Kimi Wins in Sepang !!

[GaySchumi 0]

Well, great race, huh ? I guess it's great when its a McLaren Streaking to the distance, and not a Ferrari - I'm biased I suppose All the teams put up a performance, of course the guys who couldn't start have my deepest Sympathies, though poor GF did himself in ...

Firman was amazing, the Toyotas were running well, even the Minardis were in the thick of things at times ! I guess its safe to assume that Renault have made an unprecedented leap in performance, looking at how Trulli held off MS near the end ...

I must say, I'm still confused as to what happened to Montoya, couldn't get a clear picture of it ... I saw the Jaguar of Pizzonia run over the debris left by JPM's car, but how did the debris from JPM's car come about ... ? Anyway, I'm sure the race will be dissected most thoroughly by all and sundry , in the days to come....

Oh slight matter to note in the history books - Kimi Raikk

[nichosnz 0]

His first had to come someday soon. It is great it came on the same weekend that Alonso also scored some firsts. One of the other future stars.

Quite a few teams will be analising their pit performance I dare say.

[GaySchumi 0]

Quiet as a grave .... I thought Jens would be doing cartwheels by now Where is everybody ? Anyway, for future readers, did anybody note the Toyotas(OP) pace, while tussling with RB ? Pretty good there... that with the fact that DaMatta filled up to the brim with fuel to avoid the mishap suffered by OP, yet drove quite competitively, all point to a rather fun-filled year to come

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

I was sleeping thats what, race was on in the early morning hours!

But indeed I am practically doing cartwheels, FINALLY we get to hear 'some proper music' on the podium as Kimi said it Great stuff, simply fantastic race from him!

Toyota was also blindingly fast, as was Firman who really did a good job with a full tank. Same with Justin Wilson, up to seventh at one point and kept going in the race despite his arms being totally gone due to the HANS screwing up again. Rubens didn't have to use it, I guess it'll be optional to everyone after this...

And Renault, they WERE fast in the race! A smart strategy in a way, but it didn't work out as well compared to Mclaren. Great for Alonso to reach the podium, his race pace well matched Schumacher (R and M), but Kimi was in a class of his own

An interesting Wrap, starting on it soon

[DJC-Grafix 0]

a great day for F1 and Kimi.

notice how little emotion he showed on the podium, i think i saw him smile once, lol

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Ahh but he was smiling the whole way through, I think he might've even shed a tear of joy, though more likely it was sweat! He was red as a tomato

During the Finnish national anthem...

[batgurl 0]

YAY Kimi! Just think, right now he is leading the championship! It was an exciting race. It was great to see him smile.

(side note: my computer is back up and running so I will be bugging everyone more now )

Well... I'm off to watch the replay....

[nichosnz 0]

Same with Justin Wilson, up to seventh at one point and kept going in the race despite his arms being totally gone due to the HANS screwing up again. Rubens didn't have to use it, I guess it'll be optional to everyone after this...

He ended up in hospital, suspected trapped nerve!

I was impressed with Alonso, the way he drove, having never lead an F1 race before.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

HANS has definitely got to be optional, or at least for those who clearly cannot use it comfortably. Rubens couldn't and Wilson could not in the extreme. I saw the video of the Minardi boys getting him out of the car, it took eight minutes and they were painstakingly slow, Justin's arms were limp and he clearly could not move them - he looked like a casualty!

He began to get feeling back later, but that just should not happen at all.

Batgurl, how'd you like Leigh Diffey doing the commentary for the race on SPEED? Great stuff I think, I don't much care for Rick DeBruhl

[nichosnz 0]

Safety devices are supposed to make things better for the drivers in a accident, but not at the cost of being worse at all other times! I think that the design will be improved in time, and this rocky start may eventually be almost forgotten.

[daz 0]

Yip - congrats to Kimi. Even though I'm an avid Ferrari supporter I was also extremely happy to see Kimi finally get his maiden F1 win. Especially after the couple of times recently where he has come so close. No doubt its probably the 1st of many to come...

On the ther hand old DC must be fuming that his car gave up though. He could have potentially being sitting on 20 WC points right now compared to Schumi on 7 or 8. Would have improved his championship hopes quite drastically.

I also have to admit that if nothing else the new rules have worked in making the races a lot more interesting and a helluva lot closer. Only thing I'm not to keen on is the qualifying (not taking anyrthing away from Alonso though - he was fantastic to watch). The 1st time I watched it in Audtralia I thought it was quite good but this time round I was actually quite bored. I miss seeing all the drivers duke it out with each other and continually set better lap times over the hour. Overall the rules have certainly done what the aimed to though by the looks of things.

[pumpdoc 2]

Jen's; Iam not Batgurl but I agreeeeeee Liegh D. is a definet step up in both excitement and knowlege of the sport!!!!! Well got to go work awaits this stiffff P.S. I know this is not the right forum but I am going to the EURO GP unfortuntly I will only get Fri- Sun paid for any extra is on my dime incl extra charges for air fair If I stay past mon. am I know dust out the cobb webbbb's in the wallet and go for it! CONGRAT's to Kimi he deserved it at least it wasn't DC !!

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

The Nurburgring is a great choice mate, a real great track and I had a blast there in 2002!

Leigh Diffey really is great behind the microphone, complements David Hobbs and Steve Matchett perfectly. It's not that DeBruhl doesn't do his job well, he manages to get it done, but others just do it so much better! Too bad were stuck with him (or I am until this summer when I return to Finland )

[Sato 0]

YAY GO KIMI....This settles it i am now a kimi fan to a degree......might be the first time i back a winner since the days of hill

[nichosnz 0]

I am so glad we don't have a local commentator, even without Murray Walker ITV is better than Geoff Brian would be. Geoff Currently does a very very bad build up and race summary, on NZ screens.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Yea I wish we got the ITV feed like Canada does... Martin Brundle and James Allen are great, and Martin has a degree of Murrayisms in there as well And then they have their own pitlane reporters as well..

[GaySchumi 0]

From another site : -

While Coulthard sat fuming in the McLaren garage Raikkonen romped away to his first win of his career. However the Scotsman feels it's a victory that should have been his as he says he is still the quicker of the two.

He told the BBC: "I was lying in bed and I was thinking 'you know, it's not since Italy that he's outqualified me'. The last couple of races last year and the first two of this year I've been in front of him. You've got every reason to expect I would have won that race today as well."

DC's feeling insecure I know I shouldn't laugh, the fellow has every right, but should he make it so obvious ? I mean KR didn't go moaning about how he could've won @ Australia if he didn't have a software problem, but here's DC, taking swipes left, right, center for his electronic gremlin ...

[nichosnz 0]

DC must know deep down that Kimi is better, but is afraid to admit it.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Eh, whatcha gonna do? That's DC for you, though I'd like to see if he changes at all if and when he wins the WDC.. But he does complain a lot, more so than other whingers on the track, like Jacques (well maybe not THAT bad )

[batgurl 0]

I agree with you about Leigh Diffey. you're right, they do compliment each other well. Was nice to listen to.

[nichosnz 0]

He would just blow even more if (and that is a big if) he ever won the DWC.