Comments on: The Ben Evans column: Perfect day

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:42:18 +0000

“Magny-Cours this year appears to have done the opposite. There are the occasional races where you wonder if Raikkonen can be bothered with it at all.”

May I just remind you that Kimi was leading this very race comfortably over Massa before his exhaust problem, causing him to slow down and make sure he picked up valuable championship points. If that’s an indication of someone trying not very hard (leading his teammate comfortably before a mechanical problem through no fault of his own thwarts his efforts) then you are sorely mistaken.

By: Boy George

Boy George — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:22:01 +0000

Go Hamilton! Awesome year.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:14:49 +0000

I think the other point that some people have raised, is that this years cars really suit a very specific driving style – full attack

The drivers who are known for being smooth – Heidfeld and Button spring to mind most noticeably, have appeared to struggle disproportionately

By: Noel

Noel — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:20:46 +0000

Of course, Kimi is partly to blame for his terrible showing on Sunday. The rest is down to the car, the setup and the strategy. Some cars, and indeed drivers’ styles, are more suited to particular tracks, and a quick car doesn’t necessarily make a champion. My point was that I feel assured Kimi, and every other driver, puts everything he can into every race. Otherwise their team would drop them, no questions asked.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:14:04 +0000

I think Massa and Raikkoenen are a bit unusual amongst the top drivers in that they need the car to be spot on to deliver their best. When they don’t have the ideal package I don’t think that either, Raikkonen in particular, finds that extra couple of % that they do when the win is on the cards.

In contrast Alonso by and large drives the wheels off his Renault, even though he knows 4th or 5th is the best he’s going to get.

Drivers not giving total commitment when they know that can’t win is nothing new – Nelson Piquet was notorious for being there in body but not mond when he wasn’t in with a shout of winning. In the world of Moto GP – both Luca Cadalora and Kenny Roberts were renowned for not giving anything like 100% to claim 10th instead of 9th, but when everything was going well, both were world title winners

By: sChUmAcHeRtHeGrEaTeStEvEr

sChUmAcHeRtHeGrEaTeStEvEr — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:03:57 +0000

i seem to notice that no matter what rakkonen does hes never in the wrong. to be that far off massas pace was quite crap really, if hamilton was that far off kovalaienens pace the hamilton bashing would be in full force its sad really, i dont see how you can give kimi credit for a performace like he had on sunday

By: Sush

Sush — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:01:20 +0000

the way people on this site talk about drivers ability, well it makes sense to me!.

in football when a player does well, he’s good, but if they fail… its the managers fault.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:55:40 +0000

Sush – I don’t know what football or being English has to do with this?

By: Sush

Sush — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:45:25 +0000

this attitude is typical English Football mentality, if a driver does well, he’s brilliant…. if he does bad its clearly a problem within the strategy, not his skill.

By: Internet

Internet — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:26:00 +0000

I don’t agree with Noel. Kimi was horribly off the pace. Obviously it was setup, but the driver is to blame for that as well. How was Massa faster in the same car? To be off Massa’s pace by that much is an insult to Ferrari. Stop excusing Kimi’s performance.