BR GP: Honda on fire now!

[SD_GR]

Was it just me, or was there a Honda engulfed in flames during the first few seconds of Lewis Hamilton's reign as World Driving Champion? It was parked ahead of the McLaren. Confirmed?

Honda, the best motor maker in the world, are hopeless this year in F1. They spent more money than some countries spend on defense and the car is a mobile obstacle. Wow.

The GP itself was excellent. Glock and Vettel stole the show! With endings like this, FIA won't have to wreck rallying and convince people it's not the most popular motorsport in the world to get them to watch F1 -- people may tune in on their own.

The moral of the story is you can't drag a fuel hose halfway across a small Asian country and expect to end up World Driving Champion. It's still not that kind of party. Next year, maybe they'll change the rules to add points for dragging hoses so it's not a problem again, we'll see.

[cavallino333]

Ironically I think Massa deserved the WDC more than Ferrari deserved the WCC. Massa for the most part drove quite well all season, and perhaps proved that he his a worthy driver. The Ferrari team on the other hand made quite a few mistakes in the pits and had a few engine failures which had they not done would have won Massa the championship.

That said I am happy the way things turned out Ferrari got it's 16th WCC which at the end of the day I care a lot more about than WDC.

Those last few laps with Vettel and Hamilton were quite intense though, if only Glock could have stayed in the way a bit longer.

It was a close and exciting season.

Also have you read about the proposed "standard engine" plan? Montezemelo is claiming that Ferrari would "consider leaving F1" should such a reg be instituted.

[SD_GR]

Also have you read about the proposed "standard engine" plan? Montezemelo is claiming that Ferrari would "consider leaving F1" should such a reg be instituted.

This is just their standard way of saying "FIAT oppose this regulation, so do not implement it."

Keep in mind, if FIAT want to leave a championship for real, they'd just leave. FIAT stayed in F1 during the 80s, for heaven't sake, when no matter who drove for Ferrari all they could manage is to fill someone's mirrors. If they wanted to leave, they'd just pack -- this is exactly what FIAT did with the WRC, for example, where they had the best team in history. One morning, there were no more works Lancia entries.

I think both sides are bluffing. On the one hand there's a sanctioning body with no idea what to do to limit costs while keeping the key players ahead (this is a product, after all, and it's not like the Olympics where the money is made after the fact in endorsements or on the stands in concessions, the money has to flow as it always did via TV rights, sponsorship decals, and so on). Every move they make seems to increase costs -- granted, with the key players still ahead, but that's only half the desired outcome. The goal is to get a series that's cheaper for others to enter but to make sure that the status quo (FIAT) is not disrupted too much.

On the other hand, the Ferrari team are basically continuing on a semi-pointless crusade. They're fighting for the honour of the flag but it doesn't really matter. Nobody bought a Punto or a Tipo or a Panda because of Ferrari's F1 victories. Nobody didn't buy a Ferrari because of Ferrari's F1 losses. Lamborghini have specifically avoided competition, and have been met with disaster when they broke their own rule (stay the hell away from a track) yet they sell out cars too. So could Ferrari.

The old man's gone now. Half the people in the pits only know Italian from overhearing swear words. The cars are selling despite -- not because of -- what the F1 team does. Why stay if the rules no longer suit them?

My bet: next year, business as usual with new technology implemented and a few cost-cutting measures implemented too, to increase costs...

[cavallino333]

This is just their standard way of saying "FIAT oppose this regulation, so do not implement it."

My bet: next year, business as usual with new technology implemented and a few cost-cutting measures implemented too, to increase costs...

Yeah that's kind of what I figured. All these cost cutting reg's are really rather silly, they don't work, and in sport that bills itself as the epitome of high tech high cost racing it just doesn't work. There's plenty of other race series for cheap racing.

[Weasel 555]

WOW ! just watched it....what a amazing race and ending to the 2008 F1 season ! a true classic F1 GP ,even hollywood couldnt have written a story that was as amazing as what unfolded today !

[SD_GR]

It was a great GP, it had everything and it ended with grown men crying.

It's amazing and very promising that STR, Renault, and Toyota have improved so dramatically. BMW are now struggling to keep pace, which is a bit of a surprise, and of course Honda maintain their well-deserved status as the laughing stock of motorsport.

As a driver, Massa has also improved dramatically. He was never brilliant in the rain before but now he at least can hold his own, and in the dry he is blindingly fast. I still think Hamilton deserves the driver's title though. I'd like to see more client cars and third-tier teams get on the podium next year, along with less GPs in new tracks and more GPs back in traditional venues. I'd love to see South Africa run again, for example (dream on...).

I'd also like to see a different announcer team at Speed. David Coulthard is entering sportscasting, and there are a number of people that can do the commentary even if DC is too expensive (and looking at my satellite bill, I'm having trouble believing he is).

Once upon a time Quattroruote had F1 commentary by Nelson Piquet and WRC commentary by Walter Roehrl, both contestants at the time. This type of in-car, in-race commentary is something completely different and always worth reading. Can't we get some of this type of thing again?

[Voodoo Rufus]

I was on PlanetF1.com reading the live text feed for the whole race. No TV, much less any Speed channel. It was total nail biting for the last few minutes! It was great!

<Hammy loses fifth to Vettel> Nooooooo!!! <Glock loses places to Vettel and Hammy> YESHHHHHH!!!

[RayfieldsWRX]

It was a great GP, it had everything and it ended with grown men crying.

It's amazing and very promising that STR, Renault, and Toyota have improved so dramatically.

+1
I'm very pleased with STR, and Renault seems to be making long strides with Alonzo back in place to aid development. Next year should be interesting.

It's almost a shame to wreck the formula with Vettel, and "promote" him to the senior Red Bull team. OTOH, who knows what offers he is getting..?

[mycologist]

Incredible. I got a serious rush from watching the ending yesterday and that almost never happens with sports anymore.