2012 Spanish Grand Prix Discussion Thread

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 13 May 2012, 13:48

I am so happy seing this images that I have goosebumps. Too many years have passed...

Boomstick · Post by **Boomstick** » 13 May 2012, 13:48

I'm quite literally in the middle of Australia (Simpson desert, 200k's east of Finke) with a crappy Sat link, watching the lap update board....and I have tears in my eyes!

Good lord, Pastor...

what a epic unrejectification!

/actually, I'm crying....1990's welcome back, Williams Renault wins from pole

S951 · Post by **S951** » 13 May 2012, 13:49

on a side note Rubens how are you feeling?

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 13 May 2012, 13:50

What did I just see?

Williams not being incompetent fools and Maldonado winning?

O____________o

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 13 May 2012, 13:50

Well what the hell did we just watch? Maldonado wins, Alonso and Raikonnen on podium Hamilton and Button 8th and 9th, Webber out of points... Truly mental, epic picture of hiw open and bizarre this season this is. Also this means the amount of different teams an drivers is equal to the early 80's, should Lotus deliver in Monaco then anythign could happen. also massive props for that national anthem, miles better than the crap we have in england

14 Hundred Hours · Post by **14 Hundred Hours** » 13 May 2012, 13:50

Today is the first time I have ever heard the Venezuelan anthem. And it is glorious.

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 13 May 2012, 13:51

Great job from Alonso and Lotus too. Alonso had the fans behind him but it was all about Pastor today... Great scenes from the pit lane and the podium. Nice anthem too.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 13 May 2012, 13:51

S951 wrote:on a side note Rubens how are you feeling?

Rubens Barrichello's Twitter wrote:aeeee @Pastormaldo ...congratzzzzzz....gran carrera...

Magus978 · Post by **Magus978** » 13 May 2012, 13:52

This result is a LOLWUT result to end all LOLWUT results. I don't think any F1 fan thought in their wildest dreams that Maldonado, or Williams for that matter would get to the top of the podium this season.

Well done Maldonado! Well done Williams!

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 13 May 2012, 13:52

What a win.... Williams renault, Pastor Maldonado, my fave driver, as the cheif Maldonado fan here congrats

pablo_h · Post by **pablo_h** » 13 May 2012, 13:53

AdrianSutil wrote:Beautiful. Just beautiful. I'm so so happy for Pastor and Williams

what a drive and what a driver. Totally different to last year.

Agree.
Used to be a williams fan way after their early 1990s success, (ie not because of it, but because they could maybe take on ferrari or mclaren but weren't a winning teal at the time). I was also a Montoya fan, and followed them through their low times with Webber et al.
I felt sad for them with their low WDC positions in recent years.
But I never ever ever was a fan of Pastor, and never thought they'd get success with the current drivers they had. But I cheered Pastor on in Q3 and I am extremely happy for the team and Pastor right now, although I didn't agree with the severe penalty placed on Hamilton.
As I said before, I thought Alonso would get the start and control the race, He did lose the start, but the williams team and Pastor did brilliantly!

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 13 May 2012, 13:54

Never in a million years I'd thought RTL would interview Claire Williams some day. :lol:

S951 · Post by **S951** » 13 May 2012, 13:54

Kimi bit unsure lifting that there lol

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 13 May 2012, 13:55

Never thought I'd hear the Venezuelan anthem.

By the way guys, Maldonado's favourite circuit is next :lol:

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 13 May 2012, 13:56

AdrianSutil wrote:Never thought I'd hear the Venezuelan anthem.

By the way guys, Maldonado's favourite circuit is next

True. After this show today he must be fancied for a great result. Like another win...

14 Hundred Hours · Post by **14 Hundred Hours** » 13 May 2012, 13:57

S951 wrote:Kimi bit unsure lifting that there lol

He just looked a bit unsure about the whole podium thing full stop.

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 13 May 2012, 13:57

WILLIAMS ARE BACK!

If Pastor can win at Catalunya, what can he do at Monaco? :shock:

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 13 May 2012, 13:58

I wonder when was the first time that 5 different teams won in the first 5 races?

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 13 May 2012, 13:58

14 Hundred Hours wrote:
S951 wrote:Kimi bit unsure lifting that there lol

He just looked a bit unsure about the whole podium thing full stop.

I think Kimi just wanted the champagne.

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 13 May 2012, 13:59

Oh, so thats what the Venezualen national anthem sounds like.

14 Hundred Hours · Post by **14 Hundred Hours** » 13 May 2012, 14:00

Cynon wrote:
14 Hundred Hours wrote:
S951 wrote:Kimi bit unsure lifting that there lol

He just looked a bit unsure about the whole podium thing full stop.

I think Kimi just wanted the champagne.

True. Proved by the fact he actually drunk it before spraying it.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 13 May 2012, 14:01

Ironic that the one year that Williams don't gloat about their off season "pace", they finally win something.

koza · Post by **koza** » 13 May 2012, 14:02

kostas22 wrote:
Ferrim wrote:YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!

When was the last time someone unrejectified himself with a win from pole position???

Farina at Silverstone 1950?

Not only Farina did that in this race

tristan1117 · Post by **tristan1117** » 13 May 2012, 14:02

Peter wrote:Ironic that the one year that Williams don't gloat about their off season "pace", they finally win something.

And the Williams cycle has finally been broken!

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 13 May 2012, 14:04

Maldonado still isn't sure where he is in the press conference. Reminds me of Morbidelli in 1995 :lol:

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 13 May 2012, 14:06

5 teams winning the first five races of the season - has to be a first. Pastor v Button for WDC, PLEASE...

pablo_h · Post by **pablo_h** » 13 May 2012, 14:09

WaffleCat wrote:I wonder when was the first time that 5 different teams won in the first 5 races?

1983, the commentators said yesterday during qual, so could be wrong as they may have not looked it up. Also pretty sure they said the 5th driver was Keke for WILLIAMS!

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 13 May 2012, 14:12

dr-baker wrote:5 teams winning the first five races of the season - has to be a first. Pastor v Button for WDC, PLEASE...

How about Maldonado vs Button vs Rosberg vs Hamilton vs Alonso vs Vettel vs Webber vs Raikkonen vs Grosjean

As it stands, Vettel leads the championship, tied on 61 points with Alonso

They both have 1 win, both have 1 2nd both have 1 5th, so Vettel leads by virtue of having a 6th to Alonso's 7th. Close!

Post by **Ataxia** » 13 May 2012, 14:18

That race was rather incredible. :lol:

As Alonso was catching Maldonado, I thought "I just couldn't overtake Maldonado if I was Alonso."

Great result.

eytl · Post by **eytl** » 13 May 2012, 14:22

What. A. Drive.

That was brilliant. Pastor, you've convinced me. Not only the delicate tyre preservation and the coolness under pressure. But I do love seeing a driver when he is On It. And that out lap after his second stop was something VERY special.

I honestly thought that the way the grid was shaping up that this was almost a reverse grid race. But no - the top five in qualifying, absent Hamilton, were Maldonado, Alonso, the two Lotuses and a Sauber. And that's how they finished. The guys who were genuinely on form when it mattered this weekend were indeed those fellows, and maybe add Hamilton in there as well.

Mercedes, Button, Webber ... just not there this weekend.

A few other observations:

* Kobayashi: but for Pastor's win we'd be raving about the SCSFA, especially those moves on Button and Rosberg.
* Vettel: to be honest, almost more impressive than those wins last year. That's how you keep up the pressure on a day when you can't win.
* Button: has he become this year's surrender monkey?
* Mercedes: whatever pace they have/had, their conversion rate is tragic. Williams are now equal with them on points!
* Schumacher: still stuck on 2 points ... along with Massa ...
* Hulkenberg v Webber: shades of Monza 2010 ...
* Webber: he might as well take a 5-place grid penalty every race. At Monaco, please just spend FP1 practising starts.
* Toro Rosso: Vergne beats Ricciardo. Again. In quali and in the race.
* Karthikeyan: an absolute embarrassment, if I may say so.

Post by **Ataxia** » 13 May 2012, 14:28

Also, new record for most users online today as well. Wow.

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 13 May 2012, 14:30

took 20 years for Catalunya to become interesting again.
i would still love to see it go, though

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 13 May 2012, 14:31

nome66 wrote:took 20 years for Catalunya to become interesting again.
i would still love to see it go, though

If 2012 can make Barcelona interesting then is there a possibility of an....... interesting Valencia?

Post by **DemocalypseNow** » 13 May 2012, 14:31

eytl wrote:* Schumacher: still stuck on 2 points ... along with Massa ...

It's strange to think that 6 years ago this was one of the best driver pairings in F1, fighting for both world championships. How times change...

seleucid23 · Post by **seleucid23** » 13 May 2012, 14:33

What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

Minardi Man · Post by **Minardi Man** » 13 May 2012, 14:34

seleucid23 wrote:What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

The usual, he was ungodly slow and got in the way of anybody and everybody who came up to lap him.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 13 May 2012, 14:35

seleucid23 wrote:What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

Was slow all weekend (you probably know that) and defended hard (yet legitimately) against Webber, got a little bit in the way whilst being lapped once, before retiring anonymously. :lol:

eytl · Post by **eytl** » 13 May 2012, 14:38

Off topic, but anyway ... I'm relying on site author immunity ...

Is this a feelgood sporting day all 'round or will there be a sting in the tail? We've just had one mob in blue hold off the perennial red champions for their first victory in a very long time.

35 minutes down, Man City and QPR are 0-0 but Man Utd is 1-0 up on Sunderland ...

AdrianSutil · Post by **AdrianSutil** » 13 May 2012, 14:40

Klon wrote:
seleucid23 wrote:What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

Was slow all weekend (you probably know that) and defended hard (yet legitimately) against Webber, got a little bit in the way whilst being lapped once, before retiring anonymously.

You also forgot Pic getting past when about 8 car lengths behind when he started the move.

seleucid23 · Post by **seleucid23** » 13 May 2012, 14:40

Minardi Man wrote:
seleucid23 wrote:What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

The usual, he was ungodly slow and got in the way of anybody and everybody who came up to lap him.

Klon wrote:
seleucid23 wrote:What happened with Karthikeyan? I must have missed it

Was slow all weekend (you probably know that) and defended hard (yet legitimately) against Webber, got a little bit in the way whilst being lapped once, before retiring anonymously.

Thanks, I'd seen he'd retired but hadn't seen him getting in the way of Webber. I normally see the reason behind the 107% rule being waived, but here the stewards probably shouldn't have let him go in hindsight.