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View Full Version : Epitath to an unforgettable Season



truefan72
22nd October 2007, 04:57
As I sit here in my hotel room in Rio, after witnessing the grand finale in person, I am unable to sleep as I await my morning flight back home. I went through the whole gambit of emotions and feelings this past weekend, and especially on Sunday.
From jubilant euphoria, to unbearable anxiety, shock, hope, despair again, confusion, resignation and finally acceptance of Hamilton’s final 2007 outcome.

Before I move on, I would still like to get a clear understanding of McClaren’s 3 stop strategy with Hamilton. Basically with all the problems, that third stop essentially cost him the championship, ( or at the very least, a fighting chance). If they had just fueled him accordingly for two stops, he would have gotten to the 4, 5,&6th drivers with about 10 laps remaining. But all the ifs’, should haves’ and could haves’ don’t change the outcome anymore.

As to the fuel temperature inquiry, I am not really sure how to feel about the situation, but find it strange that 2 different teams would have the same issue. I can live with the steward’s verdict.

Someone on another thread said: The guy I wanted to win didn’t win; the guy who I didn’t want to win, didn’t; The guy who won, I can live with that.

So congrats to Kimi for a job well done. Winning 6 GP’s and showing solid consistency all throughout the year is no small feat. He is a worthy champion and after 8 years has finally reached the pinnacle of his sport.

Congratulations for Hamilton, for an incredible first season, and overcoming a myriad of on/off track dilemma’s in a dignified manner.

Alonso, I hope that he can put this year behind him and embark on serious reflection as to his legacy, the type of person he wants to be perceived and a new sense dignity and reverence required of a 2 time champion. If he leaves MacClaren then good luck to him wherever he goes, if he stays at McClaren, then may we see a matured and more amiable racer and teammate.


It has been a wonderful season, full of intrigue and scandal, excitement and shock. Surprise results, incredible performances. Teams like Super Aguri mixing it up in Canada ( before Honda put a stop to that) , Torro Rosso coming on strong at Fuji and China. The emergence of BMW, the futility of Honda, The Germany race, etc. etc. etc. If we all look back at the year through an honest lense, then one has to say there was something for everyone in 2007. lots of cheers and tears. A season that was anything but hollow.

As we go into the off season, many questions are still to be answered. Drivers changes, retirements and maneuverings are abound. A new team might emerge, or might not. New liveries will be presented, new tracks will be added. As they say, the circus might have ended, but the carnivale continues.

As to everyone on here, thanks for a robust and enthralling dialogue throughout the season. For some I hope the time off provides you with your own quiet reflection as to attitudes, comments and opinions. Yet for others, hope that they realize that F1 isn’t warfare. For the vast majority of you, it has been a pleasure in 2007. Thanks to the mods for cleaning up some messes here at the end and for a good job all year long, in what surely has been your toughest year.
I was going to respond to a few post here and there and then realized, the best thing to do was to take a step back myself. Take my own break for a few weeks and just spend time looking back at an incredible F1 season.

Congrats to Kimi,
Cheers to LH,
A toast to Massa
A hope for a wiser/dignified Alonso
Good Bye Indy
Good Bye Spyker
Good Bye Scott Speed
Good Bye Ralf ( or hello again?)

I'll enjoy reading everyone elses' comments on the season and hope that this or subsequent post in this thread don't get dissected or over analyzed or denigrade into a " my driver/team is better than your driver/team" thing.

Let's leave the anger and hatred at the door and just celebrate a trully unforgettable season.

See you all in a few weeks

GP-M3
22nd October 2007, 07:40
Good comments Truefan... it was an interesting season.

Congrats to Kimi, he came thru and is a deserving WDC. Massa, fine team spirit.

LH - Fantastic season. You'll have many more chances, and I think not winning may have been the best thing for your longevity.

FA - You were gracious today... try to make that more of a habit.

gloomyDAY
22nd October 2007, 07:51
:beer:

Great comments. Many discussions were muttled on this forum due to some unwarranted hatred. Hopefully the time off will cool some engines and then get everyone ready for worthwhile commentary in 2008.

Kevincal
22nd October 2007, 08:02
Truefan, your post is quite annoying for us Alonso fans.

Tazio
22nd October 2007, 08:16
Exceptional comments from an exemplary member of our forum.
I have sometimes gauged the validity of my opinions by yours of mine.
This is not a dissection, more of an observation from a none Brit.
Fernando's persona, by its nature was a problem on a proper British team.
He handled the cultural nuances rather poorly. I personally think that Alonzo is far from being a saint.
I do think he may be the most misunderstood person in show-business.....
In Admiration---Vic

Kevincal
22nd October 2007, 08:37
The point is, Hamilton is also far from being a saint... He's just better at puting on his mask. Alonso atleast is honest about his feelings.

And did you not watch Alonso humbly congratulate Kimi in the post race interview? Hell, he said it so eloquently IN ENGLISH that he even got Kimi to crack a smile. I'm personally tired of the Alonso bashing on this forum because a lot of it is unfounded.

It was also funny to see how much Hamilton hated to see Alonso pass him at the start. He hated it so much that he forgot all about the championship and tried to pass him back, in which he threw his car off the track, damaged it, and threw away his championship. Oh well.

markabilly
22nd October 2007, 09:02
The point is, Hamilton is also far from being a saint... He's just better at puting on his mask. Alonso atleast is honest about his feelings.

And did you not watch Alonso humbly congratulate Kimi in the post race interview? Hell, he said it so eloquently IN ENGLISH that he even got Kimi to crack a smile. I'm personally tired of the Alonso bashing on this forum because a lot of it is unfounded.

It was also funny to see how much Hamilton hated to see Alonso pass him at the start. He hated it so much that he forgot all about the championship and tried to pass him back, in which he threw his car off the track, damaged it, and threw away his championship. Oh well.

To say nothing of the big nonsense, when he decided to disobey the arrangment as to who would pit and so forth at Qualifying with Mac, after having received the very same benefits before, the resultant paddle incident, the fussing at RD, setting off FA who then blows up at Hamilton but the whole thing costing FA five grid places, but as a result of this loss, FA threatens RD with disclosure of the cheating if Mac lets this go on....so RD decides to call MAx and then everything goes downhill, No WCC and no WCC points.....and now no WDC...

Thanks
Louie, you managed to screw your own team, and they have not figured it out yet, but there you are, mouthing off in Brazil as though you had already won.....

The rest of you, drink your kool aid and blame the Spanard for Hamster's own failures, just like you been doing... :rolleyes:

leopard
22nd October 2007, 09:16
And did you not watch Alonso humbly congratulate Kimi in the post race interview? Hell, he said it so eloquently IN ENGLISH that he even got Kimi to crack a smile. I'm personally tired of the Alonso bashing on this forum because a lot of it is unfounded.


What a shame McLaren which has been leading the point for almost the whole season has to give the title to someone else's driver. What has Alonso done at the final round this year is an anticlimax for his disappointment over the team.

RD might have forgotten an x factor that Alonso is human being that could destroy all McLaren's dream once he felt that he got treatment isn't up to his expectation.

I just couldn't easily believe on my sight that after sending LH out of the track Alonso seems too lazy to fight and let the two Ferraris dancing at the front and harvesting the title.

Favoritism on Hamilton and want him wins the title isn't a taboo, but please don't let it go in the first year while the reigning champ alongside him. This could be the learning year for better driver management in the future.

wroom
22nd October 2007, 09:20
Before I move on, I would still like to get a clear understanding of McClaren’s 3 stop strategy with Hamilton.

Just out of curiosity TrueFan, what's with the 'McClaren' thing? Is spelling the team's name consistently wrong an insider joke I'm not aware of or what? No offence, just curious.

Thanks for an interesting post,

-wroom

leopard
22nd October 2007, 09:22
Just out of curiosity TrueFan, what's with the 'McClaren' thing? Is spelling the team's name consistently wrong an insider joke I'm not aware of or what? No offence, just curious.

Thanks for an interesting post,

-wroom
I think it's just wroomgly typed

wmcot
22nd October 2007, 09:23
The point is, Hamilton is also far from being a saint... He's just better at puting on his mask. Alonso atleast is honest about his feelings.

And did you not watch Alonso humbly congratulate Kimi in the post race interview? Hell, he said it so eloquently IN ENGLISH that he even got Kimi to crack a smile. I'm personally tired of the Alonso bashing on this forum because a lot of it is unfounded.

It was also funny to see how much Hamilton hated to see Alonso pass him at the start. He hated it so much that he forgot all about the championship and tried to pass him back, in which he threw his car off the track, damaged it, and threw away his championship. Oh well.

I enjoyed the post race conference and thought Alonso did a very good job. Still, part of me wondered if FA wasn't happier to be sitting next to Kimi instead of Lewis?

Tazio
22nd October 2007, 09:31
It was also funny to see how much Hamilton hated to see Alonso pass him at the start. He hated it so much that he forgot all about the championship and tried to pass him back, in which he threw his car off the track, damaged it, and threw away his championship. Oh well.
If you read my post on driver of the race
I chose Alonzo for that exact reason

Bradley
22nd October 2007, 09:35
I enjoyed the post race conference and thought Alonso did a very good job. Still, part of me wondered if FA wasn't happier to be sitting next to Kimi instead of Lewis?

I had that impression too :)

I'd almost say he didn't mind NOT getting the title as it would have been for McLaren.