So we're off and underway, another season that will take every F1 fan through 17 rounds via 16 countries over 4 continents, and with one of the most vast changes and shake ups Formula one has seen in over ten years, who can wait?
Keep tabs on the The Formula 1 Blog - http://thef1blog-jnts.blogspot.com/ for all the latest news and the chance to have your say on the big issues this sport throws up.
But first to Australia. OK we have missed the boat slightly on this one, but what a start to 2009! Those fans that had bets on a British winner for the first drive of the season weren't left disappointed. The majority of us during the off season expected Lewis Hamilton to pick up his tenth career win. However Jenson Button pulled of the spectacular to come from having no car or drivers seat a month ago to leading home a Brawn GP one - two and picking up a second career win. It literally was a sporting dream come true. After seeing the ups and downs of the ex Honda team, no one could argue it wasn't deserved.
The race of course didn't disappoint in delivering the usual controversy expected in today's Formula One. Young gun Sebastian Vettel took out the Williams of Robert Kubica during the closing stages of the race meaning all cars would cross the line under the safety car. But the bigger controversy for some was the young Germans decision to apologise after the race to Williams and Kubica. Good sportsmanship or bad judgement from a young driver?
Click on the link to view the incident -http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7970668.stm
During the BBC's online forum after the race, former team owner Eddie Jordan slatted Vettel's open-honesty and decision to apologise for the collision. "I don't think there is any due requirement for an apology...it's a racing accident, get on with it and stop messing about" Jordan went on to make the point that he thought it showed a form of weakness in Vettel and that he believed the Schumacher's and Senna's of the racing world would never have apologised for a 50/50 overtaking monuver gone wrong.
It's always great to see sporting behaviour in any competition, but does it have a place in this sport? I have to admit from where I was sitting I admired Vettel for his apology considering I thought he didn't have had to make one. But, I can't help wonder if the German's decision has robbed the fans of an early on /off track rivalry between the two drivers. One that we have seen so many times before: Senna v Prost, Schumacher v Hill, Hamilton v Alonso to name a few. F1 is all about the mind games off the track as well as on. No doubt Vettel will be involved with other collisions during his career, the question is will another apology ever follow?
We best get used to collisions because from preliminary weather forecast the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Kuala Lumpur circuit looks almost certain to be our first wet race of 2009. A great chance to see those new wet tires during this post groove era. This raises two huge questions for me, the first. Whether the race will be called off or red flagged due to the Monsoon conditions and safety aspect and the second and probably more important to me. How will last years "master in the wet" Lewis Hamilton, fair in his under preforming car in conditions he professes to love? Could this be the first time since Damon Hill in 1996 that we have seen a back to back British podium at the start of the season?
Lots to be answered, more posts soon.
Finally from me. The BBC's coverage I have found excellent at every level and I am so glad to finally hear the return of "The Chain"...Enjoy.
Keep tabs on the The Formula 1 Blog - http://thef1blog-jnts.blogspot.com/ for all the latest news and the chance to have your say on the big issues this sport throws up.
But first to Australia. OK we have missed the boat slightly on this one, but what a start to 2009! Those fans that had bets on a British winner for the first drive of the season weren't left disappointed. The majority of us during the off season expected Lewis Hamilton to pick up his tenth career win. However Jenson Button pulled of the spectacular to come from having no car or drivers seat a month ago to leading home a Brawn GP one - two and picking up a second career win. It literally was a sporting dream come true. After seeing the ups and downs of the ex Honda team, no one could argue it wasn't deserved.
The race of course didn't disappoint in delivering the usual controversy expected in today's Formula One. Young gun Sebastian Vettel took out the Williams of Robert Kubica during the closing stages of the race meaning all cars would cross the line under the safety car. But the bigger controversy for some was the young Germans decision to apologise after the race to Williams and Kubica. Good sportsmanship or bad judgement from a young driver?
Click on the link to view the incident -http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7970668.stm
During the BBC's online forum after the race, former team owner Eddie Jordan slatted Vettel's open-honesty and decision to apologise for the collision. "I don't think there is any due requirement for an apology...it's a racing accident, get on with it and stop messing about" Jordan went on to make the point that he thought it showed a form of weakness in Vettel and that he believed the Schumacher's and Senna's of the racing world would never have apologised for a 50/50 overtaking monuver gone wrong.
It's always great to see sporting behaviour in any competition, but does it have a place in this sport? I have to admit from where I was sitting I admired Vettel for his apology considering I thought he didn't have had to make one. But, I can't help wonder if the German's decision has robbed the fans of an early on /off track rivalry between the two drivers. One that we have seen so many times before: Senna v Prost, Schumacher v Hill, Hamilton v Alonso to name a few. F1 is all about the mind games off the track as well as on. No doubt Vettel will be involved with other collisions during his career, the question is will another apology ever follow?
We best get used to collisions because from preliminary weather forecast the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Kuala Lumpur circuit looks almost certain to be our first wet race of 2009. A great chance to see those new wet tires during this post groove era. This raises two huge questions for me, the first. Whether the race will be called off or red flagged due to the Monsoon conditions and safety aspect and the second and probably more important to me. How will last years "master in the wet" Lewis Hamilton, fair in his under preforming car in conditions he professes to love? Could this be the first time since Damon Hill in 1996 that we have seen a back to back British podium at the start of the season?
Lots to be answered, more posts soon.
Finally from me. The BBC's coverage I have found excellent at every level and I am so glad to finally hear the return of "The Chain"...Enjoy.
