German Car Forum

I know that he's obviously not a crap driver. What I was commenting on was 460SEL post about Nelson's technical knowledge and skills. It's is easier to learn all about that if you've been born into racing and have a former racing champion for a father.

Come on! You are so biased about Hamilton, as biased as I am about Ferrari! What F1 career has been handed to them? Neither of them are even in F1! The guy that has had an F1 career handed to him is Hamilton. Similarly, I can imagine the privileges one gets with a contract from a top team since the age of 14.

The key part being until you're 14! After he turned 14 he has been in the Mclaren family, with millions spent on him. I don't see how you don't think of him as a Mclaren Product. He is! Are you saying that having a go-kart at birth makes you more prepared for F1 than having a ticket from one of the biggest teams since you were a teenager? I think it's the other way around!

I don't think you can learn technical ability. Just because you are "born" into racing doesn't mean you have it. Sons of WDCs haven't become instantly great because of their daddy's genes. By the way, Nelson Piquet Sr. was not even much of technical car developer.

The Piquet name is not even that popular in F1. He was once considered a Kimi-esque champion because he wasn't into the publicity game and wasn't exactly a sponsors' dream. He just drove the car and didn't participate in the outside BS, aside from insulting his teammate's wife.

You are also biased about Hamilton and have been against him since start so I guess we are at opposite ends in this dicussion. No problem with it though.

I know they aren't in F1 yet but their are on their way. Ever since they were born they have had access to the best engineers, coaches and could easily have people pull strings for them. Not to mention enjoying the money in their fathers bank account to get the best training possible.

Despite that I feel no hatred for Nelson or Bruno. If they are genuine drivers with petrol in their blood like Shumi and others they are destined to succeed in F1. After all Bruno isn't exactly a super star in the making despite his surname.

At the end of the day the natural talendet ones prevail while the "good" drivers don't. Time catches up with everyone, especially when you're put to the final test, F1.

loool true dat

The season that changed F1

Intrigue, espionage, topsy-turvy to the end... Andy Franklin is in love with F1 again

The 2007 F1 season shows no sign of dying down - even a couple of weeks after Lewis Hamilton spectacularly failed to win his debut championship. Yesterday Renault were accused of spying on McLaren, in the latest domino-effect of Spygate. But in a season of ups and downs, shocks and jolts, I hardly batted an eyelid when I heard the news.

It's certainly been a vintage year for F1 - even after all the spying scandal and in-fighting at Mclaren. I for one was glad to see the back of Michael Schumacher. As much as I admire his talent, the sport had become boring during his reign.

F1 is about competition pure and simple. Plus top-drawer racing, glamour and danger - and 2007 had it all in spades. Just like the old days. When was the last time you saw a season where at the last race the man in P3 came through and stole the crown? Brilliant! And although I'm not condoning cheating, F1 is about the pinnacle of technology and seeing what your competitor is up to is all part of the game.

Will 2008 be as good? It's a shame Alonso has left Mclaren; I for one was hoping he would stay and see another year of beautiful competition. Can Lewis build on his incredible debut season? Where will Alonso end up? And will that huge fine dent Ron Dennis's ambition? Let's hope 2008 serves up surprises galore. Fingers crossed, we'll see even more drivers fighting for the top spot.

Posted: 3.05pm, 9 November 2007
Words: Andy Franklin
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/post.php?sid=1246

Force India name test drivers

Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi and Austrian Christian Klein will press their claims for a return to the Formula One starting grid when they test for Force India in
Spain next week.
The Indian-owned team, formerly Spyker, said that the two racers would join German driver Adrian Sutil at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on November 14 and 15.
Dutch test driver Giedo van der Garde and young Spaniard Roldan Rodriguez will open the test for the Ferrari-powered team on November 13.
Liuzzi raced for Red Bull in 2005 before switching to sister team Toro Roso for the past two seasons. The Italian has been replaced by France's quadruple ChampCar champion Sebastian Bourdais for 2008.
The 26-year-old Italian, who won the 2004 F3000 championship, had hoped to find a home at Williams but that door was closed when they confirmed Japanese rookie Kazuki Nakajima this week.
Klien, 24, competed for Jaguar in 2004 and Red Bull for the following two seasons.
The Austrian has been Honda's test and reserve driver this season but he said in a separate statement that he had reached an agreement with the Japanese team to be allowed to look elsewhere for a race seat.
"Naturally I am concentrating on racing, that comes first," he said.
"Considering the way in which younger drivers have performed in this year's Formula One world championship, including those whom I have raced against and beaten in lower formulae, I am very happy with the interest being shown in me."
Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, who took control of the struggling Spyker team in October with Dutch entrepreneur Michiel Mol, told Reuters last month that he wanted to retain Germany's Sutil.
He added however that the Silverstone-based team, who scored just one point this year and finished 10th overall, also needed experience.
"We need a driver of some calibre to also improve the performance of the team, we can't have rookies only," he said.
"For better performance, I need a proven driver." Mallya said Spyker had signed a contract with 22-year-old Rodriguez, who competed in the GP2 support series this year, before the sale of the team but the Spaniard had yet to obtain the mandatory super licence.
"He is coming up with significant sponsor money but he must get a super licence first," he added.
While Force India will be assessing European drivers, India's Karun Chandhok will also be in Barcelona to test with Red Bull Racing.
Reuters

Ralf: I want McLaren drive

Former Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher has dropped heavy hints that he would leap at the chance to fill the McLaren seat vacated by Fernando Alonso, calling it the most desirable in Formula One.
"It's no secret that the seat at McLaren-Mercedes is by far the most coveted there is," Schumacher told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "Every driver out there in the market would love to sit in their super car."
The 32-year-old Schumacher said, however, there had been no contact with McLaren "so far", adding that he felt he was good enough to challenge and even beat McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.
He won six grands prix at Williams before moving to Toyota, where he was a disappointment. He was replaced for next season by compatriot Timo Glock.
Schumacher, the younger brother of retired seven-times world champion Michael, has yet to find a drive for 2008.
Reuters

OH GOD NO!!!

It is time to retire.