F1 Quali Barcelona

Now we are back in Europe in Catalunya and it is nice to see the hospitality suites and trucks back in the paddock. Most of the teams come here with plenty of upgrades but Red Bull still appear to have the edge in qualifying. Whilst both Lewis and Jenson were top of the field in testing on Thursday, as is usual this season Red Bull showed the field with Sebastian and Mark heading the field on Friday.

Michael looks happier with the car and let us hope he can get up up with Nico. Mclaren made a mess of the set up for Friday but they both seemed happier with the set up in readiness for quali. Lotus are more confident with the car and Heikki suggests there maybe a second a lap improvement in the car.

So off we go into Q1 and the first to put in a time was Heikki in a 1.26.048 but in testing yesterday Sebastian was running in the late 1.19's. Massa was next along flying compared with the Lotus and he slots in a banker 1.23 as Fernando then moved into P1. The times will come down as the track rubbers in and the hard tyres bed in.

Then we had both Mclarens leading the field but locked in battle with the Red Bull's with the Ferrari's loitering. So after Q1 we lost Rubens, Jarno, Heikki, Timo, Karun, Lucas and Bruno. Williams were disappointing as Rubens lost out and both Lotus cars were out which is a shame.

Q2 is going to be very interesting as the times in the mid field are so close. Very interesting development on the Ferrari as Fernando is having to use only one hand whilst adjusting the F duct trying to copy the Mclaren development as well as adjusting the brake balance using no hands at times.

As we move into Q2 Red Bull seem to have it in the bag as early in the run they were one and two. Mclaren are ever closer, this is going to be very close. Lewis seems to have the edge on Jenson as Mark appears to have the same on Sebastian but we know how that can change. Michael then came up into third and is he coming to be as one with the car whilst Nico is back in ninth which is a change in the team positions in the season so far.

After all the comings and goings in Q2 we lost Adrian, Pedro, Nico (H), Vitaly, Sebastian (B), Jamie and Vitantonio. Disappointment for both Force India's as they have been so competitive in the previous races this season. Q2 remained tight at the top but both Red Bull's still have the edge but Lewis is hovering.

Here we go into the pole shoot out and this will be even tighter looking at the times so far. Again we had an issue in the pit lane as Fernando was released into the pit lane in front of Nico and a near accident was only just avoided. It does make it difficult for the drivers with peripheral vision as the sides of the modern F1 car are so high but that is why they rely heavily on the pit crew in the pit lane particularly.

Both Red Bull's then laid down the gauntlet with mark followed by Sebastian but both 1 second quicker than Lewis followed by Jenson and Michael but Nico down in tenth. So all the cars went into the pits to add some fuel but only just enough to complete the run.

With all the cars now on the Green walled tyres and the times are tumbling. Then Mark put the rest in the shade with the first into the 1.19's. What a furious last 10 minutes and Mark was just over a tenth ahead.

So the final grid looks like this: Mark, Sebastian, Lewis, Fernando, Jenson, Michael, Robert, Nico, Felipe and Kamui. So Michael heads Nico for the first time this season, Lewis heads Jenson and Fernando heads Felipe. All this suggests we should have a great grand prix with 4 world champions in the top 6.

Now things will be hectic in the pits evaluating all the data and let us hope we have a good Spanish GP.

F1 Barcelona - The Race

Sorry the post is late but life has been hectic over the past 2 weeks. So off we went to Barcelona for the first European race of the season. The front end of the grid is becoming the form cars for 2009 with Red Bull, Torro Rosso with a Ferrari for a change up at the front.

Albeit concerned about the KERS cars off the grid the 2 Brawn's were off but this time Rubens went into turn 1 in the lead closely followed by Jenson. Then came carnage behind them as Trulli went off onto the grass and came back across the track in front of Sutil and Bourdais ran into, or climbed over the back of Buemi. So we lost 2 Torro Rosso's, a Toyota and a Force India.

This brought the safety car out whilst they cleared up the debri. Then a pattern started to emerge as Rubens was off away at the front followed by Jenson, Vettel, Webber and Massa. It seemed they were all on 3 stoppers which Ross Brawn had confirmed was the quickest strategy.

With plenty of scraps down through the field the first pit stops arrived and in they swooped. All done and status quo resumed. Barrichello, Button, Vettel, Webber, Massa and the rest. Apart from a few scraps in the mid field the status quo remained until the second tyre stops.

The pace that Rubens had been running now seemed to go away on the third set of tyres and in the meantime Brawn had swapped Jenson to a 2 stop strategy rather then Rubens' 3 which went down like a lead brick with Rubens. However, the 2 stop strategy was still the right one.

So now Jenson took over the lead hotly pursued by Mark, Rubens, Felipe and Sebastian who was, for him frustratingly stuck behind the Ferrari. Unfortunately Lewis had a bad afternoon and really wasn't at the sharp end all day.

Nick (Heidfeld) and Nico (Rosberg) were always in the points and drove a good race throughout. In the heat of battle Kimi went missing with electrical problems so off to the garage for his shorts and an ice cream, Kovalinen only lasted 7 laps for the gremlins took over so that made the 6 retirements of the day joining the first 4 on lap 1.

So the run to the flag was on and after Mark's (Webber) final pit stop Rubens took over P2 and was never to lose it behind Jenson.

Felipe had fuel problems in the latter stages i.e. lack of and was told by the pits to slow down so as not to run out prior to the end. It appears the refuelling rig, banned for 2010 didn't dispense the correct amount of fuel and to bring him in for it would have taken any chance away. As it was he finished 6th after letting Sebastian and Fernando through.

That was at least a pleasant sight for Sebastian as he had been looking at the Ferrari double diffuser all afternoon so can tell the pits all about it, ha ha.

So yet another 1,2 for Brawn and Jenson's 4th win of the season, the 2 Red Bull's took 3rd and 4th with Fernando, Felipe, Nick and Nico making up the top 8 points positions. Rubens recorded the fastest lap at an average speed of 202.484 so at least something for his day out at the office.

So now it's off to Monaco for all the razzle dazzle and what hopefully will be a thrilling race. So many thrills with La Rascasse, Lowes, the tunnel and the swimming pool complex at what should be a great event as usual.

I remember watching a program about Jackie Stewart saying that when he came out of the tunnel into the then different chicane he could smell the grass every time he went past, wow. There was evidently a patch of grass on the harbour side to the left of the first part of the chicane and he could smell it with each circuit.

Monaco here we come.

Formula 1 Back in Europe

Firstly I would like to pass on my commiserations to Max Mosley after the recent loss of his oldest son, Alexander. Irrelevant of the circumstances it must be a hard time for Max and our thoughts are with him during these difficult times.

Well here we go, the F1 circus comes to Europe for the first time in 09 with this weekends Barcelona GP. The big question on everyone's mind is whether the big four of previous years can come to terms with Brawn, Toyota and Red Bull.

Mclaren seemed to be pinning the breakaway 3 last time out in Bahrain albeit their overall race pace wasn't a match for Brawn, Red Bull and Toyota. They still need more mechanical grip and one cannot believe they are not on the case for this weekend. Whilst they say upgrades have been fitted already I am sure they will find more.

Ferrari have been in the doldrums all season and only narrowly missed its worst start to a GP season with Kimi's 6th in Bahrain. They relied on the success of banning the new diffusers and once that failed they were faced with a complete rebuild. They are to introduce a new update package in Spain which will include a new wing package and of course the thing tried to ban, the new diffuser.

BMW have had a miserable start to 2009 finishing at the back in Bahrain. It is supposedly introducing a major aero update although it states its double decker diffuser won't be available for the weekend. They need a breath of fresh air from somewhere as Heiidfeld and Kubica are not happy with their lot.

Renault will also bring a new aero package to Barcelona along with all the others. After an interim diffuser in China, remember it was flown across in Falvio's jet, it expects further aero parts to be available for Spain.

So, the fight back starts albeit the first 4 races have been and gone. Brawn, Toyota and Red Bull will also be bringing improvements to their cars in Spain so it will have to be a mighty leap from the big 4 of yesteryear to put them in front.

Ross Brawn's pedigree in recent years with Ferrari proves he is a whilly old fox and since the start of the season he has proved he hasn't lost anything after his sabbatical.

We all want to see the 7 teams fighting for supremacy and at least if the big 4 narrow the gap then we are in for some thrilling races for the rest of the season. As the grid is covered by a mere 2 seconds now quali should be very interesting spectacle.

I must also mention the other teams who are sometimes forgotten. I think we all had high hopes for Williams as both Rosberg and Nakajima have the equipment to get it done but almost flatter to deceive. Toro Rosso who have the car to fight at the front albeit Bourdais, who's position is in question, doesn't match Buemi's pace, so far anyway and we are all willing Force India to show progress, not for us but for them.

The next 3 races in Spain, Monaco and Turkey will lay down the gauntlet and by Britain we should know who's got what and why. Lets hope all these bits bring the cars closer together and that we can have some great racing amongst the top teams.

Circuit de Catalunya has a track length of 2.892 miles and with 66 race laps the distance will be 190 miles. The track consists of 16 corners and as the teams do a lot of testing here they should be familiar with the intricacies of the place. There is one thing for certain, downforce is needed here in abundance for the high speed corners.

News stories of the week.

At a World Motor Sport Council meeting last week Tyre Warmers and Refuelling will be outlawed from 2010. This Green incentive will of course encourage engine builders to improve fuel economy all adding to reducing costs in the longer term. The short term cost saving will of course mean teams will not have to carry around expensive refuelling rigs.

As we all by now Mclaren escaped a race ban but have a suspended ban hanging over its head, let's hope they can now keep it clean.

Cost capping has been very much at the front of everyone's mind of late and it appears £40 million is now the target figure. This whole question is very complex and we will have to wait developments as the story roles on.

Whilst F1 doesn't like being mentioned in the same article as A1, I have to mention the achievements of Adam Carroll after winning the A1 champ. His last outing at Brands, the last of the season after Mexico was ruled out because of Swine Flue, saw him with 2 poles and 2 wins outfoxing Switzerland to land the crown. Well done Adam.

Well that's all for now and I look forward to blogging over the weekend.