Driver of the Day (Japanese GP Edition '08)

[gloomyDAY]

Alonso.

Yes, I know it's early.
He deserves to be at the top.

[ShiftingGears]

Fernando Alonso.

[donKey jote]

Who else ? :p :D :D
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

[ArrowsFA1]

Alonso.

Piquet and Bourdais get honourable mentions as well.

[ioan]

Alonso , closely followed by Piquet!

[christophulus]

My vote goes to Alonso too. Kubica with an honorable mention for keeping Raikkonen behind for so long and having a generally solid race

[Ranger]

Alonso, no question. Honourable mention for Bourdais for getting one back on Vettel. :up:

After a miserable start to the season he even has a good shot at 4th in the WDC now. Forget driver of the day, he's been one of, if not 'the' driver of the season!

[F1boat]

Fernando Alonso!!!

[samuratt]

Fernando alonso no doubt :up:

Kubica and piquet worth mentioning too!

[jens]

Alonso, of course. ;) Great racing by Bourdais too, who managed to achieve the best result of his career (if we count the pre-25-sec penalty situation).

IMO Piquet should have done better with this car this weekend. Firstly poor qualifying let him down (12th while team-mate in P4) and finally he made a mistake at the end of the race, which cost him 10 seconds. But he had been faster than Kubica and Räikkönen and there was a possibility to beat them. His pace is more a testimony to Renault's speed than his own greatness.

[ioan]

IMO Piquet should have done better with this car this weekend. Firstly poor qualifying let him down (12th while team-mate in P4) and finally he made a mistake at the end of the race, which cost him 10 seconds.

It was reported (on the BBC site) that Piquet missed Q2 because he was blocked on his last attempt by no one else than Hamilton, still the FIA after a longish debate decided to let him start on pole, and that was a mistake given today's start.

[Bradley]

As everyone seems to agree :) :

Clearly Alonso, then Piquet and Bourdais.

[ArrowsFA1]

It was reported (on the BBC site) that Piquet missed Q2 because he was blocked on his last attempt by no one else than Hamilton, still the FIA after a longish debate decided to let him start on pole, and that was a mistake given today's start.
Interesting. First I'd heard of that but it's there alright:

Some interesting news from the Renault garage. Renault say Piquet aborted his final qualifying run because he was blocked by Hamilton. The team have complained to race director Charlie Whiting. BBC 5 Live commentator David Croft says: "Here we go again." Quite, Crofty, quite.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7663154.stm

According to Piquet on the Renault website (http://www.ing-renaultf1.com/) "I made a mistake in Q2 and I wasn't able to make it through to Q3".

[woody2goody]

In order:

1. Alonso
2. Piquet
3. Bourdais
4. Kubica

Alonso drove a fantastic race. Yes, he got some luck, but it wasn't a lucky win so to speak. Piquet arguably was a better performance from 12th on the grid. Bourdais was robbed. He outdrove Vettel all weekend and ended up getting nothing. Kubica is only 4th for me because he was leading early on and was clear favourite to win after 5 laps or so. Tremendous defense against Raikkonen though. It was a good effort by Fisichella as well until he had to retire.

[Dave B]

Interesting. First I'd heard of that but it's there alright:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7663154.stm

According to Piquet on the Renault website (http://www.ing-renaultf1.com/) "I made a mistake in Q2 and I wasn't able to make it through to Q3".

On this BBC page (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7664875.stm) it says, "Renault claimed the Brazilian had been blocked by Hamilton but their complaints went no further. " It makes no mention of Renault protesting or the FIA investigating.

[ArrowsFA1]

On this BBC page (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7664875.stm) it says, "Renault claimed the Brazilian had been blocked by Hamilton but their complaints went no further. " It makes no mention of Renault protesting or the FIA investigating.
So no "longish debate" by the FIA then :laugh:

[ioan]

So no "longish debate" by the FIA then :laugh:

Our commentator said it was debated until yesterday evening. What would he know? Someone sitting in his armchair back in England sure knows better!

[ArrowsFA1]

Our commentator said it was debated until yesterday evening.
Oh, ok. Well, it seems another reporter has a different story. Me? I'm just in my armchair reading it all and having no means of knowing who to believe :p

[Roamy]

brilliant Alonso

[Dave B]

Got to be Alonso, hasn't it?

He benefited from others' mistakes but the fact is he kept his head when many around him were losing theirs.

[gm99]

Alonso again.

Piquet had IMO his most convincing showing in F1 yet (better than at Hockenheim, where he profited from stopping at the right time).

Bourdais has also been brilliant, being faster than Vettel throughout the race. The penalty handed out to him is a joke, where should he possibly have gone?

[drivacee]

Definatly Alonso head and shoulders above the championship contenders.
Renault are working hard to keep him there,lets just hope that they are not cheating in any way,to keep him on board.
probably mclaren should have kept him and let Hamilton go elsewhere, as he is pound for pound the best driver out there

[VkmSpouge]

Fernando Alonso was unquestionably the driver of the day, he kept a level head and had a very good turn of speed.

Robert Kubica also deserves a mention for how he coped with a poor handling car and still held off a much faster Ferrari.

[Nikki Katz]

Can only give it to Alonso really. He got an advantage over the main competitors at the start, but not that huge and after the first pitstop everything looked easy. It should've really been Raikkonen's race following the first corner incident and Kovalainen breaking down, but he just wasn't consistently quick enough.

[yodasarmpit]

Alonso, awesome drive.

[Sarah]

Fernando

[wedge]

Alonso

Kubica deserves credit for holding off Kimi at the end, even though he could've won the race

[Tazio]

Fred! :up:

I wonder how much the damage to Kimi's Ferrari affected his pace, or race in general?
Mute, as we will never know! :beer:

[raikk]

Alonso then Kubica and Piquet

[janneppi]

Alonso did good yesterday, no errors and good speed. Piquet was perhaps even better considering he's not as good as alonso. ;)

[Storm]

Alonso...flawless race :up:

Piquet did pretty well too as did Kubica to hold off Kimi.

[Big Ben]

Alonso. No doubt about it. With him in a Ferrari things would have been so much different this year... I don't like the Italian team but it's a shame to see the best driver out there sabotaged by his own team one year and having to drive that tractor the next one... Hopefully Renault can develop a competitive car for the next season and maybe we'll see 3 or maybe even four teams battling for the titles...