A.Wayne

Ok Boys. Ladies , gentlemen and the amigos. It is now time for the French GP , home for Renault , 10 grid places for Hammy , a must Win for Raikkonen.

It was obvious in Canada Ferrari strategy was for Kimi , putting Massa way out. We will see if it is the same for the French GP , Ferrari will try for a 1/2 as they did last year is my bet , will they succeed ? or will Bobby K and his BMW have anything to say about it . AW

f1-live.
Kimi Raikkonen failed to score at the Monaco Grand Prix and was taken out by title rival Lewis Hamilton last time out in Montreal. Ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix, the defending World Champion is keen to get his championship back on track after dropping to fourth position overall in the standings.

"I don't remember when I had such a great lust for winning,” the Ferrari star stated ahead of the forthcoming French Grand Prix. “The team had prepared a car, which was able to be strong on all the tracks, but it didn't go well during the last races. We especially had different problems during the last two races."

Raikkonen led the championship after following team-mate Felipe Massa and Hamilton home third in Turkey, but now finds himself just behind those two as well as Canadian Grand Prix winner Robert Kubica.

"I don't like looking back and think about what happened at the last race,” Raikkonen continued. “I don't carry bad thoughts with me, because that would just make me loose time, as you can't change the result anyway. It's much better to concentrate on the upcoming GP and try to get the best result possible.
"

While Monaco and Montreal brought nothing but disappointment for the Finn, he takes solace from the fact that in both events the Ferrari package was much more competitive than it was at the same venues last season .

"The last two races were a disappointment, caused by different problems,” the Finn explained. “But I know that Ferrari has taken a great leap forward on this track compared to last year. It's a shame that the points we were able to gain do not reflect our real potential, but I think that we'll be very competitive on the upcoming street tracks at Valencia and Singapore."

Raikkonen has 35 points after seven races and trails Massa and Hamilton by three and Kubica by seven.



ITV.

The Canadian Grand Prix saw the finest moment of Robert Kubica’s career so far – and the most galling mistake of Lewis Hamilton’s.

How they respond to those events will be the most fascinating element of the French Grand Prix, and maybe even the key to the destination of the 2008 title.

Hamilton’s jaw-dropping pit lane gaffe in Montreal has turned out to be a double blow: not only costing him a likely win in Canada, but condemning him to a 10-place grid penalty in France.

It’s going to be incredibly hard to get those places back at Magny-Cours.

The circuit is far from overtaking-friendly, for although it boasts a long straight into the very tight Adelaide hairpin, it’s difficult to follow a car closely through the preceding never-ending Estoril sweep.

Strategic options are complicated too.

The incredibly short pit lane and the fact that new tyres are often more valuable than a light fuel load at this super-smooth track mean that running an extra-long first stint could be less productive than usual if the front-runners are sprinting away on light three-stop strategies.

Hamilton’s then-team-mate Fernando Alonso discovered just how hard it is to make up ground at Magny-Cours last year, when a qualifying gearbox problem left him mired in 10th on the grid and locked in to a short first stint three-stopper.

Despite putting on several stunning overtaking moves, Alonso could only reach seventh place that day.

If Lewis can’t get beyond the minor points in France (and that’s entirely possible unless McLaren comes up with a strategic brainwave or Hamilton produces the charge of the season) then he could head for his home grand prix facing a double figures deficit in the championship.

But the really tantalising question is: who will be heading the standings by Silverstone?

Kubica’s current situation isn’t dissimilar to Hamilton’s position a year ago.

No-one expected him to be leading the championship nearly halfway through the calendar, especially after BMW had appeared to struggle so badly in pre-season testing, and given that Kubica had been trounced by team-mate Nick Heidfeld for much of 2007.

So the Pole has nothing to lose: no-one will criticise him if he ultimately gets beaten to the title by a McLaren or Ferrari, for running them so close has already been a phenomenal achievement.

And if he hangs on and takes the championship, it will be a breathtaking upset that will mark Kubica as the benchmark talent of this ultra-competitive new generation.

With a four-point cushion over Felipe Massa and Hamilton, and a lead of seven over Kimi Raikkonen, Kubica has a fairly good chance of leaving France still atop the standings.

But winning the race will be a very tall order, for Ferrari is likely to be super-strong at Magny-Cours.

The Scuderia has an incredible record at the French track, winning five of the last seven races held there.

Last year was a breakthrough race for Raikkonen, who had been virtually invisible for several months prior to Magny-Cours, but pounced on Massa in the final pit stops to ****** the win that began his charge to the title.

The champion needs a similar result in France this time to end his recent slump.

Raikkonen could have turned things around in Canada – having passed Hamilton and Kubica in the pits moments before Lewis drove into him – but with that opportunity cruelly taken away, Magny-Cours has become even more important.

Don’t forget, though, that this time a year ago Raikkonen was 26 points adrift and still ended the year as champion.

By his standards, a seven point gap will be a doddle.

Outside the usual suspects, Renault has often managed to produce something special on home ground.

Its car is getting quicker, and Fernando Alonso is squeezing the maximum out of it – even if his preference for crashing out while challenging for unlikely podiums rather than settling for a realistic sixth or seventh could start to frustrate his points-hungry team.

After a string of thrilling races, Magny-Cours might be something of a let-down as a spectacle.

The track has hosted a handful of spine-tingling grands prix (the wet and wild 1999 race and David Coulthard’s wheel-banging joust with Michael Schumacher in 2000 being the prime examples), but more often than not this is a race dominated by one team and decided on strategy.

Last year was supposed to be Magny-Cours’ final appearance on the F1 schedule.

Bernie Ecclestone detests its remote location and flat atmosphere, and although the track layout isn’t bad and has some challenging sections, it is almost offensively average in most aspects.

The trouble is, France’s only other F1-standard circuit is the Paul Ricard test track, which now has no spectator facilities, and Ecclestone’s dream of a Paris street race remains a long way from becoming a reality.

So for at least one more season, it’s back to Magny-Cours for a race that might not thrill, but could be hugely significant to this year’s title battle.



Magny-Cours by numbers

Circuit length: 2.740miles

Type of circuit: Purpose-built permanent track

Number of laps: 70

Lap record: 1m15.377s (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)

Last year’s pole time: 1m15.034s (Felipe Massa, Ferrari)

Fastest corner: Grande Courbe (Turn one) – open left-hand bend, taken flat-in-sixth at 180mph


weather :

MAGNY COURS FORECAST

Friday Hi 24°C / 75°F
Partly Cloudy Lo 11°C / 51°F

Saturday Hi 26°C / 78°F
Showers Lo 13°C / 55°F

Sunday Hi 29°C / 85°F
Heavy T-storms Lo 17°C / 62°



Times: EST

Practice 1 Fri 04:00-05:30
Practice 2 Fri 08:00-09:30
Practice 3 Sat 05:00-06:00
Qualifying Sat 08:00-09:00
The Race Sun 08:00-10:00

Veloce Raptor

...

Russ Murphy

lol

ltc

Fernando Alonso will qualify light, with enough fuel on board to start on pole and complete one lap.
She will then finish well outside the top 5, declare the car was unworthy, the race strategy was wrong and then break down, crying on the shoulder of his new 'official fan', retreating to the sanctity of his 'Man Cave' to watch F1 highlight films, wishing she could someday carry herself like proper WDC of the past.

Kimi on the other hand will forget about the race as soon as he pulls into Parc Ferme, pour some Vodka into his drink for the post race press conference and generally enjoy life.

Hamilton will likely lose his front wing, embedding it into the rear of the safety car, and crash his rental car on the return trip to the airport, while failing to stop for 715 red lights en route. Stranded, he will await a ride from Sir A. Wayne.

Pretty much a typical F1 weekend

A.Wayne

On the bong with VR again

multi21

Wayne, in all seriousness, don't you think the likelihood of FA qualifying light to be on podium at the end of Saturday are high? I'm not trying to be a smartass, but want to see if you agree that what Renault did in Spain might happen again because this is Renault's home race and they will have a lot of team factory personnel at the track?

A.Wayne

Not necessarily so, they qualy well in Canada with a full fuel load , the car is getting better , better than when they ran in Spain for sure. Will renault try for pole , Yes , i do believe they will, will they be as light in respect to the others as they did in Spain? No ! FA's speed and the improvements made over the last 3 weeks will get them results without running a super light fuel load .

For whatever this is worth :


Renault fastest time on final day of this week's Barcelona test.


Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Piquet Renault (B) 1:20.076 112
2. De la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:20.402 82
3. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:20.680 63
4. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:21.037 92
5. Glock Toyota (B) 1:21.158 86
6. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) 1:21.295 88
7. Barrichello Honda (B) 1:21.672 83
8. Hulkenberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:21.674 60
9. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:21.880 72



Looking at the time and following the 2 days of testing , it would appear PQ was on a light fuel load the other's not so.

Factor the difference in speed between PQ and FA and the others and their regular drivers and you can make the leap that renault will not have to be as light as you have speculated . I do expect to see the Regie at the point this weekend at least the same starting point as Canada ....

Flying Finn

I wanted to vote for Alonso but since Wayne was the only one who did so (I assume it was you Wayne?), I didn't vote.

BTW, since Alonso is pretty much 99% out of Renault (only if they can get the car even better than it is now and Alonso wins there's a chance he stays) he will get a nice offer from Ross Brawn.

I think Honda would be a pretty good choice for Alonso althoug he probably don't think so (he only wants to step into a winner car) and since Brawn won't accept the kind of contract Alonso has now, where he's clear No. 1, that might be too much for Ms. A to accept.

A.Wayne

Agree !

Who the hell ALonso thinks he is wanting to step into a no 1 car , he has already won 2 WDC . Going to Honda and starting at the back with Brawn makes sense and gives Kimi, Bobby and Hammy space to win one. Schumachers no 1 contract gave him 7 WDC , what a burden winning all those WDC , ALonso should really think about this , would he really want all that responsibility ...........

A.Wayne

Rain could yet again be a factor as the formula one circus convenes for its next grand prix.

As the drivers and media congregate at the Magny Cours circuit on Thursday, a few scattered clouds will fill the sky, according to local reports.

Friday will also be cloudy but dry.

But on Saturday, there is up to a 60 per cent chance of rain for the afternoon, when qualifying for the French grand prix is scheduled to take place.


Sunday will be a warm 30 degrees (C), but there will also be a chance of thunderstorms, albeit slightly lower than on Saturday.

Ray S

Awww, why no public poll??

ltc

Because then there would be WAY more than 3, I mean 4 Amigos

Flying Finn

Wayne,

I was serious (about recomming Honda to Alonso).

Ferrari doesn't want him, and it seems that BMW doesn't want him either (I don't know this but it seems so).
So he's left with either Renault or Honda (I guess you could throw in Willimas or maybe Red Bull in there also).

So between Renault & Honda IMO Honda is the better choice. Renault is better at the moment (No. 3-4 car on the grid, Honda is wherever) but Renault is reducing their staff and lowering their budget where as Honda just hired Brawn, will spend pretty much "as much as necessary" and I wouldn't be too surprice if Newey or Byrne soon is on their payroll.

If Alonso can take a season of two of not being able to win WDC (I know, that's something that I doubt the most as he certainly isn't your typical team player who doesn't complain etc.), he could become a hero same way Schumi did, Schumi left Benetton when they were on top and went to a team that wasn't on top. OK, it was Ferrari where every F1 driver wants to drive at least once in their career but still.

A.Wayne

Yeah Ferrari wants Kimi , LOL, what 4th in WDC standings while driving the best car on the track , looks like he will need another numbnut failure by hammy ( very possible ) Massa driving to prop him up and RK backing off to give him another wonderful WDC , same as 07 .... KIMI would make a good no 2 for FA at Ferrari ....

Face it, as was proven at Mclaren , Raikkonen is not one for winning WDC , like Rosberg it has to be handed to him . Kimi has driven top machinery all of his career and inherited 1 wdc , on hammy's failure , so yes Finn we will see how much they want him at years end and watch this french GP, Massa will have a Barrichello flight plan , to give Kimi the victory , if there is a Ferrari to win and let me guess , Ahhhhmm i would say you picked Kimi to win the race , just a Hunch.
Kimi will need a lot of help to win this WDC, funny racing 2 rookies and a handicap teammate .

Ray S

Hmm. it sure seems like they want him. They paid a huge amount of $$ for him and fired (according to you) their 7 time WDC to get him.

After they got him, he went on to win a WDC for them.

However, it was probably all a feint so no one would suspect their true desire........Sato.