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[QUOTE=5150;843269]Here in the U.S. as much as I hate to admit it NASCAR reigns "Supreme" in motorsports. (Damn!! that left an awful taste in my mouth!!) Although we did have F1 here in the states again, even if it was for a short time. But what is gaining popularity is the ALMS and Petite LMS as well. SPEED for the most part is our motorsport network, and thank God for them. If it wasn't for SPEED my F1 coverage would be minimal at best! NASCAR in the U.S. is what F1 is in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world! I would love more than anything to have F1 back here in the states, and really give NASCAR a run for their money.[/QUOTE]
Well, there is some good news. NASCAR viewership is reported to be dropping, and ALMS viewership and attendance is going up.
Of course it's going to take a long time to overtake NASCAR, but it's a start :)
Maybe once SPEED finally scales back on their NASCAR whoring it will get better :)
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[QUOTE=Zytek_Fan;843271]Well, there is some good news. NASCAR viewership is reported to be dropping, and ALMS viewership and attendance is going up.
Of course it's going to take a long time to overtake NASCAR, but it's a start :)
Maybe once SPEED finally scales back on their NASCAR whoring it will get better :)[/QUOTE]
Funny how you mention SPEED scaling back on their NASCAR whoring. When I first got SPEED, it was called SPEED Television at the time, and they had no NASCAR coverage at all, none! The only time I watch SPEED now is for F1, The ALMS, and the Barrett-Jackson Auctions, and the occasional Porsche Carrera Cup Series. But just recently I'd heard That Bernie E. is seriously considering bringing F1 back to the states, and if that happens I hope it's for good this time!
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[QUOTE=5150;843276]Funny how you mention SPEED scaling back on their NASCAR whoring. When I first got SPEED, it was called SPEED Television at the time, and they had no NASCAR coverage at all, none! The only time I watch SPEED now is for F1, The ALMS, and the Barrett-Jackson Auctions, and the occasional Porsche Carrera Cup Series. But just recently I'd heard That Bernie E. is seriously considering bringing F1 back to the states, and if that happens I hope it's for good this time![/QUOTE]
I remember watching SPEED when it was Speedvision.
It was so much better then. No NASCAR. There was F1, WRC, FIA GT, DTM, Aussie V8s...
The only thing that keeps me watching SPEED coverage of F1 races, ALMS, and Le Mans is the commentator crew.
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[QUOTE=Zytek_Fan;843277]I remember watching SPEED when it was Speedvision.
It was so much better then. No NASCAR. There was F1, WRC, FIA GT, DTM, Aussie V8s...
The only thing that keeps me watching SPEED coverage of F1 races, ALMS, and Le Mans is the commentator crew.[/QUOTE]
My mistake, It was Speedvision, and Bruce Dern the actor would their commercials from time to time. By the way what happened to their coverage of the WRC? I always enjoyed watching that to.
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[QUOTE=5150;843279]My mistake, It was Speedvision, and Bruce Dern the actor would their commercials from time to time. By the way what happened to their coverage of the WRC? I always enjoyed watching that to.[/QUOTE]
The contract expired, so they decided not to renew it, in favour of adding more NASCAR programming :(
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[QUOTE=Zytek_Fan;843280]The contract expired, so they decided not to renew it, in favour of adding more NASCAR programming :([/QUOTE]
AWW Man! just as I was about to go to bed, you had to mention that "N" word!! now I'll never get to sleep!
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McLaren to win WCC for the first time since 1998
Toyota to go winless again
Williams to want Cosworth back
Smaller, ugly wings to make few fans
Cookie-cutter tracks to be a bore
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I think calling the hierarchy in 2009 will be harder than usual due to the vast rule changes - I think we'll have to wait until after testing more than ever to get a good picture. By the way, where is the 2008 predictions thread?
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I think Felipe will come back and try the best he can to get that world championship...
I really feel sorry for him in brazil...
He was almost world champion thanks to vettel's move on hamilton...
too bad that glock's toyota has stalled thus giving lewis the 5th place he needs...
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[QUOTE=Bleeding Heart;843302]I think Felipe will come back and try the best he can to get that world championship...
I really feel sorry for him in brazil...
He was almost world champion thanks to vettel's move on hamilton...
too bad that glock's toyota has stalled thus giving lewis the 5th place he needs...[/QUOTE]
Ferrari and or Felipe fan? Felipe had some gifts from the stewards this season and Hamilton won the title rightly - he had the machinery, he had the skill.
Where did you hear Glock stalled? I saw lap times for him and Trulli (who I assume was on wets as well) on the last lap and they were within a second. I think it was just a lot of rain or a really vast conspiracy where Trulli slowed down as well to throw off the doubters even more. Spooky!
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[QUOTE=Kitdy;843303]Where did you hear Glock stalled? I saw lap times for him and Trulli (who I assume was on wets as well) on the last lap and they were within a second. I think it was just a lot of rain or a really vast conspiracy where Trulli slowed down as well to throw off the doubters even more. Spooky![/QUOTE]
Uhm... the commentators said he stalled before the finish line... at least, That's what I heard they've said...
Either way... I still feel sorry for Felipe...
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[QUOTE=Kitdy;843303]Ferrari and or Felipe fan? Felipe had some gifts from the stewards this season and Hamilton won the title rightly - he had the machinery, he had the skill.
[/QUOTE]
Somehow... the machinery does not count for me...
Let's remember that the Ferrari had so many reliability issues this year... I even remember the time when he was leading then, his engine blew-up with 3 laps remaining...
Pretty unlucky guy if you'll ask me...
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Ferrari wins constructor's championship again. WDC will be close.. contested by Kimi, Massa, Hamilton, Kubica, and Alonso. Watch for Toyota and Renault to be strong, while Vettel continues his brilliant work going into his new seat at the Red Bull senior squad. If I had to pick a winner.. I guess to be different I'll say Alonso.
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[QUOTE=Bleeding Heart;843307]Somehow... the machinery does not count for me...
Let's remember that the Ferrari had so many reliability issues this year... I even remember the time when he was leading then, his engine blew-up with 3 laps remaining...
Pretty unlucky guy if you'll ask me...[/QUOTE]
Massa did have bad luck now that I am looking at it and maybe had things gone perfectly he woulda won I suppose you do have a point.
Some factors of luck and stewards to consider: Massa had 2 engine failures, Australia and Hungary and his fuel hose incident - all costing points. Hamilton had the 6 net points lost to Massa in Belgium, the 1 point Massa got controversially in Japan (as well as all the points Hamilton lost from the collision with Massa). There may have been other incidents but there was trouble to go around for sure.
If it was not machinery at all that counted, then I think the best driver was Fernando Alonso. The Ferrari (and I am not sure of this) also on average may have been the faster car so if you don't want machinery to be part of it, then how would Hamilton have done in a Ferrari? My rough guess tells me he woulda beaten Massa in equal machinery this year, and I think maybe the only person that coulda beat him woulda been Alonso. Others with potential would be Vettel and Kubica but it is harder to evaluate as they have never had the quality of machinery under them that Lewis, Alonso, Kimi, Massa and Kovalainen have.
I wonder what the assorted armchair experts think was the fastest car on the whole this year.
But I digress. It is not perfectly clearcut to me who had the worst luck, or the worst car. Maybe a better analysis would solve more, but I will save that for never or later for now.
EDIT: To make a pre-testing prediction, which I may well modify after testing before the season (I think a pre-testing and post-testing prediction is more interesting) I will say Lewis to repeat as WDC and Ferrari to win WCC - yes it is tacky to chose the same as last year but at this point I see it as the safe bet. I see 6 world class potential WDC drivers - Kimi, Felipe, Fernando, Lewis, Sebastian, and Robert. I think that any of them could win with the right car and with the vast changes who knows - an underdog team like Red Bull or even Honda or Toyota could take it in a break through - even Williams.
In terms of the team's potential for car speed, not WCC potential, then I think Ferrari in first, McLaren a hair behind, then BMW, then a toss up between Honda, Red Bull, Toyota, Renault. Then Williams and Toro Rosso in a toss up, and Force India. This though I see as much more volatile than predictions after testing as I said due to the rule changes and I rate this more as potential for the swiftness of the car.
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Just thought I'd throw this in there too: I think BMW may have cut some of their development in 2008 realizing they would easily slot in at 3rd behind McLaren and Ferrari in preparation for the 2009 season. Look for them to be strong, or at least even stronger than last year.