Kimi
 

So is this guy all that he appears to be? The TV guys said he took the pole at Monza with an extra 102 pounds of fuel on board. Is he unrestrained by the laws of physics? Then from 11th position he charged up to #2 (also with an extra fuel load). Is there less here than meets the eye or is this guy a genuine talent?

I think he is a genuine talent. He seems to suffer from the same inability to give a good interview as his fellow countryman Mika Hakkinen, but I like his cool demeanor behind the wheel. I predict he will win a championship one of these days (sadly not this year).

Mike

Please do not post topics like this in the "I Hate Bush" forum.

He is all that and a bag of chips.

Totally agree. I mean, cant we keep pushing the hatred of Bush and blame him for everything???

Had to laugh about Kimi recently. Evidently he got caught in bed with another lady by his wife and the TV commentators were giving him jabs about it.

If that had ever happened when I was married, I would be dead now, so guess Kimi has a gift of gab or the wife wants to continue in the lifestyle she is used to at the moment...

He is a damm good driver. Wish McLaren could get him a reliable car for a change.

JoeA

Don't forget the McLaren chassis and Mercedes engine. When Kimi's car works, its an unbeatable combination. Unfortunately, while blindingly fast, the car has not been reliable. And he has had some bad luck.

The debate wth F1 drivers its always, "yea, but put him in a [chose team] car and see how well he'd do." The only time we get to see anything of a real comparison between drivers is when they are on the same team. For pure driving skills, I'd put Kimi at 9.5 and Montoya at 8.75, edging in on 9.

This may not be popular, but I would like to put Villaneuve in a fast car and see what he can do. He was excellent before making the stupid decision to go to BAR (as part owner) and screwing up his career.

He was a very fast driver but it helps to have a car that is faster...

JoeA

Its probably Bush's fault that Kimi isn't going to win the championshipp this year.

I heard Kimi is responsible for global warming and hates black people.

But can you blame him? I mean at least he's touched jeans and TV's, not like other people....

Like Mika, he talks through a slit in his face and has the on-air personality of a toothbrush.

Have you ever been to Finland? Jeez... until those people get a few drinks in them the most of them have the personality of a post. Guess its having 5 months of sunshine a year and being cold even more that does it but its a different world up there...

Joe A

Back about 7 or so races ago in the pre-race show they went through the paddock asking people Kimi or Fernando? As I recall Kimi got the slight majority. I agree that his car is fast, but it isn't all the car. The guy seems to have nerves of steel and rarely makes a mistake. He would be leading the championship if his car could have made it through a few more races.

I still think Reubens is underrated. He has a genuine talent for making up position from the back of the grid. But alas I don't think he's in Kimi/Fernando league...they have upped the bar.

Pass the Finlandia
 

I don't know, Joe. Popular or not, JV's skills diminished a long time ago. He's consistently been outqualified by Massa this year, and Massa's finished ahead of him in 12 out of 16 rounds so far.

I think BMW will drop JV like a rock when they take over at the end of the season, and unless he wants to buy a Minardi seat, he's toast in F1.

BTW, Kimi is all that and two bags of chips. And, he's been good for several other entertaining offseason drunken episodes. Sounds a helluva lot more fun than Schumi.

Tim

Joe,

Those Scandinavian's don't seem to care about fooling around, something about "emotional monogamy", i.e. you can screw whoever you want, just don't fall in love with them. At least that was my impression when I went to DK last year.

As for the Finns, there was a profile of them on 60 Minutes several years ago. There was a joke about them. How do you know a Finn is outgoing? He'll look at YOUR shoes instead of his.

It's too bad that Kimi's reliability wasn't good enough this year. It would have been great to see the championship go to the wire.

Neil, I lived in Denmark for a while and am part Danish, so know what you mean there.

Good joke about the Finns, and its pretty much correct UNTIL they get a drink in them. As long as Kimi is fast and his wife does not shoot him I hope his car stays together.

Tim, cannot totally disagree. Jacque may have gone past his time in F1 but he (and his Father) were sure nice to watch in action. Course I still miss Ayrton Senna and feel that there will never be another one like him.

Joe A

"Like Mika, he talks through a slit in his face and has the on-air personality of a toothbrush."

A toothbrush with some crud still stuck in it..."

But he's worth gagilion$ and can, and does, sleep with who ever he wants, LOL...

I wonder about JV..he hasn't kicked his teamamtes butt all over the world this year...the talent MAY still be there, but it is latent at best....it seems he can only summon that talent when he KNOWS he's in the best car...and REALLY wants to prove something....now he appears fatter, richer, and, dre i say, complacent.]

I'm a big fan of Alain Prost and I see alot of him in Kimi. Very fast, but doesn't seem to make many mistakes.

I put JV in about the same league as Damon Hill - put him in a good car and he's great, but otherwise he's mid-pack at best. I don't think he's ever driven a *great* race.

Mike

go webber (sorry, a little bit of national pride there...)

I'd have to nominate him for dissapointment of the year (or maybe a tie with JV). Sure, the car isn't as competitive as it was last year, but he really hasn't shown much.

The "I qualify, therefore I am" award definitely goes to Trulli.