Formula 1 - 2010 Season

For those wanting to see the F1 (from Spain) on UBC, it's on channel 106 today. Wimbledon is currently on 107.

I see Alonso and Ferrari have continued to bleat about Hamilton's penalty (being inadequate), arising from the Safety Car Incident immediately after Webber's crash last sunday in Valencia. Very much a case of sour grapes, from an embittered driver and team, as I see it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 769619.stm

Maybe Alonso should stop and think what position Hamilton was in immediately before the crash & safety car, as compared with what position he was in twenty laps or so later.

Alonso has always come across to me as something of a spoilt "prima donna"! Maybe he needs a few CHOICE WORDS FROM OBAMA.

Well it's Red Bull one-two on the starting grid for the British Grand Prix (today) as Sebastian Vettel beats team-mate Mark Webber to pole, while McLaren's Jenson Button will start from 14th. Lewis Hamilton managed to secure 4th, with Alonso starting from 3rd.

The McLaren's were definitely having car problems, and had to abort some upgrades.

Red Bull one-two http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... efault.stm

Apparently all is not well in the Red Bull camp. Vettel damaged his new front wing in pre-practice and instead of replacing it with an older wing he was given the only other new front wing available, denying Webber of his new front wing. Definitely no love lost between the two of them. With a bit of luck they might take each other out at the start.

Galee wrote:Apparently all is not well in the Red Bull camp. Vettel damaged his new front wing in pre-practice and instead of replacing it with an older wing he was given the only other new front wing available, denying Webber of his new front wing. Definitely no love lost between the two of them. With a bit of luck they might take each other out at the start

Yes, I got the same impression. Did you see Webber's body language during the post qualifying news conference?!

They seem to make inappropriate pit decisions too. There was comment on the TV about why Vettel went back out again for a further final run, when there was only seconds left to Q3, and in doing so used up most of the tread on his last allowed set of tyres. Though I noted that Lewis went out immediately after him, so perhaps he was worried that someone might pip him to pole in the last seconds of qualifying.

The team have also made inappropriate pit decisions, timing of tyre changes etc, in previous races. So the end result of today's race is by no means cut and dried yet.

Galee wrote:With a bit of luck they might take each other out at the start.

Just watching a replay and do not know the result but it was a great start. That’ll bring the spoiled brat back too earth, had eyes only for Webber and not what his own mission was. Love to be a fly on the wall in that camp after the race.

When the race had finished Webber said on his radio back to the pits.
"Not bad for a number 2 driver"....
He is not a happy bunny & said that he would have never joined RB to be number 2. He is now above Vettel in the championship race - which will give RB something to think about.
Well done to Hamilton (2nd.) - just about the best he could have hoped for after qualification. Plus a great drive by Button to get to 4th. after being 14th. in qualification. Rosberg coming in 3rd. will heap a bit more pressure on Schumacher who only managed 9th..

Yes, overall a good result. Lewis did well, and Button did very well considering the problems he had in qualifying and the fact that he started from 14th on the grid.

I too noted Webber's comment about good result for a number 2 driver.

I had a good laugh when the commentators joked about Vettel being in danger of losing Webber's front wing in one of his aggressive overtaking attempts.

I must admit to be rather amused if not quietly smug that Alonso (who I tend to perceive as a spoilt and arrogant "primadonna", a bit like Vettel), got a (justified) penalty for gaining a place when cutting a corner, albeit that he was pretty much forced off the track in the clash with Kubica. He could have avoided it if he had immediately given the place back to Kubica.

In fact I quite enjoyed watching the antics and frustrations of both Vettel and Alonso trying to claw their way back through the field, after their setbacks.

BBC show the F1 qualification race(s) on a Saturday. Now I was never the biggest fan of F1 once it went to first into the first bend wins wins senario a few years ago, so the last couple of years have been an improvement but to watch practicing was just (to me ) something to fall asleep to.
The process consisted of an hour of qualification which did not get interesting until the last 15 minutes when the 'big boys' would come onto track to post their times.
This year they have changed the qualification proceedure though & managed to make it a quite interesting watch.
The qualification is now split into 3 sessions.
1. All cars try for their fastest lap over 20 minutes. All but the top 16 cars are eliminated from further qualification and will take the grid position of their time.
2. The original times from Q1 are cancelled & the remaining cars take part in another 15 minutes qualification. The fastest 10 cars go onto final qualification.
3. A final 10 minute qualification takes place to finalise the top 10 places on the grid.
So there are usually a few shocks as to who fails to get into final qualification & it makes the drivers & teams think a little more about what they are doing. It must be something of a sucess as 100,000 people turned up at Silverstone last Saturday to watch it!!

Replay over. Congradulations to Webber for not only for the win but his diplomatic post race interview. If it wasn't for the yellow flag his scum bag NUMBER ONE driver would have been much further down the field where he belonged with the front end spoiler stuffed up his arse.

Signed: A biased Aussie.

I'd go along with you there Bandung, and I'm not an Aussie!!

Bob, I usually try and watch the qualifying too, though they "qualify" with very light fuel loads and several changes of tyres.

The races themselves I think have become more interesting now that they have to run the full race on the fuel they start with, but can change tyres. In fact they have to have at least one change of tyres, so that they use a soft set and a hard set.

The results of the German F1 this evening:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... efault.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 852780.stm

1 Alonso
2. Massa
3. Vettel
4. Hamilton
5. Button
6. Webber

And I hope Ferrari and Alonso get a good kicking and a fine, for the all too clear coded message telling Massa to concede his 1st position to team mate Alonso, who until then had been in second position. Within the next half lap Massa clearly slowed and allowed Alonso to pass him. It is unsportsmanlike and against Formula 1 rules.

Well yes they have been fined 100,000 dollars.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 852918.stm

Even in these hard times a fine will not hurt them.
They should award both Massa & Alonso a maximum of second place points - so no winner points awarded at all - that would hurt them & show that cheating in this way will not get the result that they want!!
It is a great pity that it came to this as this F1 season has been the best for years & I echo OT's comments about skill & driving ability at the start.

Well its been a great season so far, so who is the pick for champ and constructors?
I and most others would be over the moon if Weber got it, as Murray walker said, he's the nicest guy in the paddock and after the work he's put in, he most certainly deserves it.

But nice don't win Championships, a good car and consistency does, that for me would be Hamilton, My bet is that the brown fellow will take it. He's got experienced management and great strategists behind him.
Certainly his skill is not to be denied, he's seriously quick and he seems to be more level headed (apart from webber) than the his main opposition, Button is very competent driver, but seems to get demotivated when he's up against it.
Vettel very fast but at times his inexperience shows and Alonso, well, I hope like hell he doesn't get there.

Whats the view of the UD forum F1 aficionados ?