Living The Dream

Brilliant, exciting and sensational. Just some of the words to describe my day at the Red Bull Racing RB9 launch. Sunday, February 3, 2013 will always be a day I will never forget and am thankful to the team for inviting me.

Being selected as one of the lucky ones to attend the RB9 launch came as a real surprise and a total shock. This was an opportunity I could not turn down and the countdown to the big day had begun.

Getting into Formula One has always been a dream of mine whether that be being a racer or working in the media. And attending the unveiling of the RB9 is hopefully a sign of things to come. I definitely want to be present at future car launches and Grand Prix weekends on a regular basis. Just looking for someone to give me that chance.

Excitement

I arrived at Milton Keynes Central train station and the excitement certainly did kick in. Despite the fact I have followed Formula One since 1996, this was actually the first time I was visiting a team base. And for that team to be the reigning Constructors Champions was just incredible.

The winning bloggers whom I spent time with were fantastic and it was obvious throughout the day that they are true F1 fanatics. Looking back at the 2012 season and Grand Prix’s we had attended were just some of the topics discussed on the way to the Red Bull Racing factory.

My eagerness and anticipation notched up another level once we arrived at the home of the current Formula One Champions. You would think signing in at reception would be uneventful and a simple formality. How wrong was I.

Next thing you know, you are able to see the trophies Red Bull have won and end up taking photos you will be talking about for many years to come. I said to my fellow bloggers, ‘this was only just the start of the day.’

The Bull has arrived!

We were certainly getting VIP treatment and I was not complaining. Just before me and my fellow winning bloggers took our seats for the launch, we saw a number of famous faces from the Motorsport world including Martin Brundle, Ted Kravitz and Red Bull Reserve driver Sebastian Buemi.

I have always had admiration for the job Martin has done since he took up a media role in Formula One. Again he did a great job in presenting the RB9 launch alongside Holly Samos. Wouldn’t you just love to have Brundle’s job? I also spoke to Martin after the launch and he really is a top man as is Ted Kravitz.

From all the 2013 car liveries I have seen so far, the RB9 is right up there in terms of the best looking car. It is obvious for us Formula One fans that Red Bull are the team everyone will want to beat this year.

Sebastian Vettel was his usual self. Chirpy but also serious about the team’s targets and his personal aims for 2013. Mark Webber being Mr. Calm and quietly confident of having a decent season.

Myself and the winning bloggers didn’t want to leave Red Bull Racing HQ and we honestly felt as if we were at home. Who knows we might end up working for the team in the near future.

Thank you to everyone at Red Bull for making us feel welcome and making our day a memorable one. And on behalf of the victorious bloggers, I would like to wish Red Bull Racing the best of luck for the 2013 season.

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.

Who said Valencia was boring? European Grand Prix Review

Is it just me or did I see one of the best races of the 2012 Formula One season on Sunday? Who would have thought Valencia would serve up a terrific Grand Prix.

Drama from start to finish, plenty of overtaking manoeuvres and incidents galore. What more could you ask for. A brilliant Grand Prix and I have to admit I was dreading this one.

I would be right in saying that previous races at Valencia have been pretty dull. Did I expect to see an entertaining race this time round? No is the simple answer.

Again you have to give Pirelli credit for what they have done. And tyre degradation has played its part in what is proving to be a fantastic season for Formula One.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso delighted the home crowd and Tifosi by taking victory in an absorbing Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen came home in second and massive congratulations to Michael Schumacher.

The seven-time World Champion ended up finishing the race in third. This was Schumi’s first appearance on the podium since his return to the sport.

Ferrari and Alonso

Qualifying might not have gone to plan for Fernando Alonso and Ferrari. But the Spaniard drove a brilliant race to take his second win of the season.

How often have we seen drivers who have not made it into the top ten and yet they have been able to pick up strong results. Look at Sergio Perez in Canada. Qualified 15th and the Mexican finished the race third.

Does getting into the top ten of qualifying matter? For me it does and it always will. However not making it into Q3 is not the end of the world. But lets not take anything away from Fernando.

Alonso pulled off some brilliant overtakes and his move on Romain Grosjean after the safety car went in was outstanding. OK Sebastian Vettel and Grosjean retired but Alonso’s victory in Valencia was down to genuine pace and the Ferrari has been improving race by race.

It will be interesting to see whether the double World Champion can repeat his European Grand Prix heroics at Silverstone. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Alonso is in contention for the race win.

For Felipe Massa it was yet another frustrating weekend and I really hope he picks up a strong result at the British Grand Prix. With the way things are going I can’t see Massa at Ferrari next year.

The Brazilian’s race was more or less over when he had a collision with Kamui Kobayashi. Had that not occurred, Massa would have been in with a shout to score some points. Felipe is capable of stringing results together but his luck this year has been rotten and sometimes when things go wrong, they can go from bad to worse.

Mixed Fortunes

It could have been so much better for Lotus had Romain Grosjean’s car not suffered an alternator failure. But Kimi Raikkonen managed to bring the car home in an excellent second place.

Despite the DNF for Grosjean in Valencia, I have been very impressed by how well the Frenchman has performed this year. He has proven to be more than a match for his more experienced team-mate.

I personally think it is only a matter of time before Romain takes his first win in Formula One. He has been given a second chance and boy has he taken it. I can only run out of superlatives to describe how well Romain has done in 2012 so far and he is a star for the future.

Kimi was one of the drivers to benefit from Grosjean’s retirement and having got past Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race, the Finn was able to score 18 points for second.

Raikkonen has performed admirably in my view on his return to Formula One but it was obvious from his interview with Lee McKenzie that he wanted more than second place. The win was just out of reach but Kimi can be satisfied with how the race went for him.

I do believe Lotus will win a race this season but I’m not sure where that race victory will come at. Will it be at Silverstone?

At Last

When Michael Schumacher crossed the finishing line on Sunday in third position, I was so happy for him. The German has endured so much bad luck in 2012 through no fault of his own but this could be the result that kick-starts his season.

Schumi was able to hold off Mark Webber for the final podium place and this result saw Michael on the podium for the first time since his comeback to Formula One. The Mercedes car has improved significantly compared to the previous two seasons and I just get a funny feeling Schumacher could actually win a race this year.

Michael pulled off some decent moves and being on the fresher tyres at the end helped enormously. Finishing third in Valencia will give Schumi an extra spring in his step but he now needs to build on this result and string some points finishes together.

Nico Rosberg drove a decent race to finish sixth. Rosberg did get off to a poor start but in the end he was able to make his two stop strategy work and get past Paul di Resta in the final stages of the race.

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel would have been on the top step of the podium had he not suffered an alternator problem. The German had the race up his sleeve and looked on course to record his third consecutive win at Valencia.

The neutral will have been delighted to see Seb retire but it was clear Vettel was not a happy bunny after climbing out of the stricken Red Bull. Who wouldn’t be? After leading the race for so long and doing all the right things, then for an alternator to fail will have been heart-breaking for Vettel.

However he will bounce back from this and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up on the podium at Silverstone or even win the British Grand Prix. Red Bull in recent years have done well at Silverstone and I can see both Seb and Mark battling for a race victory.

After a torrid Saturday, Webber did a great job on Sunday to finish fourth. Its not the first time Mark has made his way through the field after a miserable qualifying and going out in Q1. Remember the Chinese Grand Prix last season? Started 18th and the Aussie went onto finish third.

Things did look bleak after qualifying but Mark certainly turned it around on race day and he wasn’t far behind Schumacher come the end of the race. Webber is right up there in the Drivers Standings and don’t rule him out of this years battle to be crowned World Champion.

He won in Monaco and he has also been consistent so far this season. Plus there have also been times this year where he has got the better of Sebastian.

McLaren Woe

Once again McLaren make another mistake in the pit stops. Are they ever going to learn? I wouldn’t like to be in those high pressure situations and I know for a fact I would make mistakes.

But the fact that McLaren have made so many errors during the pit stops this season is frustrating for the drivers and for the fans. McLaren are one of the best teams in Formula One and these pit stops should be perfect.

The team need to realise these mistakes are costing Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button points. Hindsight is a beautiful thing but had Hamilton’s second stop not taken so long, perhaps he would not have been hit by Pastor Maldonado.

Lewis did what he could and even finishing third would not have been a disastrous result. I guess the consolation for Hamilton was the fact Vettel didn’t score any points either.

My thoughts on the Hamilton – Maldonado incident: Maldonado’s fault and he was lucky to only be given a 20-second penalty which meant he dropped out of the points and finished 12th. I personally would have given him a five or even a ten place drop for what he did.

It was inevitable Pastor would get past Lewis but there was no need for the Venezuelan to do what he did. Had Maldonado rejoined the track once Lewis had got past Turn 13, the Williams driver will have had another opportunity to get past the Brit on the next long straight.

Maldonado drove brilliantly at Barcelona earlier this season to take his first ever win in Formula One. But there have been times where he has been erratic and yesterday’s collision was not the first time both Lewis and Pastor have collided.

As for Jenson he could only manage an eighth place finish and he is not exactly in top form. Scoring only six points in five races is not Championship winning form and Button does need a strong result at Silverstone. Who knows a win could get his season back on track.

I do believe Button will bounce back from this bad spell and don’t count him out of the Drivers Title. There is still a long way to go and anything can happen.

Force India

And finally one team who will have been delighted with their weekend’s work were Force India. Nico Hulkenburg came home in a brilliant fifth place with team-mate Paul di Resta finishing seventh.

In Free Practice both Hulkenburg and di Resta were impressive and Qualifying went pretty well although di Resta felt he could have done better than tenth. It was a big weekend for the team and with both Williams and Sauber not scoring many points, Force India were able to take advantage.

Scoring 18 points at Valencia meant Force India are only one point behind Williams and 16 behind Sauber in the Constructors. Silverstone is a track that should suit the VJM05 and Force India always seem to perform well at high speed tracks. Watch out for Force India at the British Grand Prix and I don’t know why but I have got a feeling they could surprise one or two people.

You can follow me @Baggies20 on Twitter along with Paul Hadsley @paulhadsley. Visit my YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/TheManishism to listen to previous F1inPubs Forums and let us know what you think. And don’t forget you can comment before, during and after every Grand Prix by using the hash tag #F1inPubs. You never know your views might be included in the Forum.

At The Seventh Time Of Asking – Canadian Grand Prix Review

So now we have seven different winners from the first seven races of the 2012 Formula One season. Fantastic and who would have predicted that at the start of the year?

It has been a terrific start to the season and once again we saw another intriguing Grand Prix at Canada. Lewis Hamilton put in a stunning drive to take his first win of the season. It was a win Lewis thoroughly deserved but lets be honest he could have won his first race of 2012 earlier in the season.

Romain Grosjean was able to make his one-stop strategy work and the Frenchman finished the race in a brilliant second place. Mexican Sergio Perez drove yet another excellent race to finish third. Both Grosjean and Perez have been on the podium twice in 2012.

Seeing three different drivers from three different Constructors on the podium was great to see and I hope that continues for the rest of the season. Lets just hope the unpredictability continues.

An eighth different winner of 2012? Surely not. But never say never.

Delight for Lewis

Lewis Hamilton has always been a Circuit Gilles Villeneuve specialist but to cross the finishing line in first place on Sunday will have been a huge relief for Hamilton and McLaren.

The 2008 World Champion has not really been at fault for any of the mistakes in the McLaren pit lane. There were minor mistakes made on Sunday but Hamilton more than made up for it.

McLaren’s pit stops to be quite frank have not been good enough this season and there have been too many mistakes. But I’m sure they will improve as the season goes on.

Winning in Canada was just what Hamilton needed and I am really happy for him. Lewis has definitely matured this year and he has been more consistent compared to last season. The Brit put in a faultless performance and hopefully this is just a sign of things to come.

Hamilton now finds himself leading the Drivers Championship but I know for a fact he will not get complacent along with his McLaren colleagues. There is still a long way to go and the McLaren can be improved further.

It is amazing what difference a year can make. Last year it was Lewis doing all the whingeing. Now it is Jenson Button who appears to be the one moaning constantly about the car.

Jenson had yet another disappointing race and was unable to make inroads towards the likes of Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso right from the word go. Once again being stuck in the midfield was where Button ended up.

The 2009 World Champion really does need a strong result in Valencia and he must improve his qualifying. He only just made it into Q3 on Saturday and for some reason he has been struggling in qualifying since Spain.

But I have no doubts that once Jenson gets a strong result, he will get back to his best. Button needs a good result from somewhere and if he can do that at the next Grand Prix, perhaps that could be the turning point of his season.

Two Masterclasses

If you want to learn about how to make a one-stop strategy work, take a look at how well both Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez performed in Canada.

The Frenchman and Mexican were able to look after their tyres incredibly well and because they did that, they were able to make their way up the field. Perez’s performance in particular caught my eye.

Starting from 15th, Sergio did an excellent job from start to finish and he was even putting in fastest laps in the second half of the race. Who would have predicted at the start of the race that Perez would end up on the podium?

Sergio has proven that he can look after his tyres really well but for him to finish third was stunning. Lotus have done extremely well so far this year but still I was not expecting Grosjean to end up on the podium on Sunday.

Romain has had his high and lows in 2012 and he certainly has come back to Formula One with more confidence and belief. I have been impressed with how well the Frenchman has performed this season and he is even getting the better of his more experienced team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

Don’t be surprised to see both Sauber and Lotus challenging for strong points in Valencia and I wouldn’t bet against any of their drivers finishing on the podium.

Red Bull and Ferrari

It wasn’t quite the stellar weekend for both Red Bull and Ferrari but both teams were able to pick up points from Montreal.

Sebastian Vettel was not able to convert pole position into a race win and finished the race fourth. His team-mate Mark Webber was never really in the hunt to finish on the podium and the Australian could only manage a seventh place finish.

It was pretty inevitable that Seb was going to be overtaken by Lewis in the latter stages of the race which resulted in the German pitting for new tyres on lap 63. Vettel however was able to get past Alonso on the penalutimate lap to finish fourth.

I’m sure Red Bull will be right up there at the European Grand Prix and it should be a track that suits them. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Vettel ended up on pole.

Even though Seb finished just outside the podium places, he shouldn’t be too disheartened and coming home in fourth is not a disaster. There is a long way to go and Red Bull will win races between now and the end of the season.

Fernando Alonso was just unable to make his one stop strategy work and there was nothing he could do to stop Hamilton, Grosjean, Perez and Vettel getting past him. Going for a single stop race was a gamble that did not pay off and had Alonso gone for a two stop strategy, perhaps the Spaniard would have ended up finishing the race in the Top 3.

But despite the fact Fernando finished fifth, he is not far behind Hamilton in the Drivers Standings and it is still all to play for. Alonso will still be confident that Ferrari will improve the car further and there is no reason in my view why he cannot challenge for more race victories this year.

Felipe Massa finished tenth but there were signs once again in Canada that the Brazilian is starting to get back to his best. It was unfortunate he spun just after Turn One in the early stages of the race. Had he not done that, Felipe could have at least finished in the top six.

Final Thoughts and Valencia

Many people I spoke to before the Canadian weekend believed Mercedes would be in contention for the race win. But that never materialised. Michael Schumacher’s bad luck continued as he had issues with his DRS in the race. Nico Rosberg could only manage a sixth place finish. I genuinely hope Schumacher can turn his form round and he has been very unlucky this year.

The Canadian Grand Prix you could argue was a mirror image of Monaco. A procession at times but entertaining towards the end of the Grand Prix. But despite the processional feeling you still had the intrigue and belief that something would happen. That proved to be the case in the end.

Formula One is in a golden era and with the unpredictability continuing, it is difficult to say who will be on top week in week out which can only be a good thing in my view. It could be Red Bull on top one week, a McLaren another week or even a Williams.

I have never been a fan of the European Grand Prix being held at Valencia and have we ever had a decent Grand Prix there? Not really although the race in 2009 was decent with Rubens Barrichello winning in his Brawn car.

I just hope we get a decent race in Valencia and it would be great to see an eighth different winner. Possibly a Lotus winning or even a Sauber coming out on top. I can see Red Bull being strong here and I’m sure Lewis will be up for it as well. Tough one to call.

I would be interested to hear your predictions for Valencia? You can follow me on Twitter (@Baggies20) and listen to the latest F1 Forum for F1 in Pubs. Don’t forget you can also Tweet us #F1inPubs during and after the race. You never know your comments might be included in the Forum.

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.

A Perfect Birthday Present for Sir Frank

Five races and five different winners. Who will have scripted that at the beginning of the 2012 Formula One season? It has been a truly remarkable start to 2012 and I only hope it continues.

Will Monaco see a sixth different winner this year? With the way things are going, I wouldn’t back against it. The Pirelli tyres are once again playing their part and you would be a very brave person to predict who will come out on top at Monaco.

Considering how dull previous Spanish Grand Prix’s have been, this years race was thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Before I talk about Pastor Maldonado’s excellent win my thoughts are with the mechanics who were injured in yesterday’s horrific fire that occurred in the Williams pit garage.

Three Williams team members were taken to a local hospital with one believed to have been suffering from burns. It was great to see team personnel from different teams helping to put the fire out and it just shows you Formula One is united.

All the teams may be competing against one another on the track but off the track they are united and yesterday was an example of just that. I speak for everyone in Formula One and hope those injured in the pit fire make a speedy recovery. We are all behind you.

An Eight Year Wait

Williams’ eight year wait for a race win came to an end on Sunday with Pastor Maldonado putting in a brilliant performance to take his maiden victory in Formula One. Pastor became the first Venezuelan to win a Grand Prix.

The last time Williams tasted race victory was back in 2004 at Brazil when Juan Pablo Montoya came out victorious in his last race for the team. No doubt Maldonado’s victory in Spain will be one the Williams team personnel will remember for many years to come.

Pastor’s win will have also been a perfect birthday present for Sir Frank Williams. It was obvious up and down the paddock that everyone was delighted for Williams.

Although he lost the lead on the opening lap, Pastor kept his cool and was able to get past Fernando Alonso during the second stage of pit stops.

The Venezuelan went on to win the race and was able to hold off the challenge of Alonso to take his first ever victory in Formula One. Thoroughly deserved and it was great to see Williams back on the top step of the podium.

To bounce back as they have done this year has been incredible. However there is a long way to go and everyone at Williams will be looking to stay on their feet and not get too carried away.

If Lewis Hamilton was not stripped of his pole position, perhaps we would have had a different result on Sunday. But take nothing away from what Maldonado and Williams achieved.

Ferrari and the Rest

Finishing second in front of his home crowd will have felt like a win for Fernando Alonso. The start he made to this years race was reminiscent of the start the Spaniard made in last years race at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Fernando was overtaken in the second stage of pit stops by Maldonado and lost the lead. He was not quite able to get past the Venezuelan but Alonso shouldn’t be disheartened by coming home in second place.

It is ironic that Ferrari don’t have the best car and yet Alonso is tied on 61 points with Sebastian Vettel leading the Drivers Championship. The great thing about Alonso is that he is always consistent and has always been able to get the best out of a car even if it is not at its best.

The pressure will be building on Felipe Massa after the Brazilian could only manage a 15th place finish. Massa does need an upturn in form and if things do not improve he might not even last the season.

Lotus had yet another solid weekend with Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finishing third and fourth. Eric Boullier should be delighted with the way both his drivers have performed this season and I would not back against them picking up another strong result in Monaco.

The Enstone based team could have won in both Bahrain and Spain but they should not be disappointed by the way they have performed. I have been very impressed with how well Raikkonen has performed on his return to the sport. But at the same time I have also been equally impressed with Grosjean.

Romain has been given a second chance and the Frenchman has so far done himself proud. Ending up on the podium in Bahrain and finishing fourth in Spain will have delighted Grosjean and he has every right to be pleased with how his season has gone so far.

Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi had a great day at the office as the Japanese driver finished fifth. Again I have been impressed by the start Sauber have made to the 2012 season and both Kobayashi and Sergio Perez have done a great job. Could Sauber spring a surprise in Monaco? You never know.

After Free Practice on Friday you would have backed Red Bull to score big points in Spain. But come Sunday, Sebastian Vettel could only come home in sixth and Mark Webber finished outside the points in 11th.

I really cannot put my finger on what went wrong for Red Bull and I guess the only saving grace for them was McLaren not scoring big points either. Red Bull have enjoyed recent success at Monaco and it would not surprise me if they were to bounce back in Monaco. But based on what we have seen this season it is unpredictable as to who will win the next Grand Prix.

Nico Rosberg finished seventh for Mercedes with team-mate Michael Schumacher retiring from yet another race. Schumacher not surprisingly received a five place grid drop for causing a collision and going into the back of Bruno Senna. I totally agree with the stewards decision and there is no arguing that Schumacher was at fault for the collision.

Had Lewis Hamilton not been stripped of his pole position, I reckon the Brit would have gone onto win the race. To be forced to start at the back of the grid was harsh in my view. Having said that the McLaren pit crew should take responsibility for what happened on Saturday.

But give credit where it is due. Lewis was able to make his way through the field from 24th to finish the race eighth. Hamilton did a great job and it was a shame he was not able to hold off Vettel for seventh.

Jenson Button will have been in a buoyant mood after being quickest in the second Free Practice session on Friday. Button is one of those drivers who is able to make his strategy work well and look after his tyres. But for some reason he was not able to do that this time round in Spain.

Finally Nico Hulkenburg defended brilliantly from Mark Webber to finish tenth and pick up a point for Force India. It has not been a strong start to the season for Force India but yet they are picking up points.

Paul di Resta did a great job at Bahrain coming home in sixth. We have yet to see the best of Force India and the way they have started this season reminds me of how they started last season.

2011 was a slow start for the team but in the second half of the season they started putting in more consistent and stronger performances. I genuinely believe Force India have been surprised by how well the likes of Sauber and Williams have done. But there is still a long way to go and there are plenty of points to play for.

I am looking forward to Monaco and I really cannot predict who will come out on top. But I am loving Formula One this season and long may the unpredictability continue.

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.

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.

2011 Italian Grand Prix Podcast on Formula1 FanCast

Formula1 FanCast’s Manish Patel and Formula One pundit Will Vincent look back on an exciting Italian Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel edged closer to his second consecutive Drivers title after the German made it eight wins in 2011 with his latest victory came at the illustrious Monza. Providing results go his way and he wins in Singapore, Vettel will be crowned World Champion.

Delight for one Red Bull driver but disappointment for the other as Mark Webber retired from the race. The Australian lost his front wing at Turn two after trying to get past Felipe Massa and then Webber went straight into the wall at the Parabolica on lap five. It was yet another frustrating weekend for Mark.

McLaren’s Jenson Button finished Sunday’s race second ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton who came home in fourth. Button is currently ahead of Lewis in the Drivers Championship and some would say this is Jenson’s best chance to stay ahead of Hamilton.

The Tifosi turned out in their thousands hoping to see a repeat of last years Italian Grand Prix where Fernando Alonso stepped onto the top step of the podium. The Spaniard in this years race finished third with Felipe Massa in sixth.

Michael Schumacher put in another fine performance to beat his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Schumacher finished the race fifth and was involved in an enthralling battle with Lewis Hamilton.

Toro Rosso have fond memories of Monza after Sebastian Vettel picked up their first and only win in F1 at Monza in 2008. This year Jaime Alguersuari once again came through the field to finish in an impressive seventh place and Sebastian Buemi finished in tenth.

Force India’s Paul di Resta came home in eighth and Renault’s Bruno Senna scored his first ever points in Formula One as he took the chequered in ninth.

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