- 04 Nov 08, 14:50#78772
There it is in a nutshell. The track I was watching was not drying, certainly not enough to bring dry tires back into play. Glock took a chance that the lead he had was enough to make up for the tires....it would have been wonderful if he was correct. But, he was not. After the way Hamilton pushed the field around this year, often endangering some...there is no way Glock would roll over for him. Anyone who believes he would must have a screw loose. Fact is most of the drivers out there have complained at some point this season about Hamiltons tactics, but the further fact is that this year.....they worked. You can't argue it, McLaren won....and I say, good on them. I don't like them, wasn't cheering for them, was overjoyed when it looked like Glock would hold on.....but now I find I must congratulate them. Well done McLaren, enjoy your title. Tough luck Massa, but well done on the interview afterwards. Your team cost you this one....maybe they can make it up to you someday. I disliked Massa after last season's complaining all the time nearly as much as Hamilton this year....but this year Massa has shown a different side, more mature and more composed and while I don't necessarily wish him to win, I no longer wish him to crash. Maybe next year will be the year Hamilton grows up too. It could happen. We will see next year. In the meantime, enjoy the title....
You wanted an answer to your question, so here it is. I can kind of understand where you're coming from and you've clearly thought it through; but equally clear is that you don't know the full technical ins and outs of F1 tyres.
Dry Tyres in F1 have an optimum temperature, and in order to maintain that temperature and retain grip, the cars have to maintain a certain average speed on both the straight and turn-ins to corners. Once the tyre temparature goes, the tyre pressure follows, and the grip then worsens yet further. There is NO way around this or to heat the tyres again except for going faster, and even then it usually takes approximately a km flat out to get the tyres fully up to racing temperature. Without the ability to do that, the grip gets worse and worse, first progressively and then dramatically.
You've displayed yourself Glock's times, and they are a straightforward indication of this. with two laps to go, he couldn't maintain his speed as the track was wet. Even if it was drying, his tyres by the last lap were cool and low on pressure, unless the track was bone dry he could pick the pace up and so he lost more grip and so on...
The truth is that he demonstrated amazing skill in even keeping it on the road.
those are facts by the way, not rumours in the same way the 'did he let Hamilton through' conspiracy mongers have been spouting out.
so that is the answer to your question.
There it is in a nutshell. The track I was watching was not drying, certainly not enough to bring dry tires back into play. Glock took a chance that the lead he had was enough to make up for the tires....it would have been wonderful if he was correct. But, he was not. After the way Hamilton pushed the field around this year, often endangering some...there is no way Glock would roll over for him. Anyone who believes he would must have a screw loose. Fact is most of the drivers out there have complained at some point this season about Hamiltons tactics, but the further fact is that this year.....they worked. You can't argue it, McLaren won....and I say, good on them. I don't like them, wasn't cheering for them, was overjoyed when it looked like Glock would hold on.....but now I find I must congratulate them. Well done McLaren, enjoy your title. Tough luck Massa, but well done on the interview afterwards. Your team cost you this one....maybe they can make it up to you someday. I disliked Massa after last season's complaining all the time nearly as much as Hamilton this year....but this year Massa has shown a different side, more mature and more composed and while I don't necessarily wish him to win, I no longer wish him to crash. Maybe next year will be the year Hamilton grows up too. It could happen. We will see next year. In the meantime, enjoy the title....