333pg333

Apologies for asking the obvious but why is it that the quickest lap gives Barry 3rd and the 2nd quickest gives Webb 5th? If your time in the 2nd qualies is faster then so be it...?

skl

I've always like Jenson and am happy to see him doing so well this year. It's also fun to see guys show some emotion and savor what they are doing. You can't have a better front row than Vettel and Button IMHO- Vettel is Schumie with a personality and if he stays healthy and picks the right team(s) could maybe be as successful as that other German...
Can't wait for tomorrow AM...

multi21

Simply brilliant. IF you wait another 4 minutes, Wayne will announce when Alonso will be going to Ferrari...... again.

multi21

Finn, I must agree that management at Ferrari are doing a bad job if they let Kimi call his own shots. This is what happens when you let a driver with limited technical knowledge decide when and what tires he will go out on. Let's face it, he's not Schumacher and the further he gets away from the car Schumacher built, the slower he gets.

I hate to say it, but Kimi is done. Sorry but, hanging the "he had a good race the last race" doesn't cut it. He's been subpar for 1 1/4 seasons now and is going through the motions to pick up his $28m per year.

After the 2nd race of this season, Kimi said that the championship was out of reach and basically had given up. That's got to build morale at the Ferrari factory.

Ferrari has made the biggest improvement since the last race and Massa has made the most of it. Given his fuel load, he's got a great chance to make it to 2nd. Like the Finn said, it's hard to pass on this track and getting to the top spot is hard.

And what happend with Heikki? Was he out drinking with Kimi last night?

multi21

Toyota hints at exit from F1
09 May 2009


The Toyota team is close to pulling out of Formula 1, it has warned, after seeing the two other Japanese teams - Super Aguri and Honda - leave the sport last year. The team is not happy with the FIA's new proposed regulations for a budget cap and 'two tier' system to be introduced next season, forecasting little future in the sport for next season.

"Under the rules as they are published, we cannot submit an entry," team president John Howett told Autosport. "There are concerns about the governance process within the sport, that there are clearly prescribed areas of discussion within the sporting and technical rules and we don't feel they are being complied with.

"From Toyota's perspective there are a number of concerns that really need clarifications before we commit to the future; we want to be here, we believe we have been a good corporate citizen within the F1 environment, but now we must reflect long and hard on what we do in the future."

As a result of Howett's comments, the chances of seeing the team remain in the sport for 2010 appear slim unless regulations are modified by governing body the FIA. "I would say it is very likely we won't enter unless something changes significantly," he confirmed.

A.Wayne

Q1 and Q2 is elimination for TV entertainment . Q3 are for the drivers that survive Q1&2 and these are the only time's that count for the top 10 grid positions .

Also in an attempt to confuse many each Q session have different tires and fuel loads with Q3 fuel load being relevant in that you have to start the race with what you qualified with for fuel load , no refueling is allowed after Qualy ...

A.Wayne

Wouldn't fess up before , Huh ! ..................................

A.Wayne

Dropping faster than Ray, Ray , making a bet with a 25 point lead .....


Wanna bet for the race ray , ray ....
I noticed you didn't vote in your own Poll , imitation really is ..............

A.Wayne

By Jonathan Noble Saturday, May 9th 2009, 17:43 GMT

It's been a troubled started to the 2009 season for Felipe Massa, with the Brazilian having failed to score a point in the first four races of the season. However, there was a smile back on the face of the Brazilian in Spain on Saturday when he put his improved F60 on the second row of the grid for Sunday's race.

Clearly delighted with the improvements made to the F60, which includes the introduction of a double-decker diffuser, AUTOSPORT heard from Massa as he spoke to the press about the progress made.

Q. Jenson Button said in the FIA press conference that there could be 'mayhem' at the first corner tomorrow, given the speed of your cars with KERS. How do you see that run down to the first corner unfolding? Could it be a bit awkward?

Felipe Massa: Well, overtaking three cars like this is not so easy. I am very happy to have the KERS for the start tomorrow, in a reasonably good position. I am on the dirty side as well, so it won't be easy. Let's see what is going to happen at the start. Let's see how good our car can start, compared to the others. And the most important thing also is to think about the race. I think we can have a reasonable good pace in the race, and that for sure is a good boost and a good motivation for the race tomorrow.

Q. Has the improvement in the speed of the car this weekend given you a transformed feeling about the season ahead? Perhaps a feeling of fighting for podiums, wins and even the championship?

FM: I think now at least we have the same car, the same regulation, as the guys in front. Although not everybody, because of Red Bull, but it includes Brawn and some other teams that had this since the first race - whereas we didn't.

I have to say my car is a completely different car to drive compared to what I had in the first four races. The car is much more stable, it is a huge improvement in the high speed, a huge improvement with braking stability, so now I can drive much more the way I like – more aggressive and for sure we made a lot of lap time like that. I think that is a big improvement to show that we can improve even more.

But in the season, I think we still have some development going on. I think that we are now in the right direction. It may be too late, but we will not lose our motivation to fight for the podium or for victories. And I am ready for that.

Q. What do you believe the picture is now? How much did Ferrari improve with the car, and how much is still missing to the Brawns and the Red Bulls?

FM: I think you need to look maybe to Q1 and Q2 – which was everybody on low fuel. But also you cannot forget that in the race, which is the most important thing. Some cars have more degradation and some cars not. So I think we maybe miss a couple of tenths on this track, but on race pace they may also be quite strong.

So maybe we are still missing a couple of tenths which makes a lot in the race – a little bit in qualifying but a lot in the race. But looking at the development we had here, looking at the improvement we made here, a couple of tenths is quite possible for the next development. The others are not sleeping, they are working very hard, and we need to take that into consideration.

Q. While qualifying was good for you, it was quite disappointing for Kimi. Do you feel sympathy for him, as it was quite a costly error?

FM: Yes. I think this is quite difficult. It is quite bad for us, because I had the same in Malaysia. So, he didn't have a good lap in Q1 and he was supposed to go back out with another set of tyres, but I don't know what happened as I just arrived and came straight here, so I did not speak to the people. For sure it is not very good to have one car there and the other one not.

Q. How much of a better feeling do you have driving this car compared to the old one?

FM: I don't know if I will have a car to win the race, but I will at least have a car with which I can fight – and that gives a lot of motivation. With the motivation, you have the power to know you are not there just to race, you are there to fight. That is very good for the head of a driver, it is good for myself. I'm not there just to race now, I am there to fight for the victory. It is always good to come here and be more competitive.

Q. The team made the same mistake today with Kimi that it did in Malaysia with you. Does it worry you that the team does the same mistake again?

FM: Yes, you worry for sure. We need to work and try not to make this mistake. It is not a good thing for us, and we need to not repeat that kind of mistake. What do you want me to say? I am worried as I said...

pole position

What is happening now at Ferrari was expected and voiced when Schumacher, Brawn and Todt left.........the suits were coming back and start the typical F car BS drama/soap what we all witnessed in the 80'/90's , yeah, they are back and it took them only a couple of seasons to put the team into total disfunction.

As far as KR is concerned, I was never a big fan of his because being in a top ride for 99% of his F1 career he has shown mostly jack and his only achievement is winning one WDC by default . However, a WDC is a WDC. To his luck he was never paired with a strong WDC contender ( I consider Massa a notch below that level), otherwise the Finn would have disappeared a long time ago. While obviously talented to drive a great car fast he has the ability of a housemouse when it comes to motivation,teambuilding and car setup/tech development. Him and Montoya were deadly, lol, in that aspect of the game.

eshane

Nice lap one, huh?

993-CT

Ferrari team mgmt have lost the plot - short fueling Massa after the qualifying fiasco with Kimi!!! Unbelievable

ew928

Ferrari team management must be betting AGAINST the team in Vegas.

Was expecting Massa to be pushing the car down the straight to the finish line.

DanR

webbers re pass on Alonzo was fantastic!!! Agree that Ferarri must have lost the plot.

mdrums

that was great huh...made my day!