European GP: The Agony and The Ecstasy
Written by George Katinger · July 22, 2007
In a race dictated by weather ( wet, dry, and wet at the end), luck, and driving talent, Fernando Alonso drove to victory followed by a bitter Felipe Massa and a joyous Mark Webber.
autosport.com: Alonso wins chaotic European GP
speedtv.com: F1: Webber Boosts Red Bull with Third
speedtv.com: F1: Speed “Assaulted” by STR Team Boss!
planet-f1.com: Alonso apologises to Massa over post-race row
And why would Felipe be bitter? Besides being a naturally nasty little bridge troll? Because his Ferrari was far and away superior to Alonso’s McLaren in the dry. Massa maintained a comfortable lead, right up to seven laps from the end, when a sudden cloud burst caused all of the drivers to pit for intermediate wets.
After leaving the pits, Massa maintained his lead, but not for long. Alonso was all over the leading Ferrari, and at first it seemed another case of ill advised “Fernando Folly.” Alonso continually applied pressure to the outside of Massa, seeking a potential advantage in the rain. Massa responded by swerving and blocking at every attempt by the two time champ to get by; but Alonso was not to be denied. He finally bulled his way past the Brazilian with wheel to wheel contact, and finished a comfortable 8 seconds ahead of Massa. Ecstasy for Alonso, pure and simple.
And what of Raikkonen and Hamilton? Kimi was sitting in a comfortable third place when his car slowed to a halt and could not finish, a victim of hydraulic failure. Hamilton, in spite of a 10th place start, a brilliant drive, incredible luck (good and bad) finished in ninth, out of the points. Agony for both drivers, I’m sure.
Red Bull’s Mark Webber’s third place finish was substantially more than pure ecstasy, as the Renault powered cars have suffered with brutal reliability issues. Mark’s Podium and Coulthard’s fifth place finish was a joy to the team and hopefully a positive trend for the rest of the season.
And if you’re looking for a definition of pure agony, how about Michael Schumacher presenting the constructor’s trophy to Ron Dennis on the podium? As uncomfortable as Michael was, it’s nothing compared to what Ron will face this coming Thursday. You know, that little matter about McLaren poaching Ferrari design documents? Beyond agony, I’d call it a day trip to hell. And if there is any truth to the allegations, a stint in hell is what Ron deserves.
But how is the truth to be ascertained, and who will determine the veracity of the “facts” presented? It’s beyond me, but in any court of law (or justice, if you prefer) an accused is entitled to confront his accusers. Will Ferrari be present? Or Nigel Stepney? From what I’ve read to date, it’s Ron facing the FIA stooges and Ferrari’s chief stooge Max Mosley. Not much chance of justice from that collection of buffoons. More on that later in the week.
My lasting impression of the European Grand Prix will be of Felipe Massa giving Fernando Alonso guff over the pass and win prior to the podium ceremony. Much gratitude to Speedtv for that “bonus” coverage, as it revealed Massa for the whining titty baby he is. And it showed Alonso for the great champion he is. It’s just too bad that the championships outcome may be potentially decided by Max Mosley and the Ferrari favoring FIA bureaucrats under Max’s thumb. A great season, a historically great team, not to mention a defending champ and the greatest rookie debut ever, may be all flushed over real or imagined ethical transgressions. I just don’t know how I’ll be able to be a fan if this turns out badly. Thursday can’t come fast enough, but I still fear the outcome may be the ultimate agony for the sport and the fans.
European Grand Prix Results - 22 July 2007 - 60 Laps
POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT LAPS TIME/RETIRE
1. Fernando Alonso Spain McLaren-Mercedes 60 2h06m26.358
2. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari 60 8.155
3. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 60 1m05.674
4. Alexander Wurz Austria Williams-Toyota 60 1m05.937
5. David Coulthard Britain Red Bull-Renault 60 1m13.656
6. Nick Heidfeld Germany BMW 60 1m20.298
7. Robert Kubica Poland BMW 60 1m22.415
8. Heikki Kovalainen Finland Renault 59 1 Lap
9. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 59 1 Lap
10. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault 59 1 Lap
11. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Honda 59 1 Lap
12. Anthony Davidson Britain Super Aguri-Honda 59 1 Lap
13. Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota 59 1 Lap
R Kimi Raikkonen Finland Ferrari 34 Hydraulics
R Takuma Sato Japan Super Aguri-Honda 19 Hydraulics
R Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota 18 Accident
R Markus Winkelhock Germany Spyker-Ferrari 13 Hydraulics
R Jenson Button Britain Honda 2 Spin
R Adrian Sutil Germany Spyker-Ferrari 2 Spin
R Nico Rosberg Germany Williams-Toyota 2 Spin
R Scott Speed United States Toro Rosso-Ferrari 2 Spin
R Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Toro Rosso-Ferrari 2 Spin
FASTEST LAP:
Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari 34 1:32.853
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15 Responses to “European GP: The Agony and The Ecstasy”
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If you want the definition of a titty baby, George, then look no further than your precious Alonso. As I recall, Massa put out his hand to congratulate Fernando. What was said by Fernando at that point, I don’t know, ( can we get a translation?) but it appearatly didn’t sit well with Massa. If Alonso is apologizing for his driving and his behavior after a race, then you can’t claim he’s the victim here.
Now, with that being said, Massa was behaving like a brooding debutante for much of the post race festivities. And he only has himself to blame for not being better in the wet, bad vibration or not. I honestly wish he had had the hydraulic problem and not Kimi. I dare say it would have been Kimi on the top step if that had been so.
There! I hadn’t ranted about Alonso in a while, and I was really aching for a fix.
What about Winklehok in the Spyker! Admittedly Spyker had nothing to lose & everything to gain by starting him from the pit lane on inters, but when was the last time a rookie
Isn’t seizing the on the advantages when they present themselves to compensate for lack of performance a quality of champions? Remember Senna the truly rain master in a Mclaren clearly inferior to the Williams of Prost in a number of GP’s as well as Michael himself turning in wins because they are truly better drivers than the others? That is why Alonso is a World Champion and Kimi is not. I like Kimi and hope he wins a championship, but I doubt he is as good as Alonso in all racing situations. Maybe living in Italy will make him a bit more Latin
Were you watching the same thing I was? It was that “titty baby” Alonso who was giving guff to a congratulating Massa at the weigh in regarding the hard duel for the lead. They were speaking in Italian and when the transmission switched to them we only heard Massa’s reaction to the snub by telling Alonso to ‘..go %*#@ himself’!!! Then we heard Alonso tell Massa that he was not of F1 stature, to which Massa responded by patting Alonso on the shoulder and telling him what a “..great sport (sic) ” he was! Alonso tried to apologize for his boorish behavior during the interview, but Massa by that point was having none of it. And earlier, when Alonso pointed to his car showing tire marks and wagging his finger at the camera was bush league! Your comments regarding these incidents and about the coming FIA hearing on tech spying shows you to be what you really are: a McLaren homer
And can ANYONE tell me why Hamilton was gifted his lap back???
Doug and tims: You can rightly hold my feet to the fire relative to who started the contretemps at the pre-podium weigh in, it was Alonso, not titty baby Massa. I hadn’t read the details prior to creating my post. My understanding of Alonso’s apology is for what he said, not the way he drove.
But Alonso’s point was well taken, Feeble Felipe was all over the track attempting to block at every available moment, and it was Massa who slammed into Alonso prior to the actual pass. No matter from my perspective it was good racing to see for the win, regardless of who came out on top as at Barcelona.
What I like about Alonso (beyond driving skills) are the mind game wars he wages on his opposition, a war that Massa comes to with his arsenal half empty, as in his half empty head.
And tims, I agree, if it had been Kimi going wheel to wheel at the end the outcome may have been different and possibly more exciting yet.
Doug, as for Hamilton getting his lap back, I am as perplexed as you. Luckily he scored no points, or THAT could have been a real argument if he wins the title by a point!
The lap gifting is a new rule this year. If a safety car comes out, then lapped traffic can go around and regain the lap. It’s to get them out of the way of the faster cars. As for Hamilton going from the back of the grid all the way ’round to the back of the grid again is fuel related. He would have basically run a race that was one lap shorter if he didn’t go around. Remember he was a lap down because he sat in the gravel trap burning hardly any fuel. I think the FIA is trying to avoid a flak about that, and I seem to be the only one that understands it.
George, as far as Alonso mind games, he seems to be the one having a difficult time. Otherwise his antics would not have been so outlandish. I think he felt a huge weight was lifted with that win, and it’s obvious he’s been brooding about it. Plus, his unsafe driving during practice needs to be addressed. Maybe another trip to the back of the grid for the start of a race is in order?
Thanks for the lap explanation, it’s something I wasn’t aware of.
Alonso’s relief at closing to within 2 points of his rookie teammate was very obvious, and may have contributed to his post race jabbing at Feeble Felipe.
But his antics, as you call them, even all of the jabbing at his own team and teammate are, I believe, the most important mental side of racing. And I think he’s doing it exceptionally well. Seize every opportunity to excel, on the track or off, and create confusion and doubt in the minds of your opponents. Short of cheating, of course.
I am surprised that people are already bashing kimi after winning the last two races and sitting pole at this one he was caught out in the rain and lost because of a failure of the car. One only has to look at his history to see how trully great he is. He did not grow up in racing as many of the other silver spoon darlings did including the brilliant hamilton who was on the cover of F1 magazine as a teen. Kimi is that guy who shows up to learn a new sport you have been playing for years and schools your ass the third time he try’s. He is a natural talent with very little grooming. He was born to do this not trained to do this. I would be willing to bet that Hamilton has raced 500 more races than Kimi in his carrer. Kimi was a true rookie when he started. Lewis is like payton manning. THey have known since he was 10 this was going to happen.
I haven’t as yet read any Kimi slaps based on yesterdays race.
Nice observation gary, and all very factual. But Kimi seems to be one of those snake bit drivers, who if he didn’t have bad luck would have no luck at all. The old saw “I’d rather be lucky than good” may apply here. No one can deny his pure speed, but I do question his impact on tires and chassis based on his driving style.
If Kimi wins a title with Ferrari, I would be the first to applaud, as long as it wasn’t based on some bullshit exclusion as McLaren are about to face on Thursday. No one should be allowed to win a title (or lose one) on those grounds.
George, you’d really be upset if Ferrari was handed a penalty for all the things you seem to have a problem with? If it was Ferrari that was facing charges of cheating you’d be the first to applaud McLaren for not stooping to cheating, but it’s on the other foot.
You know I’ve said I don’t want McLaren excluded because of the championship. BUT, if it is proven that they have cheated, then it is necessary they be punished. Period, end of story.
I apologize, George. I was a bit too harsh in that last post.
I am trying to figure out why people think that Kimi hasn’t had a lot of racing experience? He started karting when he was 11. Granted not as early as many in racing, but he certainly did grow up racing. Sure he didn’t start racing actual “cars” until he was somewhat more mature then most, but if anyone doubts what kart racing can teach you, come on out to Calif and I wil throw you in one of my shifter karts. It has been proven more then once that someone that can drive and setup a shifter kart can just about jump into a high horse power race car and be successful.
My biggest thought about Kimi’s DNF on Sunday was “fuel calculation failure”. Watching the race, it seemed as though the engine would cut out and then catch again. Of course, if the engine is not running there is not much in the way of hydralic energy.
Great race, nothing like changing weather to throw a monkey wrench into the plans of mice and men.
Not impressed with Alonso’s sportmanship.
Not really impressed with the wet tire performance (Bridgestone, are you paying attention?) Felepe said that he had gotten a crap set of inters, however I wonder if there may have been a softer setup on Alonso’s car (wet weather or changing conditions setup) If that was the case, then Alonso’s car would have used the inters much better then Massa’s.
But the worse thing that I saw was at the end of the race. Now Michael, why were you wearing a shirt that belongs on a 10 year old, playing cowboys and indians? Surely, Corrina can pick something out of your closet that better represents the fact that you are worth close to $1 billion. I realize that you couldn’t get on the podium wearing Ferarri colors, but? Perhaps a Brooks Brothers? I also understand that there are some really good Italian tailors as well.
Still looking like a season to beat all seasons.
Now if the FIA keeps the status quo and doesn’t throw the book at whoever is responsible for StepneyGate we can enjoy the rest of the year.
Tim, no apology necessary, believe it or not I feel the same as you. Couglan should be banned from the sport for life. And if it’s provable that McLaren knew this stuff, they should be slapped, and slapped hard. But if the chief witnesses against McLaren will be Stepney and Coughlan, how can either party be believed? They have no credibility and will say/do anything to save their lying cheating greedy asses.
I remember we discussed the new safety car rule, allowing lapped cars to unlap themselves, in the forum prior to the start of the season, even back then we were confused about it’s application. Now that I have seen it in practice I think it’s a good rule to get the lapped cars out of the way of the leaders at the restart. Strange that we have had to wait half a season to see the new procedure on track.
Regarding Massa; Alonso was clearly faster than him in the closing wet stages & Massa’s defence & weaving was “enthusiastic” to say the least. When Alonso bullied his way through the pass Massa understeered into the McLaren. Hard, close, wheel to wheel racing,
What cracks me up about Massa, after the race, is falling for the provocation & wagging fingers of Alonso, the child took the bait hook line & sinker.