Just an aside...

It’s the end of the season and it’s been a really difficult year for motorsport. We lost two great motorsport talents in the space of a week and it prompted a great deal of media coverage. There were some extremely well written, throught-provoking and dignified pieces out there from informed motorracing journalists and then there were all the articles written by people who had little knowledge or understanding of motorsport, some of whom admitted to never having watched a motor race of any type in their life calling for the sport to be banned outright.

It astounded me that people who were evidently so ignorant felt that they could legitimately criticise something about which they knew nothing. Few people have disputed that lessons must be learnt from the tragic and untimely death of Dan Wheldon, while most people also agree that the death of Marco Simoncelli was a freak accident, where no amount of extra safety measures could have changed the heartbreaking outcome of that horrifying crash.

I wonder if such journalists, who called for the banning of all types of motorsport to be banned, would maintain that opinion if they knew how much advancements in motorsport have affected their lives, improved road safety, even contributing significantly to medical progress and innovation. The work of the FIA is extremely important, Formula One is a hell of a lot more than expensive cars driving round and round in a circle. I can’t make people love motor racing, and you don’t need to even follow it to appreciate how many lives it has saved through safety breakthroughs and the like.

Ignorance is a dangerous and damaging thing, and there are few places where it can be more so than in the media.  It's a crying shame that the achievements and the good of motorsport, the FIA and other motorsporting bodies aren't better recognised. 

The curse of pole strikes again

Brazil saw the end of the 2011 season where Red Bull has dominated, and despite this undisputed dominance, it was also the first win for Mark Webber since Hungary last season. Vettel really has been a cut above Webber all season and despite coming close in qualifying, Webber has been unable to mount a serious challenge to his teammate all season.

I can’t help but wonder quite how satisfied Webber can have been with victory at Interlagos. Sure it was a relief, but he’s still not beaten Vettel fair and square on the race track for a very long time now. Mark’s an extremely popular character in the paddock, and everyone was delighted for him to end the season with a win, and I really am pleased for him, but would he have won without Seb having a problem? It’s unlikely really isn’t it? I don’t see how Mark can feel satisfied with having the fastest car on the grid and yet only beating Fernando Alonso, in the third best car out there, by just one point.

That’s not to say that Mark didn’t drive a great race and deserve victory – he’s had a bit of bad luck this year while Seb has had it all his own way, I just question how it must feel for him, and in a way, although Mark is a solid driver, I’d love for Red Bull to take on a young, exciting driver with raw speed and real world championship material because let’s face it, for as long as Vettel is there, Mark won’t be World Champion.

As for those who thought the Vettel problem was just a conspiracy theory…yeah, right. Have you seen that kid? Do you honestly think he’d go along with something like that just to his teammate could salvage third in the Championship? I don’t think so – not a chance.

Jenson really has been one of the absolute stars of the year and I completely agree that he’s driven better this season than in his Championship-winning one. It was, without a doubt, a fantastic move from Fernando around the outside of Button and it was great to see Alonso really pushing his Ferrari to the limits and he was impressive in the early stages of the race, but that Ferrari just doesn’t have the pace and Jenson was blisteringly quick in those final stages as McLaren’s tyre strategy really worked out for them. The gap to Seb was obviously too much but Button never gave up and he thoroughly deserved runner-up spot in the Championship. 

Lewis back to his best in Abu Dhabi

I’ve neglected my blogging duties rather a lot recently and even this is a few days late but I wanted to pick up on it again before the season draws to a close and what better subject matter than Lewis’s return to the top step. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix wasn’t quite the borefest that some feared and the DRS zones certainly made a difference, but it’s unlikely to ever provide the on-track excitement as some of the F1 favourites.

Lewis back to winning form

What a season it has been for Lewis – the former World Champion admits that it has been his worst season to date and the facts speak for themselves. His fair share of personal problems, coupled with Button’s sensational form throughout the season really put Lewis’s nose out of joint in the mid-season. It’s safe to say that when a driver’s mind is elsewhere, or when they’ve been beaten down by some less-than-perfect performances, it affects their driving and it seems to go one of two ways. When you’ve been through hell, you either let it haunt you, or you rise above it and I for one was relieved to see Lewis in a much better place this weekend. I think he still has a lot to learn in terms of his attitude and the way he carries himself, but no-one can take away the fact that he’s a fabulous, exciting racer. Granted, he’s pushed and exceeded the boundaries this season, but he’s been noticeably more measured of late and in a season where Seb has dominated so devastatingly, it’s a relief to see a driver with the pace to compete with the Red Bulls.

Of course, Seb didn’t have a chance to challenge Hamilton this weekend and it was nice to see how gutted he was to be out on lap one – that’s not some kind of schadenfreude, I mean it’s lovely to see quite how passionate he is and that despite winning the Championship in utter style, the idea of missing out on another victory devastated the double World Champion. Would he have beaten Lewis? Who knows – Lewis had scintillating pace all weekend, though and was desperately unlucky to miss out on pole so I’m sure he’d have been challenging Seb for victory all the same. He drove a measured, controlled race and, most importantly, he tasted victory for the first time since Germany and he was evidently delighted to win after such a drought. I just hope, for the excitement of F1, that it does mark a new start for him.

Encouraging signs from Ferrari

Yes it’s late in the season…almost the end…but I expect Ferrari were more than happy with Fernando’s efforts this weekend. If anyone can be trusted to get the best and more from a car that’s not performing, it’s Alonso and while he has only racked up one win this year, he has consistently challenged the McLarens at the front and even given the Red Bulls a run for their money, frequently outperforming Mark Webber. I don’t think Alonso could have challenged Hamilton for victory on Sunday and there was more than a difficult stop in it but he kept a faster car honest and really that’s all Ferrari can hope for right now.

A race without Seb…

It almost didn’t make a difference not having Seb in the race; his dominance has been so staggering this year that most races have been a race for the final two spots on the podium. A bizarre and unfortunate occurrence spelling the first retirement for the German since Korea in 2010 and an incident which was neither down to driver error nor to a mechanical problem actually further highlights the fantastic job Seb and the team have done over the season. It was a difficult weekend for the Red Bull team as Mark Webber suffered more woes in a frustrating season for the Australian as he missed out on a podium after a sticky first pit stop and a risky three-stop strategy. 

A blog for everyone about a weekend for everyone

So this weekend I'm straying slightly from the usual F1 stuff because while this weekend was F1-free, it was still a fantastic weekend for racing fans. I have to give my new team a mention here because they really did themselves proud this weekend. After a tough race for the guys in France yesterday, Alexander Rossi scored a great win today and Cesar Ramos had a fantastic drive from p25 to p9, while Oliver Rowland scored his first race win in the FRUK Championship at Rockingham in race 1 with Alex Lynn scoring another win to equal the Championship record of elven wins in a season. 

I wasn't in the south of France or at Rockingham this weekend though, because I was at the Goodwood Revival for Ladies Day and boy did I wish I had bought tickets for the whole weekend! I could never have predicted what a fantastic weekend lay in store for me when my mum and I decided to book tickets just a few months ago. Here's the thing though, it would have been fantastic even if I hadn't watched a single race, but because the racing was so gripping, I didn't get to see half of what I wanted to...there really is something there for everyone, it was just that everything was for me. 

What's it all about then? The Goodwood Revival began in 1998 and in Goodwood's own words 'The Revival is the world’s most popular historic motor race meeting and the only event of its kind to be staged entirely in the nostalgic time capsule of the 1940s, 50s and 60s that relives the glory days of Goodwood Motor Circuit. It is the biggest and best historic motor racing party of the year.' Sounds like a nice, quaint idea - a nice collection of old cars and people who want to dress up for the day, but it's so so much more than that and that's why over 100,000 people flocked to the sell-out event in less than pleasant weather conditions dressed to the nines in authentic 40s, 50s and 60s clothing. You wouldn't believe the effort people go to - my mother looked fabulous in a 50s style suit with fur stole, hat, bright red lipstick and ultra cool sunglasses, while I rocked up in 60s minidress, cream tights, false eyelashes, garish jewellery and cap which was worn once my severely hairsprayed up do finally succumbed to the elements. Others rented authentic uniforms - there were nurses, landgirls, airmen, soldiers, racing drivers, mechanics, entire vintage families and an unbelievable amount of spotless vintage prams with babies in real vintage outfits - the lengths people went to were enormous and really added to the spirit of things. 

I'd say the majority of my friends don't have the faintest interest in motorsport and that's okay...some like horses - I don't. Some are massive football fans - I'm not that bothered, but I can honestly say that I think the majority of my friends would love the Goodwood Revival. It has the oh my god factor. I mean the 'oh my god how amazing - look at that' when you see the old fashioned funfair. At 23 years old I was so excited to see the old fashioned style swingboats because it took me right back to my childhood and the brilliant 'Five Children and it' film. I always longed to go to a funfair like the one featured in 'Five Children and it' and there it was, right in front of me - it was magical. Meanwhile Kenwood got into the wartime spirit of things with a 1940s kitchen showcasing all the budget meals of the period. Even supermarket giant Tesco got into the spirit of things with a 1966 replica store with authentic packaging and products, while car giant Jeep had laid on an American themed diner for its special guests. And that's not all - the Goodwood market alone is enough for a whole day out. There's an amazing array of vintage clothing, handbags, shoes, jewellery and luggage while there are several fur and sheepskin shops along with many outlets selling limited edition paintings, photographs, magazines and lots lots more. Seriously the amount of times I said 'so and so would love this' is ridiculous. The Earls Court Car show had a selection of some of the most beautiful cars in the world and even those who don't actually like motor racing may well appreciate them for their design and intricacy. So, that's plenty to keep you happy without watching a minute of motor racing. 

You should watch it though, even if it's just one twenty-five minute race because you wouldn't believe how hard these guys race these cars that are worth a fortune. It's no coincidence that this weekend doesn't coincide with a F1 race because so many big F1 names were there, lapping up the atmosphere and racing out on track - Martin Brundell, Adrian Newey, Christian Horner, Tony Jardine and Tiff Needell are some of many familiar household names who featured on the entrant or driver lists for the various races over the weekend. The Barry Sheene Memorial trophy was a hard fought battle while the Whitsun trophy was my personal favourite with dramatic racing to the very end. 

If all of that wasn't enough, there are some fantastic airshows featuring Spitfires and other beautiful aircraft. 

The Goodwood Revival is something Britain does very very well and it is expensive, but when so many spend every weekend in shopping centres buying for the sake of buying as that seems like our occupation in the UK, it's entirely worth it. It's an experience that makes you really feel like you're living. I can't wait to go back for the whole weekend next year. 

http://www.goodwood.co.uk/revival/welcome.aspx

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/goodwood-revival/8733234/Goodwood-Revival-2011-a-trip-back-in-time-to-the-shops.html 

Seb reigns supreme at manic Monza

What a race! Steeped in history and prestige, Monza continues to be one of the most exciting race weekends on the F1 calendar.

Vettel in a league of his own...


Seb has been practically unstoppable this year and his 112 point lead in the Championship means that his status as double World Champion is now inevitable. A load of wheelspin off the start for Seb, combined with an excellent and bold start from Fernando Alonso saw Vettel lose position at the start but it was clear for all to see that this would be short-lived. The decisions Sebastian and Red Bull had taken regarding gear shifting meant that Seb's car was perfectly set up for race conditions and while Fernando certainly made it difficult for Vettel to pass, forcing him onto the grass, he easily regained his lead. From then onwards, Seb controlled his race and despite a late charge from Button, the win was never in doubt. This is very much a race for 2nd in the Championship now...and a very close race at that.

Button beats Hamilton again...


Button impressed again today - he drove a great race, taking risks where needed. He lost positions at the start but as Michael Schumacher held Hamilton, Jenson quickly found himself hot on their heels. Initially biding his time and hanging back, Jenson clearly had a very fast car and was frustrated to be held up behind Hamilton and Schumacher. There were times when the trio were so close that it was hard to watch, but as Hamilton made a mistake, Button capitalised and managed to take Michael quite easily - surprising given how long Lewis had spent (and continued to spend) behind him. As the final pit stops were nearly upon us, Button was gaining quickly on Alonson who was evidently lacking grip and, knowing how much the Ferraris struggle on the hard tyres, it was almost a dead cert that Button would pass Alonso for second. After a tough start 2nd was definitely the very best result Button could have hoped for today.

Alonso does the Tifosi proud... 


Another excellent start from Alonso delighted the Italian crowd and while they may have been disappointed to see him fade in the later stages of the race, 3rd was certainly an achievement for Ferrari today. Indeed, one or two more laps and it may have been Hamilton on the bottom step of the podium instead of Alonso. Ferrari's lacklustre season will really be hurting the passionate Tifosi, but they have a new hero in Fernando Alonso and while he was unable to repeat last year's race win, he maximised the car's performance today and the early loss of Mark Webber actually sees Alonso moved to 2nd in the Drivers' Championship.

A glimpse of the Schumacher of old...


How fantastic to see Michael Schumacher back in the thick of it?! A superb start and some excellent defensive driving meant that Schumacher was right up in the action...Yes some of his moves were slightly questionable but I don't think it was clear cut enough to penalise him as the second movement was arguably a return to the racing line...A podium was never really on the cards for Mercedes today but Michael provided some really exciting on-track action.


Great racing across the field...


Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastian Buemi, Paul diResta and Bruno Senna were also hugely exciting today with Bruno Senna arguably showing the Renault team that they were correct to give him a contract for the rest of the season.

A belated Belgian Grand Prix Blog..

So Spa was a long time ago now and my blog has been more and more delayed as I was without internet in Palma and I’m still  having internet issues at my new place in Daventry so this weekend has been my first opportunity to upload my Spa blog.. 

Seb returns to the top step…

Despite having the most commanding lead that he had had all year, Vettel hadn’t won a race since Valencia…until Spa. He looked in trouble in the early stages as he quite literally raced through his tyres, but his so-called ‘free’ pit stop meant that he barely lost out in the end. His out and out speed saw him return to the front and while Mark closed in on Seb in the final few laps, it never really looked in doubt. Seb’s supreme talent and the odd bit of luck along the way means this really is his year…far more so than last year when you think he didn't lead the Championship last year until the final round. 

Alonso fades away after a promising start

Fernando Alonso was frighteningly quick in the early stages of the Grand Prix, setting fastest lap after fastest lap and as Vettel was wearing his tyres out, Lewis and Fernando looked like they may be the two main contenders for the race win. It was the racy Fernando of old, an Alonso who we haven’t seen all that much of this season as he simply hasn’t had the confidence in the car but after a stunning start, Fernando looked like he could do some damage at Spa. However, it soon became clear that Spa – like most of the other races this season – was to be a tale of tyres. While blisteringly quick on the soft tyres, and initially fast on the hard tyres, Button’s poor qualifying meant that he had an extra set of softs and by the closing stages, Fernando was a sitting duck as Jenson cruised past him. It was an impossible situation for him as – by that point – he would have lost positions whether he pitted for new tyres or not… We’ve seen such promising starts from Ferrari but they’re consistently struggling with the Pirellis and they’ll need to find something special to give the Tifosi something to celebrate in Monza but there’s no ruling 

them out. 

Another tough day at the office for Lewis while Jenson collects more points…

Well Lewis was understandably despondent after another DNF and in the run-up to Monza he’s been quoted as saying that 2011 has been his worst season in F1 to date. The team obviously thought Lewis was in with a strong chance of victory at Spa but when speaking to the Spanish press (I watched the race in Palma remember!) Lewis was actually even more down on his luck than he had been to the BBC. It doesn’t really matter who was at fault, but it was a shame to lose Lewis so early in the race, particularly as his teammate who had such a disappointment in qualifying showed such strong pace at the end of the race.

An impressive drive from Schumacher…20 years on!

I for one was gutted that Michael was forced to start from 24^th on Sunday. However you feel about Schumacher, whether you think he’s a flawed character or a pure genius, he’s had a sensational F1 career and it can’t be easy for him to be so off the pace after years of utter domination and starting 24^th certainly wasn’t the best way to celebrate 20 years since his F1 debut. Michael scoring a well deserved 5^th place and importantly beating teammate Nico Rosberg was probably the best result he could have hoped for and well deserved.

High drama in Hungary

What an unpredictable race at a venue that has historically provided rather dull, procession-like races! The weather and the tyre lottery that has played a major role throughout the season provided some great racing all the way down the field from start to finish…

Brilliant Button wins in style

When the car isn’t working for him, Jenson still struggles in the McLaren, but when he gets the setup right he’s absolutely supreme. All weekend Jenson was right up there with Lewis, qualifying an excellent 3^rd on the grid for his 200^th Grand Prix. An eventful race for pretty much all of the drivers, Button dealt with the conditions which seem to suit him and the McLarens exceptionally well. While a few errors saw Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of victory quickly ebb away, Jenson drove an intelligent race, managing the tyres and conditions with some very close on-track action at times. Yes the victory really came to him through Lewis’s misjudgements but had he maintained his lead and not been penalised, I’m pretty sure Jenson would have given Lewis a run for his money anyway with the harder compound tyres staying in far better shape over a longer stint. A great win for one of the more popular personalities in the paddock, he definitely deserves some cake tonight.

3 of his worst results of the year….and the title lead is greater than ever…

Sebastian Vettel hasn’t won since Valencia, he’s been positively off form in Britain and in Germany and was one of the most tentative drivers in the early stages of today’s race and yet his lead is now 85 points over his teammate in second place. A little bit of luck, a lot of focus and it just seems like this season is destined to be Sebastian Vettel’s – even when things go badly for him, he just can’t help but end up on the podium. Over 3 race wins ahead of his teammate, the challenge for the other drivers is greater than ever, but the tide has certainly turned on Red Bull in recent races and McLaren were unquestionably faster for the majority of this weekend. Vettel is in an exceptionally privileged position in that consistency is the key…mathematically it’s possible, but realistically it’d take a miracle to overhaul Vettel’s dominant Championship lead.

Superb 7^th for di Resta

Having been outqualified by his teammate Adrian Sutil yesterday, Paul di Resta had an excellent race today scoring another solid points finish for Force India and showing that despite his unorthodox entry into Formula One, he deserves to be there with the very best of them. Beating both Toro Rossos, the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and – most importantly – both Saubers, Paul really helped Force India in the Constructors’ Championship race today as they now trail Sauber by only 9 points as his team increased its lead over Toro Rosso this weekend.

Scary scenes at the end of the pitlane…

This wasn’t the first time we’ve seen Nick Heidfeld’s Renault on fire this season but it was certainly a worrying sight as he drove the length of the pitlane with the left side of the car in flames. Nick admitted it was a scary experience for him, but what followed was, in my opinion, highly dangerous and irresponsible. To have marshals on track at the pit exit where drivers are getting up to speed and, as the rules stipulate, forced to stay within the white line was extremely risky for both the marshals and the drivers leaving the pitlane. Having seen some horrific incidents over the years, I squirmed a little as I saw Vettel emerge from the pitlane as Heidfeld’s car was, quite unprofessionally, towed up the pitlane exit. A Safety Car wouldn’t have averted the problem, on the contrary it would probably have increased the danger given that the drivers would have flocked to the pits attempting to cash in on a free pit stop but really, race control should have had the sense to close the pit lane temporarily while the wreckage was towed back in a fashion that ensured both marshal and driver safety.

Lewis who?

I’ve been quick to criticise Lewis Hamilton in the past. I’ve never questioned his talent or his passion – he’s one of the top 3 drivers out there, but his attitude has been far from positive over the course of his career, but most notably this season. He’s been brash, disrespectful, and downright cocky, overstepping the line between confidence and arrogance by a country mile at times. I’ve been an F1 fan for life, not one who has jumped on the bandwagon at a bit of British success and while I’m glad he’s brought the sport more attention and interest, he’s hardly been an excellent ambassador for the sport, unlike his teammate Jenson Button. No, this isn’t an attack on Lewis – far from it. While the BBC commentators were predicting Lewis to emerge from his car spewing about a drive through penalty and a tyre choice error, the Lewis that we saw before us was composed and humble, and while he was quick to tell us he ‘never spins’, he came across as far more personable than he has done of late. Whether McLaren has invested in some excellent PR people just for Lewis or whether he’s solely responsible for his change in attitude I don’t know. I don’t particularly care either as long as it continues. 

A great German Grand Prix

Hamilton returns to the top...

After a stunning qualifying lap that surprised even Lewis, Hamilton returned to his very best this weekend. As soon as he put his McLaren on the front row of the grid, many tipped him for victory - particularly given Mark Webber's failure to convert poles to wins in recent races. Once again, Mark made a poor start and Hamilton capitalised on this, immediately pulling out quite some gap on the rest of the field. As the cars settled into more of a rhythm it became too close to call the top 3 - separated by just 1.5 seconds at times but as the pit stops came, Hamilton came into his own. The cool temperatures undoubtedly helped Lewis and McLaren this weekend as he has often been too hard on his tyres causing them to degrade too quickly but today the undercut failed to help Webber as his tyres didn't come up to temperature quickly enough. Lewis's simple overtake on Alonso is unlikely to have been simply down to Alonso not paying attention and more likely a result of him tentatively getting to grips with the track on cold tyres as Hamilton, on warmer tyres came up behind him. No matter - from then onwards Lewis took charge and it looked unlikely that Fernando would ever really challenge him on track before the 3rd stop... quite predictably, Lewis's tyres were the first to go but unpredictably, the hard tyres didn't damage lap times. Combined with low fuel loads, the tyres performed well and while it looked like a risk to pit first, it was a risk that paid off for Hamilton as he secured a very sweet victory to regain 3rd place in the Drivers' Championship. Hamilton's attitude has been a lot more positive this weekend and it showed on track - a well deserved victory.

Chinks in Vettel's armour begin to show..

Losing out to Fernando Alonso right at the start of the race, Vettel really didn't enjoy his home Grand Prix as much as he would have liked to. Yes he finished in 4th place and when we consider that his teammate Mark Webber 'only' finished in 3rd, that might not appear so bad but in reality Vettel was miles off a podium today as he locked up on several occasions and even spun off as he ran wide. In my first blog I was quick to defend Vettel from the critics who say that he has never had to race and I stand by my assessment of Vettel as a great, intelligent and highly skilled driver. He is an exceptional driver when he is comfortable in the car, but this weekend he has been in Mark's shadow - he hasn't seemed as confident and carefree in the last few races as he was earlier in the season and I can't help but feel that as Ferrari and McLaren progress, Vettel - despite a huge lead over his teammate - is starting to feel a little less secure at Red Bull, particularly as he felt on the back foot with regards to car set-up this weekend. Fortunately for Sebastian, he has a huge lead over his nearest rival who also happens to be his teammate and while Felipe Massa - another driver who has been called into question recently - held Vettel up very well as he seemed reluctant to risk an overtake on the track, settling for 5th place or waiting for the pit stops to decide was a luxury Seb was able to afford. He maintains a commanding lead over the Drivers' Championship, but Vettel was shaky this weekend and he can't afford many more weekends like this as Alonso, Hamilton and Webber are relentless in their attack.

Not such a bad day for Alonso...

While Fernando will rue Hamilton's overtake after his second stop, he won't actually be too disappointed with second place today. The Ferraris do not enjoy the cold, damp conditions that we saw today at the Nürburgring and two weeks ago at Silverstone and yet Alonso finished first and second in such conditions... Yes he might feel that he missed out on victory today, but he didn't lose out to Vettel, and he and Ferrari will look ahead to the next few, much hotter races and feel extremely optimistic about their chances given the improvements that Ferrari has been able to make in recent weeks.

Petrov and Sutil impress...

Vitaly Petrov and Adrian Sutil impressed again this weekend with Petrov doing a great job to keep considerably faster cars behind him, positioning his car perfectly lap after lap, while Sutil's strategy and some great driving saw him grab a great 6th place for Force India this weekend. Often outqualified by teammate Paul di Resta, Sutil seems to perform far better in the race itself.

A belated British Grand Prix Blog

While Cyprus can guarantee sunshine it certainly can't guarantee a reliable wifi connection so I figured I'd wait until I was back in dreary England to write about a not-so-dreary British Grand Prix! It was a turning point in the season last year and it may well prove to be a turning point this season but it's too early to judge right now.. 

Ferrari are back... 

It really was a 'fantastic day' for Ferrari as Stefano Domenicali said to Alonso as he crossed the finish line first. Pointing to the prancing horse on his steering wheel, Fernando was evidently delighted to be returning to the top step of the podium for Ferrari after so long. A historic victory too, on the 60th anniversary of Ferrari's first ever win at the very same track. However, what is most important is what this victory means for the rest of the season...While some might say that Ferrari were only in a position to fight for victory as a result of the (already reversed) rule change, I actually feel that Ferrari's victory was a culmination of months of development and they have been threatening victory for quite some time. Equally some would say that Fernando was 'gifted' this victory by the Red Bull pitcrew blunder, but that's racing...in the same way it could be argued that Alonso was set for victory in Monaco had it not been for the Red flag tyre changes... That's just the way it goes sometimes. It's also true that Alonso showed he had the pace, both before and after the pitstop to challenge the Red Bull on track - eventually winning the race by over 16 seconds. What is for certain is that this was not a one-off from Ferrari - their car, in races at least, has shown potential for victory in recent races and this victory will spur the team on.  The Drivers' Championship is still looking very much out of reach for Alonso, as Ferrari's progress has come too late in the season to really see them challenge for the championship, but I do envisage the gap closing in the second half of the season. Felipe Massa also showed more promise than he has done of late, but I can't help but feel that his race was overcompromised by Ferrari using him as a buffer to Mark Webber. Undoubtedly he played a role for the team but he could have played a greater role by taking positions (and therefore points) away from the Red Bulls if he had been in a position to race his own race rather than compromising it by staying out on tyres without any grip. A shame too as Felipe is consistently outshone by Fernando in races, even if they are more equally matched in practice and qualifying and he really could have played a greater role here. 

A 'team result' for Red Bull...?

Chances are two drivers - teammates or not - have just as much chance of taking each other out at the first corner of a race as they do at the last...Vettel had a great start to take the lead, but who could have guaranteed that it happen without incident or coming together? It's hardly possible...racing is unpredictable and that's why the fans love it...fans love competition and fair fighting and while Mark Webber may have chosen to ignore his team orders to 'maintain the gap', the team's stance has strengthened the position of Webber as a definite number 2 driver. Yes, it might have only been due to a pit error that Webber found himself so close to Vettel, but again that is racing and Webber hasn't exactly had a problem-free season. Vettel maintains a commanding lead over the championship and the three points difference between 2nd and 3rd place would have hardly impacted upon this lead. Moreover, a 2-3 'team result' would have been a 'team result' whether it was Vettel or Webber who finished ahead...Indeed, as Martin Brundle later commented, if the Red Bull bosses genuinely had feared a coming together between the two drivers, could they not have adopted the 'Mark is faster than you' Ferrari-esque attitude? Of course it would have also been met with discontent, but it might also have restored some harmony within the team, rather than leaving Mark feeling left out in the cold one year on from his famous 'not bad for a number two driver' comment. A difficult decision no doubt but for team that is running away with the Constructors' Championship and for a team that supposedly supports wheel-to-wheel, raw racing, and while the message was undoubtedly a sensible one for Red Bull, it was certainly a disappointment for racing fans. 

A tough day for McLaren...

McLaren were evidently wary of the impact that the recent rule change might have upon the team performance and both Button and Hamilton were fairly despondent after a disappointing qualifying session. Lewis made a great start while Jenson struggled with grip in the early stages of the race, and for the first race in a while it was Jenson whose tyres suffered the most while Lewis was hot on the heels of Felipe Massa in the first stint. Both drivers were far more competitive after the first set of pitstops - much to the delight of the home crowd - but as the already used tyres lost grip, Ferrari - and particularly Alonso - showed that they have moved ahead of McLaren in Silverstone in terms of race pace as Alonso was far gentler on his tyres, often over a second per lap faster than Hamilton.  It was really in the last phase of the lap where the McLarens really suffered and lost time to the Red Bulls and Alonso. Ultimately it was the undercut that saw Vettel pass Hamilton but it was clear that Hamilton was lacking pace as he fell quickly behind Alonso as he held up Vettel. Things went from bad to worse for the Woking based team as a Chief Mechanic error saw Button retire at the end of the pitlane while Lewis's race was compromised as he was forced to enter fuel saving mode. A disappointing day for McLaren fans and an even more frustrating day for the drivers who had so hoped to impress at their home Grand Prix. Perhaps the only consolation was that Hamilton maintained his 4th place ahead of Massa even if it meant losing a piece of bodywork in doing so. The past few races have at times been less than pretty for McLaren with driver and team errors meaning that valuable points have been lost while Ferrari has made great progress. 

Best of the rest... 

Sergio Perez had another great Grand Prix at Silverstone and is really making a name for himself as he collects a handful of points for Sauber and both Mercedes also enjoyed a points finish as Schumacher fought his way back to ninth after another incident packed race. A good result too for Jaime Alguersuari who finished in the points for the third race in a row, as he bids to protect his seat at Toro Rosso. 

The season so far...

OK so this is my first blog and seeing as I didn’t catch the European Grand Prix live and it wasn’t exactly the most eventful race of what has been an incredible season I figured I’d just start with some observations I’ve made on the F1 season so far… It’s long…you’ve been warned…

Vettel’s dominance…

Lots of people have been asking just how good Seb really is. This may sound strange given that he has commanded the last seven of eight races, despite ‘only’ winning six of them but it’s for exactly this reason that he’s being questioned. He’s led from the front, made his way through traffic but he’s barely had to ‘race’ anyone. Personally, I wonder whether his dominance is beginning to be underrated. Undoubtedly Red Bull is the superior car – streaks ahead of the competition right now – but Vettel is a supreme talent, breaking records, however obscure, left, right and centre. He’s the youngest ever World Champion and is set to become the youngest ever double World Champion by the looks of things but he has something that a lot of drivers, however talented, appear to lack and that is what really sets him apart. Seb is extremely intelligent and seems to understand his car and tyres better than anyone else right now. Of course this is helped by his superior car, but let’s not forget the KERS issues Red Bull have been suffering from throughout the season – he’s always been able to find that little bit extra when it has really mattered. He’s supremely confident and nothing appears to faze the young driver…issues in practice have shown that he is perfectly capable of picking himself up, dusting himself off and showing everyone just how on top of his game he is. He’s cheeky and he’s self-assured, he looks after his tyres and controls his races – he rarely gets hot under the collar, though Canada did show that there are chinks in the young German’s armour. Then there’s Mark Webber…if it really is just the car and Seb’s not all he’s cracked up to be then how has Mark Webber failed to capitalise on the exact same situation? Sure Mark’s not taken to the Pirelli’s as well as Seb, but more importantly, he’s not comfortable in the team…no matter what he or the team says, he feels second rate and it still really shows. So yes, Seb is dominating for a combination of reasons, but that team is built around him and I can only see him going from strength to strength while Ferrari, McLaren and even his teammate play catch up…

The trouble with Lewis…

I’ve always had something of a problem with Lewis Hamilton’s attitude and recently his behaviour on and off track has been called into question. There is no doubt that Lewis is world-class and a deserved World Champion but there is also no doubt that Lewis is extremely privileged to have had the start to his career that he has had… Entering into a potentially Championship-winning team was a huge break for him and, since the rise of Lewis Hamilton, Formula One has become remarkably more popular in Britain than it had been since the years of Damon Hill. However, having things all his own way has not had an entirely advantageous effect on Lewis. As Martin Brundle recently said ‘the problem with Lewis is it’s always somebody else’s fault’… He seems far too quick to praise the team when they’re doing well and slam them when they’re not. Has he forgotten how far behind McLaren were in pre-season testing? The team has done exceptionally well to develop the car as quickly as they have this year and yes, they need to keep doing so, they need to keep upgrading but the team radio footage, not to mention Lewis’s little outburst in Monaco is sure to do nothing but hinder the team’s morale at a time when it really needs a boost. In contrast to Sebastian, Lewis seems unable to condition his tyres for long stints… and that is exactly what he needs to do if he’s going to challenge Red Bull for the rest of the season. Good race pace is all very well but it’s nothing when your tyres are shot to bits after four or five laps. There’s no question that McLaren were simply not quick enough this weekend but to finish 46 seconds behind the Red Bulls surely was not representative of their potential… This season seems to be most about getting to grips with the Pirellis and despite blatant requests from the team for Lewis to slow down he maintained he couldn’t go any slower, yet told them he couldn’t go any quicker just a short time later. As simple as it sounds, when you smash out fastest laps on the first few laps of a new set of tyres, you’re going to struggle for pace later on… Lewis is an out and out racer and it’s not in his nature to go ‘slowly’ when he could go quickly, but not thinking ahead really hurt him at a race where he really needed a good result. All of these guys are desperate to win, but in recent races Lewis has been erratic and has demonstrated a terrible exercise in PR to say the least. He was lucky to go unpunished for his outburst which was undoubtedly a sign of his deep frustration but I can’t help but feel that tensions between Lewis and McLaren need to be resolved before they can move on. Silverstone will provide an ideal opportunity to overcome recent problems and provide British fans with something to celebrate, though post-race interviews from Jenson and Lewis suggested this will be a tough challenge!

A quick word on Jenson…

While Lewis has attracted a lot of attention of late, mostly for the wrong reasons, Jenson has quietly been getting the job done… KERS problems in the last race meant that he had to settle for a disappointing sixth but he’s been treating his tyres better than Lewis recently and has proven that consistency is the key as he finds himself joint second in the Championship after a sensational drive in Canada. I wouldn’t underestimate Jenson…while Lewis is evidently desperate to win a second title, Jenson has said he’s just so thrilled to have one under the belt – of course he wants more, but it seems by taking the pressure off himself he’s thriving, while Lewis has been pushing himself – and his car – too hard recently.

As for Ferrari…

Pre-season testing suggested that Ferrari would be in a position to challenge Red Bull from the outset but inaccurate results and projections saw Ferrari at a loss at the start of the year – struggling massively for pace and unsure as to why. Ferrari – probably more than any other team in F1 history – has an extremely loyal but also expectant fanbase. The famous tifosi expect Ferrari podiums, victories and championships but recent form has seen the fans celebrating even a handful of points as Fernando Alonso solemnly admits that he’s now fighting for second in the Championship. Despite the glory that is associated with Ferrari we must remember that this has often been the Ferrari way… Michael Schumacher enjoyed great times at Ferrari but it wasn’t always the case…Ferrari are quick to lose form but they find themselves back at the top soon enough. Recent re-shuffles at the top have shown that Ferrari are doing all they can  to improve the car, bringing updates earlier than planned in an effort to understand the performance gap. It must also be acknowledged that the team has been too defensive at times in terms of strategy so far this year. Barcelona was a prime example of this – despite a stunning start by Alonso who has otherwise been lacklustre in his starts this year, wasting a set of option tyres in qualifying meant that he would settle for a disappointing fifth place. Monaco and Valencia – and even Montreal – were encouraging race weekends for Ferrari as they edged ever closer to Red Bull on race pace. Felipe Massa has also upped his game in recent races after a questionable start to the season and may only have lost out to Lewis in Valencia as a result of Ferrari’s pit-stop strategy which meant Felipe was pitted after Fernando despite wanting to pit earlier. One thing is for sure – Fernando and Felipe make a great partnership at Ferrari and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them challenge for victories in the next few races, even if the Championship has already been conceded this season…The fact that the Championship has already been conceded may also mean that the team soon shifts focus to next year's car. 

A few other things…

The Mercedes partnership is an interesting one for me. I’ve always thought Rosberg was a great talent and he’s really done well this year, outperforming Michael time after time, but every so often we see a glimpse of Michael’s brilliance with Canada being the best example of this so far this season. I can’t help but feel that these glimpses aren’t enough for Michael who became so accustomed to winning before his initial retirement. Vitaly Petrov and Paul di Resta have also really impressed my this year, particularly with Paul coming from DTM into Formula One and not having raced at some of the tracks on the calendar – I’d say they’re both worth keeping an eye on for the future. I can also see Team Lotus making some inroads as the season progresses. With experienced drivers and having already made up some time this year, I can see Jarno or Heikki pouncing on the chance to score some points at a high attrition race in the near future...