China's economy: What's the move?

You can't just erase a decade and a half of pure dominance. If someone wants to drive against him, let them try. All this noise from people trying to get even through snarky comments because of the inferiority complexes he spent his career building? It doesn't touch him. If anything, it’s just more proof of his impact.

stormybadger8 said:Look, Schumacher had it way easier than Hamilton, and honestly, the car isn't quite the unstoppable force everyone thinks it is. He’s clearly a beast in qualifying, but he carries this massive handicap during the race because the Ferrari—specifically the McLaren—is just brutally faster than the Red Bull. Red Bull might pull off a decent lap here and there since they handle the corners much better,but once you hit the straights, their overtaking is just pathetic.😢

I honestly think the team's development strategy was basically "pole position and then cruise through a boring race," because it's nearly impossible to catch them if they lead by a second or two in a standard race. They practically have zero chance of passing anyone else; the car just doesn't have that extra gear in it. You see it perfectly with Mark Webber—he's got the pace for a single lap, sure, but on track, he can't actually make a move. He sits right on someone's bumper, clearly faster, but he loses too much ground in the spots where he should be passing, and he's struggling to get around people in the turns.

I will say, I agree that Sebastian Vettel had a rough outing today; he could have done a lot better regardless of what the crew threw at him.😢

🙏 Cheers to you,🤣

That was a really solid take, though.😁🤣

Man, everything was just chaotic out there... dry track, some pretty slow corners, and I'm convinced Red Bull is barely facing any real pressure right now. We'll probably see more tracks like this soon, so we'll just have to wait and see how everyone adapts before the next race rolls around.☕

Massa: I'll just talk it out with Fernando to fix this mess

During LAP 23 of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, Ferrari’s own Fernando Alonso basically cut right into Felipe Massa’s line on the service road just before hitting the pit entry turn.

It was such an incredibly arrogant move by The Spaniard that it almost sent both Ferrari drivers crashing into each other, and honestly, the only reason they didn't is because Massa kept his cool...

"The second I saw him diving into my path, I knew we were looking at a collision, so I backed off because I actually give a damn about the team's interests. I ended up dropping three spots because of it," said the Brazilian driver, who finished the race in ninth—five places behind The Spaniard.

Meanwhile, Alonso claims he doesn't see anything wrong with what he did and thinks this kind of stuff is just standard Formula 1...

Well, Massa isn't buying it and he sure isn't ready to just let his teammate off the hook for being a jerk:

"I want to get this sorted. Obviously, I'm going to have a word with Fernando. People working together can't just ignore these kinds of issues without talking them through," Massa concluded.

ohhhhhhh mannnnnn
poor Massa is totally screwed here...🤣
we all know exactly who's calling the shots and running things at Ferrari now...🤮

p.s. I seriously don't get women who argue about whether the left side of a face looks better or not...😕 🤷

Good grief, look at that photo 🤣

I think I almost fell off my chair 😂

hollowgull5 said:Massa: I'll settle things with Fernando Alonso through a simple conversation

Good grief, are they running this at the Chicago World's Fair? 😁

Morgan Murphy7
wait, aren't you the one sitting right above his right shoulder... 😲😲😲

hollowgull5 said:Morgan Murphy7
aren't you the one positioned just above his right shoulder? 😲😲😲

he's a bit too scruffy for my taste😁

stormybadger8 said:🙏 honestly, I don't even know what to say to you, 🤣

but that was an incredibly sharp observation, 😁🤣

You really need to just take a breath and settle down... if you stop being so bitter about everything, things will eventually fall into place 🙂

nimblesurfer17 said:Massa didn't exactly shine today...
If you ask me, he just isn't on the same level as Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton (among the active drivers 😁), or even Jenson Button...
Everything just has to line up perfectly for him to even dream about fighting for the top spot..

Everyone keeps saying that, but Massa has actually shown way more potential than most of those mid-pack drivers. Personally, I think he’s better than Button or Robert Kubica... just my two cents

Sure, he doesn't have that aggressive edge like Alonso or Hamilton—which is usually what separates the legends from the rest—but overall, he isn't bad at all...

A couple of seasons ago, people were claiming he couldn't pass anyone, but honestly, I can't recall a single instance where someone actually outmaneuvered him without using some dirty tactics, like what we saw from Alonso...

Of course, he had his own moments of messiness, like that whole weirdness during the rain...

But that situation with Alonso? That was anything but fair... look, I don't love Alonso, but I respect him because sometimes that intense aggression works wonders, and other times it just makes you look like an idiot...

It's all just part of the driving style...

I don't know, now people are talking about how after two races, Alonso is sitting right behind Massa like he's just being a saint or something...

What are we even talking about? He proved again today that if he had even the slightest opening, he would've taken it... the issue is he just can't, and he isn't actually *that* much better when he's in the Ferrari...

And let's be real, the thing with Massa is that he seems to only wake up around the fifth race of the season🙄

Anyway, speaking of that logic, what was the point of bringing Robert Kubica into Ferrari in the first place??? He's basically the same caliber as Massa....

rustystag7 said:Everyone claims it regularly, but Massa has shown significantly more than the other mid-fielders. I honestly think he’s better than Jenson Button or Robert Kubica... just my two cents.

Sure, he doesn't have that aggressive edge that Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton possess—which is usually what separates the elite from the rest—but generally speaking, he isn't bad either...

Two seasons ago, people were arguing that he couldn't overtake anyone. To be honest, I don't recall anyone actually passing him unless they resorted to some dirty tactics, like what we saw from Alonso...

Of course, he had his own share of nonsense, like those incidents in the rain...

But that whole situation with Alonso was anything but fair... Look, I don't like Alonso, but I respect him. That level of aggression can occasionally be brilliant, and other times, it just looks foolish...

It's all just a matter of driving style...

And now they're talking about how after two races, Alonso is stuck behind Massa, acting as if he could have done more if he weren't such a saint...

What are we even discussing? Even today, he proved that if he had even the slightest opening, he would have made the move. The issue is that he simply can't, and it's not as if he's significantly better than the rest of the Ferrari lineup...

And we all know Massa's pattern: he only seems to wake up around the fifth race of the season.🙄

Speaking of which, what was the point of bringing Robert Kubica into Ferrari anyway? He's essentially the same caliber as Massa...

I realize I might be unfairly underrating Massa, but I truly believe you can't put him and Robert Kubica in the same category. Maybe you could compare him to Mark Webber or Nick Heidfeld... I am convinced that Alonso and Kubica would be very similarly talented if given the same car.

rustystag7 said:but seriously, if we're talking about this whole idea of bringing Robert Kubica into Ferrari... what's even the point??? he's basically in the same league as Felipe Massa....

man, he’s easily a step and a half above Massa...😉>

hollowgull5 said:the guy is honestly on a whole different level than Massa😉

man is looking for actual proof here, not just some mindless crashing like that incident with Vettel...

Robert Kubica isn't a bad driver, but honestly, it’s all talk without any real data to back it up...

behind Massa, there’s a legacy that nobody can deny, whether people like him or not...

Massa absolutely outclassed everyone at Ferrari...
he nearly snagged the championship—missed it by just one single point, which sucks, but whatever, he proved he could go toe-to-toe with anyone on the grid...

he's hungry, man, doing everything it takes to fix those old mistakes...

at the end of the day, even Fernando Alonso is often looking at his rear wing😉

and I just don't see what Kubica would have brought to Ferrari that would make him any different from Massa... or do you really think he'd be the perfect number two driver?

Joshua Newman2 said:Look, I know it might be a bit harsh to sell Massa short, but honestly? You just can't put him and Robert Kubica in the same conversation. Maybe you could group him with Mark Webber or Nick Heidfeld... but I’m pretty sure if you put Fernando Alonso and Kubica in the exact same car, they’d be performing at basically the same level.

And what would Kubica even bring to the table for Alonso???
I mean, it's blindingly obvious you can't have two equal drivers at Ferrari... not if anyone actually wants to go after the championship, right?

Plus, neither Webber nor Heidfeld were bad drivers—you could even say they were solid guys who just never got a real shot at it. 🙏

Webber, though... feels like he had a little bit of bad luck, having to deal with Vettel and those freak accidents that end in broken bones, but yeah...😉

rustystag7 said:this guy is looking for actual proof, not just some mindless wrecking job like that dude with the wood...

Robert Kubica isn't a bad driver, but honestly, it's all just talk without any real evidence...

behind Massa there's something real that nobody can deny, whether they like him or not...

Massa absolutely outclassed Kimi in that Ferrari...
he almost snagged the title too—missed it by a single point, but whatever, he proved he could go toe-to-toe with anyone...

he's hungry, man, doing everything to make up for lost time...

at the end of the day, even Fernando Alonso is constantly staring at his rear wing😉

and I really don't see what Kubica would have brought to Ferrari to actually stand out from Massa... or do you seriously think he’d be the perfect number two driver?

you can clearly see how Kubica drives
even if you're choosing to ignore it when it comes to Massa
and save that nonsense about Massa outclassing Kimi for the toddlers😉

Kubica would've shaken things up at Ferrari and maybe helped them progress faster
assuming they'd actually let him, because from where I'm sitting, it looks like Massa will be getting eaten alive by Alonso at Ferrari pretty soon anyway

Joshua Newman2 said:I realize I might be playing it unfair by underselling Felipe Massa, but I truly don't think he belongs in the same conversation as Robert Kubica.

Time will tell, I suppose.

Everyone predicted Kimi Räikkönen would leave Felipe Massa in the dust, yet we saw things didn't exactly pan out that way.

hollowgull5 said:you can clearly see how Robert Kubica drives
even if you're too busy looking at Massa
so go tell those fairy tales about Massa and Kimi being demoted to kids😉

Kubica would’ve actually changed things at Ferrari and maybe helped them move forward more
assuming he was even allowed to, because from what I can see, Massa is gonna be getting crushed by Fernando Alonso at Ferrari pretty soon anyway

Wait, hold up—what am I supposed to do to prove that Massa totally outplayed Kimi???
Like, seriously, what else is there besides consistently staying ahead of Kimi?

Because right now, no matter what I say, it's never enough for people like you...

I mean, if you look at anything, Massa was better than Kimi during those two or three seasons—whether you're looking at total stats, win counts... or points...🤷

And as for Massa getting eaten alive by Alonso? Yeah, keep dreaming...

The guy is smart, so he doesn't want to air their dirty laundry in public. Honestly, it’s obvious from a mile away that he’d need some massive scandal or some huge drama about him and Alonso not being able to stand each other just to make it headline news...

The way it's going, they'll settle this behind the scenes and keep the peace... though I wouldn't be surprised if Massa gets his revenge later, even if it's just through a collision on track...

But at the start of the season, nobody wants to be playing catch-up...

Jason Campbell70 said:Well, time will tell.

People were totally predicting Kimi would just eat Felipe Massa alive, but man, look how that turned out. Not even close.

And I don't want it to sound like I'm just hyping up Massa here...

That’s really the core of what I'm trying to get at....

Predictions are one thing, but then you see how much everything shifts on the ground...

Back when Massa was consistently beating Kimi, everyone was acting like Kimi just didn't have the killer instinct to drive...

But right now? Things definitely aren't looking good between Massa and Fernando Alonso...

Personally, if it were me, I'd be all over Alonso. Even if I was the one in the wrong, I'd just snap out of it and stop messing around... but hey, that's just my take...

I can't help but feel like Massa is too soft. He needs that edge, that grit. The guys at the top—take Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, or Summertime—they always have that bite.

I mean, damn, sometimes Alonso acts like an idiot, but he knows how to push his way through, and you gotta respect that. Love him or hate him, at least he's giving it everything...

All this is just talk, though. Massa can whine all he wants about losing three spots, but the reality is he's sitting right behind Fernando in the standings....

If I were him, I would've just held my line. Imagine if they had collided right at the pit lane entrance—god, the chaos! Who knows if the race would have even continued with the entrance blocked up...

Now that would be a mess... and Massa would look like a total amateur.🙏
He's such a coward, did you see him pull away?🙏

rustystag7 said:I mean, I don't want anyone thinking I'm just hyping up Massu here...

Oh, come on 🤣
you've been acting like this ever since Schumacher left, so don't try to play it off now like you're being unbiased 😂

hollowgull5 said:come on 🤣
you've been acting like this since Schumi left, and now you're just worried 😂

nah, I'm a fan too...
but I think I'm just being a realist here...

I don't go around making wild guesses like some kind of psychic... I mean, if a grandma had a dick, I'd predict she'd be a grandpa...

But I'm talking about actual, concrete stuff—what's actually happening on the track, regardless of what I want or wish would happen...😉
and the reality is totally different from what you're saying...

Because from how you talk, it sounds like you think Kimi was some kind of god to Massa, and whenever Massa actually beat him, we all just made excuses saying Kimi's car was broken...

But honestly? It looks like Kimi was at his absolute best right when his engines were constantly blowing up and he wasn't even able to get to the finish line (back in the Mercedes days)....🙏

The real reason why things went south at Ferrari finally came to light, but obviously, you wouldn't catch that if you were busy worshipping your precious little leader... 😉