Sebastian Vettel is team player. In fact, he worships his team. He's even got helmets with his mechanics faces and names on them. Mark Webber, senior driver, and who's been at Red Bull for two years before Vettel, hasn't won a single championship. And he doesn't worship his team as publicly as Vettel does.
Result? Vettel, triple world drivers champion. Webber? Handful of wins.
Of course, the Red Bull is a car designed specifically for Vettel's driving style. But why hasn't the car been designed for Webber?
Even in the Ferrari garage, Massa has been at Ferrari for about 6 years now. Alonso, barely 3 years. But the Ferrari F1 team is Alonso's team. Alonso, as you'll notice, is full blooded team player. He never ever blames the team. He might accept that his car is pretty shoddy, but he won't moan about it.
At McLaren, both Jensen and Hamilton credited their team for their wins, so there isn't much of a difference between them performance-wise.
Even at Team Lotus, or the Enstone team, Kimi has realized this and he too has started thanking and praising his team no matter where he finished. And he did finish in the points an awful lot of times. In Abu Dhabi, he shrugged of his victory, and told the media it was for the team. He barely smiled after winning.
But Vettel really does look at Formula 1 as a team sport, and I don't think he even thinks about shifting to another team, so good is his relationship with his engineers and mechanics who build his car. Of course, Vettel's mentality and driving style are also factors for his success, but the anyone can see that motivating the team is a major factor to win championships.
In Abu Dhabi, Vettel started from the pitlane and finished on the podium with P3. He kept thanking and motivating his team on the radio, "never lift boys. Even in the room before stepping on the podium, he was genuinely a happy man, joking around with Kimi. Alonso on the other hand, was in shock I think, to see Vettel on the podium, and he kept to himself.
So the team working behind the scenes, away from the limelight is a critical part to win a championship. Theoretically the team is supposed to give equal attention to both drivers, but of course, it is never that way...
Colin McRae Rally Mac is the equivalent of Colin McRae Rally 2005 by Codemasters and has been ported over to the Mac by Feral Interactive. Even though this game is now quite old, Feral Interactive knowingly, or mistakenly ported one of the best rally games of all time.
Paying homage to the Colin McRae, the game menu is subtle and stylish, and you can choose any one of the different game modes. Career, single rally events, or just rally stages, the choice is yours. Once you choose your car and stage, the player can make car setup changes, and you do have to be smart, as the setup can win you the rally, or trash your car.
Once you start playing, you start to realise that you can't mess about. The cars are a handful, the tracks are punishing, and unless you give your 100%, you just can't play this game. But put in the effort, and keep pushing all the way through the stage, the rewards are huge. With your co-driver's instructions, you have to navigate your way through different terrains, beautifully detailed landscapes and lush surroundings. The physics are superb, and you really do have to drift your way around the course to maintain your average speed and keep the momentum going. The damage is punishing, and you cannot afford to play loose as the damage severely affects the cars performance. And the game expects you to keep pushing even if you lose a wheel or two. To help out amateurs, the game has two damage settings. But even the more forgiving setting is extremely punishing. With a wide variety or cars from different era's and classes, Codemasters has put in the effort to make every car sound and feel different. From the Group B Audi Quattro, to the classic Mini Cooper and the modern Subaru's and Mitsubishi's, every car is brilliantly detailed and you can feel every little twitch and bump the car endures. The weather makes a catastrophic difference. When it rains, the car is almost impossible to drive. But if you persevere, it is immensely satisfying.
Winning your first rally is fantastic achievement, and the game really does make you work for it. In the career mode, unless you're pushing every single second, you could lose by a few tenths and a small shunt could plummet you down the order. The damage you cause to your car carries over to the next stage, so you can't push it to the absolute limit as you have the same car throughout the rally.
Additionally you can also play multiplayer games via GameRanger, but you cannot race head to head as rallying is a timed event, which might dissuade some.
This game is an intense experience, and meant for racing enthusiasts. Although it certainly is enjoyable for casual gamers, they might not be able to progress far in this game. So certainly, arcade racing fans should keep away. But this game is worth every penny, and till date, very few games can match up with the experience Colin McRae Rally provides you with.
4.5/5
On a personal note, this is one the last games that you can actually enjoy a proper rally experience on your Mac. The successor to this game, Colin McRae: Dirt 2 shifts its focus toward the more modern forms of rally, such as rallycross and the X-Games. Colin McRae has been replaced by Travis Pastrana and Ken Block.
There are many, many sites out there with the best racing games listed out there on the internet. I however, have played and bought every game on this list. So even though you might not find the most popular games here, there's a good reason why. Because most of them are terrible. Porting games to from Windows to a Mac doesn't always work out well. The list of the best racing games for Mac(not in any specific order) are,
ToCA Race Driver 3
This is one the oldest games on this list, and is still one of the all time greats. It is the equivalent of Gran Turismo for the PC/Mac, and this game has infinite replay value. You can play this game for days on end, and you still won't tire of it. The categories range from lawn mowers and karts, right upto Formula 1 cars and Baja buggies. So you can progress through the every series, racing on numerous real life tracks. Each series has its own unique challenges, and the cars do feel very different from one another. The physics engine is good that you can feel the difference while driving different cars, even with the keyboard. The AI is really very good, and will use unfair tricks. One of the best racing games, ever.
Online Multiplayer Available.
Colin McRae Rally Mac
This is another all time great. The equivalent of Codemasters Colin McRae Rally 2005, which was one of the best rally games of all time, was ported to Mac by Feral Interactive. Paying homage to one the best rally drivers, Colin McRae, this game is a fitting tribute to the legend. I think this one the most challenging rally games of all time. The wide variety of cars, all with their own distinct style of driving them and with tricky courses makes is a huge challenge. There are many cars on offer, from good old Group B greats such as the Audi Quattro and classical ones such the Mini Cooper make this a car lovers treat. The modern ones such as the Subaru, Peugeot and the Mitsubishi are also at your disposal. The brilliantly detailed maps will blow your mind, and you just wish that Codemasters would let roam around on the beautiful landscapes. The damage system has two stages: brutal, and brutal^10. So you will have to be on your toes. But once you understand the game, and learn how to drive the cars, it is really very satisfying. Simply mega.
Online Multiplayer Available.
Personal Recommendation: Start the game, select a single stage session, pick a car and choose Stage 1 in Japan, in rain. Best place to shake down the car you're driving.
Colin McRae: Dirt 2
The successor to Colin McRae Rally is Dirt 2. Simply because this the only other rally game ported to the Mac, once again, credit to Feral Interactive. If you switch from Colin McRae Rally to Dirt 2, it is a massive cultural shock. From the subtle yet beautiful UI to the latest in-your-face fancy menu system of Dirt 2, it really does give you a bit of a shock. Although it isn't entirely a good change, you do get used to it and start to appreciate it's career mode. In this game, proper rallying isn't given priority. New age rallycross events take centerstage and although it is more entertaining than rallying, you do miss the proper rallying events. The game is superb, and the cars and tracks are extremely well detailed. The voiceovers by X-Games champions like Travis Pastrana, Ken Block and the rest gives a uniquely awesome feel to the game as you progress through the career mode. However true rally fans will regret the fact that proper rallying is slowly being forgotten. Still, it's one of the most entertaining rally games for the Mac.
Online Multiplayer Available.
F1 2012
Already proven to be one of the all time great seasons in Formula 1 history, the game based on the season wasn't any less exciting. Codemasters did a great job with F1 2011, and 2012 is another step up. The graphics are slightly better, and the sound is much improved. The physics is slightly arcade-ish, but no once can really tell, as Martin Brundle once said, "There are 7 billion people in the world, but just 24 grand prix drivers. Waiting on 5, simple red lights." And I'm not one of them. So I don't have a clue. Played with a proper steering wheel and pedal gaming setup, this one the best racing games ever. And it's available on your Mac. Thank you Feral Interactive. The physics engine is superb, and you can actually feel the downforce working through the corners, and the lack of it when you slam into the wall at what feels like light speed. The career mode is also very well simulated, as you drive not only to beat other drivers, but your team-mate as well. In longer races, pit stops play a part, and you can feel the tyre wear affecting your lap times. Punctures, broken front wings, and penalties are all part of the game. The tracks are extremely realistic as well. But the crown jewel in this game is it's online multiplayer racing. Although you do have to go through the trouble of starting GameRanger, it is worth it. It is bucketloads of fun, and even though F1 2013 is due in April, it is a must buy. Feral, please port F1 2013 as well!
The only gripe, I as well as every single player has with the game, is the penalty system. Every single player, every day, is at somepoint screaming, "WTF?! HE CRASHED INTO ME!! F***ING, F***ING CODEMASTERS!! WHY DID I GET THE PENALTY?!!!"
For those who have no clue about Formula 1, watch this. It will convert you.
Real Racing 2
This, as most of you know, is an iOS game ported to the Mac. Although it is pretty disappointing when compared to the iOS version, it still stands tall in many aspects. The cars, and track variety is impressive. And although it proclaims itself to be 'Real', it actually is an arcade game that looks very realistic. Asphalt 6 is another game that comes to mind, when you think of a game in this category, but Asphalt 6 is a horrid little thing. Simply horrible. Real Racing 2 is essentially the same game as it is in the iOS version, and even all the buttons are still the same. So it doesn't have the same polish to it as other proper Mac games do. But it is an acceptably good racing game and is a lot of fun, as you can compete with other players with iPads and iPhones. One the key points of Real Racing 2 is that you can use your iPad or iPhone as a controller for the Mac game. It has inbuilt support for it, and is a neat touch. It just doesn't match up with the other games listed above, but nor does it claim to. It's good fun.
There are many other great racing games for the Mac, and many more will be released soon(Feral Interactive, do your best!).
Race Driver: Grid
Grid is the spiritual successor of ToCA Race Driver 3, and it does not disappoint. This is probably one the best racing games, full stop. It has the perfect setup of graphics and gameplay. Although purists might not like the physics, as the physics engine is essentially a heavily modified version of the one used in Colin McRae Dirt. So experienced players will notice a lot of oversteer and a general lack of downforce. Also, the infinitely adjustable settings of ToCA is gone, and in its place are the traction control and ABS settings, which were noticeably absent in ToCA. Tyre wear also isn't a issue to worry about anymore. But, the level of detail lavished on the cars and tracks more than makes up for the loss of the traditional settings. This game is designed to excite the player, and bring out the sights and sounds of racing. It is a completely different approach to racing games, and it is something you have to play the game to experience. The in-dash view is unbelievably good. This will give Gran Turismo a run for its money. The flashback feature is also available, which is a useful feature and prevents players from experiencing frustration meltdowns. Also, there is sexy female secretary voice guiding you through the career mode, instead of the annoying fat scottish man, which involves money, and knocks some common sense in the player. Feral Interactive and Codemasters are hard at work reviving building the Mac gaming industry. Thank you. It is much appreciated.
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing
This a Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. It is what it says on the tin. Off you go now, to the Mac App Store to buy it. I really don't need to explain this one.
Mario Kart and SEGA had a lovechild, and this is it. This is the epitome of psychedelic arcade racing. I have no doubt in my mind that the developers of this game were being force fed on a strict diet of drugs and alcohol. No wonder they took so much time making it. It is SEGA's 25th birthday gift to itself and the world, and it is a very good gift. Elementary controls and lots of colour and explosions are ingredients to a good time. With various characters from different games of SEGA taking part in this race, it's basically a big SEGA party to which you were invited to. You don't need to be good at this game to enjoy it. All you need to do is play it. Then you will become addicted to it. The tracks and cars were designed and detailed by a person who quite clearly doesn't know that humans can get epileptic seizures. With various local multiplayer options and online multiplayer thanks to Game Center, you can blow your friends off the track and drift past them to victory. I'm surprised SEGA doesn't recommend using Nintendo NES controllers to play this game with. An Xbox 360 controller doesn't do any justice to this game. Arcade games are back and with vengeance.
Feral Interactive ported F1 2012 to Mac about a month ago, which is great, just that the game is already pretty old by now and F1 2013 is coming in April 2013. Anyhow I downloaded my copy of F1 2012 a week ago, and I was immensely excited to finally play it on my Mac, and not having to boot up Windows 7 via Bootcamp to play it. And as I don't like booting to Windows, I barely played F1 2012 on it anyway. The game is superb, and my Mac easily runs it on max graphics setting, and the visuals are amazing. Surprisingly the Windows version cannot run the game on max graphics without frame skip or lag. I'm using OS X Mountain Lion just by the way.
However when I started playing F1 2012, immediately there was a problem. It's simply impossible to play the game with keyboard controls. You just cannot match the pace of the amateur level AI, let alone hardened veterans online who have a proper gaming setup. Now I did not have a wheel, or a console controller of any sort. But I do have my trusty million year old PSP. So I revived my PSP(which had F1 '09 on it surprisingly), and hooked it up to my Mac.
Next, I downloaded FusaGamePad for the PSP. Now, FusaGamePad only works for rooted PSP's, like mine was. To root your PSP, look for instructions online. It's easy and plenty of tutorials are available.
Here's the link: FusaGamePad Now connect your PSP to the Mac, goto PSP>GAME and drag the folder named FusaGamePad from the PSP>GAME from the downloaded file.
Drag the folder to PSP>GAME
Don't disconnect your PSP from your Mac. Press the Eject button on the Mac, exit USB Mode on the PSP and open FusaGamePad on the PSP. Your PSP is now a controller, just like any other joystick.
Now, open F1 2012, and go to options and edit the controls and modify the controls to the buttons on the PSP, and you're set. My settings with the PSP for F1 2012 are as follows:
(You can still play F1 2012 easily and nicely with the above setup. However, if you're not happy with the controls and still want to fine tune it, then only do the following given below.)
If you, like me, don't understand terms such as saturation and dead zone, and still want to modify the sensitivity of the controls, you can do so using a third party app.
Download GamePad Companion from the Mac App Store. (I'm using a slightly older version, but it's the same interface so it doesn't matter)
Open up GamePad Companion.
GamePad Companion
Now connect your PSP to the Mac, and open FusaGamePad on the PSP. Also, open the README.txt provided with FusaGamePad. This is what will happen.
Set buttons to keyboard commands
Now set the button on the PSP to specific keys on the keyboard. The Button #'s are provided in the README.txt file. Now adjust the sensitivity and tracking speed of the joystick to your ideal setting. I use the joystick for steering. The throttle and brake are still one push buttons though, so it's not all good news. But you can't really turn of TC and ABS without using a proper gaming rig anyway, so it's the next best thing.
You can also save the specific settings for different games. Simply click save 'Save Layout' and name the setting.
Save Layout Call of Duty does not go well with the PSP controls. It just doesn't work out.
Once you've done that, click the 'On' button to activate the commands.
Activate the PSP layout
Now fire up F1 2012, goto options, select keyboard, and you're good to go. Or any other game for that matter. I'm also using it for TOCA Race Driver 3, Dirt 2, and Colin McRae Rally Mac. #racingftw
Earlier this year, in the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix, there was a catastrophic first corner pile up, and Grosjean, Hamilton, Alonso, and Perez were caught out in the whirlwind of carbon fibre. The blame was promptly put on Grosjean for being too aggressive at the start, and to some extent that is true. But looking at the race footage, I don't think Grosjean was the sole perpetrator. I downloaded the race edit, and saw the video frame by frame, and I think some of the blame can be put on Hamilton's shoulders as well.
Hamilton qualified P8, and Grosjean P9. But Grosjean had a very good start, and Grosjean was almost a full car length ahead of Hamilton before La Source.
Red Circle: Hamilton; Blue Circle: Grosjean
Grosjean gets a good start, and heads towards clear tarmac ahead of Hamilton, as the track ahead of him is blocked by the Saubers and the Williams of Maldonado.
Grosjean and Hamilton fighting for the same piece of tarmac
So Grosjean goes for the clear track ahead of Hamilton, and this where the massive pile up started.
The stewards blamed Grosjean for being too aggressive at the start and colliding into Hamilton. This is slightly true as Grosjean gives Hamilton almost no space and squeezes him into the barrier separating the track from the pits. And this is also the point where Hamilton should be blamed for the accident which takes place just seconds from this picture.
Here you can see Grosjeans racing line blocked by the slowing Saubers behind the Ferrari, and now approaching toward the clear track ahead of Hamilton.
At this point, Hamilton still has a chance to retain track position and try to pull ahead of Grosjean. But he should have know that he only had a small chance.
Just moments before the havoc starts.
Grosjean now has a 3/4 car length advantage over Hamilton, and has, according to me gained the track position and is perfectly justified to expect Hamilton, which he should have done. Hamilton can clearly see that he has no space left, and should've lifted off and conceded track position. But he put his foot hard down, which wasn't the smartest thing to do, but even stupider on his part was holding his racing line. A collision was bound to take place.
But Hamilton wasn't really in an ideal state anyway, having posted telemetry of his lap on Twitter!
Detailed as well....
And now as you'll see, all hell breaks loose.
BAM! and it's all over.
I really don't see why Grosjean alone is blamed for the mess. Hamilton had quite a large role to play in this pile up.
Also, Jenson Button has the best victory dance which he performed in his car itself. The man got style.
.jpg)
