Gentlemen, start your engines!

[Alex]

[q=BlackCat]And what the heck are we supposed to do for the next three week ? - we need a bump of this thread once in a while, otherwise it will be a mess to find it again[/q]

I'll make sure it does not disappear... I'm sure there will be lots of news about driver changes in the next days.

[q=Thorgal]Montoya´s car "palier" (dont know how this thing is called in English but it has something to do with car transmission) was broken many laps before Juan retired.[/q]

Montoya said: ""I think that it was a driveshaft that broke, which is just one of those things that happen when you are pushing everything to the limit like we are at the moment." So maybe it hasn't been his fault after all. But we don't know for sure...

[BlackCat]

Doesn't look like there will be much excitement tomorrow.

Kimi takes lead and stays there for the rest of the race (of course if he can prevent the car exploding)

Montoya takes third place in the start.

Fisichella screws up in a pitstop and gives 2nd place to Montoya.

Trulli keeps the rest of the cars back until first pitstop.

[Zoid]

On the contrary. I think we will have a serious battle between the McLarens and the Renaults. But if Kimis car stays on the track he´ll win. With Alonso in second and Montoya in third.

I´m excited!

[BlackCat]

Well, I might have been to pessimistic


It seems that the drivers think that there are plenty of places to overtake - maybe Trulli won't do so much damage this time.

It's a little funny to read Alonso's comments on whom Renault are going to fight with - Kimi seems not to be one of them - wonder why

http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3452/745.html

Drivers impressed by new track
Before a race car had turned a wheel here, already Hermann Tilke’s Istanbul Park had proved a big hit with the drivers thanks to the varied character of its format.

“I’m impressed with the circuit, not only the facilities here in the paddock I also think the track is a little bit different compared to all the new circuits we have seen the in last three or four years, Bahrain or China,” series leader Fernando Alonso said. “I think to go up and down is the most interesting thing from a driver’s point of view because we really enjoy the lap, like Spa or some of the other circuits.”

“I was really impressed,” thought new Ferrari signing Felipe Massa, after borrowing Christian Klien’s supermoto bike and doing a lap. “I think it is a very complete circuit, you can find everything: quick corners, slow corners, change of directions, heavy braking and everything. I think we can see some overtaking in the race, so I think it is a fantastic circuit, just looking like that. Tomorrow we will have some better idea, but I was really impressed and I think they did a really good job.”

Rubens Barrichello, officially confirmed this week as leaving Ferrari for BAR next year, agreed: “Since I came into the track I saw great facilities. It is difficult to know the circuit before we actually get to see the grip level because it is so wide you can take so many lines into the corners, so it is going to be good to get going tomorrow. I walked it; I haven’t done the last bit, but up to there is was quite nice. I have a feeling that the first corner is going to be one where you always tell yourself you can brake later and later because the braking point is still quite plain and then it starts to go down and there will be times when you will just overdo it and there are times when you will tell yourself you could have done more. So it is quite interesting because you don’t see the turning point of the corner and I think there are some facilities to overtake as well.”

As far as the racing is concerned Alonso admitted that he was disappointed not to add to his points score in Hungary, where his game plan after the first-lap brush with Ralf Schumacher was to do enough to get a decent qualifying start position here. “I think it is good that nobody knows this circuit. Normally we are quick on the hot tracks. We saw that in Malaysia and Bahrain. I think all these new types of circuit, with high temperatures, is not bad news for our car so I’m really confident to have a good race here. The qualifying position will not be great for me and Giancarlo, but I also think Rubens and Juan Pablo will not be in a much different position compared to us, so we have to be really concentrated this weekend. We need a good result.”

[Alex]

Turkey was interesting in the first half and then boring in the other half, until Montoya made those mistakes and allowed Alonso to pass him and grab second place.

Once again, a brilliant race by Raikkonen, recovering from a bad start still in the first lap.

Alonso just has to maintain his rhythm and he will be champion without problems.

Horrible, horrible race for Ferrari, I really don't understand how they can be this bad after a brilliant 2004 season.

And I just pity the fact that one of my favorite drivers is reduced to such a supporting role: Fisichella had to open space for Alonso but Fisico deserves better.

All in all, an interesting race... and one that pretty much reveals how the rest of the season will develop: Raikkonen will win races and Alonso will grab important points which will make him a champion.

I'm already waiting for 2006.

[Zoid]

The turkish track is probably the best track of the season. Intense, challenging and fun!

The race was really good, except the battle for 1st place could have been tighter. But I nailed the podium places!

[Cort Haus]

Not a bad GP, but the GP2 race on Sunday in Turkey was the best of the season. Adam Carroll stalled from P2 on the grid and started last, then made his way back up to finish 2nd.

Oh, and congrats to Dan Wheldon for his 5th IRL win this season!

[Thorgal]

Damn I didnt know there was race this weekend. However i managed to see an abstract and I found the race rather boring at least the "fight"for first places. Montoya incident with Monteiro in last lap didnt make the race much funnier. But the circuit is not to blame this time, it is only that McLarens are too fast right now compared to the other cars.

It's a little funny to read Alonso's comments on whom Renault are going to fight with - Kimi seems not to be one of them - wonder why

Maybe because Kimi has a McLaren and Alonso a Renault?
And dont misunderstand Alonso´s words, look at the context. he named Montoya because the colombian did his qualifing lap first becasue the had a DNF at Hungary so he had a huge disventage in qualifing. So

In fact there is an huge abyss beetwen McLaren and Renault since Hockenheim. Maybe even near a second if you are going to believe Pedro de La Rosa. Renault was at McLaren level only in the first two or three races, when Alonso wiped the floor with Kimi IIRC.

So, not much merit for Kimi. He should be easily first in chamionship, be he isnt. What a pity.

[Sava]

races in all forms... SUCK

car races SUCK
bike races SUCK
foot races SUCK
horse races SUCK
dog races SUCK

[Zoid]

Thank you for your input, Sava.

[Sava]

yw!

[BlackCat]

Maybe I should get a tinfoil hat. I am close to think that Kimi is wreacking his cars on purpose just to get a fresh engine !!!

Anyway, I bet 10 EC's (all payable on Alpha Centauri) that tomorrows race will be quite fun. Kimi has to get past Coulthard, Barricello, Schumi and Trulli (oh, yes there are others, but none that should be a problem) before he reaches Alonso. I guess that the start will be VERY interesting.

Predictions ? Montoya has a really good chance to win, besides that I haven't a clue.

[Cort Haus]

Alonso's fast-starting Renault has a good chance of beating Montoya to the first corner, but Montoya might be able to overtake Alonso 'in the pits'.

I look forward to watching Kimi have a go at 'traffic jam' Trulli.

I'll go for :

1. Montoya
2. Alonso
3. Raikonnen
4. Button
5. Fisichella

Although it depends on who gets taken out on the first lap pile-up.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
... 'traffic jam' Trulli.

That is pretty close to be sig material

[MOBIUS]

The only one that is even slightly interesting is the Monte Carlo one - or when there's huge crashes, but people tend to get hurt or killed in those so I don't tend to wish for those...

Oh and Ecclestone is a poisoned little dwarf...