Spanish Grand Prix - April 27, 2008

or maybe we could just...

maybe 5

darkmarlin16 said:?

3

darkmarlin16 said:even if the guys at McLaren had their act together last year, they still wouldn't have pulled that off.

And considering everything you've been spouting on here lately, I'm not holding my breath.😂😂😂😂

darkmarlin16 said:Even the most hardcore fans wouldn't have been able to swallow what McLaren pulled off last year.

I have to say, you are absolutely spot on regarding that point...

though I can't help but notice how everyone seems to be glossing over Dennis's recent comments about how poorly they treated Heikki's talent back at Ford, claiming he basically had a "rebirth" once he moved over to McLaren...

to which this guy shot back, suggesting that Dennis might be playing him just a little bit too much...

well, let's just say he didn't use those exact words, but the sentiment was certainly there.🙂

Raymond Ortiz89 said:Look, I fully grasp that raw horsepower dictates top speed on the straights,
but right now, they simply don't have the pace, which is perfectly logical given the circumstances.
They’re also completely lacking any sort of exit speed coming out of the corners,
so I honestly can't wrap my head around what the engineers were thinking, because if you look back at 2005 or even the year before that, nobody was struggling with corner exit like they are currently; I just don't understand why they've hit this wall all of a sudden. 🤷
I hope you follow my train of thought here.

I certainly get where you're coming from...

Their biggest headache at the moment is clearly the car's instability—which isn't surprising, really, considering
they aren't even utilizing dampers, or "shock absorbers" as the modern terminology goes.
Because of that inherent lack of control, they're forced to run massive wings, which ends up being a total hindrance when they hit the straightaways...

Things will eventually stabilize, though God knows how long that'll take...

It's just a massive shame they didn't have that suspension sorted out by the first race of the season.

I honestly still can't wrap my head around how they completely blew this season... It's like they were being run by some incompetent dictator or something.

hollowhawk412 said:you’re spot on here...

though I don't think anyone really caught onto Dennis mentioning how poorly they treated Heikki at Ford and how he basically had a "rebirth" once he landed at McLaren....

which prompted this guy to fire back that Dennis tends to mess with him a bit...

well, maybe not using those exact words, but you get the idea. 🙂

Look, it's true that Dennis can be a real pain, but it's also pretty obvious that Heikki is getting better with every single race, growing as a driver, and clearly heading in the right direction.

Edward Howard2 said:3

And what about zero? Honestly, if we’re being realistic here, isn't zero actually the most plausible outcome?

The first of many wins this season for Kubica 🙂

It feels like we’re looking at another 2004 season, only this time Kubica is playing the Schumacher role ☕

Edward Howard2 said:3

hollowhawk412 said:I think I follow your logic...

Their biggest headache right now is just how unstable the car feels, which honestly makes sense when
they're the only ones not running dampers—or "shock absorbers," if you want to use the modern terminology
—and because of that instability, they’re forced to run this massive rear wing that absolutely kills their straight-line speed...

They'll eventually sort themselves out, but who knows when that actually happens...

It's such a massive letdown that they didn't have that suspension setup dialed in by the season opener.

I caught some of that earlier, but I was reading the news today and it sounds like they haven't actually fixed a damn thing; their lap times are still stuck in the gutter, haha. Maybe they were just trying to keep things quiet and low-key, but I find it hard to believe they can suddenly start shaving tenths off every single lap. I guess I'm hoping they pull it together, even though I can't stand them—it honestly makes my blood boil because I just want to see some real competition out there. Look, I'm rooting for Ferrari all day, but I really don't want this season to be decided and over by the time we hit Austin.🤣😍

Raymond Ortiz89 said:So, what’s everyone thinking about who’s actually got a shot?

Honestly, you can always count on one rainy race throwing everything out the window and making things crazy. If someone else was able to snag those 3 points, then yeah, Piquet definitely has a realistic chance too.

Edward Howard2 said:It’s entirely plausible that we'll see a wet race where anything can happen. If Nakajima managed to snag those three points, why couldn't Piquet pull off something similar?

True, but let's be honest—Nakajima is driving a much faster car right now.😬

Edward Howard2 said:It seems pretty plausible that we might see a rainy race where anything can happen. If someone like him managed to snag three points, then I suppose it’s entirely possible for Piquet to do the same.

🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂 To be honest, General Motors has only picked up points so far because the race ended with only six cars finishing, and even then, only three of those were from the top-tier teams—plus Kovalinen made his own mistake along the way. And honestly, I'm not sure if Piquet is even capable of finishing a wet race 😬 given how the current General Motors car is performing; while Alonso might perhaps scrape together another ten points before the season wraps up, it feels like a stretch to think Piquet could even land a single point.

mistybear87 said:yeah, but Nakajima's driving a better car 😬

Sure, he’s got the faster ride, but honestly? He’s such a mediocre driver that even a superior car can't save him. Those three points he scraped together in Australia? He basically lucked into them by finishing dead last🤣 among everyone who actually made it to the finish line. Then he finishes last again in Malaysia. He finally showed a tiny bit of life in Bahrain, clawing his way to 14th, but look at Piquet—in the only race where he didn't have a mechanical failure, he grabbed 11th. Even though Williams is definitely quicker than General Motors, I’d still bet my life that Piquet has a better shot at grabbing three points than Nakajima does at scoring even one more this season. Man, he totally blew his one lucky break in Australia.

neonharbor18 said:🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂 General Motors has only grabbed points because basically only six cars even finished, and only three of those were from top-tier teams,

Just a quick heads-up to fix that mistake. They actually picked up points in Malaysia too, since 17 drivers crossed the finish line there. 😉

Alonso managed to snag it😉, which is really just thanks to Massa🤣 working his magic, though I suppose even then, it barely gives Piquet any real shot at picking up points. Personally, I wouldn’t say I’m much of a fan of either the General Motors team or Alonso himself, but if they could actually find a way to contend for the top spots🙏, I think it would be pretty exciting to see a four-way battle for the lead—and honestly, watching races like this one http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=j3tXJm9tYGM would be even better. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Raymond Ortiz89 said:I caught the broadcast, but I was reading the news earlier today and apparently they haven't fixed a single thing; the lap times are still basically stagnant, which is just laughable. Maybe they were trying to fly under the radar by not making too much noise about it, but I find it highly unlikely they’ve actually managed to shave any significant time off their pace per lap. I suppose I’m holding out a shred of hope that they actually pull it off, even though I can't stand them, but honestly, it just gets my blood boiling because I want to see some actual competition on the track; look, I’m a Ferrari fan through and through, but I really don't want them to just walk away with the championship right after the race in Austin. 🤣😍

Heh, he... I think I have a pretty good idea of why you have such a grudge against General Motors. 🙂

Still, I respect the fact that you're craving some real competition.

neonharbor18 said:Fernando Alonso took it home.😉Actually, that was a gift from Felipe Massa.🤣 Even with all that technical skill on display, it’s still hardly giving Nelson Piquet a fighting chance at picking up any meaningful points. I’ll be honest, I’m not exactly a massive fan of General Motors or Fernando Alonso, but if I had my way, I’d certainly love to see them actually get back into the mix and contend for the top spots.🙏 I would honestly be thrilled to witness a four-way battle for the lead, though I must say, watching races with this kind of intensity is even more captivating. I've been sitting here staring at this footage, and frankly, I find myself increasingly agitated by how little seems to change regardless of how much we discuss it. It’s one of those clips that really forces you to confront the sheer unpredictability of the sport, though some people would rather pretend there's a logical pattern to the chaos when, in reality, it's often just a matter of who can keep their head while everything else is falling apart. You watch these drivers, these elite athletes who are supposed to be masters of precision, and yet they are constantly at the mercy of split-second decisions that feel almost arbitrary in hindsight. It’s infuriating, really, because if you look closely enough, you can see the exact moment where a strategy fails or a driver loses focus, and yet the narrative being spun by the media is always about "unforeseen circumstances." There are no unforeseen circumstances in high-level racing; there is only preparation and the lack thereof. I know some people on the forums—I think neonharbor18 was trying to argue the opposite earlier—will claim that luck plays a bigger role than anyone wants to admit, but I refuse to buy into that kind of defeatist logic. Luck is just what we call the intersection of competence and opportunity, and if you aren't prepared for the opportunity, you shouldn't be complaining when it passes you by. It’s a constant cycle of frustration for those of us who actually pay attention to the technical nuances instead of just cheering for the loudest engine on the grid. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

And I know exactly why you’re pulling for General Motors to finally get their act together, too. 🙂

neonharbor18 said:Fernando Alonso won it😉, basically because Felipe Massa handed it to him🤣

If we're using your logic where winning just means someone else gave up, then Kimi Raikkonen got his 2007 title because Fernando Alonso didn't finish in Japan, and Lewis Hamilton basically gifted it to him by not finishing in China. By that rule, Michael Schumacher was "gifted" the 2006 championship because he missed out in Japan and Australia, or the 2005 one because Kimi Raikkonen couldn't finish San Marino and Germany. Heck, Kimi even "gave" him the 2003 title since he didn't finish a few races there too. There are a million examples like that, and honestly, how people drive during the season isn't the only thing that determines a champion...
And if Barrichello had snagged about ten wins back in 2004, he would’ve been the champ over Michael Schumacher...
Your logic is totally broken. You're acting like if Massa finishes the race, Fernando Alonso wouldn't get a single point. If my grandma were my grandpa, maybe things would be different... 🤣