2015 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir

Just a massive swarm of fanboys.

Jason Campbell70 said:Just a massive swarm of fanboys out there today.

Hey there, Jason Campbell70—you’re still our Number 1 in my book, even if today just wasn't your day.

Button 🤣

https://twitter.com/JensonButton/sta...16777284198400

Aside from giving a round of applause to all the Kimi fanatics, let's hear it for those brilliant analysts who spent the pre-race hours rambling on about track temperatures and how much faster the Ferrari race pace would be.

🤣🤣🙏

It wasn't exactly what we were aiming for, I guess, but it’s not like it was a disaster either. If Sebastian Vettel had just had a slightly better day, we probably would've walked away with a 2-3 finish. But hey, mistakes happen, for goodness sake, so we just move on. I caught that interview with Sebastian Vettel over on ABC, and he seems pretty happy for Kimi and the rest of the crew, thinking this momentum is really going to pick up once we hit the European leg of the season. No sense in crying about it... no whining, no complaining.
If Kimi had that win in his sights, he kind of let it slip during those last few laps of the second stint, but I suppose it's easy to be a smart aleck after the fact... Lewis Hamilton was honestly driving a hell of a race.
It wasn't terrible, but I guess only the absolute best is good enough for us.
Now we just wait for the heat to kick in and for the racing to head back to Europe.

Comparing Sebastian Vettel to Michael Schumacher is honestly insulting. I’ve watched every single MS-related race, and let me tell you—MS never pulled a driving disaster quite like the one Vettel just put on. Look, Vettel is a great driver and a brilliant kid—but he isn't even a shadow of Schumacher. The only thing they have in common is standing there for the anthem after a win; that’s where the whole "new Schumacher" nonsense starts and ends.

Kimi Räikkönen drove a freaking masterclass. Absolutely stellar. Kudos to him.

Nico Rosberg is out here claiming he gave it his all to catch Lewis Hamilton during the race—but apparently, they were just too "very similar" to bridge the gap 🙏

ruggedhawk20 said:Comparing Sebastian Vettel to Michael Schumacher is quite frankly offensive. I have watched every single MS-related race, and I can say with certainty that Michael never delivered such an absolute disaster of a performance during his early Formula 1 years the way Vettel just did. Now, don't get me wrong, Vettel is a talented driver and a truly brilliant young man—but he isn't even a shadow of what Schumacher was. The only real connection between them is the tradition of playing anthems after a win, and that is where the comparison ends and the myth of the "new Schumacher" begins and dies.

Kimi Räikkönen put on a fantastic display today. Truly magnificent. Bravo. He deserves every bit of praise.

ruggedhawk20, what are your thoughts on the Kimi-related news regarding him tying with Alain Prost for the most fastest laps?

ruggedhawk20 said:Comparing Vettel to Michael Schumacher is just gross. I’ve watched every single MS race, and even in his early days, MS never had a drive as much of an absolute disaster as Vettel just did. Look, Vettel is a great driver and a brilliant guy—but he isn't even a shadow of Schumacher. The only similarity is the national anthem playing after a win; that's where the whole "new Schumacher" nonsense starts and ends.

Kimi Räikkönen drove a fantastic race. Seriously. Great job. Props to him.

So Kimi had a killer race while Vettel completely tanked it...
One good thing doesn't make a damn spring.😉

And let's not forget the big difference: Vettel finishes fifth even after a miserable drive, instead of missing out on points or scraping by in 10th...

stormybadger8 said:Kimi had a stellar race, while Vettel was just miserable out there...

I agree regarding how Vettel drove.
No need for further debate on that.

I disagree regarding the assessment of the Raikkonen-related performance.

His great result today boiled down to two specific moments: the mid-race tactical shift, and Vettel running wide.

Credit for the first goes to the pit wall; the second? That belongs to Vettel.

stormybadger8 said:Kimi had an incredible race, whereas Vettel’s performance was just abysmal...
Well, one swallow doesn't make a summer—it's a bit too early to judge the whole season based on one weekend, right? 😉

And let's be honest—there's a massive difference when Vettel manages to claw his way into fifth place even after a terrible race, rather than just sliding out of the points or settling for tenth...

Aside from Australia—which, let's face it, was entirely on the pit crew—I can't seem to recall any other race this season where Kimi ended up in tenth place.

Jason Campbell70 said:I think we can all agree on how Sebastian Vettel drove today.
There really isn't much else to say about that.

However, I have to disagree regarding the assessment of Kimi Räikkönen's performance.

Looking at his fantastic result today, there were two pivotal moments—the mid-race strategy shift and Sebastian Vettel’s little meltdown.

As for the first, credit goes to the pit wall, while the second was entirely on Vettel.

One might almost think strategy doesn't count as part of the race—if only our friend Jason Campbell70 wanted it to be viewed that way! And apparently, it's Kimi's fault that Sebastian Vettel popped like a kernel of corn just because he saw Nico Rosberg breathing down his neck yet again.

Honestly, Kimi would have found a way past Sebastian regardless.☕

Way to go, Kimi! 🙏
🙂
Mercedes-Benz is looking seriously vulnerable this season.

Another one bites the dust. We’re actually a little smarter now that we've cleared out some of the guesswork.
Ferrari still needs a few more upgrades to be a true contender.
As for when things really start heating up, we'll just have to wait and see how the next few races play out.

stormybadger8 said:

What a finish 🙏🤣

Colin Chapman would be proud 😁

Jack Kelly5 said:It wasn't the result we were hunting for, but it isn't a disaster either. If Sebastian Vettel had managed a slightly better day, we could have walked away with a 2-3 finish. Mistakes happen. It is what it is; we move on. I caught his interview on ABC, and he seems genuinely happy for Kimi and the rest of the crew. He’s confident this momentum will carry over into the European leg of the season. No sense in whining... no point in complaining.

If Kimi had that win in his sights, he let it slip in the final laps of the second stint. It’s easy to play armchair expert after the fact, though. Lewis Hamilton was clinical today.

It wasn't bad, but "not bad" isn't good enough when you're chasing the top spot.

We wait for the heat and the European races.

Just enough fuel for the complaining to start after race four; that’s really all Hamilton is good for. Vettel knows he has to perform perfectly just to stay behind Bottas every single weekend. He doesn't have the luxury of making a wrong move in front of the Ferrari fans. He can't even afford to look up at his pit wall without scrutiny, and he knows it. Fernando Alonso didn't start finding his rhythm until his third year at Ferrari, so we'll see when Vettel finally hits that stride...

Fernando Alonso said:Am I even allowed to use this handle? It feels like an accident, or maybe something that sad Taxi driver would say during a Formula 1 race.

No.

graniteharbor502 said:ruggedhawk20, what's your take on Kimi Räikkönen tying with Alain Prost for most fastest laps?

I've never given a damn about stats

especially those fastest lap numbers—they're basically just a byproduct of whatever random circumstances happen during a race.

I care about how someone handles a 57-lap grind, not one lucky lap. A single fastest lap has never meant anything to me.

Besides, points should be going to the guy who grabs Pole Position or whoever spends the most laps leading the pack.

Terry Carter2 said:No

Alright, I'm back using my old handle. Honestly, this thread wasn't banned, and I don't think anyone was actually misled by anything, but whatever. It's all good, no hard feelings at all.

ruggedhawk20 said:I have never been one to care much about statistics

particularly those fast lap records—which are usually just the result of specific, fleeting circumstances

What actually matters to me is the average performance over 57 laps, not some single outlier lap. A fastest lap has never meant anything to me

Besides, if we're talking about extra points, they should go to the driver who secures Pole Position and the one who spends the most laps leading the race

Signed, well said

Robert Cox46 said:Ferrari is less than 5 seconds behind Max in a clean race without SCa.
They’ve made the most significant progress of any team on the grid.

Last year, Max would have built that gap within the first few laps...

Kimi + Allison. Again.

I distinctly remember last season at Spa when Allison was asked if it was even possible to build a car that would suit both Alonso and Kimi. His response? "Of course, that is our goal; we are listening to both drivers and will find the best possible combination." We all know who didn't want to be part of that. Who would he cooperate with after five masterful cars? Why bother trying to build something new with a team where you can only count on being part of the fastest lineup... That's why he doesn't deserve to be a Ferrari champion.