Webber on Song and Germany

Typical British weather hey! It rains heavily on Friday and Saturday to interrupt all three practice sessions and qualifying. And yet on Sunday we had a dry race. Why couldn’t it be dry all weekend?

After what happened in qualifying on Saturday, I guess it would not have been a surprise if it had rained on race day. But surprisingly the weather wasn’t bad and it only started raining once the race had been completed.

Getting in and out of Silverstone was a nightmare at times but you have to give the British fans credit. On all three days the fans were terrific and they generated a fantastic atmosphere at Silverstone in spite of the horrible weather conditions.

Sitting in the International Pit Straight (the main straight) was quite something. I sat right opposite the HRT, Marussia and Caterham garages and I was very impressed by how quick the pit crew were with their pit stops on race day.

Mark Webber continues to defy the critics in my opinion as he took his second victory at Silverstone. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished second and Sebastian Vettel rounded off the podium places by coming home in third. All in all a great day for Red Bull and the fans were treated to a decent Grand Prix.

Aussie Delight

At the start of the 2012 season, I wanted to see Mark Webber take the fight to team-mate Sebastian Vettel and the Australian is certainly doing that. Lets be honest Webber was blown apart by Vettel in 2011.

Mark has done a great job so far and he is giving Seb a run for his money that’s for sure. @AussieGrit has been a lot more consistent this year than he was last season and consistency is the key to doing well.

Two wins in 2012 and I’m really happy with the way things have turned out for Webber this year. There is still a long way to go but I’m sure Mark will be heading to Germany with plenty of confidence and belief that he can get a strong result at Hockenheim.

I would be right in saying that Vettel has not had it all his own way this time round. Webber outclassed the German right throughout the British Grand Prix weekend and I can’t remember the last time Vettel has been outshone by his team-mate.

Sebastian despite not being able to get the best out of the Red Bull car at Silverstone was still able to finish third. That in itself is pretty ominous. Vettel will definitely be pumped up for his upcoming home Grand Prix and I know he would love to win in front of his home crowd.

The neutral will be loving the fact that Sebastian has only won the one race in 2012. But to be honest I can see the two-time World Champion winning more races this year. Vettel is a class-act and I can see him being in contention for the race win at the German Grand Prix.

Upturn for Ferrari

You have to say Ferrari are the one team that have improved considerably race by race in 2012. Fernando Alonso has been able to get the best out of the Ferrari and Felipe Massa is showing signs of getting back to his best.

When you think about where they were at the beginning of the year, you have to give everyone at Maranello credit for turning Ferrari’s season around. After being stuck in the midfield, the team now find themselves challenging for wins.

Despite losing the lead in the closing stages of the race at Silverstone, Alonso can still be happy with the way he performed. It was always going to be difficult for the Spaniard to keep Webber behind. But finishing second was still a good result and Fernando is still leading the Drivers Championship.

Being on the hard compound tyre proved the right tyre to be on and it was evident from where I was sitting that Fernando was struggling towards the end of the race. But I have no doubts the ex-Minardi driver will be determined to take his third victory of the season this weekend.

The one driver I was chuffed for was Felipe Massa. The Brazilian has been under huge pressure to deliver and even Luca di Montezemolo has come out and said Felipe needs to up his game.

Finishing fourth at the British Grand Prix will hopefully be a morale booster for Massa and a result that get his career back on track. Felipe finished the race not far behind Vettel and there are plenty of positives the former Sauber driver can take from the British weekend.

Lotus on the up

Both Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finished in the points at Silverstone so all in all it was a decent day for the Enstone based team. Grosjean in particular was impressive as he made his way from the back of the field from the early stages of the race to finish sixth.

However the Frenchman will have a five place drop at Hockenheim due to his gearbox having being changed after the British Grand Prix. Nonetheless I do expect Romain to be in the points come the end of the German Grand Prix.

Kimi Raikkonen was not quite able to get past Felipe Massa for fourth but the Finn can still be satisfied with how the weekend went. I can see Lotus winning a race this season but I’m not sure where the win will come and who will win that race. Both Kimi and Romain have proven this season they are capable of challenging for race victories.

Lotus now find themselves third in the Constructors ahead of McLaren but whether they finish there only time will tell. I can see McLaren overtaking Lotus but finishing fourth would by no means be a disaster for Eric Boullier’s team. Lotus can definitely look forward and things are on the up.

McLaren Disappointment

At the moment McLaren are going through a bad spell and after winning in Australia, surely this was going to be the year McLaren could take the fight to Red Bull.

I don’t know why I say this but I have a funny feeling McLaren will have a strong weekend in Germany. Having supposedly held “crisis talks”, the German and Hungarian Grand Prix’s could be make or break. Fail to get strong results and this years Drivers and Constructors titles may end up being fought between Red Bull and Ferrari.

I do believe McLaren will bounce back however I cannot put my finger on what has gone wrong in recent races. Taking race victory in Australia was a great start for the team and the car looked pretty good. So why has it gone downhill since?

No doubt both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are getting pretty frustrated right now and small mistakes are costing McLaren. Whenever they are given the right car, Lewis and Jenson are unbeatable. A race win could prove to be a turning point for the team but they do need to score big points at both Germany and Hungary.

German Grand Prix

I am very much looking forward to the Grand Prix at Hockenheim and I cannot predict who will win. 2012 has proven to be an unpredictable year and for me personally to see seven different winners is incredible.

An eighth different winner would be brilliant but for that to happen, either one of the Lotus drivers, Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa or a driver of the midfield teams (excluding Pastor Maldonado) would have to win.

Never say never and you can never disregard a shock result based on what we have seen this year. I would expect to see Red Bull and Ferrari right up there but I can’t predict what will happen on Sunday.

As I have already said, it is a big weekend for McLaren and I guess they are the team under pressure to deliver at Hockenheim. Mercedes will also want to put in a strong performance to please the home crowd. And how Sebastian Vettel would love to win his home race.

Should be a decent Grand Prix and the weekend cannot come sooner enough.

Do feel free to listen to the F1inPubs podcasts by going onto my YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/TheManishism. You can still listen to the Forum I presented live from Silverstone. Follow me on Twitter @Baggies20 and I would love to hear your comments about this years Formula One season.

Webber reigns at Monaco – Again

Lets be honest the first 68 laps of the race were pretty dull at Monaco. The last ten laps however did liven up with the top five being tightly bunched up.

Mark Webber led from start to finish to take his second victory at Monaco and his first win of 2012. The Australian’s win at the Principality meant we saw a sixth different winner this season.

Will we have a seventh different winner of the season at Canada? I reckon we just might. And I reckon that seventh winner could be Lewis Hamilton providing McLaren can get back to where they were in Australia.

Nico Rosberg put in another fine performance to finish second in Monaco with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso rounding off the podium.

Webber and Red Bull

To win at Monaco is always a special feeling and Mark has already had the privilege of winning this race on two occasions. This season we have seen Webber take the fight more to Sebastian Vettel.

After what happened last year, many of us will have wanted to see @AussieGrit give Vettel more of a hard time this season and the Webber is certainly doing that. With the unpredictability, maybe this year could be a great opportunity for Mark to finish the season ahead of Seb.

You would still back Vettel to finish 2012 ahead of Mark but with the way things are going you have to say Webber is doing a decent job and he has been more consistent. If you cannot win races at least pick up some strong points and the Aussie has done just that.

As for Sebastian, he has not had it all his own way this year but I do expect him to win more races between now and the end of the season. If you said to anyone at the start of 2012 that we would have six different winners after the first six races, they will have taken that after Vettel’s domination last year.

Vettel may not be having a vintage season so far but never underestimate him. He is a double World Champion for a reason and when he is out in front, he is very difficult to beat. And lets not forget we have not seen the best of the Red Bull car just yet.

Contrasting Fortunes – Mercedes

Nico Rosberg for me has exceeded expectations in 2012 and winning in Shanghai will be something he remembers for the rest of his life. Rosberg has done a great job and Mercedes are definitely right up there. Its just a shame Michael Schumacher is not scoring points as many points as Nico.

Had Schumi not done what he did Spain and kept his pole position in Monaco, the seven-times World Champion would probably have gone on to win the race. Schumacher has had a lot of bad luck this year and I genuinely hope he can turn it around in Canada.

Michael was so close to finishing on the podium in last years Canadian Grand Prix. If Schumacher can repeat his qualifying performance in Monaco on Saturday, then who knows what could happen on race day in Canada. Maybe we might see Schumi back on the podium for the first time since his return to Formula One.

Rosberg drove brilliantly in Monaco and had it been any other circuit, I feel Nico would have got past Webber in the closing stages of the race. The Mercedes car has improved significantly and I have a feeling a Mercedes driver will at least be on the podium in Canada.

Ferrari and McLaren

Apparently Ferrari are not having the best of seasons and yet Fernando Alonso is leading the Drivers Championship. We saw it time and time again last season that Fernando was able to get the best out of a car even if it was not able to compete for race wins.

And Alonso is doing it again this year. With the way things are going and the unpredictability, the Spaniard could be a real contender for the Drivers crown this season.

For me Fernando has continued to improve season by season at Ferrari and he is dark horse for this weekend in Canada. Felipe Massa could also be the dark horse of this weekend. I know that sounds crazy but he certainly upped his game in Monaco.

Massa finished the race at Monaco sixth not far behind the top five. I really want Felipe to do well and hopefully his performance at the Principality is the springboard.

What has happened to McLaren? Things appeared to be on the up after the Australian Grand Prix but since Bahrain the team have struggled. I really can’t put my finger on where the pace has gone.

However I am going to put a positive spin on this and say that McLaren are not a million miles away from improving the car. Canada should suit McLaren as it is a high speed track and plus the McLaren is excellent in straight line speeds along with Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton also finds himself only thirteen points behind Alonso in the Drivers Standings so it is still all to play for. Both Lewis and Jenson Button have fond memories of Montreal with Hamilton winning his first ever Formula One race here and Jenson winning a memorable race last season.

I do believe McLaren will bounce back and I am going to be bold and predict Hamilton to win the Canadian Grand Prix. Lewis has been unlucky at times this year but he has continued to pick up strong points.

We have seen a more mature Hamilton this season and he has also been more consistent so fair play to him. I just feel Lewis will excel this weekend in Montreal and take his first victory of the season.

I can also see Button picking up some decent points this weekend. McLaren do need to get back to where they were in Australia and if they do that, perhaps both of their drivers can compete for the race win. Jenson is going through a bad patch at the moment but he will get back to his best. I have no doubts about that.

Midfield

Force India picked up ten valuable points with Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenburg finishing seventh and eighth. Paul was able to get past his team-mate in the pit stops after Hulkenburg was busy tussling with Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher.

I think Force India have been surprised by how well both Sauber and Williams have performed this season. But the start Force India have made to 2012 reminds me of how they started last year. They started off slowly but they had a very strong second half to 2011.

I can see that happening again and I think Force India are capable of springing one or two surprises in 2012. And in both Paul and Nico, the team have two extremely talented drivers.

Lotus were expected to have a strong weekend in Monaco and some predicted they would be challenging for the race win. But once Romain Grosjean had his incident on the first lap, Lotus were only going to be fighting for the minor points positions.

Kimi Raikkonen finished the race in ninth place but I’m sure he will have been aiming to finish higher up in the points. I still feel Lotus can win a race this year but only time will tell as to whether they do so.

Finally Bruno Senna finished in the final points scoring position to pick up a decent point for him and Williams. Senna has been outshone by team-mate Pastor Maldonado so far but I still believe Bruno will continue to do well at Williams. It is great to see the Brazilian have a full-time drive in Formula One.

I am very much looking forward to the weekend in Canada and this is a track that should suit cars with Mercedes engines. I expect McLaren, Mercedes and Force India to be in the points. But Red Bull have proven this is a track they tend to go well round so don’t underestimate Vettel and Webber.

I am loving the unpredictability of 2012 and the Pirelli tyres have more than played their part in a gripping season. I can see the tyres being punished at Montreal and tyre degradation will be paramount factor.

I have predicted Lewis Hamilton will come out top in Canada but if the weather plays a part like it did last year, I reckon we could be in for another shock result. Potentially another result similar to Maldonado’s victory in Spain.

Don’t forget you can tweet me @Baggies20 or Paul Hadsley @paulhadsley on any Formula One issues you want to discuss. And if you tweet #F1inpubs with your comments whilst the race is on, you never know your comments may be featured in the F1inPubs podcast.

Over And Done With – Bahrain Grand Prix Review

Relief. One word that can be used to describe how the teams and drivers are feeling now the Grand Prix weekend in Bahrain is over. All the teams will now be focused on the in-season test at Mugello early next month ahead of the European season which starts in Spain.

I have been following Formula One for over a decade and my passion and love for the sport has continued to grow year by year. But I was one of those who thought Formula One should not have gone to Bahrain.

What happened last Wednesday will no doubt have affected members of the Force India team and I can totally understand why two of the team members went home. At the end of the day safety is more important than sport.

I don’t think Formula One covered itself in glory by going to Bahrain when you consider the fact there has been constant civil unrest, major political issues and not forgetting civilians are getting killed. But that’s just my view. In these circumstances sport comes second every time.

On the track however we were treated to yet another entertaining Grand Prix and Sebastian Vettel took his and Red Bull’s first win of 2012. Considering how dull the previous Bahrain Grand Prix’s have been, this years race had drama from start to finish.

Four races and four different winners. Hopefully a sign of things to come for the remainder of the season.

Vettel Is Back

The Grand Prix weekend in Bahrain proved reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel is back. The German drove beautifully in the race and was able to hold off the challenge of both Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

For sure Vettel was made to work hard for his first victory of the 2012 season but winning in Bahrain was just what the doctor ordered. Red Bull may not have won any of the opening three races but they were not far away from McLaren and were still able to pick up strong results.

Seb was also able to put the car on pole for the first time this season with a stunning lap. Pole position and a race win. A great weekend for Vettel. But everyone at Red Bull will know there is a long way to go and there is no room for complacency.

For the fourth consecutive race, Mark Webber finished fourth. It has been an unspectacular but solid start to the season for the Aussie and at least he is taking the fight to his team-mate which is what we want to see.

Although it is early days, Webber is only five points behind Vettel in the Drivers Standings. I personally feel Mark can be happy with the start he has made to the season. I’m sure he will be looking to turn his fourth place finishes into race wins and podiums for the duration of 2012. Things do appear to be on the up for Webber.

Excellent Showing

The team of the weekend without question was Lotus. Kimi Raikkonen might not have been able to get past Vettel for the race win. However finishing second and with Romain Grosjean coming home in third, it was a fantastic weekend for the team.

Not for the first time this season, Raikkonen was able to scythe his way through the field. After qualifying 11th, Kimi pulled off some decent overtaking moves and proved he still has what it takes to challenge the big boys.

It is great to see Raikkonen back in the sport and he has already shown this season that he has the pedigree and determination to do well on his return to Formula One. The race pace of the Lotus car in Bahrain was staggering and I was shell-shocked by how well Raikkonen and Grosjean performed.

Lotus have momentum and they will be looking to be more consistent this year than they were last season. After making a flying start to 2011, the team struggled in the second half of the season and were just about able to hold off Force India for fifth place in the Constructors.

I would like to congratulate Romain Grosjean on his first ever podium in Formula One. Thoroughly deserved and a strong result which in my opinion was coming.

The Frenchman has performed well in all the qualifying sessions this year and not forgetting he qualified third in Australia. In the opening three races he was not really able to convert his strong qualifying performances into big points finishes.

Romain made yet another flying start on Sunday and like his team-mate he was also able to pull off some fine moves. Grosjean has certainly demonstrated that he will be no pushover for Kimi.

Difficult

Both McLaren and Ferrari endured difficult weekends. I was surprised with how McLaren performed in the race and was expecting better from them. Every team will have an off weekend and you are hoping that the weekend in Bahrain was just a one off for McLaren.

It was Jenson Button in China who had problems in the pit lane. This time round it was Lewis Hamilton who had the issues in the pits and the Woking-based team need to sort these problems out asap.

If Lewis had not encountered any problems in the pits, perhaps the Brit could have gone on to challenge for a podium. Hamilton had a pretty eventful race and was not given a penalty for his overtake on Nico Rosberg. What happened in the pits ruined Lewis’s chances of scoring big points. But there are times where you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Jenson will want to forget the Bahrain weekend and purely focus on the next Grand Prix in Spain. The 2009 World Champion made a poor start to the race and was not really able to recover from that start. Button retired from the race on the penalutimate lap with a broken exhaust.

McLaren will bounce back and there are still positives the team can take from the way they have started 2012. I do expect McLaren to be near the top of the pecking order when it comes to the Spanish Grand Prix and challenging Red Bull for the win.

A team like Ferrari should be in the hunt for race wins on a regular basis. The car is simply not good enough despite Fernando Alonso winning in Malaysia. Alonso and Felipe Massa finished seventh and ninth in Bahrain and that result reflects where the car is at the moment.

The Maranello team have promised upgrades for the next Grand Prix and it will be interesting to see where Ferrari are come the end of the weekend in Spain. Only time will tell whether the upgrades will have an impact.

It was not quite a stellar weekend for Mercedes and Nico Rosberg. Nonetheless Rosberg still picked up some decent points coming home in fifth whilst Michael Schumacher made his way through the field from 22nd to finish tenth. Like McLaren, I would expect Mercedes to have a stronger weekend next time round at the next Grand Prix.

The race might not have gone to plan for Caterham but well done to Heikki Kovalainen for making it into Q2 on Saturday. The Finn posted the 17th quickest time in Q1 which meant Schumacher was the big name to leave the first qualifying session. Kovalainen started the race in 16th due to Pastor Maldonado taking a five place drop.

Force India

Finally I want to focus on Force India. Last Wednesday was a difficult day for the team and I can totally understand why two of the Force India mechanics went home. Four team members were caught in the middle of clashes between protestors and riot police. Who wouldn’t be affected by what happened.

I can also understand why the team wanted to leave early on Friday and miss the Second Free Practice session. It was a difficult weekend for Force India off the track but at least they had something to cheer about come the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Paul di Resta made his two stop strategy work and came home in a superb sixth place. The Scotsman was able to hold off Fernando Alonso for sixth to claim eight crucial points. Nico Hulkenburg finished 12th.

Force India will no doubt be targeting a major step forward by introducing an upgrade package for the Mugello tests. I’m sure Paul and Nico will be hoping these upgrades can make a difference for them to get closer to the likes of Mercedes and Lotus. But the first aim is to get the better of both Williams and Sauber.

Its Been A Long Time Coming!

The 2012 Chinese Grand Prix weekend will be one that Nico Rosberg remembers for many years to come. His first pole position and maiden race win all achieved in one weekend, not a bad weekend’s work for the German.

The 26 year-old put in a stunning performance at the Shanghai International Circuit to secure not only his first win in Formula One but also Mercedes first win since 1955. All in all it was a great weekend for the Brackley-based team and who knows Rosberg’s victory in China could be the first of many for the team this season.

Since entering Formula One in 2010, Mercedes have faced enormous pressure from inside and outside the paddock. However winning in Shanghai will have been a relief for everyone at the team. Now Mercedes have achieved their first win, it is vital the team build on their excellent weekend in China. No doubt the team will have momentum heading to Bahrain for the next Grand Prix.

Three races and three different winners. It doesn’t get any better than that and if you said to any Formula One follower at the beginning of the season that after three races there would be three different race winners, I’m sure they will have taken it.

Lets be honest 2011 was a season where Sebastian Vettel blitzed the field. But the two-times World Champion has not had it all his own way this year and neutrals will be loving this.

Monkey Off The Back

It might have taken 111 attempts to win a race but Nico Rosberg can now say he is a Grand Prix winner. It took Jenson Button over 100 Grand Prix’s to win his first race and look where he is now. Now that Rosberg has won his first race, perhaps we will now start to see the best of Nico in a competitive car.

Prior to the weekend in China, Mercedes had only scored a solitary point from the opening two races. However there were encouraging signs from what we saw of the F1 W03 especially as Michael Schumacher was able to qualify in the Top 4 in Australia and Malaysia. Lets not forget Mercedes also locked out the front row at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Schumacher has not been able to convert his strong qualifying performances into strong points finishes so far. But you could argue Schumacher has not been at fault for both of his retirements this year. Personally for me it was only a matter of time before Mercedes scored big points in 2012 and that proved to be the case at China.

I am so happy for Nico Rosberg and I would like to congratulate him on his first ever win in Formula One. His victory in China was thoroughly deserved and it will be interesting to see how Mercedes perform in Bahrain.The conditions in Bahrain will be totally different to the conditions in China and the warmer temperatures in Bahrain should suit McLaren and Red Bull more. But you never know Mercedes could spring another surprise.

Bahrain

So we now know Formula One will be going to Bahrain. Is it the right decision? The FIA seem to think going to Bahrain is safe.

Mercedes will go to Bahrain in buoyant mood after their heroics in Shanghai. But just because they have won a Grand Prix does not mean they can rest on their laurels. Formula One is a development race and everyone at Mercedes will need to develop the car so Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg can challenge the McLaren’s and Red Bull’s on a regular basis.

Rosberg will go to Bahrain in a more positive mood out of the two Mercedes drivers. Schumacher on the other hand will want to score some points to get his season back on track before F1 heads to Spain in May. The results will come for Michael and I’m sure the seven-times World Champion will be extra determined to put one over his team-mate this time round.

Is 2012 the year Mercedes can finally challenge for race wins and regular podium finishes? I think so and based on what we have seen in the first three weekends of the season, I would be quietly optimistic if I was in the Mercedes camp. I agree Mercedes did not have great races in Australia and Malaysia but there were positives the team could take from qualifying.

It will be interesting to see the race pace of both Mercedes cars in Bahrain and in warmer conditions. The team have had issues with their tyres this season and Bahrain will give us another indication on whether Mercedes have learnt their lesson about looking after their tyres.

Two Races and Two Crackers

At the beginning of the season I honestly felt 2012 was going to be a memorable year for Formula One. And if the first two races are anything to go by, we are going to be in for another cracking season of Formula One.

Two different winners in the first two races, exactly what the neutral will have wanted after Sebastian Vettel blitzed the field in 2011. However do not underestimate Red Bull and Vettel yet. You would be a fool to write them off and we have yet to see the best of the RB8.

But the first two races have been a joy to watch and I am very much looking forward to the Chinese Grand Prix this month. Bring on the next 18 races.

McLaren

Without question McLaren could have been celebrating two victories rather than the one. But the Woking-based team have made a strong start to 2012 and it is great to see a strong McLaren at the beginning of the season. Question is can they maintain their fine start to the season.

Jenson Button was simply brilliant at the season opener in Australia and after getting past his team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap, Button put in a Vettelesque performance. Jenson always seems to excel at Albert Park and yet again he did a stellar job in Australia.

The 2009 World Champion could so easily have got a strong result in Malaysia. But after damaging his front wing in a collision with HRT’s Narain Karthikeyan, Jenson failed to recover and finished a lowly 14th. Jenson was at fault for the collision and even he admitted that it was a clumsy mistake after the race.

Nonetheless I can see Jenson winning more races this season and if McLaren continue to improve the car, there is absolutely no reason why Button cannot be in contention for the Drivers title come the end of the year.

Two poles and two third place finishes for Lewis Hamilton. I’m sure Hamilton would liked to have been celebrating two wins after qualifying on pole in Australia and Malaysia. But if you said to Lewis he would be on 30 points after the first two races, he probably would have taken that after what happened last year.

It was evident on the podium how Hamilton was feeling after the Australian Grand Prix. But personally I do not think Lewis should be too disheartened by how he has performed this year. It has been a decent start to the season for the 2008 World Champion and there are positives Lewis can take from the opening two races.

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso winning in Malaysia was a result I’m sure many of us were not expecting at the beginning of the Malaysian weekend. But Alonso’s win at Sepang will no doubt give everyone at Ferrari a massive boost ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

Based on what we have seen, Ferrari’s race pace has been pretty good but qualifying has been nowhere near good enough. Alonso was only able to qualify ninth in Malaysia although he started the race eighth due to Kimi Raikkonen’s five place grid drop.

Felipe Massa has failed to make it into Q3 this season and the Brazilian is yet to score his first points of the season. The fact that Felipe has continued to struggle to get the best out of the Ferrari will crank up the pressure on him.

He needs a strong result from somewhere and that result could kick start his season. Even finishing on the podium would be a huge relief for him and Ferrari. Massa just needs to string some points finishes together and if he does that the pressure will lessen.

Winning in Malaysia will give Alonso impetus for the rest of the season and I can see Fernando getting stronger and stronger as the season goes on. But Ferrari need to give both Alonso and Massa a competitive car in which they can challenge for wins and podiums.

The F2012 has struggled in qualifying and yet the race pace is pretty good which I find mystifying. It remains to be seen what progress Ferrari make for the remainder of the season.

Red Bull

It has not been a stellar start to 2012 for Red Bull and out of the two drivers you have to say Mark Webber will be the more satisfied. We have yet to see the best of the RB8 but its not as if Red Bull are a million miles away from McLaren.

Qualifying was a major strong point for Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull last year but in 2012, Red Bull have so far failed to make it onto the front row. But you would expect to see a Red Bull qualify on pole at some point during the season.

The neutral so far will no doubt love the fact that the reigning Constructors Champions have not had it all their own way and that Vettel has not made the flying start that we were all expecting. There is still a very long way to go and do not underestimate Red Bull and Sebastian.

What happened in Malaysia between Vettel and Narain Karthikeyan was a racing incident. Narain unintentionally ruined Vettel’s race and Sebastian needs to realise that backmarkers are racing their own race as well as letting the big boys get past.

The 2010 and 2011 World Champion will bounce back and once the RB8 is on par with the McLaren, I can see Vettel giving Lewis and Jenson a tough time. Vettel though does have a challenge on his hands to beat both McLaren drivers.

Two fourth place finishes for Mark Webber. Not a bad start to the season for the Aussie and at least he has momentum heading into the weekend at China. It has not been a spectacular start to 2012 for Webber but it has been a solid start nonetheless.

The former Williams driver has been able to get the best out of the Red Bull car and being in front of Vettel in the Drivers Standings will psychologically do Webber the world of good. Will Webber be in front of Vettel come the end of the year? The likely answer is no but you never know what Mark could achieve come the end of the season.

Consistency is the key to winning a Championship and if Webber can continue to pick up strong points finishes, perhaps the Australian can go onto become a challenger for this years Drivers Championship. Only two races have gone and the season is only young but Mark can be pretty pleased with his performances in Australia and Malaysia.

The Rest

First and foremost, massive congratulations to Sauber and Sergio Perez for an astonishing second place at Sepang. Perez has performed remarkably well since making his debut in Australia last year and he has certainly proved that he can look after his tyres well.

Had the Mexican not ran wide in the latter stages whilst chasing Fernando Alonso in Malaysia, it could have been a whole lot better for Sergio. But lets not take anything away from Sauber. Finishing second was a terrific result for the Swiss team and that result will give the likes of Lotus, Force India, Toro Rosso and even Williams a glimmer of hope that they can go onto achieve similar results this season.

We all love it when the underdog produces something out of the blue. I hope Sergio’s result at Sepang is a sign of things to come.

Mercedes will be looking to score some big points in China after two disappointing results in the opening two races. One point from two races was not the start Mercedes will have wanted but there are encouraging signs.

Michael Schumacher has been impressive in qualifying but has failed to convert those strong qualifying performances into a points finish. But you could argue he was not at fault for his retirement in Australia and only being able to finish tenth last time out.

Had Romain Grosjean not collided with Schumi on the opening lap in Malaysia, maybe Michael could have gone on to get a strong result. The seven-times World Champion was also on course to score points in Australia but was forced to retire from the race after losing drive.

It has not been the best of starts to the season for Nico Rosberg but I can see Nico challenging for podiums from now till the end of the season. If he can qualify consistently in the Top 6, I do fancy Rosberg to pick up some podium finishes. There is cause for optimism at Mercedes regardless of what is happening off-track and I believe Rosberg will bounce back after two disappointing races.

Kimi Raikkonen has made a solid and positive start on his return to Formula One. And based on what I have seen, there is no reason why Lotus cannot challenge Mercedes to finish at least fourth in the Constructors.

Raikkonen scythed through the field brilliantly in Australia to finish seventh after qualifying a lowly 18th. And he was also able to make his way up to fifth in Malaysia after qualifying 10th (Did have a five place grid drop). Like Rosberg, I fancy Kimi to be challenging for podium finishes and who knows even go for a race win.

Romain Grosjean will no doubt be frustrated with how his races have panned out in 2012 but once he has scored his first points in Formula One, I’m sure we will see the Frenchman finishing in the points on a regular basis.

Considering the car is not at its best yet, Force India have done well to score eight points overall in the first two races. Paul di Resta scored points in Australia and Malaysia with team-mate Nico Hulkenburg finishing ninth last time out at Sepang. The in team battle at Force India will be an intriguing one and it is a battle I cannot call in terms of who will come out on top.

Also big congratulations to Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo for scoring their first points in Formula One so early in their Toro Rosso careers. Big things are expected of Ricciardo and to score points on his Toro Rosso debut at his home Grand Prix will have delighted the Aussie.

Vergne performed admirably in Malaysia and was on the verge of scoring points in Australia but Force India’s Paul di Resta pipped the Frenchman to the finishing line on the final lap.

Williams have already beaten their points tally of last season and this years car is a massive improvement from the FW33. Bruno Senna did a great job in Malaysia and was able to bring the car home in sixth.

Pastor Maldonado has had terrible luck so far in 2012 and was on course to score points in both Australia and Malaysia. But a driver error at Albert Park and engine failure in Malaysia means Maldonado still remains on zero points. But Williams, Pastor and Bruno can take plenty of positives heading to China and things do appear to be on the up.

The midfield is tightly bunched up and there is nothing to choose between any of the teams. If Perez’s result at Malaysia is a sign of things to come, then do expect some more shock results. The midfield battle is just as fiercely competitive as the battle at the front.

Finally on the new teams. Charles Pic has adapted to life at Marussia well and finishing both races will do his confidence the world of good. I do expect Caterham to be able to get closer to the more established midfield teams come the end of 2012 despite the poor start to this season. As for HRT, they will be aiming to beat Marussia for the third consecutive year and it was great to see all 24 cars starting the race in Malaysia. Hopefully the HRT’s can qualify within the 107% Rule for every race.

I really hope China serves up another memorable Grand Prix and if the first two races are anything to go by, we are certainly in for another cracker.

The Wait Is Almost Over! – 2012 Formula One Season Preview – Part 1

Excited, ecstatic, elated: Terms that can be used to describe how Formula One fans are feeling ahead of the new season. At this time of the year, there is always going to be a buzz amongst the fans and the teams.

2012 promises to be great year for Formula One and I believe this year might be closer than you think. Yes Sebastian Vettel ran away with the Championship last year. However Red Bull and Vettel’s rivals will be very determined to get the better of Seb this time round.

Six Champions on this years grid, new regulation changes, the likes of McLaren and Ferrari looking to beat Red Bull, the return of Kimi Raikkonen: Plenty of reasons to look forward to Formula One in 2012.

Pre-Season Testing

If I am being brutally honest, I don’t think you can take any major conclusions from Pre-Season testing.

Its all about testing new parts on the car, getting as much data as you can from long runs but also getting familiar with the Pirelli tyres. But no doubt there will be those who disagree with me about not taking any major conclusions from the Pre-Season tests.

Lotus for sure will be delighted with the form shown by both of their drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean at Barcelona and Jerez. Will they be topping the majority of Qualifying and Free Practice timesheets this year? No is the simple answer. But the signs from Pre-Season are positive for Lotus and maybe they can look to compete for fourth in the Constructors against Mercedes.

We also saw the likes of Williams, Sauber and Force India top the timesheets. Its not about finishing quickest. Its more about the drivers getting use to the new car and seeing what improvements can be made.

The only real conclusion I can personally take from the Pre-Season tests is the fact that McLaren appear to be much closer to Red Bull. Pre-Season in 2011 was not a great one for McLaren and there were fears that 2011 could have been another 2009.

McLaren have certainly had a better Pre-Season this year compared to last season. Will they be able to challenge Red Bull from the word go? Only time will tell.

I think we will get an idea of the pecking order when it comes to the Free Practice Sessions in Australia. The usual suspects of Marussia and HRT will be at the back. But it will be interesting to see if Caterham are any closer to the established midfield teams, who will come out on top in the midfield battle and will Ferrari and McLaren be ahead of Red Bull before Qualifying gets underway?

2012 I reckon will be another great year for Formula One and I for one am very much looking forward to seeing all 24 cars line up for the start of the season in Australia. Here are my thoughts on all the teams and drivers competing in 2012.

Red Bull

Red Bull will be hoping the RB8 is the car that will secure a third Consecutive Drivers and Constructors title. Without doubt they are the team to beat and I’m sure the majority of neutrals do not want to see Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull go off into the distance like they did in 2011. They do have the pressure of maintaining their position as the No.1 team in Formula One but you wouldn’t bet against them adding another Drivers and Constructors Trophy to their Trophy cabinet.

2011 was a majestic year for Sebastian Vettel and there is no reason why he cannot achieve his third title this year. 11 wins, 15 pole positions, one retirement and only one finish outside the podium, 2011 really was Vettel’s year and a season in which the German totally dominated the rest of the field.

Christian Horner has already come out and said there is more to come from Seb. If that is the case then I dread to think how good Vettel will be this year. Vettel’s one finger celebration was probably annoying for most neutrals and even for his main rivals.

To stop Sebastian from doing that on a regular basis throughout 2012, the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber will have to be at their very best. There will be times this year where Vettel makes mistakes and its down to his main rivals to pounce on Vettel’s mistakes. But then again if Sebastian continues where he left off last year, it is difficult to see how the German will be beaten.

Winning the final race of the 2011 season in Brazil will have psychologically done Mark Webber the world of good. Lets face it, the Australian was beaten comprehensively by his younger team-mate last year.

Mark still has what it takes to challenge for race wins and I would love to see him challenge for another Drivers title. We want to see Webber take the fight to Vettel more often in 2012 and winning the opening race in his homeland would be a fairytale start to the season.

Webber has the same machinery as Sebastian so there is no reason why @AussieGrit cannot challenge for a race win in front of his home crowd. I still believe we have yet to see the best of Mark Webber in a Red Bull and I hope I’m proved right.

McLaren

They might have won eight Constructors titles but the last time McLaren won the Constructors Championship was back in 1998. That is a hoodoo McLaren will certainly want to break this year. Plus Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to win their second Drivers title in 2012.

If there is one team who can take the fight to Red Bull you would have to say that team is McLaren. We saw last year both Lewis and Jenson can beat Vettel and Red Bull but it was not as often as we would have liked.

However 2011 was a decent year for Button and no one will ever forget his phenomenal performance and race win in Canada. That race sums up Formula One. Absolutely anything can happen.

Jenson has continued to improve season after season since his World Championship winning year and based on what we saw last year in a largely error-free season, Button may well turn out to be Vettel’s main Championship rival.

I predict 2012 will be another solid season for Jenson and I’m going to put my head on the chopping block and say Button will be crowned World Champion in 2012. I’ve got a funny feeling this year could be a year to remember for Jenson. And if his performances at Hungary, Canada and Japan in 2011 are anything to go by, Button could be a contender for the Drivers Championship this year.

2011 as I have already said was a great year for Button but the same cannot be said for Lewis Hamilton. Both on and off the track, 2011 proved to be a difficult year for Hamilton.

But winning at Abu Dhabi will have lifted Lewis and given him a boost heading into the winter break. His father Anthony is already Paul di Resta’s manager but would Lewis would benefit from having Anthony as his manager again?

This year we want to see the Lewis Hamilton we saw in 2007 and 2008. Lewis is without question one of the most gifted and talented drivers in Formula One. Remember his outstanding overtake on Fernando Alonso around the outside at the Nurburgring, remember his qualifying performance in Korea where he managed to get pole.

If Lewis can avoid regular collisions, not let his frustration boil onto the track and control his aggression then perhaps Hamilton could have a strong 2012. Every sportsman and sportswomen have a bad patch where they not performing at their very best or things are simply not going for them. Thats exactly what happened to Lewis last year but I believe Hamilton will bounce back this season and we will see the best of him this year.

Ferrari

Every year we always say this year is going to be a big year for Ferrari. But 2012 really is a massive year for the Maranello team and this season must be a huge improvement from 2011. One win in the entire 2011 season was simply not good enough for a team like Ferrari. Stefano Domenicali, Luca di Montezemolo and the Ferrari fans will be demanding better results in 2012.

Fernando Alonso did not have the car to challenge for the Championship last year. But what the Spaniard did consistently throughout 2011 was bring the car home and get the best out of the Ferrari even if it wasn’t good enough to win races.

Alonso is a class-act and if he is given a competitive Ferrari from the word go, he along with Button could be a real threat to Red Bull. Do not underestimate Ferrari and Alonso. They are a formidable force in the making.

The two-times World Champion looks set to remain with the Prancing Horse for many years to come, so it is up to Ferrari to give Fernando the car for him to challenge Red Bull and McLaren on a regular basis.

2012 is definitely a make or break year for Felipe Massa. The Brazilian had a poor 2011 season by his standards and spent most of last year colliding with Lewis Hamilton.

On any given day Felipe is capable of winning races but since his near-fatal crash in Hungary 2009, he has struggled which is a massive shame. Having to allow team-mate Alonso to take that infamous win at Hockenheim in 2010 will have shattered Felipe’s confidence and self-belief.

Felipe is one of the most likeable characters in the paddock but if he doesn’t deliver this season, Luca di Montezemolo and the Ferrari hierarchy may well look at other drivers to partner Alonso in 2013. I hope like Hamilton, Massa can bounce back from a disappointing 2011 and start delivering strong results. Its now or never for the Brazilian.

Mercedes

Similarly to Ferrari, 2012 is a massive year for Mercedes. They will be aiming to break into the Top 3 and at least challenge for regular podiums and dare I say it race wins. Bringing in Bob Bell, Geoff Willis and Aldo Costa: Mercedes really do mean business.

Considering the F1 W03 made its first appearance at the second Pre-Season test, it will be interesting to see where Mercedes end up in the Free Practice Sessions in Australia and whether their gamble to launch late was the right decision.

Michael Schumacher had a decent season last year in my view and finishing fourth in Canada and fifth in Belgium after starting the race from the back of the field were probably the highlights of his season.

Schumacher will have been hoping to challenge for race wins on his return to the sport. But so far it hasn’t turned out to be a fairytale return and the Mercedes car in the last two seasons has not had the pace to compete for race wins.

Will Schuey be around in 2013? Well that depends on how well Mercedes perform this year. If 2012 turns out to be a season where Mercedes do make significant improvements then perhaps the seven-times World Champion will stay around.

Six years in Formula One and yet Nico Rosberg has still not won a race. But you could argue he has not been given a car in which he can secure that elusive first win. Nico will win a race, its a matter of when.

Rosberg Jnr has already demonstrated he does have the talent and speed to do a solid job for any team. But he will be thinking when can I get that first win and can Mercedes give me the car to do that.

I just wonder if Massa fails to deliver for Ferrari this season, could the Italian team approach Rosberg and would the German be interested in a move to Ferrari. Who knows but I’m sure Rosberg is part of Mercedes long-term plans.

The aim for the former Williams driver is to finish on the podium. Winning a race would do wonders for Rosberg but will his first win in Formula One come this year? I’m not so sure.

Have Team Lotus, Virgin and Hispania Brought Anything to Formula One?

A lot has been said about Team Lotus, Marussia Virgin Racing and Hispania as to whether they should be in Formula One.

But this season Team Lotus have certainly stepped up their game and HRT are giving Virgin Racing a run for their money and on occasions even beating Virgin.

Team Lotus, Virgin and HRT have all been eliminated in Q1 in the majority of qualifying sessions this year.

However 2011 has proven Team Lotus are getting close to the midfield race by race and are on the cusp of making it into Q2 on a regular basis.

You do expect to see Virgin and Hispania at the rear end of the grid but I have to say I have been impressed with Hispania’s reliability this season.

HRT in the majority of races have been able to get both cars home despite Vitantonio Liuzzi and Narain Karthikeyan being lapped virtually every race.

Liuzzi and Karthikeyan finished the race in Canada 13th and 14th and this could be crucial come the end of the season in terms of where they end up in the final Constructors standings.

Team Lotus

Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne will no doubt be delighted with how Team Lotus have progressed since the start of the 2010 season.

The team have come a very long way and I would not be surprised if Lotus scored some points come the end of 2011.

And in Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, Lotus have two experienced heads who know all about Formula One inside out.

Everyone associated with Team Lotus should be optimistic the team can get in amongst the likes of Sauber, Toro Rosso, Force India and Williams for the remainder of the season.

Kovalainen has made a decent start to 2011 and finished ahead of Sergio Perez’s Sauber and Pastor Maldonado’s Williams in the Chinese Grand Prix this year. The Finn also out-qualified both Force India’s in Spain so there should be cause for optimism down at Team Lotus.

It has been a difficult start to 2011 for Jarno Trulli and the Italian has been beaten by his team-mate in qualifying comprehensively. But Trulli was able to get the better of Kovalainen in Canada so the former Toyota driver will be hoping this result can kick-start his season.

Lotus’s last update of 2010 was at Silverstone but they still found themselves 1-1.5 seconds off the pace of Toro Rosso and Sauber.

However in 2011, Lotus on most occasions in qualifying have been under a second off the 17th quickest time in Q1. So Team Lotus are getting close to the midfield and it will be interesting to see where they end up come the end of the season.

Marussia Virgin Racing

Along with Williams, it has been a disappointing start to 2011 for Virgin Racing. Virgin along with Team Lotus will have been hoping to get close to the midfield.

But Virgin have been some way off and to rub salt into their wounds even HRT have been getting the better of Virgin in recent times.

Nick Wirth has already been dismissed from his role as Technical Director and from what we have seen this season, it promises to be another long hard slog for the remainder of the year.

Marussia have jumped on board meaning Virgin Racing are financially stable. But its results on the track that count and both Timo Glock and Jerome d’Ambrosio have struggled to get the best out of the MVR-02.

Building their first Formula One car with a fuel tank not big enough to complete a race distance was embarrassing enough.

And if the team fail to improve the car significantly from now till the end of the season, I can see Timo moving on.

Jerome d’Ambrosio has done well so far in his debut season and has recorded the team’s highest finish of 14th in the season opener Down Under in Australia.

But unless Virgin make vast improvements to the car, I can see the 2011 season being another repeat of 2010 where Virgin finished bottom of the Constructors standings.

Hispania

Well it was not the best of starts to the season for Hispania. Both of their drivers Narain Karthikeyan and Vitantonio Liuzzi failed to post a lap within 107% of the fastest time set in the first session of qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix.

But since then, HRT have not been humiliated and on occasions they have been out-qualifying and finishing the races in front of Virgin. Finishing 13th and 14th in Canada could be difference in keeping Hispania above Virgin in the Constructors.

The 107% rule will be a concern for Hispania throughout 2011 but both Narain and Tonio have been within 107% of the quickest time set in Q1 apart from the season opener in Australia.

Hispania’s target now will be to catch Team Lotus. Whether this will happen I’m not sure but Colin Kolles should be pleased with the progress Hispania have made this season.

The main attention is at the front end of the grid meaning we do not get to see the likes of Hispania and Virgin that often on our screens. But make no mistake the battle at the rear of the grid is just as intensifying as the front.

Out of the six races Hispania have competed in this season, Liuzzi has finished four of them and Karthikeyan has finished five races. So reliability has not been a major issue for Hispania this year which is a positive.

I fully expect Team Lotus to be in amongst the midfield come the end of the season. And on current form, I expect Hispania to beat Virgin. Only time will tell whether my predictions are correct. Half the time they are wrong.

Visit www.youtube.com/user/TheManishism to listen to the podcasts I have produced for Formula1 FanCast this year.

Di Resta to out-perform Sutil in Turkey?

Force India will be hoping to be back amongst the points as they head to Istanbul for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Paul di Resta has outqualified team-mate Adrian Sutil in all three Grand Prix weekends and the Scotsman just missed out on the points in China.

Last years DTM Champion finished the race in China11^th and Adrian came home in 15^th. Not scoring any points in Shanghai will have been frustrating but Force India have shown signs of improvement so there is cause for optimism.

Encouraging

Whilst there was disappointment in not scoring points, there were however encouraging signs to come out of the Chinese weekend.

Paul managed to make it into Q3 and qualify a superb 8^th. And Sutil qualified just outside the top ten in 11^th. The pace shown by both drivers in qualifying was pleasing and the team will be hoping for more of the same in Turkey.

Another positive was the fact di Resta and Sutil made places on the opening lap of the race yet again. Paul and Adrian have made decent starts to all three races and this can only bode well for the rest of the season.

With the benefit of hindsight perhaps both Force India drivers would have been better off having a three-stop strategy. This could be something the team consider for future races. But even with a two stop strategy, Paul was still in contention to score some points.

Tyre degradation was an issue throughout the race and this resulted in di Resta and Sutil struggling in their final stints of the race in China. Reflecting back on the Chinese weekend, it was an unfortunate end to what promised to be a decent race for Force India.

Nonetheless the team have made considerable progress and they were supposed to struggle in the season opener in Australia. But yet they still scored points as both Sauber drivers were disqualified from the race.

Turkey

Surprisingly we could be in for a wet weekend at Istanbul. Off the top of my head, I don’t think we have had a wet weekend in Turkey.

But if it does turn out to be a wet weekend, then this may be an opportunity for di Resta and Sutil to pounce and score some points.

Adrian has proven in the past he is a very good driver in the wet so I’m sure he will be up for it if it does end up being a wet race. It will be interesting to see how Paul performs in the wet, provided it does rain in qualifying and in the race.

Paul did lose out on track time in Free Practice Two in China and the Scotsman will be hoping this is not the case this time round in Turkey. He will be aiming to build on his encouraging start to his Formula One career with a solid performance at Istanbul Park.

Di Resta will also be aiming to make it four-nil in qualifying after out-qualifying Adrian on all three occasions so far this season.

On the flip side however, Sutil will be hoping to get the better of Paul in qualifying and in the race at Turkey. The German has only finished in the points once this season and his aim will no doubt be to score points.

Adrian had a similar start last season where he was not scoring points in the first three-four races. But in the end the German came through the season with flying colours and I have every confidence Sutil will go onto to have another strong season with Force India.

I’m sure the mood at Force India is upbeat and without question we have yet to see the best of the VJM04.

The only way is up for Force India.

Will Force India pull any Chinese Crackers?

If you said to Force India they would score points in the first two races of the 2011 season, I’m sure they will have snatched your hand off.

The Silverstone-based team were expected to be off the pace and struggling to keep up with the likes of Toro Rosso and Sauber. But it has not panned out like that and Force India have made a decent start this year.

Paul di Resta could not have asked for a better start to his first season in Formula One after finishing in the points in Australia and Malaysia. Will he make it three out of three?

Adrian Sutil will want to bounce back in Shanghai after a disappointing Malaysian Grand Prix for the German. We have only had two Grand Prix weekends but Sutil will be concerned by the fact that di Resta has outqualified him on both occasions.

It is 2-0 to di Resta in qualifying and 1-1 in race results after Sutil finished ahead of his team-mate in Australia. It promises to be an intriguing battle at Force India between both drivers and it will be interesting to see if Paul can continue to beat Adrian in qualifying and in the races. 

Promising

With Force India scoring points and upgrades yet to come, we have still not seen the full potential of the VJM04 and I reckon we have yet to see the best of this years Force India.

The fact the team have scored points in Australia and Malaysia will give them confidence they can add to their points tally in China.

It has been a promising start for 24 year-old di Resta and his latest points came at Sepang. The Scotsman was running ninth in the closing stages of the race in Malaysia and had the seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher to contend with.

Paul was unable to keep Schumacher behind him but to finish in the top ten for the second consecutive race is a great achievement. Last years DTM Champion will be looking to build on his two points finishes this weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix.

As for Adrian, he will be aiming to finish in the points in Shanghai after coming home in 11^th place at Malaysia. He will also want to improve his qualifying.

Sutil only managed 16^th in Australia and 17^th last weekend in Malaysia. He has also been outqualified by di Resta twice already so this is something Adrian will want to put right.

There is still a long way to go this year and I’m confident both Adrian and Paul will have solid seasons with Force India.

Talent

Before I go on to talk about the launch of the Force India Academy, I have read about Nico Hulkenburg wanting a race seat with Force India next season.

I still feel Williams made a huge mistake in letting Hulkenburg go and Pastor Maldonado has not exactly pulled up any trees so far.

It is way too early to be talking about driver changes. There were rumours last season about Michael Schumacher leaving Mercedes with Adrian replacing him.

If Schumacher did leave Mercedes at the end of the 2011 season, then I’m sure Sutil would be linked with a move to the German team. Whether the former Spyker driver would join Mercedes is another question.

Hulkenburg is without doubt a talented driver and was harshly treated by Williams in my opinion. Who knows he could be driving for Vijay Mallya’s team next year.

Force India have announced the launch of their new Academy programme. This is absolutely fantastic news not only for the team but for billions of Indians who want to make it into Formula One.

Could Force India find an Indian driver who can make it onto the big stage of Formula One? Only time will tell. I know if I was ten years younger I would take this opportunity.

Finally I wish Force India the best of luck at the Chinese Grand Prix and hopefully the team will continue to score points.

Vettel Makes It Two Out Of Two

Two races and two victories already for Sebastian Vettel. An ominous sign for Vettel’s rivals but with 17 races to go anything can happen.

Red Bull and Vettel have continued where they left off in 2010 and at this point it is difficult to see who will beat them.

But qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix on Saturday was much closer and it could so easily have been Lewis Hamilton on pole. However Seb put in a great lap when it mattered.

Vettel back in his BMW Sauber days

Qualifying proved McLaren are closer to Red Bull in pace and considering where they were in pre-season testing, McLaren have done a tremendous job in developing the car in a short amount of time.

There are encouraging signs coming out of McLaren and they will be hoping to close the gap further between themselves and Red Bull at China.

Here are the winners and losers of the weekend at Malaysia in my opinion.

Winners

Sebastian Vettel: You can only run out of superlatives to describe the 2010 World Champion. Vettel has been in sensational form so far this year and there are those who have feared already that 2011 could turn out to be a year of total domination for Vettel and Red Bull.

The 23 year-old yet again led from the front and never looked troubled. Sebastian is without doubt the man to beat and when he is on form no one can stop him. On Saturday when under pressure, Seb produced a scintillating lap to take pole off Lewis Hamilton in qualifying. However Vettel is beatable and I’m sure the likes of McLaren and Ferrari will win races this year to put pressure on Red Bull.

Jenson Button: In Australia, it was Lewis Hamilton who was the happier of the two McLaren drivers at the end of the weekend. But at the end of the Malaysian Grand Prix it was Jenson Button who got the better of his team-mate and the 2009 World Champion finished Sunday’s race in second. Jenson drove a great race and he kept Vettel honest throughout the race.

After a disappointing race Down Under, Button had a much better race in Malaysia and he looked after his tyres very well. His result at Sepang was exactly what he needed after only finishing sixth in the season opener at Albert Park. The Frome star will be hoping to make it back to back victories in China and I would not back against it even though Vettel is in impressive form.

Nick Heidfeld: After a miserable Australian Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld was back at his best and finished Sunday’s race in a superb third place. This was Renault’s second podium of the season and Heidfeld as well as his team-mate Vitaly Petrov got off to flyers in the race. More so ‘Quick Nick’ as the German climbed from sixth to second on the opening lap of the race.

Like Button, this was a result Heidfeld needed after his disappointing showing at Albert Park. But Nick bounced back in fine style and both Renault drivers could be in for a season where they can challenge Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari on a regular basis. Heidfeld has experience and his experience will no doubt prove crucial for Renault for the remainder of the season. Just wish Robert Kubica a full speedy recovery and hope we see him in Formula One soon.

Felipe Massa: Felipe has not had much luck on his side in recent years but perhaps Malaysia could be a turning point in his career. Yes he was only able to qualify seventh but it was a case of damage limitation for Ferrari since they were not expected to be close to Red Bull and McLaren. Both Fernando Alonso and Massa were expected to qualify between fifth and tenth.

But for Massa to beat his team-mate in the race will give the Brazilian confidence and it could be the kick start he needs. Alonso was given a 20 second penalty after what happened with Lewis Hamilton but Felipe had a solid weekend in my view.

Kamui Kobayashi: Kamui is one driver who will guarantee you entertainment and he is turning out to be a favourite amongst Formula One fans. The Japanese star made it into Q3 for the second time this season and he had a long duel with Mark Webber in the race. Kobayashi finished the race in eighth but was promoted to seventh after Hamilton was given a 20 second penalty.

Finishing in the points will have been satisfying for Kamui and the team after what happened in Australia. Disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix spoilt what was a great weekend for Sauber after both of their drivers finished in the points. Kobayashi is a star for the future and I would not be surprised if he is driving for one of the big teams in the near future.

Paul di Resta: Sebastian Vettel may have gained the headlines in winning the opening two races of the 2011 season. But Paul di Resta has also made it two out of two after scoring points in Australia and Malaysia. Last years DTM Champion has made a solid start to his first season in Formula One and finishing in the points in two consecutive races is not a bad way to get your Formula One career underway.

Paul is certainly giving his experienced team-mate Adrian Sutil a run for his money. The Scotsman has out qualified Adrian on both occasions and this will give him plenty of confidence. Di Resta will have been disappointed not to have held onto ninth in the closing stages of the race but to finish tenth was by no means a catastrophe.

Losers

Lewis Hamilton: Lewis Hamilton was the big loser at the Malaysian Grand Prix and things were going well for the Brit until his final stint of the race. He was struggling with his tyres and ended up being under severe pressure from the likes of Nick Heidfeld and Fernando Alonso. And Hamilton’s body language in his post-race interview with BBC Sport’s Lee McKenzie summed it all up as to how he was feeling.

Alonso lost part of his front wing after trying to overtake his former team-mate and both drivers were given 20 second penalties (Hamilton was not given the penalty due to the incident). The penalties for both drivers were harsh in my view and it capped off a weekend Lewis will want to forget. But the 2008 World Champion can take heart from his performance in qualifying and all is not lost.

Mercedes: Things just seem to be getting from bad to worse for Mercedes at the moment. Nico Rosberg finished outside the points and Michael Schumacher was only able to finish ninth and pick up two points. It has been a dreadful start for Mercedes and results must improve drastically.

Rosberg will have been hoping to score some big points in Malaysia after finishing last years race in third. But after making a poor start to the race, the former Williams driver never recovered and could only finish outside the top ten. Schumacher has qualified 11^th twice this year and this is something he needs to change quickly. Schumi will be wanting to make it into Q3 on a regular basis.

Williams: It was another disappointing weekend for Williams with Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado retiring from the race. Maldonado was eliminated from Q1 and Barrichello just about made it into Q2 after posting the 17^th quickest time.

The race was not much better for the team either as both Williams drivers retired from the race and they have been unable to transfer their promising pre-season form into race results. I have yet to be convinced by Maldonado and I still feel releasing Nico Hulkenburg was the wrong decision. But nowadays money does the talking.