[SilentEngine]

We always see winning drivers finish the race closer to the pit wall than continue on racing line. Button did the same thing. When he finished, he was still 1.1 seconds ahead of Alonso, which is more or less the same gap he maintained for last few laps.
Of course he slowed down AFTER he crossed the line allowing Alonso to pass him, which may have lead us to believe that Alonso finished ahead of Button.

[hillram]

Awesome Race.It was good to see Vettel clinch the title but Mclaren emerged as the winner at Suzuka.
15 years back,Damon Hill clinched his title at Suzuka in a William Renault.Now you guys know why its HILLRAM...he was my favorite driver !!

[Hatari]

So Formula One’s youngest points’ scorer (USA 2007), youngest pole sitter (Italy 2008), youngest race winner (Italy 2008) and youngest world champion (Abu Dhabi, 2010) has become its youngest double world champion (Japan, 2011), aged just 24 years and 98 days. Schumacher better watch his back. There’s a new record breaker in town.

[PuntoMania]

Originally Posted by Hatari

So Formula One’s youngest points’ scorer (USA 2007), youngest pole sitter (Italy 2008), youngest race winner (Italy 2008) and youngest world champion (Abu Dhabi, 2010) has become its youngest double world champion (Japan, 2011), aged just 24 years and 98 days. Schumacher better watch his back. There’s a new record breaker in town.

You write for F1.com too ?

[karizma_devil]

One of the most boring F1 seasons !

Alonso is in a different league . Vettel can only prove himself if he get a very average car , ( like alonso's ferrari) and still he is motivated enough to fight for Point finishes, not wins.

[PuntoMania]

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

One of the most boring F1 seasons !

Alonso is in a different league . Vettel can only prove himself if he get a very average car , ( like alonso's ferrari) and still he is motivated enough to fight for Point finishes, not wins.

Alonso's Ferrari is not even close to a "very average" car. Its the third best car on most tracks and second best on some. I dont classify that as very average. In 2010, he had a car that was consistently capable of challenging for wins and podiums as well. Easily atleast as good as the Mclaren and was faster than Red Bull during raceday on quite a few occasions.

[asr245]

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

One of the most boring F1 seasons !

Alonso is in a different league . Vettel can only prove himself if he get a very average car , ( like alonso's ferrari) and still he is motivated enough to fight for Point finishes, not wins.

Alonso does seem to be out-performing the car especially when compared to Massa who doesn't seem to be deserving for Ferrari anymore. He's never been the same since his accident and is now a clear no2.

Vettel's real test still awaits him i.e. not driving the fastest car and still motivated enough to fight the entire season like Alonso in this year's Ferrari. For me, Alonso & Button are the most mature drivers today - both have done enough dog work (Button more than anyone else) to realize how privileged they are to be driving for their respective teams to make the best of it.

[karizma_devil]

Originally Posted by asr245

Alonso does seem to be out-performing the car especially when compared to Massa who doesn't seem to be deserving for Ferrari anymore. He's never been the same since his accident and is now a clear no2.

Vettel's real test still awaits him i.e. not driving the fastest car and still motivated enough to fight the entire season like Alonso in this year's Ferrari. For me, Alonso & Button are the most mature drivers today - both have done enough dog work (Button more than anyone else) to realize how privileged they are to be driving for their respective teams to make the best of it.

Completely agree with you. People may call Alonso a cry baby or a whiner , but when it comes to talent, hard work & commitment , no one comes close to Alonso.

Button on the other hand has the most cool & level head on the grid. His strength is that he know the limitations/advantages of his machinery and works accordingly.

Vettel has been spectacular this year , he has chewed out and spitted Webber completely ! But if he is as good as a Michel or Alonso or Button ... only time will tell , especially when he has a not so superior machinery under him .

I would love to see if Alonso / Button are given a car as fast & superior as RBR 2011. Wonder what Michel can still do with a RBR 2011 car ??

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by asr245

Vettel's real test still awaits him i.e. not driving the fastest car and still motivated enough to fight the entire season like Alonso in this year's Ferrari. For me, Alonso & Button are the most mature drivers today - both have done enough dog work (Button more than anyone else) to realize how privileged they are to be driving for their respective teams to make the best of it.

So true. Button has to be the most improved driver of the year and that includes his championship winning year at Honda. That smooth driving style, a calm demeanor and a new found toughness seems to have earned him the respect of his team as well.

Hamilton on the other hand, has taken a step back this season. Unlike most other champions, he has not had to come up through the ranks, doing the hard grind, driving mid-field cars around circuits all year long. This will be his litmus test. How he bounces back next season will define him in many ways.

[anachronix]

There are already rumors of a Hamilton sabbatical next year being floated around in the F1 world!

[Hatari]

Originally Posted by PuntoMania

You write for F1.com too ?

just copy-paste the interesting bits..
wouldnt mind though.. it needs to be a little clutter free and focus more on the message

[Hatari]

Originally Posted by PuntoMania

Alonso's Ferrari is not even close to a "very average" car. Its the third best car on most tracks and second best on some. I dont classify that as very average. In 2010, he had a car that was consistently capable of challenging for wins and podiums as well. Easily atleast as good as the Mclaren and was faster than Red Bull during raceday on quite a few occasions.

For Ferrari.. finishing 3rd in the constructors (atleast 100 points behind McLaren and more than 250 ponts behind Red Bull) is not only a very average season, but a poor one. This has been a drubbing.
Another season of this and Domenicali would lose his job.

[Hatari]

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

One of the most boring F1 seasons !

Alonso is in a different league . Vettel can only prove himself if he get a very average car , ( like alonso's ferrari) and still he is motivated enough to fight for Point finishes, not wins.

The fight for 2nd place in the Championship is great though..
FA vs JB, LH & MW - all in superior machinery

...must use multi quote next time!

[Cesc]

Originally Posted by Hatari

For Ferrari.. finishing 3rd in the constructors (atleast 100 points behind McLaren and more than 250 ponts behind Red Bull) is not only a very average season, but a poor one. This has been a drubbing.
Another season of this and Domenicali would lose his job.

Going by Aldo Costa (Ferrari's technical director) sacking early this season, I am kinda sure that the first third of the next season would be sufficient to determine Domenicali's fate. If Ferrari do not perform early next season, he would be booted out.

[PuntoMania]

Originally Posted by Hatari

For Ferrari.. finishing 3rd in the constructors (atleast 100 points behind McLaren and more than 250 ponts behind Red Bull) is not only a very average season, but a poor one. This has been a drubbing.
Another season of this and Domenicali would lose his job.

I think you misunderstood my post completely. I was replying to this :

Originally Posted by karizma_devil

One of the most boring F1 seasons !

Alonso is in a different league . Vettel can only prove himself if he get a very average car , ( like alonso's ferrari) and still he is motivated enough to fight for Point finishes, not wins.

Where karizma_devil is trying to imply that the Ferrari is a very average car, which it clearly is not. A car capable of challenging consistently for podiums is not a very average car.

What you're trying to imply is that the 2011 Ferrari is an average year by their own standards which is a different issue altogether and one that I agree with.