vall wrote:I think they back their only hope to with a WDC. Massa was 30+ point behind Alonso and ~80 behind LH? Does anyone realistically think Massa could do it? I don't.
I also have the feeling that this scenario was discussed before the race (with the 2 Ferrari's starting 2&3rd) and the whole position swap think was engineered in advance.
Being 78 points behind Hamilton was bad. Being 78 points behind Hamilton, 65 behind Button, 60 Behind Webber and 55 Behind Webber (numbers here are approximate) is horrible. There are so many rivals ahead of both Ferraris that Massa's points rift is unlikely to overcome with anything less than an F2002, F2004 or an MP/4-4. Come on, even Alonso has a bloody slim chance.
BTW: Ferrari robbed us the chance to see a fight for the win as much as McLaren robbed us the chance to see a fight for the win in Istambul. As soon as Button did something unexpected (trying to overtake Hamilton), his engineer went ballistic with "save fuel! save fuel!" messages. The difference is that in the latest case there was a position swap, closely followed by the fact that this actually helps Ferrari's chances in the WDC.
Anyway, what I cannot understand is why the media have done such a big fuss about this while not doing the same about identical situations we've had in the past few years. I understand the people that say this should be punished. I understand the other side of the argument. I don't understand the press' holier than thou attitude when condoning this and not previous team orders. Don't tell me it made more sense back then, because else I'll have to work out the probabilities.
PS: A certain Contador helped Vinokourov win the Liege Bastogne Liege this year. I doubt Alberto's contract says he has to help Vino at all.
PPS: Is "hold station" a punishable team order for those screaming bloody murder? Is telling your driver to conserve his engine another punishable team order? Someone said that the way to avoid team orders was abolishing the WCC.
Actually, abolishing the WDC (but keeping the winners' names) would have avoided yesterday's pass... but might have ended with Alonso slowing his pace in order to deny Vettel a shot for the win (not unlike Schumacher in Malaysia 99). Actually, didn't Alonso do something similar in Melbourne this year?
I am not amazed by F1 cars in Monaco. I want to see them driving in the A8 highway: Variable radius corners, negative banking, and extreme narrowings that Tilke has never dreamed off. Oh, yes, and "beautiful" weather tops it all.
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." Niels Bohr