9.5 Degrees

I think Rosberg and Button at McLaren would be a great combo team. Like Alonso, Rosberg is doing the best he can with a 4th rate car. He keeps it very professional especially with his much more visible teammate and does a workman like job week in and week out.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to see Hamilton at RBR in 2013. They like a guy that is more out there in terms of image. Of course at that point, Vettel may already have 3 Championships in a row.

333pg333

My info was that he could only use KERS every 2-3 laps as it wasn't regenerating properly. This then negated the ability of the DRS to work when the guy in front had 80hp more than him. Also he was battling some slow speed understeer in qualifying. Not sure how much of that he carried into the race.

Either way, I find the fact that Vettel just seems to be able to clear away from the pack in such a short time is amazing. Of course it would always be interesting to see what happened if drivers 1 & 2 swapped cars in any of the teams, but this will never happen so it's just internet dribble.

Larry Herman

Why do you see that as a possibility? Image? The best image RBR can get is multiple WDCs, and having Hamilton on the team does not enhance that. The last thing that they need is someone taking points away from Vettel, and if he's not clearly and consistently faster than Vettel, why would they want him anyway? Better to develop a young driver as a potential successor to Vettel, though Vettel clearly has a long career in front of him.

Hamilton has it the best at MacLaren and he is too immature to realize it. He has #1 status, has a teammate that he gets along with, and is on one of the 3 best teams. The only place to go from here is down, and that is an ego trip that a number of previous WDCs have taken, to their chagrin.

Flying Finn

+1 When he was negotiating with Hakkinen to be his manager, he should've don it immediately. With Hakkinen as his manager, I have no doubt there would be a lot less of this immature nonsense you now get from him.

M758

Button has impressed me this year. Not with outright speed or flair, but consistency and smart racing. LH has more speed and might be better gamble to win a race, but Button is more composed and more consistant.

Button once his F1 days are over has the makings of a great Endurance driver. Good on tires, good decisions and consistant. I think McLaren are looking quite smart in picking him up.

M758

Sounded like MS admitted he screwed up. The Sauber lifted too early and it caught him off guard. He was asked if he was going to talk to the steward about it and said no. It it was a racing deal. From my standpoint that is what it was too. MS tucked in close ready to pass. So close that he misjudged when the Sauber would back off. That left him no where to go. MS made the choice to run that close and he knew the lead car would back off somewhere. Just a few feet off. I have been on track racing and had guys brake sooner than I antcipate. Most of the time I try to leave room just in case, but racing at level of F1 at times you need to take risks. This is one that did not pan out for MS.

No need to penalize MS however since his penalty was a wrecked car.

M758

Yes, but the fact that he had to make all those passes was a sign of trouble. You can be fast pass everyone 5 times, but if you spin or damage the car need to pit 5 times it does you no good. It shows a driver with talent and skill and a lack of judgetment.

BTW.. The Red Bulls have pace both in race any qualifying. They often do not set race fast lap because race fast laps are set near the end of the race on light fuel. By then Vettel is usally so far in front there is no need to run 100%. 95% will do just fine.

TexasRider

You dont have to set the fastest laps when you are as far ahead as Vettel is. Let the other guy have to set 30 of them in a row to catch you. That is until the safety car came out. Aint that right Joe.

I think MS handled it right. But WHEW he was close and was choosing that right inside line there. If he had waited a corner or two I believe he could have passed easier. But hey he is the 7 time WDC, not me.

Ritter v4.0

Don't sell yourself short- the lack of a WDC'ship never stopped anyone else here from offering an opinion.

993-CT

Was watching the BBC feed when Webber complained about it, and Coulthard/Brundle immediately commented that the DRS was indeed working (could see the slot gap open on TV) but that it was probably not giving enough aero advantage.
Apart from the obvious British bias, the BBC guys make the Speed trio look like rank amateurs.

Unfortunately, Hobbs and Matchett are too far removed from modern F1 and really don't have the insight or access one would expect for average TV sports coverage...

paradisenb

Where are A Whine and Raj? Forget about Luis de Prat.

Come on guys, wipe your eyes and spread your infinite wisdom and complete F1 and FA knowledge with us. We are chomping at the bit to offer encouragement in these dark and difficult times.

Come back, Raj. Pete has not been offered Moderator statis.

ltc

My993C2

+1

M758

Yes, Last race I was in my top competitor (The guy I beat the day before on a last lap pass) beat me by setting track record on his first proper lap after the green. Then re-set track record on the next lap. That gave him a 2 car length gap. I maintained the gap from that point until I got held up in traffic and lost another second, but the damage was done at the start as I merely matched his pace from that point on. Very Vettel like. Come out crush the competition out of the box and then force them to play catch up. Of course in F1 on full tanks you may run much faster than your competitors for first 2-3 laps, but will not set a track record them. Still you can win a race that way as Vettel has shown.

multi21

Easy Joe. Don't try to compare your real racing in a 944 to F1.... We've seen Wayne shoot me down for the exact same thing on multiple occasions nevermind he's still on a bus pass and never raced at all......