posted Dec 16, 2007

Jshane: "Heikki had a good car last season but failed to extract the best out of it. His performance was always below average with one of the four strong cars on the grid. I don't think he will add any value to Mclaren."

I disagree with this statement entirely. The Renault was never really on the pace last season, and in three or four races was a long way off it. After a difficult start, Heikki got his head down and got the most out of the car when it was working.

After a turbulent season McLaren want an easier ride next season. Is Heikki better than Alonso? Certainly not, but he's fast enough to push Hamilton, is a potential race winner and is known to be a team player.

I'd try and dissect everything that's wrong with antoniosignore's post, but I'm afraid I don't have all night!

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posted Dec 16, 2007

"Is Heikki better than Alonso? Certainly not" ... yet

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posted Dec 16, 2007

Is Heikki better than Fernando? I don't think so, but after the problems last season, his position was not tenable, not for McLaren and not for him. Fernando has moved back to Renault - I hope it works out for him. Of the drivers who could have been offered or taken the seat at McLaren, I'm pleased it's Heikki. We'll never know now whether Fernando could have won WDC last season or not ...

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posted Dec 16, 2007

"Heikki had a good car last season but failed to extract the best out of it. His performance was always below average with one of the four strong cars on the grid. I don't think he will add any value to Mclaren."

I disagree too - the Renault was poor in comparison to previous years' cars. The drivers often struggled to get it past first qualifying. It was a good learning curve for Kovy and will stand him in good stead for a good season. F1 is not just about winning, it's about mental toughness when the chips are down. Heikki can tick this box already. I have no doubts he will show himself as a quick, self-assured young driver in a good car. He WILL win in 2008.

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posted Dec 17, 2007

"yup - the Brits has a much greater sense of fair play than the Italians"

this sentence qualifies you as a total idiot.

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posted Dec 17, 2007

if you don't get rid of RD you won't win a thing.

And with Fabio Capello you may finally win a soccer WC without robbing the Germans in a final...(1966)

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posted Dec 17, 2007

yeah and where do you come from? bit of anti-english-ness there? be quiet.

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posted Dec 17, 2007

> comment by LordSoth
>posted 2 Days Ago
> Is it only me or is Heikki the first Finnish F1 driver 'with' a personality????

It's you. He's the 4th Finnish F1 driver with a 'Media-Approved' personality (Salo, Rosberg, and Lehto were before him). Just because MH & KR aren't that eloquant doesn't mean they lack personality. Salo, Rosberg, and Lehto have plenty of the personality that meets the media's high standards - in other words they can do the media's job for them by giving good interviews and hence sparing the journalists from the trouble of actually having to think of sensible questions. This is witnessed by the fact that all 3 of the 'Approved' personalities have ended up in media work after their F1 careers, some working in several languages.

My personal preference is for the driving aspect of F1. That's why I rate MH & KR higher than the rest of that bunch - who I appreciate for different reasons. They are fun to listen to. But if F1 was all mouth and no drive, Eddie Irvine would be an 8 time WC (and DC wouldn't be far behind him).

Besides, there is a distinct benefit in not having an opinion, like MH or KR. When have you ever heard either of them shoot their mouth and diss their fellow drivers, like practically every other driver does? I'm sure that adds to their positive karma...

You're right in that with HK the Finns seems to have found a rare beastie - one who can both talk & drive. How well exactly he'll drive, we'll see in 2008.

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posted Dec 17, 2007

This makes grim reading. Perhaps those who keep banging on about Ferrari "instigating unfair penalties", "MAFIA" and the rest, would do well to read this, and have the decency to be chastebed. No one screwed McLaren...except MCLAREN!!!

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/motorsport/story/0,,2228367,00.html

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posted Dec 18, 2007

im glad to see the bbc have changed the name of this article from "hamilton team-mate exspects clarity" heiki is a very talented driver and alot more than just lewis'under-study, will hamilton be suffering from aosno fever next year?

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