Typical 2011 GP

So, I was bored and wanted to do something for this fine website as I have been neglecting my duties of late. This is mostly because there was very little to talk about F1 wise. Below is a blueprint of what I believe Bernie has

Let’s Get This Over

Next week in Singapore, Vettel can finally win the Championship. Thankfully this puts an end to the ridiculous way in which drivers are having to answer the question “can anyone else still beat Vettel this season”? They all answer the same – “well, anything can happen, I won’t give up”.

Give it a rest.

The Championship’s been over since about the 4^th race. I know they have to say all that garbage for the fans and sponsors etc, but it’s got to be pretty depressing knowing in your head it’s all over and having to say something else.

As good as the racing has been this season, I think I would have preferred the drama of the last few years in terms of last race Championship deciders. That’s what the sport is all about – fighting tooth and nail to win your life’s ambition at the least race of the season. I can still remember how I felt last year just before the start of the Abu Dhabi GP, my heart was literally racing and I was willing Alonso on more than ever before. Obviously we know how that finished, but I would go through it all again that’s for sure.

Having had to sit through the awful Norwich display against West Brom, I  watched the race on a delayed run. It’s not often this happens, so it was quite an odd experience I must say. I was very, very impressed by Michael who I thought held Lewis off extremely well. Yes, he was naughty that one time when he moved twice, but he’s desperate to show he’s still got it and this season I think he has proved that he has. His car control on shot rear tyres was sublime and the defensive lines he was taking around all parts of the track were absolutely textbook. Not much I can say about Vettel really; I think I let my bias against him get in the way of me actually writing anything good about him. Stick him in a crap car and then we’ll see how good he is. Oh and chop off that bloody finger. And ban him from saying “that’s what I’m talking about”.

Button as usual showed he has tremendous capacity behind the wheel to think about what’s going on. You just knew when Lewis was fighting Michael that Jenson was just hanging back making sure he conserved his fuel and looking after his tyres. Not exactly exciting stuff, but necessary all the same. I’m starting to like Button more and more these days – he’s certainly a better driver now than when he won his Championship.

Lewis, as always, is ever the conundrum. An enigma. On his day, he is blindingly fast and fantastic to watch, but those days are ever rarer. At Monza he was like a gifted, sulky child. The guy says that nothing fazes him to the media, but he hung behind Michael for so long it was like he was trying to make a point to people watching that he doesn’t crash all the time. Quite a bizarre thing to do when you’re an F1 driver, but then I’m not convinced his head is in the game at all. He’s had a pretty awful last couple of seasons punctuated by the odd great race, but you’ll notice no one is talking about him in the same reverential tones they once were. Maybe he needs a Casey Stoner-esque break from the sport? Who knows.

Roll on next season.

F1 deal makes me sick

I don’t know who came up with this idea, but it is ridiculous.

This morning, BBC and Sky teamed up in a deal to both show F1 with Sky getting all the races and the BBC getting only 10.

I am really struggling here to put this in words. Say I want to keep watching F1 on the Beeb, I will now have to buy Sky just to watch 10 races that the BBC aren’t showing! I would have much preferred Sky having every race and then I know what I’ll be getting.

And just what will we be getting with Sky?

If you look at their football coverage, it seems we will get the following:

• ADVERTS
• SUPER DUPER FORD SUPER WANKY SUNDAY FORMULA ONE
• CRAP COMMENTATORS
• STUDIO ANALYSIS
• POINTLESS SLOW MOTION FOOTAGE
• RUBBISH ANALYSIS
• ADVERTS
• BRITISH IMPARTIALITY (ahem)

I would rather they gave the bloody thing back to ITV. I would rather James Allen was back commentating on his own. I would rather he was commentating while wanking himself into oblivion as he shouts over and over “Lewis Hamilton, Lewis Hamilton, OOOOOHHH.”.

I am not happy.

Oh and there’s a race this weekend. Meh.

How Much A Seat?

*Listening to Kings of Leon – Radioactive*

Next season’s F1 grid is going to a young one.

With the likes of Jaime Algersuari, Kamui, Buemi, Hulk, Vettel and, stretching it a little with Hamilton and Rosberg already in F1 and impressing, another has been added.

His name? Sergio Perez. His rep? Second in this season’s GP2 behind the unlucky-in-F1 Maldonado and has been team-mate to Petrov in earlier years.

For a change we can firmly say F1 has a bright future. New teams are growing some adult teeth, and some testing their bite, this season’s title is not going anywhere yet and the next generation are getting their chances. The rumours of Villeneuve’s return feels like a distant memory.

But then there is the second announcement made by Sauber on Monday. This is a team, lest we forget, with nothing on their car but for a discreet Burger King bumper sticker. But that’s about to change, Mexican telecom giant Telmex will be lead sponsor next season.

Oh, I forgot to tell you all Perez’s nationality. Unsurprisingly, he’s Mexican.

How big a factor was this in Perez making the leap into the highest form of motorsport? It would be naïve to believe it to be none. This is nothing new, and it won’t be the last such appointment. Talent should outweigh any other factor in this game. But if Driver A is competent with a big sponsor or two then he will get the vacant seat ahead of Driver B who is more talented but can’t get a sponsor other than his local chippy and second-hand garage.

I don’t doubt Perez’s ability but there are many a-driver being overlooked for no other reason than money. There are only so many seats at Le Mans for those overlooked to make their name in.

But if Sauber bring back the blue on blue colour scheme I’ll forget all about this whole thing.

Welcome (back) To Europe Part II

*Listening To Death Of Death of Dicotheque – Forcefield*

I feel to describe a race report as the addendum for the weekend seems bizarre, but reminded that it is Barcelona that we are observing- or an extended test session- it’s apt.

And after the first quarter that provided a few thrills in the first lap but little else of note led to the initial round of pit-stops. This resulted in a few jolts of interest – Schumacher overtaking Button, which would shape the rest of his afternoon; and a minor scrap- as in one corner scrap- between Vettel and Hamilton where a Virgin made it’s only meaningful contribution to the season by hampering Hamilton’s exit into turn one, almost allowing Vettel through.

Unfortunately, with the slower teams not apparently gaining any pace, excepting Lotus- with the excellent Mike Gascoyne directing their technical team- and with the rain-laden first few races a mere memory, it is becoming all too clear how their presence is becoming a hindrance to the faster cars.

The rest of the race was uneventful, aside from Vettel taking some off-track excursions thanks to brake trouble; and Hamilton’s abrupt exit via a tyre puncture.

The cynical among us might attribute that to his tyre-management abilities.