F1 2008 Review
Friday 26 December 2008
A classic year? Possibly. Yet again we only had 2 teams in it till the end, although this was mainly due to the major rule changes in 2009 and partially due to BMW’s decision to focus on 2009. With a little bit of luck Robert had a shot at it this year - don’t forget it.
Neither combination of team and driver (i.e. Ferrari/Massa or McLaren/Hamilton), had a faultless year, as the rivals made countless errors along the way, meaning that the title went to the team that made the least errors. However, things are not as they seem because Hamilton lost most of his points due to his own mistakes whilst Massa lost his through errors made by the Ferrari team.
The most absurd of Hamilton’s errors has to be the pit lane error in Canada that he was correctly punished for and highlights his biggest weakness, which appears to be a general lack of consistency. How can the same driver, in essentially an identical car make such a simple error and then just 2 races later completely dominate the British Grand Prix, in incredibly difficult conditions that would have required intense concentration. I don’t believe the issue is a lack of self belief because he has already proven he has what it takes at the highest level of motorsport and therefore talks the talk as you would expect him to.
Massa has never been held in high regard by the press before this year. Before the start of the season there were rumors floating around the internet that he would be out in 2009, to be replaced by Alonso. However the 2008 Ferrari suited his driving style perfectly, whereas 2007’s Ferrari was slightly too oversteery for his liking and allowed Raikkonen to take the honors in Brazil last year. This year was truly a breakthrough year for the Brazilian as he finally destroyed two myths that have been used to put him down in the past, namely that he only excels on wide, fast tracks and that he can’t handle streets and also that he isn't gifted in the wet.
Next season promises to be completely different with revised aerodynamic regulations and no in-season testing, which could lead to some unexpected results and new winners. Drivers will need to adapt to driving on slicks, which is more likely to suit those who prefer oversteer, which could mean that Felipe will struggle again.
Roll on 2009.
Posted byMichael at 14:02
Labels: Formula One, Reviews
F1 2008 Review
A classic year? Possibly. Yet again we only had 2 teams in it till the end, although this was mainly due to the major rule changes in 2009 and partially due to BMW’s decision to focus on 2009. With a little bit of luck Robert had a shot at it this year - don’t forget it.
Neither combination of team and driver (i.e. Ferrari/Massa or McLaren/Hamilton), had a faultless year, as the rivals made countless errors along the way, meaning that the title went to the team that made the least errors. However, things are not as they seem because Hamilton lost most of his points due to his own mistakes whilst Massa lost his through errors made by the Ferrari team.
The most absurd of Hamilton’s errors has to be the pit lane error in Canada that he was correctly punished for and highlights his biggest weakness, which appears to be a general lack of consistency. How can the same driver, in essentially an identical car make such a simple error and then just 2 races later completely dominate the British Grand Prix, in incredibly difficult conditions that would have required intense concentration. I don’t believe the issue is a lack of self belief because he has already proven he has what it takes at the highest level of motorsport and therefore talks the talk as you would expect him to.
Massa has never been held in high regard by the press before this year. Before the start of the season there were rumors floating around the internet that he would be out in 2009, to be replaced by Alonso. However the 2008 Ferrari suited his driving style perfectly, whereas 2007’s Ferrari was slightly too oversteery for his liking and allowed Raikkonen to take the honors in Brazil last year. This year was truly a breakthrough year for the Brazilian as he finally destroyed two myths that have been used to put him down in the past, namely that he only excels on wide, fast tracks and that he can’t handle streets and also that he isn't gifted in the wet.
Next season promises to be completely different with revised aerodynamic regulations and no in-season testing, which could lead to some unexpected results and new winners. Drivers will need to adapt to driving on slicks, which is more likely to suit those who prefer oversteer, which could mean that Felipe will struggle again.
Roll on 2009.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
