Tuesday, April 20, 2010

sorry no update on the Chinese GP. I will have that on Sunday, as I haven't actually seen the race yet. my partner in crime for F1 was away, so I have the race ready to go, but I won't see him again till the weekend.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Malyasian GP

Qualifying yesterday was a bit of a trick. Torrential downpours really dampened (hehehe) things. It also left the grid in a bit of a sorry state. The RedBulls dominated qualifying, while the Ferraris and McLarens were left puzzled about what happened... they were at the back of the grid.

On to the race. Webber and Vettel duked it out to see who would lead (webber had pole). Vettel lead the race after taking the top spot from Webber in the first few corners. He FINALLY had some luck with reliability. The main focus of the race was the McLarens and Ferraris and their struggle for points, and places as they started from the back of the grid.

There were 7 retirements (should have been 9). One of the Lotus' had suspension failure, but until it totally blew up he had to stay on the track (failed with about 5 laps left). Lotus just wanted one of their cars to finish. He ended up lapping in the 2 minute mark, with all the other cars lapping in the 1:30's. The other problem was with Virgin Racing's fuel tank. It just osn't big enough. It doesn't carry enough fuel for the whole race, so he was told to conserve fuel for about the last 10 laps, and was lapping in the 1:50's. They both finished, but so many laps down.

There were no terrific crashes or anything this week, lots of passing, and it was really exciting. Congrats to Vettel (redbull) (1), Webber (2) (redbull), and Rosberg (mercedes) (3, first podium ever... did better than his teammate who had engine failure). Button and Hamilton fought their way through from the back of the grid and placed 8 and 6 respectively, and Massa ended up 7th, Alonso didn't finish.

Schumacher seems to still have a big presence on the track, but really he is driving like a backmarker. He just doesn't have the pace that he used to. Then again much has changed in the 3 years since he retired.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Australian GP

Much better race this time. As opposed to the no refueling rule as I was, it does make for an interesting race. I think Hamilton's little temper tantrum in the closing laps may just have cemented him in the #2 (hehehe #2) spot in the team behind Button. He seems to forget that while he may have been in the team longer, that Button has more F1 experience, and that is shining through.

Back to the race. It was an exciting/terrifying first few corners, with much drama. Alonso wound up pointing in the wrong direction for a bit, and due to that, he was dead last for a bit, but he fought back well, and wound up getting a few points. Vettel was plagued with unreliability from Red Bull again (he is such a promising driver, he just needs a more reliable team). Schumacher had a little shunt with Button and Alonso, and had to pit just as the safety car went out (at the beginning of the race), and wound up in 10th.

Button proved why he is the reigning world champion taking a gamble about 10 laps into the race, and switching from wet tyres to intermediates about 2 laps before anyone else. He had a dicy out lap, but held it together, and because he is easy on his tyres didn't have to stop again, and finished in first (after Vettel's brake failure). Kubica (renault) came out of nowhere to take second fending off the charge from Massa'a Ferrari. Massa came in third.

Overall it was a much more exciting race, proving that the first GP was more of a testing session than an actual race.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Bahrain GP

What can I say?

There was drama, new pit stop rules, and no horrific crashes. It was a fairly clean race, less overtaking than I would have expected. Then again, with no fuel stops the cars are almost too heavy to have any stops.

F1 seems to be trying to turn itself into an enduro race now. Engines have to last 3 races, and gearboxes 2. I realize that this is to try and cut costs, but doing that and then not letting the cars refuel is going to cost more than to just cut the number of engines.

Anyway, Vettel was doing so well for the first 2/3rds of the race, then he was cursed with a broken exhaust. He did really well after it broke, only giving up 3 places. However those 3 places were to 2 ferraris and a McLaren. I should be pleased that the ferraris did so well, as I really like the drivers, but I'm just not. The less said about the mcLarens the better.

Lotus was the best of the new teams, with both cars finishing, and they should be very proud of that. Neither of the Virgin Racing cars finished, nor the HRT (campos) cars did. They are also be best looking cars of the bunch.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

7 days till Baharain

The FIA has confirmed that there will be 12 teams taking part in the 2010 Championship. Heh. The USF1 team didn't even make it to the starting grid. The brainchild of Ken Anderson and Peter windsor of having a completely US F1 team hasn't made it. Their plan was to have an american designed car, built in the states (with a cogsworth engine), and 2 american drivers. As the break progressed they signed an Argentinian driver, and no teammate. They plan on trying again in a few years once they get their factory set up.

With the grid in it's current state of disarray, I have no idea what will happen. You have a team that has been together forever (mclaren and mercedes) having split apart, and reformed into 2 teams, Renault who are dying to prove that they are still good after last year's crashgate incident, and Button and Hamilton (two world champions) duking it out at McLaren. So there is team Germand VS Team Britain, and 10 other teams who all want a taste of the podium this year.

I need a new team to cheer for. Raikkonnen (World Rally Championship, not even F1 this year) who races for Ferrari last year, so I couldn't cheer for him, Alonso went to Ferrari this year, so I can't cheer for him. Rosberg is Schumacher's teammate, can't cheer for Mercedes, Button is Hamilton's teammate, and I hate to see him win. Renault, my former love now has 2 drivers that I don't know. However I have until June to see who I will be cheering for at the GP in Montreal.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

With 16 days to go till the first race, there are still teams that have yet to launch their cars, or even declare a second driver. Not looking good for USF1, or Campos Meta.

I'm waiting to see how it all goes, though I have a feeling that USF1 won't get off the ground. they were supposed to be the US team, all US born and bred. As it is , they have an Argentinean driver and that is all.

Can't wait till the season starts.

Monday, February 15, 2010

EDITORS NOTE:

Not sure if anyone even reads this, but for the next 2 weeks posts will be even more sporadic, as the Olympics are on, and I will be paying more attention to them.

GO TEAM CANADA!!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Lotus GP

That is a damn sexy car. Most of them have debuted by now, but the Lotus just took my breath away. It looks reminiscent of the old Jaguar team. This may be due to my weakness of British Racing Green, but DAMN...

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Virgin Racing

For all the crap I give that team about their name, do they ever have a nice looking car this season. The VR-01 is a really slick looking car. It was totally computer designed, with very little to no wind tunnel testing, and will be in Silverstone for testing this week.

It is a black and red car, but seems to have better lines than the others that have been unveiled. This doesn't mean much for track times, they remain to be seen, but it does look good.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

4 car unveilings.

Of the 4 new cars unveiled (Ferrari, McLaren, BMW and Renault), the Ferrari is the car that I like best.... and I really dislike the team.

The new cars look very different than the 2009 cars, the back wing has been practically chopped off. The vent behind the drivers head also seems to have been extended in the McLaren, BMW and the Renault almost to the new back wing. BMW has also seemingly lost all their sponsors, as their car is now black and white. Renault is mainly a Yellow (from light blue to dark blue white and orange to yellow... go figure)

The new designs suck, then again, I hate change.


Sunday, January 24, 2010

car #'s

This year because there has been so much shuffling with the existing teams (not even going there with the new teams), there was a but of an issue with handing out the numbers for cars.

Jenson Button and Brawn should have gotten the 1 and 2 numbers, but given that Jenson went to McLaren, and Mercedes bought the brawn team, there was a bit of a decision that had to be made about who got the numbers. Button ended with the #1 and 2 for McLaren (Button is #1, and Hamilton (boo) is #2) hehe...#2...I;m going to have fun with that...

ok, back to the point, Mercedes was given the numbers 3 and 4 for their drivers Rosberg and Schumacher. Schumacher somehow managed to get the #3 car. If I were Rosberg, I would be pretty pissed about being usurped by an unranked driver (even if he is one of the more successful drivers in F1 history). No playing favourites at the Mercedes camp... no wait...

Monday, January 11, 2010

FIA vs Briatore part 2 and 3

So Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have been given bans from the FIA from the crash-gate scandal. Last week a french court overturned the FIA's ban of Briatore and Symonds stating that they do not have the right to assign bans to people. Briatore had petitioned the courts to overturn the ban, and allow him to get back into the sport.

the FIA appealed the decision to the courts today.

I think that Briatore deserves the ban, he FIXED A RACE, as much as it pains me to say, as renault is my favourite team, but that is just my opinion.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

2 months before the 2010 season starts.

and 19 of the 24 drivers have been selected.

Team USF1 has yet to announce any drivers, and Renault, Toro Rosso and Campos still have to announce their second driver. there is a lot of speculation if team USF1 is even going to get off the ground, they are being very secretive about everything. Their unveiling is in Alabama, but I just don't know if they don't win right away, will the American public accept them. Look at the US Grand Prix, it died shortly after its inception, due to the fact that one of the tyre suppliers messed up.

Anyway, still waiting on confirmation for my tickets to the Canadian GP, but still hoping for the Senna corner.