FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

Williams need to pull their fingers out and get the new parts working or "for them der Championship ist over."

Es ist already, trust me, es ist!

[7UpJordan]

Williams need to pull their fingers out and get the new parts working or "for them der Championship ist over."

Es ist already, trust me, es ist!

Cooler, three veeks!!!

[bud]

Scheissen wagon

[darwin dali]

Scheissen wagon

Scheisswagen - close enough though
However, I'd prefer Scheisskarre!

[irons_4_ever]

Will the Spanish Grand Prix be canceled because of the swine Flu pandemic?

it depends how bad it gets but i wouldnt be suprised if there are face masks or its done behind closed doors. But we have to remember that its 2 weeks away by then the media might have got bored, but if you use mexico as an example no flights going there now from the uk for example and every thing in the country is shut and sport events behing closed doors. Then ya have to wonder what will happen here.

[FerrariFan63]

Remember the major panic about Bird Flu? I get the feeling this could go the same way. I doubt it will stop the grand prix from taking place.

Bird Flu ah yes, can't say I paniced though

And before that, we were all going to die of SARS.

It all reminds me of that sketch about Tomato Flu.

The problem with warnings of flu pandemics etc. is simple. If there's even a 5% chance of a particular strain turning into a pandemic, then it's worthy of warnings and preventative measures. However, if the true likelihood of a pandemic is 5%, then of course we can easily have many such scares without a pandemic. So the general public becomes blase and cynical about the warnings and measures.

The thing with viruses is that whether they spread or die back depends on one thing, whether the number of new cases is higher than the number of cases that cure. Particularly since infections typically follow exponential growth (or a contraction in the number of cases). So, the measures that are being taken, even if quite simple, may actually prevent a pandemic. Perhaps if we'd just sat back and been cynical about SARS, it would have spread around the world and killed millions.

Once thing that this scientists all agree on though is that at some time we will have a flu pandemic, and that a lot of people will die. Probably not this time, but at some time.

Returning to the Spanish GP, if the number of cases continues growing for the next two weeks (and that's a big if) then I wouldn't be surprised to see some minor measures in place. But it could be minor things such as recommendations for more frequent handwashing.

[Robert182]

is it wrong that i want to see a brawn do badly this weekend ? jusy to see what the press and brawn fans say?

[Gilles 27]

smacks of sour grapes to me...

[cap-dude]

is it wrong that i want to see a brawn do badly this weekend ? jusy to see what the press and brawn fans say?

Well, I guess it's natural when a team is so dominate in a sport. Like Ferrari

Personally, am I the only one to notice the similarities between Brawn this year, and Ferrari in 2004. We have Ross Brawn and Barrichello both of whom were at Ferrari in 2004, whilst Button is doing the same job Schuy did. I mean, Schuy didn't need to be on pole to win, he could do it from wherever. Something Button demonstrated in Sunday. Funny when you think how in 2004 many people named Button man of the year. Personally I'm looking at this season this way. Lewis was 2nd in 2007 with 4 wins. Button already has 3 wins, you do the math.

[bud]

2007 was very competative though! Ferrari and McLaren were very close then you had the in team rivalry don't forget Alonso got 4 wins aswell! I don't see Rubens matching Buttons wins or points by seasons end

[scotty]

is it wrong that i want to see a brawn do badly this weekend ? jusy to see what the press and brawn fans say?

Well, I guess it's natural when a team is so dominate in a sport. Like Ferrari

Personally, am I the only one to notice the similarities between Brawn this year, and Ferrari in 2004. We have Ross Brawn and Barrichello both of whom were at Ferrari in 2004, whilst Button is doing the same job Schuy did. I mean, Schuy didn't need to be on pole to win, he could do it from wherever. Something Button demonstrated in Sunday. Funny when you think how in 2004 many people named Button man of the year. Personally I'm looking at this season this way. Lewis was 2nd in 2007 with 4 wins. Button already has 3 wins, you do the math.

Bet Ecclestone is glad we don't have the 'most wins for the title' rules now! I'd say the only difference between now and '04 is that there is a very real possibility of another team being able to catch up with Brawn in one fell swoop (ie when RBR get their diffuser). I could definitely see Button getting on the podium all/most races this season though, like Schumacher in 2002...

[Arsenal 1-nil]

I believe Button when he says that Brawn are not the fastest team on the grid. I think that they will be slowly chipped away at by Red Bull. Furthermore, McLaren I expect on the podium. By the end of the year they should be dominating once again.

[cap-dude]

this is the thing. Take 2002, a year when Schuy dominated just as he did in 2004. At the start of 2002, Legard actually wrote an article about the title chances. This was about 3 races in, Schuy had taken 2 wins an 1 third place. Legard wrote about how open the championship looked, and how it was still anyones game. But the harsh reality, Schuy went on and finished either 1st or 2nd at every race that followed.

Personally I want to believe that the championship is still open, but we'll see how things go from here on. But ask yourself, can you see a Toyota as world champion. Neither driver seems complete enough to do so. Red Bull, webber won't do it because he's facing a hard enough time with Vettel never mind Brawn. Barrichello has been ousted by Button 4 out of 4 so far. Can Vettel, you have to say, considering the pace of the guy that he can, but all depends on the development race, and how hard Vettel can push now. It's just the way I see the championship now. It's between Button and Vettel, and you have to say that currently, Button has the advantage and Vettel has an uphill battle.

Anyways, Cataluyna is a pretty quick circuit when I think about. Advantage Red Bull, who are blinding in the fast corners. So really, it'll be interesting to see if Red Bull can do well this weekend considering they have to limit the gap to Brawn until this diffuser comes. Then it's game on.

[Gilles 27]

I think Button and Vettel are the only two for the title too. Toyota will go backwards because they are incompetent and aren't really a proper F1 team. I can't remember a season in which Toyota got on top in the development race despite having the biggest budget most of the time.

Brawn I'm sure will make the right decisions about where to develop the car but they have to be limited in terms of resources compared with other teams.

Red Bull have a dilemma in that going with a costly new rear aero package, they will have to compromise an already pretty handy aero setup as well as their rear suspension. Also Red Bull don't have much experience with developing a front running car or mounting a title challenge.

Overall I'd say I fancy Vettel for the title purely because I can't call the development race and i think Vettel is a faster driver

[Denthúl]

2007 was very competative though! Ferrari and McLaren were very close then you had the in team rivalry don't forget Alonso got 4 wins aswell! I don't see Rubens matching Buttons wins or points by seasons end

Vettel can, though (yeah, even I'm starting to get concerned about Rubens, though you have to consider that he is the oldest guy on the grid ). The Red Bull is certainly fast enough (would have won in Bahrain were it not for traffic, though Trulli would've won with a better strategy call - 'if's, I know) and the Toyota could do it. Eventually, reliability issues have to strike and Jenson will make a mistake - no driver is perfect.