A side order from Sao Paulo

I have got little to report as yet, having made it to the hotel, scrabbled about to get on the net, written a piece for the paper and run on the running machine. But I know some of you like all the "side-order" stuff, so here is a little flavour.

My BA flight was a big Formula One bus full of mechanics, PR people, hacks and others. Red Bull and Renault were there in numbers and I found myself sitting next to a Brazilian woman with an 18-month old baby on one side(in those circumstances you feel like asking for your money back but, in fact, the baby was fine and didn't complain about anything - the rules, the way the plane was handling, the treatment of other babies in economy or the way the pilot spoke to us...) and Mark Webber's physio on the other, who was telling me just how physically fit Mark is and also what a great driver he is. Give him the right car etc etc and who is to say he is wrong. In fact Mark was also on the flight, as was Heikki who arrived at the baggage hall chewing gum and looking a little bit like someone who might be moving to McLaren. But there was no point in asking him. Another superstar on the flight was Pat Symonds who is no doubt plotting Renault's renaissance for 2008.

You get to Sao Paulo, one of the most unremarkable cities on the planet - a concrete sprawl - and you know you are in Senna's town because there is a huge sign saying "The Ayrton Senna Expressway" or somesuch as you drive, or crawl, in from the airport. You also see signs to the Morumbi district where the great man is buried. (That immediately brought to mind a huge spat in the British press corps this time last year about a report in The Sun alleging that Michael Schumacher had made a visit to Senna's grave prior to his final race. I'm not going to go into any further details but this year it seems Lewis might go to the cemetery on Monday, as world champion or not. We shall see.)

Anyway here we are for the denouement, the finale, the climax, the final act in the drama. I called an old friend who was educated in England but has lived in Sao Paulo all his life and asked him what the Brazilians think of Lewis and he was unequivocal. "They love him - they are cheering for him to win. They like his ethnicity, they identify with fast drivers and they respect people who are fully committed. They like his warm personality, they like the fact that his father travels with him and they like the fact that he is still young. Obviously they like Massa, they would be cheering him on as opposed to Alonso." So that's that then.

Tomorrow we will be at the track, one of the great ones. The place is in a terrible state but it seems immune from Bernie's wrath. It's a bit like an old pub with lino on the floor and nicotine on the wallpaper. You wouldn't want to change it for a second. This is the direct opposite of Bahrain, Malaysia and China and I'd have the old place every time. Like Lewis I have spent a few hours practising it on PlayStation. On the game, the first corner and the Senna "Esses" are seriously tricky, as they must be in real life. What, we wonder, is going to happen there on Sunday.

Sao Paulo can be a bit intimidating in terms of having guns pointed at you in the street or through your car window at traffic lights. As a precaution, I have called up a taxi driver who worked for me last year, a great guy who in his youth used to race in karts against Rubens. You might think he would be the sad one in terms of his life outcome, but Antonio is a happy enough chap who talks fondly of his days racing Barrichello who, incidentally, was brought up within a stones' throw of the circuit.

Anyway that's enough of this nonsense. I have checked the weather and I can't see the unpredictability reported by my colleague Garside in the Telegraph(a noted meteorologist). Whenever I have looked, it has said showers for Friday, a 10% chance of rain and cloudy on Saturday and partly cloudy, dry and warm on Sunday.

Pic of Ayrton by Countersteer via flickr 

Comments

[Jordi]

Rusia 2 England 1. One down, two to go. Sorry guts, nothing personal, couldn't stop my self.

[ALLMAN]

Yeah, obvioulsy all the Brazilians hate Alonso and love Hamilton, just like all the F1 drivers appreciate Alonso a lot and can't stand Hamilton.

Also, it is good to know that Hamilton will feel at home considering that the streets of Sao Paulo seem to be more or less like the streets of Kensal Green.

Finally, I'm delighted to know that the English will a more powerful engine than Alonso for this last race.

[Becken]

Ed,

Welcome to Brazil.

Em grande maioria estamos todos torcendo pela vitória de Lewis. Here, in Brazil, Lewis is a preferred driver for the brazilian Formula 1 fans to win the championship.

Here will be his second home place, I guarantee!

Regards and welcome

[Kate Charlton-Jones]

Ed! Ed! We love your 'nonsense'! Did you hold the baby? Did you talk to the baby? Did you play with it...I hope so because if you did it would have told you, unequivocally, that Lewis will win and Doug would agree I'm sure.
Have fun.

[Elizabeth Burgess]

Allman: (now there's a name suggesting insecurity ...) - of course Lewis's engine can be set to run more powerfully than Alonso's (subject to the rules re. things like rev limits etc.); it's a new engine which only has to last one race, Alonso's engine is on its second race. What do you think the design life of an F1 engine is?

[ugo]

So much for the assertion by some FA fans that LH is "hated" outside the UK.

[Gary]

Cheers Ed, i am glad to hear that the Brazilians are behind Lewis, I was beginning to wonder whether the Spanish paranoia had spread to other parts of the world, it seems however that it has on the whole part remained in Spain, which is good.

I myself am in a spot of bother as to how to watch the race on Sunday, I will be in Fiji and have just discovered that Fiji are not among the countries who show F1 on their TV. This is not good, in fact i am mortified that i may not get to see the race, i have got 4 days now to try and figure out how to or i might be letting my wife go on holiday by herself.

I know we get alot of comments here from people all over the globe, if anyone has any suggestions on how to watch the race it would be greatly appreciated. Of course the Internet has possibilities but am insure as to what kind of internet connection i may get on an island in Fiji.

Bugger, this could ruin my week.

[ALLMAN]

Elizabeth Burgess: Allman: (now there's a name suggesting insecurity ...)

Allman is a surname, do you know the Allman Brothers Band?

Elizabeth Burgess: of course Lewis's engine can be set to run more powerfully than Alonso's (subject to the rules re. things like rev limits etc.); it's a new engine which only has to last one race, Alonso's engine is on its second race. What do you think the design life of an F1 engine is?

I'm an engineer so obviously I know how long the life of a F1 engine is, I was just pointing out how happy I feel for that great English sportman that is Lex Hamilton to have a little advantage over that horrible person called Fernando Alonso.

[J.S.]

More nonsense we like it, enjoy the final act and all the mayhem that goes with it, the Brazilians sound well up for it.

[Jordi]

Ed,
Did the baby deny knowing anything about the stolen sweets?
Did the baby complain because the people in the front seat didn't let him overtake?
Did the baby ask for the people from the front seats to be remove from "his" team toy?
Did the baby say that the airplane mechanics prefer him to win?
Did the baby run erracticly behind the safety dolly trolley?
Were the baby shoes worn flat?
And more importantly, was the baby's dad smiling at any camera on board?

[Ziad]

Ed, thought that at a minimum the Times would let you travel in business class!! Was the physio in eco and Mark up in first? not cool...Looking forward to the postings through the week-end.

A taxi driver does not work for you. They normally work for themselves or a cab company. Unless you think you are running a company or a plantation, you get to a deal with them. Half a week in Brazil is not Vietnam, Cambodia, Lebanon or Indochina´s war

Just a matter of language, no offence meant to be given

Glad to hear from you anyway

Regards

[Alfredo Nieto]

Sure, Ed. Hamilton is loved all around the world whereas Alonso is derided as a cheater and a bad sportman... or so you'd like.

Reality, I'm afraid, it's quite different. Head to autosport's forums and check what are the feelings of true F1 fans towards Lewis.

[Nigel Sharpe]

Hamilton takes it hands down!!!!!!!!!

[Matt]

Ed, what is your best time around Interlagos on PS?

And more interestingly, which car/driver did you use ;)

[hohoho]

Elizabeth and all, I would recommend to all of you to ignore the comments like the one Allman made on the engine. There is a lot of people in Spain that has no idea about F1 rules and it seems many of them post comments here.

Nice post, Ed.

[CHIUNDA]

Thanks Ed, top-notch side-order stuff as usual. I like these posts about the airport, the plane, the walking the track etc because they allow me to transport myself to be there with you.

Now Ed, how could you not ask Webber a naughty question knowing how nyasty he has been with LH lately?!! And you didn't ask Kov about a possible move to McLaren - are you nuts?!!

The bit about you and the kid in Economy is a lie because i know you ride Business on those long trips - the more reason why you should have driven yourself up Kov's and Webber's noses because they were seated right next to you!

But nice piece man, i feel like i have now landed on Brazilian soil.

[Joseote]

One new you can comment is that Hamilton's engine is going to be about 10 steam-horses (I hope this is the correct term) more powerful than Alonso's, at least according to Spanish Press. As you know, Hamilton, Massa and Raikonnen change their engines for this race, but Alonso is in the second half of his engine cycle and cannot. Since they are for a single race, the new engines for Raikonen, Massa and Hamilton can be slightly more powerful than a normal "two-races engine". So, no cheating here, but "equality" is again somehow arguable, and obviously everyone is going to have his own opinion again...

[Cipotones]

Maybe...Think about japan, remember how was alonso´s car...NONE McL. team told him about it..Maybe, if someone tell him something like: come to the pit lane...maybe he wouldn´t broken his engine...
Have anyone in McLaren said "It was our fault" as they did with hamilton in China??

[Luis,]

so LH is driving a more powerful car than FA who will LH racing? who will benefit from the extra lap policy (LH:7 FA:2) I don´t believe FA has real chances of getting the pole. No rain expected, The only thing RD has to care is tyre management, hopefully, RD won`t mess it up again with the tyres policy.

[HUHUHUGUY]

You can hate Lewis for all you can, yet deep deep down inside, you all know how much of an enigma he is. Open your eyes because he is getting an MBE next year and then will take over from Gordon Brown as PM. Go Lewis!

[Alonso's Miracles]

I have a question about the engine: Since FIA has shown how flexibly they can interpret their own rules this season...(i.e. Lewis being towed back to the track) Why F1 commissars do not allow Fernando to use a new engine? This would be a fair exception to rules given how tight the championship classification is. Ah! Dammit! I forgot McLaren lost the new engines on the way to Brasil. Someone forgot the plane's door open and now they are sunk somewhere nearby Azores. Bad luck Fernando, Ron is so sorry about it...

[The Kitchen Cynic]

I presume the FIA will now despatch stewards into the stands to ensure that the crowd treats both McLaren drivers equally?

[Ed Gorman]

Just in answer to a few questions raised by this post.

First to Jordi: The baby's Dad was no on board; The baby wore shoes, only part of the time; The baby did, at one point, run erratically behind the "trolley dolly"; The baby made no intelligible comment about the aircraft mechanics(not in English anyway); There were no people directly in front of us - we were in a bulkhead row with provision for cots aghrghgh...oh, I almost forgot, the baby did not have any sweets as far as I could see.

To Matt
I am probably rubbish at PlayStation so I hesitate to tell you my time at Interlagos. But anyway here goes. I'm pretty sure it was 1:18:261 and that was driving Jensinho in a Honda with no adjustments or whatever on PlayStation 2. The main thing about it was that it as good enough to beat Simon Sherwood which is all I care about.

To Chiunda: Sadly I do travel eco...

And to Ziad: Mark was not in economy and I don't think he was in World Traveller Minus(or whatever it's called). That just leaves Business or First I guess(unless he was flying the plane).

[Richard]

A little message to ALL fanatical and blinkered Alonso fans EVERYWHERE:

Lay it to rest hey guys.... on the bidding of Carlos, the suddenly omnipresent head of Spanish Motorsport - who is back tracking like a mofo right now incidentally, having blabbed something about England being a racist country to the Spanish press - you have an FIA official in the McLaren garage!!!

Unprecidented, and not a little ridiculous!.... so please just shut-up about unfair advantage now... It's getting so f**king boring for a start...!

2 points:
First; If what happened to LH in China had happened to your man FA - you lot would have bust a gut... you would have actually caught fire out of the sheer outrage and "confirmed" ignomy of it all... I have a vision of people just bursting into flames - I bet, in some strage way, you're almost SORRY it didn't happen to Fernando...you'd take righteous justification out of it. Yet you remain strangely quiet about the incident that affected only LH you hypocritical sods!

Second; Would any of this perceived injustice...ANY of it...even be an issue if Lewis wasn't as fast as he is?

We saw this flaw in Fernando's otherwise admirable character since Renault when Fisi dared to get too close on performance terms (fortunately that didn't happen too often)...He simply does not possess the emotional maturity to deal with it.

Enjoy the race though! Everyone...I can't wait. And seriously now, may the best man win.

[JP]

check out this

http://www.pinchalaruedadehamilton.com

[Carlos B.]

what is all this rubbish on the posts about Hamilton having an advantage because he has a new engine as opposed to Alonso who is running the same engine than in China?

you are talking nonsense, this is racing guys, these are the rules, Alonso had to replace his damaged engine after the Japan accident and this is why Hamilton has a fresh engine for Brazil

equally, in the last race in China, Alonso enjoyed a brand new engine while Hamilton was running an old engine.

can we please be a bit more consequent and serios?, you discredit yourselves as well as the value of your posts.

[JB]

You're gonna love this: there is a very recent site in Spain called "puncturehamilton'styre". It is virtual vodoo, and it has thousands of bad omens against Hamilton, it all consists of placing a virtual nail, hedgehog or pin on the circuit, don't miss it:

www.pinchalaruedadehamilton.com

[Conrado B.]

Funny enough, it really don't seems like most Brazilians are cheering Lewis.

For what i can see around here, we really don't want him to win, neither Alonso.

Trust me on this one, everybody was happy when he crashed in the last race.

[SueSumers]

BRAZIL... The EQUALITY claimed by R.Denis sounds as a JOKE.
Alonso has to runn with the old engine so less power.
R.DENIS how easy is give EQUALITY in such favorable ciscumstances. Don't you think???

[supercampeaobrasileiro]

hopefully you will see the good as well as the bad in SP...it is a pretty remarkable city if you give it a chance amigo! enjoy your stay!

[Final Straw]

To Jordi/Ed:

...and most important, was the "trolley dolly" a Maclaren? (version of McLaren cars for kids)

[Mannersaye]

Looking forward to your post from the circuit Ed, lets have some pics!

[lalala]

Hello everybody,

Spanish website, not recommended for sensitive Hamilton supporters
http://www.pinchalaruedadehamilton.com/

funny, isn't it?

[Pravi]

EG wrote: “this year it seems Lewis might go to the cemetery on Monday, as world champion or not. We shall see.”

Considering how modest and humble Lewis Hamilton has been this year and needless to say also absolutely brilliant on the track, I expect the following to happen, depending on whether he wakes up on Monday morning as the new WC or not.

If he does, he will definitely visit Senna’s grave and later give an interview proclaiming him-self as the “new” Senna – “He was my childhood idol and it feels great that I have now equalled one third of what he has achieved. I can’t help thinking though, that I was able to achieve this at 22, I think Senna got his first title when he was 26, I am not sure and I don’t want to say that this is in anyway better, but it’s a fact and this does give me a four year lead and that sort of makes it more special in a certain sense. I am not trying to say that I am better than Senna but I am just 22 and I already have the first WC title under my belt so you know I could achieve a lot more…”

Worse than that could only be another dig at the less successful drivers on the circuit – “I feel this is special because there are other drivers on the circuit who have been around much longer than me etc…..”

However, I hope he has more sense and restrains himself from comparing himself with Senna. Humility is a much appreciated virtue in every corner of the earth and this would definitely make LH more “likeable” as a person. As a driver, I have already mentioned that he is brilliant. LH and the English media would be well advised to stop all this “next Senna” stuff because it gets on people’s nerves. Irrespective of the outcome of Sunday’s race, LH is going to be someone to count with on the F1 circuit for many years to come, so just leave him alone and let him work on his own legacy, which is NOT being hailed as the next Senna, Schumacher or whatever but just being himself, “Hamilton”. Maybe in 20 years, another young driver will be hailed as the “next Hamilton” because lets face it, the media can’t help it, always being under the wrong impression that normal folk are too stupid to make their own judgements and need a reference point for them to understand things in the “right” perspective. But that will be wrong then as it is now.

If he is beaten by Kimi (deserves it) or Fernando he will wake up on Monday morning and well, just get on the ML bus to the airport - in case there are no more seats available on the late Sunday night BA flight back home (I guess, ML hasn’t made contingency plans for an “early exit” from Interlagos). By that time, the mourning English media will have completely forgotten about his planned visit to Senna’s grave and there won’t be any questions asked later on.

Ed, if you happen to sit next to LH on the flight back home, I guess you’ll know exactly what to do (right?) considering your recent experiences with a BABY : - )

Ed, I would also like to point out two things:

- I am not surprised that your English friend who lives in Brazil thinks that all Brazilians are rooting for LH. I call it selective perception. It’s in the human nature to seek confirmation of one’s own views and to ignore (as much as possible) things that don’t fit in. It affects you, me, your friend, well just about everybody. If you don’t agree with this then just ask a Spaniard or a Finn living in Brazil and I am sure that you will get a similar response wrt Fernando or Kimi. It would be more interesting and perhaps relatively more representative if you had asked Antonio, your taxi driver, where do Brazilian sympathies really lie? (Moderator adds: Funnily enough I did ask Antonio on the way to the track and he said he wants Lewis to win. I better check with the other 180 million Brazilians before I get too carried away, though.)

- It must be a long flight to Sao Paolo, so you must have had enough time to talk to some real F1 experts. I had raised a point earlier on this blog about how, in my opinion, the lack of transparency and the same/boring equality statements from ML bosses without giving any explanations for things like FA’s tyre pressure on Q3 at the previous GP, different fuel loads etc. are fuelling conspiracy theorists.
I have still not heard anything from RD wrt to this point. Do they have an explanation; do experts from other teams think that this could be sabotage or just something that could happen to anyone and to any team at the heat of the moment?
Would really appreciate some objective insight here. Thanks!

Many people have mentioned this before but I would also like to say thanks for providing this great platform. It gives us our daily dose of F1 and helps in filling up the boring, waiting period between races.

How do you plan to keep the fire burning (pun intended) over the winter break? I hope you have something up your sleeves even if you aren’t saying anyting at the moment.

[Weasel]

It seems to me that this blog has attracted more than it's fair share of childish drivel and equally childish minds. I guess little things please little minds.

Could we perhaps get back on subject and enjoy Ed's blog and the verbal portrait of Sao Paolo. This gives those of us who are not able to be there at least the opportunity to experience vicariously the Brazilian flavour.

Ed, if the post at 10:35:22 on October 18th is indeed from you and not someone posing as you, I am deeply disappointed that you are lowering yourself to respond at the same drivel level as Jordi. Was this really necessary?

Wouldn't it be nice if we could focus on the subject of the blog and not go off base ranting and raving and slanging off various drivers?

By the way Allman, you deserve the Nobel prize for self styled genius and I quote "I am an engineer so obviously I know how long the life of an F1 engine is" - really? And what particular kind of engineer would you be? A sewage engineer perhaps? A bus engineer? A choo choo train engineer? It seems a bit like a proctologist (colo-rectal specialist) saying 'I am a doctor so obviously I know all about how brains function'. Clearly yours does not.

[Gary]

Oh Pravi please!!! Have you not got it yet?

The reason why nobody at Maclaren or even Ron Dennis himself have not given any explanation for any of the dirty deeds that you think are going on in the Maclaren garage is simply because outside of the Spanish paranoid mind they simply do not exist!

You (and many others) think that the UK press do not mention these things because they are biased towards Hamilton. The truth is that the UK press do not mention these things because to anyone with even an ounce if intelligence could see how pathetic these stories are.

For Ron Dennis to comment on such ridiculous accusations would be to give them far more credit than they deserve, Maclaren are 100% correct not to comment and they will come out of this "crisis" the much better for it, which is more than i can say for the Spanish media.

Even the FIA do not for a second believe any of these stories, they are simply milking it for all they can get. Bernie Eccleston must think it is his Christmas and Birthday all rolled into one at the moment, can you imagine the column inches and extra coverage that his previously declining sport has been receiving the last few months?.

So when you hear of a scrutineer being deployed to oversea equality in the Maclaren garage do not even dare to think this is in anyway confirmation that the FIA believe that something funny is going on. It is purely an exercise in marketing, It is the rulers of F1 taking advantage of the already paranoid state of the Spanish fans and media and milking it for all it has got, the extra publicity this one story has created is worth a fortune on its own.

You can celebrate all you want at decisions like this but then the dust settles this season will be remembered for only two things, firstly is Lewis Hamiltons amazing year in becoming the first rookie and the youngest person to win the WDC. Secondly it will be remembered as the year that Fernando Alonso blew his chances of becoming a Formula 1 legend and forever sealed his fate in the history books as a flawed champion.

I promise in a month or two even the Spanish press will begin to take huge steps backwards from some of their comments, the ones left holding the baby will be you, the fans, the ones who lapped it all up and repeated the rumours and garbage here on this blog. I hope to see you on here then and will listen to your apologies then.

I hope it is a good and fair race and i really hope the best man wins, of course i would like it to be Lewis Hamilton but if it is Kimi or Alonso then i would still applaud them. I am a fan of F1 you see and i understand what a fantastic achievement it is to win a WDC (especially three in a row), good luck to everyone.

Of course much better luck to Lewis.

[Gracy]

To Pravi: I don't know about the Finns, Spanish, English living here, or the 180 million Brazilians, but I can assure you that those Brazilians living in São Paulo (around 17 million), oh yes, they will be supporting Lewis. Of course, had Massa any 1% chance to win, that would be different. But the majority will be supporting LH, mate.

[Joseote]

"There is a lot of people in Spain that has no idea about F1 rules and it seems many of them post comments here."

Well "Mr. HoHoHo", Spanish media are mainly just saying this is yet another thing against Alonso's chances of renewing the tittle. Just that. No cheating there, the change of engine is of course limited by the rules.

On the other hand, people tend to forget the rules when convenient. For example, the rules related to safety cars (i.e. the cars can't overtake the safety car and can't overtake the preceding car, either. So, if the first car brakes suddenly and "pretty much stops" -even if it seems to step aside of the path- all the following cars need to brake too if they want to avoid overtaking it and get punished).

[Txus G.R.]

"Year of the rookie deserves fitting denouement in Brazil"

Ed,what a brilliant article!...Did Anthony H. gave you a dictation?

What a piece of objetive journalism!...You really topped with this one.You should come to Spain this summer to convey a master class on "objetive journalism" to the next generation of Spanish journalists.

Hats off lads for Edward Gorman's honest and non-propagandistic master piece.Ed,you should be considered for a new award this year..."The Golden Cow" or something like that.

Ps.You forgot to say that Mark W. would like if Fernando A. clinches this championship as he said to the press,that Rubens B.,a local hero (Not a Taxi-Driver),said that Fernando A. deserves to win the title and has said so to the press,that Alain P. also don't understand the way Ron D. has dealed with Fernando A. or that Anthony H. had some problems with the justice/authorities/laws at Trinidad & Tobago and he can't enter to Brazil (I guess that if was Fernando A.'s dad,"The Times" would give the front page:"Spaniard Betrayer's daddy link with Al-Qaeda")...You and your British comrades must be very busy with the Playstation.By the way Ed,your times at Interlagos sucks!

Regards.

[Becken]

Dear Ed,

This is the what the brazilian Formula 1 fans really desire that happens Sunday. This is a research in one of the most important newspaper of Brazil:

1.º - Lewis Hamilton – 46 %
2.º - Kimi – 28 %
3º - Alonso – 27 %

Source: http://www.estadao.com.br/pages/enquetes/default.htm?id_enquete=52

Romario, Robinho, Ronaldo and others Football stars already declared are Lewis fans and that will be his supporters Sunday.

This guys, in his declarations, symbolize in most of time, a ordinary people will.

Regards.

[CHIUNDA]

Weasel | 18 Oct 2007 13:22:07 - This blog belongs to Ed and he can do whatever he wants so never talk to him like that again. Otherwise, peace man.

[javiervivaespania]

Ed, just a friendly comment: watch out all those Brazilian girls, they are beautiful and very dangerous. I hope you will make it to the circuit on Sunday, ja, ja.

[javiervivaespania]

I have just read in Marca that Alonso and Hamilton have appeared and talk to the press together. Alonso has said that he completely trusts in McLaren, his team, and that there is not need of an observer, that he has a lot of appreciation for Hamilton and that they have a excellent relationship from the beginning. Besides, Hamilton was very friendly and grateful to Alonso. He must be because he has learnt everything he knows from our Champion. So you see?
All this talking trying to make Magic Alonso to appear as a traitor is a bogus by Dennis, who wants to sack Alonso all this time. But I think that our Champion has been very respectful with the team all the time and that is why in the end they have changed his wheels properly, for example. I think that Banco de Santander has warned Dennis that either he supports the Champion or else he must leave McLaren and that is why Ferrari has extended Felipe'e contract.
http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/motor/formula1/es/desarrollo/1047642.html
Fernando, we are so proufd of you!!!

[Txus G.R.]

To Becken:

The research/survey asked in Portugese:"Who you think will be the next world champion?" NOT "Who would you desire to be world champion?"...There are some subtle/slight differences in meaning.

"Romario, Robinho, Ronaldo and others Football stars already declared are Lewis fans and that will be his supporters Sunday."...I'll love to see those links posted in here.

"This guys, in his declarations, symbolize in most of time, a ordinary people will."...At least yours.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to share this song,of one of my favourit Punk-Rock bands,with all the blogers:

The Jam - News of the world (Lyrics)

Power, Pop!
Read about the things that happen throughout the world
Don't be believe in everything you see or hear
The neighbours talk day in day out about the goings on
They tell us what they want - they don't give an inch

Look at the pictures taken by the cameras they cannot lie
The truth is in what you see - not what you read
Little men tapping things out - points of view
Remember their views are not the gospel truth

Don't believe it all
Find out for yourself
Check before you spread
News of the world

Never doubt
Never ask
Never moan
Never search
Never find
Never know

Each morning our key to the world comes through the door
More than often its just a comic, not much more
Don't take it too serious - not many do
Read between the lines and you'll find the truth

Read all about it, read all about it - news of the world

Here is the link of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6epLYey3N7A

[IDR]

TO BECKEN

This is what Brasilian are forecasting, not wishing.

Te question is:

Who is going to win the WDC?

not Who you desire to win the WDC?

And what is quite funny is although LH has more than 70% possiblities (Augusto Baena-Master on probability), there are a mayoritiy of Brasilians (56%) that think that will be other driver who wins the WDC.

Anyhow, there are 340 Votes in this page.

[ugo]

Javier wrote
"Fernando, we are so proufd of you!!!"

Please get a life.

[Txus G.R.]

Maybe I should have said "Mod" instead of "Punk-Rock" in my last post.Anyhow...great band and great song.

To javiervivaespania:

It looks like some kind of deal with McLaren/Mercedes/Vodafone/Banco Santander to get his "freedom" for next season in an easily way.I don't think he believed in what he said this time.Just my point of view.

Regards.

[Oliver]

To Javierviva...

You must be joking, man.

[pepe]

Well, you say that people in Brasil will support Lewis, but... the only brazilian I know his opinion is Barrichelo... and he supports Alonso. No, he is not the only one, I heard a week ago somebody called Emerson Fittipaldi (do you know him?) that he also supports Alonso, So, at least, two brazilians supports Fernando.

[Richard]

Javier...you are literally incredible.

[Dave P Fanclub]

As a new reader to this blog I find the vitriol towards Ed rather disturbing. In his defence, he will not have been responsible for the title of his latest column (the wording of which can admittedly be construed as pro-Hamilton), and content of the piece itself is perfectly accurate and factual.

In my opinion there is a big difference between followers of F1 in Britain and Spain. In Britain, football fans may be patriotic and partisan but motor sports fans are a different breed - less partisan and nationalistic. I'm British but I regard myself as totally impartial when it comes to F1 drivers.

Formula 1 is very much a minority sport in the UK whereas given the coverage it gets I'd suggest it's now a much bigger deal in Spain, hence all the contributions from Spanish fans on this blog and other forums. And although Britain is united in admiration for what Hamilton has achieved (and rightly so, the most fervent Alonso fan must admit he has driven superbly this season), F1 fans over here won't be cheering for just one driver - you'll get Kimi fans, Jenson fans, and there might even be one or two Alonso fans left. In the quality press, people in Britain wish to read unbiased commentaries and opinions, not polemic pieces or biased views.

Having lived in Spain myself, it seems the 'morbo' which adds so much colour and vibrancy to the country's football scene carries over to Formula 1, but instead of supporting one particular side in the Real-Barca rivalry or the Seville derby, it means the entire population are Alonso supporters, rather than necessarily supporters of the sport as a whole. These fans must be fairly new to the sport because five or six years ago there was virtually no coverage in the Spanish media at all. This is clearly down to the 'Alonso effect', thus the sport recently attracting partisan sports fans who also follow football, Moto GP, cycling etc

All of which is fair enough, but it does dismay me to see this manifest itself in such negativity towards Hamilton given what a breath of fresh air he has been to the sport. I'm not suggesting the Spanish should be any less passionate, or saying everyone should like Hamilton, but some of the comments against him and McLaren have been uncalled for and pretty unfair.

And if you don't like Ed's blog, don't read it - no one is asking you to pay for it. Give the puerile comments a rest - he's just doing his job!

[IDR]

TO OLIVER

I'm afraid that Javiervivaespaña is not joking...
although what he says is a joke!

(the most of the times)

[Pravi]

Why do I get the feeling that anyone who supports FA or LH is automatically perceieved as a “Spaniard” (a paranoid one at that) or “English” respectively, well apart from the 17 million F1 and LH fans in Sao Paulo?

Gary, I am not a Spaniard nor am I paranoid and I am definitely not responsible for the fact that Fijians (assuming you are the same Gary from above) don’t really give a damn about F1.
Really, its not my fault that you are not going to miss the most exciting WC finale in 21 years so “please” don’t take out your frustrations on me. On the other hand, you seem to be blessed with astrological powers that help you predict whats going to be happen in 2 months etc., so hey, you must already know what’s going to happen on Sunday, right? Then I guess it’s not such a big deal if you can’t watch the race. Too bad, lesser mortals like us have to wait till Sunday evening. Take it easy mate, it’s just a blog and a little bit of leg pulling or introspection should be allowed.

P.S. This I mean seriously, I am not sure but you might be able to watch the race on Uncle Murdoch’s Star Sports channel – The Star network is very popular in Asia and if I am not mistaken Fiji has a sizeable Asian community, so if the hotel doesn’t have it try and invite yourself into a private home with a sat-dish outside… good luck!

The point I am trying to make is this – In any walk of life e.g. if you are under suspicion or accused of have done something wrong and you value your good name, you have two choices, you can either just shut-up and not say anything while the doubts in people’s minds keep getting even bigger or take the accusations point by point and deny it or confirm it as the case may be. That leaves no space for speculation, which we all are induling in currently

- If RD came out and said EXPLICITLY that the pressure on FA’s tyres were normal after Q3 – I’ll believe him
- If he explicitly says tyre pressure was high or low or whatever but we don’t know why or the reason was …. - I’ll believe him
- If he explicitly says that the accusations about tyre tampering are ridiculous… - I’ll believe him
- If he says anything about the DAMN tyres – I’ll believe him too
- However, if he keeps saying “both drivers equal blah blah” and IMPLICITLY means any one of the above – Then I don’t know what to believe!!!!

I just want to know the truth and I don’t buy it that the head of a team embroiled in the biggest scam in F1 history finds it below his dignity to just say one damn sentence about those damn tyres…. All these accusations, denials, silence leaves a bad taste and I really would like to know what he thinks about those DAMN tyres (Sorry for using this word so frequently but it has really been bugging me).

Remember Galileo, that madman (some would use the term paranoid) who said a couple of “ridiculous” things about the Earth?

[javiervivaespania]

Nice song, Txus. I do not like the part that says "Never moan", though.

Anyway, we should talk about the qualifications rounds: Do you think that Alonso can get the pole position with a more limited engine such as the one he has?

I think he has a great challenge there but he is the best so...

[Becken]

Hello guys from Spain,

First of all I really appreciate Fernando driver style. I’m just putting some data here. Take calm. I think that Brazilians formula 1 fans do not hate or love Fernando, but they really appreciate, as Ed’s friend said, Lewis in his manners or in his qualities as person as well. Just this. His image as spostman is positive here.

Lewis seems to be more Brazilian, in all this mood (“his ethnicity, they identify with fast drivers and they respect people who are fully committed. They like his warm personality, they like the fact that his father travels with him and they like the fact that he is still young), than Senna or even Massa. And all this things make fans desire him as favorite to win.

The peoples whose vote in all this forecast doesn’t have access to the Mr. Baena probabilities analyzing. They voted “desiring” not only coldly analyzing, as Mr. Baena admirable did.

About the football stars: I only have the Romario link (http://video.globo.com/Videos/Player/Esportes/0,,GIM743846-7824-ROMARIO+DIZ+QUE+VAI+TORCER+POR+HAMILTON+NA+F,00.html)

But the other guys a just saw on tv and theres no link of that.

There’s other researches and in all of them Lewis is preferred to win:

http://gesporte.globo.com/ESP/Enquete/0,,ENQ9282-1311,00.html

http://esporte.uol.com.br/enquetes/enquete.jhtm?id=2076#r

Regards.

[Prost]

Being an Spaniard, an having enjoyed for many years the delightful company of two great brits in many GP around the world, when no one seems to bother about F1 in Spain, I cannot wait for this season to end. I love Britain as much as I love other countries in the world where I have been working and living. I have to say anyway that both Spanish and British press have been printing shit for some months, and it seems to me that we are in the middle of Trafalgar battle again (even if I am sure that some of my countrymen have not ever heard about it)

All these things about observers in the McLaren and Alonso's continuous moaning are making me sick. Even my beloved Nigel Roebuck is growing a bit anti-hispanic these days!That's more that I can bear. And just because of the stupid behaviour of one of my contrymen, one from Oviedo my hometown, who's talking sh** about my favorite team and team owner, just because he has not been able to cope with a faster driver in the next garage!

Unfortunately, some patriotic feeling makes me wish this guy wins the WC. Nevertheless, LH has done a wonderful season and I won't say a thing if he finally wraps up the WC, just hats off!

[Santiago from Spain. España in fact.]

TO WEASEL:

SPEAK OUT ABOUT YOU KNOW.

The proctologist is a doctor, and has to deal not only with diseases and disorders of the rectum, anus, colon and pelvic floor, but also with the body as a whole. That includes brain and mind, like any other doctor has to know.

Unfortunately population in general does not know anything about doctors or medicine, like you. Doctors spend quite a long time of their lifes to study the body and how does it work. Put another example to prove what you say. As far as I know an engineer
studies all type of motors, including those of choo-choo trains. They are not mechanics, wich is another branch of engineering, much lower I´m afraid.

[Michael Bowen]

And a "new" word on the tire pressures come from Alonso (from Planet-F1)....I think FA comes across well in this comment.....and it reinforces my opinion that things that have been attributed to "whining" on his part have been mis-translations or mis-interpretations of what he has actually said. These words seem pretty clear.....

However, Alonso thinks there is no need for an FIA official to be present at McLaren....."I don't agree with that decision but it is not up to us," Alonso said.

"I think if they decide to do that it is okay but I think we don't need anything like that in the garage."

"In China I think I was disappointed with qualifying performance and I felt (it was a) very strange result after Q1 and Q2, after being close to fighting for pole for Q3, but I realised tyre pressures were too high and this can happen in qualifying. It was coincidence and a bit of bad luck."

Those seem like pretty unambiguous statements to me. As I wrote in a previous thread, I think some, or even a lot, of the negative commentary about FA come from misunderstanding what he was saying (or reading between the lines incorrectly).

All the best to FA, LH & KR in this race (and I'll keep my fingers crossed that FM wins it....I always like seeing the local driver win their home race).....

[Santiago from Spain. España in fact.]

SHOCKING NEWS. FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES

"One of the world’s most respected scientists is embroiled in an extraordinary row after claiming that black people are less intelligent than white people.

James Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his part in discovering the structure of DNA, has provoked outrage with his comments, made ahead of his arrival in Britain today."

Does the well known mistake in China support his view?
Is Mr Watson a real British?
Can any journalist ask this "scientists" his thoughts about the outcome of the Sunday´s race becouse of the races?

By the way has anybody watched the hit-back of Nadal over Murrays in two hard sets? And the ovation that Murray had at the end of the match and what he deserved?

That was a lesson of sporstmanship by the Spanish crowd.

Also I owe so an apology to the English about suspected actions taken by the spanish refree (One of the worst in Europe, even in the world, but this is what you get when sports are more politics than sports), specially the penalty (?) that they have been charged, during the Russia-England football match.

[joan]

SANTIAGOVIVAESPAÑA,
Remember: this is a F1 blog, will you?

[Txus G.R.]

Dear Becken

The link on Romario is broken or something and I can't get to it.Anyhow,I trust you if you say that he and other football stars supports Lewis H.
In the other,survey/forecasts/researches,links you've posted,the subject is the same:"Who you think will win the World Championship?" NOT "Who would you desire to became world champion?"

Anyhow,this isn't the "Who is the most popular driver?" championship.The point here is that Ed,and his British press comrades,are always showing to us the nice & angelical face of Lewis H.(the good boy)and the most ugly from Fernando A.(the bad one).They're sistematicaly justifying everything Ron D. & his breed driver does or says...no matter what,since Monaco.That's mostly the matter of discussion here nowadays.

I've always supported Ferrari but if you ask me,who I support this year?I'll have to say that I want so badly that Fernando A. clinches the world chapionship at the end.Not only because he is a magnificent driver and Spaniard too,but mostly for all the bad things he has faced this season.

I think that the Brazilians,that most of you have to face and deal with serious difficulties every day,will feel more close to Fernando A. than to Lewis H. and his ethnicity.For me,we all bleed the same way if we get knifed,and the only posible colour is red (Like Ferrari's!)...But maybe I'm wrong.

The fair Champion of this season should be Kimi R. and the one with more options to clinch it is Lewis H. obviously.

Regards buddy.

[Txus G.R.]

I'M SHOCKED!

Lewis H. & Fernando A. are now the best friends ever?...Have I been abduced the last months?...What is The Matrix?...Wich pill did I choose?...I can't remember nothing!

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/10/6992.html

[Rude Al]

Massa will win. LH 2nd. FA 3rd. Heidfeld 4th. Kimi will go for broke and won't finish.

[Txus G.R.]

To Javiervivaespania:

My predictions for the Q3:

P1-Lewis H. (Low-Fuelled)
P2-Felipe M.
P3-Kimi R.
P4-Fernando A.

My predictions for the race:

P1-The Safety-Cow
P2-The wrecker
P3-Fernando A.

Lewis H.,Felipe M. & Kimi R.'s engines explode simoultaneously after lap 13.A heavy snowstorm over Sao Paulo in the lap 14 and the race suspended.The teams construct igloos in the pit lane and the race restarts after 1 week with all the cars wearing chains on their wheels.

My prediction after the race:

-Fernando A.,as the new world champion,signs a life-time contract with Super Auguri
-Ron D. & Jean T. buy any volleyball team from the English first division
-Lewis H. goes to MotoGP
-Kimi R. start a career as entertainer
-Felipe M. goes to the Tybet
-Bernie E. believes he is Andy Warhol immediately he gets a straitjacket and a room on a psichyatric hospital
-Mourinho became the new F1 boss
-"Moaning" becames a sport in itself
-England became world champion with Anthony H. coaching the national team 1 year after.

Regards buddy.

[jordi]

First I want to say that most of my post intend to bring some fun to the blog, with some irony, some silliness, with more or less success.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL:
Please guys, you must follow WEASEL commands.

1- Always, always focus on the subject of the blog.

1.1- Only WEASEL can go off topic.

2- Never, never ranting and raving and slanging off drivers.

2.2- Only WEASEL can rant, rave, and slang off others drivers or other blogers.

3. Do not bring fun to this blog.

3.1- If you do bring fun to this blog, WEASEL will still take it seriously.

WEASEL, I appreciate you calling me childish, we have lots to learn from the children. Not all of us are able to award others with Nobel prizes like you do.You take yourself to seriously, is not much fun if you are always looking up your rectum.

Ed, I'm glad you got pole position at the plane next to the baby! Thanks Ed for this blog. Is a good representation of the diversity of people interested on F1. Yes, you get childish people, funny people, serius people, fanatics, lunatics, erratics even fantastics , that's exactly what a blog should be about.
Ed, will you carry on with this blog after Brasil? I hope so.

[numeroquince]

dear ed:
interlagos
button
honda
ps2
no adjustament
sun
1:17.761
we "the nonsense guys", also beat you at ps2.
from córdoba (spain), best regards

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=7gmO3-MBgnU

[victor]

Very nice posts, I see.Who is behind them?

Criticism to Spain and Fernando will be have no effect, we do not care. We care that the result of this season has been manipulated. These are facts and the rest is nothing.

Fernando has made mistakes but the competition was decided outside of the tracks. That´s all folks

I hope justice in Italy is blind.

[iogi]

Halmilton to visit Senna's grave...
And this guy says he hates F1 politics... ;-)

[Alan]

I'm really sorry for you if you're in Sao Paulo and regard it as "unremarkable". Why don't we swap places? It has the best nightlife and some of the greatest hotels to be found anywhere. I enjoy visiting Sao Paulo more than any other city in the world. I am English, not Brazilian, but if it weren't so far away (I live in London) I'd go several times a year.

[CHIUNDA]

Ed, keep us posted in the post season, on the final driver movements, any social rumours about the drivers like who was caught with who's wife, whose drivers kids are on drugs, how the tests are going - and try flying to the test circuits instead of relying on Bernie's press releases, which driver broke his wrist in a gorilla suit etc

Oh by the way, don't forget my suggestion earlier on about you putting an intern on the Stepney-Coughlan saga and writing a book - just hope i will appear in the acknowledgments.

This blog has been a revelation, an addiction and with less of the spanish drivel would have been even better.

[Rahul]

James Hunt is still my favourite all time racer, and Playboy to boot

[Alfonso]

LH must be punishment after using two sets of wet-weather tyres during Friday's first practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix. The same situation happened in 2005 and Schumacher was punishment. If this doesn´t happen (probably) this time not would be neccesary to start the race. LH doesn´t get the same rules than everyone. You will see...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4564295.stm

[an alonso fan]

The best chef in Britain has flown to Sao Paulo to prepare delicious delicacies, along with Moet-Chandon for libation, from France, to celebrate "Ham"s victory; the same preparation took place in Shanghai, remember what happened? Dennis will have a fit and suffer indigestion since his boy will not win the race.
Arriba, Alonso!!!!

[Kate Charlton-Jones]

Talk about trying to shoot the messenger....who wrote all that drivel about Ed? So unpleasant. There's cowardice in being insulting when your real name is not attached. I'm Ed's sister and I object!
The blog is SO addictive so let's keep it fun.
Very excited about tomorrow's race. Ed, how will you watch the rugby and be in a fit state for the race?? This is a most perplexing thought!

[frankie]

the problem is that Hamilton gets away with murder everytime just because he's a good marketing tool. in qualifing he impeded Kimi who lost time in his final lap and got away with it ... again ??

[D]

In regard to Ayrton Senna and the visiting of memorials, I thought the following story was rather nice:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=33145

I'll be driving south from Edinburgh myself, next week and, when I can, I stop off and spend a quiet moment of contemplation at that special grave in Chirnside.

Last time I did, there was a wreath on it with the words "Simply the best". Said it all. Better than ALL the rest.

[Frank]

Èd, you must be a total loser to regard the place as unremarkable. I have been fortunate enough to visit Sao Paulo a few times, and I fing myself mesmerized by the great restaurants, wicked night clubs, sweet gof courses and of course, the most beautiful women on the planet (remember that 5 out of the 8 angels from victoria secret are from Brazil)...

I hope Lewis win so we can finally forget Damon Hill as the true british champion. In the meantime I would also like to congratulate Alonso on being a mingy midget who is always complaining about something... grow up... erm.. grow old Alonso.

[roberto]

becken
the survey you quoted asks who do you think will win not who do you hope will win...2 different things

[Kauê Felipe]

Hey, here in Sao Paulo, Brazil everbody is supporting Massa to win the race and Lewis do win the championship.Let's see the race to know what's gonna happen.

Cheers!

[Max]

Ron Dennis/L.Hamilton totally gutted! The loss of both the constructers & pilots championship is a tough blow, especially since they haven't won anything since '99!

The outcome of Interlagos, goes to show that Ron D's clear and weak favouratism strategy failed, and that he has managed his team with utter incompentence. As for the rookie, I hope this blow will help him to check his arrogance barometre.

[Ale Deliat]

I'm very, very happy, because today was fulfilled the law of karma: what is being done is paid.
Stop lying to the world, the British are not correct or good guys, quite the contrary. I hope serve as a warning.
Ron Dennis has to think clearly on their way to carry the team on the theoretical equality that seeks to give their pilots. Because at the moment of truth is the champion Raikkonen .And this result makes it clear that the strategy of Ron Dennis has failed. McLaren remains without a constructor and pilots tittle. And the Capricious child, Lewis Hamilton, had to settle for runners-up after two races, China and Brazil, unfortunate.