Hey Formula One Fans! My rambling thoughts on 2003

[Coventina]

I finally had the chance to watch the tape of the Japan GP last night.

So, Michael Schumacher won his 6th world championship. No question the guy is a great driver. Ferrari is just so easy to hate, like the Damn Yankees! :evilgrin:
Yeah, he deserved to win. But I got my wish in that he didn't look good doing it. Kimi was on the podium, and he wasn't! My heart did soften though, during his press conference, because I thought it was pretty obvious he was thinking about his mother, and that is why he was so very anxious not to talk about himself. My mother died at almost the same time his did, so I am painfully aware that he is still working his way through that grief.

I'm not a big Kimi fan, either, after he tried to steal the Brazil race from the Jordan team!! :mad:

But, on the cool side of things, my man Button led two races this season, and ALMOST made the podium in Japan. Unlike Villenueve who was a big crybaby and didn't even race in Japan! I won't miss him next season! Enjoy your retirement you big jerk!! Sato did better in the one race as his replacement, and that was with M. Schumacher running into his back end at one point!
I predict good things for Button next year, but he needs to CUT HIS HAIR! He looks like the bastard son of Randy Johnson.

My beloved Minardi team didn't score any points this year. :evilfrown: But I still love them to death. They're out there every race, giving their all. They know they are going to start last, and finish last, but they keep on keeping on. I love you guys! :toast:

I'm disappointed with the elimination of Friday Provisional Qualifying for next year. I loved the way qualifying was done this year. I know I'm in the minority here, but I LOVE the new points system (David Hobbs,eat my shorts!:P) and single car qualifying. What is so interesting about following a sport when the final conclusion is in the bag halfway through the season?

And what is the deal with Bernie? He looks like an extra-scary Andy Warhol. The guy probably poops money, can't he possibly get someone to do a makeover for him?

Well, that is a decidedly "chick" view, so all you guys feel free to disagree vehemently with me. (Actually, this post will probably sink like a rock, never to be seen again!) ;-)

[Zero Gravitas]

1. F1 Season

How did Kimi try to steal the brazillian GP? There was ascoring error that gave the race to McLaren and when it was discovered McL did not challenge the result and graciously gave up the trophy (and the points) to Jordan.

As a long time Ferrari fan I am loving their current dominance! After all those years of seeing the Red Cars be mid-packers geting lapped and only coming close in 1990 with Prost, its great to see the deadication and hard work put in since 1995 pay off the last few seasons.

Poor old Button, he can't quite make it onto the podium. He was even leading the USGP (which was mucho fun to attend BTW) when his Honda engine dun blu up.

Whats the deal with Honda? they dominated in the turbo era, dominated in the 3.5 litre atmo era but now all they get for all those millions of dollars is the loudest and least reliable engine in F1!

I don't like the new points system. F1 is about winning and the new points system makes it to easy for someone to win the World Championship without having won the most races (which would be like awarding the Presidency to the guy who got the 2nd highest total number of votes, and we all know what a disaster that could turn out to be). Remember Hobbs is always right except when Matchett tells him he's wrong ;)

[Coventina]

3. First of all....

Thanks for the response!!
You made my heart smile! :)

I can't help being upset about the Brazil fiasco. I'm a hopeless underdog supporter, and I'm sad that Giancarlo didn't get the podium ceremony that he should have. I remain skeptical that it was an honest mistake. ;)

And as for the points scoring system, well, Hobbs has a driver bias and I have a spectator bias. So there probably isn't any way of bridging that unless I were to become a driver. And THAT ain't gonna happen! Don't get me wrong, I love his colorful commentary and insight. He's fun to listen to, especially when he lapses into his native tongue :D

And, in spite of my anti-Ferrari basis, I still raised my glass of Champagne to Michael at the end. I like to think I'm a good sport, in spite of my, er, unreasonable biases.

Cheers! :toast:

[IndianaGreen]

2. My Gawd, another rare Formula One soul mate!

Schumi is the greatest F1 driver ever, and he didn't need no stupid team orders to win any of his six championships. Ferrari showed a lack of confidence in their own driver's ability to win on his own when they pulled that little stunt last year.

I wish Barrichelo would just stop saying that "to help Michael" bit. Rubens, Michael doesn't need and has never needed your help on anything. Stop being such a wuzz!

I wish Montoya had not blown it in Indy, it would have made Suzuka far more interesting than it was.

I think that Michelin clearly beat Bridgestone, except on damp days.

I also think that Renault would have more horsepower next year. They already have a very good chassis.

I am truly unhappy that F1 won't be racing in Montreal in 2005 because of the ban on tobacco advertising. I always thought that Montreal had a very exciting track, second only to Monza.

Most interesting drivers this season were Fernando Alonzo and Kimi Räikkönen. Kimi is clearly the better driver, despite an occasional dumb mistake. I think that Kimi still has the chance of becoming the youngest F1 world champion next year.

As to who is the best looking of the bunch, I think that Michael's brother Ralf is better looking:

[Coventina]

4. Right on!

I too was sad that Montoya was mathmatically eliminated in Indy.
Having three drivers in the running was really exciting.

What do you think of all that tire controversy?
Do you think Michelin were cheating, as Ferrari/Bridgestone is claiming?

Renault will definitely be the team to watch next year, for sure.
I hope Trulli will have better luck next year. This year, it sucked to be him.

Yeah, not coming to Canada next year is a major bummer. I think F1 should just suck it up and come anyway. I think they have more to lose than to gain by being stubborn.

BTW, Michael is BY FAR the best looking driver, IMHO, even though I sometimes don't like him. ;)

[zls44]

5. He's the best

The best driver on the face of the planet is Michael Schumacher. PERIOD.

I'd love to tell the Freepers that...NO! ES DALE JUHNEOR! BY GAWD, HE TURNS LEFT WIT THE BEST OF EM!:-);-)

[Frederic Bastiat]

6. I just heard that the 2004 Montreal Grand Prix has been reinstated

Crossing my fingers.