Today's Chinese Grand Prix gave further evidence of the capricious nature of modern Formula 1. A comfortable victory in the end for Fernando Alonso and Ferrari, and much to muse on elsewhere in the field.
The extent of Alonso's superiority came as quite a surprise, and must be seen as persuasive evidence that the Italian team will be genuine contenders for the ultimate prizes this season. In stark contrast to early 2012, they have hit the ground running this time around, with the reassurance that the Spaniard's talent and tactical resourcefulness remain undimmed. Team and driver are both up to speed, and this two-pronged challenge looks quite formidable. At the same time Alonso, canny as ever, was quick to acknowledge that the current state of affairs cannot be taken for granted, and that the next race may present new variables to shake things up.
Mercedes continue to press, but it is hard to escape the conclusion that there are couple of small, but significant, pieces missing from their jigsaw. That extra iota of race-pace, and total mechanical reliability, spring to mind. Lewis Hamilton's cautionary pronouncements appear to have been borne out. The team has moved more centre-stage, but there are still areas of weakness to rectify.
Whatever the flaws in the Mercedes situation, their position looks quite enviable in comparison to that of McLaren, who continue to look anaemic. Today's strategy, although permitting some deceptive prominence at times, seemed tailored to getting a solid points finish on the board. Jenson Button was philosophical after the Grand Prix, and he must also be conscious of having to shoulder the burden of leadership in the team, with Sergio Perez continuing to struggle.
A few other things are worthy of mention. Kimi Raikkonen's pace was excellent after a stuttering beginning to the race, and it is this fleet form and relentless consistency which may ensure that the Finn remains in contention in the standings right until the end of the season.
Daniel Ricciardo was once again impressive in the Toro Rosso, and it may be that people will begin to cross-reference his assertive and confident performances with the difficulties afflicting a driver with a not totally unconnected team; a more senior Antipodean, whose future plans are the subject of renewed speculation.
A glance at the drivers' standings could be construed as quite revealing. The four leading competitors - Vettel, Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton are threatening to detach themselves from the pack. By most measures, this quartet constitutes the cream of the current Formula 1 driving talent. The respective team-mates of these drivers are enduring various struggles and miseries. Does this mean that more than in the recent past, F1 today places a premium on out-and-out driving skill? I know that some observers see things in less straightforward terms, and the end of the season may be the time to formulate a more definitive assessment.
Three different victors in the opening three races. Heartening, although this year will be hard pushed to match the statistics of 2012!
Showing posts with label mark webber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mark webber. Show all posts
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Sunday, 24 March 2013
2013 Malaysian Grand Prix
An eventful and closely contested Grand Prix, but much of what occurred has been overshadowed by the internal ructions at Red Bull.
If nothing else, the team orders controversy offers persuasive evidence that Vettel's desire and motivation remain undiminished, even if he was apologetic afterwards. How this episode will affect his relationship with the team is unclear. As there seems little immediate prospect of the German leaving Red Bull, it is something which the hierarchy will be required to manage.
The post-race interviews were painful to watch. Mark Webber chose his words carefully, but it seemed to me that he was placing the onus on the team to resolve this one way or the other. The Red Bull personnel on the pitwall were decidedly subdued immediately after the chequered flag. They clearly realise the extent of their dilemma. They dare not risk alienating Vettel too much, and there is perhaps an argument for saying that this compromises their ability to exercise real authority over him in these matters. For all Vettel's contrition today, he must know that he is in a very strong position. It is tempting to regard many of today's utterances as mere public relations.
The furore should not be permitted to obscure some of the other noteworthy elements of the Grand Prix, the most significant of which may be further hints that Mercedes are a more substantial and consistent proposition this season. They had their own team orders issue to contend with, but the outcome of this suggested much more harmony and unity than exists at Red Bull. Despite Nico Rosberg's frustration at being told to hold station late in the race, all parties at least seem to be moving broadly in the same direction.
After the nightmare in Australia, some tentatively positive noises are emanating from McLaren, notwithstanding the error which was so detrimental to Jenson Button's race. It goes without saying that margins are very slender in this current era of Formula 1, and the signs about McLaren's prospects are mixed at present. People will only be convinced when more concrete results are achieved.
The Lotus results in Malaysia were disappointing, in the light of what happened at Albert Park. The car appeared to have an aversion to the early slippery conditions, and the rest of the race was conditioned by lost places, and resultant traffic. Even allowing for these factors, the machine looked a handful at times, with Kimi Raikkonen enduring a few lurid moments. It is unclear whether these issues are fundamental, or simply related to the peculiarities of the set-up at Sepang.
There is now a three week break before the Chinese Grand Prix. Something tells me that the F1 news-wires will be far from tranquil during that time!
If nothing else, the team orders controversy offers persuasive evidence that Vettel's desire and motivation remain undiminished, even if he was apologetic afterwards. How this episode will affect his relationship with the team is unclear. As there seems little immediate prospect of the German leaving Red Bull, it is something which the hierarchy will be required to manage.
The post-race interviews were painful to watch. Mark Webber chose his words carefully, but it seemed to me that he was placing the onus on the team to resolve this one way or the other. The Red Bull personnel on the pitwall were decidedly subdued immediately after the chequered flag. They clearly realise the extent of their dilemma. They dare not risk alienating Vettel too much, and there is perhaps an argument for saying that this compromises their ability to exercise real authority over him in these matters. For all Vettel's contrition today, he must know that he is in a very strong position. It is tempting to regard many of today's utterances as mere public relations.
The furore should not be permitted to obscure some of the other noteworthy elements of the Grand Prix, the most significant of which may be further hints that Mercedes are a more substantial and consistent proposition this season. They had their own team orders issue to contend with, but the outcome of this suggested much more harmony and unity than exists at Red Bull. Despite Nico Rosberg's frustration at being told to hold station late in the race, all parties at least seem to be moving broadly in the same direction.
After the nightmare in Australia, some tentatively positive noises are emanating from McLaren, notwithstanding the error which was so detrimental to Jenson Button's race. It goes without saying that margins are very slender in this current era of Formula 1, and the signs about McLaren's prospects are mixed at present. People will only be convinced when more concrete results are achieved.
The Lotus results in Malaysia were disappointing, in the light of what happened at Albert Park. The car appeared to have an aversion to the early slippery conditions, and the rest of the race was conditioned by lost places, and resultant traffic. Even allowing for these factors, the machine looked a handful at times, with Kimi Raikkonen enduring a few lurid moments. It is unclear whether these issues are fundamental, or simply related to the peculiarities of the set-up at Sepang.
There is now a three week break before the Chinese Grand Prix. Something tells me that the F1 news-wires will be far from tranquil during that time!
Monday, 19 November 2012
2012 United States Grand Prix
An eventful and dramatic inaugural race in Austin, and one which will have pleased the neutrals, ensuring that the world drivers' championship will be decided at the finale in Interlagos.
First of all, I must say that I am quite impressed by the Circuit of The Americas as a venue. The track layout is interesting, having attracted widespread praise and approval from the drivers, and appears to promote close racing and overtaking. A bumper crowd was on hand to witness this race too. As far as American Formula 1 venues go, we have had several false dawns, but Austin just may have found the solution which the sport has been craving. Only time will tell on this.
Lewis Hamilton very much went racing today, prepared to take the fight to the mighty Red Bulls, having split them in qualifying. McLaren's formidable pace was confirmed by the performance of Jenson Button, once he had extricated himself from the seething midfield pack.
Hamilton's victory will also have pleased Fernando Alonso, as it made the Spaniard's task in Brazil seem slightly less daunting. Alonso's cause was also aided by a rare mechanical failure for Mark Webber, and also it must be said by Ferrari's decision to "strategically" incur a grid penalty for Felipe Massa's car. Notwithstanding these factors, it still reflects wonderfully on Alonso that he is still in there pitching for the title. Given the performance deficit in comparison to Red Bull, one can hardly blame Ferrari for exploring every available avenue, or begrudge them the occasional slice of good fortune. One senses that Alonso's priority in Austin was simply to keep the struggle going for next weekend.
So, what of the prospects for Interlagos? It goes without saying that Vettel is the strong favourite, but it will only take one mistake or unforeseen incident for Alonso to snatch an unlikely world championship.
First of all, I must say that I am quite impressed by the Circuit of The Americas as a venue. The track layout is interesting, having attracted widespread praise and approval from the drivers, and appears to promote close racing and overtaking. A bumper crowd was on hand to witness this race too. As far as American Formula 1 venues go, we have had several false dawns, but Austin just may have found the solution which the sport has been craving. Only time will tell on this.
Lewis Hamilton very much went racing today, prepared to take the fight to the mighty Red Bulls, having split them in qualifying. McLaren's formidable pace was confirmed by the performance of Jenson Button, once he had extricated himself from the seething midfield pack.
Hamilton's victory will also have pleased Fernando Alonso, as it made the Spaniard's task in Brazil seem slightly less daunting. Alonso's cause was also aided by a rare mechanical failure for Mark Webber, and also it must be said by Ferrari's decision to "strategically" incur a grid penalty for Felipe Massa's car. Notwithstanding these factors, it still reflects wonderfully on Alonso that he is still in there pitching for the title. Given the performance deficit in comparison to Red Bull, one can hardly blame Ferrari for exploring every available avenue, or begrudge them the occasional slice of good fortune. One senses that Alonso's priority in Austin was simply to keep the struggle going for next weekend.
So, what of the prospects for Interlagos? It goes without saying that Vettel is the strong favourite, but it will only take one mistake or unforeseen incident for Alonso to snatch an unlikely world championship.
Sunday, 28 October 2012
2012 Indian Grand Prix
Well, Red Bull have sustained their relentless progress, and only the intervention of KERS gremlins for Mark Webber prevented a second consecutive 1-2 finish for the team.
As is usual, Fernando Alonso did all in his power to forestall the progress of the Milton Keynes based equipe. The Spaniard was putting on a brave face after the race in New Delhi, but the pronouncements from both himself and the Ferrari team are sounding rather hollow now, even if the optimism is laudable. The mechanical malady which afflicted Webber was a chink of light for Alonso, and reward for his dogged pursuit of the Red Bulls, but the resulting limiting of the points deficit may prove to be largely irrelevant.
The fact remains that Sebastian Vettel was not threatened all afternoon, and Red Bull are not committing the errors or mis-steps which their opponents might be relying on. They are displaying an irresistible unity and impetus, appearing to enjoy a small, but significant, advantage in several areas which, when added together, account for their current supremacy. This factor is the one which may be most frustrating for the rest, particularly Ferrari and McLaren, and which makes it tricky for them to decide which areas to address in the limited time now available between the closing races of the year. There must be the temptation to take risks, but this carries the danger of heading up blind alleys.
It would seem that Ferrari enjoy an advantage in terms of straightline speed, but that they have a deficiency in grip in comparison to Red Bull. Surveying the remaining Grands Prix, it is difficult to conclude whether this confers any sort of advantage on the Italian cars, and in any event they may sacrifice some of this by striving for extra grip and balance. All in all, it must be said that Red Bull hold all the aces.
The auguries for the race pace of McLaren seemed promising, and before the race I had hoped that Lewis Hamilton, with the title beyond him and his future decided, might feel less bound by strategic strait-jackets, and try something different. In the event, their pace was so lacklustre as to make all this, and good grid positions, academic, and there is a danger of their season petering out quite lamely, which would be very deflating.
As is usual, Fernando Alonso did all in his power to forestall the progress of the Milton Keynes based equipe. The Spaniard was putting on a brave face after the race in New Delhi, but the pronouncements from both himself and the Ferrari team are sounding rather hollow now, even if the optimism is laudable. The mechanical malady which afflicted Webber was a chink of light for Alonso, and reward for his dogged pursuit of the Red Bulls, but the resulting limiting of the points deficit may prove to be largely irrelevant.
The fact remains that Sebastian Vettel was not threatened all afternoon, and Red Bull are not committing the errors or mis-steps which their opponents might be relying on. They are displaying an irresistible unity and impetus, appearing to enjoy a small, but significant, advantage in several areas which, when added together, account for their current supremacy. This factor is the one which may be most frustrating for the rest, particularly Ferrari and McLaren, and which makes it tricky for them to decide which areas to address in the limited time now available between the closing races of the year. There must be the temptation to take risks, but this carries the danger of heading up blind alleys.
It would seem that Ferrari enjoy an advantage in terms of straightline speed, but that they have a deficiency in grip in comparison to Red Bull. Surveying the remaining Grands Prix, it is difficult to conclude whether this confers any sort of advantage on the Italian cars, and in any event they may sacrifice some of this by striving for extra grip and balance. All in all, it must be said that Red Bull hold all the aces.
The auguries for the race pace of McLaren seemed promising, and before the race I had hoped that Lewis Hamilton, with the title beyond him and his future decided, might feel less bound by strategic strait-jackets, and try something different. In the event, their pace was so lacklustre as to make all this, and good grid positions, academic, and there is a danger of their season petering out quite lamely, which would be very deflating.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
2012 Japanese Grand Prix Review
Not in itself the most pulsating exciting or entertaining race at Suzuka today, if we are being honest, but one which generated numerous talking points, and which tightened the drivers' championship points race considerably.
Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel were presented with an "open goal" by the lap 1 exit of Fernando Alonso and the comparatively lowly grid position of the two McLarens. Further aided by a buffer comprising some non-title-contenders, Vettel did not squander his opportunity.
What will have felt ominous for the rest of the field was the degree of comfort enjoyed by Vettel in achieving his victory, on such a technical and challenging circuit, which tests many qualities in a car. The first back-to-back wins for any driver in 2012. There were even whispers that the Red Bull's straightline speed, hitherto a shortcoming, had been improved.
The body language and facial expressions of Red Bull personnel, including the winner, after the race were very significant. They can sense that matters may be shifting gradually but inexorably in their direction, and there was less of the equivocation exhibited at previous races. There must now be an increasing sense of foreboding amongst Red Bull's rivals concerning the remaining meetings.
The Ferrari frustration must have been compounded by the sight of Felipe Massa securing a fine second place. At the same time, the performance of the Brazilian and his car can be seen to bode well for the Italian team for the balance of the season.
Alonso was quite stoical and positive afterwards, looking forward to Korea rather than dwelling on his disappointment at Suzuka. The shrewd Spaniard must have known all along that one or more of the chasing pack would eventually encroach. Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali indicated that he was conscious of the need for the team to improve the car. They cannot just rely on a combination of Alonso's adroit driving and consistency, and good fortune. If any complacency was there at Ferrari, it should have rapidly evaporated and turned into a state of mild alarm.
As for Massa, it seems that Suzuka, added to several other creditworthy recent performances, may have helped to secure his place with Ferrari for 2013.
McLaren were hampered this weekend by various factors, and will be concerned, but not surprised at Red Bull's restoration to pre-eminence. After the race Martin Whitmarsh was being realistic about the team's position vis-a-vis Red Bull. Whilst not exactly exuding optimism, he did say that they will keep fighting, trying and working. There is a sense that McLaren did all that they could in the circumstances.
There may be insinuations that McLaren have become "lost" again, but I don't subscribe to these notions. It is more a case of Red Bull leaping ahead again. McLaren cannot have regressed in the space of a few weeks. This situation is symptomatic of the fickleness and volatility of fortunes in modern Formula 1, where things are decidedly fluid. Even some of the protagonists sometimes come across as bemused by the constant shifts in initiative and impetus.
It was an afternoon of mixed fortunes for the Sauber drivers. Kamui Kobayashi appeared inspired in front of his home crowd, on a familiar circuit, and motivated and galvanised by rumours about the composition of the Sauber line-up in 2013, including whether he would be playing any part in it. It was lovely and refreshing to see the emotional scenes on the podium and in the grandstands.
The departure of Sergio Perez from proceedings caused some consternation, but for me it was no big deal, just one of those things. We did see during the race a few glimpses of the fluent and audacious talent which has persuaded McLaren to sign the Mexican for next season.
Of course, the other major topic of discussion was the continuing ordeal of Romain Grosjean, who collided with Mark Webber on the first lap. This particular move was not as egregious as some of the other incidents in which he has been involved, but at the same time it will hardly have endeared him to his peers or the wider F1 community.
Grosjean's demeanour post-race spoke volumes. He looked haunted, helpless and worried. Despite his indiscretions, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for a young man who is increasingly beleaguered. It is hard to say what can be done. In previous eras, there was sometimes an unofficial group of "elder statesmen" drivers who might have had a cautionary word of advice in his ear, but that situation does not seem to exist any more. Perhaps it is ultimately up to the team itself to address the problem?
Turning to the race itself, I would concur with the sentiments of those who, while desiring a more exciting race, revelled in the spectacle and challenge provided by the Suzuka circuit. There is nothing else quite like it in F1, Spa-Francorchamps apart.
It is ever more looking like a straight contest for the drivers' championship between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen's momentum has stalled, and he looks less capable of winning Grands Prix than a few races ago. The shift induced by events at Suzuka make it possible that the title will be decided at the final race. On the other hand, Vettel may just dominate the remainder of the season....
Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel were presented with an "open goal" by the lap 1 exit of Fernando Alonso and the comparatively lowly grid position of the two McLarens. Further aided by a buffer comprising some non-title-contenders, Vettel did not squander his opportunity.
What will have felt ominous for the rest of the field was the degree of comfort enjoyed by Vettel in achieving his victory, on such a technical and challenging circuit, which tests many qualities in a car. The first back-to-back wins for any driver in 2012. There were even whispers that the Red Bull's straightline speed, hitherto a shortcoming, had been improved.
The body language and facial expressions of Red Bull personnel, including the winner, after the race were very significant. They can sense that matters may be shifting gradually but inexorably in their direction, and there was less of the equivocation exhibited at previous races. There must now be an increasing sense of foreboding amongst Red Bull's rivals concerning the remaining meetings.
The Ferrari frustration must have been compounded by the sight of Felipe Massa securing a fine second place. At the same time, the performance of the Brazilian and his car can be seen to bode well for the Italian team for the balance of the season.
Alonso was quite stoical and positive afterwards, looking forward to Korea rather than dwelling on his disappointment at Suzuka. The shrewd Spaniard must have known all along that one or more of the chasing pack would eventually encroach. Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali indicated that he was conscious of the need for the team to improve the car. They cannot just rely on a combination of Alonso's adroit driving and consistency, and good fortune. If any complacency was there at Ferrari, it should have rapidly evaporated and turned into a state of mild alarm.
As for Massa, it seems that Suzuka, added to several other creditworthy recent performances, may have helped to secure his place with Ferrari for 2013.
McLaren were hampered this weekend by various factors, and will be concerned, but not surprised at Red Bull's restoration to pre-eminence. After the race Martin Whitmarsh was being realistic about the team's position vis-a-vis Red Bull. Whilst not exactly exuding optimism, he did say that they will keep fighting, trying and working. There is a sense that McLaren did all that they could in the circumstances.
There may be insinuations that McLaren have become "lost" again, but I don't subscribe to these notions. It is more a case of Red Bull leaping ahead again. McLaren cannot have regressed in the space of a few weeks. This situation is symptomatic of the fickleness and volatility of fortunes in modern Formula 1, where things are decidedly fluid. Even some of the protagonists sometimes come across as bemused by the constant shifts in initiative and impetus.
It was an afternoon of mixed fortunes for the Sauber drivers. Kamui Kobayashi appeared inspired in front of his home crowd, on a familiar circuit, and motivated and galvanised by rumours about the composition of the Sauber line-up in 2013, including whether he would be playing any part in it. It was lovely and refreshing to see the emotional scenes on the podium and in the grandstands.
The departure of Sergio Perez from proceedings caused some consternation, but for me it was no big deal, just one of those things. We did see during the race a few glimpses of the fluent and audacious talent which has persuaded McLaren to sign the Mexican for next season.
Of course, the other major topic of discussion was the continuing ordeal of Romain Grosjean, who collided with Mark Webber on the first lap. This particular move was not as egregious as some of the other incidents in which he has been involved, but at the same time it will hardly have endeared him to his peers or the wider F1 community.
Grosjean's demeanour post-race spoke volumes. He looked haunted, helpless and worried. Despite his indiscretions, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for a young man who is increasingly beleaguered. It is hard to say what can be done. In previous eras, there was sometimes an unofficial group of "elder statesmen" drivers who might have had a cautionary word of advice in his ear, but that situation does not seem to exist any more. Perhaps it is ultimately up to the team itself to address the problem?
Turning to the race itself, I would concur with the sentiments of those who, while desiring a more exciting race, revelled in the spectacle and challenge provided by the Suzuka circuit. There is nothing else quite like it in F1, Spa-Francorchamps apart.
It is ever more looking like a straight contest for the drivers' championship between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen's momentum has stalled, and he looks less capable of winning Grands Prix than a few races ago. The shift induced by events at Suzuka make it possible that the title will be decided at the final race. On the other hand, Vettel may just dominate the remainder of the season....
Monday, 9 July 2012
2012 British Grand Prix Review
An eventful British Grand Prix, all told, with the kind of dramatic finale which we are becoming accustomed to in 2012.
For much of the race, Fernando Alonso seemed to be in control of proceedings. He had been suitably assertive at the start, in order to protect his lead, and had then settled into a rhythm, keeping the opposition at arm's length. However, Mark Webber had bided his time throughout, keeping himself in touch and out of trouble, and was in a position to pounce towards the end when the strategic position fell in his favour. It was then left to the Australian to perform a characteristically brave overtaking manoeuvre to settle matters. A victory for a home driver was not achievable, but a triumph for the popular Webber was clearly the next best thing as far as the Silverstone crowd was concerned.
After the race, I thought that Alonso seemed somewhat glum and downcast, whilst third-placed man Sebastian Vettel was all smiles. It is tempting to read too much into these things; perhaps these expressions represent the standard countenance of the respective drivers. Alonso may have been lamenting the narrow "failure" of his race strategy, whilst Vettel could have been counting himself lucky to have salvaged a podium finish.
It is fair to say that McLaren have enjoyed more fruitful weekends. Lewis Hamilton did his formidable best, but his brief and spectacular dice with Alonso around lap 19 looked more like a gesture of defiance on his part, than anything else. The team, realising the immensity of their task, tried unorthodox strategies, but there seemed a fundamental lack of urge from the cars. Jenson Button's morale may have undergone something of a revival, even if his final result did not amount to much. He may have felt that he was moving in the right direction, a departure from the fumbling in the dark of many recent Grands Prix. It will be little consolation for McLaren that their pit-stops were very efficient this time around!
One of the main talking points was the collision involving Sergio Perez and Pastor Maldonado. Replays indicate that Maldonado was indeed at fault, and a penalty was warranted, but I think that some of the hysteria is being over-done. Maldonado has acquired something of a reputation, and therefore any contentious incident in which he is involved will be magnified.
Michael Schumacher had another solid race, and despite running high up in the early stages, never looked like a genuine threat to the leaders. The same might be said of Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn's team-mate delivered another impressively fleet drive, after an early pit-stop to remedy damage incurred in a collision with di Resta. A case of what might have been?
One of the most quietly satisfied men in the aftermath of the British Grand Prix might well be Felipe Massa. A confident drive, and finishing not too far distant from his illustrious team-mate. The speculation surrounding Ferrari's driver line-up for future seasons is becoming very complex!
On to Hockenheim....
For much of the race, Fernando Alonso seemed to be in control of proceedings. He had been suitably assertive at the start, in order to protect his lead, and had then settled into a rhythm, keeping the opposition at arm's length. However, Mark Webber had bided his time throughout, keeping himself in touch and out of trouble, and was in a position to pounce towards the end when the strategic position fell in his favour. It was then left to the Australian to perform a characteristically brave overtaking manoeuvre to settle matters. A victory for a home driver was not achievable, but a triumph for the popular Webber was clearly the next best thing as far as the Silverstone crowd was concerned.
After the race, I thought that Alonso seemed somewhat glum and downcast, whilst third-placed man Sebastian Vettel was all smiles. It is tempting to read too much into these things; perhaps these expressions represent the standard countenance of the respective drivers. Alonso may have been lamenting the narrow "failure" of his race strategy, whilst Vettel could have been counting himself lucky to have salvaged a podium finish.
It is fair to say that McLaren have enjoyed more fruitful weekends. Lewis Hamilton did his formidable best, but his brief and spectacular dice with Alonso around lap 19 looked more like a gesture of defiance on his part, than anything else. The team, realising the immensity of their task, tried unorthodox strategies, but there seemed a fundamental lack of urge from the cars. Jenson Button's morale may have undergone something of a revival, even if his final result did not amount to much. He may have felt that he was moving in the right direction, a departure from the fumbling in the dark of many recent Grands Prix. It will be little consolation for McLaren that their pit-stops were very efficient this time around!
One of the main talking points was the collision involving Sergio Perez and Pastor Maldonado. Replays indicate that Maldonado was indeed at fault, and a penalty was warranted, but I think that some of the hysteria is being over-done. Maldonado has acquired something of a reputation, and therefore any contentious incident in which he is involved will be magnified.
Michael Schumacher had another solid race, and despite running high up in the early stages, never looked like a genuine threat to the leaders. The same might be said of Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn's team-mate delivered another impressively fleet drive, after an early pit-stop to remedy damage incurred in a collision with di Resta. A case of what might have been?
One of the most quietly satisfied men in the aftermath of the British Grand Prix might well be Felipe Massa. A confident drive, and finishing not too far distant from his illustrious team-mate. The speculation surrounding Ferrari's driver line-up for future seasons is becoming very complex!
On to Hockenheim....
Monday, 11 June 2012
2012 Canadian Grand Prix Review
Not unexpectedly, we now have our seventh different winner in seven F1 races in 2012, following Lewis Hamilton's fine victory in Montreal. Some observers have asserted that the race was slow to "get going", but I found it very interesting, as there was a constant sense that things would liven up once the tyre strategies unravelled. Sure enough, we had a dramatic closing phase to proceedings, with some drivers charging on new tyres, others benefitting from efficient tyre conservation, and some going backwards on worn rubber.
One of the things which struck me watching the race was how Hamilton's positive outlook, patience and perserverance paid handsome dividends. His racing instincts are as sharp as ever, but this has been tempered with good sense, and he seems to be coping with the much-documented tyre situation as well as anybody on the grid. He was even diplomatic and magnanimous after the race, not wishing to apportion blame for a mildly botched tyre change. He must feel that momentum is on his side, and this was no time to rock the boat. The bigger picture is the priority, and at present it looks distinctly rosy.
There is a temptation to over-analyse these things, and draw facile conclusions, but the "body language" of Hamilton's car was very exuberant yesterday, indicative of a man truly enjoying his work, and relishing the task. He was even mature enough to let the car do the work at times in the closing laps, rather than force the issue unnecessarily; the race was coming to him, and he did not need to take risks.
Apart from Hamilton's victory, much of the attention will have been commanded by Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez, two of Formula 1's "comingmen". They both made a one-stop strategy work effectively, and neither man will have done his reputation any harm.
Elsewhere, there were no massive surprises in the results, save for the continuing tribulations of Jenson Button, who was anonymous again,and afterwards made more comments to the effect that he remains confused by his lack of performance. His predicament will be made all the more acute as his team-mate's ascendancy gathers pace.
Although in the end Ferrari did not score as many points as expected in Canada, they will be in good heart, as the car continues to improve. Even allowing for the car's progression, Fernando Alonso drove another classy race. Felipe Massa is looking more comfortable and assertive, although his race was marred slightly by a spin.
There were others in yesterday's race, notably Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg, who appeared to do little wrong, and raced capably and tenaciously, but who did not feature at the very sharp end. As we are becoming used to saying, the margins are very slender in F1 this year!
So who will be the eight different winner of 2012? Well, the Lotus team continue to knock on the door, and Valencia promises to be wide-open and unpredictable, surely giving them an opportunity. Sauber's straightline speed is a real asset, although this may make its presence felt at the faster circuits later in the season.
Whatever happens, it looks like being enjoyable viewing!
One of the things which struck me watching the race was how Hamilton's positive outlook, patience and perserverance paid handsome dividends. His racing instincts are as sharp as ever, but this has been tempered with good sense, and he seems to be coping with the much-documented tyre situation as well as anybody on the grid. He was even diplomatic and magnanimous after the race, not wishing to apportion blame for a mildly botched tyre change. He must feel that momentum is on his side, and this was no time to rock the boat. The bigger picture is the priority, and at present it looks distinctly rosy.
There is a temptation to over-analyse these things, and draw facile conclusions, but the "body language" of Hamilton's car was very exuberant yesterday, indicative of a man truly enjoying his work, and relishing the task. He was even mature enough to let the car do the work at times in the closing laps, rather than force the issue unnecessarily; the race was coming to him, and he did not need to take risks.
Apart from Hamilton's victory, much of the attention will have been commanded by Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez, two of Formula 1's "comingmen". They both made a one-stop strategy work effectively, and neither man will have done his reputation any harm.
Elsewhere, there were no massive surprises in the results, save for the continuing tribulations of Jenson Button, who was anonymous again,and afterwards made more comments to the effect that he remains confused by his lack of performance. His predicament will be made all the more acute as his team-mate's ascendancy gathers pace.
Although in the end Ferrari did not score as many points as expected in Canada, they will be in good heart, as the car continues to improve. Even allowing for the car's progression, Fernando Alonso drove another classy race. Felipe Massa is looking more comfortable and assertive, although his race was marred slightly by a spin.
There were others in yesterday's race, notably Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg, who appeared to do little wrong, and raced capably and tenaciously, but who did not feature at the very sharp end. As we are becoming used to saying, the margins are very slender in F1 this year!
So who will be the eight different winner of 2012? Well, the Lotus team continue to knock on the door, and Valencia promises to be wide-open and unpredictable, surely giving them an opportunity. Sauber's straightline speed is a real asset, although this may make its presence felt at the faster circuits later in the season.
Whatever happens, it looks like being enjoyable viewing!
Monday, 28 May 2012
2012 Monaco Grand Prix Reflections
Despite what some media outlets have been saying, not a thrilling Monaco Grand Prix, but certainly an interesting and intriguing one. The closeness of the competition, and the vagaries of tyre management and the Monaco weather, tended to obscure the fact that there was little passing, or even attempted passing, in the top echelons of the field, even by the standards of the street circuit. Because of the trends established thus far in 2012, there must be a temptation to pass even the quite mundane off as pulsatingly exciting.
Mark Webber's performance was composed and error-free, and will be a major filip for the Australian, after some ill-fortune and disappointments earlier in the season. After the pit-stops and tyre strategies unravelled, he looked reasonably comfortable, and none of his pursuers looked realistically capable of getting by, despite the presence of the tightly-packed bunch, exacerbated by the rain in the closing laps.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of Sunday's race was the performance of Ferrari. Did the nature of the circuit mask some of the car's deficiencies, or has there been genuine progress? There is probably foundation in both of these theories, and Alonso's comments post-race sounded cautiously upbeat. The race showing of Felipe Massa will have dampened speculation concerning his future, until Montreal at least...
Perhaps the disappointment of the weekend was the failure of Lotus to fully realise the great hopes which had been invested in them beforehand. Although they did emerge from the weekend with little tangible to show for their efforts, no major concern or disquiet is evident. Everyone is fully conscious of the margins under which people are operating this year. Sauber, another team constantly knocking at the door of a real breakthrough, might have expressed similar sentiments after the race...
Events at McLaren continue to fascinate, as they are further subsumed into the main pack, following their perceived "advantage" at the outset of the season. Lewis Hamilton appears to be coping better than his team-mate. Button endured another torrid race, caught in traffic, and then spinning out. Frustration?
Michael Schumacher was ultimately out of luck in Monaco, but the weekend did contain some things which should give him heart. A fast time in qualifying, and a feisty start in the race, which was curtailed by his contretemps with Romain Grosjean.
A quick word of praise to both Jean-Eric Vergne and Heikki Kovalainen, whose creditable displays have gone relatively unheralded.
All in all, Monaco seemed to offer little in the way of solid pointers for the rest of the season, and anyway any bold predictions are proving futile this year!
Mark Webber's performance was composed and error-free, and will be a major filip for the Australian, after some ill-fortune and disappointments earlier in the season. After the pit-stops and tyre strategies unravelled, he looked reasonably comfortable, and none of his pursuers looked realistically capable of getting by, despite the presence of the tightly-packed bunch, exacerbated by the rain in the closing laps.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of Sunday's race was the performance of Ferrari. Did the nature of the circuit mask some of the car's deficiencies, or has there been genuine progress? There is probably foundation in both of these theories, and Alonso's comments post-race sounded cautiously upbeat. The race showing of Felipe Massa will have dampened speculation concerning his future, until Montreal at least...
Perhaps the disappointment of the weekend was the failure of Lotus to fully realise the great hopes which had been invested in them beforehand. Although they did emerge from the weekend with little tangible to show for their efforts, no major concern or disquiet is evident. Everyone is fully conscious of the margins under which people are operating this year. Sauber, another team constantly knocking at the door of a real breakthrough, might have expressed similar sentiments after the race...
Events at McLaren continue to fascinate, as they are further subsumed into the main pack, following their perceived "advantage" at the outset of the season. Lewis Hamilton appears to be coping better than his team-mate. Button endured another torrid race, caught in traffic, and then spinning out. Frustration?
Michael Schumacher was ultimately out of luck in Monaco, but the weekend did contain some things which should give him heart. A fast time in qualifying, and a feisty start in the race, which was curtailed by his contretemps with Romain Grosjean.
A quick word of praise to both Jean-Eric Vergne and Heikki Kovalainen, whose creditable displays have gone relatively unheralded.
All in all, Monaco seemed to offer little in the way of solid pointers for the rest of the season, and anyway any bold predictions are proving futile this year!
Sunday, 13 May 2012
2012 Spanish Grand Prix Review
First of all, best wishes for a speedy recovery to to all those affected by the fire which broke out in the pit garages after today's race.
Before this season, the prospect of a Pastor Maldonado victory in Barcelona would have seemed fanciful at best. Before this weekend, it would have appeared vaguely possible but also improbable. However, as the Spanish Grand Prix meeting progressed, the realisation dawned that the Venezuelan and the Williams were becoming genuine contenders to ascend to the top step of the podium here. Even allowing for this, the concept of Maldonado as a Grand Prix winner is taking some getting used to! This detracts not at all from his performance and achievement;it is wonderful to see another new winner, and many will be delighted in particular for the Williams team and Sir Frank.
Alonso lost out in the second round of pit-stops, but thereafter Maldonado displayed commendable composure and maturity, not being fazed by a less than perfect third pit visit. He managed to keep Alonso at arm's length. If anything, it was the Ferrari which was looking ragged in the final laps.
Afterwards, Alonso seemed phlegmatic, and after all he is very handily placed in the standings, and may be seeing recent F1 developments in a different light to certain of his rivals. His priority has been improving the Ferrari's competitiveness, whilst some others are tying themselves in knots psychologically over tyre difficulties. That said, Alonso is keen to reserve judgement on any improvements to the car.
Some of the post-race interviews I found quite revealing. Messrs Vettel, Button and Webber all evinced varying degrees of bemusement with the outcome of the race, and the precise reasons or explanations for the failings of their cars. This seemed most pronounced in the McLaren driver, who now looks pessimistic and baffled by events.
By contrast, one driver whose weekend suffered a major setback on Saturday emerged from proceedings with his pride intact, and with some credit. Lewis Hamilton limited the damage from his misfortune in qualifying as capably as could have been expected, racing aggressively but sensibly. His post-race interview was one of some defiance.
Another strong showing from Lotus, although there may be substance to suggestions that they are not currently maximising their potential, seemingly having some performance "in hand", but not fully exploitable, towards the end of races. It surely will not take much of a realignment for them to be challenging for victories. On paper, Monaco should suit both the car and the drivers.
One other driver worthy of praise today was Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, who drove a race combining slick pace with the odd audacious passing manoeuvre. His team-mate Perez might have featured more prominently but for that first-corner altercation.
A frustrating day for Mercedes, with Schumacher colliding with Bruno Senna (and picking up a grid penalty for the next race), and Nico Rosberg being another one of those bemoaning "tyre management" difficulties.
Often in the past, the commencement of the European phase of the season has seen a restoration of normality, and the natural order of things. This has emphatically not been the case this season, and I can envisage more of the same in Monaco.....
Before this season, the prospect of a Pastor Maldonado victory in Barcelona would have seemed fanciful at best. Before this weekend, it would have appeared vaguely possible but also improbable. However, as the Spanish Grand Prix meeting progressed, the realisation dawned that the Venezuelan and the Williams were becoming genuine contenders to ascend to the top step of the podium here. Even allowing for this, the concept of Maldonado as a Grand Prix winner is taking some getting used to! This detracts not at all from his performance and achievement;it is wonderful to see another new winner, and many will be delighted in particular for the Williams team and Sir Frank.
Alonso lost out in the second round of pit-stops, but thereafter Maldonado displayed commendable composure and maturity, not being fazed by a less than perfect third pit visit. He managed to keep Alonso at arm's length. If anything, it was the Ferrari which was looking ragged in the final laps.
Afterwards, Alonso seemed phlegmatic, and after all he is very handily placed in the standings, and may be seeing recent F1 developments in a different light to certain of his rivals. His priority has been improving the Ferrari's competitiveness, whilst some others are tying themselves in knots psychologically over tyre difficulties. That said, Alonso is keen to reserve judgement on any improvements to the car.
Some of the post-race interviews I found quite revealing. Messrs Vettel, Button and Webber all evinced varying degrees of bemusement with the outcome of the race, and the precise reasons or explanations for the failings of their cars. This seemed most pronounced in the McLaren driver, who now looks pessimistic and baffled by events.
By contrast, one driver whose weekend suffered a major setback on Saturday emerged from proceedings with his pride intact, and with some credit. Lewis Hamilton limited the damage from his misfortune in qualifying as capably as could have been expected, racing aggressively but sensibly. His post-race interview was one of some defiance.
Another strong showing from Lotus, although there may be substance to suggestions that they are not currently maximising their potential, seemingly having some performance "in hand", but not fully exploitable, towards the end of races. It surely will not take much of a realignment for them to be challenging for victories. On paper, Monaco should suit both the car and the drivers.
One other driver worthy of praise today was Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, who drove a race combining slick pace with the odd audacious passing manoeuvre. His team-mate Perez might have featured more prominently but for that first-corner altercation.
A frustrating day for Mercedes, with Schumacher colliding with Bruno Senna (and picking up a grid penalty for the next race), and Nico Rosberg being another one of those bemoaning "tyre management" difficulties.
Often in the past, the commencement of the European phase of the season has seen a restoration of normality, and the natural order of things. This has emphatically not been the case this season, and I can envisage more of the same in Monaco.....
Sunday, 22 April 2012
2012 Bahrain Grand Prix Review
Many of the column inches during the 2012 F1 season have centred on the perceived fall from grace of the Red Bull team. However, after today's impressive victory for Sebastian Vettel, they may be tempted to utter the time-honoured phrase "crisis, what crisis?". Vettel now sits atop the standings....
Despite a spirited challenge from Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus, this was a composed display by the reigning champion, building on his pole position. In addition, and significantly perhaps, the German overshadowed his team-mate Mark Webber for most of the weekend. Vettel's performance had that stamp of calm and authority that one expects from a true champion.
Another major talking point arising from the race was the continuing excellent form of the Lotus team. Right from the start of the season, their car has looked nimble, stable and fleet, and there is a lean and lithe feel about the team generally. The drivers are capitalising ably on the machine's responsiveness and zip. It is worth noting its straightline speed, too.
Even allowing for his credentials and pedigree, Romain Grosjean continues to be a revelation, confident and assertive, and far from over-awed in the illustrious company near the head of the field. This spur of competition is pushing Kimi Raikkonen along. The Finn looks perfectly at home on his F1 return, that fluid and pacey style very much to the fore. Even though he admitted afterwards that he had failed when presented with his one big opportunity to overtake Vettel, at least he was in a position to attempt that manoeuvre!
To say the least, McLaren had a frustrating and problematic race, with more sloppy pit-stops, and culminating in Jenson Button's mechanical problems. It would be surprising if the McLaren hierarchy allowed this situation, intolerable for such a polished outfit, to persist. Despite the car's potential, and the points already registered, the team has looked uncharacteristically ragged and untidy at times in 2012. Lewis Hamilton has suffered from all this, but has managed to amass a healthy tally of points.
Another topic which jumped out at me today was the one raised by Michael Schumacher about the extent to which tyres, and the requirement of the drivers to manage tham, is influencing the racing. I suspect that many fans would counter that the tyre situation is at least partly responsible for the close and exciting racing which we are witnessing, and that Schumacher's rather indignant remarks smack of sour grapes.
From a purist's point of view, there would be concern if it were felt that the outcome of every single Grand Prix was being determined largely by tyre wear, distorting the efforts of teams and drivers, and discrediting the sport. However, I don't think that we have reached that stage yet, and the time for a more balanced judgement on this will come later in the season. It will be interesting to see how many other drivers publicly give vent to their feelings about the burdens being imposed on them by tyre concerns.
Whatever the merits of his argument, it is interesting to see Schumacher speaking out like this. In the past, it can be argued that he did not always speak his mind as readily as would be expected from the sport's leading personality. Today's candid comments looked to me like those of an elder statesman figure, not constrained by some of the pressures of his earlier career, and not afraid to look at the big picture, and be outspoken about matters which genuinely perturb him.
The other Mercedes driver had an adventurous race today, being involved in a couple of contentious incidents. Over-confidence in the wake of China, or frustration at not being in a position to live up to expectations, post-Shanghai?
It seems that Ferrari were back in a position more representative of their car's potential, having to scrap for every position. Both drivers tried manfully, and the spirit shown by Felipe Massa will have provided at least some encouragement.
A word of praise also for Paul di Resta, who achieved a fine result, based on a courageous strategy and some intelligent racing. His drive was reminiscent of many of those which he delivered in 2011.
A crucial period in the season now awaits us. A three week break before Barcelona, and interestingly, a testing session at Mugello. Red Bull may feel that they have something to build on now, and some pundits are pointing to Catalunya as a "Red Bull track". In the past, the dawn of the European season has sometimes seen a sea change in form, but this time there appear to be too many variables and imponderables in place.
Whatever happens, it looks like being interesting....
Despite a spirited challenge from Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus, this was a composed display by the reigning champion, building on his pole position. In addition, and significantly perhaps, the German overshadowed his team-mate Mark Webber for most of the weekend. Vettel's performance had that stamp of calm and authority that one expects from a true champion.
Another major talking point arising from the race was the continuing excellent form of the Lotus team. Right from the start of the season, their car has looked nimble, stable and fleet, and there is a lean and lithe feel about the team generally. The drivers are capitalising ably on the machine's responsiveness and zip. It is worth noting its straightline speed, too.
Even allowing for his credentials and pedigree, Romain Grosjean continues to be a revelation, confident and assertive, and far from over-awed in the illustrious company near the head of the field. This spur of competition is pushing Kimi Raikkonen along. The Finn looks perfectly at home on his F1 return, that fluid and pacey style very much to the fore. Even though he admitted afterwards that he had failed when presented with his one big opportunity to overtake Vettel, at least he was in a position to attempt that manoeuvre!
To say the least, McLaren had a frustrating and problematic race, with more sloppy pit-stops, and culminating in Jenson Button's mechanical problems. It would be surprising if the McLaren hierarchy allowed this situation, intolerable for such a polished outfit, to persist. Despite the car's potential, and the points already registered, the team has looked uncharacteristically ragged and untidy at times in 2012. Lewis Hamilton has suffered from all this, but has managed to amass a healthy tally of points.
Another topic which jumped out at me today was the one raised by Michael Schumacher about the extent to which tyres, and the requirement of the drivers to manage tham, is influencing the racing. I suspect that many fans would counter that the tyre situation is at least partly responsible for the close and exciting racing which we are witnessing, and that Schumacher's rather indignant remarks smack of sour grapes.
From a purist's point of view, there would be concern if it were felt that the outcome of every single Grand Prix was being determined largely by tyre wear, distorting the efforts of teams and drivers, and discrediting the sport. However, I don't think that we have reached that stage yet, and the time for a more balanced judgement on this will come later in the season. It will be interesting to see how many other drivers publicly give vent to their feelings about the burdens being imposed on them by tyre concerns.
Whatever the merits of his argument, it is interesting to see Schumacher speaking out like this. In the past, it can be argued that he did not always speak his mind as readily as would be expected from the sport's leading personality. Today's candid comments looked to me like those of an elder statesman figure, not constrained by some of the pressures of his earlier career, and not afraid to look at the big picture, and be outspoken about matters which genuinely perturb him.
The other Mercedes driver had an adventurous race today, being involved in a couple of contentious incidents. Over-confidence in the wake of China, or frustration at not being in a position to live up to expectations, post-Shanghai?
It seems that Ferrari were back in a position more representative of their car's potential, having to scrap for every position. Both drivers tried manfully, and the spirit shown by Felipe Massa will have provided at least some encouragement.
A word of praise also for Paul di Resta, who achieved a fine result, based on a courageous strategy and some intelligent racing. His drive was reminiscent of many of those which he delivered in 2011.
A crucial period in the season now awaits us. A three week break before Barcelona, and interestingly, a testing session at Mugello. Red Bull may feel that they have something to build on now, and some pundits are pointing to Catalunya as a "Red Bull track". In the past, the dawn of the European season has sometimes seen a sea change in form, but this time there appear to be too many variables and imponderables in place.
Whatever happens, it looks like being interesting....
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Malaysian Grand Prix preview
It is often foolish to read too much into the outcome of the first race of the season, and this weekend's event in Sepang should provide us with additional pointers.
For me, one of the most telling features of the post-Melbourne media maelstrom has been the self-assuredness being evinced by McLaren personnel. They have expressed confidence that their car will perform capably on all circuits, thereby refuting some of the theories that McLaren's advantage in Australia was down partially to the nature of the circuit, and the MP4-27's compatibility with it.
Of course, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and other teams may contend that the Albert Park track masked the true potential of their own machines, and flattered others. However, it seems reasonably clear that the onus is on McLaren's rivals to improve, rather than relying on the Woking-based equipe to fall from grace or suddenly become "lost" technically.
These days, F1 is too complex, some would say clinical, to allow for teams to be freakishly quick and dominant at the beginning of a season, and then fall away precipitately. Examples of this would be Shadow in 1975 and Ligier in 1979. The peculiar circumstances, and technical sweet-spots are simply not there anymore. Rather, in modern times progress in Grand Prix racing is more measured in small increments rather than wild oscillations. Hence McLaren's small but tangible advantage, and the measures needed by the competition to bridge that gap.
My hunch is that we may even have to wait until the Spanish Grand Prix for any sort of demonstrable pecking order to reveal itself, and even then we can expect form to be quite volatile, particularly amongst the "middle order" of the field.
Despite McLaren's impressive display in the opening race, Red Bull in particular are not exuding any signs of panic or concern, confident that they are there or thereabouts, and that some fine-tuning, hard work, and a bit of luck, will remedy matters. Expect Red Bull to be more prominent this weekend, and Mark Webber to be less peripheral than he was on home turf.
Prospects amongst the other teams fancied pre-season are decidedly less certain. Notwithstanding Alonso's determined drive Down Under, there is clearly still disquiet at Ferrari. Changes to the car are to be anticipated, and the team's likely form in Malaysia is difficult to foretell with any degree of confidence.
A team which failed to totally convince in Melbourne was Mercedes, the jury still being very much out on their prospective race form. They need to demonstrate that they can consistently challenge the "big two". Or are they destined to remain in a kind of limbo, occasionally troubling the front, but just as regularly being subsumed into the pack behind? It is premature to judge, but Malaysia may offer up some additional clues on this score.
With luck, we will be treated at Sepang to the same type of spectacle in the midfield to which we were witness in Australia. This should involve Force India, Sauber, Williams, Lotus and possibly others. One of these teams could even intrude into the higher echelons, capitalising on any frailties at Ferrari or Mercedes.
Returning to McLaren, another sub-text in Malaysia should revolve around the Button/Hamilton dynamic, which will be interesting to behold. Expect some kind of reaction from Hamilton, who seemed somewhat taken aback by his colleague's resolute race performance at Albert Park. Happily, it is quite clear that the two of them will be allowed to race each other, subject to the usual provisos about civility and overall team welfare.
The Sepang track does not exactly luxuriate in a reputation for throwing up pulsating F1 races. Not only is there a chance that the nature of the circuit will supply us with a truer barometer of form, but this may also spread the cars out. I hope that I am proved wrong in this, and it may be that the pre-season feelings of some pundits will be further realised, in a tightly contested event. Some rain, as ever, would spice things up appreciably.
My prediction? Well, I won't make a precise one, other than to say that McLaren and Red Bull could be difficult to separate this time around.
For me, one of the most telling features of the post-Melbourne media maelstrom has been the self-assuredness being evinced by McLaren personnel. They have expressed confidence that their car will perform capably on all circuits, thereby refuting some of the theories that McLaren's advantage in Australia was down partially to the nature of the circuit, and the MP4-27's compatibility with it.
Of course, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and other teams may contend that the Albert Park track masked the true potential of their own machines, and flattered others. However, it seems reasonably clear that the onus is on McLaren's rivals to improve, rather than relying on the Woking-based equipe to fall from grace or suddenly become "lost" technically.
These days, F1 is too complex, some would say clinical, to allow for teams to be freakishly quick and dominant at the beginning of a season, and then fall away precipitately. Examples of this would be Shadow in 1975 and Ligier in 1979. The peculiar circumstances, and technical sweet-spots are simply not there anymore. Rather, in modern times progress in Grand Prix racing is more measured in small increments rather than wild oscillations. Hence McLaren's small but tangible advantage, and the measures needed by the competition to bridge that gap.
My hunch is that we may even have to wait until the Spanish Grand Prix for any sort of demonstrable pecking order to reveal itself, and even then we can expect form to be quite volatile, particularly amongst the "middle order" of the field.
Despite McLaren's impressive display in the opening race, Red Bull in particular are not exuding any signs of panic or concern, confident that they are there or thereabouts, and that some fine-tuning, hard work, and a bit of luck, will remedy matters. Expect Red Bull to be more prominent this weekend, and Mark Webber to be less peripheral than he was on home turf.
Prospects amongst the other teams fancied pre-season are decidedly less certain. Notwithstanding Alonso's determined drive Down Under, there is clearly still disquiet at Ferrari. Changes to the car are to be anticipated, and the team's likely form in Malaysia is difficult to foretell with any degree of confidence.
A team which failed to totally convince in Melbourne was Mercedes, the jury still being very much out on their prospective race form. They need to demonstrate that they can consistently challenge the "big two". Or are they destined to remain in a kind of limbo, occasionally troubling the front, but just as regularly being subsumed into the pack behind? It is premature to judge, but Malaysia may offer up some additional clues on this score.
With luck, we will be treated at Sepang to the same type of spectacle in the midfield to which we were witness in Australia. This should involve Force India, Sauber, Williams, Lotus and possibly others. One of these teams could even intrude into the higher echelons, capitalising on any frailties at Ferrari or Mercedes.
Returning to McLaren, another sub-text in Malaysia should revolve around the Button/Hamilton dynamic, which will be interesting to behold. Expect some kind of reaction from Hamilton, who seemed somewhat taken aback by his colleague's resolute race performance at Albert Park. Happily, it is quite clear that the two of them will be allowed to race each other, subject to the usual provisos about civility and overall team welfare.
The Sepang track does not exactly luxuriate in a reputation for throwing up pulsating F1 races. Not only is there a chance that the nature of the circuit will supply us with a truer barometer of form, but this may also spread the cars out. I hope that I am proved wrong in this, and it may be that the pre-season feelings of some pundits will be further realised, in a tightly contested event. Some rain, as ever, would spice things up appreciably.
My prediction? Well, I won't make a precise one, other than to say that McLaren and Red Bull could be difficult to separate this time around.
Friday, 13 January 2012
Golden Era?
In a recent interview, Fernando Alonso suggested that the 2012 driver line-up will be the strongest in the history of Formula 1, with six world champions on the grid, and other notables such as Massa and Webber also out there.
This claim has also been advanced by some fans and members of the media, but does it stand up to scrutiny? Whilst statistically the CVs of the class of 2012 will make impressive reading, other factors need to be examined.
Two of the six champions in the field will be Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen. The German cannot be said to be at his peak, whilst the Finn is returning from an F1 hiatus. There is also an argument for saying that the statistical accomplishments of drivers in this current era are distorted by the polarisation of resources, and therefore success, amongst two or three teams. Smaller grids also mean that there are fewer also-rans diluting the quality of the grid.
So which other periods in F1 history can claim to have had comparable, or superior, depth of driving talent? Well, the mid-to-late 1970s, prior to the retirement of James Hunt and Niki Lauda, were very strong in this respect. In addition to Lauda and Hunt, we had Mario Andretti,Carlos Reutemann, Ronnie Peterson, Jody Scheckter, Clay Regazzoni, Patrick Depailler, Carlos Pace, John Watson and others. The racing at this time was fantastically competitive, and the victories were therefore spread around more, meaning that many careers left more of an indelible mark in the minds of fans, rather than in the record books.
Similar claims could be made for the 1960s and early 1970s, the "Jim Clark" and "Jackie Stewart" eras, and of course the issue of safety has also to be taken into account when making an assessment. Careers tend to be longer nowadays, cars are more reliable and there are more events on the calendar.
In truth, it is very difficut to make a direct comparison, because racing has changed out of all recognition over the decades, but I would simply counsel caution over possibly inflated claims made about the quality of the current grid. By any objective standard, it is indeed a formidable line-up, but people would also be well advised to consult the history books in order to acquire some perspective....
This claim has also been advanced by some fans and members of the media, but does it stand up to scrutiny? Whilst statistically the CVs of the class of 2012 will make impressive reading, other factors need to be examined.
Two of the six champions in the field will be Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen. The German cannot be said to be at his peak, whilst the Finn is returning from an F1 hiatus. There is also an argument for saying that the statistical accomplishments of drivers in this current era are distorted by the polarisation of resources, and therefore success, amongst two or three teams. Smaller grids also mean that there are fewer also-rans diluting the quality of the grid.
So which other periods in F1 history can claim to have had comparable, or superior, depth of driving talent? Well, the mid-to-late 1970s, prior to the retirement of James Hunt and Niki Lauda, were very strong in this respect. In addition to Lauda and Hunt, we had Mario Andretti,Carlos Reutemann, Ronnie Peterson, Jody Scheckter, Clay Regazzoni, Patrick Depailler, Carlos Pace, John Watson and others. The racing at this time was fantastically competitive, and the victories were therefore spread around more, meaning that many careers left more of an indelible mark in the minds of fans, rather than in the record books.
Similar claims could be made for the 1960s and early 1970s, the "Jim Clark" and "Jackie Stewart" eras, and of course the issue of safety has also to be taken into account when making an assessment. Careers tend to be longer nowadays, cars are more reliable and there are more events on the calendar.
In truth, it is very difficut to make a direct comparison, because racing has changed out of all recognition over the decades, but I would simply counsel caution over possibly inflated claims made about the quality of the current grid. By any objective standard, it is indeed a formidable line-up, but people would also be well advised to consult the history books in order to acquire some perspective....
Monday, 28 November 2011
Brazilian Grand Prix 2011
So, the 2011 Formula season has reached its end. Not the most riveting race to sign off with, but there are plenty of side issues and subtexts which are worthy of discussion. In some ways, it is unfortunate that the threatened rain did not materialise in Interlagos, as this would have spiced things up slightly!
Whether Mark Webber could have won if Sebastian Vettel's gearbox maladies had not intervened is a matter of conjecture, but the form from practice and the early laps of the race itself would seem to indicate that the German would have notched up another victory. The nature of the Interlagos circuit worked in his favour, making the problems manageable.
Even though the win in Brazil was fortunate, it was some compensation for the frustrations and setbacks endured by Webber throughout 2011. It still seems mildly extraordinary that he won only the single race in the whole season.
The race ended up being a bit anti-climactic for McLaren, not quite living up to the pre-race hopes and expectations. Jenson Button's late surge on to the podium appeared to vindicate his strategy, but only belatedly. Second place in the championship was reward for Button's consistency and intelligent driving during the season.
Lewis Hamilton's gearbox failure, coming after the euphoria of Abu Dhabi, was symptomatic of his roller-coaster year. Hamilton was in quite philosophical mood after the race, the inference being that he will put 2011 down to "experience" and do his best to come back stronger (and luckier) next year.
One of the major talking points of the race was the coming-together between Michael Schumacher and Bruno Senna. It did seem that Senna moved over slightly , but by the same token it was an optimistic, and far from straightforward, move by the seven-times champion. I am no expert, but I think that allowances have to be made for the nature of the track layout at that point, which may have contributed to the Renault driver's line. It seems that I was not alone in considering the penalty imposed on Senna quite harsh...
In what may turn out to be his F1 swansong, Rubens Barrichello did not quite have the race that he was looking for on his home turf. However, he did at least exhibit some spirit after difficulties early on.
Of course, Williams are being linked with a move for Adrian Sutil, and some eyebrows may have been raised when Sutil was very impressive in Brazi, battling tenaciously and finally finishing sixth. A job application in all but name? To be fair, Force India as a team were pretty much on form all weekend. The performance cannot have done his Williams prospects any harm, at the very least.
The chances of Kimi Raikkonen joining Williams for 2012 have faded, so it is looking increasingly like it may be a Sutil/Maldonado pairing at Grove next season. Hardly inspiring you might say, and the pressure would be on Sutil to step up to the plate and genuinely begin to fulfill his undoubted potential.
On another Williams-related note, it seems that Patrick Head will be withdrawing from major involvement in the F1 project. Following the case of Ron Dennis, this is another sign of the changing of the guard in Formula 1 generally, with new faces taking over from those who have been so prominent in the past two or three decades.
Just to finish, a word about the Interlagos circuit itself. Watching the television coverage yesterday, I was reminded what a superb track it is, certainly one of the best on the calendar. It remains a breath of fresh air in this homogenized age, with its anti-clockwise direction, elevation changes and quirky mixture of corners.
So, 2011 is over. Roll on 2012!
Whether Mark Webber could have won if Sebastian Vettel's gearbox maladies had not intervened is a matter of conjecture, but the form from practice and the early laps of the race itself would seem to indicate that the German would have notched up another victory. The nature of the Interlagos circuit worked in his favour, making the problems manageable.
Even though the win in Brazil was fortunate, it was some compensation for the frustrations and setbacks endured by Webber throughout 2011. It still seems mildly extraordinary that he won only the single race in the whole season.
The race ended up being a bit anti-climactic for McLaren, not quite living up to the pre-race hopes and expectations. Jenson Button's late surge on to the podium appeared to vindicate his strategy, but only belatedly. Second place in the championship was reward for Button's consistency and intelligent driving during the season.
Lewis Hamilton's gearbox failure, coming after the euphoria of Abu Dhabi, was symptomatic of his roller-coaster year. Hamilton was in quite philosophical mood after the race, the inference being that he will put 2011 down to "experience" and do his best to come back stronger (and luckier) next year.
One of the major talking points of the race was the coming-together between Michael Schumacher and Bruno Senna. It did seem that Senna moved over slightly , but by the same token it was an optimistic, and far from straightforward, move by the seven-times champion. I am no expert, but I think that allowances have to be made for the nature of the track layout at that point, which may have contributed to the Renault driver's line. It seems that I was not alone in considering the penalty imposed on Senna quite harsh...
In what may turn out to be his F1 swansong, Rubens Barrichello did not quite have the race that he was looking for on his home turf. However, he did at least exhibit some spirit after difficulties early on.
Of course, Williams are being linked with a move for Adrian Sutil, and some eyebrows may have been raised when Sutil was very impressive in Brazi, battling tenaciously and finally finishing sixth. A job application in all but name? To be fair, Force India as a team were pretty much on form all weekend. The performance cannot have done his Williams prospects any harm, at the very least.
The chances of Kimi Raikkonen joining Williams for 2012 have faded, so it is looking increasingly like it may be a Sutil/Maldonado pairing at Grove next season. Hardly inspiring you might say, and the pressure would be on Sutil to step up to the plate and genuinely begin to fulfill his undoubted potential.
On another Williams-related note, it seems that Patrick Head will be withdrawing from major involvement in the F1 project. Following the case of Ron Dennis, this is another sign of the changing of the guard in Formula 1 generally, with new faces taking over from those who have been so prominent in the past two or three decades.
Just to finish, a word about the Interlagos circuit itself. Watching the television coverage yesterday, I was reminded what a superb track it is, certainly one of the best on the calendar. It remains a breath of fresh air in this homogenized age, with its anti-clockwise direction, elevation changes and quirky mixture of corners.
So, 2011 is over. Roll on 2012!
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2011.
A most peculiar thing happened to me today. Around mid-afternoon, I was watching TV, and a racing driver by the name of Lewis Hamilton appeared on my screen, and he was smiling, and even laughing....
It is probably too early to say definitively that the "old" Lewis is back, but his joy and relief following this victory were palpable. He didn't have to do much in the way of wheel-to-wheel racing to achieve today's win, and his cause was assisted by Sebastian Vettel's early departure, but his drive had some genuine authority about it.
Historically, McLaren always keep pushing until the very end of a Formula 1 season, regardless of whether the championship is still at stake. Hamilton and Jenson Button are reaping the dividends of this ethos. Jenson was affected by KERS maladies today, which makes his podium position all the more creditable.
For once, Red Bull seemed fallible, and in addition to Vettel's problems, Mark Webber's own car seemed slightly out of sorts, but he showed his customary tenacity to try to achieve the best possible result.
As for Ferrari, well Felipe Massa drove a solid race up until his late spin. Although this did not make much difference to the final outcome, it will hardly endear him to the team. Alonso showed real application in his valiant pursuit of Hamilton, and second place was almost certainly the best the car was capable of on the day.
One way or another, Williams had a pretty eventful race. Pastor Maldonado incurred the wrath of the stewards on a couple of occasions, and he needs to be careful that he does not acquire a reputation for being an awkward customer.
The performance, at least in the early part of the race, of Rubens Barrichello, will have raised a few eyebrows, and will no doubt prompt much debate. Granted, he was on the back row of the grid, and this indignity may have fired him up, but his drive may also be analysed in the context of recent speculation concerning the Williams team's likely 2012 line-up....
The Abu Dhabi track seems to inspire mixed reactions, but it is hard to deny that it is visually stunning, and personally I quite like its layout. It seems likely to be a fixture on the calendar, in the medium term at least.
And so on to Interlagos, for the 2011 season finale. It is fitting that the campaign ends at a traditional F1 circuit, with a great atmosphere. Will McLaren continue their late season surge? Of course, second place in the drivers' table is still very much up for grabs, so it should be a lively contest!
It is probably too early to say definitively that the "old" Lewis is back, but his joy and relief following this victory were palpable. He didn't have to do much in the way of wheel-to-wheel racing to achieve today's win, and his cause was assisted by Sebastian Vettel's early departure, but his drive had some genuine authority about it.
Historically, McLaren always keep pushing until the very end of a Formula 1 season, regardless of whether the championship is still at stake. Hamilton and Jenson Button are reaping the dividends of this ethos. Jenson was affected by KERS maladies today, which makes his podium position all the more creditable.
For once, Red Bull seemed fallible, and in addition to Vettel's problems, Mark Webber's own car seemed slightly out of sorts, but he showed his customary tenacity to try to achieve the best possible result.
As for Ferrari, well Felipe Massa drove a solid race up until his late spin. Although this did not make much difference to the final outcome, it will hardly endear him to the team. Alonso showed real application in his valiant pursuit of Hamilton, and second place was almost certainly the best the car was capable of on the day.
One way or another, Williams had a pretty eventful race. Pastor Maldonado incurred the wrath of the stewards on a couple of occasions, and he needs to be careful that he does not acquire a reputation for being an awkward customer.
The performance, at least in the early part of the race, of Rubens Barrichello, will have raised a few eyebrows, and will no doubt prompt much debate. Granted, he was on the back row of the grid, and this indignity may have fired him up, but his drive may also be analysed in the context of recent speculation concerning the Williams team's likely 2012 line-up....
The Abu Dhabi track seems to inspire mixed reactions, but it is hard to deny that it is visually stunning, and personally I quite like its layout. It seems likely to be a fixture on the calendar, in the medium term at least.
And so on to Interlagos, for the 2011 season finale. It is fitting that the campaign ends at a traditional F1 circuit, with a great atmosphere. Will McLaren continue their late season surge? Of course, second place in the drivers' table is still very much up for grabs, so it should be a lively contest!
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Korean Grand Prix 2011 - Reflections
It has occurred to me that I haven't blogged much recently about modern Formula 1. Time to put that right, as we digest this morning's Korean Grand Prix.
In the end it was quite a comfortable win for Sebastian Vettel, even if this was not really reflected in the distance by which he triumphed. Following the early stages, Lewis Hamilton and others could never quite sustain a meaningful and concerted challenge.
The race tightened up as a competitive spectacle from around half-distance onwards, with the main entertainment being provided by Hamilton and Mark Webber. Much has been said and written about the Englishman's current mindset, but his racing instincts were still very much in evidence during his wheel to wheel dicing with the Red Bull driver. Throughout the race, one got the impression that he was trying very hard.
In the context of the Hamilton/Webber tussle, the BBC's David Coulthard made reference to the legendary Villeneuve/Arnoux battle at the French Grand Prix in 1979. A slight exaggeration, I thought, although it was nice to have events at Dijon mentioned!
At several points in the race, Fernando Alonso's driving seemed to be a touch ragged and untidy, perhaps indicating frustration or impatience. This was also alluded to in the BBC TV commentary, with the inference that he is not altogether happy with Ferrari's progress.
Alonso was also heard to say "I give up" to his engineer late in the race. The Spaniard has subsequently clarified the remark, insisting that motivation is not a problem, and I prefer to reserve judgement on these matters. It is interesting to note, however, that questions marks are being raised about the state of mind of two of F1's most talented drivers, Hamilton and Alonso. An interesting sub-plot in the remaining races?
A few people have remarked how phlegmatic Michael Schumacher seemed to be in the aftermath of his collision with Vitaly Petrov, for which the Russian was clearly at fault. In Michael's heyday, he would certainly have been more vocal, but today I could not even detect any cryptic expression of anger in his remarks. Maybe he is mellowing with age?
Staying with matters Mercedes, Nico Rosberg had one of his strongest races for a while, before fading slightly. It is difficult to gauge Rosberg's current standing because of the reservations being expressed about Schumacher. I hope that he does not begin to go stale. F1 history is full of cases of talented drivers reaching a plateau, and being overtaken in the pecking order by newer, fresher candidates.
Talking of "comingmen", Jaime Alguersuari drove a combative and composed race for STR. It is possible that one or more of the top seats could become vacant in the next 18 months or so, and his name is sure to be mentioned if he continues his upward curve.
Even though the two world titles have been decided, there is still plenty to mull over!
In the end it was quite a comfortable win for Sebastian Vettel, even if this was not really reflected in the distance by which he triumphed. Following the early stages, Lewis Hamilton and others could never quite sustain a meaningful and concerted challenge.
The race tightened up as a competitive spectacle from around half-distance onwards, with the main entertainment being provided by Hamilton and Mark Webber. Much has been said and written about the Englishman's current mindset, but his racing instincts were still very much in evidence during his wheel to wheel dicing with the Red Bull driver. Throughout the race, one got the impression that he was trying very hard.
In the context of the Hamilton/Webber tussle, the BBC's David Coulthard made reference to the legendary Villeneuve/Arnoux battle at the French Grand Prix in 1979. A slight exaggeration, I thought, although it was nice to have events at Dijon mentioned!
At several points in the race, Fernando Alonso's driving seemed to be a touch ragged and untidy, perhaps indicating frustration or impatience. This was also alluded to in the BBC TV commentary, with the inference that he is not altogether happy with Ferrari's progress.
Alonso was also heard to say "I give up" to his engineer late in the race. The Spaniard has subsequently clarified the remark, insisting that motivation is not a problem, and I prefer to reserve judgement on these matters. It is interesting to note, however, that questions marks are being raised about the state of mind of two of F1's most talented drivers, Hamilton and Alonso. An interesting sub-plot in the remaining races?
A few people have remarked how phlegmatic Michael Schumacher seemed to be in the aftermath of his collision with Vitaly Petrov, for which the Russian was clearly at fault. In Michael's heyday, he would certainly have been more vocal, but today I could not even detect any cryptic expression of anger in his remarks. Maybe he is mellowing with age?
Staying with matters Mercedes, Nico Rosberg had one of his strongest races for a while, before fading slightly. It is difficult to gauge Rosberg's current standing because of the reservations being expressed about Schumacher. I hope that he does not begin to go stale. F1 history is full of cases of talented drivers reaching a plateau, and being overtaken in the pecking order by newer, fresher candidates.
Talking of "comingmen", Jaime Alguersuari drove a combative and composed race for STR. It is possible that one or more of the top seats could become vacant in the next 18 months or so, and his name is sure to be mentioned if he continues his upward curve.
Even though the two world titles have been decided, there is still plenty to mull over!
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