SpeedRead

Unpredictable? Maybe, maybe not

2012-06-02T13:15:00.001-04:00

Much has been made of the 2012 season's unpredictability. And six winners in six races certainly is not what we have come to expect in F1 in recent years.

No, F1 is about one team dominating, winning every race and sewing up the championship sometime before the summer break. Or maybe it is about two teams slugging it out, one dominant but unreliable, the other stealing points when available.

But six drivers taking the top step in six races? A wide open constructors battle? No, that's not F1.

Personally, as someone who has been watching since the Schumacher/Benneton era, I have mixed feelings about it all, but I cannot deny that when Sunday comes predicting the winner before the lights go out is not the 90 percent certainty it used to be. A poor quali can mess up someone's weekend, but a driver CAN win from sixth, and that brings with it a certain excitement that has been lacking in recent times.

Granted, this unpredictability with the tires IS all a little Mickey Mouse. There is no doubt that Williams had a superior strategy in Pastor Maldonado's win, but it was based on some silly rules. But really, isn't this where the sport has been headed in recent years anyway?

Why get annoyed now? Forcing teams to switch to a compound that less suited the car's setup and the track was Mickey Mouse. Allowing DRS anywhere on the track on Saturday, but only in designated zones on Sunday was Mickey Mouse. Speccing the Formula so tightly was Mickey Mouse.

Obviously, drivers are going to complain if things don't suit them, they are self-centered by design and are bound to complain. But F1 is about teams exploiting the rules to their best advantage, and really, have we seen anything else this year? It is all well and good to blame the rules, but is that really what is at the root of Red Bull's challenging start? Yes, Ferrari was well off the pace in the beginning of the season, but a good driver seems to be able to make use of the car, doesn't he?

Isn't the F1 fan getting the same old sport he always did, with perhaps a few less parades around the old circuits?

Granted, I'd prefer to go back to refueling. Smaller fuel cells had a pretty decent safety argument. I'd ditch this multiple compounds baloney. I'd either ban DRS outright or allow its use anywhere. I'd let the teams innovate within the spirit of the rules, rather than just declare everything illegal all the time. And I wouldn't jerk the rules around mid-season. I'd work on the tracks to make it easier to pass. I'd eliminate some of the chicanes. There are a host of things I'd do if I were in charge of the sport.

But I'm not going to complain about this season. It has been fun. One guy isn't winning all the time. And you know what? Take a look at the tables:

Drivers:

Alonso - 76
Vettel - 73
Webber - 73
Hamilton - 63

Constructors:

Red Bull - 146
McLaren - 108
Ferrari - 86
Lotus - 86

Looks like the same old F1 to me.

Now, THIS is what F1's all about

2012-05-13T12:05:00.000-04:00

There's something magical about the first F1 race in Europe. Sure, the season is a couple of months old, but when the sport returns to its spiritual home, you know the campaign is well and truly started.

That feeling was no more evident than this season, coming after a three week break. Following the political football that was Bahrain, and the first in-season test in some time. It has been a wild year to date, with winners aplenty and a wide-open title race.

So what could possibly happen at a circuit somewhat known for delivering less than exciting races? Surely this is when things will settle out and a true frontrunner will emerge.

Well, think again.

Pastor Maldonado delivers Williams its first victory since 2004.

And we're not talking a Mickey Mouse, chalk it up to rain or other strange conditions win. We're talking a true win. Strong qualifying, good racing, well managed.

It's been quite a while since we thought of Williams as a race winning team, and even longer since it was a championship winning one. In between, McLaren, Ferrari, Renault, Brawn and Red Bull have laid their claims, but short of the Scuderia, I think one would be hard-pressed to come up with a team that stirs the passion of Williams.

It's been difficult to see the team slide into hard times. The tension and expectations of the BMW/Ralf/JPM years. Toyota engines. Out in the Cosworth wilderness. All the while knowing the team were still doing innovative things, it just didn't have the total package or sponsorship. Sure there was Nico Hulkenburg's pole, but that was more "right place, right time" type of thing. The last thing we wanted to see was Sir Frank's team heading the way of Tyrrell.

Changes along the way have seen Patrick Head stepping further away. Sam Michael's departure. But when the team turned up in Australia, something was changed. On the heels of perhaps its worst ever campaign, there was something different this year. The team was reunited with Renault power. Williams had a car with a chance of delivering points. Did it have the drivers to pull it off?

Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna... there is no doubt they bring cash. Maldonado has Hugo Chavez's oil money. Senna has, well, his name. Frank Williams was going with pay drivers. But... Senna has shown flashes of something. He's not his uncle, but neither is he a cab driver. And Maldonado... yes, he brings a lot of money, but he did win the GP2 championship. Interesting how so many forget to mention that.

And deliver points they have. Were more sometimes available? Yes. Maldonado should have had those points in Australia. But Senna placed sixth in Malaysia, and both cars finished in the points in China.

But today? Well, obviously, that takes the cake. There are the teams you want to see do well in F1. Sauber, because Peter Sauber saved that team from extinction when BMW went home. And Williams, because of the history. These are the team owners who battle on in an ever changing, more corporate Formula 1. Underdogs. Flag wavers.

Frank Williams turned 70 last month. This is some kind of birthday present.

Photo: Malaysian GP: Bruno Senna (Williams) during the second practice session on Friday, 23 March 2012, Sepang International Circuit, Selangor, Malaysia by Morio

On Bahrain: Just don't

2012-04-09T14:03:00.006-04:00

Sometime in the next few days, we should hear something about the Bahrain Grand Prix. All signs seem to point to the race going off as scheduled, despite continued instability in the country that led to the cancellation of last year's race.

I think if you polled a majority of people in the world, they would say this is a bad idea, and the F1 media in particular have been voicing concerns about travelling to the country.

Nevertheless, it seems it is the prevailing thought of those who run the sport to go. F1 Supremo Bernie Ecclestone is on the record saying the race will happen.

"People say to me 'There's not going to be a race.' And I say 'Well how do you know?' And they tell me they saw or read something, but it's all nonsense. These people [the Bahrainis] were brave enough to start an event in that part of the world, and that's it. We'll be there as long as they want us. Whatever is necessary to do will be done, and which is probably not necessary anyway. We've never been concerned about security in the past. I don't understand why people should be concerned now." -- The Guardian

Of course, Bahraini officials want to paint a rosy picture, stressing it is all about sports and not politics.

However, as reports to the contrary come in daily, and strong shows of opposition to the government and the race, such as this hunger strike, come to light, the wisdom of the stance comes more into question.

No less chilling is the statement from The February 14th Youth Coalition that it would not be able to “ensure the safety” of Formula 1 participants.

Reports in The Guardian over the last few days find former F1 champion and current Sky broadcaster Damon Hill calling for a rethink. Joining him on an official front is Labour MP Richard Burden.

And today, an interview published by The Guardian finds an unnamed team boss breaking rank to voice concerns.

"I saw an interview with a human rights activist on BBC World, and he said that there would be demonstrations and that they would be peaceful. But that is the way all demonstrations start off. Other team principals are going through the same worries. I spent all last week making sure the insurances are right so I can reassure the teams. I've sent out an email to our legal department to make sure all our employees are covered for acts of terrorism and civil disorder while travelling to, during and coming back from the Bahrain GP. We have a lot of people. Our first and foremost priority has to be our employees. And their families. That's what concerns us most, even though we've not said anything about it. It seems to me that while there has been some political progress in Bahrain they're not quite ready. The best thing would be for the race to be postponed until later in the year, or even cancelled. But that is a decision that must be made by the FIA, FOM [Formula One Management] and the commercial rights holder. I never anticipated a decision being made until the week before China. I believe Jean Todt is in China, which is interesting."

Honestly? We're debating this? Hunger strikes? Insurance for acts of terrorism? No guarantee of safety?

Granted, the sport's track record is that it seldom seems to be politically aware. It hung on in South Africa long after it wasn't socially acceptable to do so, turned a blind eye to the government in Argentina and China isn't exactly a hotbed of human rights.

Moreover, I understand the argument that Formula 1 can be an ambassador for turning the page in Bahrain, but I don't see a lot of people interested in that right now, save a government trying to sweep things under the carpet. However, daily events seem to prove it won't be over that easily.

Yet F1 seems happy to be a pawn in this game. How many innocent people will be put at risk for what appears to be simple arrogance?

The FIA says it has the matter well in hand.

"We are in daily touch with the highest authorities, the main European embassies and of course the local promoters at BIC (Bahrain International Circuit) as wellas the international promoter."

Let's hope so. Let's hope wiser heads prevail before something really regrettable does happen.

Grab your tin foil hat

2012-03-27T15:55:00.003-04:00

The Malaysian Grand Prix offered up all the variables that make for a classic race. Weather, underdogs and heroic drives by Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez.

But despite the brilliance of Alonso's ability to muscle a poor car around the circuit and put himself at the top step of the podium, the focus for a vocal bunch out there is on a radio message Sauber sent to its young driver to be conservative.

Could Sauber have thrown the race for Ferrari?

No team polarizes the fan base like Ferrari. You either love or hate the Prancing Horse -- it is usually passionate. Doubtless, fans are going to come down on either side of the issue.

More importantly, however, it highlights the qualities of news sources involved in the sport.

For one thing, in the United States, we have a (somewhat) unique view of journalism. We expect objectivity. As a professional journalist (though not part of the F1 media circus), I have been lectured on objectivity by anyone I have ever worked for and in every course I took in college. Sure, there are folks on the right and left who claim bias, but it truly is an integral part of our education.

Not every country has the same standard, however. For example, there is a widely used agency in the F1 world, which translates and rewrites pretty much any story on the sport from any news source in the world. Sometimes there are nuggets of truth in there, but boy, you don't want to make it the gospel.

Additionally, the news world has become crowded by citizen journalists. Blogs and other sites, which may have been set up by experts or armchair quarterbacks. Take your pick -- some feel this is revolutionary, some feel it is dangerous. Reality is somewhere in between.

Journalists on the ground called foul on this conspiracy business. One went so far as to say it was fueled by the sofa crowd. Though he has apologized to readers who misread and took it personally (a sign of his own integrity), he has not backed off from his core argument, which is they are not there. They don't know the personalities of the players. They haven't put in the time.

The fact of the matter is, there are some very good F1 blogs out there. Many are run by folks in the paddock. They are based on years of knowledge and relationships with personalities in the sport. Some are run by knowledgeable and committed fans that are clear about where they are coming from, have done their homework, and rely on knowledgeable sources. And some are purely passionate, uninformed opinion. It is up to you, as the consumer, to choose your news wisely. Look at the backgrounds of the writers. Read their writings and judge.

Despite my background as a journalist, this is a blog of personal opinion. I am, first and foremost, a fan. My background influences my approach, and lord knows, has done little to boost my readership numbers. I read all the news I can get my hands on and follow certain journalists religiously, but my opinion should not be confused with authority.

I can't be in the paddock, much as I would love to fulfill that dream. So I base my opinions on the voices I value, and I link to those "people in the know below." I let them handle the hard news. Do they sometimes get it wrong? Sure. That's part of being a journalist, too. But they approach their work with integrity, and are open about any potential conflicts, or when they are simply voicing their (informed) opinion.

Being a member of the working press in F1 is an incredible sacrifice of time and effort. That doesn't make every working journalist an ace, but it does reveal hard work and dedication. And in many cases, a credibility that puts them above those of us on the sidelines.

So -- since it begs a response -- an opinion on said controversy...

This isn't the first time the word "conspiracy" has raised its head between Sauber and Ferrari, due in no small part to some claims going back to the late 90s and Sauber's status as a Ferrari engine customer. In fairness, Perez is a product of the Ferrari young drivers program, as well.

Still, a call from the pitwall to consolidate your position and not take stupid risks is not abnormal. Are you listening, Pastor Maldonado? We have heard such calls in the past from McLaren and Red Bull.

Sauber asking Perez to be careful of the position, its best in years and worth whole bunches of money to the team, would be par for the course. The last thing you want your young driver to do is decide in the final laps he can take a Fernando Alonso under those conditions and take himself (or both cars) out.

If Sauber could have won that race, there is no doubt the team would have taken it. To ask your driver to be smart is a no-brainer. Keep in mind the team didn't say "don't pass," it simply said "we need these points." Some will say that's code, but it just doesn't jive with what happened. Perez made a mistake and ran wide. If you want to lose a few seconds there are much safer ways to do it. Fuel concerns would be a good one. A lost gear is another.

As it was, Fernando Alonso pulled out a stunning win in a "difficult" car, and a young driver put a midfield outfit second on the podium, probably making his replacing Felipe Massa at the Scuderia sometime in the next 12 months a foregone conclusion. This wasn't DC or Rubinho pulling over for their teammates or that Mickey Mouse business Ferrari pulled at Indy a few years back. It's a shame two such beautiful drives, and a wonderful race, should be tainted by faux-controversy.

On to Malaysia

2012-03-22T14:27:00.002-04:00

Put one in the books, the 2012 F1 season is off and running.

Just a quick recap if you weren't paying attention: McLaren declared their presence with authority in Australia, locking up the front row, and firing a shot across Red Bull's bows. The troubles at Ferrari proved to be more than a myth, while Lotus, Mercedes, Force India, Sauber and, dare I say, Williams all came away from Albert Park with high hopes for the new season.

Some of the big storylines of the past week:

Lotus and Red Bull unsuccessfully challenged the Mercedes rear wing (again)

A ruling has been made in the Force India copyright brouhaha thingy, but things are far from over...

Massa is getting a new chassis, while some are already calling for his head

Something happened (maybe) where a couple of big teams agreed to a commercial deal?

The weather looks to hold a few surprises for this weekend in Sepang, and it should be interesting to see what lies in store. It should also prove interesting to see who really is in the hunt for 2012 and who simply had a lucky race in Australia.

Can Red Bull answer back? Will Lewis Hamilton take the fight to Jenson Button, or is he, as some have questioned, already a beaten man? Can Fernando Alonso wring points out of the Ferrari? Can Felipe Massa do... something? Is this the beginning of a Williams resurgence?

Of note: Heikki Kovalainen will receive a grid penalty for passing under the safety car. And there will be one DRS zone this weekend.

Questions abound, and the action kicks off in just a few hours. Stay tuned...

You race or you do not

2012-03-21T10:08:00.001-04:00

A fan's view: Time to put up or shut up

2012-03-14T16:15:00.000-04:00

Testing is over. Speculation is finished. In a little over a day F1 gets back to business in Melbourne. Will this be the year Caterham breaks into the midfield? Are Ferrari as off as it seems? Can anyone stop Red Bull?

The offseason was shorter than it has been in quite some time, but the beginning of the season comes not a moment too soon. 2012 has all the makings of something special. New rules. Champions galore. Vettel aiming for the hat trick. And for those of us on the neglected side of the pond, a US grand prix (please, please, please, please, please, don't screw this up).

So, heading into the first race of the season, here are five things I'm keeping an eye on:

Can Ferrari be that bad? For a while, I was arguing the team was sandbagging, but enough pundits who have the benefit of being on the scene are saying this new car has its issues. Could the team have shot too high, overreacting to the conservative approach of the last few years? If so, we know Fernando Alonso can get more out of a car than the average driver, but is he good enough to keep the team in the title hunt until it can get things back into shape?

How much of an edge does Red Bull have? Red Bull blew away the field most of last season. Have McLaren closed the gap? Is Mercedes ready to join the big boys? Can Lotus maintain a challenge over the course of a full season? Or are Red Bull's challengers in enough disarray to allow Vettel and Webber to run away with it again?

Can Lewis rebound? Quite simply, Jenson Button was the man at McLaren last season. Lewis Hamilton suffered a terrible campaign, with mistakes and controversy following him all year. Has Hamilton put that behind him, and has the break recharged his batteries enough to take the challenge not only to Vettel, but Button, as well?

Can Williams bounce back? Last year was perhaps the worst on record for Frank Williams' team. Can a return to Renault power, turnover in the hierarchy of the team and Bruno Senna help put Williams on the road to recovery? For the sake of the sport's romantics (self included), I hope so.

Can Austin succeed where so many others have failed? Like many in the US, I met the news of a race in Austin with a certain amount of skepticism. But time proved the promoter was well connected to Bernie and looked to have pulled a coup in getting the state of Texas to help fund the race. Suddenly, last fall, it all looked revealed itself to be too good to be true as a power struggle erupted between the people with the money and the promoter. Now the promoter is out, Texas pulled its money, but somehow the race is on the schedule. Now another race is on, to build the circuit on time. It's a Hermann Tilke project, so it is the "right" guy for the job, and in many ways it looks to be one of his better designs. But eight months out, and no word on tickets for those of us who can't afford seat licenses. Most hotels are booked (at incredibly high rates). Fans are being asked to commit a lot of money in dire economic times on faith, and the good ol' boys have done little so far to inspire that kind of confidence. The prospect of two US races in 2013 is a salivating one, but as is often the case with anything involving F1 in the US, call me after the checkered flag drops and I'll let you know if it actually happened. Incredibly burned fingers crossed.

OK. Enough pontificating. Let's get this show on the road. As the great man would say, GO! GO! GO!

Motorsport - Love For Life

2012-01-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

Paint it Orange

2011-11-07T13:30:00.002-05:00

Keeping up with SpeedRead

2011-10-29T12:15:00.002-04:00

As I meantioned a few weeks ago, maintaining the blog was starting to consume too much time. I still love Formula 1, however, and have spent some time exploring ways to keep in the game.

I have decided to continue my focus on Twitter, drawing attention to interesting stories and expert writing. Each day, the best of what I'm following is compiled into a daily newspaper, bringing all the best stories into one place.

Additionally, I will keep the blog site, occasionally voicing my opinion on the news of the day. I will also keep the parts of the blog that can be updated automatically, allowing me to maintain a high level of information for a minimal effort.

I hope you will follow along.

Here are three ways to keep up:

SpeedRead on Twitter

The SpeedRead daily newspaper

SpeedRead on Facebook

Best,

Chris

SpeedRead on hiatus

2011-09-11T09:52:00.002-04:00

Due to personal reasons, I am taking a break from this blog. At this point, I am unsure what the future holds for it, but it has been a fun few years, and hopefully, we will have the opportunity to converse again soon. Until then, enjoy what remains of this amazing 2011 F1 season.

Vettel back on top with win in Belgium

2011-08-28T11:07:00.003-04:00

Provisional result

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 1 hr 26 mins 44.893
Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 00:03.741
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 00:09.669
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 00:13.022
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 00:47.464
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 00:48.674
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 00:59.713
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 01:06.076
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 01:11.917
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 01:17.615
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 01:23.994
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 01:31.976
Bruno Senna (Brazil) Renault 01:32.985
Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus - Renault 1 lap
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 1 lap
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 1 lap
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 1 lap
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 1 lap
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 1 lap

Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 17 laps
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 31 laps
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 32 laps
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 38 laps
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 43 laps

Race - selected team & driver quotes

FIA post-race press conference - Belgium

Belgium: Qualifying

2011-08-27T18:14:00.002-04:00

Qualifying result

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1:48.298
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:48.730
Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:49.376
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:50.256
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:50.552
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:50.773
Bruno Senna (Brazil) Renault 1:51.121
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:51.251
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1:51.374
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:52.303
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 2:04.692
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 2:04.757
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 2:05.150
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 2:07.349
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 2:07.777
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 2:08.106*
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 2:08.354
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India-Mercedes 2:07.758
Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus - Renault 2:08.773
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 2:09.566

Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 2:11.601
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 2:11.616
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 2:13.077
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes

*facing five-place grid penalty

FIA post-qualifying press conference - Belgium

Qualifying - selected team and driver quotes

Belgium: Practice

2011-08-27T08:15:00.002-04:00

First session

Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:54.355
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:54.829
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 2:02.740
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 2:03.752
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 2:04.301
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 2:04.663
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 2:04.728
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 2:05.391
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 2:06.583
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 2:06.886
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 2:07.055
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 2:07.481
Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 2:08.233
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 2:08.239
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 2:08.918
Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 2:09.792
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 2:12.278
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT 2:12.389
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin 2:12.772
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 2:13.058
Karun Chandhok (India) Lotus 2:13.090
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 2:13.601
Bruno Senna (Brazil) Renault 2:14.340
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT 2:14.933

Second session

Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull-Renault 1min 50.321secs
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:50.461
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:50.770
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:50.838
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:51.218
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:51.242
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1:51.655
Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1:51.725
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1:51.751
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull-Renault 1:51.790
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:51.922
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1:52.750
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1:52.780
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1:52.911
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1:53.009
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1:53.156
Bruno Senna (Brazil) Renault 1:53.835
Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1:55.051
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1:55.494
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1:56.202
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin 1:56.816
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT 1:57.450
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT 1:57.612
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 2:02.234

FIA Friday press conference - Belgium

Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes

Race prep: Belgium (cont.)

2011-08-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

"Well, last year is a little bit of a form card. Obviously, the regulations have changed a lot since then, so let's see how that goes. Clearly, McLaren and Ferrari aren't hanging round as well. Qualifying has tightened up a lot in the last few events and so have the races, as we saw. Silverstone would have been a track where you would think we could have been a bit more competitive or more dominant compared to the high standards we have set around some particular venues around the world and this one you might pick as well. So, find out Sunday night."

- Mark Webber

FIA Thursday press conference - Hungary

Race prep: Belgium

2011-08-19T23:15:00.002-04:00

"After a month out of the cockpit, I think every driver on the grid is really looking forward to racing on a track like Spa-Francorchamps, which is easily one of the greatest circuits in the world. Spa’s always been one of my favourite tracks - it’s a place where you really feel on the limit, and that’s pretty awesome in a Formula One car. I’m already looking forward to my first flying lap on Friday morning. Corners like Eau Rouge, Pouhon and Blanchimont are fantastic, just because they’re so fast - Pouhon, in particular, is incredible, because you’re really at the limit of the grip level, and you’re gently playing with the throttle and trying not to scrub off too much speed with the steering. Getting it right is an amazing feeling."

- Lewis Hamilton

Belgium preview quotes

Classic!

2011-08-14T00:50:00.000-04:00

Heidfeld's exploding Renault

2011-08-02T12:20:00.003-04:00

Nick Heidfeld's Renault catches fire in Hungary, and the sidepod explodes as marshals try to put it out. ScarbsF1 takes a closer look at the incident here.

Button celebrates 200 in style

2011-07-31T12:36:00.003-04:00

Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:46:42.337
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault +00:03.588
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 00:19.819
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 00:48.338
Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 00:49.742
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 01:23.176
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India - Mercedes 1 lap
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1 lap
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1 lap
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1 lap
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 2 laps
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 2 laps
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 2 laps
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 2 laps
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 4 laps
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 4 laps
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 5 laps
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 5 laps

Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 15 laps
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 44 laps
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 47 laps
Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus - Renault 53 laps

Race - selected team & driver quotes

FIA post-race press conference - Hungary

Hungary: Qualifying

2011-07-30T11:35:00.003-04:00

Results

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1:19.815

Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:19.978

Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:20.024

Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:20.350

Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:20.365

Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1:20.474

Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:21.098

Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1:21.445

Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:21.907

Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber
- - - - - - - - - -

Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1:22.256

Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:22.284

Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1:22.435

Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 1:22.470

Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1:22.684

Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1:22.979

Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams
- - - - - - - - - -

Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1:24.070*

Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Team Lotus 1:24.362

Jarno Trulli (Italy) Team Lotus 1:24.534

Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1:26.294

Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT 1:26.323

Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT 1:26.479

Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin 1:26.510

*Buemi will be demoted five places for causing a collision at previous German Grand Prix.

Qualifying - selected team and driver quotes

FIA post-qualifying press conference

Hungary: Practice

2011-07-30T11:32:00.002-04:00

First session

Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:23.350

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 1:23.564

Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:23.642

Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 1:23.666

Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:23.772

Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:24.115

Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:24.250

Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:24.369

Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1:24.620

Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:25.093

Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1:25.113

Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1:25.336

Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1:25.357

Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1:25.836

Bruno Senna (Brazil) Renault 1:25.855

Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 1:25.890

Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1:26.099

Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1:26.124

Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 1:26.878

Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 1:27.352

Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1:28.533

Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin 1:28.903

Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT 1:29.059

Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT 1:29.904

Second session

Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:21.018

Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:21.259

Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:21.322

Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:21.508

Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1:21.549

Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:22.099

Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:22.121

Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:22.440

Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India-Mercedes 1:22.835

Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 1:22.981

Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1:23.030

Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1:23.399

Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 1:23.679

Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 1:23.861

Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 1:24.181

Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:24.182

Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:24.546

Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:24.878

Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus - Renault 1:24.994

Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 1:25.447

Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 1:26.823

Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 1:27.261

Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 1:27.730

Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 1:28.255

FIA Friday press conference

Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes

Race prep: Hungary

2011-07-25T10:13:00.003-04:00

"Hungary will be my 100th Grand Prix which seems crazy when my father completed 114 races over his whole career. It's a nice number but statistics aren't that important to me. I'm looking forward to the weekend in Budapest as I like the Hungaroring very much, and I'm hoping for a better time than in 2010 when unfortunately I didn't finish the race."

- Nico Rosberg

Hungary preview quotes

FIA Thursday press conference

Hamilton hits back in Germany

2011-07-24T11:26:00.005-04:00

Provisional result

Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:37:30.334
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari +00:03.980
Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 00:09.788
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 00:47.921
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 00:52.252
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 01:26.208
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1 lap
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1 lap
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1 lap
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1 lap
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1 lap
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India - Mercedes 1 lap
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 1 lap
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 2 laps
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 3 laps
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 3 laps
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 3 laps
Karun Chandhok (India) Lotus - Renault 4 laps

Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 23 laps
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 25 laps
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 44 laps
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 51 laps

Selected team & driver quotes

FIA post-race press conference - Germany

Germany: Qualifying

2011-07-23T16:34:00.004-04:00

Result

Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull 1 min 30.079 secs
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:30.134
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull 1:30.216
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:30.442
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:30.910
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:31.263
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:31.288
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1:32.010
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:32.187
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:32.482
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 1:32.215
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1:32.560
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1:32.635
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 1:33.043
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1:33.176
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 1:33.698
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1:33.786
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Team Lotus 1:35.599
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 1:36.400
Karun Chandhok (India) Team Lotus 1:36.422
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin 1:36.641
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT 1:37.011*
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT 1:37.036

dq. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:33.546

*Liuzzi faces a five place grid penalty

FIA post-qualifying press conference

Qualifying - selected team and driver quotes

Germany: Practice

2011-07-23T07:33:00.002-04:00

First session

Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min 31.894secs
Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1:32.217
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1:32.268
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:32.681
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:32.996
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:33.628
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:33.787
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 1:33.832
Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 1:33.858
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:33.863
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:34.094
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:35.115
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:35.371
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 1:35.389
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 1:35.444
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1:36.371
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 1:36.392
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 1:36.842
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1:36.882
Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT - Cosworth 1:38.504
Karun Chandhok (India) Lotus - Renault 1:38.765
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 1:39.279
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 1:40.109
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 1:40.428

Second session

Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull-Renault 1m 31.711s
Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1:31.879
Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull - Renault 1:32.084
Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1:32.354
Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1:32.411
Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:32.557
Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:32.724
Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Renault 1:33.098
Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 1:33.138
Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 1:33.211
Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:33.225
Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India-Mercedes 1:33.299
Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber - Ferrari 1:34.113
Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams - Cosworth 1:34.344
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:34.487
Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber - Ferrari 1:34.491
Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams - Cosworth 1:34.996
Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus - Renault 1:35.753
Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin - Cosworth 1:36.940
Karun Chandhok (India) Lotus - Renault 1:37.248
Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium) Virgin - Cosworth 1:37.313
Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) HRT - Cosworth 1:38.145
Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) HRT - Cosworth 1:40.737
Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso - Ferrari

FIA Friday press conference

Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes