...but having the best car for the first 7 races allows you to build an early lead and force everyone to take risks while you can take it easy. For me that's the crucial part. Overall the RBR was a 'better car', just not at the vital moments of the season. At the start of the season RBR probably took more risks than they had to because of the dominance of the Brawn.

I would take a dominant early season car, than a latter dominant one. It allows you to build a comfortable points lead, and that's far more important in championships.

Quote from Intrepid :

...but having the best car for the first 7 races allows you to build an early lead and force everyone to take risks while you can take it easy. For me that's the crucial part. Overall the RBR was a 'better car', just not at the vital moments of the season. At the start of the season RBR probably took more risks than they had to because of the dominance of the Brawn.

I would take a dominant early season car, than a latter dominant one. It allows you to build a comfortable points lead, and that's far more important in championships.

Good point, but without a few mistakes Vettel could have gained some momentum, and although Button handled the pressure well, those errors and dnfs really provided a lifeline that simply wouldn't have existed otherwise with 3 rounds to go. And even with an equal car to the rbr, which the Brawn was not by then, I think Vettel would have been as unbeatable as he is now. I agree that Brawn's early lead played a crucial role, but on top of that I think rbr's/Vettel's undoing was not knowing how strong they would become by the end of the year. (How could they, of course, which only supports your point that having the fastest car on average is less important than projecting the image that you're very hard to beat in the early races).

Still it's an interesting topic and a pleasant change from the normal one.

But In the second half of the season wasn't Rubens winning and Jenson wasn't? It wasn't that the car suddenly became slower than the red bulls just Jenson wasn't as good in the second half of the season than he was in the first.

He took less risks, which could account for his dip in 'form'

Remember that without his mistake in Melbourne Vettel could have been on the podium in the opening 2 rounds.

Swings and roundabouts.

And if hamiltons rim didn't fail in 2010 he would have been champion

If Lewis hadn't driven into the side of Massa he would have been World Champion.

Quote from CSF :

If Lewis hadn't driven into the side of Massa he would have been World Champion.

When?

When doesn't he run into Massa?


But the instance of wonderful Lewis driving I am speaking about is Italy 2010.

Quote from sinbad :

Still it's an interesting topic and a pleasant change from the normal one.

You spoke too soon, it's back to Hamilton again.

Quote from CSF :

When doesn't he run into Massa?


But the instance of wonderful Lewis driving I am speaking about is Italy 2010.

Well you make it sound like he just turned in on him, when in reality it was the opposite. Whether or not Hamilton positioned his car correctly is another matter.

If Massa's engine hadn't blown with 3 to go in Hungary in '08 he would've been World Champion.

Enough with the ifs, they're utter bullocks.

If the HRT was the best car on the grid then Karun Chandhok would've won the DWC. But the car wasn't, so he didn't! See what i mean?

Quote from Intrepid :

You spoke too soon, it's back to Hamilton again.

Maybe it's another law of the internet forum. Any f1 discussion will inevitably eventually result in a "critique" of a certain Mclaren driver.

Quote from Rappa Z :

If Massa's engine hadn't blown with 3 to go in Hungary in '08 he would've been World Champion.

Enough with the ifs, they're utter bullocks.

If the HRT was the best car on the grid then Karun Chandhok would've won the DWC. But the car wasn't, so he didn't! See what i mean?

I may have started it, but my "if" had a point. That Vettel had a competitive car in the opening rounds of the 09 season but handed Button an advantage that really affected how the season would pan out.

Quote from sinbad :

Maybe it's another law of the internet forum. Any f1 discussion will inevitably eventually result in a "critique" of a certain Mclaren driver.

'Sinbad's Law' is born

Quote from sinbad :

I may have started it, but my "if" had a point. That Vettel had a competitive car in the opening rounds of the 09 season but handed Button an advantage that really affected how the season would pan out.

I know but then everyone thinks they have to inject when they thought their favorite driver should have won the championship.

Is there anybody who has invitation for thef1society.com ? I d like to watch some old F1 GPs and it seems to be the only site where I can find links to download this stuff... or can someone recommend me where I can find this? thx in advance

Quote from amp88 :

Obviously it's difficult to say with absolute certainty what was the "fastest car" in a given season, but here are a few candidates for F1 world champions who weren't necessarily in the fastest car:

Kimi Raikkonen - 2007
Michael Schumacher - 2003
Ayrton Senna - 1991
Alain Prost - 1986
Alain Prost - 1983
Keke Rosberg - 1982
Jody Scheckter - 1979
James Hunt - 1976

Alonso - 2005 and 2006. Renault reliability FTW!