FORMULA ONE 2012 thread...

[markopoloman]

Oh, before I have a kip ....

Drivers’ championship
Position Driver Points
1 Jenson Button 25
2 Sebastian Vettel 18
3 Lewis Hamilton 15
4 Mark Webber 12
5 Fernando Alonso 10
6 Kamui Kobayashi 8
7 Kimi Raikkonen 6
8 Sergio Perez 4
9 Daniel Ricciardo 2
10 Paul di Resta 1
11 Jean-Eric Vergne 0
12 Nico Rosberg 0
13 Pastor Maldonado 0
14 Timo Glock 0
15 Charles Pic 0
16 Bruno Senna 0

Constructors’ championship
Position Team Points
1 McLaren 40
2 Red Bull 30
3 Sauber 12
4 Ferrari 10
5 Lotus 6
6 Toro Rosso 2
7 Force India 1
8 Mercedes 0
9 Williams 0
10 Marussia 0

(note: SAUBER AHEAD OF FERRARI )

[freemonk]

Well done to Jenson. After a strong end of the season last year, he seems to be continuing that this year. Hopefully he keeps it up and possibly has a chance of regaining the time in November.

Lewis Hamilton though can fook right off. I use to love Lewis, and back him all the time, but he's such a miserable tw@t. In the press conference he hardly said anything constructive and just looked like he'd rather be somewhere else. 1st race of the season and he's 3rd, I'd be happy with that. Cheer up you miserable $£%$£$"£.

The Sky coverage was great, but I did miss the Brundle / Couthard commentary. Those two together last year were brillaint, and added a little bit of comedy to the proceedings. Hopefully Brundle can get the same realationship with the other guy as the season progresses.

I also missed Eddie Jordon. It'll be interesting to see how the BBC broadcast stands later on today.

[Katzkatz]

I got up early to watch it. A pretty decent race. The McLaren seems to be the fastest car at the moment. Although, I think that the Red Bull might come back stronger in a couple of races time. It looks likely to be a Red Bull/McLaren fight.

Well done to Button for a superb drive and victory. Very 'Prost-like'. He just seems to have everything covered. Lewis shouldn't be that disappointed, but I suspect he knows that it is going to be a tough championship.

Vettel did well. He started off on the backfoot being 5th and behind his teammate, but soon made his way up for a strong race. Can we please, please, plase, stop saying that he can't overtake now? Just look at his move on Rosberg! Okay, he was lucky with the safety car, but he did seem to have a strong race pace. Webber had a reasonably strong race. He does seem to be harder on his tyres than Vettel.

The Mercedes seems to be strong in qualifying, not so good in the race. Shame about Schumi. Likewise, I was hoping Rosberg would be stronger. Shame about his crash.

Perez was superb today. The Sauber did look very strong, even though they had gone for a different tyre strategy. Likewise, with Kobacrashy(hehehehe). He is always exciting to watch.

Kimi hasn't seemed to have lost any of his racecraft. A good performance. He just need to not make a mistake in qualifying. The Lotus seems a strong midfield car.

Even the Williams seemed pretty strong. It is still in the midfield, but had Maldando not crashed out, they could have had a good result.

Two Aussies in the top 10. That will please the home crowd.

I suppose Alonso didn't do too badly, by dragging his car up to 5th. The Ferrari does seem slow though, plus it eats its rear tyres. Alonso's talent clearly outperforming his car, sadly Massa - well. I think he is on his way out.

Next week it is Sepang - a decent track. I can't wait.

[theantmeister]

Williams' improvement from last year is nothing short of incredible. Most improved team?

I'm starting to think Alonso could come in 5th in a bathtub with trolley wheels. I guess this years Ferrari's performance is somwhere between Alonso and Massa's pace. Still, I think they have a turkey on their hands.

[Liamh1982]

Can someone please tell me how McLaren worked out that a far more elegant solution to lowering the nose, while maintaining good aerodynamics, would be a gradual slope down instead of a grotesque, hideous, vomit-inducing sudden step down?

Yes, I am being sarcastic.

[Katzkatz]

Williams' improvement from last year is nothing short of incredible. Most improved team?

I'm starting to think Alonso could come in 5th in a bathtub with trolley wheels. I guess this years Ferrari's performance is somwhere between Alonso and Massa's pace. Still, I think they have a turkey on their hands.

Yeah, seconded theantmeister. Good to see that Williams has improved - after all at one time they had one of the best success records in F1! Especially, if you remember the 1980s and 1990s - hell even with BMW they chalked up a few wins! Plus, they are a favourite team of mine. They are still a midfield team though, and a win is a long way off, but I think a podium(or two)might happen before the end of the season. 4th place in the Constructors' championship might be possible.


The Ferrari does look slow and a right handful in the corners. A credit to Alonso's talent that he can manage a 5th place for it. I think that the Ferrari will probably be a lot more competitive by mid season(it seems to be a habit with them now). I still think that they will claim 2 wins.

[markopoloman]

ROUND 2 - Sepang

Can't believe we are at the second race already!

So, what will this weekend bring for us? Well, it looks like it is going to bring rain - and that rain looks like it will be there every day!

If it IS wet, then I'll throw my money on Button FTW as he really is brilliant in those conditions. (assuming the car is good in the wet). If dry then I'll have to go for an angry Hamilton for pole.....
But a dry race? Anybody's guess as to who will win. RedBull turned things around in Australia and I think those Lotus guys have a very very quick car. Merc are a mystery - and have already said they will go for race pace not quali pace. Ferrari - Unless it rains in quali and their car works in the rain, there isn't a snowballs hope in hell for them! (did you read the news that Massa is already being tipped for a sacking, with Perez taking his seat!!!!) - oh, and Stefano Domenicali getting replaced by Christian Horner The bullsh*t these reporters come up with!

Roll on Friday morning and free practice on that wankfest that is Sky (although I am quite enjoying the F1 channel)....

[DreamcastRIP]

ROUND 2 - Sepang

Can't believe we are at the second race already!

So, what will this weekend bring for us?

Well I heard Ferrari will be unveiling their desperately needed improved aero' pack this weekend...

[theantmeister]

^ oh har, bloody, har.

I'm going to have a little

[Katzkatz]

If it rains at Sepang, we tend to get a Mercedes safety car testing session rather than an actual race! Never the less it might mix up the qualifying a bit. That might good.

Sepang is an actually quite a decent track from Mr. Tilke - namely it includes some high speed corners - not stupid chicanes. Plus two long straights for overtaking.

Predictions for this weekend - hmmm, well I think it could be Hamilton 1st, Button 2nd and Vettel 3rd. I even think that the former rainmaster Schumi could get up to 4th(that is if it rains). I think Hamilton wants to make up for last weekend. Just a prediction though, anything could happen!

Let us hope that Petrov doesn't do another flying incident at this track again!

We are going to have to wait for the Ferrari to be competitive again. A shame as the championship needs to be close.

I wonder if Sauber will do their 'one stop strategy' again?

Can't wait for the race. Sadly there is a longer wait for the Chinese race!

[markopoloman]

Well, it's close at the front so far. Hamilton has been top in both sessions and yet again the Mercs are flying. But will their tyres die within 5 laps again?!

The Bulls look off the pace - Vettel more so than Webber, saying the car was not good!
Ferrari - Alonso is driving the nuts off that double Decker Bus He was up to 6th - although Massa (who is happy with his new chassis) was MILES off the pace down in 16th and a full 2 seconds away from Hamiltons time!!! The hangman is busy drawing his lines..........

HRT are going to struggle again to get into the race.

Roll on FP3 and Quali in the morning

[Liamh1982]

HRT need testosterone, not oestrogen!

[Mr Kipling]

Please Maldonado, just don't censored it up again. That's all I ask of you..

You're lucky Sir Frank is in a chair, otherwise you would have been on the end of a proper (and fully deserved) kicking.

[markopoloman]

HRT need testosterone, not oestrogen!

[Bub&Bob]

You're lucky Sir Frank is in a chair.....

Which did a lap time of over 3 seconds faster than the HRT in 2nd practice