What is it...

[sh]

There aren't too many racers I have strong feelings about.  In general, I like all of them.

Favs:
Haga, Rossi - love the enthusiasm and balls out racing styles
Simoncelli - Maybe it is his hair, but I like watching this guy
Stoner - whatever people say about him, his duel with Rossi at Laguna 08 was one of my all-time favorite racing moments

Growing on me:
Spies - I thought he was a bit arrogant at first, but I really enjoyed watching him and Mladin battle in AMA.  Now that he's in WSBK I've become more impressed with his determination and ability. 

Least favs:
Pedrosa, Raikkonen - why is life so hard for these guys?  they make living a dream look tedious and inconvenient

[gm2]

they make living a dream look tedious and inconvenient

  aint dat da troof

[pennyrobber]

Raikkonen on the podium at Valencia last Sunday. Listen to the commentary starting at 2:30.  (the youtube poster filmed his TV so the sound is pretty low)

Podium @ Valencia GP 2009 - Formula 1

[Jester]

Raikkonen even sprays his champagne with lack of enthusiasm. It almost looks like he's just taking a leak on the people below the podium.

[Super T.I.B]

It almost looks like he's just taking a leak on the people below the podium.

He's probably into that, being from Finland. 

[derby]

Raikkonen on the podium at Valencia last Sunday. Listen to the commentary starting at 2:30.  (the youtube poster filmed his TV so the sound is pretty low)

yeah, but hobbes makes fun of everybody. you ever hear him do his impressions?

[duc996]

Raikkonen even sprays his champagne with lack of enthusiasm. It almost looks like he's just taking a leak on the people below the podium.

Kimi drinks it first before sharing 

[CairnsDuc]

I have a lot of Respect for Valentino Rossi, I'm not a fan, but I respect the guys talent, and I respect what the guy can do on and off the track, he's not afraid to say what he thinks, or how he feels on a given situation, and he does play mind games with other riders very well.

Stoner, as a fellow countryman, I do feel a certain obligation to support him, but even before he started with Ducati, he was never good with the Fans or the Press, and I think that has now been amplified now he has been racing at the top level of the sport.
He just can't seem to take losing, if Rossi comes in 2nd or 3rd, you can tell he would rather be in 1st place, but he doesn't let it get to him, he stores it in the memory bank, and tries not to make that mistake again, he comes back stronger.

Stoner seems to let it get to him to much, he takes things to personally (The Laguna Seca race in 08 being a classic example) I very much feel that Stoner is genuinely crook, I think he is just letting everything get to him, he is building things up in his head for why things are going wrong. He just can't move on from a bad race or bad performance.

That's just how I see it anyway, maybe I'm full of shit, but I just think Stoner needs a boot up the Arse, told to stop taking every thing so seriously, chill out, relax more.
And he may find his racing will improve, maybe he needs to have a chat with the Doctor about having more fun! 

[TiNi]

great thread

my faves are hayden & rossi

hayden because he's so hawt! 
rossi because he's so fun
both are extremely talented and are having fun doing what they do

my least fave is pedrosa

he just seems miserable most of the time