Scottish Elises

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:26 pm

At least we had some proper racing this year with overtaking. I think it has been the best for some time. Well done the Iceman and bad luck Lewis.

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:55 am

SAO PAULO, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was confirmed as Formula One champion, pending an appeal, on Sunday after Brazilian Grand Prix stewards cleared BMW Sauber and Williams of alleged fuel irregularities.

Williams' Nico Rosberg had finished fourth in the race with BMW's Sauber's Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld fifth and sixth but their results were called into question by doubts about their fuel.

Had they been disqualified, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton would have been promoted to fourth place, handing the 22-year-old British rookie the title.

Ferrari's Raikkonen beat Hamilton and his Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso by one point after winning Sunday's race at Interlagos. Alonso was third and Hamilton seventh.

The stewards said in a statement, issued some six and a half hours after the end of the race, that there was sufficient doubt about the fuel temperatures "as to render it inappropriate to impose a penalty."

However, an FIA spokeswoman said McLaren had announced their intention to appeal.

It was not the first time that the Formula One circus had left Brazil with uncertainty shrouding the outcome of the race.

In 2003, Raikkonen was declared the winner, only to have the victory taken away from him days later and handed to Italian Giancarlo Fisichella.

In 1995 there was also a controversy, with Benetton and Williams denied constructors' points for using fuel that was regular but did not conform to samples approved by the governing body.

The drivers were allowed to keep their points in that case.

Oh bugger here we go again

Lawyers at dawn

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:01 am

They couldn't let it go could they.

What happened to grace in defeat?
"Well done chap, I'll get you next year"

Now it's:
"I can't believe that we didn't win, get me a laywer!"

caleebra · Post by **caleebra** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:21 am

What was Dennis saying at the end about being sporting in defeat blah blah... oh really?!

It was a compelling GP, it seemed that anything that could go wrong did for Hamilton, but that will only make him stronger. He needed to experience reliability problems or he would've assumed it would always be that easy! Will be interesting to see how he gets on next year as he will now be expected to win races.

Great start by Raikonnen, great drive all day and remarkable given that they could've went faster had they wanted. You cant really argue that he's the worthy champion with 6 wins, and I'm sure he celebrated in style!!

Just hope it's not all taken away on a technicality beyond his control...

Scotty C · Post by **Scotty C** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:57 am

dezzy wrote:Yeeeeeessssssssssssss!!!! Go on the Iceman!!!!

Well done Kimi! About time too! Long overdue!!!

Yay!

I am glad that Kimi won. He will have a sore head today

What was Hamilton thinking in that first lap??? Schoolboy errors.

fd · Post by fd » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:28 am

caleebra wrote:What was Dennis saying at the end about being sporting in defeat blah blah... oh really?!

It's one thing to be 'sporting', it's something else entirely to watch other teams blatantly break the rules and get away with it.

Ron is quite correct to appeal - after all every other team specialises in playing politics rather than racing, so why shouldn't he ? . . . at the end of the day rules are rules, they broke them, they should be penalised, if it doesn't matter what temp the fuel is at then there wouldn't be a rule about it . . .

McMerc have been penalised for everything going this year, why should any other team be any different ?

Of course I'm sure the repulsive freak ecclecake will not agree, neither the nazis at the fia who jump to his tune . . . but you need look no further for the reason why F1 is a terrible joke these days than the management of the whole organisation . . . it actually makes me embarrased to have an FIA licence . . .

Fd

Corranga · Post by **Corranga** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:07 am

I'm sure Hamilton would be over the moon with a championship win following lawyers and appeals...

Seriously, he is a racing driver who i'm sure will want to win by racing.
Given the stolen Ferrari technology used on the McLaren, they should be pleased with the result given they most probably should have been completely disqualified (as the team were from constructors)

Amateur mistake early on, unfortunate hydraulics problem, and it seems the curse of the British driver has struck again. He'll get one in the future... maybe...

They said at the start of the season that Alonso's development brought McLaren up to speed, if he leaves them, how likely is it that McLaren will be back to playing midfield catch up.

Would be nice to see Alonso at BMW making them a front runner, McLaren remaining upfront, and of course Ferrari making it a 3 team race next year!

Oh, and of course Congrats Kimi, and the best team won in the end

Bada Bing! · Post by **Bada Bing!** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:11 am

All the FIA will do even if on a appeal they do find Williams/BMW guilty will be to dock their points. There is no obligation to redistribute those points, as was proven when McLaren earlier this year.

This pish is just no good for F1. We hada cracking politics free race, and result yesterday, crowing a new champ. But then, less than 24hrs later the result looks destined to be decided in a court room.

Pathetic.

fd · Post by fd » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:54 am

I'm sure any driver would think twice about winning a title in the courts, Kimi included, does he want to be remembered as the guy who won only because others got away with cheating but were not penalised ? doubt it . . . but that's exactly where we are . . . granted being in the red car does mean you kinda have to live with that way of working so perhaps he's got over it . . .

Drivers title : worthless (regardless of winner really).
Constructors title : worthless (absolute joke).
F1 : worthless political game and certainly not about racing.

Fd

Daveb · Post by **Daveb** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:56 am

Im glad my man Kimi done the business and im £87 better off as a result!

Very well deserved and long overdue!

jason · Post by **jason** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:59 pm

caleebra wrote:What was Dennis saying at the end about being sporting in defeat blah blah... oh really?!

...and remember that Dennis was speaking immediately after the race when he had every reason to believe the cars in front had raced inside the regulations (ie. sportingly).

McLaren have had every conceivable book thrown at them the last few months. I think it's a miracle they've withstood the relentless bullying by Mad Max et al. Even now he won't let it lie... he's already harping on about inspecting next year's McLaren, the punishment that will be meated out, etc.

Agree with Fergus... Ferrari's 2 championships are both worthless. The Spygate (WTF is it called Spygate anyway? ...a Ferrari guy gave the docs!) nonsense and associated punishment based on assumptions have been a huge disctraction within McLaren at a critical time.

...but then Ferrari are good at that. Remember them persuading the FIA to render Michelins illegal just when it looked like Montoya was going to beat Schumacher?

I hope next year's better - but i fear not. McLaren will still constantly bullied and singled-out... and if yesterday's race was an indicator, Ferrari will vanish over the horizon at every GP.

Bring back the 80s!!

Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:03 pm

Are people forgetting that one title was already decided in courts? Why not have the other one too and make it even more of a farce? I'm with Fd and Jason, they absolutely have the right to protest/appeal although I doubt it will actually get them anywhere.

What I've never understood about the whole spygate thing is why were only McLaren investigated? Surely Ferrari should've been too as Mike Coughlan must have been passing info back to Stepney.

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:15 pm

simon wrote:Are people forgetting that one title was already decided in courts? Why not have the other one too and make it even more of a farce? I'm with Fd and Jason, they absolutely have the right to protest/appeal although I doubt it will actually get them anywhere.

What I've never understood about the whole spygate thing is why were only McLaren investigated? Surely Ferrari should've been too as Mike Coughlan must have been passing info back to Stepney.