Alright, it's the Independence Day weekend and it's time to go racing again...Friday practice and de la Rosa and Montoya in the McLarens on top while Raikkonen loses an engine.

...and Tiago Monteiro is still on a high after his magnificent hard-fought podium at Indy!



...or could it be a lack of "grip" with the Bridgestones...story developing.

 

ha haaa - thanks for the update! My work seems to be anti-F1 and blocks all sites related, so I can't follow too well.

 

i saw that this morning! ha! i love slo-mo!

 

Apparently assured that the problems that plagued the Michelin shod teams at Indianapolis last month are finally behind, Bridgestone tire user and Ferrari top gun Michael Schumacher, in a good will gesture to fans across the world, will be running Michelin tires this weekend at the Grand Prix of France. Here is a spy photo of Schumacher in testing......

 

What was the news (that I missed) about Red Bull being banned in France? They cannot run sponsor ads for Red Bull? So what is the team called during the French GP???

 

Sounds like a misguided rumor to me; check out this photo from yesterday's practice in France.

 

that's nice

 

Well their off...

The French GP is rolling. Seems they don't have any tyre problems this week.

 

Who would have thought Schumacher would quit before Barrichello? And I’m not talking about this race. He’s driving like a quitter and he’s given this season nothing more than an after thought.

After getting a call this morning, Ferrari is looking for its next drivers right now and I’ve turned them down. I have too many things to do around the house at this time. Any of you get a call?

 

...I took the phone off the hook...

Alonzooooo!!!

 

The side walls of those tyres are looinkg a little soft.

 

If you don't have the "equipment", it's difficult to use it.

The press conference after the race was interesting. Kimi protesting about finishing in second place and Schumy looking pained and embarrassed at accepting third.

I would have rather heard from Former World Champion Alan Prost one of my old favorites who presented the first place trophy.

The race before F1 was interesting. Nice to see some familiar names---Lauda, Piquet, Rossburg, even though the real star didn't have a famous father...Anyone else get up early enough?

 

It's not that Red Bull can't advertise; they are banned from selling Red Bull in France. Apparently they like their citizens to be perpetually drunk on the wine, not awake with the Red Bull.

France has banned cigarette advertising, hence the lack of Marlboro livery on the Ferrari's, the funky looking phoenix motif on the Renault's (in place of the Mild Seven livery), and I never got a good look at the BARs, but they wouldn't have been Lucky Strike adorned.

 

The GP2 sprint race was pretty interesting. Good'ol Tivo caught that one for me. I love watching these stepping-stone type series (like the Star Mazda series). No traction control or any other high-tech saviors led to lots of cool spinouts and guys flying off track. hhehehe...

Did they broadcast the Saturday race? I didn't realize the Saturday and Sunday races took different formats (Sunday was a no-pitting sprint).

 

i didn't get up for it but i tivo'd it. watched it after the f1 race. i love'd david hobb's comment about the drivers being so young that other parts of their bodies being bigger than their brains. hence the wheel bashing, etc...

 

That was so funny...I love Hobbs!!!!

Nice to have the feeder series on...I used to love it when they had the F3000 races on after Quali.

 

Am away from Speed--anybody watch qualifying?

 

Yes, Diane ...

Alonso takes pole again :smile:
Raikkonen second, but AGAIN had an engine failure in practise so will be dropped back to 12th.
Jenson Button 3rd - promoted to second by Raikkonen.

Michael well down in 10th, below his brother and well below Rubens.

Nothing exciting happened; weather behaved - looking like a possible repeat of last week with Alonso & Raikkonen.

Where are you?

 

It is a "Cracking" beautiful day over here I am just 45 minutes south of the Silverstone and the race should be a fabulous event. "Gentleman Start Your Engines" ooooppppsss wrong event

 

No, they say that at F1 too.



Anyway... here is refund info link for the USGP.

http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3316/740.html

 

not that it matters but, hey, maybe kimi will actually finish this week without an engine failure? with all the changes coming up, i think he should stay with mclaren. your thoughts?

 

Greetings fellow F1 fans. Though I've been visiting NAM this past month, I never took the time to scan the racing forums before......then again, I am not the smartest guy in the world.........

Quick introduction....... went to Mosport Park for the 1972 Canadian GP ( JYS won) and was hooked. Been a lot of fun going to the North American GP's since then ( the Glen, Mosport Park, Montreal, Detroit, and Indy) and have had the good fortune of seeing wins by Gilles, Ronnie, JYS, Lole, Niki, Senna, Laffite, Jones, Hunt, Piquet, Mika, & Schu. The past year I expanded my horizon (nice to be retired)....... went to Spa last August ( just simply awesome) and to Imola (loved it.....beautiful grounds and Italian passion !) this April. I am a member of the Minardi Club of San Francisco..... and the trip to Imola was highlighted by a tour of the Minardi factory in Faenza and with a dinner with Mr. Minardi, Massimo Riviola, other team members, and the drivers present and from the past (including Pier Luigi Martini).

JPM was let down by McLaren unreliability........he would have walked it. Great drives by Kimi and by Michael....now it is up to Bridgestone to develope tires that are competitive for an entire race. As for the Minardi boys ( both current and former)..... Jarno picked up a 4th, Weber followed his teammate an scored a couple of points, while Renault (Minardi's #2 team....) had a miserable day. Still, unless there is a total meltdown, Fred will win the WDC. As for the team..... a bad day.....still having lots of problems with their gearbox..................

Should Kimi stay with McLaren? Though I'm not a fan of Uncle Ron, I think Kimi would be foolish to leave the team. Now that Paragon is finished, McLaren has all their focus back onto F1. What I am looking forward to is Felipe Massa going to Ferrari. Met him and he is just a really nice kid...no big ego ( at least NOT at this point).... He is a very good test driver and I do believe he would do very well for the Scuderia.

take care all

Murph

 

Okay I heard TWICE on SPEED Sunday that Michael has not yet won in 2005. Did I miss something???

 

Yeah, they meant that Schuey has not had a close victory or even a dominating one with other Michelin runners around

His only victory this year was the fiasco at Indy.

You know this tyre thing is crap, but it's the rules set out and Bridgestone is not getting the job done. Ferrari is losing fair and square.

But you know the car and driver are fast enough...really frustrating season for Ferrari fans

 

After three weeks of laying on the beach the circus resumes...welcome to Istanbul...new venue, new problems with Bridgestones.



Friday practice...Zonta in the Toyota on top followed by all three McLarens, then Button. Looking forward to qualifying and actually seeing the venue on TV on Saturday...looks great in photos.