CNN Indianapolis Motor Speedway 09/08/2013

analogpilot16 said:I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a fascinating race—one where Red Bull might actually lose their grip on the win.
Between Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton, there’s enough room at the start for plenty of cars to dive into that first chicane; this track is just built that way. I’m expecting a lot of lock-ups, shoving, and inevitable contact.
Plus, Lewis had such a solid setup and his lap times were looking really competitive, so I’d say he’s the quiet favorite here.

On the other hand, I'm not so sure. Sebastian Vettel's pace on the hard tires was absolutely outstanding.
Personally, I think this one belongs to him.

analogpilot16 said:I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a fascinating race—one where Red Bull might actually lose their grip on the win.
Between Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton, there’s enough room at the start for plenty of cars to dive into that first chicane; this track is just built that way. I’m expecting a lot of lock-ups, shoving, and inevitable contact.
Plus, Lewis had such a solid setup and his lap times were looking really competitive, so I’d say he’s the quiet favorite here.

Doubtful this time.😁
Maybe for once, RB doesn't have a massive deficit when it comes to top speed...

They clearly nailed something behind the scenes that isn't obvious at all...😍

stormybadger8 said:What’s actually hilarious is looking back at the whole history of Formula 1—you've only got nine drivers who managed to snag a title with different teams, and only one single guy out of that bunch did it with more than two outfits... and if you think about legends like Ayrton Senna, Alberto Ascari, or even Amanda Kelly, they aren't even part of that elite club...

And honestly, looking at the current grid right now, there isn't even one driver sitting there who pulled off the feat of winning titles with two different teams...

Seriously, what were those Sky Sports commentators even thinking when they claimed he won the championship despite not even starting from pole position once during the entire season?

darkmarlin16 said:Seriously, what were those Sky Sports commentators even thinking when they claimed he won the championship despite not even starting from pole position once during the entire season?

I think it was Niki Lauda, but honestly, I can't remember which year...

Raymond Anderson4 said:On the other hand, I'm not so sure. Sebastian Vettel's pace on the hard tires was absolutely outstanding.
Personally, I think this one belongs to him.

True, but I suppose I tend to trust my gut more than the actual data sometimes.😁

Lewis Hamilton 🙏

Props to him. No whining about a bad car or any of that usual drama. He just stepped up, owned the result, and didn't try to throw the Adrian Sutil boy under the bus. 👍

The kid has definitely grown up. 👍
I'll be rooting for him tomorrow. Hopefully he can grab at least a podium spot.🙂

Tomorrow's likely lineup:

1. Sebastian Vettel
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Mark Webber

stormybadger8 said:Lewis Hamilton 🙏

Props to him. No whining about a bad car or any of that usual drama. He just stepped up, owned the result, and didn't try to throw the Adrian Sutil boy under the bus. 👍

The kid has definitely grown up. 👍
I'll be rooting for him tomorrow. Hopefully he can grab at least a podium spot.🙂

Yeah, he’s matured. And you're right—there's none of that finger-pointing where someone claims "it was the team" or whatever typical excuse Fernando Alonso would use. He's becoming the real deal. Honestly, once Alonso moves on, I think I'll be rooting for him.

steelmaker83 said:Yeah, he’s matured. And you're right—there's none of that finger-pointing where someone claims "it was the team" or whatever typical excuse Fernando Alonso would use. He's becoming the real deal. Honestly, once Alonso moves on, I think I'll be rooting for him.

+1

stormybadger8 said:Even Mark Webber told the BBC not too long ago that he just felt it wasn't there anymore—that he simply didn't have that same raw pace he used to have. I guess that's just what happens when you get older...

In this clip, Gerhard Berger explains why he stopped pulling those reckless stunts after his brush with danger at Tamburell.

darkmarlin16 said:Seriously, what were those Sky Sports commentators even thinking when they claimed he won the championship despite not even starting from pole position once during the entire season?

Back in 1984, Nelson Piquet had eight Pole Positions and still finished the season in fifth.

steelmaker83 said:Yeah, he’s matured. And you're right—there's none of that finger-pointing where someone claims "it was the team" or whatever typical excuse Fernando Alonso would use. He's becoming the real deal. Honestly, once Alonso moves on, I think I'll be rooting for him.

He’s been my favorite for ages. Look, Vettel can be a bit much, Alonso is a total crybaby, and Kimi would be way higher up my list if his "I don't give a damn" attitude wasn't so incredibly dialed in.

man, seriously... tomorrow's looking like nothing but rain >>>>>> NOTHING!!

😢 😢

It’s an absolute robbery for Fernando Alonso. Red Bull Racing isn't actually dominating like everyone thinks, and honestly? Ferrari had enough pace today to put both drivers right up there in the top three during qualifying.

😍

I'm just sitting here waiting for you to start explaining how Felipe Massa only finished 4th because the Maestro pushed him out.😂

I'm feeling pretty excited for tomorrow's race, though I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high.
Webber might actually end up being more useful than Massa (but let's be real, he won't).
For Ferrari, having Hülkenberg sitting in P3 is a massive headache. The whole starting grid would look completely different if he wasn't there.
Still, I don't see it as some huge tragedy. Alonso can pull it off. Honestly, I think he can even if Vettel manages to grab the lead at the first turn. Actually, that's exactly the kind of chaos I'm hoping for. Whatever happens, happens.

Amanda Kelly said:I'm feeling pretty excited for tomorrow's race, though I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high.
Webber might actually end up being more useful than Massa (but let's be real, he won't).
For Ferrari, having Hülkenberg sitting in P3 is a massive headache. The whole starting grid would look completely different if he wasn't there.
Still, I don't see it as some huge tragedy. Alonso can pull it off. Honestly, I think he can even if Vettel manages to grab the lead at the first turn. Actually, that's exactly the kind of chaos I'm hoping for. Whatever happens, happens.

I bet Hülkenberg has already received a text from Vergene telling him that if he wants that Ferrari seat next year, he needs to step aside for Alonso.
The catch is that the sooner they let him go, the more millions they save on his salary each year.
So, my prediction? I wouldn't be surprised if Hülkenberg "accidentally" misses that first corner in the opening lap tomorrow.

stormybadger8 said:If he had it, there wouldn't even be a debate...
And they've only got themselves to blame for that mess... whether it was Alonso's shaky lap in Q3, some brainless strategy call from the pit wall, or whatever else, it's entirely on them for blowing it.
It's pretty wild because basically everyone (except for those making massive blunders like Vergene) actually improved their times from Q2... everyone except Alonso, whose Q3 time was barely 0.085 better than his Q2.
But hey, that's just because Ferrari was a total bucket of bolts again.🙄

Let's break down the practice sessions for a second.
In FP1, Vettel finished 4th, trailing Alonso (who was 2nd) by 0.153, sitting 0.350 ahead of Mark Webber (8th) and 0.696 ahead of Massa (14th).
In FP2, it was Vettel 1st, Webber 2nd (+0.623), Alonso 5th (+0.887), and Massa 8th (+1.066).
In FP3, Vettel was 1st, Alonso 2nd (+0.283), Webber 3rd (+0.317), and Massa 7th (+0.635).

On average, Vettel averaged 2nd, Alonso sat at 3rd with +0.339, Webber was 4th (actual result 4.3) with +0.43, and Massa was 10th (9.6) with +0.799.

So now you're claiming both Alonso and Massa could have been in the top three. Looking at these numbers, Alonso might have squeezed in between Vettel and Webber, but Massa didn't stand a chance.
One more thing. Look at the gap between lead drivers versus second drivers. The split between Vettel and Alonso is +0.339, while the gap between Webber and Massa is +0.369. Comparing the leads to the seconds shows Alonso is only +0.091 faster than Webber, whereas Vettel is a whopping +0.799 faster than Massa.
To me, this data proves Red Bull Racing had the faster car at Indianapolis by about three-tenths per lap. All that talk about Ferrari fighting for a top-three spot just doesn't hold water.

Raymond Anderson4 said:I bet Hülkenberg has already received a text from Vergene telling him that if he wants that Ferrari seat next year, he needs to step aside for Alonso.
The catch is that the sooner they let him go, the more millions they save on his salary each year.
So, my prediction? I wouldn't be surprised if Hülkenberg "accidentally" misses that first corner in the opening lap tomorrow.

And how much does he get if he crashes into Vettel?😁

@Jason Campbell70 and @stormybadger8

You two have officially ruined this section of the forum. Completely trashed it. Goodbye!

Honestly, is your entire life purpose really just trying to prove Fernando Alonso isn't any good? Did someone pay you to be this bitter, or do you just dream about him every night and need to vent the frustration?

Just try enjoying the racing for once...

Amy Mendoza25 said:@Jason Campbell70 and @stormybadger8

You two have officially ruined this section of the forum. Completely trashed it. Goodbye!

👍 by far the most exhausting people on this entire board