The online racing simulator
Apologies for large post

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The transcript for ITV’s ‘2007 SANTANDER LEWIS HAMILTON BRITISH GRAND PRIX at Silverstone’….


Steve Rider: Good afternoon and welcome to Silverstone where yesterday Lewis Hamilton stunned the crowds here by putting his McLaren fourth on the grid, despite only having some tyres from an old Mini Cooper thanks to a mix up in the Bridgestone technical department. Unsurprisingly, the turnout here is a massive 120,000 people all eager to see what Lewis Hamilton can do with some proper tyres, and they might be in for treat here today because the forecast is for rain and we all know what that means don’t we Mark?

Mark ‘Cockney Geezer’ Blundell: Gawd blimey guvnor, we certainly do.

SR: We might get to see Lewis Hamilton walking on water today.

MB: (Chuckles) We might just do that Steve, he just needs to keep his head on his shoulders and pull more out of the car than what it might be capable of.

SR: Of course Lewis Hamilton comes off the back of an incredible performance yesterday on what were undoubtedly the wrong tyres.

MB: (Winces) Well Steve, I think there’s going to be an internal investigation at both McLaren and Bridgestone as to how them tyres got on Lewis’ car. As a racing driver the last thing you need to see is tyres off an old Mini Cooper being bolted onto your car in the third session, it don’t give you no confidence in what the car can do.

SR: Quite. I spoke to Martin Whitmarsh earlier about that and he said that head Ferarri honcho Jean Todt had been seen entering the Bridgestone motor home just seconds before the third session, so read into that what you will. Well, we’ve got a packed programme for you today, the race kicks off in four hours time, but before that we have an extended programme for you in which I’ll be talking to Lewis Hamilton about his first six months in Formula One, his car, his team-mate, Ron Dennis, his karting days, his helmet, his Dad and how his Dad used to work twenty seven hours a day to finance Lewis’ racing career. I’ll also be talking to Lewis’ father Anthony about Lewis’ first six months in Formula One, Lewis’ helmet, Lewis’ karting days, Ron Dennis, Fernando Alonso and how he used to work twenty eight hours a day to finance Lewis racing career. But first Louise caught up with another plucky Brit, Anthony Davidson…

Louise Goodman: Thanks Steve, well I’m down here in the Super Aguri garage with Anthony Davidson, who’s ever so small actually, he’s like a little dwarf, I mean I’m only 5ft 3” and he’s way smaller than me, he’s tiny, in fact he’s so small I could lose him in my cleavage! Anthony, it’s not looking to good for you in your home race today is it?

Ant Davidson: No, well I put a wheel on the grass and hit the wall at 170mph and the car’s in a big heap with the wheels hanging off so it’s not looking great no.

LG: Still, nobody’s really here to see you are they. What do you think Lewis can do from fourth on the grid?

AD: I think he’s got a good chance, I mean he’s got the best car out there, which Alonso has proved by putting it on pole so….

LG: So will you be routing for Lewis today. I mean he’s a phenomenon isn’t he?

AD: I don’t think so really, give me a go in that McLaren and I’ll show you a phenomenon. It’s all very well him swanning in, picking up the best car and leading the championship. When I got my first chance it was in a Minardi and then I had to do three years of testing for Honda before I got the chance to go to Super Aguri, that’s how you’re supposed to do it. Ask Fernando. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he drove for Minardi too and now he’s a double World Champion. And he won them against Michael Schumacher didn‘t he, so them Championships have got to be worth more than this one….I remember him and Kimi both saying they wanted to win the Championship before Michael retired for that reason, but you don’t hear that being said much around here any more do you?

LG: Not on ITV anyway.

AD: Quite.

LG: Would you say that you’re quite bitter then Ant?

AD: Not really Louise, I just think that you need to pay your dues and learn your craft from the bottom up.

LG: You mean like you did.

AD: Yes.

LG: Even though all those years of testing and being hailed as the next big thing when you outpaced Sato (mainly because you had more revs and tyres to play with) on Friday’s haven’t really come to fruition seeing as you’re now in a race team with Takuma and he’s basically given you a good spanking all year?

AD: What-ever.

LG: Back to you Steve.

SR: Thanks Louise. What an angry little man he is. I’m sure he has his reasons. So Mark, what do you think will be going through Lewis’ mind as he prepares himself for his first British Grand Prix?

MB: Well I‘m sure he will have got a good night’s sleep and he’ll have woken up this morning eager to get to the circuit and get his muesli down him before the first briefing of the day. I’m not sure how much time he’ll have to think things over because he’s got a lot of commitments today a lot of glad-handing to do, but I’m sure he’ll have thought about his start, whether he’ll be shouting his mouth off about it like he did in France is probably another matter cos that didn’t quite work out for him but Silverstone’s a different animal and he might pull it out of the bag if he gets his head down and puts the boot in.

SR: Right, well it’s competition time here on ITV. This week you could win a chance to watch the2008 Monaco Grand Prix from Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony’s boat. Yes, Lewis dad has always been a keen sailor, though how he had the time when he was working twenty nine hours a day to finance Lewis’ career is anybodies guess, so when Lewis’ got his first pay check he bought his Dad a boat and Ted Kapalski’s been to see it.

Ted: Well I’m here on Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony’s new boat in Folkestone. Anthony, it’s a little bit smaller than I expected, what is it a twenty footer?

Anthony Hamilton: Twenty-two.

TK: Great well, are you sure there’ll be enough room for our competition winner to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from here.

AH: Yep it’ll be fine, we’ll put the black and white portable on top of the cabin, I get very good reception down here.

TK: Cool. Back to you Steve.

SR: Thanks Ted. And if you want a chance to win that spectacular prize all you have to do is answer this difficult question.

Which current British Formula One driver has so far won two races in his debut year of 2007 and races for the Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes team ?

A) Lewis Hamilton
B) Linda Hamilton
C) Christine Hamilton
D) Nigel Mansell

SR: Come back after the break and we’ll have more in depth insight and the first of my seven interviews with Lewis Hamilton about how his Dad worked thirty hours a day to finance his racing career and how he intends to win the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix from an unlucky fourth on the grid.

- - -

(Music): Da Da Da……………………….

- - -

SR: Welcome back, we’re here at the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix, where yesterday I caught up with Britain’s own Lewis Hamilton.

SR: So it’s been a great start to the year Lewis, two wins and eight straight podiums, leading the World Championship, hailed as the greatest driver of all time by the British press even though Michael Schumacher’s barely cold in his metaphorical grave.

LH: I’m living the dream Steve.

SR: Indeed you are, but I understand Fernando’s not taking it too well.

LH: Fernando and I have a good relationship. And we’ve agreed not to talk about each other when we are not both present.

SR: Well you have anyway, he’s quite happy to talk about you when you’re not around.

LH: Fernando and I have a good relationship, we play video games together.

SR: (Stifles a smirk) Okay then. So tell me about how your Dad worked an incredible thirty one hours a day to get your career off the ground….

Fast Forward>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Of course Lewis Hamilton isn’t the only Brit here today. We’ve already spoken to the Angry Ant, so now lets catch up with ‘Old’ David Coulthard and last year’s top Brit Jenson Button. Ted’s been on the case.

TK: So David, you’ve not really made much impression against Mark Webber this year, he’s a bit good isn’t he?

DC: No I don’t think so, the cold hard figures may say that but that’s only half the story. I think I bring a wealth of experience to the team and they appreciate that way more than results.

TK: Splutter! Okay and you Jenson, last year we celebrated your long overdue first Grand Prix victory, but it’s been a hard slog this year.

JB: Well the car’s ****.

TK: Yeah, maybe, so how come Rubens is kicking your backside then?

JB: Well, I think Rubens has had a little more experience than me.

TK: Yep all those years driving those cr*ppy Ferrari’s must be a help huh?

JB: Snort.

TK: So Jenson, you won the Hungarian Grand Prix last year. Were you a bit disappointed to win the most hideous looking trophy of the season or what?

JB: Oh just **** off Ted.

TK: And it’s back to you Steve.

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony worked thirty two hours a day doing eight different jobs to finance his son’s racing career blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: And now it’s time for Martin’s grid walk.

Martin Brundle: Hello everyone, I’m down here on the grid at Silverstone and I’m with Lewis Hamilton’s boss Ron Dennis. Ron, it’s a big ask for Lewis to win from fourth on the grid with the two Ferrari’s in front of him and Alonso on the pole isn’t it?

Ron Dennis: From the outside it might look that way, but as I’m sure you know Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes have always been very skilful at optimisation of the singular strategic manifestation. So although Lewis might head into the first corner in fourth place I expect him to emerge from the initial round of pitstops in the principal position.

MB: Okay Ron, so from that I take it that Lewis is heavy on fuel.

RD: It would be foolish to assume from my previous comments that I have given any such indication of the optimal strategic principles of the Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes Formula One organization.

MB: Okay, thanks Ron, oh look here’s Jamiroquia.

JK: Hey Martin I just bought another new Ferrari.

MB: Yeah?

JK: Yeah, it’s really fast, like 200mph.

MB: Really. Have you driven it that fast?

JK: No, I just polished it this morning though.

MB: Great. Oh look here’s David Beckham. David, is this your first Grand Prix?

David Beckham: Er, yeah.

MB: So it’s pretty exciting being down here on the grid for Lewis’ first home race, I assume you’re here to cheer for Lewis?

DB: Er, yeah.

MB: So where’s Victoria is she still mucking about in the US trying to get famous?

DB: Er, yeah.

MB: Great, thanks for that, you’re a legend. I’ve just got to go and talk to Kimi. Kimi, you’re on the front row with with Fernando, how have you prepared yourself for this race?

Kimi: Well, I just had a ****.

MB: Great, well that’s about it from down here Steve.

SR: I think you’ve forgotten someone Martin.

MB: No I don’t think so.

SR: But you haven’t interviewed Lewis yet.

MB: Oh for goodness sake, fine I’ll go and tell him to take his helmet off then shall I?

SR: I think the viewers would like to know his thoughts as he head’s off on the formation lap.

MB: Great, perhaps I’ll hang off the side of the ******* car then shall I? Interview him as he goes round?

SR: Excellent idea!

MB: Tw*t.

- - -

(Music) Da da da………..

- - -

James Allen: Hello everyone and welcome to the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix. I’m here with Martin Brundle and in just a few minutes we’ll be watching the start of Lewis Hamilton’s very first British Grand Prix.

MB: Although of course he drove here last year in the GP2 race.

JA: Well yes, okay then, if you want to be pedantic about it.

MB: It’s not a case of being pedantic, it’s a fact.

JA: Yes well anyway, there’s a huge crowd here and thousands of banners supporting Lewis Hamilton. I went and stood on the outside of Stowe yesterday morning and do you know what I saw?

MB: Someone flipping you off from the grandstand?

JA: Well, yes… but also I saw Lewis Hamilton coming through there on the ragged edge, and do you know who it reminded me of Martin?

MB: Andrea de Ceaseris?

JA: No Martin. Not Andrea de Ceaseris. A former McLaren driver actually…

MB: Michael Andretti?

JA: No Martin, not Michael Andretti. With that yellow helmet he reminds me of the late, great Ayrton Senna.

MB: Really.

JA: Yes Martin, really. Because not only is he stupefyingly fast, but he’s also destined to be a legend.

MB: Uh huh, and you’re basing this on what exactly?

JA: His incredible season so far.

MB: Right, so on the strength of eight races in the best car on the grid you’re comparing him to Senna, one of the greatest, if not in many people’s opinion the GREATEST driver of all time. I suppose you’re going to tell me that his two race wins are equal to Michael Schumacher’s seven drivers championships too then?

JA: (Cough, splutter) But he’s had the greatest start to a season ever!

MB: Only just. Do you remember when Jacques Villeneuve came to F1, he stuck it on pole and would have won his first race had it not been for his car springing an oil leak. Look what happened to him.

JA: Yes but, but….

MB: Heads up bell-end the race is starting.

JA: And it’s ………………………………...................................... .................................................. ......GO!

MB: Nicely done (s******).

JA: And they all stream into the first corner, and Lewis Hamilton gets pushed onto the grass by the Ferrari of Felippe Massa.

MB: No it’s Jarno Trulli in the Toyota.

JA: Do you think the stewards will be looking at that one Martin, it looked like dangerous driving I’d say.

MB: Not really, if you try and drive round the outside of someone at 185mph then that’s a risk you have to take.

JA: Yeah but, he could’ve finished Lewis’ race right there.

MB: So, this is racing, that‘s why it‘s called racing.

JA: So the order is Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, Trulli, Hamilton, Webber, Barrichello, Sato, Heidfeld, Kubica, Albers, Sutil, Button, Rosberg and oh there’s someone off in the third corner….it’s Davidson!

MB: No, it’s Ralf in the Toyota.

JA: Let’s have a look at a replay then.

MB: Yep Ralf tried to drive around the outside of Liuzzi and ran out of road. What an idiot. Why is that guy paid $22M a year exactly?

JA: Well it’s all down to the genius of his former manager Willi Webber.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Well we’re approaching the first round of pit stops Martin and there hasn’t been one single overtaking manoeuvre yet.

MB: Well, what do you expect, it’s always like this.

JA: So how will McLaren get Lewis to the front, surely they will have to get Alonso to move over and let him through.

MB: Really. Well, firstly James, Lewis would have to actually get behind Alonso and secondly why the hell would Alonso agree to that?

JA: Because Lewis is leading the championship!

MB: Yeah, and who is the reigning Double World Champion again?

JA: Oh….yes well.

MB: ****.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Button’s out!

MB: No surprise there then, he’s been tooling around at the back all day.

JA: It must seem a long time since that long overdue first win in Hungary for Jenson.

MB: Well yes, but if he’d have honoured his contract and gone to Williams like a good boy he would be better off wouldn’t he. I bet Frank Williams is ******* himself that Jenson paid him so that he could stay at Honda, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

JA: It’s raining!!!!

MB: Never, summertime in Britain, who’d have thought it! Especially as we’ve had nothing but rain and floods for the past month.

JA: And all the cars have streamed into the pits and Lewis is having to queue behind Fernando. LEWIS IS QUEUEING BEHIND FERNANDO, HIS RACE IS BEING COMPROMISED, HIS RACE IS BEING COMPROMISED!!!!

MB: Yeah well, Alonso was leading the race so he was bound to be first in the queue, he was never going to do another lap in that rain.

JA: BUT LEWIS RACE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED!!!

MB: Yeah, so has Kimi’s! It’s tough ****!

JA: But, but, but….

MB: Quick, adverts!

JA: So the order is Alonso, Massa, Trulli, Coulthard, Raikkonen, Hamilton.

- - -

(MUSIC) Da da da…..

- - -

JA: While you were away watching adverts for razor blades Lewis Hamilton has overtaken everyone in a manner that hasn’t been seen since Ayrton Senna at Brands Hatch in 1993. He now leads the field by a whopping twenty eight seconds and is now almost assured of his third Grand Prix win.

MB: Well. That’s not strictly correct is it. As you can see from the replay, Alonso hit a puddle going into Maggots and span the car taking out Massa, Trulli and Coulthard in one go and then Kimi was laughing so hard that he missed his braking point at Bridge and ploughed straight on into the gravel trap, leaving Lewis in a very fortunate first place.

JA: Yes but it was Lewis genius that he didn’t get involved in the accident.

MB: No it was lucky that he wasn’t closer to them or he’d have been off too.

JA: You’re so negative.

MB: No, I’m just not a ****.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Blah, blah, blah , Lewis’ driving in the rain is reminiscent of the Regenmeister, Michael Schumacher, blah, blah, blah, blah…

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Oh no, oh no, oh no!!!! LEWIS HAS A PROBLEM, he’s slowing down, oh no, it’s a disaster!!!

MB: Lewis is out, which incredibly leaves Barichello in first place in the Honda!

JA: Well who’d have thought we’d ever see that stupid Earth-car winning a race. And who would ever have believed that we’d ever see Rubens winning a race again.

MB: Rubens is a canny fella, he’s won in the rain before, like in Hockeneim when he won his first race from 18th on the grid.

JA: Yes but Rubens has always been the number two in the team.

MB: Why?

JA: Well because he’s not had the success of our own Jenson Button.

MB: Yes he has. He’s won three Constructors titles and about 9 races.

JA: Cough, splutter!!!

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>


JA: Just one lap remains between Rubens Barichello and his first race win since leaving the Scuderia Ferrari team.

MB: And we have heard that Lewis Hamilton has left the circuit in a big huff.

JA: Surely not.

MB: It ses here!

JA: And Rubens Barichello………………………………............................ .............................WINS!

MB: Surely the biggest surprise since Jenson Button lucked into a win in Hungary last year when Alonso wheel fell off.

JA: Can’t you ever say anything nice.

MB: I speak as I find.

JA: So who’s your driver of the day Martin? Surely Lewis Hamilton is in with a shout?

MB: I would say Scott Speed. He started 21st and finished fourth in a Torro Rosso.

JA: Not Lewis Hamilton?

MB: Nope.

JA: But surely.

MB: What?

JA: But he would have won if his car hadn’t failed!

MB: Yeah but he would have been sixth if all the other cars hadn’t crashed!

JA: Pah.

MB: Pah nothing.

JA: Well all I know is that Ferrari have never been the same since Ross Brawn left.

MB: Oh that’s it, I quit. I just can’t work with this ******* moron anymore.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: And it’s back to Steve Rider and Mark Blundell.

SR: Well a dramatic race and one with an unexpected and somewhat disappointing outcome.

MB: Well Steve, Lewis did everything wot he could, but the cards just weren’t falling for him today, at the end of the day he heads to the next Grand Prix knowing that he coulda won here if the cookies had crumbled in his direction. But that’s Grand Prix racing for you Steve.

SR: But it must be a bitter pill for him to know that his car let him down and that was the only thing that stood between him and a certain victory in his first British Grand Prix.

MB: Yeah, but the lad knows what he’s got going for him and he won’t be crying too many tears over the milk wot got spilt today, he’s still leading the championship and he’s still living the dream.

SR: Well that’s it for now, join us later for our highlights programme where we’ll be discussing at great length why Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver of all time and how his career is going to **** all over Michael Schumacher’s even though he hasn’t won his first championship yet.

MB: Er Steve, shouldn’t we mention Rubens?

SR: Nah, nobody’s interested.

SR + MB: Goodbye!
Well, so far, I'm really impressed with Hamilton and he's starting to climb up in my book . I've always loved Senna and just admired his determination and dedication to improving and always being better, thats mainly why he's my racing role model . Alonso, meh, differs for me from day to day but he seems like a sound guy. Raikkonen, on the other hand, seems like a complete c*ck really and OMG! SOO boring! . I heard many funny stories about him too about his extreme drinking nights which kind of makes me lose respect for him. Also, from what I hear, he doesn't do whats "required" of him with Ferrari.

No doubt, Kimi is good and for him to jump from FRenault to F1 is quite special but still, that doesn't mean he's a nice guy.
Quote from Damo :Apologies for large post

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The transcript for ITV’s ‘2007 SANTANDER LEWIS HAMILTON BRITISH GRAND PRIX at Silverstone’….


Steve Rider: Good afternoon and welcome to Silverstone where yesterday Lewis Hamilton stunned the crowds here by putting his McLaren fourth on the grid, despite only having some tyres from an old Mini Cooper thanks to a mix up in the Bridgestone technical department. Unsurprisingly, the turnout here is a massive 120,000 people all eager to see what Lewis Hamilton can do with some proper tyres, and they might be in for treat here today because the forecast is for rain and we all know what that means don’t we Mark?

Mark ‘Cockney Geezer’ Blundell: Gawd blimey guvnor, we certainly do.

SR: We might get to see Lewis Hamilton walking on water today.

MB: (Chuckles) We might just do that Steve, he just needs to keep his head on his shoulders and pull more out of the car than what it might be capable of.

SR: Of course Lewis Hamilton comes off the back of an incredible performance yesterday on what were undoubtedly the wrong tyres.

MB: (Winces) Well Steve, I think there’s going to be an internal investigation at both McLaren and Bridgestone as to how them tyres got on Lewis’ car. As a racing driver the last thing you need to see is tyres off an old Mini Cooper being bolted onto your car in the third session, it don’t give you no confidence in what the car can do.

SR: Quite. I spoke to Martin Whitmarsh earlier about that and he said that head Ferarri honcho Jean Todt had been seen entering the Bridgestone motor home just seconds before the third session, so read into that what you will. Well, we’ve got a packed programme for you today, the race kicks off in four hours time, but before that we have an extended programme for you in which I’ll be talking to Lewis Hamilton about his first six months in Formula One, his car, his team-mate, Ron Dennis, his karting days, his helmet, his Dad and how his Dad used to work twenty seven hours a day to finance Lewis’ racing career. I’ll also be talking to Lewis’ father Anthony about Lewis’ first six months in Formula One, Lewis’ helmet, Lewis’ karting days, Ron Dennis, Fernando Alonso and how he used to work twenty eight hours a day to finance Lewis racing career. But first Louise caught up with another plucky Brit, Anthony Davidson…

Louise Goodman: Thanks Steve, well I’m down here in the Super Aguri garage with Anthony Davidson, who’s ever so small actually, he’s like a little dwarf, I mean I’m only 5ft 3” and he’s way smaller than me, he’s tiny, in fact he’s so small I could lose him in my cleavage! Anthony, it’s not looking to good for you in your home race today is it?

Ant Davidson: No, well I put a wheel on the grass and hit the wall at 170mph and the car’s in a big heap with the wheels hanging off so it’s not looking great no.

LG: Still, nobody’s really here to see you are they. What do you think Lewis can do from fourth on the grid?

AD: I think he’s got a good chance, I mean he’s got the best car out there, which Alonso has proved by putting it on pole so….

LG: So will you be routing for Lewis today. I mean he’s a phenomenon isn’t he?

AD: I don’t think so really, give me a go in that McLaren and I’ll show you a phenomenon. It’s all very well him swanning in, picking up the best car and leading the championship. When I got my first chance it was in a Minardi and then I had to do three years of testing for Honda before I got the chance to go to Super Aguri, that’s how you’re supposed to do it. Ask Fernando. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he drove for Minardi too and now he’s a double World Champion. And he won them against Michael Schumacher didn‘t he, so them Championships have got to be worth more than this one….I remember him and Kimi both saying they wanted to win the Championship before Michael retired for that reason, but you don’t hear that being said much around here any more do you?

LG: Not on ITV anyway.

AD: Quite.

LG: Would you say that you’re quite bitter then Ant?

AD: Not really Louise, I just think that you need to pay your dues and learn your craft from the bottom up.

LG: You mean like you did.

AD: Yes.

LG: Even though all those years of testing and being hailed as the next big thing when you outpaced Sato (mainly because you had more revs and tyres to play with) on Friday’s haven’t really come to fruition seeing as you’re now in a race team with Takuma and he’s basically given you a good spanking all year?

AD: What-ever.

LG: Back to you Steve.

SR: Thanks Louise. What an angry little man he is. I’m sure he has his reasons. So Mark, what do you think will be going through Lewis’ mind as he prepares himself for his first British Grand Prix?

MB: Well I‘m sure he will have got a good night’s sleep and he’ll have woken up this morning eager to get to the circuit and get his muesli down him before the first briefing of the day. I’m not sure how much time he’ll have to think things over because he’s got a lot of commitments today a lot of glad-handing to do, but I’m sure he’ll have thought about his start, whether he’ll be shouting his mouth off about it like he did in France is probably another matter cos that didn’t quite work out for him but Silverstone’s a different animal and he might pull it out of the bag if he gets his head down and puts the boot in.

SR: Right, well it’s competition time here on ITV. This week you could win a chance to watch the2008 Monaco Grand Prix from Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony’s boat. Yes, Lewis dad has always been a keen sailor, though how he had the time when he was working twenty nine hours a day to finance Lewis’ career is anybodies guess, so when Lewis’ got his first pay check he bought his Dad a boat and Ted Kapalski’s been to see it.

Ted: Well I’m here on Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony’s new boat in Folkestone. Anthony, it’s a little bit smaller than I expected, what is it a twenty footer?

Anthony Hamilton: Twenty-two.

TK: Great well, are you sure there’ll be enough room for our competition winner to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from here.

AH: Yep it’ll be fine, we’ll put the black and white portable on top of the cabin, I get very good reception down here.

TK: Cool. Back to you Steve.

SR: Thanks Ted. And if you want a chance to win that spectacular prize all you have to do is answer this difficult question.

Which current British Formula One driver has so far won two races in his debut year of 2007 and races for the Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes team ?

A) Lewis Hamilton
B) Linda Hamilton
C) Christine Hamilton
D) Nigel Mansell

SR: Come back after the break and we’ll have more in depth insight and the first of my seven interviews with Lewis Hamilton about how his Dad worked thirty hours a day to finance his racing career and how he intends to win the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix from an unlucky fourth on the grid.

- - -

(Music): Da Da Da……………………….

- - -

SR: Welcome back, we’re here at the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix, where yesterday I caught up with Britain’s own Lewis Hamilton.

SR: So it’s been a great start to the year Lewis, two wins and eight straight podiums, leading the World Championship, hailed as the greatest driver of all time by the British press even though Michael Schumacher’s barely cold in his metaphorical grave.

LH: I’m living the dream Steve.

SR: Indeed you are, but I understand Fernando’s not taking it too well.

LH: Fernando and I have a good relationship. And we’ve agreed not to talk about each other when we are not both present.

SR: Well you have anyway, he’s quite happy to talk about you when you’re not around.

LH: Fernando and I have a good relationship, we play video games together.

SR: (Stifles a smirk) Okay then. So tell me about how your Dad worked an incredible thirty one hours a day to get your career off the ground….

Fast Forward>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Of course Lewis Hamilton isn’t the only Brit here today. We’ve already spoken to the Angry Ant, so now lets catch up with ‘Old’ David Coulthard and last year’s top Brit Jenson Button. Ted’s been on the case.

TK: So David, you’ve not really made much impression against Mark Webber this year, he’s a bit good isn’t he?

DC: No I don’t think so, the cold hard figures may say that but that’s only half the story. I think I bring a wealth of experience to the team and they appreciate that way more than results.

TK: Splutter! Okay and you Jenson, last year we celebrated your long overdue first Grand Prix victory, but it’s been a hard slog this year.

JB: Well the car’s ****.

TK: Yeah, maybe, so how come Rubens is kicking your backside then?

JB: Well, I think Rubens has had a little more experience than me.

TK: Yep all those years driving those cr*ppy Ferrari’s must be a help huh?

JB: Snort.

TK: So Jenson, you won the Hungarian Grand Prix last year. Were you a bit disappointed to win the most hideous looking trophy of the season or what?

JB: Oh just **** off Ted.

TK: And it’s back to you Steve.

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: Blah blah blah blah blah Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony worked thirty two hours a day doing eight different jobs to finance his son’s racing career blah blah blah

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

SR: And now it’s time for Martin’s grid walk.

Martin Brundle: Hello everyone, I’m down here on the grid at Silverstone and I’m with Lewis Hamilton’s boss Ron Dennis. Ron, it’s a big ask for Lewis to win from fourth on the grid with the two Ferrari’s in front of him and Alonso on the pole isn’t it?

Ron Dennis: From the outside it might look that way, but as I’m sure you know Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes have always been very skilful at optimisation of the singular strategic manifestation. So although Lewis might head into the first corner in fourth place I expect him to emerge from the initial round of pitstops in the principal position.

MB: Okay Ron, so from that I take it that Lewis is heavy on fuel.

RD: It would be foolish to assume from my previous comments that I have given any such indication of the optimal strategic principles of the Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes Formula One organization.

MB: Okay, thanks Ron, oh look here’s Jamiroquia.

JK: Hey Martin I just bought another new Ferrari.

MB: Yeah?

JK: Yeah, it’s really fast, like 200mph.

MB: Really. Have you driven it that fast?

JK: No, I just polished it this morning though.

MB: Great. Oh look here’s David Beckham. David, is this your first Grand Prix?

David Beckham: Er, yeah.

MB: So it’s pretty exciting being down here on the grid for Lewis’ first home race, I assume you’re here to cheer for Lewis?

DB: Er, yeah.

MB: So where’s Victoria is she still mucking about in the US trying to get famous?

DB: Er, yeah.

MB: Great, thanks for that, you’re a legend. I’ve just got to go and talk to Kimi. Kimi, you’re on the front row with with Fernando, how have you prepared yourself for this race?

Kimi: Well, I just had a ****.

MB: Great, well that’s about it from down here Steve.

SR: I think you’ve forgotten someone Martin.

MB: No I don’t think so.

SR: But you haven’t interviewed Lewis yet.

MB: Oh for goodness sake, fine I’ll go and tell him to take his helmet off then shall I?

SR: I think the viewers would like to know his thoughts as he head’s off on the formation lap.

MB: Great, perhaps I’ll hang off the side of the ******* car then shall I? Interview him as he goes round?

SR: Excellent idea!

MB: Tw*t.

- - -

(Music) Da da da………..

- - -

James Allen: Hello everyone and welcome to the 2007 Santander British Grand Prix. I’m here with Martin Brundle and in just a few minutes we’ll be watching the start of Lewis Hamilton’s very first British Grand Prix.

MB: Although of course he drove here last year in the GP2 race.

JA: Well yes, okay then, if you want to be pedantic about it.

MB: It’s not a case of being pedantic, it’s a fact.

JA: Yes well anyway, there’s a huge crowd here and thousands of banners supporting Lewis Hamilton. I went and stood on the outside of Stowe yesterday morning and do you know what I saw?

MB: Someone flipping you off from the grandstand?

JA: Well, yes… but also I saw Lewis Hamilton coming through there on the ragged edge, and do you know who it reminded me of Martin?

MB: Andrea de Ceaseris?

JA: No Martin. Not Andrea de Ceaseris. A former McLaren driver actually…

MB: Michael Andretti?

JA: No Martin, not Michael Andretti. With that yellow helmet he reminds me of the late, great Ayrton Senna.

MB: Really.

JA: Yes Martin, really. Because not only is he stupefyingly fast, but he’s also destined to be a legend.

MB: Uh huh, and you’re basing this on what exactly?

JA: His incredible season so far.

MB: Right, so on the strength of eight races in the best car on the grid you’re comparing him to Senna, one of the greatest, if not in many people’s opinion the GREATEST driver of all time. I suppose you’re going to tell me that his two race wins are equal to Michael Schumacher’s seven drivers championships too then?

JA: (Cough, splutter) But he’s had the greatest start to a season ever!

MB: Only just. Do you remember when Jacques Villeneuve came to F1, he stuck it on pole and would have won his first race had it not been for his car springing an oil leak. Look what happened to him.

JA: Yes but, but….

MB: Heads up bell-end the race is starting.

JA: And it’s ………………………………...................................... .................................................. ......GO!

MB: Nicely done (s******).

JA: And they all stream into the first corner, and Lewis Hamilton gets pushed onto the grass by the Ferrari of Felippe Massa.

MB: No it’s Jarno Trulli in the Toyota.

JA: Do you think the stewards will be looking at that one Martin, it looked like dangerous driving I’d say.

MB: Not really, if you try and drive round the outside of someone at 185mph then that’s a risk you have to take.

JA: Yeah but, he could’ve finished Lewis’ race right there.

MB: So, this is racing, that‘s why it‘s called racing.

JA: So the order is Alonso, Massa, Raikkonen, Trulli, Hamilton, Webber, Barrichello, Sato, Heidfeld, Kubica, Albers, Sutil, Button, Rosberg and oh there’s someone off in the third corner….it’s Davidson!

MB: No, it’s Ralf in the Toyota.

JA: Let’s have a look at a replay then.

MB: Yep Ralf tried to drive around the outside of Liuzzi and ran out of road. What an idiot. Why is that guy paid $22M a year exactly?

JA: Well it’s all down to the genius of his former manager Willi Webber.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Well we’re approaching the first round of pit stops Martin and there hasn’t been one single overtaking manoeuvre yet.

MB: Well, what do you expect, it’s always like this.

JA: So how will McLaren get Lewis to the front, surely they will have to get Alonso to move over and let him through.

MB: Really. Well, firstly James, Lewis would have to actually get behind Alonso and secondly why the hell would Alonso agree to that?

JA: Because Lewis is leading the championship!

MB: Yeah, and who is the reigning Double World Champion again?

JA: Oh….yes well.

MB: ****.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Button’s out!

MB: No surprise there then, he’s been tooling around at the back all day.

JA: It must seem a long time since that long overdue first win in Hungary for Jenson.

MB: Well yes, but if he’d have honoured his contract and gone to Williams like a good boy he would be better off wouldn’t he. I bet Frank Williams is ******* himself that Jenson paid him so that he could stay at Honda, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

JA: It’s raining!!!!

MB: Never, summertime in Britain, who’d have thought it! Especially as we’ve had nothing but rain and floods for the past month.

JA: And all the cars have streamed into the pits and Lewis is having to queue behind Fernando. LEWIS IS QUEUEING BEHIND FERNANDO, HIS RACE IS BEING COMPROMISED, HIS RACE IS BEING COMPROMISED!!!!

MB: Yeah well, Alonso was leading the race so he was bound to be first in the queue, he was never going to do another lap in that rain.

JA: BUT LEWIS RACE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED!!!

MB: Yeah, so has Kimi’s! It’s tough ****!

JA: But, but, but….

MB: Quick, adverts!

JA: So the order is Alonso, Massa, Trulli, Coulthard, Raikkonen, Hamilton.

- - -

(MUSIC) Da da da…..

- - -

JA: While you were away watching adverts for razor blades Lewis Hamilton has overtaken everyone in a manner that hasn’t been seen since Ayrton Senna at Brands Hatch in 1993. He now leads the field by a whopping twenty eight seconds and is now almost assured of his third Grand Prix win.

MB: Well. That’s not strictly correct is it. As you can see from the replay, Alonso hit a puddle going into Maggots and span the car taking out Massa, Trulli and Coulthard in one go and then Kimi was laughing so hard that he missed his braking point at Bridge and ploughed straight on into the gravel trap, leaving Lewis in a very fortunate first place.

JA: Yes but it was Lewis genius that he didn’t get involved in the accident.

MB: No it was lucky that he wasn’t closer to them or he’d have been off too.

JA: You’re so negative.

MB: No, I’m just not a ****.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Blah, blah, blah , Lewis’ driving in the rain is reminiscent of the Regenmeister, Michael Schumacher, blah, blah, blah, blah…

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: Oh no, oh no, oh no!!!! LEWIS HAS A PROBLEM, he’s slowing down, oh no, it’s a disaster!!!

MB: Lewis is out, which incredibly leaves Barichello in first place in the Honda!

JA: Well who’d have thought we’d ever see that stupid Earth-car winning a race. And who would ever have believed that we’d ever see Rubens winning a race again.

MB: Rubens is a canny fella, he’s won in the rain before, like in Hockeneim when he won his first race from 18th on the grid.

JA: Yes but Rubens has always been the number two in the team.

MB: Why?

JA: Well because he’s not had the success of our own Jenson Button.

MB: Yes he has. He’s won three Constructors titles and about 9 races.

JA: Cough, splutter!!!

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>


JA: Just one lap remains between Rubens Barichello and his first race win since leaving the Scuderia Ferrari team.

MB: And we have heard that Lewis Hamilton has left the circuit in a big huff.

JA: Surely not.

MB: It ses here!

JA: And Rubens Barichello………………………………............................ .............................WINS!

MB: Surely the biggest surprise since Jenson Button lucked into a win in Hungary last year when Alonso wheel fell off.

JA: Can’t you ever say anything nice.

MB: I speak as I find.

JA: So who’s your driver of the day Martin? Surely Lewis Hamilton is in with a shout?

MB: I would say Scott Speed. He started 21st and finished fourth in a Torro Rosso.

JA: Not Lewis Hamilton?

MB: Nope.

JA: But surely.

MB: What?

JA: But he would have won if his car hadn’t failed!

MB: Yeah but he would have been sixth if all the other cars hadn’t crashed!

JA: Pah.

MB: Pah nothing.

JA: Well all I know is that Ferrari have never been the same since Ross Brawn left.

MB: Oh that’s it, I quit. I just can’t work with this ******* moron anymore.

FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>
FF>

JA: And it’s back to Steve Rider and Mark Blundell.

SR: Well a dramatic race and one with an unexpected and somewhat disappointing outcome.

MB: Well Steve, Lewis did everything wot he could, but the cards just weren’t falling for him today, at the end of the day he heads to the next Grand Prix knowing that he coulda won here if the cookies had crumbled in his direction. But that’s Grand Prix racing for you Steve.

SR: But it must be a bitter pill for him to know that his car let him down and that was the only thing that stood between him and a certain victory in his first British Grand Prix.

MB: Yeah, but the lad knows what he’s got going for him and he won’t be crying too many tears over the milk wot got spilt today, he’s still leading the championship and he’s still living the dream.

SR: Well that’s it for now, join us later for our highlights programme where we’ll be discussing at great length why Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver of all time and how his career is going to **** all over Michael Schumacher’s even though he hasn’t won his first championship yet.

MB: Er Steve, shouldn’t we mention Rubens?

SR: Nah, nobody’s interested.

SR + MB: Goodbye!

Erm... can you give me a direct link to all this? . I have to say, just from reading down to Ant. D, it seems a bit "made up" IMO . I dunno, maybe that stuff is what really happens down behind the scenes .
Awesome Stuff - Rofl!
kimi is a knob
Quote from Damo :MB: (Winces) Well Steve, I think there’s going to be an internal investigation at both McLaren and Bridgestone as to how them tyres got on Lewis’ car. As a racing driver the last thing you need to see is tyres off an old Mini Cooper being bolted onto your car in the third session, it don’t give you no confidence in what the car can do.

I'd like to apologise on behalf of England to all the territories who receive our Formula 1 coverage. You know it's bad when one of them is that thick, and yet he's the bearable one.

Quote from Leprekaun :Erm... can you give me a direct link to all this? .

Erm... Do you have to quote the entire ****ing thing?
Dude, if you want to write fiction please do so, send it to a publisher and have them ask you what the hell FF> means but until then, dude seriously, stay off the tipex.

..And you! Quoting the whole darn thing! Grrrrr, somewhere in here I was arguing with Tristan who raised the point that Alonso was not as quick adapting to this years McLaren because he had experience to draw on whereas Lewis was a total F1 rookie without even having significant testing miles.

Now in response to that I could be quite elloquent, but instead i'm going to be concise.

WTF Tristan?
Quote from Kev :Erm... Do you have to quote the entire ****ing thing?

Quote from Becky :And you! Quoting the whole darn thing! Grrrrr

haha! . I was just awaiting a reaction from that and as predicted, a pissy one at that .
People seems to forget that LH is in his rookie year, and stop with the Ron Dennis crap, the Simulator, etc.. It IS his rookie year. How long are Kimi, Massa and Alonso in F1?

And that crap about the qualification, "he was on low fuel"... How's that an excuse? Isn't it the point to have low fuel in the qualis to make the best time out of the car?
Quote : Dude, if you want to write fiction please do so, send it to a publisher and have them ask you what the hell FF> means but until then, dude seriously, stay off the tipex.

..And you! Quoting the whole darn thing! Grrrrr, somewhere in here I was arguing with Tristan who raised the point that Alonso was not as quick adapting to this years McLaren because he had experience to draw on whereas Lewis was a total F1 rookie without even having significant testing miles.

Now in response to that I could be quite elloquent, but instead i'm going to be concise.

WTF Tristan?

LOL will you relax,you seem to think this was directed to you personally,i assure you it wasnt.

For the record i didnt write any of it,i copied it from elsewhere.
Quote from Becky Rose :Ah ok, I had no idea Hamilton was running Bridgestone F1 tyres last season. If you dismiss everything else as the car, the fact that Hamilton has adapted to his new environment faster than Alonso is in itself a huge achievement.

Hamilton has been testing that McLaren for months prior to Alonso getting out of his Renault contract. Lewis had already established himself and his style with the engineers well before Alonso was even getting a seat fitted .

Quote from Boris Lozac :And that crap about the qualification, "he was on low fuel"... How's that an excuse? Isn't it the point to have low fuel in the qualis to make the best time out of the car?

Heh? Have you actually watched F1 in the past 3 years...

Drivers carry their race fuel load through the qualifying session (for the past two seasons they carry it in the final session). So a driver who qualified a few tenths shy with 4 more laps of fuel in it did a hell of a lot better of a lap than the lighter one. The aim is to run longer than your competitor and throw in the quick laps while they are out struggling with a heavy fuel load.

Quote from tristancliffe :
I do hate Alonso though. Grumpy, crap under (political) pressure, whining, silly driving style. I just never 'warmed' to him like I did with Senna, Schumi, Hill, Hakkinen, Villeneuve (during his championship years, he later became a whiner too), Kimi, Irvine, Herbert. Prost I always found dull (though that was part of his magic), and Mansell was great to watch desite the dull whinyness...

I'd actually like to see you back up them statements, as I think you'll fail miserably .

Grumpy? Debateable, he has his moments like any other driver. Although he has yet to claim another driver tried to kill him and throw the toys out the pram at his own mistake . Or slag off another driver and throw his helmet at the garage at his own mistake of brake testing another driver in a dark tunnel.

Crap under (political) pressure? Lets look back to last year. He had the mass damper saga, an unfair penalty for being let past another car under yellow flags (Hungary) and another unfair penalty at Monza. Not to mention the struggle with a car that just simply wasn't as quick as the Ferraris and the various retirements, none of which were his fault.

Now at Hungary Alonso drove a stunning race until the wheel nut came off, some of the best overtaking in a long time. At Monza which caused the biggest who-ha, he drove another stunning race until the engine let go. I actually can't remember any mistakes from him as a driver last year, he drove a faultless season and kept pushing against the odds while Ferrari had the quicker car.

His head was stronger than Schumacher last year who was in the quickest car for over half the season but binned it a couple of times during the season and attempted a rather silly parking manoeuvre.
Quote from Becky Rose :WTF Tristan?

Okay... I'll try and keep it simple

Alonso, like Kimi and Button (amongst others), had developed a driving style that favoured Michelin's design philosophies. This had been something they'd spent several years on, and each of them had perfected it in their own ways ( Button super smooth, Alonso aggressive on turn in, Kimi somewhere in between) no doubt helped by setups that worked to the strengths of the tyres and drivers. When Alonso (and the other drivers) changed teams AND tyres he struggled to get the most out of them. Since his first drive in the McLaren he's been trying different styles, different setups..... to get to the bottom of it, and now he (they) are coming out of his (their) rut(s).

Hamilton has come from a massively different car (less braking, downforce, power, electronics, time, money etc), and had to learn completely from scratch. He had no F1 driving style, and was therefore able to adapt to whatever he was given much quicker. He had no F1 reference. It doesn't really matter what GP2 tyres were like, because a GP2 car is a hell of a lot slower than an F1 car!). So he was able to go out, and learn F1 in whatever car he was given. Nothing to unlearn. No different habits or feelings to reconsider. Just pure F1 car, it being what it is.#

It really does make sense. Think!
Quote from Boris Lozac :People seems to forget that LH is in his rookie year, and stop with the Ron Dennis crap, the Simulator, etc.. It IS his rookie year. How long are Kimi, Massa and Alonso in F1?

And that crap about the qualification, "he was on low fuel"... How's that an excuse? Isn't it the point to have low fuel in the qualis to make the best time out of the car?

Not really - the idea of qually is to get a good grid slot using fuel that will give you best race pace. Hamilton's race was compromised by choosing to 'go for pole' rather than 'go for teh win!'. Alonso and Kimi (can't remember about Massa) each had more fuel and weren't much slower.

Q1 and Q2 are about low fuel, and I think Alonso topped both?
Transcript was great, I lol'd.
Quote from tristancliffe :Okay... I'll try and keep it simple

Alonso, like Kimi and Button (amongst others), had developed a driving style that favoured Michelin's design philosophies. This had been something they'd spent several years on, and each of them had perfected it in their own ways ( Button super smooth, Alonso aggressive on turn in, Kimi somewhere in between) no doubt helped by setups that worked to the strengths of the tyres and drivers. When Alonso (and the other drivers) changed teams AND tyres he struggled to get the most out of them. Since his first drive in the McLaren he's been trying different styles, different setups..... to get to the bottom of it, and now he (they) are coming out of his (their) rut(s).

Hamilton has come from a massively different car (less braking, downforce, power, electronics, time, money etc), and had to learn completely from scratch. He had no F1 driving style, and was therefore able to adapt to whatever he was given much quicker. He had no F1 reference. It doesn't really matter what GP2 tyres were like, because a GP2 car is a hell of a lot slower than an F1 car!). So he was able to go out, and learn F1 in whatever car he was given. Nothing to unlearn. No different habits or feelings to reconsider. Just pure F1 car, it being what it is.#

It really does make sense. Think!

now that's a good point. after all, it is easier to learn than it is to forget
http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2007/778/6420/

Yip tristan, alonso was the quickest, easily in the 1st session and by a tenth in the second. Hamilton was 4th in the 1st and 3rd in the 2nd. Alonso and Kimi are really starting to drive the way they should be doing, hamilton isnt so much slowing down, just starting to show his relative immaturity. Massa is just doing his usual, having potential and not doing anything with it. The only reason he went through the grid was he had a massively faster car, and even then he couldnt pass kubica.
Tristan. You've got a single seater, now i'm going to explain how to get an extra 8 minutes a lap to you ...

In the nicest possible way, you adapt to the tarmac, to the conditions, no two laps are the same, as a race track lives. You never do the exact same lap twice, you constantly adapt. Whilst it is true that drivers can sometimes struggle to adapt to a new car or take time to adjust, the fact is that both McLaren drivers where doing this and Alonso has a huge amount of experience to do this with.

If the tyres are so influential over driving style, why was Alonso's style so different to Buttons, and every other driver on the grid with a unique style...

Adaptation is the finest skill a racing driver can have - the ability to make the most of every lap, to adjust to changing conditions, to read the surface and how the car is interacting with it. With the ability to adapt - rather than try to clone each lap like in the sterile environment of LFS - comes a great driver.

I'm not saying Hamilton is great, I am having difficulty with those people who are posting that he's a "load of average" or "he's probably crap, his car is so good".

The fact is he is up against a double world champion and he's settled in to the best run a rookie has ever had. Other rookies have walked into the best car in F1 before. No rookie has ever walked away with a trophy from every race they ever entered.

Hamilton has done exceptionally well, and you simply cant say that he's no good or he's average. he is good, he's one of the best. Whether he is better than Alonso, Raikonnen, or whether he's better than the greats ... Only time gives us that answer, but to suggest that Hamilton is anything other than distinctly above average is a very blinkered view...

A view which i'm sure is just a reaction to the sickening quantity of times that James Allen manages to get his name into a single sentence, rather than any reflection of Lewis Hamilton himself.
Quote from Becky Rose :Tristan. You've got a single seater, now i'm going to explain how to get an extra 8 minutes a lap to you ...

In the nicest possible way, you adapt to the tarmac, to the conditions, no two laps are the same, as a race track lives. You never do the exact same lap twice, you constantly adapt. Whilst it is true that drivers can sometimes struggle to adapt to a new car or take time to adjust, the fact is that both McLaren drivers where doing this and Alonso has a huge amount of experience to do this with.

If the tyres are so influential over driving style, why was Alonso's style so different to Buttons, and every other driver on the grid with a unique style...

Adaptation is the finest skill a racing driver can have - the ability to make the most of every lap, to adjust to changing conditions, to read the surface and how the car is interacting with it. With the ability to adapt - rather than try to clone each lap like in the sterile environment of LFS - comes a great driver.

I'm not saying Hamilton is great, I am having difficulty with those people who are posting that he's a "load of average" or "he's probably crap, his car is so good".

The fact is he is up against a double world champion and he's settled in to the best run a rookie has ever had. Other rookies have walked into the best car in F1 before. No rookie has ever walked away with a trophy from every race they ever entered.

Hamilton has done exceptionally well, and you simply cant say that he's no good or he's average. he is good, he's one of the best. Whether he is better than Alonso, Raikonnen, or whether he's better than the greats ... Only time gives us that answer, but to suggest that Hamilton is anything other than distinctly above average is a very blinkered view...

A view which i'm sure is just a reaction to the sickening quantity of times that James Allen manages to get his name into a single sentence, rather than any reflection of Lewis Hamilton himself.

I have NOT said he is not above 'average'! I have said that so far he has done no more than the basic requirements of his employment - drive and finish, and don't throw it off the road. On two occasions doing that, whilst some of his rivals failed, meant he won. He might well have been quickest that day anyway, but again, he's paid to be good. McLaren don't usually employ second-rate drivers.

But, if adaption is so 'easy', then why are the 'experts', ex-drivers, journalists etc all talking about, and explaining quantifiably, why the Michelin drivers have been struggling - because it is a real factor.

And remember, we're talking tenths of a second here. fractions of a percent. If you or I adapt in our respective fields of racing, it's to the tune of whole seconds per lap. Alonso, Hamilton, Kimi will ALL adapt to within 99.5% of each other probably within 5 laps. F1 drivers, even the crap ones like Alonso and Speed, are GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! But that last 0.5%, whether you are Superman or Kimi, Alonso or Albers, is always going to be hard. Hamilton's 'advantage' (or rather, lack of disadvantage) is that he doesn't have any idea what that last 0.5% is, so just gets on with it. When Alonso/Kimi/Button turn in on that last 0.5% and the car doesn't quite (to within centimeters) do what they expected then it's hard to recover. As Kimi/Alonso/Button get more experience with their new tyres their database of input to output becomes bigger, and they learn what the car will do, and what to do to get the desired result.


Kimi and Alonso have been utter crap on the new tyres, but were only tenths slower - that's how fine tuned and F1 driver is.
I agree with Becky, I don't rate Alonso highly for the same reason I don't rate Nicky Hayden. Hayden won the motoGP championship last season, but until recently was barely running in the top 10 this season. A great driver/rider is able to quickly adapt, and jumping from GP2 to F1 is a bigger leap than going from one F1 team to another. Its like going from the FO8 to the BF1, in comparison to going from one BF1 setup to another.

Also I think Hamilton is honest and humble, he still seems to be amazed that he is racing an F1 car. This race was his worst of the season so far, did he blame the car or someone else? No. He said he chose the wrong setup and he made the mistake in the pits, Albers tried to blame his pitlane mishap on the car. Its also worth mentioning that people have only said he has the potential to be as great as Senna, or any other past greats of the sport, and that Hamilton himself has never compared himself to those people.

At the start of the race they interviewed his dad about their pre-race routine, they asked him what they talked about, he said they just laugh because they can't believe where they are and how strange all the sudden attention is. With time I think he will get more confident, and hopefully we will see some better racing at the front so he can prove himself. However many drivers have had the same potential and just fallen away and been forgotten, I just hope Hamilton isnt one of those.
Tristan, that really is a stretch. These drivers aren't old set-in-their-ways pensioners. The tyres are a factor, but they know when they're quick, and know when they aren't. Kimi won in Oz, Alonso was second, Hamilton third. Surely if your theory of not being able to adjust to new tyres is on the money, it would have shown itself more there than anywhere else? Then to compound the extent of his difficulties, Alonso won the next race by a street.

I just don't see any evidence to substantiate your theory.

I think it's simply that the best car one weekend isn't always the best the next, and that drivers have good races and bad races. Hamilton had a bad race at Silverstone, and was fortunate Massa had an even worse race.

Also, the middle session of qual might be light-fuel, but that doesn't mean they're trying to do anything but secure the top 10 place they need to advance.
Alonso is vastly experienced in testing different cars. In fact Mike Wilson... if you know about racing you know about him.... stated that the reason he rated Alonso so highly was when he worked with him for several years, he was that he was able to take any kart, with different tyres, and different setups and take it to the maximum from the word go. That's what made him so good.

Now suddenly, this driver who was famed for being able to drive multiple different setups, and vehicles, is struggling to adapt to a different driving style because of a change in styles.... that's just complete BULL.... and is simply AN EXCUSE!

Alonso's 'thing' is being able to adapt fast.... THAT'S HIS THING...!!!!
Hmmm, a few days ago I was told that Alonso's pass at Mangy Cours must be okay because the experts say so. Now I'm being told that the experts, who all agree that adapting to the nuances of a tyre is a limiting factor for Alonso/Kimi, are talking 'bull'.

Maybe F1 isn't any harder than karting. Maybe that's why every karting champion, including Mike Wilson, does so well in F1. Hmmmm

Edit (the next morning): Below, our beloved Intrepid (who didn't pay for his licence, but shares it with a few other people) attempted to 'pwn' me (as so intelligently put by Benji below). However, Intrepid can't read, and neither would it seem can Benji. I said "maybe that's why every karting champion does so well in F1!. If Intrepid had a brain, he would realise that not every karting champion gets into F1, and so by coming up with two or three examples has in fact pwned himself. I don't see Mike Wilson in F1! Or Terry Fullerton! How many F1 World Championships did those two win? So what we're saying is that Karting is great for learning the basics, but that being good in a kart in no way means you'll be good enough to beat the best in F1. But our dear old Intrepid (who is Alan Dove posting under Senna87's account that they share with a few others) is too busy teaching people how to pass in relatively slow karts to realise this. I've met him - barely a brain to engage. Quite short and tubby too, if I remember correctly.
lol apart from a certain Ayrton Senna... maybe he didn't 'officially' win the World Championship... but in 81 or 82 - can't remember - was robbed because of some weird rules...

Also Kimi only spent one year and a bit OUT OF KARTS before going to F1,....that's why the only pics of him on his website are him in his kart or in a Ferrari F1....lol

Quote :1987 - First time in kart
1988 -
Karting, some wins in Classes A, B and C
1989 -
Karting, some wins in Classes A, B and C1990 - Karting, some wins in Classes A, B and C
1991 -
National karting, Class Mini
1992 -
National karting, Class Raket Junior
1993 - National karting, Class Raket, Finnish Cup, 9th overall.
1994 -
National karting, Class Raket, Finnisch Cup, 2nd overall.
1995 -
Formula A Karting: first race, and first win, 23rd April.
1996 -
Karting Grand Prix (European Series)World Championship races and Nordic Championship racesno wins in Finnish Championship, Class Formula A, finished 4th overall
1997 -
Finnish Championship, Class Intercontinental A, ChampionNordic Championship, Class Intercontinental A, 4th overallKarting Grand Prix and World Championship races - invited to drive with Peter de Bruin Team
1998 -
Lived in the NetherlandsFinnish Championship, class Formula A, ChampionNordic Championship, ChampionClass Formula Intercontinental A, European Karting Grand Prix, winner; Super A, 2nd overallMonaco Cup, class Super A, 3rd overallWorld Championship, Formula Super A, retired from 7th position
1999 -
Finnish Championship, Class Formula A, 2nd overallWorld Championship, class Formula Super A, 10thFirst Formula Renault race, with Haywood Racing, 3rdFormula Renault Winter Series, with Manor Motorsport - winner, four wins from four races
2000 -
British Renault 2000, Champion with Manor Motorsport (despite competing in only 10 rounds of the series), seven wins, six pole positions, seven fastest laps. Finished on the podium in all 10 races contested; European Formula Renault Championship: competed in only three rounds, two wins, two pole positions, two fastest laps. Retired while leading in third race due to mechanical failure. Tested for Red Bull Sauber Petronas Formula One team at Mugello
2001 -
Formula 1: Red Bull Sauber Petronas, 10th, 9 points

and a certain Alonso

Quote :
1998 Karting Inter A class; Spanish Champion; first in the Paris Bercy Trophy; first in the Industry trophy ( Italy ); first in the Open Ford trophy

1997
Karting Inter A class; Spanish Champion; Italian Champion; pole position and nine wins in the European Championship

1996 Karting Junior class: World Champion; Spanish Champion; first in the Estival trophy ( Italy )
1995 Karting Junior class: Spanish Champion, third in World Championship 1993 & 94 Karting Junior class: Spanish Champion

1991
Karting Cadet class: Runner-up in Spanish Championship

1990
Karting Cadet class: Champion of Asturias and the Basque Country 1988 & 89 Karting Rookie class: Champion of Asturias and Galicia

So your right karting champions don't do well in F1

I suppose when in 92 or 93 when senna was asked

'who is the best driver you ever raced against?' he answered 'Terry Fullerton'.... but then what did Senna ever know????
was that needed? Stop ramming it down our ****ing throats about how good karting is.
I agree, take it via pm please. This discussion is about the F1 Brittish GP. Either post or don't, but please don't involve karting at all.

FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG