Malaysian Monsoon (AGAIN!)?

With less than five hours to go until the first practise session of the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix, the necks of all teams and drivers will no doubt be craned skywards as weather reports are indicating that it could be a repeat of twelve months ago when the race in Kuala Lumpur was red flagged after 31 laps because of monsoon rain conditions. (Monsoon Mayhem in Malaysia)

World Champion Jenson Button was today caught by the regular evening downpour whilst on a track walk with his team “If it’s like last year it will be un-drivable, I hope it’s not but at least the race is starting an hour earlier this year and hopefully we will get to the end of the race before this kicks in”

Half points were awarded last year as the race had only gone past the halfway stage when it was stopped. Many F1 fans and teams will no doubt be hoping the same does not happen this weekend, come rain or shine.

McLaren team mate Lewis Hamilton told BBC Sport “Hopefully the weather will stay good for us on the Sunday because we want to do a full race, we don’t want to have to have the race stopped like last time”

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone came under fire last year for starting the race so late in the afternoon. This year the race starts an hour later in an effort to learn from the mistakes of last year and avoid the daily rainstorms, but the big question is, if it is yet another washout will there be calls for the Grand Prix in Malaysia to be scraped? Pressure is certainly sure to mount.

No matter what the outcome after the race, this weekend once again looks to deliver an exciting affair as drivers such as Hamilton, Vettel and Schumacher (all proven to favour wet race conditions)as all look to bounce back from disappointing outcomes in Australia last weekend.

One man hoping for a Monsoon double though will be that of current World Champion Jenson Button after his return to winning form down under. Let’s just hope that McLaren get the tyre choice right this weekend!

Button wins thrilling race down-under

Who said Formula 1 was boring? Critics this morning will have been silenced, certainly at least until the next race weekend, as an action packed Australian grand prix saw Jenson Button battle and cruse to his first win in the McLaren Mercedes.

The race victory was not an easy one for the current world champion. A rain soaked Melbourne saw all the cars start on the intermediate tyre and would ensure a treacherous few first laps for all teams.

Chaos ensued just after the lights went out as the cars went into the first corner. A coming together between Button and the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso caused the Spaniard to spin and make contact with Michael Schumacher, in only his second race since his return, putting Alonso to the back of the field and the German into the pits for a change of front wing.

Another front wing problem, this time for the Sauber of Kamui Kobayashi, saw the young Japanese driver turn into a kamikaze. Losing all control of his car he crashed and slid down the wall taking out the Williams of Hulkenberg and the Torro Rosso of Buemi who were unlucky enough to be in his path. The safety car was now needed meaning the grid was forced to close up until the re-start.

Hamilton took the advantage over his team mate after the re-start and gained sixth position in the fast drying conditions at Albert Park. It was at this point the race move of the day would take place that would ultimately decide the win.

Jenson Button called the shots over his team and came in three laps early to switch to slicks. The move looked disastrous in the early running as he came out of the pits only to lose the car at turn three and find his McLaren almost beached in the gravel. Despite this he kept going a stuck to the fast continuing drying line and began to gain time over the rest of the field. By the time other teams had begun to pit Button had jumped from 7th to 2nd only outpaced by the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel whose lead charge was continuing into the distance.

Hamilton to now led a charge of his own on his fresh tyres and began to work his way through the field in front of him, including some stunning overtaking moves picking off Barrichello, Rosberg, Webber and Massa taking him up to third.

Vettel looked determined and almost certain to make up for the disapointment experienced in Bahrain two weeks ago by winning in Australia. But for the second race in succession the Red Bull succumbed to technical failure and was robbed of an almost certain victory when his front break disc failed on lap 26 leaving the German beached in the gravel. Button now led the race and never looked back!

Team mate Hamilton continued to chase down the Renault of Robert Kubica, a surprise package of the race fighting his way from 9th on the grid to 2nd. The young Brit no doubt would have caught the Polish driver had McLaren not called him in for a second change of tyre, predicting the Ferrari's of Alonso and Massa would follow suit.

The chase was now on for Hamilton as he once again had to drive flat out to make up a 25 second gap in order to hunt down the Ferrari’s of Massa and Alonso. With each lap that passed it began to dawn on team, driver and fans what a crucial error of judgement the second pit stop has been. At one point a radio conversation between Hamilton and his team engineer showed the enormity of the task ahead and that Ferrari were not playing by the form book McLaren had expected.

McLaren Team: “you will catch the Ferrari’s by the end of the race they are on old tyres”
L. Hamilton: “What! Are they not stopping again?!”

Nerves were also showing Alonso’s end as the Spaniard told his race engineer “I do not want to know” after being updated how much Hamilton was eating away at the gap with each lap.

Hamilton drove superbly to catch the two Ferrari’s with the Australian Mark Webber in tow. Now was the telling time, how easy could the former world champion take 4th spot off Alonso?

The answer was difficult for all Brit’s to bear, where as the McLaren sliced round the Albert Park circuit like a hot knife through butter in clear air, once in the dirty air of Alonso’s Ferrari Hamilton found the performance of the McLaren dropped off making it harder for him to over-take.

Hamilton’s frustration and anger was played out over the radio transmissions between him and the pit wall as he believed the performance of his tyres was used up even questioning the teams decision to bring him in for the second pit “whose decision was it to bring me in? That was a terrible idea!”

Hamilton kept pushing continuing to have a look at Alonso until two laps until the end where the Brit made his move at turn thirteen, however while doing so Webber in hot pursuit of both drivers missed his breaking point and took himself and Hamilton off the track. Webber went straight to the pits to change the broken front wing sustained in the incident while Hamilton salvaged sixth place. Team mate Button meanwhile cruised to his first win with McLaren and the eigth of his career.

This was a grand prix that wasn’t easy to pick out a driver of the day, it was action packed from start to finish and was a showcase for Formula 1 racing. This time I have a choice of five.

The Renault of Kubica for a superb start from 9th on the grid, making it up to 4th by the first corner and his battle to second that included holding off two Ferrari’s.

Alonso’s fantastic drive that saw him work his way back through the grid from the back after his first lap spin to earn a fouth place finish.

Lewis Hamilton for one of the drives of his life from 11th that really deserved a better result. It included outstanding and at times stunning overtaking moves that at one point had him fighting for 2nd place with Robert Kubica. If the McLaren team had not brought him in for the second tyre change I am convinced he would have over taken the Renault for second and we would have witnessed a McLaren one-two for the first time in three seasons and perhaps the battle we are waiting for between two outstanding British drivers. However it’s not the first time McLaren have got the race strategy wrong when concerning Hamilton and tyres!
(Click Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8591447.stm)

Jenson Button for a ballsy decision to change his tyres when he did that ultimately was a huge deciding factor to earn him a win that looked easier than it was.

And finally not forgetting Indian driver Karun Chandhok in the Hispania – Cosworth. Yes! He finished five laps down from the rest of the runners and dead last in 14th, but the Spanish team are clearly the whipping boys of even the new teams. Considering Chandhok only drove the car for first time 14 days ago getting the car to the end in only their second F1 race will mean huge things for where team and driver go from here to progress.

Malaysia is now less than 7 days away, all eyes will now turn back to Red Bull to see if they can finally deliver a result on their early season promise. Vettel and Webber will no doubt be rueing missed opportunities on their overnight flight in South-East Asia today.

Final Positions for the 2010 Australian GP:
1. Button (McLaren)
2. Kubica (Renault) +12
3. Massa (Ferrari) +14.4
4. Alonso (Ferrari) +16.3
5. Rosberg (Mercedes) +16.6
6. Hamilton (McLaren) +29.8
7. Liuzzi (Force India) +59.8
8. Barrichello (Williams) +60.5
9. Webber (Red Bull) +67.3
10. Schumacher (Mercedes) +69.3
11. Alguersuari (Torro Rosso) +71.3
12. de la Rosa (BMW Sauber) +74.0
13. Kovalainen (Lotus) +2 Laps
14. Chandhok (Hispania) +5 Laps

Retired
Glock (Virgin)
Vettel (Red Bull)
di Grassi (Virgin)
Sutil (Force India)
Petrov (Renault)
Senna (Hispania)
Buemi (Torro Rosso)
Hulkenberg (Williams)
Kobayashi (BMW Sauber)
Trulli (Lotus)

Bulls charge to front row as Hamilton humbled

It’s the time of the year that tests any F1 fan to the limits! Getting up for the Australian Grand Prix is always a joy and tests any loyal fan in the early stages of a long season, especially a 5am start on Saturday morning. Those of you who did respond to those alarm clock calls weren’t left disappointed (well maybe you were if you follow a certain ‘over exuberant’ Brit)

For those that did watch the qualifying live (rather than a poor man’s replay in the afternoon) you were treated to yet another superb display by the energised Red Bull team who charged their way to a one-two at the front of the grid, with young German Sebastian Vettel sealing his second pole of the season in as many race weekends piping Aussie team mate Mark Webber by just over a hundredth of a second. Needless to say Webber, who has been forced to answer questions surrounding his age and commitment to the sport this weekend, looked pissed off in the press conference to lose out yet again to the young German who has fast turned from the student to the master.

The two Red Bulls will face pressure into the first corner from the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso and McLaren of current world champion Jenson Button who qualified 3rd and 4th on the second row.

Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg made up the third row on 5th and 6th and Schumacher and Barrichello will start tomorrow’s race from 7th and 8th respectively.
Over all the grid doesn’t look to dissimilar to the line up two weeks ago in Bahrain, the quality and talent at the front, the up and coming youth in the midfield and the new teams fighting it out for pride and race laps at the back. However one man did break the trend and had a qualifying session and perhaps a race weekend to forget as well, as Lewis Hamilton failed to make Q3 and will start tomorrow’s race from a disastrous 11th.

When questioned by BBC sport on what went wrong, Hamilton said “I just wasn’t fast enough. I feel I got everything out of the car, I just didn’t get enough out of the tyres”

Hamilton’s road car was impounded on Friday evening by Melbourne police after he was found to be driving in an ‘over-exuberant manner’ after Friday afternoons second practice session. The 2008 world champion dismissed claims that the incident affected his performance this morning “It was something you learn from, I don’t think it’s particularly affected today” going onto claim that the cooler weather may have been to blame for the under performance in the tyres.

However it appears McLaren didn’t check each other’s scripts as team principal Martin Whitmarsh dismissed Hamilton’s excuses twenty minutes later in front of the live BBC cameras “I think he was distracted this morning after what happened last night” going onto say that he thought Hamilton may have been over-driving the car.(Click Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8590483.stm)

It’s clear from watching this morning that the Brit has faced the first blip in a season where he needed perfection after what could be viewed as a terrible 2009 campaign. The question everyone wants to know is, will he handle this first hurdle in 2010 where he goes it alone for the first time without his father by his side. Sink or swim Lewis?

It will certainly take something very special for Lewis Hamilton to bag a top three finish in Australia, let alone get a race win!

All eyes then will be on the charge of the Red Bulls as they look to seal a one – two race win to repair the disappointment in Bahrain that saw a win for Sebastian Vettel crumble into a fourth place finish after a cracked exhaust destroyed the Germans chances of his 5th win for the Austrian team.

Tonight all eyes look skywards for tomorrow’s race with weather reports predicting heavy rain at some point in Melbourne over the next twelve hours which could add an extra spice to the second race of the season.

If the heavens do open tomorrow for the race, all eyes will turn to the ‘master of the wet’ Michael Schumacher. Many are already starting to overlook the German racer after his un-eventful 6th place finish in Bahrain two weeks ago. However holding 91 grand prix wins to his name and winning his 50th, 100th, 150th and 200th GP would you bet against this guy? As an added incentive what milestone comes up for Schumacher tomorrow? Race number 250!

Could this be F1's first female driver?

Formula 1 is often criticised for being too male dominated, sexist and a sport that is no turn-on to women in any form. Would this view change if the motor-sport gained a female driver?

American IndyCar driver Danica Patrick is one such driver who has been tipped for the very top in the motor-sport world. Competing in the Series since 2005 and currently racing in her third season with the Andretti Green racing team, Patrick's name has started to be thrown around the Formula 1 circuit as a possible driver for the new USF1 team that will debut in 2010.
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However, USF1 team principal Peter Windsor ruled out Danica's involvement with USF1 in 2010 revealing that he believes the IndyCar racer would be "too big" for the American outfit.
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A high number of American drivers such as, former Torro Rosso racer Scott Speed, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch as well as Danica Patrick, have been linked with a seat at the debut team since stating that home grown talent is the target for the team and key to long term success.
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Despite this, the trio have played down talk of any move to the new team.
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Danica Patrick though is a name that refuses to go away as her current deal with the Andretti Green team expires at the end of the 2009 season. Windsor though belives that Patrick would be more likely to join the NASCAR Series as expectations in F1 would be too high.
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He told Sports Illustrated that "Danica is too big for us now. For her to do Formula 1, it's a huge commitment at this stage of her career and her expectation level would be very high"

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Windsor did however admit that he found it 'unbelievable' that Partick's performances in America had not earned her the chance to test an F1 car. Danica was scheduled to have a test with Honda at the end of the 2008 season, however it was called off due to the Japanese team's pull out.
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"You could argue she's probably the best placed American in the Premier single-seater American Championship right now. Yet not one F1 team in the last three years has bothered to give her even a test. I find that unbelievable"

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USF1 are currently looking at the prospect of an experienced driver partnering a rookie from America to begin life in Formula 1 in just seven months time. Austrian driver Alexander Wurz has been widely tipped to join the fledgling team and make his fourth career return to the motor-sport after beginning life with Benetton back in 1997. Despite this team bosses have insisted the ultimate aim will be to have an all-American partnership in the future.

"This team is about helping young Americans as much as it is about anything else"

With news over the weekend that approaches from high standing GP2 drivers had been turned down by Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson over a matter of principle rather than going for the money their sponsorship would bring to the team, it may only be a matter of season's before Danica Patrick does drive for USF1 and the this level of motor-sport see's it's first female driver.

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Images from thebsreport.files.wordpress.com and grandprix.com

Sauber rescue bid fails

Peter Sauber has failed with a rescue bid to save the team and pointed the blame straight at BMW.

The 65-year-old Swiss still holds a 20% stake in the team after selling Sauber to BMW in 2005. When BMW revealed they were to pull out of F1 eight days ago, (BMW Sauber to pull out of F1), the former team owner launched a bid to save the team in order to keep the car on the grid in 2010 and jobs of workers in the factories.

It's understood that Sauber had hoped to complete negotiations ahead of yesterday's deadline to sign the new Concorde Agreement (sixth version).

Sauber today revealed that talks broke down due to BMW's demands being too high, remarking that it was the bitterest day in the businessman's forty years in motor sport.

"I am incredibly disappointed and disconsolate. It is a devastating setback for the team. Other solutions must now be sought. The responsibility for that lies in the hands of BMW"

Twelve teams have already signed the Concorde Agreement and are cleared to compete in next season's Formula 1 World Championship (This includes the nine teams competing in this years title race and three new teams that make their debut next year). The only signature now missing is that of BMW.

A statement from BMW team boss, Mario Theissen blamed the short amount of time the team was given to find a suitable investor that would keep the car on the grid in 2010

"We have done everything in our power to reach a rapid agreement on the sale of the team. Regrettably, despite every effort, this has proved unsuccessful"

"The tight time-frame we faced simply did not allow us and the interested parties and investors enough time to find a solution for such a complex transaction"

"The aim now is, over the coming weeks, to find a solution together with potential interested parties and Peter Sauber"

There is currently still a space open on the 2010 grid, a huge question mark now hangs over the future of a Sauber racing team where the likes of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen started their F1 career's almost ten years ago.

And, with possible investor's like Nelson Piquet senior now playing down their interest in investing in the team, could the final nail in the coffin for the Sauber racing name come at the Abu Dhabi circuit in November?

*****

Images from grandprix.com and bbcnews.co.uk

"F1 will return to Canada" - Ecclestone

Le Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will return to the Formula 1 calender for 2010 after the grand prix took an exodus from race precedings this year.

There's a lot been going on and off the track this mid-season break and what with Piquet Jr finally being given the boot by Briatore and Schumachers possible on/off return, we begin to look ahead to the 2010 season already before a 2009 champion is even near to being crowned.

F1's Commercial rights-holder, Bernie Ecclestone stated that an agreement had been reached for the Canadian Grand Prix to return.

Ecclestone told Swiss magazine, Motorsport Aktuell yesterday that the potential deal would keep F1 in Montreal for at least the next seven years.

A formal agreement has yet to be reached, but with the deadline for the 2010 calendar to be finalised fast approaching, it's thought the deal will be concluded in the coming weeks.

Despite this, Montreal's Mayor, Gerald Tremblay has told Canadian media that negotiations are still ongoing and that Ecclestone has not yet offered his previous offer - the main reason why the race is missing from this years list.

It was reported that 175 million was sought by F1 officials to keep the race in Montreal for 5 years, a figure the city's Government declared was too much.

Whatever happens it is clear that with no grand prix in North America this year F1 has been left with a gaping void that could only be filled with a return to the Continent sooner, rather than later. It appears the former now looks to be on the cards.

It's thought that Ecclestone has come under sever pressure this year from sponsors and teams to re-instate a race in North America as both miss out on a key market to target.

A return to Canada will also see teams and drivers face up against the feared "Wall of Champions" that has ended race weekends for drivers such as Hill, Schumacher and Alonso in recent times.



However in the same interview Ecclestone ruled out a return to the Indianapolis Speedway circuit in the United States that has been off the calender since the last race in 2007, where Lewis Hamilton took his second career win.

In a blunt sum up Bernie said "Forget Indianapolis. We're not going back there"

However with American constructor USF1 lining up on the grid for 2010, I can't see it being too long before the United States hosts another race, whether it be at Indianapolis or not. All eyes on 2012 maybe?

In other track news for next season, it's been confirmed that Donington Park have stepped up their efforts to ensure they stage next year's Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Simon Gillett, CEO of Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd has turned to businesswoman Jayne McGivern, credited with turning around the Wembley Stadium project when it ran into trouble, to ensure that Donington Park is ready to host the race next year.

If it's not ready, then Silverstone have already made it clear they are ready and waiting to mop up fans and host again in 2010.

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Suggestion also came came out today from Eccelstone that Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit and Germany's Nurburgring (formally where the European Grand Prix was held, before it's move to Valencia last year) could alternate for a single annual event.

Spa boss, Andre Maes bit back via the Belgian media later on by pointing out that the circuit has a contact to hos the race annually until 2012.

Would a bi-annual race actually work? How upsetting would it be if you turned up the wrong year? Personally I would pick Spa over Nurburgring any day. Hosting such classics's as in 1998 when Damon Hill lead a Jordan one-two in the wet cast in the memory and the velocity of racing up and down the hills, through the forest settings, it's one no grand prix fan should be denied any year!

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Images from canpages.ca/blog (pic from stefike 13) and robertbonnett.wordpress.com, Video from youtube.com supplied by Motorsports45

Schumacher return in doubt?

After all the hype that has been slowly building since it was announced last week that seven-time World Champion would return to the grid at the Valencia street circuit at the end of the month, news sources are today circulating that "a lingering neck injury may prevent Michael Schumacher from making his sensational return"

Motorsport.com is reporting that the German driver is still suffering from the effects he sustained when testing a German Superbike in February. Schumacher came off the bike at the Spanish track and was hospitalised after the fall, forcing the 40-year-old to miss 100 days before he could return to the saddle.

Last week Ferrari warned that Schumacher would only return if the driver was able to pass a series of medical checks and get through an intense training regime.

Given the G-forces exerted on the neck during the course of a Grand Prix weekend, Schumacher knows how vital it will be to withstand the stresses and strains that will be placed upon him, and that's not counting the Ferrari fans already expecting glory.

Schumacher has already been back in action, taking to the track last week in Ferrari's 2007 model of the car, completing 70 laps at the team test circuit in Italy.

The 40-year-old commented via his official website soon after that his neck "pinches abit" adding that "We have to get a grip on that as health is a priority - that's the clear arrangement made with Ferrari, with my wife too"

Spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm told German television ZDF that Schumacher's return "depends on medical investigations"

"It's not quite certain yet that his neck will hold and the comeback can be started"

This news will no doubt come as a blow to a majority of fans in F1. Since the announcement of Schumacher's return last week bookies around the world have slashed odds for the German driver to add to an already impressive win record of 91 in remaining races this season.

For now it seems fans, especially those in red, have returned to wishing and hoping.