Embarrassment for Hamilton? The Reborn Button...

[bhall]

We might get to a conclusion in a few years as to who was at fault if Raikkonen is still Ferrari's last World Champion..............

I'm not so sure that's entirely fair. To say that Jean Todt is Ferrari's last Championship-winning team principal is, I think, more representative of reality.

(Does that make any sense?)

Fernando Alonso is the only driver in F1 for whom I would have dumped Kimi Raikkonen, so I completely understand why the team made that move. However, if cost wasn't a factor, and if it was at all reasonable to assume that Alonso could coexist with a driver who's just as quick - admittedly, both are big ifs - Felipe Massa is the driver Ferrari should have dropped. It pains me somewhat to say that, because I like him so much as a person, but facts are facts, and racing is racing.

In terms of sheer driving ability, I think Raikkonen is as good as any driver who's ever turned a wheel in F1, and I think he still has plenty left in the tank. If the E20 is competitive at all, he will turn a lot of heads this year.

Grosjean has no idea what he's in for.

EDIT: Well, I guess that's not true. He got spanked in 2009, so he actually has a very good idea of what's likely in store.

[PlatinumZealot]

RedBull?

[Pierce89]

We might get to a conclusion in a few years as to who was at fault if Raikkonen is still Ferrari's last World Champion..............

I'm not so sure that's entirely fair. To say that Jean Todt is Ferrari's last Championship-winning team principal is, I think, more representative of reality.

(Does that make any sense?)

Fernando Alonso is the only driver in F1 for whom I would have dumped Kimi Raikkonen, so I completely understand why the team made that move. However, if cost wasn't a factor, and if it was at all reasonable to assume that Alonso could coexist with a driver who's just as quick - admittedly, both are big ifs - Felipe Massa is the driver Ferrari should have dropped. It pains me somewhat to say that, because I like him so much as a person, but facts are facts, and racing is racing.

In terms of sheer driving ability, I think Raikkonen is as good as any driver who's ever turned a wheel in F1, and I think he still has plenty left in the tank. If the E20 is competitive at all, he will turn a lot of heads this year.

Grosjean has no idea what he's in for.

EDIT: Well, I guess that's not true. He got spanked in 2009, so he actually has a very good idea of what's likely in store.

Yeah the Kimster's great. I agree, although Kimi also got spanked for half of 09(and all of 08). But, I have been watching Grosjean for a few years, and literally the 09 Renault is the only car he didn't win in. He made a couple GT appearances and won races for a team that never won again. He made some appearances in AutoGP and killed everyone. When the Dam's GP2 team couldn't get it right in '10, He straightened them out over a weekend.

I just think Grosjean has the potential to be a special talent. He's got some game, no doubt.

[waynes]

i wage a tenner that Kimi will destroy Grosjean in races based on experience and win a race too

if not i will paypal £10 to the first person who replies to take up the bet.

bet is based on highest finisher in WDC

if you bet me, and i win, you pay me £10

[bhall]

RedBull?

That's an absolutely savory possible match-up. Which is also why it will probably never happen.

Yeah the Kimster's great [...] I just think Grosjean has the potential to be a special talent. He's got some game, no doubt.

Raikkonen's the only driver for whom I even remotely approach gushy "fanboyism," and, with that in mind, I make a concerted effort to remain as objective as I can when he's the topic of conversation. That said, I still have no idea how to look at 2008 and 2009 as anything other than aberrations. No other explanation seems to fit, but I'm open to suggestions. (Even so, I still think he flattered the F60.)

I freely admit to not knowing nearly as much about Grosjean as you do. Given his cup of coffee in F1 in 2009, I'm just reminded of his fellow countryman, Sebastien Bourdais, and the fact that success in other series doesn't automatically translate to success in F1. We'll see.

(I've made four edits so far, and all of them were for grammar and/or style.)

(Ugh, and then I get tagged with the official "edit disclaimer" while making the most superfluous of changes.)

[waynes]

Raikkonen's the only driver for whom I even remotely approach gushy "fanboyism,"

i made my mrs watch Japan 2005 without telling her the result. at the end of it she said "that Kimi guy is --- good"

i sat back with a smug "you know it" look

she's now a member of the kimi fan club

[Hail22]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3JWFEK5q88[/youtube]

Haha I love Kimi hahaha thats just what Formula 1 should be...no robotics just on the spot "I was having a ---" hahahaha xD mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiomuRm4 ... re=related[/youtube]

[Cold Fussion]

Grosjean was wholly unimpressive at the ROC last year. It's obviously not the same thing as F1, but Schuy, Vettel and Button didn't have any problem putting in a good performance. I expect him to get spanked by Kimi this season, we've seen Schuy come back after a few years off and his race pace is still good, Kimi is much younger, only spent 2 years out of the sport (the same amount of time as Grosjean) and spent that 2 years driving in WRC.

[PlatinumZealot]

ROC? Button, Vettel and MSC have been doing that for years now.. and it doesn't mean much.

Don't underestimate Grosjean - he wasn't that far off from Alonso..not as far off as Massa was, who in turn was ahead of Kimi for their last 2 years together.

[lebesset]

I think it is unrealistic to expect kimi to be really sharp straight away , although he should still be able to cope with grosjean ; by mid season however we should see if he is back to his old self

the truth is that kimi was a square peg in a round hole at ferrari , I can't imagine anyone who would be a worse fit ...but he got large amounts of money , won a WDC , and doesn't give a --- anyway ...so ultimately it was an excellent move for him

but he should be much more at home at lotus , so hopefully he will help them back to the top bracket ...at least he speaks the language even if it is in the kimispeak version ; did he ever learn to speak italian ? don't know , but would bet against it

[munudeges]

RedBull?

It's already been discussed in the past and it is highly unlikely to ever happen. Too much risk to Vettel.

[PlatinumZealot]

I was really replying to this but I didn't put my post in time.

We might get to a conclusion in a few years as to who was at fault if Raikkonen is still Ferrari's last World Champion..............

RedBull? haha

[munudeges]

Still don't understand, but nevermind.

[PlatinumZealot]

He was implying that if Ferrari doesn't get a driver world championship in a few years time then it will be partly due to them not Having Raikkonen as their driver. I say no, It will be because RedBull is so damn hard to beat!

[munudeges]

I think it was more a case of the reverse conclusion - ditching Raikkonen hasn't made anything better.