2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone (July 6)

graniteharbor502 said:Ferrari had great race pace, but they completely blew it during qualifying. It’s a shame about Kimi going off track. We would have seen just how fast that Ferrari actually was by watching his race.

Now Kimi is already stuck in a position where people are going to start comparing him to Massa.
True, there was a lot of bad luck involved—way too much.

He needs (and so does Ferrari) one massive result to get things back on track.
I'm just worried he won't find that 2008 mode again.

Roger Wright94 said:Kimi is already heading toward a situation where people are going to start comparing him to Massa.
To be fair, there’s been a lot of bad luck lately—maybe just a bit too much.

He really needs (and so does Ferrari) one standout, rock-solid result to get this momentum shifting in the right direction.
I’m honestly a little worried he might spiral into that 2008 headspace.

Even as a huge fan of his, Kimi 2014 has been such a massive letdown—but that’s just who he is as a guy and a driver; when he’s not feeling it, he's really not feeling it.

stormybadger8 said:There’s a reason they call him Alonso 😍

Honestly, it's just phenomenal at this point 😁
Whenever anyone else's car dies, it's just bad luck—but when Maestro loses to anyone, suddenly we're hearing all these wild Ferrari stories about "mysterious technical failures"...
I'm just waiting for the inevitable excuse that he was driving a car with no wheels or four flat tires 🤣

Look, Sebastian Vettel had a fast car. If you can't see that, I don't even know what race you were watching.

Jacob White49 said:Tires that are 9 laps older

That is simply incorrect

Jacob White49 said:without KERS (just ERS)

Did Sebastian Vettel not qualify in fourth place at Monaco without using KERS?

Jacob White49 said:Fuel saving

Unlike the other drivers who also had to manage their fuel consumption.

Jacob White49 said:Could you please attempt, just once, to provide an actual reasoned explanation as to why it would be unfortunate if he stayed behind, or is it true that you know nothing beyond mere provocation?

I find it rather regrettable to celebrate losing a position right there on the track, especially when coupled with insulting the driver who actually secured the Spanish driver's position.

Jango Fett said:This quote is courtesy of kom1.

Go ahead and sue me, I'm just moving his thread over to this part of the forum.

_______________________________

(C) 2002 Jango Fett | All Rights Reserved brava😉

Bravo. So Räikkönen is trash, and the big excuse is just that he doesn't feel like it? Honestly, give me a break. That is freaking hilarious.

If it wasn't funny, it would actually be pretty pathetic.

I was quoting jadeseal7.

graniteharbor502 said:Ferrari had an absolutely killer race pace, but they basically just threw it all away during qualifying. It’s such a massive bummer that Kimi went off track, too. If he’d actually finished, we would have seen just how much heat that Ferrari could really pack

P9 is pretty much top tier

darkmarlin16 said:9th place—top tier stuff.

You talk a big game... you've still got decent hands though. 😁

Calling him "Maestro"? Honestly, what kind of nickname is that? I get that he’s got his fans, sure, but let’s be real—he’s just an average driver who can't quite break into that top tier alongside the guys who actually drove masterfully... Calling him maestro...😂

neonfox65 said:Alonso was still out there pushing even when the car was falling apart!

😁 Let’s not get ahead of ourselves... He said that himself, and honestly, should we really be taking his word for it? Especially when you saw how he was absolutely flying just on the straightaways...

stormybadger8 Asks:
There’s a reason they call him Alonso. 😍

Honestly, I have to say, that is just phenomenal. 😁
Whenever anyone else's car breaks down, it’s just bad luck or a mechanical failure. But the second Maestro messes up against someone else, suddenly everyone starts spinning these conspiracy theories about mysterious technical glitches.
Now I'm just sitting here waiting for the official statement to confirm whether the car was actually missing its wheels or if they were just running on four flat tires.🤣

Just more Ublehaški nonsense, honestly. And he still thinks that "Maestro" nickname is the height of greatness...😂 I’ve never actually seen anything truly masterful from him. Back when he finally clinched the title, it was a struggle. His Highness, the F1 deity Michael Schumacher, absolutely dismantled him, even while driving a much, much slower car. Besides, Schumacher himself admitted that his toughest battles were against Mika Häkkinen—though you could say the same about him. Given how dominant Alonso's car was, he had to fight tooth and nail just to scrape by as champion. If he hadn't managed it, he would have been nothing more than a total washout.

jadeseal7 said:Kimi 2014 was a massive disappointment, even if I am a die-hard fan. But honestly, that’s just the kind of guy he is—both as a person and a driver. When he's just not feeling it, he's really not feeling it.

It’s just not happening for him. He isn't a bad driver; he just can't catch a break.

neonfox65 said:Sebastian Vettel had a lightning-fast car. If that isn't obvious to you, I honestly don't know which race you were watching.

Come on, don't talk nonsense. Alonso was absolutely untouchable on the straights, but in the end, Vettel managed to reel him in during the braking zones.

darkmarlin16 said:Bravo. Räikkönen isn't bad; people just claim he lacks motivation. It's hilarious.

If it weren't funny, it would be tragic.

I was quoting jadeseal7.

He isn't bad, he's just unlucky... What would you say about Massa or Ricciardo? That they were bad drivers? I wouldn't dream of it, not even in my wildest dreams...

graniteharbor502 said:That was my first thought too, mostly because I honestly can't remember a time when Alonso fought off challenges quite that desperately after Monaco 2005. That whole intense duel between him and Schumacher really felt like the beginning of the end for Schumacher—which, looking back, makes sense since he didn't grab another title after 2004.
...

Ferrari had such a great race pace, but they just completely blew it during qualifying. It’s a real shame about Kimi going off track, because if he’d stayed out there, his race would have shown us just how much speed that Ferrari actually had.
...

I'm totally with you on that. They were fighting tooth and nail, but the fact that there wasn't a single collision really shows just how skilled both of those champions are.

I agree with every single word you said... honestly, if the FIA hadn't been listening to those low-pitched engine noises, and if they hadn't broadcasted it, we would have seen an absolute 10/10 legendary battle.

Anyway, does anyone happen to have any photos from the testing sessions? Like, what does the Ferrari solution for the sound actually look like? Or how are those 18-inch rims looking on the car?😍

https://scontent-b-vie.xx.fbcdn.net/...61948445_o.jpg

Here’s a shot of the 18" setup.

Honestly? This wheel size just doesn't work with this specific design. It looks like someone slapped them on there straight from a vintage horse-drawn carriage.😁

darkmarlin16 said:A ninth-place finish is basically just staying at the top of the pack, isn't it?

And you really did hit the nail on the head there. Their true reach was likely just about where they started in the first place. Not much more than that, really.
🤣

Michael Diaz4 said:😁 I wouldn't bet on that... He said it himself, and we should probably take his word for it—especially since he was clearly untouchable on the straights...

Just more nonsense, and here he is with that "Maestro" nickname...😂 I've never seen anything truly masterful from him. Sure, he scraped by as champion, but let's be real—Schumacher absolutely tore him apart, even with a much slower car... Besides, even Schumacher admitted his toughest battles were against Mika Häkkinen, though you could say the same about Alonso's dominant car back then. If he hadn't won, he would've been a total bust...

Look, I'm not saying he's bad—he's just had terrible luck...

Don't talk nonsense. Alonso was impossible to catch on the straights, but in the end, Vettel caught him on the brakes...

He isn't a bad driver, just unlucky... What would you say about Massa or Ricciardo? That they're bad? Not a chance, not even in my wildest dreams...

Man, you packed so much stupidity into one post I don't even feel like arguing... but fine, I'll give it a shot.

So you claim you've never seen anything legendary from Alonso? Then you clearly missed a huge chunk of racing history. For starters, go watch Hungaroring 2006. Once you've seen that, come back and talk to me.😉

Yeah, he barely clinched the title in 2006, but if Schumacher had won, it would've been just as close. What's wrong with that? It just means the competition was top-tier. Winning a title against Schumacher is no small feat. Kimi fought him in 2003 and couldn't pull it off. Alonso did, and that's why he's a Maestro.🙂

Claiming Schumacher dominated him in 2006 with a way slower car is pure nonsense—it sounds like you weren't even watching that season. Someone already pointed out that Renault was actually stronger during the first half of the year, until they banned the Massa-damper thing just to put Schumacher back in the title hunt. In the second half, Ferrari was faster than Renault. When you add it all up, Schumacher made more mistakes than Alonso, and that's why he lost the title.

And regarding that race in the United Kingdom—what does it matter if Alonso was fast on the straight when Vettel was faster through the corners? Vettel had the better exit out of the last turn, dove down the inside, and overtook him. The fact that he managed to close the gap so quickly after that just shows how much faster his car actually was compared to Alonso's. It would’ve been embarrassing if he hadn't pulled it off.

neonfox65 said:Honestly, you packed so much nonsense into a single post that I don't even feel like arguing with you—but fine, let me give it a shot.

So, you’re claiming you’ve never seen anything truly legendary from Alonso? Well, if that's the case, you clearly missed out on some pretty incredible racing. To start things off, I'd suggest you go back and watch Hungaroring 2006. Once you've seen that, come find me and we can talk more. 😉

Sure, he barely scraped the championship back in 2006, but honestly, if it had been Schumacher, he would have "barely" won too. I don't see what's wrong with that—it just goes to show how high the level of competition was. Winning a title against Schumacher is no small feat. Kimi fought him hard in 2003 and couldn't quite pull it off. Alonso did, and that's exactly what makes him a Maestro. 🙂

You're out here suggesting Schumacher dominated him in 2006 with a much slower car, which is just total nonsense—it sounds like you weren't even watching that season. Someone already pointed out that Renault actually had the edge during the first half of the year, but then they were hit with those Mass-damper bans just to bring Schumacher back into the title fight. That's why Ferrari looked faster than Renault in the second half. When you look at the big picture, Schumacher simply made more mistakes than Alonso, and that's why the title slipped away.

And regarding that race in the United Kingdom—what does it matter if Alonso was faster on the straights? Vettel was quicker through the corners and had a better exit out of that final turn, which allowed him to dive down the inside and overtake him. The fact that he managed to close the gap so quickly afterward really proves just how much faster his car actually was compared to Vettel's; it would have been an embarrassment if he hadn't managed to get past.

By that logic, Mika Häkkinen is a Maestro too. ☕

neonfox65 said:Look, he barely scraped that title in 2006, sure. But honestly, if it had been Schumacher, he would've barely scraped it too. What's the big deal? It just means the competition was insane. Winning a title against Schumacher isn't some small feat. Kimi fought him back in 2003 and couldn't pull it off. Alonso did it, and that's exactly what makes him a Maestro. 🙂

Vettel went toe-to-toe with Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi, and Button...
so fighting five champions doesn't make him a Maestro. Meanwhile, Alonso fought just one, and apparently, that's enough to earn the Maestro title. 😁

Nice logic there. Real brilliant stuff. 🤣

shadowhawk24 said:https://scontent-b-vie.xx.fbcdn.net/...61948445_o.jpg

Here's a shot of it with the 18s "

I don't know, I just can't get behind this size paired with those wheel designs; they almost look like someone took them off an old-fashioned carriage or something 😁

😕 😕
Something feels a bit off here, because even though this is this year's car, there was all that talk about testing being done on the 2012 chassis.

Honestly, if they had just tweaked the wheels slightly, it would have been perfect, but these balloon-looking ones just don't look right at all

Roger Wright94 said:What kind of "mind games" are you even talking about? 🤷

I am incredibly happy with how Alonso handled that race—honestly, I was satisfied long before the full context even came to light.
Sure, I’d bet my life savings that he should have beaten Sebastian Vettel in that head-to-head duel, but at the end of the day, the result is what it is—there’s really nothing to complain about here.

Look, Alonso might be fast and he might be smart, but he isn't the type of driver you pin the entire car development on—you'd bring someone else in for that. In my opinion, things at Ferrari won't improve until they make that move; I'm not saying they should fire him, just that they need a different lead for technical development.

Joshua Scott said:Fernando Alonso might be fast, and he’s definitely smart, but I wouldn't trust him to lead the car's development. I'd bring someone else in for that. Honestly, I don't think Ferrari will see any real progress until they make a move like that—not that he needs to be fired, just that someone else should take charge of the technical direction.

Alright, let's say you're right.
But who exactly would they develop the car for instead?
And we have to consider how much testing time has been slashed compared to the old days.

To me, this year's Ferrari looks like it was built specifically to suit Fernando Alonso's driving style—certainly more so than it did for Kimi Räikkönen.
Then there's the issue of the Power Unit, which isn't the only problem, but it's easily the biggest weakness of this year's car.

Look at Mercedes. Who are they developing for (whose input are they using) that makes them this good?

Lewis definitely had a massive influence on the old Mercedes—more than he could have on this new one. But I'll draw a parallel to NASCAR since I know you follow it. The Yamaha bikes were incredibly strong under Jorge Lorenzo; they even snatched titles, but they never suited anyone else quite like they did him. Rossi's first season was a struggle because he wasn't even close to Lorenzo's level—now, after years of input, he’s finally getting them right, though other riders still find the engine a bit too temperamental to handle. In other words, it's entirely possible that Fernando Alonso has a very specific driving style, making this particular car less of a disaster than it looks. If that's the case, Ferrari needs to sign a driver who demands a more neutral car—something more versatile for a wider range of styles. It's up to Ferrari to decide which driver that is, but they need someone who can translate their technical feedback to the team with absolute precision—honestly, even testing wouldn't be enough if they don't get that right.

Joshua Scott said:... In that scenario, you really want a driver who asks for a more neutral car—something easier to drive across a wider range of styles. Ferrari needs to figure out which driver that is, but they need someone capable of translating their specific driving feel to the team effectively. At that point, even testing isn't the deciding factor.

Ferrari definitely messed this one up.
Either they shouldn't have gone with Kimi, or they should have built a more neutral car (assuming Kimi's preference is actually what they need).

Then again, I fully expected Fernando Alonso to handle all these changes and technical shifts better than anyone else.
As for Kimi, I expected him to adapt much faster and more smoothly. I was looking at his 2007 season as the benchmark.