Featured News: New Races in 2015?

Formula1 is unpredictable and that's what keeps the sport so lively and exciting. Nothing is more unpredictable than the F1 Race Calendar though.

There were many races planned that got dropped from the 2014 schedule including India, Korea, New Jersey and Mexico. This year however is to see the addition of Russia and Austria.

As far as 2015 goes, let's play silly-season in April and take a look as to what countries we might see on the schedule for next year!

India - With this race dropped from the 2014 calendar, intentions are to have the race back for 2015, but with issues on deciding what time of the year the race will be held, the race may not return until 2016.

Mexico - While the circuit is still used for other racing championships, it hasn't been used for Formula 1 in quite a few years. A return to Mexico would be super exciting for drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez who are both from Mexico. Perez from Guadalajara and Gutierrez from Monterrey.

Korea, Republic Of - Another race that was supposed to happen this year, but didn't, due to lack of last minute organization and also contract problems. This race, however is not set to return next year. But things do change.

New Jersey, USA - This is a race that was supposed to happen last year and this year. But due to Bernie not receiving proper papers and payments from the contract holders, the race is now not going to happen until next year. (Fingers crossed)

Morocco - Now this is a big rumour, but Bernie has said it would be a great place to hold and F1 race and I quite agree.

Long Beach, USA - The Long Beach street circuit in California has been home to Indycar for over 20+ years after F1 lost/dropped its contract with the circuit. There are talks that it would only cost about $9 Million to get things ready to bring F1 back to the circuit.

France - We have French drivers, why not a French race? Not only would it be popular but also quite beautiful. Although there's no talk of it happening in 2015, it's in the F1's future.

I'll be doing more articles regarding the planned race schedule of 2015, throughout this year, so keep checking back.

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Ferrari News: Domenicali out, Mattiacci in

Although many of you have already heard the news, some are still not tuned in to the fact that Stefano Domenicali, resigned from Ferrari duties.

The 48-year-old, Italian from Imola, Italy, began his job as Ferrari Team Principal in 2008. This year, however, he decided his time with the team was over. Following this news, the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team quickly announced that taking over his job would be Marco Mattiacci.

Since this has happened, Fernando Alonso has scored a podium in China last weekend. So was that the problem? Did all they really need was a change in Principal? There is no simple answer until the future GPs, as we watch to see if the Italian team can keep their pace.

The team has been struggling with every race so far this year, with multiple car issues and rising tensions. The podium looks like a good turn around, so we'll wait and see.

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Chinese GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

Welcome to the Re-Cap of the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix.

While the weather was unpredictable all weekend, it was a dry race, after a very rainy Qualifying had taken place the day before. Teams had to change plans and strategies because of this.

Although there were no major accidents during this race, the first lap had some major wheel-bumping going on between multiple cars, including: Massa, Ricciardo, Rosberg and Alonso.

Sutil retired within the first few laps due to engine problems, which is unfortunate as Sauber is 1 of many team this year that are yet to score a point.

Lewis Hamilton, who started on pole, led the race pretty much the whole time and went on to win his 3rd Grand Prix in a row, which is absolutely incredible. Rosberg finished second. The year is definitely showing Mercedes dominance. It's nice to see the team doing so well and we're only 4 races in.

Felipe Massa had bad luck, when during a pit stop, the pit crew messed up when putting on the rear tyres. They had accidently switched the left and the right and had to re-do them. By the time he left the pit lane, he was all the way back in 20th position. Meanwhile, his former team-mate, Fernando Alonso finished on the podium, in Third for Ferrari.

The Force India boys didn't have any problems and both finished again, in the points. Great driving from both Perez and Hulkenberg. Force India is one of the strongest teams this year and it's great to see them up at the top.

Another disappointing race for Romain Grosjean who was unable to finish the race with a gearbox problem, but shockingly, his team-mate Pastor Maldonado did finish the race after having multiple incidents over the weekend in practice and not being able to even qualify.

At the end, the chequered flag was waved nearly 2 laps early, but Mercedes told Hamilton to keep driving, as the race was not over. However, the standings were recorded when the flag was waved and they count. Kobayashi made a pass on Jules Bianchi after which does not count due to the rules stating when the flag is waved early, the standings will not count any pass after the waving of the chequered flag.

Overall, it was a good, solid race. Here are the results

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany
3. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain
4. Daniel Ricciardo / Redbull / Australia
5. Sebastian Vettel / Redbull / Germany
6. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany
7. Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland
8. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland
9. Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico
10. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia
11. Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain
12. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso / France
13. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark
14. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela
15. Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil
16. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico
17. Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France
18. Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan
19. Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain
20. Marcus Ericsson / Caterham / Sweden
21. Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France / Retired - Gearbox
22. Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany / Retired - Engine

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Chinese GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

Welcome to the Re-Cap of 2014 Qualifying of the Chinese GP Weekend! It was rainy and cloudy, but action-packed and amazing as always!

For those of you who are new to Qualifying or F1 in general, I will go over the rules and how it works. Qualifying is divided into three different sessions that all take place over the span of about an hour or so. Session 1 (Or Q1 as we call it!) all 22 drivers go out (Unless they have car issues, of course.) and try to set the fastest times that they can and have 18 minutes to do it. The 6 slowest cars get knocked out and start on grid where their times place them. The fastest 16 move on to Q2.

Same rules in Q2 except that there is 15 minutes. 6 slowest knocked out and start where their times place them. Last 10 cars move on to Q3 and have 12 minutes to see who can go quick enough to get pole. Their final times line them up and make the complete Grid.

So, this time around, in Q1, not fast enough and knocked out were: Max Chilton & Jules Bianchi (Marussia), Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus Ericsson (Caterham) and Esteban Gutierres (Sauber) - Pastor Maldonado did not even start the session, so he also did not move on to Q2 and will have to get permission from the Stewards to even start the race.

Knocked out in Q2 was: Sergio Perez (Force India), Kevin Magnussen & Jenson Button (McLaren), Adrian Sutil (Sauber), Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

After Q3 took place and the grid was complete, here's how it looks for tomorrow, although I might come back and have to edit this if there's any grid penalties. Maldonado does hoever have a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty, but since he didn't Qualify at all, that puts him at the back anyways.. I'm hoping his Penalty carries over to the next GP Weekend. 

RESULTS:

1. (Pole Position) - Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain - 1:53.860
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Redbull / Australia - 1:54.455
3. Sebastian Vettel / Redbull / Germany - 1:54.960 
4. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany - 1:55.143
5. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain - 1:55.637
6. Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil - 1:56.147
7. Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland - 1:56.282
8. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany - 1:56.366
9. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso / France - 1:56.773
10. Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France - 1:57.079
11. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland - 1:56.860
12. Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain - 1:56.963
13. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia - 1:57.289
14. Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany - 1:57.393
15. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark - 1:57.675
16. Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico - 1:58.264
17. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico - 1:58.988
18. Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan - 1:59.260
19. Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France - 1:59.326
20. Marcus Ericsson / Caterham / Sweden - 2:00.646
21. Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain - 2:00.865
DID NOT QUALIFY - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela - NO TIME SET

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Chinese GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

Time for a Re-Cap of Free Practice #3 - It was wet and rainy during the session and there were some problems for the drivers. 

Lots of people still struggling with locking up and running off the track at certain turns. Some drivers even opted not to set a time, including: Rosberg, Hamilton, Alonso and Magnussen. Pastor Maldonado was told to stop his car during the session. When he asked what had happened, he got no quick response. 

Daniel Ricciardo climbed to take the top time of the session, with Massa and Grosjean also showing pace and shining during the hour. Force India also looked good and staed within the top 10 as did the Williams drivers. And with that said, here's the times!

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:53.958 / Redbull
2. Felipe Massa - 1:54.492 / Williams
3. Romain Grosjean - 1:54.514 / Lotus
4. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:55.032 / Force India
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:55.062 / Ferrari
6. Pastor Maldonado - 1:55.228 / Lotus
7. Daniil Kvyat - 1:55.235 / Toro Rosso
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:55.381 / Williams
9. Jenson Button - 1:55.673 / McLaren
10. Sergio Perez - 1:56.019 / Force India
11. Sebastian Vettel - 1:56.233 / Redbull
12. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:56.380 / Toro Rosso
13. Adrian Sutil - 1:56.760 / Sauber
14. Max Chilton - 1:56.841 / Marussia
15. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:57.468 / Sauber
16. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:57.812 / Caterham
17. Jules Bianchi - 1:57.976 / Marussia
18. Marcus Ericsson - 1:59.507 / Caterham
19. Nico Rosberg - NO TIME SET / Mercedes
20. Kevin Magnussen - NO TIME SET / McLaren
21. Fernando Alonso - NO TIME SET / Ferrari
22. Lewis Hamilton - NO TIME SET / Mercedes

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Chinese GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

Alright, time for a quick Re-Cap of Free Practice #2! First of all, thanks to all who joined me on Twitter tonight for my commentary coverage & Thanks for your questions. I'll be back again tomorrow for coverage of Free Practice 3!

Also wanted to note that Bottas and Sutil were in this session after Nasr and Van Der Garde did Free Practice #1!

So, let's start with Maldonado, who crashed the Lotus into the wall as he was heading for the pits. He radioed in, saying, "I crashed - Sorry" - Everyone knows the first step is admitting you did something wrong. (Bad joke!)

Mercedes were keeping good pace with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest time of the session, although Alonso was close in Second, after he'd put in fastest time for Session #1. Redbull is also improving with both cars in the top 5 times. Force India was doing some long-runs, so no need to read too much into their times as they were focusing on balance and performance. We know they're fast!

An issue that's being noticed is that with the colder weather, the drivers are having an issue getting (and keeping) the tyres warm. Makes you wonder what'll happen next year when the Tyre Warmer ban is put in place. Yikes. So, with that said, we're seeing a lot of spinning and running off of the track, due to lack of grip. Another issue this weekend seems to be the brakes locking up. Not sure if this is weather related or not, but looking into it!

Now, on to the times!

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:38.315 / Mercedes
2. Fernando Alonso - 1:38.456 / Ferrari
3. Nico Rosberg - 1:38.726 / Mercedes
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:38.811 / Redbull
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:39.015 / Redbull
6. Felipe Massa - 1:39.118 / Williams
7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:39.283 / Ferrari
8. Jenson Button - 1:39.491 / McLaren
9. Romain Grosjean - 1:39.537 / Lotus
10. Daniil Kvyat - 1:39.648 / Toro Ross
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:39.736 / Force India
12: Kevin Magnussen - 1:39.744 / McLaren
13. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:39.759 / Toro Rosso
14. Valtteri Bottas - 1:39.830 / Williams
15. Sergio Perez - 1:40.124 / Force India
16. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:40.359 / Sauber
17. Adrian Sutil - 1:40.395 / Sauber
18. Pastor Maldonado - 1:40.455 / Lotus
19. Jules Bianchi - 1:42.327 / Marussia
20. Max Chilton - 1:43.473 / Marussia
21. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:43.530 / Caterham
22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:43.679 / Caterham

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Chinese GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

We're about an hour away from Free Practice 2 at Shanghai International Circuit, so it's time for a Re-Cap of what happened earlier in Free Practice 1. As always, I'm doing LIVE COMMENTARY COVERAGE on my Twitter @F1Insider78 - So make sure to join in for FP2!

The session started out with a very cloudy and overcast appearance, along with cold temperatures. Cold temperatures make it hard to get heat into the tyres and we saw some drivers struggling with that in the Session. I must note that Giedo Van Der Garde took over for Adrian Sutil for the session while Felipe Nasr took over for Bottas. Although there wasn't any Red Flags, we did see quite a few drivers going off into the gravel and/or spinning the car. It started with Maldonado, who spun out, and while he was emerging back out onto the circuit, he spun again. Kvyat also spun into the gravel, but luckily recovered.

Kimi Raikkonen was one of the few who were unable to get out there during the session, with his Ferrari having more than 1 issue. Another driver who was out of the session for 40 minutes was Esteban Gutierrez, who had his Chassis replaced after Bahrain, but was now facing Clutch issues. He did however get to do a few laps at the end of the session. As for Sergio Perez, he was having problems with the rear brakes locking up, early in the session and by the end of it, he ended up with DRS and Technical issues, which had him heading back into the pits. The car should be ready by Free Practice 2. 

Lewis Hamilton also had an unlucky later half of the session, when he headed back into his garage and they covered it up. Supposedly they had the whole floor of the car off and are still working on it. His team-mate, was having troubles with his brakes locking up as well.

All-In-All, not a very action-packed session, but we'll probably see more laps being completed in FP2. Fastest of the Session was Fernando Alonso, while ironically, his team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen did not even set a time.

Here is the full list of times:

TIMES:

1. Fernando Alonso - 1:39.783 / Ferrari
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:40.181 / Mercedes
3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:40.772 / Redbull
4. Jenson Button - 1:40.970 / McLaren
5. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:41.175 / Force India
6. Kevin Magnussen - 1:41.366 / McLaren
7. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:41.505 / Toro Rosso
8. Lewis Hamilton - 1:41.560 / Mercedes
9. Sebastian Vettel - 1:41.629 / Redbull
10. Felipe Massa - 1:41.699 / Williams
11. Daniil Kvyat - 1:41.977 / Toro Rosso
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:42.090 / Lotus
13. Felipe Nasr - 1:42.265 / Williams
14. Giedo Van Der Garde - 1:42.615 / Sauber
15. Sergio Perez - 1:42.733 / Force India 
16. Pastor Maldonado - 1:43.731 / Lotus
17. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:44.038 / Caterham
18. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:44.162 / Sauber
19. Jules Bianchi - 1:44.270 / Marussia
20. Max Chilton - 1:44.782 / Marussia
21. Marcus Ericssson - 1:44.836 / Caterham
22. Kimi Raikkonen - NO TIME SET / Ferrari

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Next quotes are from the drivers of the Marussia F1 Team!

Max Chilton - “There has literally been no let-up over the past couple of months and here we are again, heading off to the next race in China, just a few days after returning from Bahrain. I really enjoyed my first taste of the Shanghai International Circuit last year; it’s a nice challenge and the weather often throws up a few opportunities, particularly in the race. I left Bahrain on a real high and I hope we can enjoy a similarly strong race this weekend and maintain what feels like a bit of an advantage over our nearest competitors at the moment.”

Jules Bianchi - “I am hoping all my bad luck is behind me now and that China will mark a turning point for a better rest of the season. If we look at the positives, there have been good signs that we have been able to raise our performance level and have a few interesting battles in the races; I hope we can enjoy a few more in Shanghai this weekend. The test ran smoothly in Bahrain last week and I think this will help us with our preparations this week as we are finding out lots of new things about the package and getting strong all the time. I like the track and I am looking forward to the final long haul race before we get back to Europe.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.  

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Next quotes are from Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team!

Nico Rosberg - “Even though the last race was a bit disappointing from my perspective in terms of the result, it's been great to see all the positive comments that came afterwards. We've demonstrated already that we're pushing harder than ever to stay ahead of the pack. It will only get more difficult as the season goes on but I've got confidence in the team. Every day and in every area you can see that determination to win. This gives you a big boost as a driver: to know the people around you want it just as badly as you do. I've got good memories from China after taking my first pole position and race win in Formula One at this circuit in 2012. The layout seems to suit my driving style, it's a track I enjoy racing at and I want to be back on that top step of the podium this weekend. The Chinese fans are great too: really enthusiastic. It's nice to see how much they like our sport and how they cheer us on during the race weekend. It's a very different culture and getting to know it is always fun, so hopefully we can keep them as entertained on track as they do off it!”

Lewis Hamilton - “It's been good to have a bit of a break after such a long stint away but I'm already looking forward to getting back in the car. The last race in Bahrain was fantastic: not just for us as a team but for the sport and I'm sure it won't be the last time we see a great show this year. I'm in a really good place at the moment and walking around the garage too, you can see the positive energy within the team right now. Everyone is focused on getting the maximum from these early races and continuing to build beyond the strong start we've made to the season. I've had some ups and downs in China. On one side I've only finished outside of the podium places twice at this circuit. On the other, in my first season in Formula One I threw away a championship lead here by going into the gravel coming into the pits. Generally, though, I'm getting stronger every time I come to this track and it suits my driving style quite well. The aim, as always, is to win and if I could make it three in a row this weekend that would be incredible.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.  

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

 Next quotes come from the McLaren-Mercedes F1 Team!

Jenson Button - “After a disappointing race in Bahrain, I think we head to China with a bit of a point to prove - we need to get some points on the board, and get another race under our belts that demonstrates the pace that we feel this year’s car has. That won’t necessarily be straightforward - Bahrain showed that, the top two cars aside, the racing this year is fast, fraught and very evenly matched. The margins are so slim that it’ll require us to get everything right: a focused practice, problem-free qualifying sessions and a clean race to try and establish ourselves at the forefront of that chasing pack. But I’ve always enjoyed racing in China - I won here in 2010, and I’ve always had good results here for McLaren. While it’s not necessarily a track that perfectly suits our package, I think we can pull everything together and have a stronger weekend.”

Kevin Magnussen - “I came away from the last race feeling like I didn’t get the maximum from either myself or the car, so the couple of days’ testing in Bahrain, and my preparations for this race, will hopefully allow me to rediscover my comfort zone with MP4-29. I’m looking forward to this race - it’s a track I’ve only seen on the TV, but it looks to have a real variety of corners. The first turn looks like a real challenge, but, most interestingly, I think we’ve going to see some spectacular speeds, and a lot of overtaking along the back straight, which is one of the longest in Formula 1. The first three races have seen different cars and drivers emerge as the closest challengers to the Mercedes drivers. I still think it’s a bit early to be able to see a competitive order emerge among all the teams battling for points, but our aim this weekend will be to try and consolidate our position at the forefront of that chasing pack.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

More quotes, and these ones are from the Williams F1 Team!

Felipe Massa - "There is a very long straight in China which will be good for overtaking, especially for our car as we have a good top speed. There are also low speed corners where good downforce is needed, so we hope we can make improvements on these sections. We hope to have a few new parts which should help with grip and other areas that we need to improve. We still need to improve the car in the wet, so we are hoping the weekend will be dry, I also prefer the dry, but there is hard work going on to improve the car."
 
Valtteri Bottas - "So far the season has been positive and we are looking forward to China. We still need to make a step forward in performance, especially as this track is quite different to Bahrain. The long straight will be our strong point as we can overtake, but we need to be good through the corners to be close enough to take advantage. We are hoping to improve our downforce for the slower sections of the track. Once we improve this, it should improve our overall running in all conditions so it is an area we are focusing on. The weather can be variable in China but at this point we are looking for a dry race."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 
Quotes made by Drivers. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Next quotes come from Toro Rosso.

Jean-Eric Vergne - "A very interesting circuit with a wide variety of corners and a really long straight that provides great opportunities for overtaking. Doing a qualifying lap here is great fun, dealing with challenges like turn 1, which you approach flat, before the corner just goes on and on. It means it is also demanding on tyres and from a driver’s point of view, it is one of the better ones to drive. However, it’s a shame the circuit is so far away from the city, because we never really get any time to visit what is a fascinating place. So it’s a case of just getting to the track, doing the race and going home."

Daniil Kvyat - "I’ve never been to China, so I am interested to discover something about this country and also the circuit. I’ve watched lots of Shanghai Formula One races on TV to get an idea of the track and after Bahrain I was also able to drive it on the simulator. I was disappointed to finish just outside the points at the last race and, after learning a lot about the car at the post-Bahrain test, I hope we can aim for another top ten finish this weekend, on what looks like a really challenging track. Away from the circuit, I’ve heard the Chinese fans are very welcoming. I will be interested to try Chinese food too!"

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers. 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Next preview quotes for the Chinese GP are from Sahara Force India!

Nico Hulkenberg - "We’ve shown we have a good package and we have the hunger to keep fighting at the front. We’ve performed well at all the tracks so far and they all had very different characteristics. So we can feel positive that the car will perform quite well in China. We are going there after the test in Bahrain and hopefully we can bring some more performance too. So I think we can aim for another competitive weekend and come away with some more points."

Sergio Perez - "To get the podium in Bahrain was great - it’s a great result for this team and a big boost of confidence for me. The target is to move on, keep improving and target more podiums. Bahrain was the first real opportunity I had to develop the car through the weekend without any issues so it felt like my season really started there. Now we need to think about how we can do better in China. At the same time we must not get carried away because we know how competitive Formula One is and how things can change very quickly."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers. 

F1Insider Featured Article: Perez takes Force India to the Podium

Late last year, one of the biggest questions in F1 was "Where will Sergio Perez land?" - The young driver from Mexico was replaced at McLaren with Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen. Although there is no hard feelings between Perez and the Woking-based team, he still needed somewhere to go.

Sergio was picked up by Force India at the end of 2013 and partnered with Nico Hulkenberg, who drove for Sauber that year. Sergio has never been a driver for Force India before, but was welcomed and greeted like a part of the family.

The team had only ever got a podium finish once, back in 2009 and while most people would rate them as "Midfield" - I rate them much higher and say they're in the same playing field as Mercedes this year. With 3 races already completed this year, Nico finished all 3 in the top 10. Sergio, unable to start in Malaysia, shocked many when he rose to secure 3rd in Bahrain, getting the first Podium for the team in over 5 years. It was an incredible feeling, as he was quoted saying he'd almost "Quit" F1 after being left-out of McLaren's 2014 Line-Up. He didn't want to take a back-marker seat just to stay in the sport. He wanted a good team and car capable of winning and it seems he has it this year.

I believe both he and Nico can finish on the podium more than once this year and I'm definitely cheering them on.

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

F1Insider Featured Article: Maldonado VS. Gutierrez

While many fans and critics were slamming F1 for being "Boring" this season, many were silenced after the Grand Prix of Bahrain, where there was enough action to make up for the lag that came with the last half of the 2013 season. While many of the features of the Bahrain race were amazing, with the Mercedes duo getting a double-podium and Sergio Perez making an incredible podium finish for Force India, we must not forget that there came bad with the good.

We will not be forgetting the crash between Pastor Maldonado and Esteban Gutierrez, a crash that had my heart racing with panic. With less than half the race left, Maldonado had just pitted and was emerging from the pit-lane, behind Gutierrez, who did not see the Lotus coming up behind him. The Sauber took the corner and Maldonado tried to squeeze in to a gap that was clearly not there. A very dangerous move, indeed. The Lotus made sharp contact with the Sauber, sending it up into the air to flip over, before landing heavily right-side-up. It appeared Maldonado had no damage to his car as he sped-off, leaving the scene, meanwhile Esteban sat in his car, shocked by the event and radiod his team asking, "What was that?"

The young rookie then climbed out of the car, unassisted and took a look at the damage that been done to his Sauber. (His chassis is currently going to be replaced for the Chinese GP.)

While we're all extremely thankful and relieved that Esteban had no injuries and is doing ok, I don't feel the penalties given to Maldonado are enough for what occurred. During the race, after the accident, Maldonado was given a 10-Second-Drive-Through-Penalty. He was also given 3 Penalty Points to his super license and a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for China. but do those 3 penalties really compare to a race ban? 

For example, back in 2012, at Spa, Romain Grosjean caused a very big accident, involving multiple cars and he was given a race ban. Why should Maldonado get any less? The Venezuelan driver has been involved with many accidents, which of most he's caused. I think the choice not to give him a race ban for China was not the best choice, but F1 is unpredictable and sometimes unfair.

I'm curious to see what happens in China, especially if they end up racing side-by-side. One thing is for sure, the safety of the modern F1 car is a lot different from how the cars from the 60's and 70's were built. If the accident had happened back then, the driver would've probably not survived. So, the drivers are very lucky to be living in a day and age where the cars are built a lot better and safer.

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

 

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Redbull

Next preview quotes are from Redbull.

Sebastian Vettel -"The Grand Prix in China is still something special for me, because I won my first race there with Red Bull Racing in 2009. Due to its size, the circuit is unique. The wide stretches mean there are many possible places and opportunities to overtake. Also, the large run-off areas ensure the highest standard of safety. Even the usually narrow pit complex offers plenty of space in Shanghai. As far as the city of Shanghai goes, if I have time to go into the city I like to go to the Bund."

Daniel Ricciardo - "Shanghai is a very open, very wide circuit but it does flow nicely and the middle sector is a lot of fun. The back straight provides a good overtaking opportunity into the hairpin but it is quite long; I always think back to when I came here as a kid in Formula BMW – massive hair and lots of enthusiasm – and trust me, then, it was the sort of straight where I’d have definitely been reaching for a book if I’d had one! It’s a bit different driving it in an F1 car. The circuit has a decent mix of low- and high-speed corners and one of the key things is to have a set-up that gives you good traction out of the two tight ‘snail’ corners."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

These quotes come from the drivers of the Sauber F1 Team! Good to hear Esteban is recovered and will be racing in China!

Adrian Sutil - "I am positive about the next race in China. The Shanghai International Circuit is interesting. It is not my favourite track, but I still like driving there. The layout is special in comparison to the other ones. It consists of some fast corners, which get tighter towards the end of the corner. Besides that, the track has a long straight which is the longest on the race calendar. On this track a good balance for the car and a lot of grip on the front axle is needed. I believe the layout should be a good fit for the C33. I am positive about the weekend. We have to look forward, and every future race will move us furthermore up to the front. Shanghai is an interesting city, which is very modern and growing all the time. The city has a lot to offer, such as restaurants and also some spectacular buildings. I would like to visit the Great Wall of China, but so far I have not had the time.

Esteban Gutierrez -"I have nice memories of Shanghai from last year. It was probably one of the best race starts in my Formula 1 career. I had a tough qualifying, but after the start and during the opening laps, I was able to overtake a lot of cars. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish the race. Regarding the track, I really like it, especially the entry into Turn 1. Looking back to the last three races, my performance will help me to get the maximum out of the car, in both, qualifying and the race. With the updates on the car, I hope we can increase our level of competition so we can achieve better results. Talking about China, it is an interesting place to visit. I will travel to Shanghai early to adapt to the time difference and climate, and I will use this time to learn about the Chinese culture."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Next quotes come from Lotus.

Romain Grosjean - “Shanghai is not my favourite race of the year, but I will be spending my 28th birthday there so let’s make it good! It’s quite a particular circuit where it is not always easy to find the right setup and the temperature can also be cold. You never know what to expect, except that there will be a monster traffic jam to get to the circuit! I scored my first Formula One points at Shanghai in 2012 and scored points again last year when Kimi finished second for the team. So let’s hope that’s a good omen and we can add to the good memories next weekend. How will it suit the E22? I don’t know to be honest. It’ll be interesting and challenging for us but still the emphasis is on getting good track time so we can be as prepared as we can be for when our season really starts at Barcelona next month. There’s a very long back straight and some high-speed corners. There is a lot we need to do with the E22 and we certainly need some better power unit performance. Of course we’ll do our best to score our first points of the year. That is our goal, our target.”

Pastor Maldonado - “Shanghai is a very technical circuit with one of the longest straights of the season. It could be a bit tricky for us as we aren’t the quickest on long straights at the moment, so we will have to see how we can work on making gains in the corners. This will be the challenge for us. There is a mix of fast and medium speed corners where we need good downforce. It is a challenging track which I like so I’m looking forward to racing there. What will it be like to drive the latest generation F1 car at Shanghai? It will be like all the circuits we visit this year, it will be a new experience and we will learn and make improvements as the weekend progresses. Having finished the race in Bahrain, we have more experience and data to work with so we are better placed for a more progressive approach to the race weekend.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

First preview quotes for the Chinese GP come from the Caterham drivers!

Kamui Kobayashi - "The last of the four early season flyaway races is Shanghai, a track I’ve always had good support on and one that’s a really good challenge technically. The last time I raced there in 2012 I qualified fourth, the highest qualifying position of my career and my team at that point. I actually started third after Lewis had an issue but then the car had a problem with the launch and I lost a lot of places off the line. While I know we won’t be starting that high this year, it would still be good to have a better race in 2014, and the whole team is working as hard as possible to help us do that. The main set up focus is how you balance the need for downforce in the high speed turns against the low drag you want for one of the longest straights of the year. We saw in Malaysia that we have good straight line speed so we’ll have to make sure that works in our favour, and with Renault we’ll be working on energy management so we can maximise the advantage we have in those parts of the track. It’s also a circuit where windspeed and direction can have a big influence on how the car handles, so that’ll be another area for us to focus on in the three practice sessions. We obviously want to head back to Europe in a good position so everyone’s working flat out to help us do that. I We have a couple of new parts coming in China before the bigger package everyone brings to Spain, but we also have to make sure we play to our strengths - we have a small advantage in pure pace over our direct rivals which put us in a strong position for most of the Bahrain race, right up until the final stint which ended with a disappointing result. We have to use that performance on Sunday to help us get back to where we want to be, and to build on that at every race."

Marcus Ericsson - "China’s another new track for me, so obviously what will really help is having another good Friday and Saturday, like we had in Bahrain. Step by step, with each race I’m learning more about how to manage a full race weekend and, apart from Canada, China’s the last track before we get to Europe that I haven’t raced on so it’s even more important to have maximum mileage in FP1 and FP2 so we can really work on optimising the settings. Something I will be working on is tyre management, especially over the long runs - for rookies in F1 tyre management is one of the key areas you have to work on and improving that area of performance will definitely help make me stronger over the full race distance. It might be my first visit to Shanghai but I raced in Macau in 2008 and 2009 so I have raced in China before. I was on pole there in 2009 and finished fourth, so I have good memories of racing in China, and I also spent the week between Australia and Malaysia this year in Macau because my trainer Alex was living there and working as an FMX rider in Macau before he joined me in F1. It’s an amazing country and it’ll be a privilege to race there as an F1 driver - hopefully we can repeat the sort of performance we had in Malaysia and finish these flyaways positively." 

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Chinese GP: Circuit Preview

Welcome to my Circuit Preview for Round #4 of the 2014 F1 Season!
Today we look at China's circuit. The Shanghai International Circuit, located in Jiading, Shanghai, China. The Circuit opened in 2004 and runs Clockwise. It has a total of 16 laps and is 3.387 Miles in length. It has a capacity of 200,000 and the crowd will watch the drivers complete a total of 56 eyebrow-raising laps.

Let's take a bit of a look-back at the 2013 Chinese GP.
Pole-Sitter for the start of the race was Lewis Hamilton, who did not actually end up winning the race. Fastest lap belonged to Sebastian Vettel, but he not win the race either. The winner was Fernando Alonso and second place went to the Fin, Kimi Raikkonen, while third was secured by Lewis Hamilton

Retirements of the race included: Nico Rosberg, Adrian Sutil, Mark Webber and Esteban Gutierrez.

Force India has proved itself last week in Bahrain and I believe they will do another fantastic job in China. Mercedes will also do well and probably Williams. It'll definitely be a stunning race and I can't wait!

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.  No Copyright Infringement Intended.
(Photo Credit belongs to: oknation.net
I do not own the photo.)

Chinese GP: Schedule

We're only about a week away from the first Practice Session at Shanghai International Circuit in China! I have the full weekend schedule for you all. Please do comment below and tell me if you're attending the GP! It usually does draw in a very large crowd and it's very energetic and exciting.

Please Note: The times on the Schedule are for Standard Time in China. If you would like the times converted to your nearest/local city, please leave a comment!

SCHEDULE:

April 17th - Thursday

15:00 - Press Conference (Location unconfirmed at this time)
16:00 - 17:15 - Autograph Session. (Drivers)

April 18th - Friday

10:00 -11:30 - Free Practice #1
12:35 - 13:30 - Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk
14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2
16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located In The Press Room)

April 19th - Saturday

09:30 - 10:30 - Team Pit Stop Practice
09:30 - 10:45 - Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk
11:00 - 12:00 - Free Practice #3
13:00 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk
14:00 - Qualifying

April 20th - Sunday

11:00 - 12:15 - Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk
13:15 - 14:00 - Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk
13:30 - Drivers Track Parade
13:45 - 14:15 - Starting Grid Presentation
14:46 - National Anthem
15:00 - Race

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

In-Season Test #1 - Bahrain / Day 2 Re-Cap

         The first set of In-Season testing is now done and complete and I have a quick Re-Cap of Day #2, along with the times from the end of the session.

        The session started off with Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso stopping on the circuit, causing the first Red Flag of the session. After his car was taken back to the garages, the session continued and Mercedes began racking up the laps with Lewis behind the wheel. 

           Red Flag #2 was right before lunch and was caused when Kevin Magnussen spun out into the gravel, although there was no injury to the driver, the car had to be returned to the garages and then it was time for the Lunch Break, with Hamilton being the fastest of the Morning Session.

     After lunch, the Afternoon Session began and it was only a bit before Red Flag #3 happened and this time, it was Romain Grosjean, in the Lotus, who stopped. While their car was returned to the garages, it was also something to note that Ferrari had to retire from the Test Session early do to a damaged Chassis, which they did not want to further damage.

       The last Red Flag, which made #4 for the day, happened when Marcus Ericsson's Caterham stopped and began smoking. Although there was no fire, it was definitely time to return to the garages and that's where the Caterham was taken.

   Lewis Hamilton ended the Afternoon Session at the top of the time sheets as well, and now, here is the full Time Results.

TIMES: 

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.136 / Mercedes
2. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:35.557 / Toro Rosso
3. Kevin Magnussen - 1:36.203 / McLaren
4. Sergio Perez - 1:36.586 / Force India
5. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:37.310 / Redbull
6. Jules Bianchi - 1:37.316 / Marussia
7. Giedo Van Der Garde - 1:37.623 / Sauber
8. Fernando Alonso - 1:37.912 / Ferrari
9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:39.263 / Caterham
10. Felipe Nasr - 1:39.879 / Williams
11. Romain Grosjean - 1:43.732 / Lotus

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

In-Season Test #1 - Bahrain / Day 2 Line-Up

Day 2 of In-Season Testing at Bahrain International Circuit is underway and here is the line-up. I apologize for the mistake yesterday when I said that Vergne was driving, Kvyat actually drove yesterday and Vergne is driving today

LINE-UP:

Redbull: Daniel Ricciardo
Force India: Sergio Perez
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton
Lotus: Romain Grosjean
Ferrari: Fernando Alonso
McLaren: Kevin Magnussen
Sauber: Giedo Van Der Garde
Toro Rosso: Jean-Eric Vergne
Williams: Felipe Nasr
Caterham: Marcus Ericsson
Marussia: Jules Bianchi

I'll be doing live-updates throughout the session for today on my twitter @F1Insider78

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

In-Season Test #1 - Bahrain / Day 1 Re-Cap

The first in-season test got underway yesterday and while some teams such as Mercedes and Force India had great results, other teams were having some problems.

Lotus had 2 power unit failures, while Fernando Alonso stopped on the circuit only a few minutes into the session. Young Russian, Sergey Sirotkin, although saying they made good process, he said his shoes were too tight and causing him pain during breaking. 

The second day of testing is currently underway, so lets go ahead and get to the times from Day 1.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:35.697 / Mercedes
2. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:36.064 / Force India
3. Fernando Alonso - 1:36.626 / Ferari
4. Kevin Magnussen - 1:36.634 / McLaren
5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:37.305 / Williams
6. Max Chilton - 1:37.678 / Marussia
7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:38.326 / Redbull
8. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:39.023 / Sauber
9. Robin Frijns - 1:40.027 / Caterham
10. Pastor Maldonado - 1:40.183 / Lotus
11. Daniil Kvyat - 1:40.452 / Toro Rosso

I know I stated yesterday that Vergne was driving on the first day but he's actually driving today! Kvyat drove yesterday! Sorry for the confusion. 

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

In-Season Test #1 - Bahrain / Day 1 Line-Up

The F1 2014 has in-season testing and the first one takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit, where our last GP was just held. There is a total of 2 days for this test and this is the line up:

Redbull: Daniel Ricciardo
Ferrari: Fernando Alonso
Mercedes: Nico Rosberg
Lotus: Pastor Maldonado
McLaren: Kevin Magnussen
Force India: Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber: Sergey Sirotkin
Toro Rosso: Jean-Eric Vergne
Williams: Valtteri Bottas
Caterham: Robin Frijns
Marussia: Max Chilton

I will be posting a follow-up article after the session of testing is over!

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

F1Insider Feature: Post-Race Quote

"Well, I want to first congratulate Hamilton on an amazing win and Nico in Second. But to be honest, the biggest congratulations goes to Checo (Perez), for his podium finish. I'm very proud of him and Force India. They fought the whole way through and it's great to see such good results.

The situation between Maldonado and Gutierrez is very worrying. Maldonado has a very dangerous driving-style and I don't think the 5-Place-Grid-Penalty is enough for what he did to Esteban. I was beyond relieved to see him (Esteban), get out of the car without injury and I hope he's feeling okay. That was probably one of the worst accidents I've seen since Spa back in 2012. Driver safety is very important and I would've thought Maldonado would get a race ban for China, but sometimes things don't work the way they should.

I'm very looking forward to the teams getting to Shanghai for the next GP. I'm hoping Force India can keep their pace. We'll see what happens!" - Amy Hawk from Formula1Insider78

Quote available for use with permission. All rights belong to owner.

Bahrain GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

    The Bahrain GP is now over, and let me just start by saying it was the most thrilling and exciting race of this season so-far. 

       This was a very special race as it was the official 900th Grand Prix of Forumula 1 and it also marked Jenson Button's 250th GP start. With Nico Rosberg on Pole and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton starting beside him, it was a sure thing that Mercedes was going to dominate this Grand Prix and they absolutely did just that. 

    Rosberg spent most of the race leading, but it wasn't long before Hamilton took over and gained 1st Position. It was also a very exciting race for Force India, when Sergio Perez held 3rd for pretty much the entire race and gave Force India their second Podium, the first one being in 2009. For Sergio, it was his first Podium with Force India and his 4th Podium altogether. His last was in Monza in 2012. Sergio's team-mate, Nico Hulkenberg became unlucky when he got trapped by The Williams and Daniel Ricciardo, who passed him on the last few laps. He still managed to finish 5th, bringing Force India into 2nd for the Constructors Championship and 3rd for the drivers Championship. Perez, who was unable to start in Malaysia is now currently in 9th for the drivers Championship.

       It was an unlucky day for McLaren when they faced a double-retirement due to a sort of Clutch failure/issue. Also enduring a double-retirement was Sauber, with Adrian Sutil retiring with damage from a minor incident with Jules Bianchi. Meanwhile, Esteban Gutierrez was unable to continue racing when Pastor Maldonado came speeding into him and flipped his car into the air. The Sauber came crashing down heavily and abruptly. Esteban remained still for a few moments, before he climbed out of the car, unharmed and without assistance. He was sent to a local Hospital for a routine check-up and tests and was released later with no injuries or harm done. However, what Maldonado did was extremely dangerous and he was given a 10-Second-Drive-Through-Penalty, along with a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for China and 3 Penalty points on his Super License. To me, this seems not enough for what he did. I would highly prefer a race ban for Maldonado.

   Other unlucky drivers included Jean-Eric Vergne who had to retire with damage to the car and Marcus Ericsson who had an oil leak. Redbull finished in the top 10, with Ricciardo in 4th, unable to get past the incredibly fast Sergio Perez, while Vettel finished in 6th, unable to pass Sergio's fast team-mate, Hulkenberg. The Williams finished in 7th (Massa) and 8th (Bottas) - Not the ideal race they had in mind, but at least they were able to both finish the race.

  Now, on to the final results from the race!

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain - + 25 Points
2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany - + 18 Points
3. Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico - + 15 Points
4. Daniel Ricciardo / Redbull / Australia - + 12 Points
5. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany - + 10 Points
6. Sebastian Vettel / Redbull / Germany - + 8 Points
7. Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil - + 6 Points
8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland - + 4 Points
9. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain - + 2 Points
10. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland - + 1 Point
11. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia - + 0 Points
12. Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France - + 0 Points
13. Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain - + 0 Points
14. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela - + 0 Points
15. Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan - + 0 Points
16. Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France - + 0 Points
17. Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain - + 0 Points / Finished over 90% Of the race.
18. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark - + 0 Points / RETIRED / Clutch Issue
19. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico - + 0 Points / RETIRED / Accident
20. Marcus Ericsson / Caterham / Sweden - + 0 Points / RETIRED / Oil Leak
21. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso / France - + 0 Points / RETIRED / Accident
22. Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany - + 0 Points / RETIRED / Accident

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.


 

Bahrain GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

Just a quick Re-Cap of Qualifying before I get to the Bahrain GP Race Re-Cap. Boy, it was a good one!

So, for those of you who are new to F1 or just new to how Qualifying works, let me just go over the rules! There are 3 rounds of Qualifying and it takes around an hour. In Q1 (Or Round 1, if you want to call it), all 22 cars go out and see who can go fastest. The 6 slowest cars do not move on to round 2 and will start on the grid, where their times qualify them. Same rules for Q2, six slowest get knocked out and in Round 3, the final 10 will battle it out to see who gets Pole Position (Front of the grid), and who else will start near the front!

Here are the results after all 3 Rounds:

1. (Pole) - Nico Rosberg / Mercedes / Germany
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / Great Britain
3. v Daniel Ricciardo / Redbull / Australia / Recieved 10-Place-Grid-Penalty and demoted to 13th
4. ^ Valtteri Bottas / Williams / Finland
5. ^ Sergio Perez / Force India / Mexico
6. ^ Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari / Finland
7. ^ Jenson Button / McLaren / Great Britain
8. ^ Felipe Massa / Williams / Brazil
9. ^ Kevin Magnussen / McLaren / Denmark
10. ^ Fernando Alonso / Ferrari / Spain
11. ^ Sebastian Vettel / Redbull / Germany
12. ^ Nico Hulkenberg / Force India / Germany
13. ^ Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso / Russia
14. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso / France
15. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber / Mexico
16. Romain Grosjean / Lotus / France
17. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus / Venezuela 
18. v Adrian Sutil / Sauber / Germany / Demoted 5 placed for forcing Grosjean off track in Q1
19. ^ Kamui Kobayashi / Caterham / Japan
20. ^ Jules Bianchi / Marussia / France
21. ^ Marcus Ericsson / Caterham / Sweden
22. ^ Max Chilton / Marussia / Great Britain

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Bahrain GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

We're about 6 hours away from the start of the Bahrain GP and so, it's time for a quick Re-Cap of Free Practice 3 from yesterday!

Mercedes was once again, dominating the time-sheets and also, a very happy Sergio Perez, made his way to the top, to join Hamilton & Rosberg. Force India is having an overall promising weekend and they're aiming for a podium finish in the race.

Ferrari is still having some issues with battery power while it seems Lotus can't quite figure out why their cars are much slower than last year. But, now, on to the times!

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:35.324 / Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:35.439 / Mercedes
3. Sergio Perez - 1:35.868 / Force India
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:36.116 / Williams
5. Felipe Massa - 1:36.364 / Williams
6. Jenson Button - 1:36.394 / McLaren
7. Fernando Alonso 1:36.454 / Ferrari
8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:36.455 / Force India
9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:36.680 / Toro Rosso
10. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:36.772 / Ferrari
11. Kevin Magnussen - 1:36.822 / McLaren
12. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:37.030 / Toro Rosso
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:37.119 / Redbull
14. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:37.325 / Sauber
15. Adrian Sutil - 1:38.089 / Sauber
16. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:38.400 / Caterham
17. Jules Bianchi - 1:38.736 / Marussia
18. Pastor Maldonado - 1:38.880 / Lotus
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:38.971 / Caterham
20. Romain Grosjean - 1:39.208 / Lotus
21. Sebastian Vettel - 1:39.225 / Redbull
22. Max Chilton - 1:39.597 / Marussia

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Bahrain GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

    Free Practice 2 sure did bring some drama this time around. Nico Rosberg was given a Reprimand after the session when he pulled a dangerous move infront of Sergio Perez, who was planning for a smooth pass by him, since Rosberg seemed to be coasting, but at Sergio approached, Nico quickly swerved into his path. 

          We also had some drivers gaining air while launching off of the Kerb at Turn 4. Many drivers have expressed their concerns about the kerb at that corner and apparently there are some plans to change it to make it a bit safer.

    Marussia, Lotus & Sauber all had some issues, with Chilton spinning out, Sutil losing power in the car and Maldonado having damage to the floor of the chassis after the kerb-launch caused the car to come back down on to the surface of the circuit, very heavily and abruptly.

      Lets go ahead and get to those times.

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.325 / Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:34.690 / Mercedes
3. Fernando Alonso - 1:35.360 / Ferrari
4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:35.433 / Redbull
5. Felipe Massa - 1:35.442 / Williams
6. Jenson Button - 1:35.528 / McLaren
7. Sebastian Vettel - 1:35.606 / Redbull
8. Daniil Kvyat - 1:35.640 / Toro Rosso
9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:35.662 / McLaren
10. Sergio Perez - 1:35.802 / Force India
11. Valtteri Bottas - 1:35.920 / Williams
12. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:35.972 / Toro Rosso
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:35.998 / Force India
14. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:36.366 / Ferrari
15. Adrian Sutil - 1:36.962 / Sauber
16. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:36.975 / Sauber
17. Pastor Maldonado - 1:37.259 / Lotus
18. Romain Grosjean - 1:37.599 / Lotus
19. Jules Bianchi - 1:37.800 / Marussia
20. Max Chilton - 1:38.247 / Marussia
21. Kamui Kobayashi - 1:38.257 / Caterham
22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:39.136 / Caterham


Free Practice #3 is going on right now and I'm doing Live-Commentary-Coverage on my twitter @F1Insider78 - Come join for all the action and fun, and don't forget to say "Hi.".

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended. 

Bahrain GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

       We're officially into Round 3 of the F1 2014 season and this GP Weekend is taking place in the warm and Sunny, Sakhir, Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit. Free Practicce 1 took place around 24 hours ago and there wasn't too much drama going on. Some drivers were having issues with the rear locking up at certain turns. We also had some new names for the day including: Felipe Nasr taking over for Valtteri Bottas at Williams, Robin Frijns taking over for Kamui Kobayashi at Caterham and Giedo Van Der Garde taking over for Esteban Gutierrez at Sauber! 

    Now, let's go ahead and get right to those times!

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.502 / Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg - 1:37.733 / Mercedes
3. Fernando Alonso - 1:37.953 /Ferrari
4. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:38.120 / Force India
5. Jenson Button - 1:38.636 / McLaren
6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:38.783 / Ferrari
7. Kevin Magnussen - 1:38.949 / McLaren
8. Daniil Kvyat - 1:39.056 / Toro Rosso
9. Sergio Perez - 1:39.102 / Force India
10. Sebastian Vettel - 1:39.389 / Redbull
11. Felipe Massa - 1:39.533 / Williams
12. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:39.862 / Toro Rosso
13. Felipe Nasr - 1:40.078 / Williams
14. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:40.406 / Redbull
15. Adrian Sutil - 1:40.652 / Sauber
16. Pastor Maldonado - 1:40.793 / Lotus
17. Jules Bianchi - 1:40.889 / Marussia
18. Giedo Van Der Garde - 1:40.913 / Sauber
19. Romain Grosjean - 1:41.036 / Lotus
20. Max Chilton - 1:41.794 / Marussia
21. Robin Frijns - 1:42.417 / Caterham
22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:42.711 / Caterham

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Adrian Sutil angry over Weight Restrictions

 (I do not own this photo. Photo Credit To: Rachf1.com)


     Current Sauber F1 Team driver, Adrian Sutil, has been very open about criticizing the current Formula 1 Weight Rescticitons.

     Sutil, who is among the other taller drivers has opened up about the dangerous aspects of having to lose weight at his height, for the benefit of the car going faster. The German driver, who drove for team Sahara Force India last year, has been quoted for saying that he is not driving with a water bottle in his car for this season. This is quite a dangerous task, as some drivers may lose up to 12 pounds during a race from constant sweating and need to be constantly re-hydrating.

        His team-mate, Esteban Gutierrez is also one of the taller drivers, along with Nico Hulkenberg and Jenson Button. All four of them undergo vigorous training routines and hardcore diets just to maintain a weight that's suitable for their car. The shorter drivers don't have as much of a problem, as they are naturally thinner for their height. Because of this, not many people/drivers want to call for a change in weight limits. 

         In the future, we could see the weight limit raised if drivers are becoming dizzy and/or passing out during the sessions. The bottom-line is that as it stand right now, the restrictions are dangerous and could cause serious harm to the drivers.


Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Marussia

Next quotes are from the Marussia F1 Team!

Jules Bianchi - "This has not been the best start to the season for me and I am hoping that Bahrain will be a case of ‘third time lucky’. Malaysia was disappointing for me but there is no point dwelling on what has passed because we need to have the focus on the next race, which is what I have been doing. We are perhaps better prepared here because of the work we did in pre-season testing, so we have to take that as a positive, and I am looking forward to the first night race to be held here. I really enjoy the flow of this track and I think its characteristics will help us at this early stage of the season when we are still learning a lot from the new package and how to get the best out of it."

Max Chilton - "On the one hand, this weekend is quite a quick turnaround for the Team, but at least we are returning to a track we visited only recently in pre-season testing, so we have a good engineering basis for the week ahead. I like Sakhir, so it will be interesting to race here in the different conditions presented by a night race; I do like a challenging race, but it would be good to achieve a better outcome this weekend. As ever, you learn a lot from the races that are most difficult, so I hope we can take the lessons from Malaysia and use them to improve here. They will be small steps but in the right direction."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.
 

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Next quotes come from the Williams F1 Team!

Felipe Massa - "Bahrain will be different from last season, normally it’s a very hot race but it’s not humid like Malaysia, it’s really dry which helps from a driver’s physical point of view. It will be a change this year as it’s a night race so we expect the temperatures to be cooler. We’ve been testing there in the winter so all the teams will have an idea about what set-up to use; we know what we have to focus on and where we can improve as well. Bahrain is a really nice place; I’ve won there twice in the past so I’m looking forward to getting back there."

Valtteri Bottas - "We have had a lot of testing in Bahrain so we have more of an idea about our set-up which makes things easier. Obviously the weather will be different as it will be night, but I think it’s going to be a great sight to see the cars under the lights, so I’m looking forward to that. We didn’t look too bad in testing in Bahrain, so we are looking to the race as a potential for some good points."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers. 

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Next quotes are from the Lotus F1 team!

Romain Grosjean - "It’s a good track and I’m happy to go back there. I’m especially looking forward to the first night race at a circuit I like. Twice I’ve raced there in Formula One and twice I’ve been on the podium. So that’s a good record! We were not very successful in the pre-season tests, but hopefully there will be some more updates and performance from our side. I’m sure everyone is going to work hard even though there are just a few days before Bahrain. The race finish at Sepang is a big encouragement. No matter what the challenge, we are aiming for podiums and strong performances wherever we go. To make major progress we need more days like Saturday and Sunday in Malaysia, where we learned a lot about the car. There are some encouraging signs. We know we have a lot of work ahead, but we also know which areas to work on. We will try new things in Bahrain and I’m confident the car will be better. We’ve been able to perform well there in the past. With the E20 and E21 we were able to take advantage of the car’s good balance and kindness to tyres. It’s early to say how the E22 will perform, but we head there with a positive frame of mind."

Pastor Maldonado - "Bahrain is a good circuit. We’ve been there in the pre-season and I think all the teams will be happy to return, especially for the weather and the type of track. I would say it is a ‘complete’ circuit because it has a mix of high, medium and low speed turns, plus good sequences of corners. So it’s a good venue to test at, which is exactly what we need to evaluate our new developments. The facilities for the teams are great as well. I’m here to race so you never want to be sat in the garage when the car should be out on track. I had more than my fair share of unreliability in Malaysia, but every time we expose a problem it means we have something to fix and we take a step forwards. Good reliable laps in the car [in Bahrain] will be the starting point. It’s the first time at night in Bahrain so something new for us all to discover."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.
 

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Next quotes come from the Mercedes AMG Petronas team!

Lewis Hamilton - "It was great to kick-start my season with a win in Malaysia. Taking a one-two was also a fantastic result for the team and I can’t wait to see what we can do in Bahrain. I’ve finished on the podium here a couple of times here but, for one reason or another, I’ve never managed to get the win. Until last week it was the same story for me with Malaysia, so fingers crossed this can be the year of breaking those cycles! "Malaysia was a really busy event for the team and we have a test coming up straight after this weekend’s race, so it would be great to give the crew another good result to head home with after a long road trip. We know it’s going to be tough to maintain our current form, particularly at a circuit where every team has had so much running time over the winter, but I’ll be pushing hard to keep those results coming."

Nico Rosberg - "The first two races have been a great start to my season and I’m already looking forward to being back in the car and carrying on that momentum in Bahrain. It’s a great track and I really enjoy driving it. I’ve never had much luck on race weekends here, but it’s definitely the one I’m best prepared for this year. "I came to Bahrain for the Pirelli tyre test back in December and during winter testing a few weeks ago. Of course, it’s the same situation for most teams and drivers so we could see some close battles throughout the weekend. We may be leading both Championships at the moment but our rivals are breathing down our necks, so we need to stay focused and keep doing our job calmly and professionally."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Next quotes are from the Sahara Force India team!

 Nico Hulkenberg - "The performance in Malaysia was very encouraging, especially because we managed it with a two-stop strategy and nobody else near the front managed that. We've had two good races and have scored a lot of points already. I think we have a strong foundation and we can now build on that. The car is good, but there are still areas that we need to focus and work on so we have to keep the development rate high. In terms of performance I expect something similar to Malaysia. I think the aim must be for us to qualify in the top ten again and score some more points. To be honest Bahrain hasn't been the best place for me and I've never had a good result there. So we're going to change that this year!"

Sergio Perez - "It's a very good thing that the disappointment will only last a couple of days before we go to Bahrain, so I'm looking forward to it. The whole weekend in Malaysia was frustrating, but hopefully we can achieve a great result in Bahrain. I feel that we are in good shape, so hopefully we can deliver a strong performance there. If we keep out of trouble, we should have the pace to score points and get our season back on track. Last year I had a good race with McLaren and it was one of my best races. Also, I won there in GP2. Normally it's a good track for me, so I'm looking forward to it."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Ferrari

Next quotes come from Ferrari!

Fernando Alonso - "Since the last test in Bahrain, we have made a big step forward in terms of the interaction between the electrical motor and the combustion engine. Everyone now has a better understanding of the rules, also for us drivers in terms of the driving style and how to manage this new Formula 1, so we come to this race with a much better basis than we had in the winter tests. The most difficult aspect of the Sakhir circuit is the braking, as there are long straights followed by heavy braking, then a tight corner and another straight. Braking performance and the feeling you get from the brakes gives you the confidence to attack and so get a better lap time. Apart from that, another priority will be to work on our top speed. "We have seen different types of racing over the first two Grands Prix, with the first one highlighting fuel saving a bit and the other shifting the focus to tyre management because of degradation, due to the high temperature. I think Bahrain will feature a combination of both these factors. We will have to save fuel more than in Malaysia and the tyres will be affected by the temperature in the Bahraini desert. We can expect a tough race, as some of the competition is very strong and we will have to raise our game to close down the gap as quickly as possible."

Kimi Raikkonen - “After testing in Bahrain in the winter, we now go back there with much more experience and knowledge after the first two races. We must put that learning to good use for this race. There is a lot to do, but everyone in the team is pushing hard to sort things out as quickly as we can. "There are not so many corners on this Sakhir track, but it seems to be very difficult to get a perfect lap, due to the combination of high speed sections and some very low speed corners. You would think with only few corners it would be easy to get the lap right, but it’s actually quite complicated. The key will be to find the right set-up as soon as possible and then we can improve the car over the weekend. Obviously, every circuit can be different in terms of its effect on fuel use and tyres: looking at Bahrain, fuel saving will play a more important role than in the last two races, but it might not turn out to be too bad, as it was less of an issue than we had expected in Melbourne. Also on the tyre front, I think Sakhir could be a bit easier to deal with than Sepang and also if we can get the car perfectly right, it will make life much easier. What can we expect in Bahrain? In Malaysia, you couldn’t see it because of what happened on the first lap, but I felt I made a step forward in terms of understanding the tools I have to work with, so I think we can be better prepared this weekend. That should give us faster lap times and better positions."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

More quotes - These ones are from Caterham!

Kamui Kobayashi - "Next it's back to Bahrain for race three, back at a track we've already spent a couple of weeks at this year in the pre-season test where we managed to build up some pretty good mileage at a time when our reliability was good, something that will be really important this weekend. We also now have something to build on, both in terms of performance and from where we are now, in tenth place in the championship and with targets ahead that we know we can race with. Reliability really is the main focus for Bahrain. We need to have three good practice sessions so we can go into qualifying and the race with an optimised setup giving us the chance to really find out what the real performance level of this car is. On my last day of the test in Bahrain we weren't able to do the final performance run because of a clutch issue, and we really haven't had a chance since then to run the car in full quali spec with optimised setups because of the reliability problems we've had, and the wet quali sessions we had in both Australia and Malaysia. Yes, we performed well in Malaysia for much of the race, but that was with a car that had almost no meaningful setup work done on it and with more still to come from the power unit. It's vital we have a full weekend so we can pick up where we left off in Sepang and continue to improve across all areas of the car's performance. Our ability to develop is what will be crucial this year. Our development program is starting in Bahrain with the first new parts coming from the work we've been doing in the TMG wind tunnel and it'll be good to see how they perform."

Marcus Ericsson - "I left Malaysia feeling pleased that I'd finished my first full race, and excited about what we achieved on Sunday at Sepang. It was tough - even though we'd completed quite a few laps on Friday and Saturday, we still went into the race without an optimised setup due to the issues we had on Friday and the work we had to do overnight to rebuild the car on Saturday and Sunday, so the most important thing in Bahrain is to have a trouble free weekend. Also, the Bahrain circuit characteristics should suit our car better than Sepang so we may be stronger here than in Malaysia, relative to the competition. I obviously know the Bahrain circuit well after the tests and, like Malaysia, that means we can get on with the program right from the first laps in FP1. We have a lot of data that's helping us go to the race with a much clearer idea of where we want to go with setup than we've had in either Australia or Malaysia, but it would also be really helpful if we can have the sort of reliability we had in the second pre-season test - mileage is what will help us unlock the full performance of this year's car, and I know how hard both Renault and our team are working to make sure we can do that."

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.

 

Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

 Here are the quotes from Toro Rosso!

Jean-Eric Vergne - “Sakhir will be the first track this year where we have already driven the latest car, as we had the two test sessions there. Regarding the new cars, from the cockpit, despite all the technical changes, they are not so different to drive, when compared to the 2013 models. You still have a steering wheel, a throttle and a brake! There are a few aspects of your driving that you have to adapt, but the real changes are on the Power Unit side, in terms of when and how you will work to save fuel during the race, compared to going flat out on a qualifying lap. I think this year’s Grand Prix here will be quite special, as it is the first time we will drive this circuit at night under lights. I think that will be cool, and it will bring a special atmosphere to this race, looking a bit like Qatar for the MotoGP race. The track itself presents nothing out of the ordinary, with the usual aero compromise so that the car is quick down the straight, but still has enough downforce for all the corners.”

Daniil Kvyat - “It’s a nice circuit, good for testing and racing with its long straights and hard braking, as well as a mix of corners and challenging ones like Turn 10. I am looking forward to racing there, as it will be the first track I will drive on this year where I have already tested. But really, that doesn’t make much difference to my approach, because whatever track we go to, I should learn it quickly enough.”

Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Quotes made by Drivers.