Don't worry Raj.
Alonso WILL win his WDC this weekend in Brazil. You can start celebrating now. Vettel will have a DNF and Alonso will win his WDC in the same manner as he did at Suzuka when Schumacher's engine let go.

BTW, care to explain exactly why Massa (who doesn't even deserve to be Alonso's teammate, let alone in a Ferrari) was quicker than his teammate (the best driver in F1)?
Clearly Ferrari would NOT give him any "special parts", of which there are only one, in order to make him faster, so exactly what is going on here?
Clearly it can't be based on talent.

I am sure that you are the correct person to answer this question.

 

Correct. Horner is smart. Countering the Ferrari move with his own would have been stupid. His #1 driver qualified on pole. His #2 qualified 3rd, also on the clean side of the track. You can't get any more ideal than that. Bump Webber back to 8th on the dirty side just to cover Alonso 3 rows back? Please...

Do you think Horner declined because it was the noble thing to do?

 

Was there a nascar race this weekend?

 

So you are telling me on any given day, Massa can't be faster than Alonso? You would be fooling yourself if you think ANY driver is 100% dominant over their teammate. Same goes for Vettel and Hamilton. All these guys are superior to their teammates but under some circumstances, their teammates have outqualified and outraced them. Plain and simple.
I am surprised I need to explain this to anyone. No one has 100% record against their teammate, no one.

 

Massa was faster yesterday. I was there and saw it in person. I also watched it when I got home and he was simply driving faster than Alonso yesterday.
I sat in turn 12 and Massa was turning tighter than Alonso in turns 12,13,14 and 15. Maybe it made all the difference.

 

Haha. Well played.

 

Webber only had to finish in front of Fred, and clearly had a faster car. It didn't matter if he was three rows up or next to him, odds were with Webber to beat Alonso.

It would have been a gamble no doubt to "gearbox" Webber, tactically a draw in my opinion, but Webber could have held Alonso up for lap after lap around position 7 instead of up front in P4, at the very least trashing his tires. I'm sure it was pondered before the race and if it paid off we'd be talking about 2012 WDC Vettel this morning.

My comment was also aimed at the poster who just last week bemoaned RB as unscrupulous cheats, completely unproven, yet can't see the irony of the world-class rule bending Ferrari did yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I like a good high brow brawl, it's the fanboi-ism that is annoying.

 

How can a 2X WDC, fighting for his 3rd WDC, the clear #1 for Ferrari, the best driver in F1 today, the best driver in terms of car development, in need of every single point, POSSIBLY be out qualified (by a significant margin) by an inferior (go back and read what "some" Ferrari supporters said about Massa this season) teammate?

Even a few races ago, Massa was told he was too close to Alonso and to drop back a couple of seconds and hold there. How can Massa also be faster in the race?

At this point in the season, there is no excuse for this occurring.

It would be interesting (and probable given the weather forcast) to see this last race decide the 2010 WDC in the same way it did between Massa and Hamilton a few years ago.

If any driver would like a "free Ferrari a year for the rest of your life" please contact Luca....he will explain what to do.
(Sorry Timo, you are already excluded from this offer)

 

I still consider Massa the '08 WDC, Hammy lucked into that thanks to Timo. I'm very happy to see Massa delivering the goods after his accident shook him so badly.

But Hammy didn't luck into this win, he drove his butt off and clearly deserved it, even though some credit Hamilton's win to Karthikeyan ;-)

regarding podium hats :
http://sniffpetrol.com/2012/11/19/more-hats-for-f1/

 

Massa's Old Diffuser Better Than Alonso's New In Austin:

As was rumored before F1 arrived in Austin last week, the latest developments for Fernando Alonso's title-contending Ferrari did not work. New pieces, including a new diffuser, were tried in a straight line at the Idiada facility in Spain, prior to the US Grand Prix. It was rumored immediately afterward that the real-world data did not match up with what was produced in the wind tunnel. Still, the new diffuser was fitted to Spaniard Alonso's F2012 in Austin, before he was roundly out-performed by teammate Felipe Massa all weekend. "Yes, indeed, Felipe Massa had the old diffuser and it worked better," former Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari told the Spanish sports daily AS. And Brazilian Massa confirmed to Marca newspaper: "Everything was the same except the diffuser. I had it available, but I decided I'd be better with the old one. That was the only difference." Alonso said, "it's not always the case that the latest part is the best choice."

 

The 2012 season was a perfect example of the potential to win a F1 race. Remember, the first seven races of the season were won by seven different drivers including but not limited to Maldonado, Rosburg, etc etc This was one of the best and most competitive seasons this century

 

OK, so let me see if I have this right....

Ferrari (yet again) produces a better part that isn't better. Queue the "blame the wind tunnel script yet again".

However, even in light of this correlation difference, the new piece is fitted to the car of the 2X WDC / 2012 WDC contender / Best driver in F1 / Best development driver in F1...and Alonso keeps it on the car? Why?

Clearly Massa made the right decision and he is clearly the #2.
So, did the team just figure "what does he know?" and ignore the straight line test data and kept an inferior part on Alonso's car?

In the end, it will be but a tempest in a teapot. The script has been written.
Wet weather at the final race negates any RBR advantage, Alonso is considered one of the best wet weather drivers, one of the backmarkers will play the role of Timo Glock, Alonso wins his 3rd WDC.

 

This discussion came up while viewing the race last Sunday. The consensus was that Massa has been driving extremely well since the new parts have been introduced. Speculation was that his driving style seemed to be better matched with the updates OR that since he got his contract extension, the pressure has been lifted off his back and he is able to drive better. Massa has never been one to perform well under pressure and if Ferrari were to have dropped him for 2013, I don't think anyone else on the grid would have picked him up writing him off to not being able to get over the head injury.

It's nice to see Massa driving so well. I believe he knows his roll and it must suck, but perhaps being asked to back off Alonso a few races back and then being told to move back on the grid to only come up behind Alonso again from 11th position must be a huge ego boost for him.

 

Good call but I would say Jenson's pass on Kimi just edged that one. Total wheel to wheel and fantastic skill from both of them. The in car footage of it was superb.

 

Nice F1 track! hopefuly wil be home to USGP for many years to come!
Hammy had a one of those sensational drive of the season to not only catch vettel but beat him. WOW!
Where can I get that black cowboy hat?