Thursday

THIS VIDEO...

...is quite awesome!

Sauber F1 cut through one of their, I believe it's 2008, cars and after two years we can see the end result. The video gives a great insight into how an F1 car is built and reveals all the components of such a high-quality piece of engineering brilliance. Formula One really is at the pinnacle of technology and development and that's what makes it so unique and stand-out compared to other sports.

I'm really interested in the technical side of F1 and all the engineering aspects of it but sadly science was never my strong point; so I'm glad teams do things like this to simplify the technical side of the sport for all of us ordinary fans!

Watch it, enjoy it and leave a comment to tell me what you think...

Aqsa

MORE RED BULL RUMOURS...

Following his win in the Monaco Grand Prix Mark Webber, and his Red Bull team, were faced with speculation that the Australian driver was backing up the rest of the pack on purpose to help fellow Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel. It was said that this was done during the period of the race when Sebastian was leading; his alternative tyre strategy meant that he could stay out longer on his first set of tyres when everyone else pitted. Such conspiracy theories are commonplace in Formula 1 and accusations of team orders are always rife. However, Mark Webber has since spoken about these claims in his column on the BBC Sport website. Here's what he had to say on the matter:

"That is absolute rubbish. You just cannot be that fancy around Monaco."

Well that should answer any doubts anyone may have had over Red Bull's strategy. He went on to say, and I'm paraphrasing, that there'd be no point to risk playing these games in Monaco as you put yourself under more pressure from the guys behind you and the mechanics could always "mess up Seb's stop"

I think both of the Red Bull drivers, and indeed the team, deserve credit for their achievements in Monaco. Webber won, which is always special, and Vettel followed up a poor Qualifying with a nice batch of points. So, can we please stop with the accusations and conspiracy theories that always seem to surround this team whenever they do well? The answer is probably not! I'm sure we'll keep hearing more of them during the season.

Despite these claims the team still lead the Constructors' so they're definitely doing a good job; after all, they're the only team to have won twice so far in 2012!
Aqsa

Monday

SETTING THE SCENE.

The Monaco Grand Prix is more about the glitz and glamour than it is about the actual racing. However, even with significantly few overtakes during the race it still manages to entertain and captivate audiences the world over. There was plenty to talk about after the race and so I had to have a good old think about what picture I wanted to choose for this week's 'Setting the Scene' feature. Here's my choice:
The winner of the race Mark Webber is now drawn on points with Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel but they both sit behind shock-championship leader and Fernando Alonso. Both have reason to celebrate but only for a couple of weeks as the championship will be blown wide open again, I'm sure, after the Canadian Grand Prix.

Aqsa

(Image: mg.co.za)

Sunday

MARK MASTERS MONACO FOR A RED BULL HAT-TRICK

The Monaco Grand Prix today added to the spectacle that is the 2012 Formula 1 season. With Mark Webber's fantastic, historical win we now have six different winners in the first six races of the season; the first time this has ever happened in F1... I don't know how many times the unpredictability of this season can be underlined but there is just no other way to put it.

Red Bull have now won this race for the third year in succession with their 'number 2' driver Mark Webber. Despite many of the questions asked about Red Bull's performance, all unnecessary if you ask me, the team definitely delivered today. In what was one of the most exciting race ends I think I have ever seen Webber kept his cool and handled the pressure that the four cars behind him were piling on. Rosberg, Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton all went for a late charge in the hope of gaining places, perhaps in vain at this circuit. The cars were becoming much closer and literally anything could have happened in this closing stage. One tiny mistake would have changed things dramatically. Webber's teammate Vettel did well to even be involved in this battle for the win/podium. After starting the race in 9th position on the harder of the two tyre compounds Vettel proved his strategy was the best one he could have chosen. He managed his tyres incredibly well to maintain the lead of the Grand Prix for a number of laps after the drivers ahead of him went in for their pit-stops. Building a solid gap during this stage of the race benefited him as he came out in fourth after his turn in the pits. We saw just how hard overtaking in Monaco is as Vettel just couldn't pass Alonso no matter how close he came. Fourth was therefore the position he finished in but he did climb 5 places to get there; no mean feat in Monte Carlo. These results also mean that the two Red Bull drivers are now drawn on points in the drivers' Championship; they sit 2nd and 3rd behind, would you believe it?, a Ferrari.
The Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, that is, who took the final spot on the podium. He gained a couple of places from where he started the race and held his position well throughout. He even faced a challenge from teammate Massa but kept that third place during the race. Considering the position Ferrari were in just a few races ago it is astonishing to think that their driver is number 1 in the championship standings. They either made huge progress with the updates they brought to Mugello or have a driver who is capable of consistently outperforming his car. That being said, Felipe Massa had a great drive in Monaco today and, unlike in previous races, wasn't that far behind his Ferrari colleague. He finished 6th and, although I'm sure the pressure on him won't reduce by much, was able to silence a few of his critics, for a couple of weeks anyway. Felipe is definitely one of the drivers on the grid who must fight this season to keep a seat for 2013 but today he can relax in the knowledge that he picked up a good handful of points in Monaco to end what has been a more than satisfactory weekend for the Brazilian.

Someone who can't share this emotion would have to be Jenson Button. Yet another DNF for the Brit means another batch of points he misses out on and his championship winning dreams are fading fast. In a season as tight as this one a driver can't afford to lose valuable points and Button seems to be doing this on a rather regular basis in comparison to his rivals. And if you still needed further evidence that this year's F1 season is becoming increasingly unpredictable the sight of a McLaren car stuck behind a Caterham should have put your doubts to rest. The Caterham of Heikki Kovaleinen was responsible for frustrating Button and and when he did try to make a move on the so-called backmarker he spun and effectively ended his race.

McLaren's other driver Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in Monaco; two places lower than where he started. A poor start compared to those around him saw him stuck behind the Ferrari duo for the first stage of the race and then he lost out to Sebastian Vettel's alternative tyre strategy when the German emerged from the pit lane ahead of him. He did have a late attempt at making a move on Vettel in that stunning battle in the last few laps of the race but he, like the drivers in front of him, couldn't manage to move forward. Speaking to the BBC's Lee McKenzie after the race the disappointment on Hamilton's face was clear. A fifth position is hard for a driver still trying to win his first race of the season but it is increasingly harder when the two drivers ahead of you started behind you on the grid. However, Hamilton's title hopes are still alive; he is 10 points behind Vettel and Webber and 13 behind the leader Alonso.
Yesterday was definitely Michael Schumacher's day as the veteran German driver was fastest of all during Qualifying. Following his correct prediction of him getting pole position, Michael still thought he was in with a chance of winning the race but, sadly, it was another retirement for Schumacher. He was experiencing problems during the middle section of the race but his concerns started much earlier. He collided with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean at the start of the race and it is possible that he sustained damage here that affected his later on. He started losing places rather quickly and was forced to allow cars to pass him because he was simply unable to hold them off. His teammate Nico Rosberg finished on the podium in Monaco; in 2nd place. This means Rosberg has a 57 point lead over his experienced fellow Mercedes driver. As I stated in my Qualifying review, it is all very well to pull out strong Saturday performances but if he continues to follow them up with poor races, the criticism on Schumacher's comeback will continue. 2 points from 6 races is simply not good enough for a team trying to challenge for race wins.
Other drivers in the points were the Force India pair who made up for a poor Qualifying. They finished 7th and 8th with Paul Di Resta finishing a place higher than his teammate who out-qualified him yesterday. Bruno Senna was the last man in the points after Kimi Raikkonen who was 9th. Both Raikkonen and Senna's teammates had to retire from the race; Lotus' Grosjean at the start and Williams' Maldonado slightly later on. Following his race win in Spain Maldonado will be bitterly disappointed to not even finish in Monaco. He must now mature as a racing driver if he is to keep on impressing those watching and working in Formula 1.

To conclude, the Monaco Grand Prix was yet another great one and we F1 fans are certainly being spoiled this year. We have close and exciting racing in abundance and it's lucky I'm not a betting person as there is just no knowing what can or will happen. Red Bull wrap up their third Monaco victory and Mark Webber's second. The Red Bull lead at the top of the Constructors' championship is still increasing with both of their drivers gaining a strong points finish. However, the Drivers' championship tells a completely different story... It is tighter than ever at the top with 3 drivers being separated by 3 points. And I'm sure we'll see more change in those standings after the next race; the Canadian Grand Prix.

Aqsa

P.S. I am experiencing some problems with my Twitter account but I hope they will be resolved as soon as possible. If you do wish to get in contact please comment here or email me... Thank you!

(Images: dailymail.co.uk)

Saturday

MARK TAKES POLE FROM MICHAEL IN MONACO.

Monaco promised to provide a Qualifying session just as thrilling as the five before it and it delivered said promise in style. We were treated to a Saturday session that was thrilling throughout and it means we have a pretty good race ahead of us.

Michael Schumacher was the star of the day. He went fastest of all in Q3 but because of a 5-place grid penalty due to an incident with Bruno Senna in Spain 2 weeks ago he will start the race from sixth. Silencing many critics of his comeback, Schumacher showed just why he has been as successful as he has at this track in the past. 5 previous wins in Monaco meant that he had the experience around the track that no other driver could rival but, despite this, he was nobody's favourite for pole. If he was genuinely your pick for pole position; I salute you! Of course, we cannot avoid the fact that Michael will start from much lower down the grid because of his reckless clash with Senna. So whilst he performed exceptionally well today he must carry this performance forward into the race. He has retired from 3 of the 5 races so far and although many have blamed his poor luck his mistakes have often been easily avoidable, especially for a 7 time world champion.
Of course, when one driver suffers a penalty there are a fair few that will benefit. The man who has a lot to thank the German for is Mark Webber. Mark also drove particularly well today and was the man to beat until Schumacher crossed the line. His 2nd place has converted into pole position meaning Red Bull have a hat-trick of starts from the very front of the grid at Monaco. With overtaking being notoriously difficult in the narrow streets of the Monte Carlo circuit, pole position is something special indeed! And Mark Webber will be very glad that he is the one that can enjoy this rather comfortable position to be in ahead of the race. He experienced a starkly different Qualifying session to his teammate Sebastian Vettel. 2011's pole-sitter suffered throughout the session and even had to switch to the faster, super-soft tyres just to make it through to Q2. For the driver who out-qualified Webber on nearly every occasion last year, this must take some getting used to! With the exception of Bahrain, Vettel has never really looked that comfortable on Saturdays but that's not to say he can't convert his fortunes into a strong points finish. He, sadly, didn't set a timed lap in Q3 but starts in 9th instead of 10th because of a Maldonado penalty. Vettel will be starting the race on the harder of the two tyres, unlike all the cars in front of him, meaning we'll see some interesting, varied strategies being played out.
An extremely silly collision with Sergio Perez in FP3 was reminiscent of the old, 2011 version of Pastor Maldonado. He let his frustrations get the better of him and, as David Coulthard mentioned repeatedly during the BBC's Qualifying show, "used his car as a weapon"! It really is a case of hero to zero for the Venezuelan who won over F1 fans the world over after his win for Williams in Barcelona. He was strong again today and made it through to Q3 whilst teammate Senna dropped out in P14. The best he could manage was 9th but the stewards decided that a 10-place grid penalty was to be awarded for the aforementioned Perez clash and so he starts in 19th.

Many drivers benefit from Pastor's penalty. Nico Hulkenberg is probably the one that benefits the most as he gets to move up into the top 10. If he can hold or improve on this position he can pick up some vital championship points. Although those that do move up only move up by one, it can't hurt to start a position higher.

However, I doubt that this will offer much consolation for McLaren's Jenson Button. A poor Qualifying from him on the track where he last got pole position in 2009 meant that he could only finish 13th fastest. Button has been complaining of a lack of grip for a while now and considering what a vital factor that is in Monaco, this could have been predicted. Nevertheless, Button was strong on Thursday and will definitely be disappointed with not making it through to Q3. The race win may be out of the picture for Jenson now but he still has a shot at a top-10 finish. This could be his chance to pull off some spectacular overtakes and he would receive a lot of acclaim for doing so in Monaco. Button shouldn't be written just yet but he does have a tough race before him. His teammate Lewis Hamilton continued to out-qualify him. Lewis was in with a chance of getting pole position but still managed a great drive to qualify fourth in a very competitive shoot-out! He starts just behind the front row in 3rd after the Schumacher penalty.
Ferrari had a great start to the race weekend by getting both drivers into the top 10 for the first time this season. Felipe Massa will be glad to finally get through to Q3 and where better to do it than Monaco? I guess the answer is any of the previous 5 races but you understand my point... Alonso and Massa qualified 6th and 7th respectively so only the former benefits from Schumacher's grid drop. There wasn't a lot of time between the Ferrari duo so I'm sure Felipe will be disappointed that he couldn't do better. As will Kimi Raikkonen... Lotus looked very strong in practice but the Finn, just like Vettel, struggled from the beginning and also switched to the faster tyre early on. He pulled things together though and qualified 8th. Romain Grosjean did considerably better by going 5th fastest in the nearest he will get to a 'home' Grand Prix this season.

So I have summarised the main aspects of tomorrow's grid but Sergio Perez provided us all with much to talk about only 5 minutes in to the Saturday session. He starts at the very back of the grid because of an accident in Q1 which ruled his car out of any further running. Just like 2011, Perez didn't have a very good Saturday in Monaco but luckily this time around he can race on Sunday.

From what is probably my lengthiest Qualifying review ever, you can tell that a lot was going on today in Monaco. With so much to talk about and discuss from Qualifying, we can only imagine what the actual race will be like. Although Monaco isn't a track famed for its overtaking, it can still deliver a shock or two. My advice would be to not take the starting positions as the final finishing positions and to expect many surprises tomorrow. If there's one thing we do know from this season so far it's to, and excuse the cliche, expect the unexpected! This season really is like no other and with the possibility, albeit a small one, of rain a lot could change during the Grand Prix. I hope you enjoy it as much as I know I will...

See you tomorrow for all the apres-race talk!

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Images 1,3: dailymail.co.uk,, Image 2: redbullracing.com)


UPDATE: Maldonado receives another penalty for a gearbox change. It's a 5-place grid drop this time meaning he starts 24th.

Thursday

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

If you're feeling a little disorientated today and think that tomorrow marks the beginning of an F1 race weekend then you're not alone, my friend! It's because today the practice sessions for the Monaco Grand Prix took place instead of an a Friday like they usually do. So I'm just going to talk about them now and I'll begin by telling/reminding you that Jenson Button went fastest in FP2. After saying his McLaren car wasn't suited to this track, the Englishman went fastest from Lotus' Romain Grosjean. However, it is worth noting that he was one of a few number of drivers who managed to set times on the faster of the two tyre choices before rain disrupted the second session.

Running was fairly limited for drivers today. As mentioned above, the second session was hampered by rain and the first ended seven minutes early due to the engine in Heikki Kovaleinen's Caterham blowing up in the tunnel. This means teams will go in to FP3 and Qualifying on Saturday without some of the information they would probably like. However, there is a very strong chance of rain for the Qualifying session which means it is definitely going to be another one where no one has a clue as to what may happen.
It must be repeated that the Lotus duo look strong and they are definite contenders for pole or the race win. You might even say they're the 'favourites' although I wouldn't be placing any bets if I were you; anything can happen on the day! Kimi Raikkonen didn't have a brilliant practice session. He failed to set a time in FP1 due to problems with his steering rack and the rain didn't allow him to compete with teammate Grosjean's lap. Despite these problems, I can definitely foresee a strong performance from the pair and it's not like Kimi has a lack of experience at this circuit. An all-Lotus front row could be a very real possibility...

Overall there isn't a lot to be said about this practice session. And just like all the other FP1s and FP2s before it, it doesn't tell us much about what will happen during the race weekend. I wasn't able to watch the sessions (because of the immensely wonderful sunshine and heat in the UK right now) but my eyes will be firmly glued to the television for Qualifying on Saturday. I'm a bit disappointed that FP1 and 2 are on a Thursday because it makes the wait for the weekend feel so much more longer. It's a bit depressing, isn't it?

So, who do you think will get pole? Kimi or Romain? Could Lewis reclaim his place at the top? Or could Sebastian Vettel repeat what was a great pole lap last year? Don't bother asking me who I'm picking, I have not yet this season been right...

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

Tuesday

MONACO, MALDONADO AND MERCEDES.

The highly-anticipated Monaco Grand Prix is the next race on the 2012 F1 calendar and in just two days the practice sessions will begin; they're on Thursday for Monaco instead of Friday! Following the incredible Spanish Grand Prix just under a fortnight ago we have been left craving more racing and Monaco will most certainly live up to our expectations.

The 2011 Grand Prix, the sixth on the 2011 calendar, was full of drama, controversy, excitement and it was the fifth win of the season for Sebastian Vettel. Oh how things have changed... We are now going in to this race with five different winners from five races; Button, Alonso, Rosberg, Vettel and Maldonado are the lucky ones who have been able to grab the top spot on the podium so far! So, if last year's race is anything to go by we are in for a good one! Throw in the fact that no one has any idea as to what will happen this year and the excitement factor just shoots upwards.
Maldonado won the last race in Spain and he has a good previous record in Monaco leading to some people suggesting that he could make it two wins in two races and become the first driver to win more than one. We know Williams have a good car, if we judge things on what happened two weeks ago, but we also know that means nothing considering the rate at which everything seems to be changing this season. A few of you replied to me on Twitter saying you don't think Pastor can take the win once again and, from what I can see, Hamilton seems to be the favourite on the Twittersphere. Hamilton's teammate, Jenson Button, doesn't believe the MP4-27, McLaren's car, is suited to the Monaco track and doesn't have high hopes for a win here. So if Button tells us the car isn't up to it, can we really argue? Of course, Button didn't seem to be pleased with the car's performance in Spain whereas Lewis set the fastest time in Qualifying and climbed a massive 16 places during the race. It's fair to say what suits one driver doesn't necessarily work for another.

I genuinely don't have any predictions for this race/weekend. Monaco can be home to some great overtakes so what we see on Saturday may not decide how the race ends and, as you should already know by now, tyres will also play a vital role. Once free practices 1 and 2 are over we may have more of an idea as to who the track is suited to and who can demonstrate good race pace but even then I highly doubt that many people will be certain of their predictions.

In other news, just briefly, Mercedes have confirmed their interest in Paul Di Resta, should 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher re-retire at the end of the season. I personally think Di Resta would be a good choice for Mercedes and a good partner for Nico Rosberg. There are quite a few contracts expiring at the end of this year and I think I might have to do a post on this at some point to examine who might be leaving who and who could replace them. There are a lot of great, young drivers on the grid at the moment who would be ideal to fill seats in more established teams and the likes of Di Resta and Perez and co. will have some big decisions to make before the 2013 season begins. However, that is too far into the future to start thinking about at the moment and for now they have a Grand Prix to get on with...

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image: redbull.com)

Friday

TYRED AND TESTED.

If you are following me on Twitter first of all thank you and second; you may have seen my tweet yesterday promising an article will be coming up on my blog on one of the biggest issues in F1 at the moment. That issue, my friends, is the issue of tyres! Tyres have dominated the majority of paddock-related talk and management of tyre degradation is proving to be the determining factor in how a race plays out. We have only had 5 races, a quarter of the 2012 calendar, and already the one thing we can be sure of is that tyres will play a big role throughout the season.
BUT... Is this what we want to be seeing in Formula 1? Is it fair that the best cars and drivers may not be able to win races because of their tyre management? Should tyre strategy be the most important thing on race day? These are all contentious and debatable issues and I don't think there is a single F1 fan who doesn't have something to say on this matter. Some people, yes I'm thinking of you Michael Schumacher, are critical of the Pirelli 2012 tyres and don't believe that tyres should play so big a role as it's "not what a Formula 1 event should be". Others think that tyre management is just another thing drivers will have to master and that it's good for there to be more challenges faced by drivers and teams. And others don't really care about drivers but just want to see good racing. There's no doubt that Pirelli's rubber has offered this.

With 5 different winners in 5 races we are witnessing one of the most unpredictable F1 seasons ever. Some would even say that this is a 'golden era' for the sport and, given the Red Bull/Vettel supremacy over the last few years, a bit of variety in the podiums and winners isn't an unreasonable request! When team principals and drivers are interviewed they all say something along the lines of "We have no idea why this season is playing out the way it is". That is a made-up quote but if you've watched the F1 coverage this year you will know what I mean. There can be no denying that, whilst there may be many factors contributing to this crazy season, tyres may be a reason why we have such unpredictability.
How a driver can manage his tyres during his stints is clearly favouring some people more than others. These 'others' will have to learn how to treat their tyres more carefully and they will have to learn fast as it would be a shame to see them losing out on points because they are too hard on their tyres. Lewis Hamilton demonstrated the big pay-off you could get from successful tyre strategy in Spain. He only pitted twice during the race and was the only driver to do so. As a result he finished 8th after starting 24th. I was definitely thinking, towards the end of the race, that his tyres would fall away from him and he would be left with no grip. This can, as we saw with Raikkonen in China, lead to a lot of places being lost because cars overtaking you have fresher tyres and you simply wouldn't be able to compete. Hamilton managed his second set of tyres incredibly well and he was eager to point this fact out when talking to the BBC's Lee McKenzie.

There are just so many areas of debate around this issue and so many points and arguments to look at. The above covers a few of my opinions quite well but this doesn't even scratch the surface. I could talk on this topic at length but I'm sure you don't want to read everything floating around in my brain right now. So I can foresee some more tyre related posts in the future. All things considered, I think I am on the pro-Pirelli side of the fence. The tyre-manufacturers have done all asked of them and provided us with a set of tyres that have provided closer and more exciting racing. Now, who can possible be annoyed with that? Get in touch with me via commenting/tweeting and let me know what YOU think. After all, the tyres were created with you, the fan, in mind!

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Iamge 1: yallaf1.com, Image 2: blogs.bettor.com)

Tuesday

SETTING THE SCENE.

It's time for my 'Setting the Scene' feature where I choose an image from the last race that summarises the race day for me. I'd like to apologise for leaving it so late this time round but I had to find a worthy picture and fit time into my busy schedule to do so, so that you get the best post possible! And here's my choice;
Isn't this picture really touching? I chose it because the Spanish Grand Prix marked Sir Frank William's 70th birthday and a win for his team was the best possible present he could have received. The reason I have chosen a picture of Sir Frank with Adrian Newey and Christian Horner of Red Bull Racing fame is that, during the race, we saw a Williams car lapping the Red Bull of Mark Webber. Now who amongst us expected to see a Williams lapping a Red Bull this season? Not me, that's for sure!

I hope you all enjoyed the Grand Prix as much as I did and, after such an unpredictable and crazy race, the one thing we currently know for certain is that Monaco is going to be, in a word, incredible!

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

Sunday

MALDONADO SHINES UNDER THE SPANISH SUN.

Pastor Maldonado took a pole to chequered flag victory in Barcelona today, despite many thinking he wouldn't be able to take the win. This marks Maldonado's first victory, a Venezuelan's first victory and the first victory for the Williams team in eight years. And what better way to do it than with not one but two world champions right behind you?
Fernando Alonso enjoyed a great start; something he's becoming well known for, and took the lead from Pastor in the run to the first corner. This led to a few more laps of domination before Pastor began to cut down the lead. A successful 'undercut' from the Williams team at the first round of pit stops allowed their driver to reclaim the lead. Fernando may not have won in front of his home fans but shouldn't be disappointed at all. Whilst a win may have been on the cards, he did well to finish second and fend off Kimi Raikkonen's advances. The updates Ferrari have introduced have obviously improved their car's performance and as development in F1 never stops who knows what this team, who had been written off a couple of months ago, could achieve in the future. Alonso is now level on points with championship leader Sebastian Vettel and has proven his raw driving ability. His teammate Felipe Massa finished 15th and is now a staggering 59 points behind Alonso in the standings.
I mentioned above that Kimi Raikkonen was getting close to Alonso in the final stages of the race and, if he had a few more laps, there's no doubt that the Finn, on newer tyres, could have taken second place. Sadly, it was not to be two 2nd place finishes in a row for him but if he can keep this consistency and Lotus keep pushing forward Kimi will definitely be a contender for a race win in the coming races. His Lotus teammate Grosjean did well to finish in a comfortable fourth despite a few close contact moments in the race. These two drivers are making races much more exciting and it is great to see another constructor establish itself as a front runner this year.

The constructor leading the rest in the standings at the moment is, however, Red Bull Racing. A fairly poor race judging by their usual standards saw Vettel finish 6th and Webber finish 11th. Both had to stop for new noses which cost them some time at pit-stops and Vettel also received a drive-through penalty for failing to slow down for a yellow flag. Taking this into consideration, he did a great job to finish where he did. He would have lost about 16 seconds compared to those who finished around him and managed some sensational overtakes on Button, Hamilton and Rosberg in the last few laps to pick up 8 points and retain his Championship lead.

The big story yesterday was, naturally, Lewis Hamilton's exclusion from qualifying but today he clawed his way through the pack to finish 8th overall. By running on a two-stop strategy, the only driver to do so, he ensured his tyres didn't give up on him and as a result finished in the points. Speaking to the BBC, Hamilton made his thoughts on other people's opinions on his driving style quite clear and his humble approach to what he had achieved showed we will be seeing a new Lewis this season. So far he has made no reckless mistakes but he must make this continue throughout the remaining 15 races. McLaren will also need to reduce their human error if they are to challenge for either of the world titles. Jenson Button finished behind Lewis in 9th in a race that was quite difficult for him. He continued to complain of grip issues today and it is crucial he finds a set-up he is comfortable with for the next race in Monaco, where traction and grip are crucial.

Michael Schumacher and Bruno Senna had a collision that ended both of their races but neither was going to accept the blame. I guess Senna should be glad Schumacher took his anger out on his steering wheel. The stewards have said they'll investigate the incident after the race but I think it will just be classed as a racing incident.
Sadly, following the celebrations the Williams team had earned after the race, incredible scenes caught by TV cameras showed a fire breaking out in their garage. There have been injuries reported, although not definitely confirmed, and my prayers are with all those that were present. Initial reports suggest a KERS-related explosion caused the fire but that is also to be confirmed. My praise goes out to the brave mechanics and team personnel of all the teams caught up in the incident.

I don't think I've even covered all the great moments that the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix brought us because there was so much going on. Although the weather remained calm and sunny, varying strategies, cars out of position and magnificent overtakes all contributed to another thrilling Grand Prix. We have now had five different winners from five different teams in the first five races of the season and could a Lotus win next time out make this six from six out of six in Monaco? We will just have to wait and see.

For now though, it's congratulations to Williams and Pastor Maldonado- a great win after a great race.

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image 1: BBC Sport, Images 2,3: dailymail.co.uk)


UPDATE: Schumacher will receive a 5 place grid penalty in Monaco for running in to the back of Senna. He will have to eat his words after criticising Senna after the race.

Caterham have released a statement saying four of their team members have been injured. 3 have respiratory problems and one has a hand injury. Wishing them all a speedy recovery.

Furthermore, apparently the incident in the Williams garage was not caused by a KERS issue but by an electrical problem instead.

Saturday

A JOB WELL DONE FOR LEWIS. (OR NOT!)

My God, what a qualifying session that was! Just like the others before it this season, qualifying in Spain threw up some many unexpected grid positions and I'm finding it quite difficult to digest it all!

Looking at the front row Lewis Hamilton will be starting from the coveted pole position, despite not being fastest during the practice sessions. He was, however, consistently fast through all three qualifying sessions and, going in to Q3, seemed like the man to beat. This wasn't the big surprise of the day though. Pastor Maldonado is the man responsible for shocking and delighting Formula 1 fans the world over as he got his Williams car on to the front row; he'll be starting in 2nd. He experienced a hugely contrasting qualifying to his teammate Bruno Senna, who failed to make it through to Q2. As a result, he will start 18th on the grid.
Fernando Alonso didn't disappoint his home fans and proved that the updates Ferrari have introduced have been useful. Well for Alonso anyway as his teammate Massa starts in 17th. The Spaniard qualified 3rd; his best performance all season and where better to do it than in Spain. Fernando is a consistently great starter, see Spain 2011, so look out for him when the lights go out- he could climb his way in to the lead before the first corner. Lewis Hamilton will need to be on the throttle and get the best start possible if he is to avoid losing the lead. Maybe those folks at Red Bull can give him a drink to wake himself up...
Speaking of Red Bull I am definitely surprised at the grid positions Vettel and Webber achieved. They'll be starting from 8th and 12th respectively; something no one expected after they looked so strong on Friday and in FP3 on Saturday morning. Webber admitted that it was a team error that led to him not making it to Q3 as they thought his time would be safe enough to take him through. Sebastian Vettel, who was my pick for pole yesterday, did run in Q3 but didn't set a timed lap. This means he starts ahead of Schumacher and Kobayashi who didn't set timed laps either. All these drivers will benefit from fresher tyres, a factor which has proved to be crucial in how the race plays out. They may not be starting as high up as they'd like to but they must not be written off yet.

Experiencing a similar fate to Mark Webber is the pole-man's teammate Jenson Button. Interestingly enough, Hamilton had tipped Button to get pole position in Spain! Jenson complained of oversteer and then of understeer in his continuous battle to get to grips with his McLaren and despite seeming quite content with the set-up on Friday, Button just couldn't drive the McLaren as well as Lewis. He will be having words with his engineers tonight, I'm sure. Another note on McLaren; you probably noticed Lewis stopping after his flying lap. No confirmation has yet been given on what the problem is or what effect it will have on his race tomorrow but we do know that it is a technical issue.
Lotus seem to be getting better and better with their drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean qualifying 4th and 5th. They were in contention for the top slot but shouldn't be too disappointed with these positions. This pair are most definitely proving themselves to be the comeback kings! Starting behind the Lotus duo will be Sergio Perez. An impressive performance from the Mexican and his Sauber team means they have a great chance of picking up a lot of points on race day.

I told you it would be difficult to digest everything but I think I've covered the main points. There will be so much going on at the start of the race and so much to look out for throughout. Who will benefit from having newer tyres and who will suffer as a result of not? Can Fernando take the lead before the first corner? Can Maldonado convert a strong Saturday into a good points result tomorrow? And can Red Bull and Jenson Button bounce back from their lacklustre performances today? Could we have five different winners in five races?

There's no doubt about it; the unpredictability this season is set to rise and you'll only have to watch the race tomorrow to witness that! I'm sure everyone enjoyed qualifying as much as I did and I'm positive that all 66 laps of the Spanish GP will have us sitting on the edges of our seats. Expect more from me on the race tomorrow but until then, enjoy the rest of your Saturday! I can think of a couple of people over in Spain who definitely will!

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image 1: BBC Sport, Images 2,3: dailymail.co.uk)


UPDATE: As I mentioned Lewis Hamilton stopped immediately after completing his timed qualifying lap with no reason given as to why! We now know that it was because the car didn't have enough fuel to drive back to the pits and give the required 1 litre fuel sample to the FIA. As a result, Hamilton and McLaren spent a lot of time with the stewards who have decided that there were no "technical issues" to blame, as Martin Whitmarsh suggested, and that Hamilton must be penalised. The penalty they chose is to exclude Lewis from Qualifying and he will therefore start the Spanish GP from the very back of the grid. Now doesn't that make things a lot more exciting and tense? It is definitely a harsh penalty but the rules are clear. Another thing that is clear; McLaren must sort out these issues that can and must be avoided if they are to contend for the Championships this year.

Hamilton's penalty means Pastor Maldonado gets a surprising pole position for Williams. He is also the first Venezuelan to ever get pole. Well done to him and the team!



Friday

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

The Spanish Grand Prix weekend is officially underway, people! Teams and drivers completed FP1 and FP2 in Barcelona today and once again we have some varied results. The three week break that separated Bahrain and Spain, with a little in-season test thrown in between, allowed the teams to update their cars and add improvements to their pace and aerodynamics.
Let's begin with looking at our frontrunners. Jenson Button and McLaren topped the timesheets after second practice followed by Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull. Both of them were significantly faster than their team mates but Mark Webber believes that was due to them setting a flying lap on the soft, 'option' tyre. Hamilton finished in fourth, which is still a promising position, but Webber was much lower down in the pack; he finished 7th overall. Mercedes' Nico Rosberg also had a positive session by finishing third fastest. These three teams are your usual contenders for pole on Saturday but which one of these drivers will take it? Only Lewis, Sebastian and Nico have sat on pole so far this season but I'm sure Jenson will be hungry for that grid position as well. It has been a long time since he's experienced life at the very front of the starting grid.
'Who do I think will get pole?' I hear you ask... I'm going to go with Sebastian!
One of the teams who brought much needed updates to firstly Mugello and now to Spain is Ferrari. No one expected Ferrari to be challenging the likes of Red Bull and McLaren this early on in the season but we had hoped to see them with increased pace, particularly in qualifying. They had mixed fortunes in practice today finishing fastest in the first session but eleventh in the second. Of course, we will have to wait for qualifying tomorrow to how much of an impact their updates have had to their underlying pace but I do think it will be a struggle for them to reach Q3. Hopefully, they are on an upward learning curve and can improve further as the season continues. But for now they have a qualifying session to deal with and Fernando Alonso will be eager to give the home fans something to cheer about at his home Grand Prix.

This has been a fairly brief summary of the practice sessions but the most interesting thing to look out for tomorrow will, of course, be the battle for pole position; as far as I am concerned anyway. Last year it was far more exciting to look at how the grid lines up behind Vettel but this year the excitement in the top-10 shootout has been restored and it is quite hard to call it. Look out for the McLarens, Red Bulls, Mercedes' and Lotuses and keep an eye out for what Ferrari and Alonso can manage.

Let me know who you're backing for pole position, I've told you my prediction above, by commenting or tweeting me! I'll see you back here tomorrow for a run-down on Qualifying and what we can expect from the race.

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Images: dailymail.co.uk)

Tuesday

RACE OF THE SEASON SO FAR...

We've had four incredible races to start the 2012 season and it is really difficult to pick a favourite. Looking ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix, I just hope that it gives us plenty more talking points and areas of deliberation. The teams are closer together this year, as I'm sure you've heard many times by now, so the outcome of races is harder to predict. A far cry from last year when you'd have been foolish to bet against Sebastian Vettel winning.

As for my favourite out of the four, I would have to choose the Chinese Grand Prix. It's hard to totally explain why but there was just so much more excitement surrounding this race, for me anyway. We'd had time to settle down from the season-opener in Australia and rain-hit Malaysia and the extent to which this season would be so different from those we've seen in the past few years was becoming clearer. No one knew who would win and all the teams has made improvements from Malaysia; which took place 3 weeks prior to Shanghai. Mercedes were stronger than ever and qualifying the day before the race was full of action.
The race itself had action throughout the field. The legendary (it really does qualify as legendary for me because four world champions and then some were involved) battle for 2nd place was definitely the highlight for me and it was also impressive to see Sebastian Vettel right in the thick of it after he'd qualified in 11th position.

A lot of the talk during this Grand Prix was about Bahrain and there just happened to be a Grand Prix on, that many media and press types ignored. China, however, was not to be ignored and when we look back on it in races to come, I'm sure we will all look back with fond memories of tight battles, wheel-to-wheel action and a first-time Grand Prix winner in Nico Rosberg.
Many people got in touch with @JackLeslieF1 on Twitter to tell him their favourite race of the season so far and it seems the majority of people agree with me- China was the clear favourite out of the first 4 races! Read his article here for a comprehensive review of the four races and fans' opinions.

Who knows whether we'll get a race as exciting as China again during this season? I think we will as the F1 calendar is yet to reach some amazing tracks that always offer great racing so watch this space. I'll do another 'Race of the Season So Far' once the European leg is over, by which time we'll have an idea in regards to title favourites and so on... But for now we can just enjoy all the great racing the European leg has to offer and it all begins with the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image 1: BBC Sport, Image 2: dailymail.co.uk)

Sunday

BRING ON BARCELONA.

I think my last post gave you an idea of just how excited I am for the Spanish Grand Prix and as promised here is my preview to the race. In just a week's time I'll be getting ready for the race to begin and what a race it promises to be.

The Circuit de Catalunya will play host to the F1 world and, considering how much knowledge and experience the teams have on the track, it will be the first circuit that may give us an indication as to how the teams stand. The opening round of fly-aways is over, as is the in-season test in Mugello, but no-one involved in F1 is any the wiser as to how teams compare in performance. Spain will hopefully answer some of our questions and doubts.
Last time out Sebastian Vettel took his first win of 2012 in Bahrain and I'm certain that acted as a confidence boost to him and his Red Bull team. He won the race in the way he knows best- a pole position on Saturday to race win on Sunday. Any critics of RBR were silenced and the team proved they did have pace in both qualifying and the race. Many have looked to tyres as the reason for Vettel's win but Red Bull had pace throughout the race weekend. Battling with his friend Raikkonen at the end also proved that Vettel can race wheel-to-wheel whilst taking good care of his rubber. This is something all drivers will have to master and gaining a balance between tyre management and pace will be crucial in determining how the season plays out. Should Vettel manage this in Barcelona, the way he did in Bahrain, I think he could be the first man to take two wins this season.

Speaking of tyres, Michael Schumacher criticised Pirelli after the Bahraini Grand Prix. He said that he doesn't think tyre management should be a deciding factor in race classification and this statement has been met with mixed responses. I personally believe that Pirelli have done a great job with their 2012 tyre range and learning how to treat their tyres is another skill drivers will have to learn. In my opinion, it will set the more intelligent drivers apart from the rest and who doesn't want drivers and teams to face more challenges during the race? Well, Schumacher clearly doesn't but sorry Michael; majority rules!
Other drivers who weren't too happy after the Bahrain Grand Prix were McLaren teammates Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finishing with 0 and 4 points respectively. Pit stop problems were partially to blame for McLaren's woes but it just wasn't their weekend. With both drivers missing from the Mugello test, they will have to adapt to any updates the MP4-27 has undergone and aim for stronger results in Barcelona. The 2012 season is so tight that reliability and pit-stop issues must be eliminated if teams are to maintain a strong title challenge.

Lotus definitely impressed in Bahrain by picking up a double podium with Raikkonen 2nd and Grosjean 3rd.  The team put their troubles in China and in qualifying in Bahrain behind them to gain 33 points in their bid to finish ahead of the rest of the mid-field and become established front-runners. If they carry their strong form over to Spain, they will definitely join the battles at the front of the pack in 2012 and both Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean can enjoy strong comebacks; something I'm sure everyone in Formula 1 would like to see.

So taking all these aspects into account and everything we saw in Mugello, I hope you understand just why Spain and the European leg of the season can't come quickly enough for me. There is so much to look out for and so much to be learnt from the race and with no-one any the wiser as to what will happen during the race weekend, a trend that we're all getting used to, the fifth Grand Prix of the season is set to be as thrilling as the first four.

Will Red Bull stay strong and increase their lead in both championships? Will McLaren sort out their pit-stop problems and return to challenging at the front? Who will successfully manage tyre degradation? All these questions and more will be answered in a week's time during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image 1: loxlee-loves-engines.com, Image 2: telegraph.co.uk,)

Friday

ESPAÑA AWAITS.

With the practice sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix only a week away I can barely contain my excitement! I feel like we have waited too long for a Grand Prix and with all the craziness that this season has brought so far, every race looks set to bring some sort of a surprise. I do, however, think some sort of stability will return to F1 now that the European leg is about to start and teams have had more time to evaluate and redesign their cars. They will have targeted their weaknesses and have a better understanding of how everything is working aerodynamically. That said, me predicting things will become more stable goes against all my previous 'no predictions can be made' predictions. If that makes sense...

Sebastian Vettel is also looking ahead to Barcelona and he said:

Of all the current GP tracks, Barcelona is the one that we know the most because we have done so much testing there in recent years. That said, the knowledge that you gain at the tests doesn’t always help due to the changing wind direction that occurs there, which can sometimes give you a nasty surprise, especially into Turn 1. But in general, a car that functions well aerodynamically in Barcelona will work everywhere - so it will be an interesting weekend. We have been working on the package for Barcelona at this week’s test, but we will still have set-up work to do there on arrival.

Well Sebastian, thanks for your insight and I definitely agree with you; it will most certainly be an interesting weekend. 

I hope you are all as excited as I am and if I can bring myself to do so, what with all the excitement coursing through my veins and all, I will write a preview to Spain soon (probably Sunday!). I'll look at the results of teams so far and comment on a few drivers' individual performances and then have a little think about what this could mean for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Have a lovely weekend! And a lovely extended weekend to those in the UK...

Aqsa, @aqsasformula







Thursday

MUCH ADO ABOUT MUGELLO.

So the testing session in Mugello is complete and, just like the pre-season tests before it, it doesn't really give us much of an indication as to how the pack will perform in coming races and how teams match up to their counterparts.

I think the most interesting news we can take from the test is the major redesign the F2012 has gone under. It's the first big upgrade Ferrari have added to their below-par car and according to technical experts their exhaust exit and rear bodywork redesign could give them about 0.2 seconds in lap time. Ferrari tried to be revolutionary with their package at the start of the season but ended up being further behind their main rivals than they were originally. The team actually seems to be more in competition with the midfield as opposed to the frontrunners- even if they do have a race win under their belts. We will, however, find out soon enough whether their upgrades can make a difference to performance when Formula 1 returns to Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix.
There's not much use in discussing lap times because teams are on different programmes and are more focused on learning more about their cars than setting fast laps. Red Bull were among those trying to better understand the 2012 Pirelli tyres but the team is expected to take an upgrade package to Spain. But if you are interested Grosjean topped the timesheets today in his Lotus, he did the same on Wednesday but had to share the much-coveted(!) top spot with Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber and Fernando Alonso went fastest on the first day in Mugello on Tuesday.
I, for one, am very pleased about the return of in-season testing and hope that it stays for 2013. Not only does it fill time between Grands Prix but it also adds to the excitement and unpredictability in performance, especially with a season as tight as this one, because teams can bring updates with more confidence and knowledge about how they work. Spain can't come fast enough if you ask me!

Aqsa

P.S. I learnt how to make my images bigger... Can you tell?

(Images: BBC Sport website) 

Tuesday

RIP AYRTON

18 years ago today Formula 1 lost one of its most charismatic and loved drivers! Not only was Ayrton Senna a great driver he had a great personality to match. He never seemed 'media-trained' and wasn't afraid to defend himself in the public eye. I'm sure the majority of you have seen the film 'Senna' and I can't imagine there being a person who wasn't affected by his story, his passion and his talent. You can read Senna's biography and about his achievements anywhere on the Internet so I won't just reel them off but whilst there are many drivers who have achieved greatness not many will be remembered in the same way Senna is.
Unfortunately Senna was before my time, but only by an exact month mind you, so I never got to witness his greatness and his genius. Ayrton may have lost his life but his legacy lives on and we should take heart from the fact that no driver has died in F1 since. Senna paid the ultimate price for doing what he loved but it is vital that the F1 community, teams and regulators alike, do all they can so that he didn't die in vain.

R.I.P Ayrton Senna, 21 March 1960- 1 May 1994

Aqsa

(Image: grandprixchampion.wordpress.com)
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