Troy Longstaff

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  • #238098
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    Could not agree more @journeyer – wow is the only word to describe it! Here’s hoping it goes better than the 2012 DeltaWing at Le Mans.

    #237870
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    India 2012 and Spain 2013 are the only two races that I have found mind-numbingly boring and fell asleep since I began watching F1 in 2004.
    As for the ‘worst race’, Indianapolis 2005 has nearly got it in the bag I imagine. And I must be one of only a few people who thought that Singapore 2008 was actually an interesting race, regardless of everything that happened a year later.

    #225652
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    Japan 2005 was one of the most insane race weekends I’ve ever seen!
    Melbourne 2008 and 2010 were special. 2008 because only 7 cars finished (off the top of my head) and the local newspaper came out the next day saying the crash-fest probably renewed interest and saved the race from moving elsewhere. 2010 because you just didn’t know what was going to happen next!
    Brazil 2008 and 2012, Spa 2008, Canada 2011, Malaysia 2012, Valencia 2012, China 2011 and 2012, German GP at Nurburgring in 2011 was a pretty intense battle for the lead and Austin 2012 were all incredible races that stand out!

    #225454
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    You’ve got to be a quality driver to win the WDC in the first place, but my vote goes to Jacques Villeneuve, purely on how he just wasted every ounce of his talent after 1997. I mean, nearly marrying Dannii Minogue wasn’t one of his finest moments, but he now seems to have an opinion on everything even though nobody really asks him (except his commentary roles, of course). And the shocking BAR/Renault/Sauber era (I was 3 years old in 1997, so I only remember his last F1 teams) really turned people’s opinions on him.

    #214792
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    I’m no political expert, but F1 should not have raced in Bahrain this year. Then again, when Bernie E runs the show, he doesn’t car where the money comes from, just as long as it actually eventuates. Also, the Indian Grand Prix was, without a doubt the most boring race I have ever seen, and I have stayed up until midnight to watch every race since 2004 when I was a 10-year-old ugly duckling. Never have I fell asleep in a race until that mind-numbing night!

    #214726
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    The best moments of 2012 in no particular order:
    Maldonado wins Williams’ first race since 2004, and becomes a post-race fireman
    Kobayashi’s podium in Japan was spine-tingling
    Seven winners in first seven races provided unprecedented interest to the regular sports fan
    Raikkonen’s team radio wisdom in Abu Dhabi and GPS requirement in Sao Paulo
    European Grand Prix – best race of the season on what was previously the worst track known to mankind.
    F1’s return to the USA – the COTA I think has a permanent place on the schedule for a long time to come.

    #216696
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    1. Fernando Alonso – I remember pre-season testing when the Ferrari was nearly two seconds a lap slower than the RB or McLaren. Yes, the car got better, but truth be told, he flattered the dog that was the F2012.
    2. Kimi Raikkonen – we’ve missed you Iceman, and should have had more wins in the middle of the season, but an awesome return from a 2-year sabbatical.
    3. Lewis Hamilton – I believe Whitmarsh and his cronies caused Hamilton to leave McLaren. A shame because he drove blindingly quick in those last few races, and should have fought for the title.
    4. Sebastian Vettel – you don’t win three WDC without having some sort of driving talent. Yes, I don’t like his persona, but still, he is one hell of a driver and surely will become an all-time great. Probably a good bloke in person, but another argument for another day.
    5. Sergio Perez – the pressure after signing with McLaren clearly affected his driving, but some incredible podiums at Malaysia, Canada and Monza were brilliant to watch. Not a wiff of arrogance about him, and is only going to get better with experience.
    6. Mark Webber – Two solid wins put him in a position to attack Alonso post-Silverstone, but was made to look amateurish a few times as Vettel stormed into race-winning positions. Still, consistency proved he is the best teammate for Vettel.
    7. Felipe Massa – forget the first half of the year. Under immense scrutiny, he responded brilliantly and his podium at Suzuka sort of came out of nowhere.
    8. Nico Hulkenberg – immense talent, experienced head on young shoulders, made di Resta look like a chump, very impressive all season.
    9. Jenson Button – three clinical race wins, however, his mid-season form slump was bad; yes, tyre troubles can limit the performance of a top-team-driver, but things should not have been that bad.
    10. Pastor Maldonado – I think his drive in Abu Dhabi was better than in Barcelona – people crashing around him – he avoided the temptation to join in! – and could have got on the podium if it wasn’t for a KERS loss. Shook the pay-driver tag and has matured throughout the year.
    11. Nico Rosberg – China win was superb, making the most of the best car on the day. If Mercedes did not concede so much developmental ground in the latter half of the season, then he would be higher. Just went about his business and again showed up a seven-time world champion.
    12. Kamui Kobayashi – inconsistency cost him, and only seemed to get on top of Perez when he jumped ship to McLaren. At the circuits where the Sauber worked optimally, he was always one-step behind his teammate. Suzuka podium outstanding considering the pressure from Button, and should still be in F1 next year, in my opinion.
    13. Paul di Resta – fourth in Singapore a highlight, and it was good to see him acknowledge he had to address how he went about public relations. Outclassed by Hulkenberg, di Resta qualified poorly but raced strongly many times, without setting the world on fire.
    14. Michael Schumacher – only a shadow of the Red Baron appeared this year, and I would have loved to have seen what he could have done from pole in Monaco. Twas a shame to see such an illustrious figure looking so depressed constantly battling for mid-field positions.
    15. Bruno Senna – did not race as badly as people think this year. Didn’t star, was a frequent points scorer, but lacked a standout result, hence why he is way down the bottom of people’s lists.
    16. Jean-Eric Vergne – JEV looked to have gained the upper hand in this intriguing battle. They don’t award points for qualifying, but they do for racing, and the simple fact is JEV scored more points than Danny boy.
    17. Daniel Ricciardo – From an Australian point of view, Ricciardo was the faster STR driver all year, but JEV was able to get more out of the car. Sixth in Bahrain qualifying proved his speed, but he has to finish a race in the top eight for the first time.
    18. Romain Grosjean – first lap nutcase. ‘Nuff said.
    19. Vitaly Petrov – outgunned Kovalainen by the end of the season, and performed better than what Trulli would have this year.
    20. Charles Pic – deserved of a Caterham drive next year, amazing considering he’s the first rookie driver to be in F1 next year having driven for Marussia/Virgin their first year. No blazing races, but equally a match for Glock.
    21. Timo Glock – probably doesn’t deserve to be lagging at the back of the field, but should have blitzed his rookie teammate this year.
    22. Heikki Kovalainen – we all thought this was the year he would score the new teams’ first point. He didn’t come close, and despite the hard-fought 13th at Monaco, Petrov had got the better of him by season’s end. That said, it would be a travesty for him not to be in F1 next year.
    23. Pedro de la Rosa – did the best he could with the machinery he had, but at least he dominated his teammate.
    24. Narain Karthikeyan – too many collisions as a lapped car, and behind his teammate for most of the season.
    N/C. Jerome d’Ambrosio – one race wasn’t enough to assess how much he had improved as a driver since leaving Marussia/Virgin last year.

    #215007
    Troy Longstaff
    Participant

    Alonso takes me as a smoker. But then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if rosberg was talking about kimi! Anyway, what difference does it make whether they smoke or not? I don’t think we should burn whoever it is at the stake if they come out and say “I’m a chain smoker”!

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