Offical Formula One Discussion Thread - French Grand Prix 2008

[Alfred.Jones]

Formula One is watched by millions of people all over the world and is the most expensive sport in the world. I know we have some formula one supporters amongst us and I thought it would be cool to have a thread to discuss the sport on and off the track. I will be updating the tables as each grand prix (don't be surprised if i am late to update them ) and I will try to have the results for qualifying of each race.

Here are the results so far for the 2008 Season

Current Driver Standings
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Position

[/head]
[head]

Driver

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[head]

Points

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data][data]

48

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data][data]

46

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data][data]

43

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data][data]

38

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data][data]

28

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data][data]

20

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Mark Webber

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data][data]

18

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Jarno Trulli

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data][data]

18

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

Fernando Alonso

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data][data]

10

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data][data]

8

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Kazuki Nakajima

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data][data]

7

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]12[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data][data]

6

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]13[/data][data]

Timo Glock

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data][data]

5

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]14[/data][data]

Sebastian Vettel

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data][data]

5

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]15[/data][data]

Rubens Barrichello

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data][data]

5

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]16[/data][data]

Jenson Button

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data][data]

3

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]17[/data][data]

Sébastien Bourdais

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data][data]

2

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]18[/data][data]

Nelson Piquet Jr

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data][data]

2

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]19[/data][data]

Giancarlo Fisichella

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]20[/data][data]

Adrian Sutil

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]21[/data][data]

Takuma Sato

[/data][data]

Super Aguri F1¹

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]22[/data][data]

Anthony Davidson

[/data][data]

Super Aguri F1¹

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]


Current Team Standings
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Position

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[head]

Points

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data][data]

91

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data][data]

74

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data][data]

58

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data][data]

24

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data][data]

23

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data][data]

15

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data][data]

12

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data][data]

8

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data][data]

7

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Force India

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Super Aguri F1¹

[/data][data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]


Race Results
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Round

[/head]
[head]

Grand Prix

[/head]
[head]

1^st Position

[/head]
[head]

2^nd Position

[/head]
[head]

3^rd Position

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Australian Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Malaysian Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

Bahrain Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Spanish Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Turkish Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Monaco Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Canadian Grand Prix

[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

French Grand Prix

[/data][data]

---

[/data][data]

---

[/data][data]

---

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]

¹ Super Aguri withdrew from the Formula One world championship on May 6, 2008

AJ

[owlsinger]

Excellent! 
I watched Monaco last weekend......Lewis Hamilton is my fav. I've only begun to really get into it over the last year. My brother works for Mercedes, so he explains things to me. The Monaco track was nuts!!!

[HandsOn]

Spiffingly brilliant - finally a sport (now that hockey is all but done & buried - poor endangered penguins..  ) I can root for. Concurr with Alfred.Jones, I must, the wee lad from the UK ought to have won last year (support team messed up two races), let's hope he does it this year. Waiting for GP to get back into my neck of woods (France or Belgium); maybe a live report..

[Alfred.Jones]

support team messed up two races

Are you talking about Brazil and Nürburgring? They were just mechanical failures.

I think the thing/person who messed up Lewis' championship was Fernando Alonso.

You just have to watch the start of the Brazil grandprix...

Oh, well... He is leading the championship so far and i think he is in for a real good chance this year

Lewis Hamilton is my fav.

Lewis is my favourite as well. He is a legend

Waiting for GP to get back into my neck of woods (France or Belgium); maybe a live report..

Your lucky! I have to wake up at 2 in the morning to watch F1 here...

[daeley]

Spiffingly brilliant - finally a sport (now that hockey is all but done & buried - poor endangered penguins..  ) I can root for. Concurr with Alfred.Jones, I must, the wee lad from the UK ought to have won last year (support team messed up two races), let's hope he does it this year. Waiting for GP to get back into my neck of woods (France or Belgium); maybe a live report..

I respectfully disagree... all driver's have had their share of bad luck, only Hamilton had his a bit later.
Also, it's not Alonso's fault either, it's the team's fault for hiring him. I mean, did they seriously expect that a two-time world champion would settle easily for 2nd place behind his rookie teammate?

oh, and Monaco was brillant - for a change. Next year, if the track is dry, they should put some sprinklers on the sides of the track to spruce it up a bit. Looking forward to Canada though! We should start a poll: who's going to hit the wall this year?

[Alfred.Jones]

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2008

Qualifying
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Qualifying Position

[/head]
[head]

Driver

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Fernando Alonso

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

Rubens Barrichello

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Mark Webber¹

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Timo Glock

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]12[/data][data]

Kazuki Nakajima

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]13[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]14[/data][data]

Jarno Trulli

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]15[/data][data]

Nelson Piquet Jr

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]16[/data][data]

Sébastien Bourdais²

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]17[/data][data]

Adrian Sutil²

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]18[/data][data]

Giancarlo Fisichella²

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]19[/data][data]

Jenson Button²

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]20[/data][data]

Sebastian Vettel^2,3

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]

¹ Mark Webber did not participate in Q3 due to a crash at the end of Q2 which saw him damage his suspension

² Sébastien Bourdais will start from the rear of the grid after a 5 position penalty was given for a necessary gearbox change resulting from a crash in Saturday Practice. Adrian Sutil, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel will all start one place up on the grid

³ Sebastian Vettel did not participate in Qualifying due to a major crash in Saturday Practice that damaged the car


That is how they will start. Should be an interesting race with Thunderstorms forecast and the track surface in question after it was breaking up in qualifying. I assume we will be seeing lots of safety car interventions. Can Lewis Hamilton win the Canadian Grand Prix back to back and make it two in a row after Monaco?

We'll find out in around 6 hours time

[HandsOn]

Well, my money is on Hamilton.

I'd go as far as reporting from my crystal ball:

• 1 - Hamilton
• 2 - Kubica
• 3 - Massa
• 4 - Rosberg
  
• 5 - Webber
• 6 - Kovalainen (that is a real far-fetched idea  )

Well, here's to hoping.. 

Edit: Good grief, what a mess this became: And it was Hamilton's fault (although Kimi got his payback after what he did to Sutil in Monaco). But great for BMW/Sauber at least, and Kubica 

[superhands]

just debating if i should watch it at 2:30am gm time (tonight).
what do you think sc4d?

[HandsOn]

just debating if i should watch it at 2:30am gm time (tonight).
what do you think sc4d?

Bummer - and I thought I had it late (23:00h at GMT+2) 

[owlsinger]

I don't want to spoil it if some haven't seen yet. Just one word - karma!

[HandsOn]

I don't want to spoil it if some haven't seen yet. Just one word - karma!

Karma?  Might it be the lad is colour-blind?? Too much red in front of him??

[owlsinger]

 
No, actually I meant for Kubica, after the gnarly crash he had last time!

[HandsOn]

No, actually I meant for Kubica, after the gnarly crash he had last time!

Apologies - but your right. Even though my favourite lost, seeing RK doing so well (on a course that ought to be closed down  ) was worth staying up late..

[Alfred.Jones]

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2008

Race Results
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Position

[/head]
[head]

Driver

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Timo Glock

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Jarno Trulli

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Rubens Barrichello

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Sebastian Vettel

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Jenson Button

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]12[/data][data]

Mark Webber

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]13[/data][data]

Sébastien Bourdais

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Giancarlo Fisichella

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Kazuki Nakajima

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Fernando Alonso

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Nelson Piquet Jr

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Adrian Sutil

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]

Unfortunately... (for Lewis Hamilton) thats how they finished. They predicted it would be a very eventful grand prix and that is most certainly what it was!

This Grand Prix was very important race in terms of Mclaren, Renault and Ferrari's domination of Formula one in the past couple of years.

• This was the first time since the 1999 European Grand Prix that neither Ferrari, Williams nor Renault got a podium finish.
• This was the first time since the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix that neither Ferrari nor McLaren got a podium finish.
• This was the first race since the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix that neither Ferrari nor McLaren won the race.
• This was the first race since the 2006 United States Grand Prix that no McLaren driver finished in the points.

The Pit lane incident involving Raikkonen, Hamilton and Roseberg was... interesting to say the least. Both Hamilton and Roseberg copped 10 place penalties for the next grand prix in France for the incident.

The major winners from that race was BMW Sauber (Obviously) with their first win for the team and they are now only 3 points behind Ferrari in the constructors championship after passing McLaren-Mercedes

I have updated the points tables on the first post

[RippleJet]

The Pit lane incident involving Raikkonen, Hamilton and Roseberg was... interesting to say the least. Both Hamilton and Roseberg copped 10 place penalties for the next grand prix in France for the incident.

Well, if he can't beat Kimi on the track, I guess that was all Lewis could do...

[Alfred.Jones]

Well, if he can't beat Kimi on the track

Lewis was quickest in every qualifying session and had the fastest lap in practice. He was over 8 tenths of a second quicker than Raikkonen in Q3.

Thats my little rant

Mind you, I am a bit upset that both my favourite drivers (Lewis and Kimi) didn't score points. At least they are still in the top 4 in the points

[RippleJet]

At least they are still in the top 4 in the points

And the season isn't even halfway yet!

[Alfred.Jones]

Less that quarter of an hour until the race begins....

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE 2008

Qualifying
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Qualifying Position

[/head]
[head]

Driver

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

Fernando Alonso

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Jarno Trulli

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Mark Webber

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Timo Glock

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

Nelson Piquet Jr

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen²

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]12[/data][data]

Sebastian Vettel

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]13[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton¹

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]14[/data][data]

Sébastien Bourdais

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]15[/data][data]

Kazuki Nakajima

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]16[/data][data]

Jenson Button

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]17[/data][data]

Rubens Barrichello

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]18[/data][data]

Giancarlo Fisichella

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]19[/data][data]

Adrian Sutil

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]20[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg¹

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]

[/tabular]

¹ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both received 10 place grid penalties for the incident in pit lane at the Canadian Grand Prix. They will start from 13^th and 20^th respectively

² Heikki Kovalainen received a 5 place grid penalty for impeding Mark Webber during qualifying. Kovalainen originally qualified 6^th but moved to 5^th after Hamilton's penalty was imposed. He will start in 10^th



All I can say is it will be a very interesting race!! Thunderstorms and bad weather have been predicted (not sure what the weather is like now) so anything can happen.

AJ

[HandsOn]

Sorry, AJ, but your hope for "intersting" was a bit too optimistic. With Hamilton twice punished - and the drive thru could be disputed - it ended up being pretty boring. Renault ought to retire from F1 alltogether - for holding everyone else up; And trully ought to be penalized for hitting Kovalinen. 

[Alfred.Jones]

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE 2008

Race Results
[tabular type=6]
[row]
[head]

Position

[/head]
[head]

Driver

[/head]
[head]

Team

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]1[/data][data]

Felipe Massa

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]2[/data][data]

Kimi Räikkönen

[/data][data]

Scuderia Ferrari

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]3[/data][data]

Jarno Trulli

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]4[/data][data]

Heikki Kovalainen

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]5[/data][data]

Robert Kubica

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]6[/data][data]

Mark Webber

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]7[/data][data]

Nelson Piquet Jr

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]8[/data][data]

Fernando Alonso

[/data][data]

Renault F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]9[/data][data]

David Coulthard

[/data][data]

Red Bull Racing

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]10[/data][data]

Lewis Hamilton

[/data][data]

McLaren-Mercedes

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]11[/data][data]

Timo Glock

[/data][data]

Toyota F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]12[/data][data]

Sebastian Vettel

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]13[/data][data]

Nick Heidfeld

[/data][data]

BMW Sauber

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]14[/data][data]

Rubens Barrichello

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]15[/data][data]

Kazuki Nakajima

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]16[/data][data]

Nico Rosberg

[/data][data]

Williams F1

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]17[/data][data]

Sébastien Bourdais

[/data][data]

Scuderia Toro Rosso

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]18[/data][data]

Giancarlo Fisichella

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]19[/data][data]

Adrian Sutil

[/data][data]

Force India

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Ret[/data][data]

Jenson Button

[/data][data]

Honda Racing F1 Team

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]

It was a pretty uneventful race - apart from the controversial Hamilton drive-through penalty and Räikkönen's exhaust. Good result for Trulli and Kovalainen. A good result for Nelson Piquet as well: passing Alonso near the end of the race.

Looking forward to Silverstone in a couple of weeks

AJ