QUALIFYING I wasn't expecting great things in qualifying, as the car felt a little bit nervous in the faster corners, of which there's a lot of them here. I also wasn't expecting Ralf Schumacher to have a nightmare session, leaving him 18th fastest, ahead of only the two Minardis. The star of the show was undoubtedly Fernando Alonso, who put his Renault 3rd, and was only a few hundredths off a front row start.
RACE Rain is always a game changer, and it chucked it down on the lead up to the race. Barrichello made an excellent getaway and capitalised on Schumacher's substandard start, whilst Alonso pressured him. I ran wide at turn 1 and dropped to 9th place, although a few corners later, I got back into the points at Heidfeld's expense. Fisichella hit the back of Da Matta at Vale corner, with the Brazilian rookie out immediately. After a few laps, drivers opted to change from monsoon tyres to wet tyres. Ferrari elected to pit early, giving Alonso a temporary lead of the race. Coulthard and Trulli also decided to pit earlier than others. I didn't get a chance, whilst battling with Button and Heidfeld over 7th, I made a mistake, and whacked into the back of Heidfeld's Sauber, both of us immediately retired. Alonso, Raikkonen, Ralf Schumacher and Villeneuve waited a few more laps and switched to intermediates. It looked to either be a battle between the Ferraris for the win, or Alonso vs Raikkonen. Which duo had made the right decision? Inters looked to be the way to go, but Ferrari may have built up enough of a gap to fend off Alonso and Raikkonen. Alonso was helped by Raikkonen coming out of the pits just behind Trulli. Jenson Button was running well, and looked good for points, but ended up stuck in 5th gear, with about a third of the race to go. Barrichello only rejoined in 8th, whilst Schumacher did another lap. Frentzen and Villeneuve seemed to make the right decision, as they were set to collect a big heap of points. With a few laps to go, and nothing to lose, Olivier Panis Justin Wilson decided to go for the dry tyres in an attempt to pick up a point or two. All 16 drivers left in the race at this point were still on the lead lap. Suddenly, it looked like dry tyres would be the choice to finish the race on, and with Michael still on wets, he may have avoided making an extra stop. With a few laps to go, Frentzen tried a move on Pizzonia who was 6th, but on the wrong tyre, and both drivers were eliminated. Impatience cost Frentzen almost guaranteed points, ending a more promising weekend for Sauber, after two disappointing races. Panis was setting fast laps, after a great call could well prove vital at the end of the season for Toyota. Michael Schumacher looked to have thrown the race away, and nobody knew who had made the right call, but a sixth world championship drew ever closer, as Michael Schumacher won the British Grand Prix, with Alonso and Raikkonen putting in superb drives to take the other podium positions. A great strategic call where experience shown was rewarded with fourth place for Olivier Panis. Ralf Schumacher set the fastest lap on the way to fifth. Ralph Firman flew under the radar to finish a career-best sixth. Rubens Barrichello passed Mark Webber on the final lap to salvage seventh.
PRE-RACE Antonio Pizzonia will be replaced by Jaguar for the final two rounds of the season, provided he clinches the Formula 3000 championship, something he can do this weekend if results go his way. Wirdheim has been linked with a full time drive at Jaguar for 2004, other contenders include Christian Klien and Andre Lotterer.
QUALIFYING A huge mistake at the hairpin cost me any chance of pole position. My first sector was good, but then I hit the brakes too late, and it ruined my flying lap, and I ended up 7th. Kimi Raikkonen fared even worse, and qualified a very poor 11th. Michael Schumacher was once again top dog, the loyal German fans were ecstatic. Interestingly enough, former Williams teammates Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen set identical times, Villeneuve starting ahead having set his time first. They lined up 13th and 14th. Justin Wilson ran very wide into the stadium onto the gravel, his lap time reflected that.
Jack Christopherson wrote:I doubt I can win from 7th unless attrition strikes, but a podium is still in reach. In a way, that's the beauty of one-shot qualifying, it punishes mistakes and requires you to nail your lap. Getting it spot on really rewards you, which Michael seems to do on a regular basis, so fair play to him.
RACE Clouds filled the skies in Hockenheim, with rain on the horizon. When will it fall, and how much of a game changer will it be? At the start, Frentzen did not get off the line at all, whilst everyone else got through turn 1 cleanly. Into the hairpin, I passed Button for 6th, but more importantly, Barrichello took the lead from Michael Schumacher. Pizzonia made a good start, and was 13th by the end of the first lap, having made his way up to 12th until Villeneuve retook the position. Raikkonen dropped to 15th within the first lap, a dismal weekend so far from the Finn. About halfway through the race, rain started to fall, but it was only light. At this point, Raikkonen had still only worked his way up to 13th, with Pizzonia and Da Matta still in his mirrors, this at a race where Coulthard was challenging for the win. Button retired with hydraulic problems, whilst he was set to close the gap to Sauber to just one point. The two Ferraris continued to battle, whilst DC was lurking closely behind them, awaiting any opportunity to capitalise on the Ferraris. Villeneuve decided to pit earlier than the other drivers, and when some drivers pitted, Alonso waited and went for a lap of glory in the lead of the race. Coulthard moved ahead of Schumacher in the stops, and soon passed Barrichello for the lead. Mark Webber's chances of extending his point scoring streak ended on lap 52, spinning off in the tricky conditions. Coulthard held onto his lead, and there were no major position changes for the time being. Villeneuve's strategy moved him up to 6th, although Trulli's superior pace meant that he took 6th from him with just five laps to go. The Canadian still ensured that he scored his first points since his podium in Spain, and BAR moved to within just a point of Sauber. David Coulthard drove superbly to record his first win of the season, and move ahead of his teammate in the championship. Rubens Barrichello beat teammate Michael Schumacher to give himself a glimmer of hope at winning the title. The gap was 21 points, with just 4 races remaining. I led a Williams 4-5 home, with Trulli, Villeneuve and Alonso rounding off the points. Raikkonen came home 9th in the end, with James Allen and Martin Brundle in the ITV commentary box stating that points would have been undeserved.
1. Coulthard 1hr 35m 48.995s 2. Barrichello +9.432s 3. M.Schumacher +14.660s 4. Christopherson +23.639s 5. R.Schumacher +38.589s 6. Trulli +1m 05.614s 7. Villeneuve +1m 12.947s 8. Alonso +1m 14.351s 9. Raikkonen +1 Lap 10. Heidfeld +1 Lap 11. Panis +1 Lap 12. Da Matta +1 Lap 13. Pizzonia +1 Lap 14. Fisichella +1 Lap 15. Firman +1 Lap 16. Wilson +2 Laps 17. Verstappen +2 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jack Christopherson 1.17.777
REJECT OF THE RACE: Kimi Raikkonen - Horrific qualifying lap set the tone for nightmare weekend
POST-RACE After his very early exit from the race, Heinz-Harald Frentzen confirmed in an interview with ITV's Louise Goodman that he would be retiring from Formula 1 at the end of the season. A distraught Frentzen said he knew it was time to hang up the racing helmet, and that he was gutted he couldn't deliver a performance for the German crowd.
ROUND 13 - 2003 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX - Hungaroring
PRE-RACE Hungary has often been the place where driver changes for the following year surface. 2003 was no exception, as Felipe Massa was set to rejoin Sauber for 2004, after a year as Ferrari tester. Minardi also announced a completely new driver lineup, with Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner set to join the team next year. Fittingly enough, Baumgartner will become the first ever Hungarian Formula 1 driver after spending this year as Jordan test driver.
QUALIFYING Schumacher was once again the man to beat, although he was certainly given some competition this time, courtesy of his brother, teammate, Raikkonen and to a lesser extent, myself. My lap wasn't too bad, infact it was the best first sector, but the lap tailed off after that. Jacques Villeneuve blocked Alonso badly on his lap, and the young Spaniard was irate after qualifying only 17th. Karma may have struck Villeneuve, as he only put his BAR one place better. Other drivers who struggled were Coulthard and Fisichella, ending 9th and 18th respectively.
RACE Barrichello made a good start, and used the inside line to his advantage to take the lead at turn 1. McLaren had a bad opening to the race, Raikkonen dropped to 6th whilst Coulthard was out after being hit by Nick Heidfeld's Sauber. Both Saubers needed a front wing change on the first lap, as Frentzen hit the back of Heidfeld when trying to pass his damaged car, Frentzen decided to do another lap as it would probably cost less time than queueing up behind Heidfeld. Everyone from Webber downwards lost heaps of time, with only Webber passing him before the pit lane, and giving himself a gap over the other drivers behind. Jenson Button kept up with the frontrunners, and passed Raikkonen for 6th. The first half of the race after that proved to be very uneventful, with very little on track action, aside from Michael Schumacher retaking the lead on lap 14, and Nick Heidfeld retiring with gearbox problems. However, it started to rain, and I made the call to pit early. Before other drivers pitted, Ralf Schumacher moved up to 2nd, and then took the lead. Fernando Alonso and Olivier Panis both had to retire after a collision between the two occurred whilst they, along with Da Matta were fighting over 9th. The Ferrari pitcrew did a much better job than the Williams one, as Ralf Schumacher lost out to both Ferraris when the drivers were changing for dries. I lost out the most though, I took a risk and it didn't pay off, dropping me to 7th. Raikkonen moved up to 5th with a move down the inside of turn 1, leaving Button as my first target to try and move back up the field. Rubens Barrichello timed the tyre change to perfection, taking the lead, and holding off Schumacher. Not much happened lower down the field, despite the rain. Pizzonia gaining a few positions being the only event of note, as he ended up 10th, not too far behind Da Matta. Rubens Barrichello kept clinging onto title aspirations, with a win at the Hungaroring, although Michael Schumacher finishing just behind him meant that the gap was still at 19 points. Ralf Schumacher finished a creditable third, whilst Trulli held off Raikkonen to finish 4th. Button finished 6th to move BAR up to 5th in the Constructors Championship. I could only finish in 7th, and take just two points from Hungary. Mark Webber's early pass on Heidfeld's damaged car proved crucial, as he had a relatively easy and unchallenged drive to 8th. Ferrari left Hungary assured of both championships, clinching the Constructors Championship, and as my 7th place meant that I was out of championship contention, the Drivers Championship was guaranteed to be won by a Ferrari driver.
1. Barrichello 1hr 54m 35.321s 2. M.Schumacher +2.552s 3. R.Schumacher +5.421s 4. Trulli +17.746s 5. Raikkonen +19.929s 6. Button +41.115s 7. Christopherson +45.702s 8. Webber +1 Lap 9. Da Matta +2 Laps 10. Pizzonia +2 Laps 11. Firman +2 Laps 12. Villeneuve +2 Laps 13. Fisichella +2 Laps 14. Frentzen +3 Laps 15. Verstappen +4 Laps 16. Wilson +4 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher 1.24.057
REJECT OF THE RACE: Jacques Villeneuve - Ignored blue flags and ruined Alonso's weekend
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 10 Aug 2015, 22:20, edited 1 time in total.
No longer in the championship hunt, but keep on truckin'! You are making a great read even after 5 years and must have logged a commendable amount of hours in the best modern F1 game. (If you are still doing this with F1C)
Great job. Definitely read all reports as soon as I find them up.
If a particle is traveling at the speed of a Spyker, it is likely to finish last. - Albers Einstein
The Hungarian language is more beautiful than you'd ever think. See, the plural of soul in Hungarian is lelkek.
Rabbi Gordon wrote:No longer in the championship hunt, but keep on truckin'! You are making a great read even after 5 years and must have logged a commendable amount of hours in the best modern F1 game. (If you are still doing this with F1C)
Great job. Definitely read all reports as soon as I find them up.
I do still use F1 Challenge, more realistic AI than rFactor and runs better than GP4.
Nice to know people are still paying attention to this series. I feel like i'm carrying on simply because I need to finish it, and because I know when too.
QUALIFYING It was the strangest qualifying session for a very long time, as despite there being no rain, the grid was somewhat jumbled up. In his last race for Jagur, Antonio Pizzonia was only a quarter of a tenth slower than Mark Webber, but their pace was not good, and the two Jaguars lined up 14th and 15th respectively. Cristiano Da Matta qualified an excellent 9th, beating Olivier Panis for only the second time this season. Jordan showed signs of competitiveness, locking out row 6 could mean that with a bit of luck, they may surpass Jaguar in the standings. Ralf Schumacher had a nightmare lap, and only lined up 16th, ahead of the two Minardis. But that was nothing compared to Sauber, as both drivers set relatively clean lap times, and were completely embarrassed by Minardi, slower than them on merit. They recently lost 5th in the Constructors Championship after going 5 races without a point, and could be in real danger of Toyota catching them for 6th. Michael Schumacher took full advantage, and despite all the abnormalities, he still took pole position, with Barrichello backing him up in front of the ever adoring Tifosi. Oh, and I qualified 3rd, but you probably don't care too much about that after reading this.
RACE With an unusual grid, the race looked promising. Michael Schumacher knew he would make history by clinching a record breaking 6th World Championship if he was to outscore Rubens Barrichello by at least two points, which a win would do. Jenson Button lost his front wing due to a very slow getaway from Kimi Raikkonen, but that was nothing compared to the crash between Pizzonia, Panis and Heidfeld after Panis stalled on the grid. Pizzonia had to slow to avoid the stranded Toyota, and Heidfeld collected them both. Jos Verstappen also emerged with a missing front wing. Lap 2 saw myself pass Barrichello for 2nd down the inside of Parabolica, whilst Fisichella passed Villeneuve for 8th place. Ralf Schumacher had worked his way up to 10th place in the very early stages, and by lap 8, he was up to 9th at Villeneuve's expense. Fisichella soon fell prey, and may have lost the chance to draw Jordan level with Jaguar. Ralf Schumacher was in the points with almost 40 laps still to go, but then as soon as it came time to battle with the big guns, his progress halted. Lap 17 saw me attempt a very brave and somewhat questionable move down the inside of Schumacher at Lesmo, but it paid off, thanks to co-operation from Schumacher. The next task was to defend that position until the end of the race. Although a great race looked on the cards, the second half of the race was in fact very dull, with the only notable moment was Cristiano Da Matta retiring from 11th after his engine gone up in smoke. Michael Schumacher stayed close, but I drove a very hard and defensive, but fair race to win the Italian Grand Prix, but all the attention from the Tifosi was on their hero Michael Schumacher, who became the first ever six-time Formula 1 World Champion. The big four teams took all the points positions, after a mixed up grid which looked to shake the order up.
1. Christopherson 1hr 18m 34.752s 2. M.Schumacher +0.376s 3. Barrichello +22.421s 4. Coulthard +38.890s 5. Alonso +49.183s 6. Trulli +57.119s 7. Raikkonen +59.814s 8. R.Schumacher +1m 13.973s 9. Fisichella +1 Lap 10. Villeneuve +1 Lap 11. Firman +2 Laps 12. Frentzen +2 Laps 13. Webber +2 Laps 14. Wilson +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.23.477
REJECT OF THE RACE: Sauber - Embarrassed by Minardi in qualifying. Heidfeld first lap DNF. Frentzen nowhere in race.
Jack Christopherson wrote:I'm quite fortunate that Michael gave me the room to pass, as it was admittedly a questionable move to make. I like to think that he was keen to win the championship in front of the tifosi and celebrate breaking a record in front of the Tifosi. On that note, I'd like to congratulate Michael on what is arguably the greatest achievement in the history of this sport. Now it's time for me to turn my attention to next year, so I can ensure his tally stays at six.
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 17 Aug 2015, 19:56, edited 1 time in total.
ROUND 15 - 2003 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX - Indianapolis
PRE-RACE Two driver changes took place prior to the trip to Indianapolis. Firstly at Jaguar, as Bjorn Wirdheim's F3000 championship rewards him with two races for Jaguar, where he is being evaluated for a possible 2004 drive with the team. The more surprising driver change was at BAR, where Jacques Villeneuve quit the team the day after the Italian Grand Prix, with test driver Takuma Sato taking his place. Sato knows he has to deliver, as BAR have given him a second chance, this time with a more competitive car than last year's Jordan. The possibility of a 2004 drive should be the incentive to get the most out of Taku.
QUALIFYING Intermediate tyres were the way to go in qualifying, and it was down to who was on the track at the right time. However, nothing changed, as Ferrari still locked out the front row. My lap was not a good one, as I only qualified 11th, just ahead of Takuma Sato in his first race for BAR. Jordan had a very poor day, as Fisichella was even outqualified by Jos Verstappen, and will start 19th. Toyota and Jaguar didn't fare much better, as they shared rows 7 and 8, with Wirdheim qualifying 16th on his debut. Sauber had a big chance to eliminate any threat from Toyota, as both drivers qualified in the top 10. Only one driver took the gamble of qualifying on dry tyres, that was Jarno Trulli, who planted his Renault 3rd.
RACE There were no signs of any rain on Sunday, so Ferrari domination could have been on the cards, but Renault were looking to make a statement. Two drivers failed to get off the line, as both Ralf Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld were stranded, and somehow every other driver avoided the carnage. Meanwhile, at the front, Trulli and Coulthard made excellent starts, whilst Raikkonen dropped to 8th. I struggled to work my way through the field; I was 10th at the end of the first lap, and passed Sato for 9th a few laps later. I then spent quite a while in an almighty scrap over 6th place, chasing down Button, Raikkonen and Frentzen. It took me until lap 27 to pass Frentzen, although not long after that, I made a mistake and spun off at turn 11, although I didn't damage the car. I was stuck with Sato, Webber, Da Matta, Panis and Wirdheim, who were disputing 10th, and then 9th after I dropped behind them. Despite the Renault engine being down on power, Trulli somehow managed to keep Barrichello behind him for a long time. On lap 42, Coulthard was looking for a way past Barrichello, who himself moved out to try and pass Trulli. It ended badly, and both DC and Rubens were out on the spot. All of a sudden, the big battle was then over the minor points positions, whilst Renault were set for a big payday, as Trulli and Alonso were 2nd and 3rd. Lap 47 saw Kimi Raikkonen finally overtake Jenson Button, and up to 4th place. Olivier Panis had an engine failure, and became the fifth dropout on the same lap. Things were slightly better in the other half of the Toyota garage, as Cristiano Da Matta leapfrogged Sato and Webber in the pitstops, and was up to 7th, although on lap 59, I took that position from him. With just over 10 laps to go, a gearbox failure put an end to Justin Wilson's race, his first retirement since his debut back in Australia, and in a race where Minardi were battling, and beating Jordan on track. Michael Schumacher didn't put a foot wrong all race, and secured his sixth victory of the season, and his twelfth visit to the podium in 2003. The race was arguably won as soon as Trulli got ahead of Barrichello at the start, as Schumacher opened up a comfortable gap to Trulli in that time. Trulli and Alonso joined Schumacher on the podium, a great day for Renault, despite the drawbacks of the wide angle engine being exploited at a track like this. Raikkonen drove to 4th, whilst Button's 5th place and solid drive inches BAR closer to 5th place in the Constructors Championship, although Sauber scored the first points since Canada, and Frentzen's since his podium in Monaco with 6th, and gives them a chance to retake that position. I was a disappointing 7th, whilst good strategy gave Da Matta the final point.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 33m 01.995s 2. Trulli +37.566s 3. Alonso +45.307s 4. Raikkonen +52.658s 5. Button +55.612s 6. Frentzen +57.842s 7. Christopherson +1 Lap 8. Da Matta +1 Lap 9. Sato +1 Lap 10. Webber +1 Lap 11. Wirdheim +2 Laps 12. Verstappen +3 Laps 13. Fisichella +3 Laps 14. Firman +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.14.591
REJECT OF THE RACE: Jordan - Beaten by Minardi on merit
QUALIFYING Qualifying didn't go well for me, as I ended up within the lower midfield. The field was competitive, and one mistake thanks to carrying a bit too much speed into Degner 1 cost me dearly. Alonso and Firman also made errors in their laps, and it showed. BAR took a big step towards 5th in the Constructors Championship, with both drivers inside the top 10, Takuma Sato's 9th on the grid gave the Japanese crowd a lot to cheer for. Cristiano Da Matta also starred, putting his Toyota 8th on the grid, when Panis could only manage 13th. Minardi being as far off the pace as they were was a sad reflection of money talking, and their lack of development saw them slip further and further away from the pace as the season progressed, after being within a very respectable gap earlier on.
RACE The race is underway, and Ralf Schumacher was the man on the charge off the line, immediately leaping up to 2nd place. Alonso ran slightly wide at turn 1 and when coming back on the track, Wirdheim hit him and triggered a big collision between Frentzen and Firman. Not the way Frentzen wanted to end his career. Alonso, Firman and Frentzen were out right there, whilst Wirdheim escaped with a missing front wing. Renault's race was made even worse, as Trulli spun and Fisichella collected him. As all the drivers slowed down, some picked their way through the traffic better than others. Button was unfortunate to be directly behind Trulli, but fortunate to emerge unscathed. The order at the end of lap 1 was M.Schumacher, R.Schumacher, Barrichello, Coulthard, Sato, Raikkonen, myself and Da Matta. I outdragged Da Matta down the main straight, in no small part thanks to the BMW engine. Raikkonen got all out of shape at the end of lap 12 trying to pass Sato, and I took advantage to take 6th place from the Finn. Jenson Button's race came to an end on lap 24, thanks to a developing gearbox problem, causing him to be stuck in 4th gear. Lap 29 saw me pass Takuma Sato for 5th place. Ralf Schumacher put in some quick laps to keep up with his older brother, as Barrichello and Coulthard dropped back slowly. Kimi Raikkonen pressured Sato, but it didn't matter, as his Mercedes engine expired, promoting Heidfeld up to 8th. There was a good battle for the minor points, although there were no position changes, even though Webber was pressing Heidfeld hard. Heidfeld was yet to secure a 2004 drive, although Jordan were showing some interest, so he was desperate to hang on and score his first point since Canada. Michael Schumacher secured a seventh win this season, to end his record breaking 2003 on a high, with Ralf Schumacher running him close. Rubens Barrichello lost out again thanks to another bad start, but this time still got a podium. Coulthard moved above Raikkonen in the championship thanks to fourth. Fifth was a decent result for me after a bad qualifying effort. Sato scored the first points of his career, whilst Da Matta and Heidfeld hung onto the final points positions.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 30m 34.405s 2. R.Schumacher +4.402s 3. Barrichello +16.908s 4. Coulthard +20.458s 5. Christopherson +43.347 6. Sato +1m 00.195 7. Da Matta +1 Lap 8. Heidfeld +1 Lap 9. Webber +1 Lap 10. Panis +1 Lap 11. Fisichella +2 Laps 12. Verstappen +3 Laps 13. Wirdheim +3 Laps 14. Wilson +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Ralf Schumacher - 1.36.428
REJECT OF THE RACE: Renault - Indianapolis heroes, Suzuka zeroes
Drivers Championship Michael Schumacher 120 Rubens Barrichello 85 Jack Christopherson 68 R.Schumacher 57 David Coulthard 50 Kimi Raikkonen 49 Fernando Alonso 43 Jarno Trulli 39 Jenson Button 20 Heinz-Harald Frentzen 15 Nick Heidfeld 13 (5th x 1, 6th x 2) Mark Webber 13 (5th x 1, 6th x 1) Olivier Panis 12 Jacques Villeneuve 10 (3rd) Cristiano Da Matta 10 (6th) Giancarlo Fisichella 8 Pedro De La Rosa 5 Ralph Firman 4 Takuma Sato 3 Antonio Pizzonia 0 (10th x 2) Justin Wilson 0 (10th x 1) Jos Verstappen 0 (11th x 1, 12th x 4) Bjorn Wirdheim 0 (11th x 1, 13th x 1)
Constructors Championship Ferrari 205 Williams BMW 125 McLaren Mercedes 104 Renault 82 BAR Honda 33 Sauber Petronas 28 Toyota 22 Jaguar 13 Jordan Ford 12 Minardi Cosworth 0
Also, for those interested
Qualifying head-to-head results M Schumacher 14-2 R Barrichello J Christopherson 10-6 R Schumacher D Coulthard 3-12 K Raikkonen D Coulthard 0-1 P De La Rosa J Trulli 6-10 F Alonso N Heidfeld 7-9 H Frentzen G Fisichella 11-5 R Firman J Villeneuve 2-11 J Button T Sato 0-2 J Button M Webber 13-1 A Pizzonia M Webber 2-0 B Wirdheim O Panis 12-4 C Da Matta J Wilson 1-15 J Verstappen
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 25 Aug 2015, 17:06, edited 1 time in total.
2003 SEASON REVIEW As the first year with the new rules draw to a close, purists may have issues with the new points system, but the change seems to have made the midfield battle even more interesting, even if it hasn't helped topple Schumacher's run, regardless of whether those were the true motivations behind the change in the points system. The major change that came in 2003 was that there seemed to be a new spark in the midfield teams, as they had the opportunity to score points more easily, with a top 6 finish now bringing in an even bigger reward.
Now, of course, Michael Schumacher was once again the man to beat, and once again, it was proved that he could be beaten, but nobody managed it on a consistent enough basis, although Rubens Barrichello looked like emerging from his teammate's shadow as the season progressed. Williams and McLaren gained strides, particuarly Williams, but it was clear that there was still some way to go. Renault progressed even further, and are starting to become a serious threat, with a very capable driver lineup. BAR have arrested their decline whilst Sauber had a season of two halves. Toyota continued to improve, Jordan seemed to be on a decline. At Jaguar, Mark Webber gave it his all, but it wasn't enough to give them the edge in the midfield. Both Minardi drivers also gave it their all, but in the end, it was for nothing.
Driver Rankings 1. Michael Schumacher 8.5 2. Rubens Barrichello 8.0 3. Fernando Alonso 7.5 4. Jenson Button 7.5 5. Kimi Raikkonen 6.5 6. Jack Christopherson 6.5 7. Ralf Schumacher 6.5 8. David Coulthard 6.5 9. Jarno Trulli 6.5 10. Mark Webber 6.5 11. Cristiano Da Matta 6.0 12. Ralph Firman 6.0 13. Olivier Panis 6.0 14. Heinz-Harald Frentzen 5.5 15. Nick Heidfeld 5.5 16. Justin Wilson 5.5 17. Jos Verstappen 5.5 18. Giancarlo Fisichella 4.5 19. Jacques Villeneuve 4.0 20. Antonio Pizzonia 3.0 N/A Pedro De La Rosa N/A Takuma Sato N/A Bjorn Wirdheim
Constructor Rankings 1. Ferrari 8.0 2. Renault 7.5 3. BAR Honda 7.0 4. Williams BMW 7.0 5. McLaren Mercedes 6.5 6. Toyota 6.0 7. Sauber Petronas 5.5 8. Minardi Cosworth 5.0 9. Jaguar 4.5 10. Jordan Ford 4.5
REJECT OF THE YEAR
3RD - Giancarlo Fisichella
Up until Monaco, Fisichella was not having a bad season by any stretch of the imagination. He was comprehensively getting the upper hand over Ralph Firman, a rookie admittedly, but Fisico was still showing why people believed he was a top driver. Imola where he was even in the hunt for 4th place, against De La Rosa in the McLaren being the highlight, even if he only came home 6th. Then came Canada, where he was kicked out for the whole weekend, after a dangerous incident with Villeneuve, where Firman scored his first point and his confidence just seemed to grow from there. Fisichella scored no points after his admittedly solid drive in Monaco, and Firman was beginning to get the better of him. The good news is, Sauber have reportedly showed interest in him, which would be a move up the grid, and potentially a future Ferrari drive. 2004 is a make or break year for Fisico.
2ND - Jacques Villeneuve
What happened to the Jacques Villeneuve of 2001, as other than a few minor points here and there and an admittedly excellent drive to a podium in Spain, he showed no signs of returning to the form that saw him win a race in 2001. Was he unable to get the best out of his car to recapture his form, or was he simply unwilling to? One look at Jenson Button's results would suggest that it is the latter.
1ST - Antonio Pizzonia
Here is the man that Williams rated so so highly, and suggest he could be just as good as Jack Christopherson and Ralf Schumacher. Given that the former is a former World Champion and has won over 20 races in his career, that is high praise indeed. Expectations always factor into where a driver ends up in the rankings, and Pizzonia failed to deliver, and on occasion would even be beaten in qualifying by Jos Verstappen's Minardi. The fact that 'Jungle Boy' does not yet have a race seat for 2004 surprises nobody.
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 17 Sep 2015, 12:49, edited 1 time in total.
2004 SEASON PREVIEW 2004 is set to be the longest season in Formula 1 history, with 18 races despite the absence of the A1 Ring, including two new debuting venues in Bahrain and China, and more importantly, the return of Spa-Francorchamps on the calendar. Only one question is on people's minds, can Ferrari be stopped after three years of dominating this sport? Whilst Williams may be favourites to knock them off the top of the proverbial mountain, bookies aren't being flooded with bets of that happening. McLaren are in the doldrums after testing with a very unreliable car, that doesn't seem to be as quick as its rivals either. Renault have looked very good, and may cause a few surprises, with BAR being the revelation of winter testing. Jaguar and Sauber also look capable of causing upsets, whilst Toyota and Jordan seemed to have regressed, and Minardi are once again hanging on for the ride, without much else. Of course, this is all speculation, and winter testing rarely tells the whole story, so optimists may be justified in believing the Ferrari juggernaut may be stopped in its tracks.
2004 DRIVER LINEUP
Ferrari 1. Michael Schumacher 2. Rubens Barrichello
Ferrari are once again the favourites for both championships, and with very good reason. Rubens Barrichello was quick to claim that this is the best car he has ever drove. Given how dominant the F2002 was, this is very high praise indeed. Michael Schumacher has been a bit quieter about it's potential, but it's been quick, very quick. Is a 7th title going to be his come Interlagos? Don't bet against it!
Williams BMW 3. Jack Christopherson 4. Ralf Schumacher
Introducing the walrus-nosed Williams, and the ugliest Formula 1 car in over two decades. Many onlookers are wondering if Jack Christopherson will ever win that second World Championship, some are also wondering if Ralf Schumacher can ever reach the very top like his brother has done on six occasions. Testing times suggest that it will take a bit of luck, but this is a package that can win races. If either driver clinches the title, or even gets close, we may see more of the walrus on other cars.
McLaren Mercedes 5. David Coulthard 6. Kimi Raikkonen
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What's happened at Woking? The admittedly very attractive MP4/19 has not set the world alight, and that's putting it nicely! The reliability isn't there, and pace-wise, they're clearly behind Ferrari, Williams and possibly even Renault. Things are so bleak that eternal hopeful David Coulthard has already conceded any hope of reclaiming the World Championship in what looks to be his last year with the team. Kimi Raikkonen also hoped to be challenging this year, but fortunately for him, time is on his side. Points and podiums will be the aim for the time being.
Renault 7. Jarno Trulli 8. Fernando Alonso
Renault made great progress throughout 2003, and in 2004, that is set to continue. Having ditched the wide-angle engine project, they've finally caught up in the power stakes, and with two capable drivers in Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso, there is reason to for them to be optimistic. Trulli in particular has seemed to step up his game, and is hungrier than ever, especially with all the attention being on young Fernando Alonso. Journalists believe that Renault can, and will win a Grand Prix this year, and we can see exactly why.
BAR Honda 9. Jenson Button 10. Takuma Sato
BAR are a team who have grabbed headlines in the winter testing, and Jenson Button has been seriously impressive. A young lead driver, who is brimming with confidence, this is a team on the ascendant, and surely 5th place again is the absolute minimum, and they could even surpass McLaren and even challenge Williams and Renault if things go their way. Takuma Sato impressed in his two races, and has been rewarded with a full time drive, the timing could not be more perfect. Jacques Villeneuve must be kicking himself right now, the team that was supposed to become almost synonymous with him have parted with him, just as it looks like they'll be battling the big teams. Expect multiple podiums from Jenson Button, and maybe we'll see Takuma Sato tasting the champagne if the car is as good as it looks. A win would require a bit of attrition and luck though.
Sauber Petronas 11. Giancarlo Fisichella 12. Felipe Massa
Sauber's close ties with Ferrari have shown their benefits for the Hinwil based outfit in recent years, and they have a determined Giancarlo Fisichella who joined in a straight swap with Nick Heidfeld, who took his Jordan drive. Fisico is in his make-or-break year, after a disappointing 2003, he need to perform to finally get that top drive that many fans of the sport believe he deserves. If he performs, we could well be seeing him at Ferrari in the not-too-distant future, and this may be the place to do it. Regular points finishes have to be the target, and with luck and attrtion, a podium or two. Felipe Massa returns after a year as Ferrari tester. The speed is most certainly there, but is the consistency there? If it is, watch out, as we could have another future star on our hands. 20-25 points should be a reasonable target for them to aim for, and maybe even break the 30 point barrier. They could well have just the driver pairing to do that.
Toyota 14. Cristiano Da Matta 15. Olivier Panis
Will the car in front be a Toyota in 2004? No. The team seem to have regressed rather than progressed. Toyota will be more dependant than ever on Olivier Panis to help develop the car and keep up with their midfield rivals. As the oldest man in Formula 1, Panis is most likely in his last season as a Grand Prix driver, with Toyota expressing interest in Ralf Schumacher from 2005 onwards. This is a crucial year for Cristiano Da Matta, who will need to improve further after a solid season if he is to remain a long term part of Toyota, or F1 at all, as he's already 30 years old. 6th place will once again be the target, but Sauber and Jaguar could prove to be too much for them.
Jaguar 16. Mark Webber 17. Christian Klien
There seems to be an air of optimism at Jaguar, with Mark Webber proving every bit as good as the head honchos at Jaguar along with team bosses, journalists and fans thought he would be. The car looks to be about on par with their 2003 car in mid-season, which was last year's peak. Christian Klien in the second car is mostly there because of the Red Bull money that he brings to the team, and whilst he has potential, it is perhaps a year too son for the young Austrian, although he should easily be the highest placed rookie this year, in part thanks to a significant machinery advantage. 6th in this year's Constructors Championship is the aim, and if Webber is firing on all cylinders, that could happen. At worst, they should at least pull clear of Jordan.
Jordan Ford 18. Nick Heidfeld 19. Giorgio Pantano
Eddie Jordan has claimed that Jordan are capable of 5th place in this year's Constructors Championship. That's not going to happen, unless the team have been seriously sandbagging during winter testing. The one thing that seems to be going their way, is that they have two seemingly capable and motivated drivers. Nick Heidfeld is desperate to revive his career, and with low expectations for Jordan this season, this could be just the place to do it, whilst rookie Giorgio Pantano has an impeccable record in karting, and has been an F3000 nearly man, Pantano could well surprise in the second car too.
For the 20th season in succession, Minardi are on the Formula 1 entry list. For a team of their size, that is a remarkable achievement. Out of all the small that entered throughout the 1980s with a limited budget and limited resources, they are the only survivors whilst many others fell by the wayside. Even legendary names such as Lotus and Brabham have since disappeared from the grid, and yet Minardi pluck on and give many young drivers their first chance. But the sad truth in the matter is that they need some major rule changes to stir up the pot and hope to catch up again. It is arguably a low-pressure environment for both Gianmaria Bruni and Zsolt Baumgartner, who aren't expected to score points. Race finishes and achieving respectability are the targets, points would be a huge bonus.
REJECTS IN 2004 Jordan's aims for 5th in the Constructors Championship The one-shot qualifying still lasting an hour Zsolt Baumgartner Minardi Sakhir Circuit No A1 Ring on the calendar McLaren Interlagos ending the season
watka wrote:I find it amusing that whilst you're one of the more openly Christian guys here, you are still first and foremost associated with an eye for the ladies!
dinizintheoven wrote:GOOD CHRISTIANS do not go to jail. EVERYONE ON FORMULA ONE REJECTS should be in jail.
QUALIFYING A wet track, with no sign of more rain. This was set to throw up a few surprises, and a mixed grid would not give us a true indication of the 2004 pecking order, and were to be kept guessing that little bit longer. Fisichella, Panis and Pantano were the first drivers to go out on track, and they paid the price. Other drivers waited longer, and they benefitted. Fernando Alonso took advantage by going out when the track was a bit drier, as did the likes of Klien, Heidfeld and Bruni. Klien and Heidfeld even took the gamble of dry tyres, with Christian Klien qualifying an outstanding 3rd on his debut, whilst Nick Heidfeld was the last man to go out on track, so he enjoyed the driest track out of everyone, and qualified on the front row. Eddie Jordan was jumping for joy. Gianmaria Bruni put his Minardi an excellent 13th, as waiting to go on track paid off. I was 5th fastest, and optimistic for a big result. Michael Schumacher was down in 8th, whilst Barrichello was the pacesetter for a lot of the session, and ended P4.
RACE With a grid like this, we were in for an excellent race. I made a bad start, and dropped behind Coulthard, whilst Klien and Heidfeld managed to maintain track position. Advantage Alonso. Sato dropped down to 16th on lap 1, whilst the Bruni in the Minardi gained a position. It took until lap 3 for Barrichello to pass Klien, who fought very hard until Barrichello used his superior machinery to get past. The 21-year-old is certainly beginning his career in the right way. About 10 laps in, rain looked to be on the cards. Before it came, I dived down the inside of Coulthard for 5th, and then shifted my focus to Klien and Heidfeld. A few of us pitted, but it soon dried up again, and we lost out. Myself, Alonso, Barrichello, Klien, Button, Coulthard and Heidfeld were the big losers, whilst Michael Schumacher took the lead. This left Ralf Schumacher in a strong position in the sister Williams, until the clutch failed him, and he became the first retirement of the race. The seven leaders all threw their big results away. In Heidfeld's case, it didn't matter, as an engine failure ended his day. Barrichello and Alonso were able to fight their way through the field, as the drivers who qualified badly, found themselves in positions to score points. Massa and Webber spent the middle part of the race battling over 4th, although Barrichello and Alonso ensured that they wouldn't get that many points. Three drivers were almost handed podiums on a silver platter, Michael Schumacher, Jarno Trulli and Kimi Raikkonen won big time, although that's not giving them enough credit, as they made the right call. Even before the small shower, Button was in the midfield, so this wasn't the race he was hoping for, as he spent most of it battling Coulthard. The Scot has very little pace for most of the race, and finished well down the order. On lap 44, my engine expired, making it a double retirement for Williams. To Minardi's credit, Gianmaria Bruni showed some speed in the race, as he hung onto Pantano and Panis, who was having an appalling race in the Toyota. Michael Schumacher made a less than convincing start to the season, but the right decision meant that he opened his 2004 account with 10 points, whilst Jarno Trulli took 2nd place, in a race that his teammate could have won. Kimi Raikkonen would have definitely took 3rd heading into the weekend, some encouragement for McLaren. Barrichello and Alonso were extremely disappointed with 4th and 5th. Felipe Massa kept out of trouble to take 6th on his return to Sauber, ahead of Mark Webber who delighted the home fans with 7th, even after a poor start. Takuma Sato took the final point to get BAR off the mark, although it had been a bad weekend for the team.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 34m 44.460s 2. Trulli +8.581s 3. Raikkonen +13.042s 4. Barrichello +35.899s 5. Alonso +41.314s 6. Massa +1m 02.073s 7. Webber +1m 05.465s 8. Sato +1m 27.054s 9. Da Matta +1 Lap 10. Fisichella +1 Lap 11. Button +1 Lap 12. Coulthard +1 Lap 13. Klien +1 Lap 14. Panis +2 Laps 15. Pantano +2 Laps 16. Bruni +2 Laps 17. Baumgartner +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.28.464
REJECT OF THE RACE: Williams - Disastrous start to campaign with double DNF
QUALIFYING Although the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix was my 200th Grand Prix, this will be my 200th race start, so I decided to make more of a big deal of this. I was keen to make this significant milestone that very few people have reached a special weekend. I didn't set a particularly good lap, which I put down to running wide at turn 4, although I nailed the rest of my lap to salvage 10th. Once again, Renault qualified on pole position, but in completely dry weather, this pole position was on merit. Jarno Trulli was the man on pole this time around, although Alonso was quick. Renault vs Ferrari was threatening to be the big battle this weekend.
RACE I made a pretty good start and was up to 8th by turn 1, and then passed Button for 7th at turn 4. There was an incident at turn 1 when Pantano banged wheels with Klien, launching Klien into the air slightly, although neither car was damaged. Michael Schumacher took the lead in the first two turns, closing the door on Trulli. Lap 9 saw the first two retirements of the race, as Kimi Raikkonen tried a move on Webber that quite frankly was never going to work. A few laps later, Ralf Schumacher passed Coulthard for 5th, whilst I was in pursuit. Bruni's race only lasted 21 laps, an engine failure put pay to his chances of beating his teammate again. Fisichella tagged the back of Panis whilst they were disputing 10th and lost his front wing, putting him down to 15th, just behind Klien and Da Matta. Da Matta's race didn't last much longer, hydraulic problems ended what had been a disappointing race. I was biding my time, and saw a great opportunity, as Ralf Schumacher ran a bit wide at the final corner, and I followed Coulthard through, and slipstreamed past him into turn 1. Trulli was setting very quick laps to keep up with Michael Schumacher, and was threatening to pass him. Fisichella quickly disposed of Klien, and chased Heidfeld who made things more difficult, and Fisichella had to really fight for 11th place. Michael Schumacher just about held onto the lead, as catching is one thing, but passing is another, to continue his 100% start to the season, although Jarno Trulli was a serious threat. Alonso completed the podium by finishing ahead of Barrichello. I held onto 5th ahead of DC and Ralf. Button beat teammate Sato to the final point.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 28m 24.526s 2. Trulli +0.560s 3. Alonso +13.968s 4. Barrichello +15.756s 5. Christopherson +53.616s 6. Coulthard +57.008s 7. R.Schumacher +1m 00.302s 8. Button +1m 21.228s 9. Sato +1m 28.365s 10. Panis +1 Lap 11. Fisichella +1 Lap 12. Heidfeld +1 Lap 13. Klien +2 Laps 14. Pantano +2 Laps 15. Baumgartner +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jarno Trulli - 1.33.801
REJECT OF THE RACE: Kimi Raikkonen - Should have known better
QUALIFYING Formula 1 was entering new territory this weekend, as it ventured to the middle east for the first time. Many drivers dismissed the circuit as unchallenging, including the rookie Pantano. I had to agree, as the challenge came from the heat rather than the circuit itself. I almost regretted not changing the engine intake, as my engine was overheating on my flying lap, but my gamble paid off, as I took pole position. Several drivers made mistakes which cost them dearly, most notably Barrichello and Sato. A few midfield drivers consequently qualified higher than they might have expected such as Fisichella, Webber and Panis.
RACE I didn't make a great start, and Schumacher was already ahead by turn 1. My focus had to then shift towards the charging Button who moved up to 3rd. One team in particular had a miserable start to the race, and that was Toyota. Cristiano Da Matta hit the brakes too late and slammed into the back of Panis, who had to retire straight away. Massa and Barrichello also got caught up. Four retirements after just the first corner. A bit later on in the lap, Sato tried a move on Pantano, and spun the Jordan, although both cars emerged unscathed. Michael Schumacher slowly pulled away, although with my engine intake level changed, I didn't quite have the pace to keep up with Michael, and I was more concerned with keeping Button and the Renaults at bay. Thanks to the incident, a lot of drivers lost a lot of time, and the top nine drivers pulled away from the rest of the field, all with a very good chance of scoring points. They were M.Schumacher, myself, Button, Trulli, Alonso, R.Schumacher, Raikkonen, Coulthard and Fisichella. Coulthard and Raikkonen exchanged positions on lap 20, over 7th place. Takuma Sato was attempting to work his way through the field, although the time that everyone lost relative to the top 9 at the start meant that points were unlikely. He put a brave move down the inside of Nick Heidfeld at turn 4 for 12th place, and after clearing the Jordans and Minardis, the Jaguar duo were next on the agenda, but they were some way off yet. Lap 35 was where I really started to lose time relative to Schumacher as I spun whilst simply braking at turn 1, losing positions to Button, Trulli and Alonso. It was due to brakes overheating, and rather continue and risk endangering other drivers, I decided to park the car in the garage at the end of the lap, so the team could investigate. Coulthard had got ahead of Ralf Schumacher at the second round of stops, but there was still a battle over 5th between them and Raikkonen, with Fisichella picking up pace and hanging onto the back of the trio. There was very little overtaking at the front, everyone seemed to be on a similar pace and nobody really had a chance to take a risk. At the front, Michael Schumacher won yet again, making it three out of three. If he gets pole position at any point, the rest of the field could be in trouble. Jenson Button scores a big result for himself and BAR, whilst Trulli beats teammate Alonso to 3rd to make it 3 podiums in 3 races. Coulthard held his nerve to leave the desert with 5th place, ahead of Ralf Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, whilst Giancarlo Fisichella got off the mark for 2004.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 28m 58.286s 2. Button +27.796s 3. Trulli +30.047s 4. Alonso +34.317s 5. Coulthard +1m 24.038s 6. R.Schumacher +1m 24.692s 7. Raikkonen +1m 25.546s 8. Fisichella +1m 27.090s 9. Webber +1 Lap 10. Sato +1 Lap 11. Klien +1 Lap 12. Heidfeld +1 Lap 13. Pantano +2 Laps 14. Bruni +3 Laps 15. Baumgartner +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jack Christopherson - 1.32.608
REJECT OF THE RACE: Cristiano Da Matta - Ruined both Toyota's and Brazil's weekend.
QUALIFYING I had won here every time I had raced here as a Williams driver. This could become the exception though, as I messed my lap up, a mistake at the final chicane left me 9th, although I wasn't exactly heading for pole anyway. Jarno Trulli in the Renault took pole, meaning Ferrari were still yet to claim top spot in qualifying this year. Barrichello was very close, but Trulli put in a great lap. Two drivers made big mistakes that cost them even more dearly than my lap did, they were Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, and they will start 16th and 20th respectively.
RACE It was dry, but rain was forecast to be very soon. Oddly enough, no drivers decided to take a gamble on inters, although there was the risk of them burning up and being of no use, so it was understandable. At the start, I couldn't gain any positions, and the only notable changes in positions were Webber dropping down to 15th, and Coulthard taking 6th from Ralf Schumacher. I passed Sato at Rivazza for 8th, whilst he was pursuing Ralf from when he ran wide at Piratella. It was an important move, as a feisty Fisichella was also looking to get into the mix. Drivers started to pit at the end of lap 4, and Pantano temporarily found himself into the points for the first time ever in 7th, after passing Da Matta a couple of laps earlier. Ralf got to pit before me, so I could well have lost out having to do an extra lap on dries rather than inters. Christian Klien pulled into the pits to retire, he was running 12th before everyone rushed to the pits. Trulli and Button were held up badly by Massa and Baumgartner, thanks to bad pitstops, whilst Barrichello got away scot free, and was in a great position now. Fisichella was closing in on the duo quickly, and perhaps an opportunity for big points. I emerged from the pits between Button and Fisichella, with no knowledge of where I was set to be after the others pitted. The drivers who were unable to pit straight away waited an extra lap, with the exception of myself and Massa. We all struggled to pass Baumgartner, who in his defence had every right to defend his position. Fisichella took the opportunity to pass me. Once again, things played right into Schumacher's hands, as Barrichello also struggled to pass Da Matta and Pantano. I was down to 11th, whilst Raikkonen moved up to 9th. I was very fortunate not to be in a huge accident with Webber, I swerved quickly enough as he got out of shape at the pit exit. Panis however wasn't so lucky. The rain did not shuffle the order, but rather unshuffle it, and benefit Raikkonen greatly. Raikkonen however wasn't able to capitalise on this, suffering from a hydraulic failure, which was later revealed to be the reason for Klien's non-finish. Not much happened after that, as Michael Schumacher eased to a fourth win in four races. World Championship number 7 was looking good for him right now.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 30m 16.352s 2. Barrichello +18.195s 3. Alonso +25.309s 4. Coulthard +36.103s 5. R.Schumacher +42.724s 6. Sato +55.287s 7. Trulli +56.351s 8. Button +56.980s 9. Christopherson +1m 04.059s 10. Fisichella +1m 12.256s 11. Heidfeld +1 Lap 12. Da Matta +2 Laps 13. Pantano +2 Laps 14. Massa +3 Laps 15. Bruni +3 Laps 16. Baumgartner +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jarno Trulli - 1.23.027
REJECT OF THE RACE: Mark Webber - Error exiting pitlane could have seriously injured Panis
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 17 Sep 2015, 13:01, edited 1 time in total.
PRE-RACE There had been quiet rumours about Ralf Schumacher and Toyota reaching an agreement for 2005, making Ralf one of the highest paid drivers in Formula 1. It's likely that he'll replace Olivier Panis, who is believed to be in his final season of Grand Prix racing. Should the move go through, the favourite to replace him at Williams is Jaguar's Mark Webber, although he hasn't commented on this yet.
QUALIFYING For the first time all season, Michael Schumacher had secured pole position, although for once, I fared well at this circuit, something that very rarely happens. Third on the grid, and when I stuck the car on provisional pole, I believed I could stay there, until Trulli just about beat my time, and then Schumacher went on to knock three tenths off my time. In a circuit that tends to represent the true form of the cars, Toyota struggled badly, with both cars in the bottom 6, and both of them comfortably outdone by Jordan's Nick Heidfeld. Zsolt Baumgartner outqualified Gianmaria Bruni for the first time in their short careers.
RACE I made a decent start, but Jenson Button drove forcefully, but fairly in the first two turns, and took 3rd from me. Raikkonen, Klien and Pantano were the big winners at the start, whilst Webber, Panis and Massa dropped back. I regained 3rd position after diving down the inside of Button at La Caixa, whilst Schumacher and Trulli pulled away from the rest of the pack. On lap 3, a slowing Jenson Button fell victim to Alonso outbraking himself, and slamming into the back of the BAR. Button may have had a car problem anyway, as Raikkonen and Barrichello outdragged him down the main straight beforehand with great ease. Alonso held others up when trudging back to the pits, meaning that Sato's battle with Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher became over 6th place rather than 8th, but they were joined by Fisichella, Webber, Klien, Massa and Heidfeld. Alonso retired with suspension damage when he reached the pits. I then lost 3rd to Raikkonen, with the Finn really on a charge. My chances of my first podium ended abruptly, as Barrichello tried a suspect move down the inside, sending me into a spin, and into the barriers at a relatively high speed. Just one points finish in five races, I was enduring a miserable season, and just couldn't catch a break. Baumgartner suffered his first retirement of the season, thanks to a clutch failure after an intense battle with his Minardi teammate, although Bruni wasn't to last the whole race either. Trulli held onto Michael Schumacher throughout, and during the first round of stops, he leapfrogged the Ferraris, and took the lead. Was this his opportunity to finally score his first Grand Prix win? It was very possible. Further back, Sato was pulling away from Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard, after leapfrogging them in the first round of stops. Taku was on for a career best 4th place the way things were going, although Raikkonen in 3rd looked out of reach. On lap 34, Bruni's Minardi caught fire, ending Minardi's weekend early. On the same lap, Ralf Schumacher passed David Coulthard for 5th place. Lap 52 saw Christian Klien retire with gearbox problems from 9th place, he was keeping Massa at bay and even had an outside chance at his first points. The other side of Jaguar was faring better, with Webber in 8th, although some way behind Fisichella. BAR's race went from bad to worse, as Sato's engine blew on the penultimate lap cost him 4th, although a small silver lining being that Trulli had lapped Massa for a second time a few laps earlier, allowing Sato to at least keep one of those points. Jarno Trulli was the man of the moment, as he crossed the line to take the first victory of his career and kept the maestro at bay. Was Jarno thinking that he could steal this year's championship? Maybe. Kimi Raikkonen capitalised on a great opening stint to come home in 3rd, a big boost for McLaren. Ralf Schumacher inherited 4th as something for Williams to smile about, ahead of Coulthard. Fisichella and Webber saw their sensible drives rewarded with 6th and 7th respectively, whilst Sato kept 8th, although he knew it could, and should have been more than that.
1. Trulli 1hr 28m 32.663s 2. M.Schumacher +4.249s 3. Raikkonen +35.428s 4. R.Schumacher +1m 10.043s 5. Coulthard +1m 15.642s 6. Fisichella +1 Lap 7. Webber +1 Lap 8. Sato +2 Laps 9. Massa +2 Laps 10. Da Matta +2 Laps 11. Panis +2 Laps 12. Heidfeld +2 Laps 13. Pantano +2 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.18.460
REJECT OF THE RACE: Rubens Barrichello - Rookie error from a very experienced driver
Jack Christopherson wrote:I may have moved over slightly too soon, but Rubens really is a man who should know better than to try a move like that. A rookie, i'd understand, but Rubens has been around almost as long as myself and Michael, so it's inexcusable. That being said, I accepted his apology, as I knew something was bound to happen to me at some point anyway. The only time i've walked away with points so far was Malaysia, where I had no right to score points with the pace I showed most of the weekend.
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 11 Sep 2015, 15:39, edited 1 time in total.
PRE-RACE There was a change to the qualifying rules effective as of this weekend. The qualifying session was reduced from an hour to just half an hour, whilst still with the one flying lap rule.
QUALIFYING Qualifying was once again unusual at Monaco, with the emphasis on finding a clear track being greater than ever. Some of us, such as myself, Barrichello and Raikkonen amongst others done this very well, whilst Michael Schumacher, Alonso, Webber and Panis amongst others failed badly. I took pole position, although my car was very twitchy and nervous in some of the corners. A good opportunity for Jordan to score some points, and leap clear of Toyota and Minardi, and possibly Jaguar, with Nick Heidfeld 10th and Giorgio Pantano a career best 14th.
RACE I wasn't particularly quick off the line, and had to focus on defending second position from Raikkonen, as Barrichello made a rocket start. Further back, Christian Klien made his way up to 8th position at the first corner. Both Schumacher and Alonso also lost positions at the start, Alonso dropping to 8th, whilst Gianmaria Bruni leaped ahead of both of them. Takuma Sato became the first retirement of the afternoon, crashing out on lap 10 at Portier. He was making very little progress, having dropped behind Klien at the start and never looked like regaining the position. Michael Schumacher became a shock second retirement when trying to pass Bruni, he ran wide at Tabac, his miserable weekend was over. I was pulling away from Raikkonen and Trulli, leaving them to scrap over the final podium spot, and whilst I was keeping up with Barrichello, I couldn't catch him enough to realistically attempt a pass. Button fell back from the leading quartet, whilst Coulthard put a move on Ralf Schumacher for 6th at Nouvelle Chicane. Lap 35 saw a collision between Alonso and Panis, who were disputing 15th position after finally leapfrogging Bruni in the first round of stops. McLaren's reliability had improved since testing, but it still wasn't perfect. David Coulthard learned that the hard way with an engine failure on lap 49 from 6th place. The last 15 laps were spent stuck behind Barrichello, but I didn't go for broke like I sometimes would before, I instead bided my time and hoped there would be a clear-cut opportunity to make a move. It never happened, and Ferrari returned to winning ways, although this time it was Rubens Barrichello on the top step, whilst I was just a second behind. Kimi Raikkonen scored his second consecutive podium finish, ahead of surprise title contender Trulli. Jenson Button and Ralf Schumacher kept their cars on the road for more points. Christian Klien impressed in the Jaguar to finish 7th, and score his first ever championship points, whilst Fisichella scored the final point for Sauber, although Nick Heidfeld was threatening to score that point himself. Also notable was Giorgio Pantano finishing one position behind Heidfeld in a career best 10th.
1. Barrichello 1hr 44m 14.920s 2. Christopherson +1.032s 3. Raikkonen +19.169s 4. Trulli +23.775s 5. Button +48.641s 6. R.Schumacher +1m 07.786s 7. Klien +1 Lap 8. Fisichella +1 Lap 9. Heidfeld +1 Lap 10. Pantano +2 Laps 11. Da Matta +2 Laps 12. Massa +2 Laps 13. Webber +3 Laps 14. Bruni +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jack Christopherson - 1.16.972
REJECT OF THE RACE: Mark Webber - Uninspired drive compared to teammate's points finish
Jack Christopherson wrote:I know full well why I didn't go for any half chances I may have saw. If I hadn't had such a dreadful start to the season, i'd have gone for it. I know a win is usually enough incentive, but I badly needed the points just to kickstart this season, and I wasn't prepared to possibly throw that away.
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 26 Sep 2015, 22:52, edited 1 time in total.
PRE-RACE The rumours are confirmed, as Ralf Schumacher is set to depart Williams at the end of 2004 after signing a lucrative deal with Toyota. With Toyota struggling to beat Jordan, is this a mistake from Ralf? Mark Webber looks likely to sign a deal in the coming weeks.
QUALIFYING Qualifying went reasonably well, as I never felt completely confident in the quicker corners with this car. Michael Schumacher took pole position for the second time, and was hoping to become the first driver to win from pole this season. Jenson Button just beat Trulli to a front row start. Fisichella starred in his Sauber to start 8th, whilst Toyota were once again outpaced by Jordan, as both Toyotas were in the bottom 5.
RACE Button made a great start, and got down the inside of Schumacher for the lead at turn 1. Further back, the tight turn with 20 cars heading in at the same time was always like to cause chaos, this time it was Panis and Massa. Massa had to hit the brakes early, which caught out Panis. Massa also tagged Coulthard, but the Scot suffered no damage, although he dropped to 15th by the end of lap 1, ahead of only the Minardis and Pantano. I also took 4th place from Barrichello. It didn't take Rubens long to retake the position and drop me back to 5th. Kimi Raikkonen suffered an engine failure from 6th, not good in front of the Mercedes head honchos. Jarno Trulli became the fourth retirement of the season, with his Renault later revealed to have suffered a hydraulic failure. The three way battle for the win became a two man duel. Could Button fend off Schumacher off for 40 laps. Things looked better for Williams, as we were 4th and 5th, but Ralf Schumacher was under pressure from Fisichella, with Sato and Alonso not too far behind either. Sato was on a one-stop strategy, and was fuelled heavier in an attempt to leapfrog Alonso, Ralf and Fisichella. Ralf Schumacher was in Webber's company after he pitted, but a collision ended both of their races, leaving the battle over the final point down to Coulthard, Klien, Da Matta and Heidfeld. Sato moved ahead of both Fisichella and Alonso in their battle for 5th thanks to strategy, whilst Alonso used his superior car to send a move down the inside of the final chicane for 6th place, dropping Fisichella down yet another position. On lap 50, Michael Schumacher got a great slipstream to go down the inside of Button and retake the lead that he lost at that point 49 laps prior. Schumacher then pulled away, and may have completely broken Button's spirit. Michael Schumacher used the final laps to demonstrate why he is currently the best in the business, and then took the chequered flag to win the European Grand Prix ahead of Jenson Button. Rubens Barrichello beat me quite comfortably to the final podium spot in the end. Sato's strategy and speed helped him leapfrog Alonso and Fisichella, whilst Christian Klien held onto the final point. Nick Heidfeld was his closest challenger, and finished a crucial 9th ahead of Coulthard and Da Matta, to move Jordan ahead of Toyota in the standings.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 35m 35.300s 2. Button +7.993s 3. Barrichello +23.885s 4. Christopherson +34.362s 5. Sato +54.362s 6. Alonso +59.899s 7. Fisichella +1m 01.921s 8. Klien +1 Lap 9. Heidfeld +1 Lap 10. Coulthard +1 Lap 11. Da Matta +1 Lap 12. Pantano +2 Laps 13. Bruni +2 Laps 14. Baumgartner +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Fernando Alonso - 1.31.873
REJECT OF THE RACE: McLaren - Lapped 10th and engine failure in front of Mercedes head honchos
PRE-RACE Silly season started early, and it's continued here, as Olivier Panis has announced 2004 will definitely be his last season in the sport, with one or two French media outlets speculating that he may retire after one last French Grand Prix, these rumours were fuelled by the fact that Toyota are enduring a miserable season, and are even behind Jordan in the standings.
QUALIFYING Qualifying went well, but despite pushing the car to the absolute limit, it was not enough to beat longtime rival Michael Schumacher to top spot. The big 5 teams locked out the top 10 spots, although Fisichella and Webber were at least within touching distance, and may have considered themselves to have a decent chance of points if things go well. Nothing else of note really happened.
Jack Christopherson wrote:As soon as I saw Schumi's time, I thought "shite, how am I supposed to beat that?" and I jumped straight into the car. I was completely on the rails for the entire lap, and was pushing to the limit, but it wasn't quite enough. Our best hope is to jump him at the start, but we all know that's easier said than done.
RACE I made a bad start and dropped to 4th. Massa stalled at the start and immediately retired, whilst Webber spun at turn 1, whilst Pantano spun Baumgartner and damaged his car whilst trying to take avoiding action. Heidfeld didn't get past the first lap either, as he ran wide at turn 9 and lost his rear wing. I managed to pass Button for 3rd at the hairpin, and then set my sights on former teammate Jarno Trulli. The following lap, our teammates exchanged positions at that corner, although this time, BAR prevailed, as Sato moved up to 9th place. Minardi's weekend was finished after Bruni suffered an engine failure on lap 20. I passed Trulli for 2nd on lap 25, after Trulli got a slow exit out of turn 2, maybe I had pressured him enough, as I was hounding him. Ralf Schumacher tried a move on Takuma Sato on lap 33, and neither driver got away with it, David Coulthard had to run wide to avoid being caught up in the incident, but he was at least now safe in 8th, provided he kept the car on the road. Unfortunately, another podium wasn't to be, my brakes just couldn't handle the circuit, and for the second time this season, brakes were the reason for my retirement. Down to 13, and the two Toyotas who were having a fantastic scrap for position were now occupying 9th and 10th, although Panis had started to slowly pull away again, even if Fisichella was out of sight. Any more retirements, and points were coming their way. Their prayers were answered, as Rubens Barrichello suffered a gearbox problem, and lost 4th place because of it, whilst in the hunt for a podium. Raikkonen wasn't too far, and may have looked like an outsider for a podium spot, but he was losing ground, and Alonso was closing in on him. Michael Schumacher did what he had done many times since he emerged onto the scene in late 1991, as he took the chequered flag once again, for the 6th time this season. Trulli held on to 2nd against his former teammate Jenson Button. Raikkonen had enough of a gap to keep 4th, whilst 5th for Alonso and a lonely 6th for Coulthard rounded off good weekends for Renault and McLaren respectively. Fisichella continued his excellent run with 7th, whilst the retiring finally Olivier Panis broke Toyota's duck for 2004.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 31m 28.645s 2. Trulli +38.623s 3. Button +41.486s 4. Raikkonen +52.284s 5. Alonso +56.018s 6. Coulthard +1 Lap 7. Fisichella +1 Lap 8. Panis +1 Lap 9. Da Matta +1 Lap 10. Klien +2 Laps 11. Webber +3 Laps 12. Pantano +3 Laps
Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.14.039
REJECT OF THE RACE: Nick Heidfeld - May have threw away big opportunity
ROUND 9 - 2004 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX - Indianapolis
PRE-RACE Rumours of Olivier Panis retiring straight after the French Grand Prix have strengthened, and may have some merit. Meanwhile, in the other half of the Toyota garage, relations are straining between Cristiano Da Matta and Toyota's head honchos due to Da Matta's recent underperformance, particularly with some of his qualifying efforts.
QUALIFYING I hooked the car up superbly during my flying lap, although I only just did enough for pole position, as my former teammate Jarno Trulli was less than half a tenth slower. Hooking the car up was something that Michael Schumacher did not do, as the championship leader was a disappointing 6th. Kimi Raikkonen also suffered another horrendous qualifying session, and was only 15th.
RACE For once, I absolutely nailed the start and kept my lead into turn 1, whilst Alonso moved up to 3rd. Webber's miserable few races continued, after a bad start, he made contact with Raikkonen, who dropped back to 16th as a result. Webber's race was finished instantly whilst other than losing positions, Raikkonen emerged unscathed. Lap 10 saw Jarno Trulli grind to a halt from 2nd, whilst teammate Alonso was hounding him. My lead still wasn't big, but it was one less driver to worry about. Michael Schumacher was stuck in 5th place, and was pursuing Barrichello, but couldn't make any progress, although the Ferraris were right with Jenson Button, so both Ferraris still had eyes on at least a podium. Kimi Raikkonen had worked his way through the field and had intentions of points, until he spun off not long after passing Panis. He had a decent chance of points, as he was battling over 9th with Fisichella, Massa and Panis. Lap 37 saw Fisichella run wide off the track and hand 9th place to teammate Massa. On lap 43, not long after lapping him, Coulthard ran wide and hit the barrier, costing him 7th place. He had passed Ralf Schumacher at the start, but a couple of laps before, I could just about see Ralf pass DC, whilst I was about to lap Sato. Not much happened in the latter stages of the race, other than Baumgartner suffering an engine failure on the main straight on lap 49, although he was some way behind teammate Bruni, as had been the case quite often this season. At the front, I was quite comfortable, and I took the chequered flag for the first time this season, the first time since Monza last year, and for the 23rd time in my career. However, the main focus on the last lap was Button, who tried a move down the inside of Fernando Alonso at turn 8, although Alonso held position thanks to having the inside line for the following corner, and he closed the door on Button to hold onto 2nd. The two Ferraris were closely behind with Barrichello leading his teammate. Ralf Schumacher finished a solid 6th in the Williams ahead of Sato. Massa scored the final point, and his first since Australia, could this give him a much needed boost for the second half of this season?
1. Christopherson 1hr 34m 05.684s 2. Alonso +22.479s 3. Button +23.025s 4. Barrichello +25.989s 5. M.Schumacher +27.064s 6. R.Schumacher +1 Lap 7. Sato +1 Lap 8. Massa +1 Lap 9. Fisichella +1 Lap 10. Panis +1 Lap 11. Klien +2 Laps 12. Heidfeld +2 Laps 13. Da Matta +3 Laps 14. Pantano +3 Laps 15. Bruni +4 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jack Christopherson - 1.12.491
REJECT OF THE RACE: Cristiano Da Matta - Two laps down on Panis wasn't the way to increase job security
Last edited by FullMetalJack on 26 Sep 2015, 22:51, edited 1 time in total.
PRE-RACE Heading into the race, we were still unsure whether or not this would be Olivier Panis' last Grand Prix, although we were expecting to find out after the race.
QUALIFYING As has been the case so many times this season, as well as in the past, Michael Schumacher was incredibly quick, and took pole position by almost half a second. Quite an achievement at any circuit, but even more so considering that this is one of the shortest laps on the calendar. I messed my lap up by outbraking myself at the 180 hairpin, and as a result, I was down in 12th. Alonso also had a disappointing qualifying at Renault's home race, lining up in 10th. A good effort by Giorgio Pantano saw him not only outqualify Nick Heidfeld for the first time, but Cristiano Da Matta too, leaving BAR as the only team with one driver whitewashing their teammate so far in qualifying this season.
RACE Full wet tyres were the only way to go come race day, the skies were a very dark grey. I made a great start and was up to 9th by the first few turns. I then attempted to pass Sato for 8th at the hairpin, I eventually took the position from Sato and was already in the points. The only other notable position change was Raikkonen moving up to 4th at Trulli's expense. Heading into the hairpin, Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld were involved in a heavy collision, and thanks to low visibility, it was a miracle that nobody else was collected. Fernando Alonso made an appalling start and was down to 14th, even behind Da Matta. Barrichello took until lap 9 to pass Button for 2nd, with Kimi Raikkonen lurking behind them and looking for an opportunity to pass. I was so close to taking both myself and my teammate out of the race, after outbraking myself at Adelaide hairpin on lap 12, I narrowly missed Ralf Schumacher's car, and completely got away scot free, not even losing a position to Sato. Kimi Raikkonen eventually spun off and hit the barrier from 4th place, vital points for McLaren gone. Fernando Alonso endured a difficult time at Renault's home event, and a spin ended his weekend early. Lap 31 saw Coulthard retire with an engine failure, meaning the second consecutive double DNF for McLaren. Bridgestone clearly had the better compound, and it allowed Pantano to pass both Toyotas on track, after a lengthy and exciting battle for position. Ralf Schumacher spun off in the wet and lost 5th place. I inherited the position from my teammate, until the third round of stops, where I was leapfrogged by Fisichella's Sauber, who was a Bridgestone runner. With just 9 laps to go, Gianmaria Bruni's engine caught fire. Michael Schumacher led home what was the second Ferrari 1-2 of 2004, with Barrichello fending off Jenson Button for a hard earned 2nd place. Trulli was a distant fourth, whilst Fisichella finished an excellent 5th in the Sauber ahead of me. Takuma Sato brought his car home 7th whilst Felipe Massa battled hard with Mark Webber and took home the final point.
1. M.Schumacher 1hr 49m 11.712s 2. Barrichello +32.400 3. Button +37.103 4. Trulli +57.956 5. Fisichella +1 Lap 6. Christopherson +1 Lap 7. Sato +1 Lap 8. Massa +1 Lap 9. Webber +1 Lap 10. Pantano +2 Laps 11. Da Matta +2 Laps 12. Panis +2 Laps 13. Baumgartner +4 Laps
Fastest Lap: Jarno Trulli - 1.31.400
REJECT OF THE RACE: Michelin - Completely outmatched by Bridgestone
Rabbi Gordon wrote:Strange, but interesting ROTR here.
Go Trulli! (and Christopherson)(and HWNSNBM)
I couldn't think of anything else. I guess with a double Sauber score including Fisichella's best finish of the season, along with Pantano beating both Toyotas, it was a valid nomination. Even if Toyota are for some reason pathetic on this mod.
Thing is, I haven't made any changes to the talent files from when I just used to do short races in this mod, except Heidfeld's as he was slightly too quick given his car, and Panis often qualified fairly well, so i'm surprised he's struggling so much.
