F1 2005-2012

Yeah, looking forward to the first F1 race of the season....Interesting to see which team will start by winning the race..And whether Schumi is back in the top three..

 

Just been watching live practice from Melbourne - interesting stuff, with both McLarens fastest, despite all the headlines about them being 'in deep ****' etc. Mind you, I see Ron Dennis is there in person......

 

Seems like Red Bull takes the top 2 places, then Alonso with his Ferrari..still too early to say what happens in the actual race.

Hope that Mclaren has removed the "stop the engine"-button from under the thumb in the steering wheel...

 

Button and Hamilton were the fastest in practice today, But Red bull were 3rd fastest, So tomorows quals should be good although very early for us Brits

 

Just got finished watching the live stream of the 3rd practiceon SPEEDtv.com. Hearing just the ambient sound is super sweet! I really wish there was a way to watch the race with just the ambient sound, anyone know of a place online where you can do so?

As far as the quals go, with the 107% rule back in place it looks like we will have less than 20 cars on the grid based on what practice times are. In a way I feel bad for the backmarkers, but as slow as some of them were at times last year they really were a hindrance to the fast guys.

 

Qualifying was entertaining to watch ; several drivers caught out by the new techonology/tyres. Vettel is so good it makes you sick , thankfully the McLarens are on form.

And you couldn't help wondering what that Lotus-Renault could do with a proper driver at the wheel.........

 

The results for the first four positions are;
Pole - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
P2 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
P3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull)
P4 - Jenson Button (McLaren)

Looks like an interesting race

 

Well...maybe not worth getting out of bed quite that early for. Despite all the changes, it was the familiar story : a quite immaculate performance by Vettel.

Interesting, but not thrilling. Petrov's performance in the 'Lotus' was exceptionally good, though.

 

Can't believe Sauber's team was disqualified due to infringements on the cars

 

Both Mercedes drivers did not finish and Schumi had a very bad race,indeed.

 

Chinese GP

Now that was a great race, I thought.

"Over the course of 97 minutes, seven different drivers shared the lead nine times, with the outcome of the race only becoming apparent in the final few laps.

McLaren's three-stop strategy outsmarted Red Bull's two-stopper for Sebastian Vettel, allowing Lewis Hamilton to sensationally steal the victory and become the first double winner of the race.

Vettel made a poor start but, after his outstanding qualifying time and rumoured light tyre wear, we still expected him to triumph.

With a series of audacious overtaking moves, including a bold pass into turn one on his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, Hamilton won what he describes as one of his best ever races. "I exist to win" - that's how he describes his life right now. "

I read that Nico Rosberg was suddenly too low on fuel when he lead the race and had to slow down.... I bet somebody is going to give a lecture to their race engineers....

 

It was indeed a good race and made for memorable TV.

Trouble is, a little part of me kept imaging a scene with Bernie and the drivers before the race. Sort of...

'OK guys - it's getting boring. We need to shake things up a bit. Lewis - you win this one'
( Vettel ) ' Awwww...Bernie !?'
'Sorry Seb - you'll just have to get with the programme. And Jenson - we can't have you messing things up for Lewis. Why don't you stop at the wrong pit ?'
( Button ) ' Come off it Bernie - no-one's that stupid !'
' Jenson - no arguments....'

( Only kidding - of course ! )

 

My F1 wish list: GET RID OF THE GIMMICKS! No KERS, no DRS, no driver aids of any kind. Set the aero rules to something like GP2, and let the drivers count for more.

 

Oh oh Ferrari 55 points behind Red Bull. They need to create some sorta "miracle" to get back and drive for top positions...

 

As an unapolagetic diehard member of the Tifosi, I have to add that while there is a lot of passing and fighting for position, it somehow feels disjointed and almost artificial with so much emphasis on differing pit strategies, as well as the numerous gadgets.

I understand F1 is about tech, but with the supposed emphasis on cost cutting the KERS seems to be very cost ineffective, and the movable wing just seems like an even more gimmicky and expensive "F-Duct". I can just see the device sticking open on one of the backmarkers during practice and a couple of cars getting wiped out because of it.

As for the 55 point defecit, I'd say that is probably about right where it should be based on where their performance has been. Hats off to Mclaren and Red Bull for keeping up with the technology. That's like putting a dagger through my own gizzard to have to admit that about the Wannabe Silver Arrows.

As far as miracles, to make up this much pace on two top notch rivals and to overcome the seemingly inevitable pit strategy or execution faux pas to come, it sure feels like the development of the 2012 car will come a bit early this year.

 

Interesting GP in Canada:

BBC Sport - McLaren's Jenson Button hails Canada Grand Prix win

Jenson Button believes his dramatic Canadian Grand Prix win, in which he came from last to take the lead on the last lap, was the best of his career.

 

His Spa race was about as amazing.

 

McLaren seems to be in a good phase, Ferrari seems to be struggling although Alonso won today in Malesia. And Kimi was 5th, great going! Some problems for Red Bull as well..

 

Nico Rosberg took his maiden Formula 1 victory with a dominant drive in the Chinese Grand Prix.
The German led from pole position to secure Mercedes' first victory since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix.

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Interesting race. Just 12 laps before the end I counted that behind Nico there were some 12 F-1´s within a 10 second time period. Kimi unfortunately dropped far behind after this tyres got too worn...

 

This is shaping up to be an interesting season it looks like. I am not a fan of McLaren, but I was hopeful after race 1 that they would win everything before the season returns to Europe in hopes that everyone else would abandon those hideous noses.