The 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

Apologies for the lack of updates on A Class lately. Things have been pretty busy and after a fairly uninspiring Chinese Grand Prix, I decided to reserve my Formula 1 discussion for after the Bahrain Grand Prix. Lets get straight to it.

When it comes to the Bahrain Grand Prix, the political situation has long overshadowed the race itself. With the kingdom’s citizens at odds with the ruling Al Khalifa family, many have questioned the relevance of having the race at all. In typical Bernie fashion, the Don of Formula 1 was quoted saying the government was “stupid” to hold the race. It’s no secret that from a sponsorship standpoint, the Bahrain Grand Prix is one of the most lucrative on the World Championship calender.

As it turns out, Sunday’s race ended up being one of the most exciting of 2013 with lots of great battles throughout the field.

Mercedes continued to look quick at the start of this weekend with a great showing in qualifying. Nico Rosberg secured his second career pole with teammate Lewis Hamilton in P4. Hamilton ultimately suffered a 5 grid spot penalty for a gearbox change following free practice. On Sunday things didn’t fare so well for Mercedes as both drivers struggled to maintain pace.

The opening laps provided for some of the most exciting wheel-to-wheel racing at the start of any Grand Prix in recent years, with Rosberg fending off Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – who exchanged places for P2. However once DRS was enabled, Vettel made his move and created a lead which he held for the remainder of the race.  Rosberg’s pace continued to falter, but he displayed a level of aggression we haven’t seen from him in the past. Ultimately the driver finished 9th.

Things fared slightly better for Hamilton who was quoted after the race saying the car went from “terrible” to “amazing”. Hamilton also had some nice duels with his former McLaren teammate Jenson Button and Sergio Perez. He finished 5th overall and has stayed consistent in the points since the start of the season.

Lotus have come out fighting in 2013 and amid rumors of the team’s struggles to secure more funding to keep Kimi Raikkonen next season, have produced an excellent car in the E21. Raikkonen struggled in qualifying and started P9. Things fared better on Sunday and with the car’s excellent tire management, he was able to secure a podium finish placing 2nd.

His teammate Romain Grosjean also struggled in qualifying, starting in P11, but made it count in the race. Grosjean finished 3rd after some interesting battles throughout the field. It’s amazing to see the success Lotus has achieved in such a short time. The team’s engineers have certainly discovered the secret to maintaining Pirelli’s unforgiving tires. It’s no secret that Raikkonen is one of the most popular drivers on the market for 2014, with Red Bull rumored to be courting him for Mark Webber’s seat. Ultimately he’s a major factor in Lotus’s newfound success over the last couple of seasons.

Things didn’t go well for Ferrari this weekend. After a great qualifying session for both drivers on Saturday, a series of mechanical maladies saw Fernando Alonso finishing 8th and his teammate Felipe Massa out of the points in 14th. Ferrari have gotten off to a much more successful start in 2013 with the highly competitive F138. However a broken wing on Alsonso’s car forced the driver to do without DRS in most of the race, while Massa experienced numerous tire issues. Both drives made an unnecessary amount of pit stops which ultimately cost them.

With an admittedly sluggish car, McLaren’s only goal for the weekend was to score points. As the teams head back to Europe for a 3 week break, McLaren will essentially rebuild their car in the hopes of being more competitive in Spain. For the second race weekend in a row, Sergio Perez was unable to break into Q3 with his teammate Jenson Button settling for P10 at the start of Sunday’s race. McLaren haven’t had the pace all season, however Button has managed better results than his teammate, who has been harshly criticized in recent weeks.

After scoring just 2 World Championship points in the first 3 races of the season, the pressure was on Perez to deliver in Bahrain. Some unusually aggressive driving saw him in an exciting and nerve wracking battle with his teammate. Button was unhappy with the advances by Perez which calls in to question some of his earlier comments with regards to Red Bull’s team orders debacle. When it comes to tire management their may be no better driver in Formula 1 than Button, ultimately he finished 10th on Sunday with Perez in a more successful 6th. McLaren have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks as they’ll not like being without a podium finish for much longer. Expect to see a very different MP4-28 in Spain.

At the end of the day it was Sebastian Vettel who stood at the top of the podium. In typical fashion Vettel got an early lead and dominated the remainder of the race. Vettle has become increasingly outspoken in the last couple of weeks, with regards to Red Bull’s team orders in Malaysia. At the start of the Chinese Grand Prix, he virtually did a 180 from his previous comments about overtaking his teammate and said he would do it again. The bad blood has continued to flow in the Red Bull paddock with Mark Webber suffering a dismal weekend in China, then being forced to use his teammates engine maps in Bahrain. Red Bull continue to maintain that they support both drivers equally but that is becoming increasingly harder to believe.

Webber celebrated his 200th Grand Prix in Bahrain with a small cake cutting ceremony at which neither Vettel or Helmut Marko were in attendance. The politics within the team seem to be boiling over as Marko was seen telling Niki Lauda not to be nice to Webber. At this point it seems highly unlikely that Webber with continue with Red Bull in 2014. It’s been reported the Australian is scheduled to meet with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz later this week at Red Bull’s headquarters. The meeting will presumably be about his future, as he continues to deny rumors about a a move to Porsche next year.

It was a departure from the usual procession in Bahrain with plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing across the field. The World Championship is still wide open and anything can happen after the teams get a chance to regroup in Europe. It’s hard to believe Formula 1 is already headed to Spain next with the Monaco Grand Prix just a month away!

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

A Team Divided At Red Bull Racing

I wanted to elaborate a bit more on the events that unfolded at yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. The race recap covered the overall event, but the team orders involving Red Bull are worthy of another look. I’ve been discussing it a lot on Twitter over the last 24 hours and you can read more of that here.

In many ways yesterday’s Grand Prix served as a study into the pros and cons of team orders in Formula 1. On one hand you have Mercedes, who used them to keep their drivers from racing one another and risking valuable points in the World Championship. On the other hand you have Red Bull who used them so ineffectively that it’s created a massive rift on their team. I won’t elaborate too much on Mercedes as the situation is more straight forward. I can understand why Ross Brawn wanted to keep his drivers from racing one another, but I can’t understand what difference it would’ve made to let Nico Rosberg overtake Lewis Hamilton. The decision goes against the team’s philosophy that both drivers are equals, in which case it shouldn’t have mattered who finished ahead. After Hamilton’s humbling podium speech, the team should have no problem getting past this one, if they haven’t already.

The greater problem lies within Red Bull Racing. After being told explicitly by team bosses to hold position, Sebastian Vettel decided to take matters into his own hands and perform a risky passing maneuver on his teammate and the race leader Mark Webber. The pass had come after both drivers were instructed to power down their engines and bring the cars home safely. Unfortunately for Webber it meant losing out on his first win since last year’s British Grand Prix.

While the media has done their best to perpetuate the situation to far greater depths, it does create some serious problems for Red Bull as a team. In one corner you have Mark Webber,  a workhorse of a driver who produces consistent results and rarely finishes outside of the points. At most other teams, Webber would be a clear number 1 driver. In the other corner is a proven World Champion in Sebastian Vettel with 3 titles to his name.

Many have taken Vettel’s side and made the argument that the German displays the qualities needed to win championships. His ruthlessness isn’t unlike some of his predecessors, including Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. But at what point does a driver believe he’s bigger than the team that supports him? Despite Schumacher’s cunning and Senna’s sheer aggression, they knew their places within their respective teams and in a sport like Formula 1, no driver is bigger than his team. Vettel’s actions on Sunday say otherwise. By ignoring the team’s orders he showed a lack of respect and everyone watching, that he knows what’s best for himself and potentially his team. Irrational decisions can be made in the heat of the moment and it’s only after the fact that we allow ourselves to consider different perspectives. However, it won’t be easy for Vettel to come back from this. Not only has he put himself in a difficult position, he’s put Red Bull in a difficult position with Mark Webber.

If the World Championship comes down to the line at the end of the season, can Red Bull expect Webber to offer support, if his own championship bid is obsolete? The Australian has reached a point in his career where the opportunities of winning a championship of his own are numbered. 2013 could be his last realistic possibility to do so. Nothing is certain in Formula 1 and if this were to be Webber’s last season with Red Bull, then he would have no greater opportunity than right now. At age 36, this could even be his last season in Formula 1. If that were the case, he’d have nothing to lose and that will certainly affect his willingness to be a team player during crunch time. Red Bull understands this and it could prove to be a major downfall, as they seek to add a fourth consecutive World Constructor’s Championship to their legacy.

After the events that unfolded in Malaysia, Sebastian Vettel has not only further alienated himself from Webber, but potentially his team as well. Even his biggest supporter, Helmut Marko wasn’t pleased with Vettel’s lack of compliance to the team’s orders. Time heals all wounds but some take longer than others. We’re already a month into the Formula 1 season and Vettel may have run out of opportunities to connect with his teammate. The rivalry between both Red Bull drivers has been fierce since day 1, but as Webber stated yesterday, Vettel has protection within the team. While penalizing him isn’t necessarily the answer, Red Bull owe it to themselves to make a move in Webber’s favor or they risk loosing one of their greatest allies on the track. However, that ship may have already sailed.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

Formula 1 wrapped up the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier today and what is typically a rain soaked procession, turned out to be one of the most dramatic races in recent memory. The events at Sepang International Circuit conjured up memories of the Senna-Prost era at McLaren and cemented Formula 1′s identity as a team sport.

There’s an infinite amount of story lines to discuss as Europe’s sporting columns are ablaze with Red Bull and Mercedes gossip. With pit stop foibles, mechanical maladies and host of very unhappy teammates, lets get straight to it.

Ferrari came out of qualifying in prime position to score their first race win of the season, with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa starting P2 and P3. After an aggressive start by the Red Bulls, Alonso fought for position, coming out of turn 1. The Ferrari driver’s front wing became dislodged after making contact with Sebastian Vettel and then Mark Webber as he fought the Red Bulls. Alsonso was expected to come into the pits after the first lap to have his wing replaced, but failed to do so.

Upon completing the first straight of lap 2, his font wing broke free, lodging itself under the F138′s front tires and sending Alonso off the track. With his race over, it left most scratching their heads at Alonso’s bizarre decision to stay on track. The assumption was a strategy to complete 1 more lap and pit for a wing and tire change, as the track began to dry. Unfortunately things ended differently and costed Alonso valuable points in his bid to win the 2013 World Driver’s Championship. It’s still early enough in the season, but as we’ve seen so many times before, mishaps from earlier in the season tend to rear their ugly face in November. His teammate Felipe Massa completed a solid drive, finishing 5th overall.

Pit stop woes followed Alonso’s retirement for the remainder of Malaysia’s first half. In an unfortunate turn, Force India had to retire both cars as they experienced a number of issues with improperly securing wheel nuts. A collision in the pits involving Caterham and a Freudian Slip saw Lewis Hamilton pull into the McLaren pits for a brief second. Early in the race McLaren displayed flashes of brilliance with some very quick tire changes and saw Jenson Button leading the race. His success was short lived after another horrendous stop in which the mechanics sent Button out, after failing to secure the MP4-28′s right front wheel nut.

The team did manage to rescuer it, only to have Button return to the track in 14th and later retire with 3 laps to go. McLaren have gotten off to another tough start in 2013. With an admittedly sluggish car, the team can’t afford to make costly mistakes in the pits. The question is how long Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh will have to right his ship before his job comes into question. Sergio Perez secured 1 point after finishing 10th overall.

With an abundance of drama happening throughout pit lane, it was Red Bull and Mercedes that stole the show. Both teams dealt with similar issues involving team orders in an effort to conserve fuel and keep both cars on the track. Mark Webber displayed some brilliant driving as he lead most of the race and it seemed inevitable that he would secure his first win since last year’s British Grand Prix. Unfortunately his teammate Sebastian Vettel struggled with playing second fiddle and had a number of exchanges with race engineers in a bid to overtake Webber. After an excellent pit stop on lap 44, Webber emerged ahead of Vettel in P1. The two drivers battled for the next 2 laps, fighting for the lead which Webber maintained. After some interjection by team bosses, the Red Bull drivers were told to maintain the gap and bring the cars home for some valuable points. The strategy didn’t sit well with Vettel as he took to the inside, nearly colliding with the pit wall to overtake Webber in turn 1. The move was a blatant disregard for team orders and a fuming Webber showed his lack of gratitude by giving Vettel the finger. The pass has been the most talked about event following the race and in many ways brings to light the internal problems that have followed Red Bull the last few seasons. It’s no secret that Webber and Vettel aren’t the greatest of friends and Webber’s response to the move and a complete lack of sympathy on behalf of Vettel go on to illustrate a mutual dislike between the teammates. Vettel ultimately won the race, his 27th career win, with Webber finishing a close 2nd.

Mercedes experienced their own issues resulting from team orders as Lewis Hamilton struggled to outpace his teammate Nico Roseberg, in an effort to maintain tires and fuel. Rosberg had a number of exchanges with Team Principal Ross Brawn, urging him to allow a pass on Hamilton. There was concern for both cars’ fuel loads following the race and Rosberg was instructed to maintain his position. Had fuel levels not been an issue for Mercedes, it’s likely that both drivers would’ve caught the Red Bulls and there may have been a different outcome. Hamilton finished 3rd overall with Rosberg in 4th. Mercedes should be very pleased with their efforts this weekend. Many speculated that the success of the team would be a work in progress for most of 2013, however in the 2nd race of the season the team are fighting for race wins. Their time will certainly come and soon.

Once the checkered flag was raised everyone was talking about the pending podium ceremonies. A very dejected Lewis Hamilton joined fueding Red Bull teammates Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. A very uncelebratory air surrounded the podium as everyone anxiously awaited the driver’s interviews, lead by Martin Brundle.

This is a scenario where the podium interviews are useless because rarely do we get honest emotion from the drivers as they maintain composure under the spotlight. Everyone had hoped for Vettel to provide some reasoning for his actions but ended up getting a half hearted apology for not following the team’s orders. Webber was considerably more candid, however his choice in words held back most of what he was probably thinking. Hamilton showed real class in his acceptance of 3rd with his mention of Rosberg and a lack of willingness to accept his trophy. It appears as though Hamilton is desperate to turn over a new leaf this season and change people’s perceptions of himself. He certainly won a few fans back today.

It was a fantastically exciting Malaysian Grand Prix and a departure from the boring race F1 fans have grown accustomed to. It’s a 2 week break until the teams are in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The 2013 Australian Grand Prix

It’s a new year and with it, a new season of Formula 1. After months of designing, prototyping and testing, the teams were back at Albert Park for the Grand Prix of Australia.

Here are a few takeaways from today’s race.

On the back of last year’s biggest story, Lewis Hamilton made his Mercedes debut and it was a fine one indeed. Despite finishing 5th overall, Hamilton was on pace with the leaders and surpassed the expectations held by most. The Silver Arrows looked quick all weekend, but as the season moves forward, keep an eye on their reliability. Nico Rosberg’s race was cut short due to an electrical failure on lap 26.

McLaren struggled all weekend and it quickly became apparent that the MP4-28 is not on par with the rest of the front runners. Jenson Button started 10th and a bad tire strategy had him in the pits well before the rest of the grid. Sergio Perez’s debut with the team wasn’t memorable and he failed to score a single point. It’s still early and Perez may be working out some growing pains, but McLaren aren’t the kind of team to give a driver too many opportunities to get up to speed, as we all saw with Heikki Kovalainen. It was a disappointing weekend and after the loss of their top driver, technical director and title sponsor, they have some major work to do in Woking.

Mark Webber got off to another shockingly bad start after qualifying 2nd overall. It’s a trend that plagued most of his 2012 season and it’s not a good sign to see it happening again at the start of 2013. His teammate Sebastian Vettel built an early lead but fell back as the race progressed. Despite Vettel’s 3rd place finish, expect Red Bull to pull away from the rest of the field in the coming races.

Ferrari looked strong all weekend with both drivers doing well in qualifying and in the race. Felipe Massa has done a complete 180 from where he was at this time last season and even out qualified his teammate Fernando Alonso. Massa is driving with a newfound confidence that we saw glimpses of at the end of 2012 and it appears to have carried over into the new season. Alsonso had a few brilliant moments this weekend including a fantastic battle with Hamilton. Romain Grosjean should watch and learn how to execute proper wheel-to-wheel racing.

Alonso finished 2nd and Ferrari are well on their way to another successful Championship run in 2013.

Despite lots of good performances, there were 3 that really stood out. The first didn’t even get a podium finish and that was Force India’s Adrian Sutil. I’m not a fan but you have to respect a driver who spent a year away from the sport, only to come back and lead a good chunk of the Australian Grand Prix. In the end it was the tires that kept Sutil back but I doubt we’ll be seeing the last of him at the front of the pack in 2013.

Then there’s Kimi Raikkonen, today’s race winner. Could the Australian Grand Prix have ended any better? The Iceman finished the race by telling his engineer ”I told you the car was fast”, it was classic Kimi through and through. Lotus is everyone’s favorite underdog team in Formula 1 and with this strong of a start to the season, there will be more race wins to come. Expect Grosjean to improve his pace in the coming months and Kimi to keep being Kimi.

Finally, hats off to NBC Sports. We all wondered what would happen to Formula 1 in the United States after SPEED lost their broadcast rights. I think it’s the best thing to happen for American fans since Circuit of the Americas broke ground in Austin. Formula 1 deserves a proper home on American television and the guys at NBC did an absolutely brilliant job all weekend. The continuing race coverage during commercial breaks, the broadcast of delayed qualifying sessions and a fantastic post race show are just a few examples of just how seriously NBC is taking Formula 1. Well done!

Things are just getting started and it’s only going to get better! The Malaysian Grand Prix is less than a week away!

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The Grand Prix Of Europe

I can honestly say, this is the first Formula 1 recap, I haven’t wanted to write. How can I possibly begin to summarize the events of Sunday’s European Grand Prix? There’s so much to talk about, not only concerning the race itself, but all the rumors swirling around Sebastian Vettel’s (rumored) move to Ferrari, in 2014 and Lewis Hamilton’s contract negotiations with McLaren. On top of that, I’ve just heard Mark Webber, was nearly disqualified for using suspension, that was (almost) outside of the regulations.

For the last 5 years, Valencia Street Circuit has been home to the European Grand Prix. I’ve never been a fan of this race, if you could call it that. It’s mostly come off as a glorified testing session, that just happened to contribute to the Driver’s and Constructor’s World Championships. The drab affair has provided little in terms of passing and wheel to wheel excitement. Despite this, all of the cars are built with this track in mind and once it’s no longer on the F1 calendar, teams can begin to use smaller fuel tanks, which may affect other races throughout the year. However, 2012 was a much different affair. Would you expect anything less in such a competitive and unpredictable season?

Saturday qualifying saw more of the usual suspects on the front row for Sunday’s race. After a single, balls out lap from Sebastian Vettel in Q3, pole position was his. Lewis Hamilton, despite struggling with the MP4-27, managed to come in just behind Vettel. It was looking like Sunday’s race would be another Red Bull-McLaren shoot out. Ferrari was nowhere to be found, as neither of their drivers made it out of Q2. Fernando Alonso would start from 11th.

Lap 26 of the European Grand Prix. Ask anyone, who was going to win and they would’ve told you Sebastian Vettel. He was in his element all weekend. A typically brilliant start, had him 2 seconds a head of Lewis Hamilton, by the end of the first lap. The lead would keep increasing to 20 seconds, by the middle of the race. With the right tire strategy, Vettel would surely drive to his second victory of 2012; the first driver, in this most historic of seasons, to do so.

Vettel’s Abrupt End

A collision between Jean-Éric Vergne and Heikki Kovalainen, saw the arrival of the safety car in lap 27. Vettel was able to maintain the lead, after the race resumed in lap 34, but coming out of turn 10, his pace began to slow. There was no visible damage to the RB8, which Red Bull later alluded to a failed alternator. Vettel’s race was over. It’s a scenario we haven’t seen since Korea in 2010. A seemly flawless race from the World Champion, ended on no account of his own.

McLaren Out Of Sync

On Saturday, Lewis Hamilton seemed surprised by his success in qualifying. He mentioned that the team had a lot of work to do and he was struggling with the car. McLaren’s brilliant 2.9 second pit stop, earlier in the race, was the fastest of any team this season. It was beginning to look like the team were finally sorting out their issues. Maybe we all spoke too soon because Hamilton’s next trip to the pits was of a more typical outcome. Not 1, but 2 broken jacks, slowed Hamilton’s stop, as the mechanic’s struggled to change his tires. It cost Hamilton 2 positions and ultimately the race.

Jenson Button continued to be the invisible man on Sunday. I don’t think we’ve seen this little of him since his Honda days. Pirelli’s new tires, not only seem to have Button perplexed, but his engineers as well. For Valenca, he began using Hamilton’s tuning setup, which seemed to benefit him. What I can’t understand is why Button’s engineers have struggled so much to find a solution. The driver has always been known for his amazing ability to conserve tires, while winning races. Could this be a case of McLaren showing favoritism to the more successful of the pair? You can tell it’s another contract year at McLaren as the team tries to woo Hamilton into an extension. Button is locked in for the next 3 years.

Scuderia Year Book

The outcome of Sunday’s European Grand Prix was one for the ages. Who would’ve expected 3 of Ferrari’s greatest past and present driver’s to finish in the top 3? In many ways it was a look back in time, with Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher (both out of retirement), joining race winner Feranando Alonso on the podium.

Fernando Alonso continues to silence all naysayers. He’s proven that tools will only get you so far and in a car, that no one thought would be successful, Alonso is 2012′s first repeat winner. A stunning drive saw him work his way up from 11th to 1st, in front of his home crowd. An emotional Alonso, took some extra time on his victory lap, to celebrate the occasion with his fans and some of the race marshals. It was a fantastic sight; typically the drivers are rushed through the podium ceremonies, for post race interviews. At this point, my money is on Alonso to win it all this season. While his qualifying has been mediocre at times, come Sunday the driving has been consistently brilliant.

Kimi Raikkonen had a good drive in the Lotus, which was quick all weekend. As Hamilton struggled with his tires, Raikkonen was quick to pass, securing 2nd. But if there was anyone to steal Alonso’s spotlight, it was Michael Schumacher, who celebrated his first podium finish with Mercedes. While many will say his 3rd place finish was due to the various retirements, Schumacher was there at the checkered flag.

Grosjean & Hamilton Retired

Romain Grosjean and Lewis Hamilton were two of the top contenders, who failed to finish, alongside Vettel. Grosjean was forced to retire his Lotus in lap 41 because of an alternator failure. The Renault-powered RB8 of Vettel, is presumed to have suffered the same demise. At the time of the incident, Grosjean was in 2nd, behind Alonso. Were he able to finish the race, we probably would’ve seen a different Lotus driver on the podium. Grosjean continues to impress each race weekend.

Lewis Hamilton’s race went from bad to worse, in the final laps. His tires began to falter, forcing Hamilton to struggle for grip, with Raikkonen and Pastor Maldonado closing in. Raikkonen eventually passed Hamilton, who’s tires were shot at that point. The ensuing battle for 3rd, between Hamilton and Maldonado, resulted in a collision and a 20 second penalty for Maldonado. Hamilton’s car was unable to finish the race; his first major error, in an otherwise mistake-free season. The debate over Hamilton and Maldonado’s contact, has been hotly debated, as many believe Hamilton was at fault. While I tend to agree with both arguments, the stewards made the right decision, in penalizing Maldonado. With that said, Hamilton was overly aggressive and should have moved aside, especially since he knew his tires were done. Ultimately my blame is once again on McLaren. Had Hamilton’s second pit stop, not been riddled with problems, he wouldn’t have been forced to push his tires so hard. This one was definitely on the team.

The European Grand Prix certainly threw a curve ball and ended up being one of the best races thus far. It’s impossible to think that Formula 1 keeps getting better and better, with each race. Fernando Alonso’s lead in the World Championship is only 20 points. Next in line is Mark Webber (of all people), so it truly is anyone’s game. The British Grand Prix is next weekend, the home race for most of the teams. It’s great to see Formula 1 back in Europe. The season proper is in full swing!

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The Grand Prix Of Monaco

The Grand Prix of Monaco. Something about it just sounds proper. It’s the third oldest Grand Prix in Formula 1 and one of the most storied. The infamous Circuit de Monaco has changed little, since the event’s first running in 1929. Monaco is a principality on the French Riviera, known to be frequented by the jet set and ultra wealthy. The star studded event is certainly the most glamorous on the Formula 1 calendar, however its not all spectacle. Watching the Grand Prix is like looking back into history.

It’s hard for me not to sound gushy when talking about the Grand Prix of Monaco. It was indeed, the first Formula 1 Grand Prix I ever watched live and for that, it’s pretty special. While many have commented about the main event’s rather boring racing, Sunday served as an exciting reminder, of just how amazing the sport’s drivers and their cars can be.

Webber & Red Bull On Point

After a surprising pole by Michael Schumacher in Saturday’s Q3, it was Mark Webber who took the spot, after a 5 grid spot penalty on Schumacher. Could there have been a better place for Schumacher to secure his first pole with Mercedes? Every once in a while, F1 throws a curveball and in a qualifying; where we were sure to see a Red Bull or Ferrari in pole, it was Schumacher who surprised us all.

I was very pleased to see Mark Webber do so well this weekend. After a great start off the line and a clean exit from the notorious Sainte Devote, Red Bull led most of the Grand Prix. A make or break tire strategy for Sebastian Vettel, had him out well after the rest of the grid, in hopes of looming rain. During that stint, he gained a massive lead over the rest of the drivers and proved that when it comes to driving without contention, there’s no one better. Eventually Vettel had to pit, with Webber regaining the lead. He held it during a positively stunning, final 10 laps, which saw 6 of the sport’s best drivers, nose to tail. While there was no passing, the sight of those 6 cars (Webber, Rosberg, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton and Massa) around the streets of Monaco, were some of the best 15 minutes of 2012 thus far. A positively exhausted looking Webber took first, with Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso finishing second and third.

If there’s one driver outside of the McLaren boys, I gladly show my support of, it’s Mark Webber. He’s put in the seat time and he deserves more victories like the one in Monaco. He’s had a tough time getting good starts, but hopefully this win will bring a new confidence to the Red Bull driver.

Don’t Believe The Hype

We saw a more true to form Pastor Maldonado, this weekend in Monaco. On the back of his first career win in Spain, 2 weeks ago, things couldn’t have gone any worse for the Williams driver. After causing a collision, with Sergio Perez during free practice, Maldonado was given a 10 grid spot penalty (and a further 5 for a gear box change). Although he made it into Q3 and earned a 9th starting spot, the penalties saw him starting 24th. Things didn’t fare well once the race started either, a collision in Sainte Devote, saw Maldonado out of the race. While I’ll admit he showed his chops in Spain, I never considered Maldonado to be a contender and still don’t.

Dazed & Confused

What happened to Jenson Button? Surely it’s an impostor, driving in JB’s MP4-27? Another race and another bad showing for McLaren in Monaco. I’m over this team right now. How many chances do they need to redeem themselves? Lewis has been a class act, through all of the controversy. He’s driving to the very best of his abilities and has stood behind his team. This is a more mature, focused Hamilton than we haven’t seen before. It doesn’t matter though, because Formula 1 is a team sport. The driver can do only so much and in the case of McLaren, they’ve not got it together this season.

Martin Whitmarsh was hanging out in the press again today, making more excuses and diverting the attention, away from himself. The politician’s gag is getting old Marty, why can’t the team get a grip? The pit stops are still horrendous and there’s no excuse. Hamilton also made some statements, about his dissatisfaction with the pitting strategy and the car’s setup, on Sunday. With numbers falling from the lap board onto his head, passing by the pit wall, it’s as if McLaren has become a comedy team.

Jenson Button hasn’t been laughing. He’s been in his worst funk, since the good old days at Honda. It’s a lull he has no real excuse for, apart from the fact the car isn’t working. He didn’t make it out of Q2 on Saturday and spent a vast majority of Sunday’s race, held up by Heikki Kovalainen. After colliding in lap 70, Button’s weekend was over.

Separation of Powers

So far it’s been an unpredictable season and we’ve seen 6 winners from 5 different teams. I think all that is about to change and we’re going to start seeing a couple of teams, pulling away in the Championship. The first team that comes to mind, is obviously Red Bull. Red Bull got off to a bit of a rocky start, but after the performances of both their drivers yesterday, there’s little doubt they’ll be at the head of the pack, through November. Mark Webber will be pleased to get that rhythm back and his first win of 2012 out of the way. Sebastian Vettel is also beginning to heat up and despite not always being on the same page as his team, concerning strategy, he’ll be a strong contender the remainder of the season. Adrian Newey also seems to have dialed in the RB8 much more. It’s been looking a lot better in racing.

The other team beginning to pull away, is Ferrari. What a weekend for the Scuderia, who saw both of their drivers finish in the points. Yes, I said BOTH of their drivers. Felipe Massa had a major comeback (relatively speaking) in Monaco. While it’s still way too early to tell if his resurgence is here to stay, you can bet he’s breathing a temporary sigh of relief. Whether or not he’ll be replaced (I think he will) during August break or at the end of season, remains to be seen. His teammate Fernando Alonso is on fire right now. Give the guy a lousy car and you’ll see if he can really drive. Well, Alonso has proven himself week after week and though he’s only secured one win at Sepang, he’s been on the podium 2 additional times and leads the Driver’s Championship. His skill is going to keep Ferrari in the running and that consistency are beginning to pull them ahead.

If I wanted to take it a step further and predict a wild card, I’d say it was Lotus. Kimi Raikkonen has been inconsistent, but he’s fast and so is his teammate Romain Grosjean, who’s been doing very well this year. The Lotus is also quick in the straights and that’s helped in qualifying. I’d look out for them to do very well in the next few races.

Another Grand Prix of Monaco in the books. While it’s not the most exciting for wheel to wheel racing, no where is there a better showcase for the sheer speed and lunacy of Formula 1 racing. Monaco in many ways embodies the sport as a whole; fast paced, glamorous, but always staying true to its roots. Another great weekend and many more to come in this 2012 season. Canada is in 2 weeks.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

The Grand Prix Of Bahrain

Round 4 of the Formula 1 World Championship, wrapped up yesterday in what was leading up to be, the most controversial race of the season.

Since 2011, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been embroiled in social unrest. The ruling Al Kahlifa family have been at odds with Bahrain’s citizens, over the kingdom’s political structure. Amidst reports of killings, imprisonment and torture, last year’s race was cancelled. For 2012, the Bahrain Grand Prix was again on the Formula 1 calender, a controversial decision by the FIA. From a sponsorship perspective, it’s one of the most lucrative races of the season. That and a desire to show the world the Kingdom is on the mend, are primary reasons for rescheduling this year’s event.

In the weeks leading up to the race, it was uncertain whether it would happen at all. Tensions over the race where high and there were major safety concerns, for the teams and their drivers. The media were also hesitant and recommended to stay in designated hotels, throughout the week. However, the show must go on and despite the protests, Sunday provided another unpredictable race, in what’s becoming a historic season.

I didn’t care for the Bahrain Grand Prix. I found myself frustrated throughout most of the race. The mood at Bahrain International Circuit, was at best, subdued. Despite reports that it was a sold out event, you’d be hard pressed to notice any fan presence. Blisteringly hot temperatures made tire strategy, the highest priority and most teams held back in qualifying, to conserve precious rubber.

Sebastian Vettel’s Return To Form

With temper tantrums following his race in Malaysia and a different, unsuccessful exhaust setup in China, Sebastian Vettel appeared to be out of sorts, heading into Bahrain. Ultimately, he was able to secure his first win of the season on Sunday; a drive that saw him back in Championship form.

After out qualifying Lewis Hamilton by less than a second, Vettel started in pole. A fantastic start helped him secure a 2 second gap, by the end of lap 1. The RB8 looked quick all weekend and it seems as though Red Bull are beginning to hone in, the car’s true potential. In turns 1 and 2, the RB8 was unbeatable, as Kimi Raikkonen struggled to pass Vettel, in a much faster Lotus. One victory doesn’t tell the whole story though and in a season as unpredictable as this, it’s still anyone’s game.

New Found Success For Lotus

While Lotus only managed the qualify 7th and 11th, due to a tire conservation strategy, they were podium contenders on race day. The E20 had amazing straight line speed and allowed Kimi Raikkonen to catch Sebastian Vettel. I knew it was only a matter of time before Kimi earned his first podium finish.

It’s been apparent all season, that his time away from Formula 1, has had little affect on his driving abilities. Kimi’s teammate, former GP2 Champion, Romain Grosjean also had a stellar drive on Sunday, helping Lotus with a 2-3 finish. That result moved them to 3rd overall, in the Constructor’s Championship. Lotus has certainly turned its team around in 2012 and it’s part of a very interesting development of highly competitive, midfield contenders. Lotus, Williams, Sauber and Force India have all been good so far this season and it’s made the racing that much more exciting.

McLaren In The Pits

What started off as another good weekend for McLaren, quickly ended in disaster. Lewis Hamilton put down a fantastic Q3, securing a front row start, less than a second behind Sebastian Vettel. Ultimately, Hamilton’s race was ruined in the pits. Everything that could possibly go wrong, for McLaren in the pits, has happened over the last 3 races. In China, Jenson Button’s hopes for a second victory were squashed, due to a faulty wheel gun. In Bahrain, Hamilton was held up by a wheel nut issue. The prediction, is that in a haste to get Hamilton out quickly, the wheel hub became cross threaded, which affected his second pit stop and ultimately spoiled his race.

His teammate Jenson Button, retired on lap 55, with a broken exhaust. Yet another blow to a team everyone predicted, to be the dominate force, starting the season. What’s most frustrating about McLaren’s scenario, is that their driver’s have played little part, in the team’s misfortunes. In the 3 weeks until Spain, McLaren need to seriously reassess their pitting strategy. They’re currently the only team on the grid, who don’t change tires with the nut pre-fastened to the wheel.

Stewards On Holiday

Following their success in China, Mercedes struggled on Sunday. Michael Scumacher was given a 5 grid spot penalty, for changing his car’s transmission, after qualifying 18th. Things faired better for Nico Rosberg, who qualified 5th, but had difficulty in Sunday’s race. He ultimately finished 5th. Rosberg was also involved in 2 separate incidents of defensive driving. The first with Lewis Hamilton, who was forced off the track, following the first of his bad pit stops. In an aggressive maneuver, Hamilton passed Rosberg, while off the track. A similar incident involving Fernando Alonso, happened later in the race. In both occurrences, the Stewards said they’d evaluate it after the race. Why pend a decision after the race has already ended? If drive through penalties need to be given out, do your job and take care of it immediately. Rosberg was quick to go on the defensive, calling out both opposing drivers. All Formula 1 drivers are allowed 1 defensive move, while holding a position; after which an opening needs to be left available. Unfortunately, this rule leaves a large grey area, where either argument can be made. In these cases, the Stewards should be evaluating the situation immediately.

Finicky Tires Makes For Better Racing

Long lasting, this year’s Pirelli tires are not. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Michael Schumacher was quick to voice his displeasure in the press, following Sunday’s race. He accused Pirelli of producing tires, that didn’t allow the cars or their drivers, to reach their maximum potential on the track. I tend not to agree and in many ways, the high degradation of the Pirellis, has made for some very exciting wheel to wheel racing.

We saw this first hand in China, as Kimi Raikkonen was passed by a quarter of the grid in 2 laps. Tires also allowed Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber to overtake Sebastian Vettel, in the final laps of that race. Many races are won and lost in the pits, as we’ve seen so painfully with McLaren. It’s more important than ever, to have an aggressive pitting strategy and the heat in Bahrain truly exploited the Pirellis’ weaknesses.

Is Bahrain United?

While it certainly wasn’t the primary goal of the race, many were hoping a Formula 1 Grand Prix, would help start the healing process in Bahrain. On the back of political and social unrest for more than a year, Formula 1′s presence was a controversial one.

From afar, it’s hard to get a grasp as to what is really happening there. In many ways I believe the teams and media, were kept fairly secluded at Bahrain International Circuit, well away from the actual reality. There was just news today that journalists had been arrested following yesterday’s Formula 1 and GP2 races. Ultimately Bahrain has a long way to go and one glamorized event, is little more than a bandage covering the wound. Where the sport was successful, was in it’s ability to remain neutral. Just get on with the race and that’s exactly what they did.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

Thriller In Shanghai

The Chinese Grand Prix proved to be another thriller, with wheel to wheel racing, right up to the final lap. Formula 1′s stop in Shanghai, wraps up the first Asia leg of the 2012 season, as the teams head to Bahrain this week

2012 is already shaping up to be a fantastic and extremely unpredictable season. I had no idea what to expect, going into today’s race and it really was anybody’s game. Mercedes had a fantastic qualifying session on Saturday, with Nico Rosberg finally getting his first pole. Michael Schumacher qualified a respectable 3rd, but started on the front row in 2nd, after Lewis Hamilton received a 5 grid spot penalty, for a gear box change.

Rosberg got off to a great start and was helped by Schumacher, in keeping the rest of the pack behind, while building the gap. It was teamwork in its purest form and Rosberg’s resulting early lead, was maintained across the finish, where he secured his first career win. It was also the first win for Mercedes, as a constructor since 1955, with Juan Manuel Fangio behind the wheel. I expected to see the Silver Arrows eating through the tires, but Rosberg did a great job maintaining his tire degradation, throughout the race.

Mercedes’s day wasn’t all smiles though. Michael Schumacher had to retire early after the W03′s right, front wheel nut wasn’t screwed down. Mercedes weren’t the only team to suffer from pit stop errors. The boys from McLaren showed up, for a Malaysian Grand Prix encore, and botched Jenson Button’s chances for a win.

Lewis Hamilton started the weekend strong for McLaren and despite his 5 grid spot penalty, seemed in relatively good spirits, qualifying 2nd. His teammate Jenson Button got off to a great start from 6th and moved up 3 spots, entering turn 1. Despite consistently closing the gap on Rosberg, Button’s hopes for a win were decided by yet another, McLaren botched pit stop. A faulty wheel gun stranded Button an extra 6 seconds, ruining his chances for catching Rosberg. He ultimately finished 2nd, with Hamilton 3rd, after some fantastic wheel to wheel racing with Sebastian Vettel.

How is character judged? It’s judged not by how an individual handles victory, but how they handle defeat.

The season is still anybody’s game and I’m not saying for a second, that Sebastian Vettel is out of the running. There are still 17 races between now and November and anything can happen. It is however, painfully obvious, that whether it be the car or the driver, something is not going right for Vettel. After an outburst, following the Malaysian Grand Prix, and news of both Red Bull drivers using different exhaust setups in Shanghai, Vettel is beginning to look desperate. During today’s race, he was not only overtaken by Lewis Hamilton, in the second to last lap, but his teammate Mark Webber.

All the while Vettel has been struggling, Webber has been quietly out of the spotlight, giving solid performances. He’s outdriven his World Champion teammate, in every Grand Prix of the season and has undoubtably given himself, more of a voice within the team. It’s always bothered me how the media, even his own team, have brushed Webber off to the side. Yes, he’s one of the veteran drivers on the grid, but he’s consistent and always keeps his team in the points. Had it not been for some horrific starts last season, we may have seen a more even matchup at Red Bull. He’s also a driver who doesn’t loose his cool and takes advantage of opportunities. In many ways, he reminds me of Jenson Button, maybe that’s why the two are good friends off the track?

Sauber looked good in the first half of the race, then lost their holding and finished 10th and 11th overall. Sergio Perez had some brilliant laps, fending off Lewis Hamilton and a set of tires, well past their expiration. Fernando Alonso finished 9th, after another difficult drive in the F2012, a car that’s quietly plotting to kill its driver. The incredibly twitchy Ferrari, forced Alonso to fight the car, the entire race. It’s a credit to Alonso, as he’s the best man for the job. On the other hand, his teammate Felipe Massa struggled, again. Massa’s pacing isn’t remotely close to the upper half of the pack, much to the dismay of his team. I’ll be surprised if something drastic doesn’t happen at Ferrari this season.

Two of the biggest surprises at Shanghai were Kimi Raikkonen and Williams. Raikkonen did well in qualifying and put the Lotus in 5th, starting 4th. After a brilliant drag race down the pit lane with Lewis Hamilton, Rakkonen fell back and finished a disappointing 14th, after being walloped by a quarter of the grid, in 2 laps. The other big surprise of the day was Williams who went from bringing up the rear in 2011, to a serious mid-field contender in 2012. Both Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldando had excellent drives, finishing 7th and 8th, ahead of Ferrari. Williams and Sauber are definitely mixing things up for the rest of the grid, this season.

Next week will quite possibly be the most controversial race of the season. The teams head to Bahrain, a kingdom which has been under both political and social turmoil, for more than a year. It’s going to be very interested to see how the next week unfolds.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.

Shanghai

Yes, in case you forgot, there is a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai this weekend. With all the talk of Bahrain, the Chinese Grand Prix has taken a back seat in the media. Rightfully so, I think the level of political unrest in the Kingdom, is too high for a race and the FIA should cancel it. The Al Khalifa family would rather see otherwise, as the Grand Prix is an opportunity for them to show the rest of the World that Bahrain is indeed, on the mend. In reality, the conflict is far from “resolved” and you can expect all the teams and their drivers to be provided with the finest security protection during their stay. But what message is that sending to the rest of the World?

Anyway, all of this is best saved for another post. Let’s talk about the Chinese Grand Prix.

A microscopic Lewis Hamilton and former NBA All-Star, Yao Ming.

This weekend’s Grand Prix is going to be very interesting and should begin to tell us a few things. Firstly, where is Red Bull at? Mark Webber has had a couple of decent drives in Melbourne and Sepang, but his teammate Sebastian Vettel has struggled, both in qualifying and racing. Vettel had some choice words, following the Malaysian GP, about Formula 1′s resident punching bag, Narain Karthikevan and it’s clear he’s frustrated. There’s no doubt he’s feeling the pressure coming off a double World Championship.

This weekend is also going to tell us where McLaren is headed this season. Have they really built the best car on the grid? Is Jenson Button the favorite to win another Driver’s Championship and what does his teammate have to say about it? For the most part, Button and Hamilton have been very friendly as teammates. Will more success for both drivers create a rift? This may be Hamilton’s final season with McLaren and he’s going into this race as it’s defending champion. He’s been excellent in qualifying, but unable to race well.

Ferrari are also coming off a win in Malaysia. Fernando Alonso was indeed assisted by the unpredictable weather, but no one is refuting that he had one hell of a drive, in quite possibly the worst and definitely the ugliest car this season. Felipe Massa is still on thin ice. After being given a brand new chassis for Malaysia, he was still unable to perform. His race engineer Rob Smedley appears to have had it as well.

Then there’s the rest of the grid. How will Sauber come off a fantastic showing at Malaysia? Is Sergio Perez prepared to do it again? Mercedes has also had a chance to work out their W03 which has done well in qualifying and ferociously eaten its tires on race day. Lotus, who isn’t actually Lotus, but Renault, has been good so far. Kimi Raikkonen silenced any predictions, that his absence made him rusty. It’s only a matter of time before we see him and the team, back on the podium.

There’s a lot to look forward to this weekend. Practice is less than 2 days away.

Photo courtesy of Lewis Hamilton.

The Malaysian Grand Prix

I spent the better part of yesterday watching what ended up being, one of the most exciting Formula 1 races in recent memory. No one could’ve predicted the spectacle that unfolded, at Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

The weekend started off in a similar fashion to Australia, with McLaren as the favorites to win. After another promising day of practice on Friday and a fantastic front row lockout in qualifying, it seemed likely we’d see Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, on the podium. Hamilton got his second pole of the season and seemed a bit more relaxed and confident than he did, the previous weekend in Melbourne. Then everything went terribly wrong.

After an hour long rain delay, following lap 9, McLaren’s luck quickly ran out. Jenson Button locked up under braking and made contact with Narain Karthikeyan, damaging the car’s front wing. This set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, which included some of the most horrendous pit stops I’ve seen, in professional motor sports. Heads must certainly be rolling today at the McLaren paddock, as the crews still appeared to be hung over, from last weekend’s celebrations. Hamilton nursed his MP4-27 to a lowly 3rd (considering he started in pole), while Button finished 14th and out of the points. McLaren have been rather vague about their disastrous race in Malaysia. I’d like to see Martin Whitmarsh show a little passion once in a while. His responses to the press were in vain of the finest politicians. Hey Marty, loosen up that collar because your guys sucked.

McLaren had a bad race, though I don’t expect to see them making the same mistakes again. Speaking of bad weeks, how about Red Bull? Sebastian Vettel qualified 6th and finished 11th. Not much of a result from last year’s fastest car World Champion. Vettel’s afternoon wasn’t without incident either. He also made contact with Narain Karthikeyan, a driver who seemingly has no apparent place in Formula 1. Karthikeyan’s accolades include 5 career points, 0 fastest laps, 0 podium finishes and 0 race wins. So I ask, what the hell is he doing in Formula 1?

Red Bull’s afternoon wasn’t all tears. Mark Webber, who I think is a damn good driver, got a respectable 4th. He also out-qualified his teammate for the second week in a row. Not bad for a number 2.

There were more unexpected results from Mercedes, who were also favorites going into the weekend. Michael Schumacher who amazingly, qualified 3rd, botched his race and finished 10th. Nico Rosberg, who’s never quite lived up to expectations, finished 13th. The W03 certainly looks good in qualifying, but no sort of F-duct sorcery from Mr. Brawn, can save them during racing.

Despite all of Sundays disappointment the Malaysian Grand Prix had its heroes.

Throw all of your predictions out the window because they’re worthless.

Coming into this weekend, Ferrari were a team that no one was counting on. With one driver headed for the boardroom and another barely able to get through the second round of qualifying, it was anybody’s guess, as to where Fernando Alonso would end up. But on Sunday, the F2012′s lackluster performance didn’t seem to matter. Alonso completed a spectacular drive, securing his first win of the season. It’s a copout to say races are won by the best technology. Alonso’s win just proves that skill outweighs even the ugliest, most unpredictable chassis.

Felipe Massa is struggling and could be on his way out, as early as mid-season. This weekend he was given a brand new F2012 chassis, after complaining about the car, last weekend in Melbourne. Once again the driver was unable to perform. His teammate however, finished the race in spectacular fashion, using the very same chassis. While technology certainly plays a major role, it’s not the end all.

Then there’s this man, Sergio Perez. Another driver in another car, that no one was expecting anything from. Sauber seem to have all their ducks in a row this season and they’ve apparently built a car, that’s superior to their rivals at Ferrari. Perez and his C31 where on the hunt and did an astonishing job, closing the gap between Alonso. If it hadn’t been for an off in turn 14, Perez likely would’ve won the race. He’s rumored to be next in line at Ferrari, taking over for Massa. Some may call it luck, but I don’t think this is the last we’ll see from Sauber this season. I think they’re just getting started.

Lastly, hats off to Kimi Raikkonen. He’s been away from the sport for 2 years. Could you tell? Raikkonen also had one hell of a drive on Sunday. He qualified 5th on Saturday, but started 10th, after receiving a 5 grid spot penalty because of a transmission swap. The penalty didn’t seem to phase him, as he finished 5th; ahead of 3 former World Champions, who have all been competing (and winning) in the sport, during his absence. Kimi even treated the entire press tent to ice cream, before the race. It’s only a matter of time before his first podium and win, this season.

In a nutshell, that’s everything interesting from the Malaysian Grand Prix. As a piece of literature, not my best effort; but there’s so much to discuss, following a race no one could’ve predicted and a season, that’s just getting started. Shanghai is in 3 weeks, get ready.

Photos courtesy of F1 Fanatic.