2: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Saturday, July 6th, 2013
FP-ove 3: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Qualifying 2:00 PM
Sunday, July 7th, 2013
race 2:00 PM

Drew Bennett68 said:For those of you keeping an eye on Comcast and NBC, what kind of chatter are you hearing over there?

They think things will just fix themselves as fuel loads drop, but honestly, Pirelli completely dropped the ball here. Turn 4 and those exit curbs are absolutely shredding the rubber—add in the track layout, a full tank, and the heat, and the tires are basically toast.

Everything’s about to get messy—just hope they wave the SC as soon as possible. Honestly, they should have just turned the focus toward Sebastian Vettel in the first place.

Raymond Anderson4 said:Ferrari is basically in a coma right now... I honestly couldn't care less about their race pace or how supposedly "good" they are in that department. How are you supposed to win a championship with a car that can't even manage to squeeze itself into the front rows at the start?
Massa is struggling even more.

I'm hoping they just played their hand regarding speed—after all, given what Jason Campbell70 added, a top-three start isn't an insurmountable handicap. But tomorrow should favor Ferrari way more than today did.

Here are my predictions:

Alonso, Vettel, Weber on the podium

Mercedes will drop off since their qualifying was a massive letdown—Lotus and Toro Rosso will fill that gap!

And yeah, Rosberg wins the duel against Hamilton!

Amanda Kelly said:So you think Spain is the key? Sure, on paper, this looks like a win for Ferrari. I’m guessing the tire strategy is going to be just as much of a gamble as it was back in Spain.
I just can't wrap my head around the idea of us seeing four pit stops again. Word on the street is the track surface isn't nearly as abrasive this time around, and since the pit lane is such a slog—we're looking at about 25 seconds in there—it feels more like a two or three stop race to me.

So, now we’re left wondering: what's the deal with the upgrades?
Three weeks have flown by, and I’m betting we’ll see a decent haul of upgrades soon. I'm honestly curious to see how Lotus plans to play this. We might get an official word from Pilastradamus tomorrow.

Don't forget how much Red Bull has owned this track over the years. It didn't happen by accident. This circuit just plays right into their hands. It’s clear that the layout rewards exactly what makes them elite: their damn aerodynamics.
Beating Red Bull at Indianapolis would actually matter more than just taking the win itself.

It’s about time Ferrari actually starts using Massa for something useful. And I don't mean just picking up easy points to pad the standings—I mean putting him in a position to actually fight for podiums.

Look, it all comes down to one thing: neutralizing Vettel’s advantage. If Alonso can somehow pull ahead, that win would be the ultimate prize—a glimmer of hope in this whole fight. But if Vettel takes it? We're probably looking at the championship being decided before the summer break even hits. I'm talking about the next two real tracks, especially this upcoming one.
Alonso drove a hell of a race in Canada. I’m looking for actual consistency here, not this constant back-and-forth speculation.

The whole Webber situation is pretty interesting. I’m expecting even less patience for Vettel from here on out.

Solid summary, Amanda Kelly. You laid out the current landscape and all the vital pieces clearly.
That bolded part is the core of it—the season's true breaking point.

Personally, I think it's better if Fernando stays within striking distance of Vettel—keep that gap minimal—just to force him to perform at his absolute best.

stormybadger8 said:Hamilton absolutely thrives on this track, it's like he was born for it.☕
That makes Mercedes the No. 1 favorite, regardless of anything else.☕

But hey, considering Red Bull's private😉test, who really knows?😁
Jerry Rogers6, just so you know, Webber was better on day one, while Vettel took the lead for the next two... but the gaps are tiny. We're talking maybe a second or two at most.😬 🤣

The No. 1 truth is that he was absolutely brilliant in the junior categories. But that’s exactly the problem—he’ll probably convince himself he's untouchable back home, and instead of driving in sync with the car's optimal resource management (read: tire wear), he’ll just go out there and do his own thing.

I’m certain Levi's is going to end up finishing behind dear Rosberg—assuming they even finish at all. And those high-speed corner combinations... hmm. I suspect the rear tires on The Mercedes are going to be screaming this weekend.

Amanda Kelly said:Indianapolis is a track where Red Bull usually shows some serious pace.
That’s why this weekend serves as a real benchmark for everyone else—it'll show us if they can actually hold their own on Red Bull's home turf.
So, I won't act shocked or overly dramatic if Red Bull pulls off another win.
But honestly? If anyone manages to go toe-to-toe with them and actually takes the win, that would be a massive statement of intent for the field (especially for Ferrari, though I'm rooting for Kimi too).

Personally, I see this as a 50-50 toss-up between Ferrari and Red Bull. Honestly, wouldn't surprise me if they locked out the top four spots. I expect The Mercedes to struggle—they'll likely be fighting off Lotus and STR, which might actually be a pleasant little surprise.

I won't even attempt a prediction for McLaren; I can only hope...

Keeping my fingers crossed for Ferrari, though they always seem to find a way to screw things up.

Man, what did this three-week break do to me? I'm acting like a total crystal ball enthusiast here. 🤷 😁

Amanda Kelly said:We're in the same boat here. Pretty much the same situation at my place.
I just don't get what Jerry Rogers6 is on about. 🤷 What exactly are we supposed to be afraid of?

Man, I just hope Ferrari finally pulls it off and lands a double podium.
Jerry Rogers6 is probably hinting at potential rain or just cold weather—which usually means tire warm-up issues and general race pace struggles. 🤷 On the flip side, Red Bull is looking pretty solid; they're basically squeezing every ounce of performance out of the car—especially Mr. Finger.

stormybadger8 said:Is that photo from Indianapolis?
Or just wishful thinking for the race?😬🤣

Looks like that shot from Spa last year to me.
😁
Doesn't matter—just hoping people stop reading the nonsense posted during this break, though after a comment like yours (classic), everyone will probably just move over here anyway!

Raymond Anderson4 said:That’s why I dig Fernando Alonso—he’s upfront about wanting to see his rivals fail, loves throwing around those samurai quotes (so epic🙏), yet he still supports his teammate.In an instant, his sense of morality and decency can serve as a model for others..

Everyone eventually hits that point where they flip to the "dark side." Just look at the Canadian Grand Prix and that qualifying incident with Lewis Hamilton. Fernando wasn't exactly acting "moral" back then. When championships are on the line, the stakes are too high—history shows everyone is willing to do whatever it takes.

I’m curious—what if Alonso moves to Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel goes to Ferrari? How would you view Alonso then, or more importantly, who would you actually be rooting for?!

steelmaker83 said:It’s gotta include a Fifth Columnist, too. 😬

It’s good, man. It really is. 😁

Roger Wright94 said:What kind of meter was used for this measurement?

Is there any sport on this planet that’s more exact or measurable? Honestly, read it again—carefully this time. I think I was being perfectly clear. ☕

Richard Vaughn62 said:🤣
Corporate shills on their machines... swifttiger75 grabbed everything like a shark during that massive purge Tomislav Karamarko ran. 😁

No fancy gear, just keeping it natural. I’m right there with you, my friend—just me and you out on the grass.
Hey, Mazgun... 😁

Let’s get this party started. I’m actually really digging this debate—even though I wasn't glued to my desk today, I just power-read through the last three pages.

You guys are really overdoing it with this Alonso vs. Vettel nonsense. Fine, I’ll jump in and vent too. As a Ferrari fan, I think it’s honestly pathetic to downplay Vettel's achievements while simultaneously riding the high of Alonso's titles from his Renault days. There's no doubt both are among the best drivers out there right now. One is still busy writing Formula 1 history, and the other—if he doesn't snag a title at Ferrari—is going to be remembered as just another decent world champion.

Look, I'll admit it—I find Vettel annoying, and let's face it, Red Bull has been an absolute beast lately. But obsessing over a single spin or a bit of tire degradation against the backdrop of a perfectly executed, controlled race is just mental.

Both had their shots at the championship in recent years, and they had them this year too. One takes advantage of his opportunities; the other doesn't. One is a three-time world champion, the other isn't. One won the Canadian Grand Prix, the other took second. One is leading the standings, the other isn't.

Vettel is currently the better driver than Alonso, and he’ll stay that way until Alonso—not you, my dear fans of the fallen prancing horse—proves otherwise.

All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and enjoy watching both of them work their magic.

Hey, Tovar!

Let's go, US Grand Prix—show us what you've got!!!😁

Ignoring all the biased fanboying and those "prophetic" provocations floating around, I’m expecting top-tier performance from FI. Maybe all those little hints and flashes we saw in the previous races will finally click into place.

What's the deal with rain during qualifying? Is it staying dry, or...

I'm not going to waste my breath on Perez's stupidity, but after that successful overtake on Jenson Button, everything else was just a messy brawl.

Props to the Mercedes-Benz team, especially congrats to Nico Rosberg. They held it together—glad to see it.
Ferrari is going to have to hunt for points at some other track. In these conditions and with this lineup, it just wasn't happening here.
Red Bull Racing routinely proved they've got the pace on this circuit. Some will claim it was pure luck, but they had arguably the best car on the grid.

I’d also give a special shoutout to Adrian Sutil. Unlike that idiot Peret, his performance was pure poetry.

darkmarlin16 said:Back when Olivier Panis took the win.

I think only four cars actually completed all the laps.

I still remember that race like it was this morning. I've actually got it recorded on VHS. Blažičko’s commentary was top-tier—especially that part where Max Irvin in the Ferrari refused to let the speeding Olivier Panis pass even under blue flags. He just kept crowding him for a few laps before forcing him into, I think Loevs, causing a collision. He had to pit, his engine died, and after two failed restarts, he finally rolled back onto the track a lap down—right in front of Olivier Panis, believe it or not.

If I recall correctly, Panis, David Coulthard, and Johnny Herbert finished all the laps, while Heinz-elke Frentzen pitted an extra lap early while sitting in P4 since nobody was there to overtake him.

Amanda Kelly said:Felipe Massa had to pit twice just to swap out that same rear right tire.
He’s claiming a bit of debris on the track caused the second issue. Honestly? I can see that.
The first incident is harder to call—could've been debris, could've been delamination.
Either way, it’s been a hell of a lot of bad luck for one single race.

It happens, man, it happens...
Maybe it's better now rather than later when there's no time left to fix things.

I'm trying to stay positive here. Ferrari has a competitive car, Fernando Alonso is in top form, Felipe Massa is solid, and they've got a bit of bad luck to burn through. Whatever, luck runs out eventually—as long as they keep all the parts together, things should work out in the end.

That three-week break will do them good, and then there's the Spanish Grand Prix—Alonso's home turf.

Fingers crossed! 😁

Timothy Castillo6 said:

Squeak, squeak... we seriously need to fix those little issues! 👍

🤣

That third one on the left is just more Grunf... everything makes sense now. 😁