F1 - Hamilton dominates in China

Lewis Hamilton demonstrated the mindset of a world champion with a measured but blindingly fast drive to finish ahead of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen at the Shanghai circuit today.

Unlike in Japan, Ferrari did not beat Hamilton off the start line – he led into the first corner, and then to the chequered flag.  Although the trio ran similar fuel strategies, Hamilton was faster than both Raikkonen and Massa  - he had one extra lap of fuel than Massa, but ran the same two-stop strategy as Raikkonen, pitting on laps 15 and 38. The McLaren mechanics were faster in the pits today than Ferrari, too. Read more

Japanese GP round-up

Is this 2007, all over again? Lewis Hamilton missed out on an opportunity to all but secure the 2008 world championship with a unnecessarily risky drive that left him with twelfth place and no points at the Japanese Grand Prix.

In a post-race interview, Hamilton openly Read more

F1 round-up

A Formula 1 Round-Up from Dominic Alder

Fernando Alonso finally wins a race in 2008!

With Kubica, Kovalainen and Vettel all taking their maiden GP wins this year, the double world champion delivered a timely reminder of what he can do with a competitive car in the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. Read more

Massa wins European GP … Probably

Felipe Massa is emerging as Ferrari’s best hope for this year’s Formula One World Championship after taking victory in the European Grand Prix at Valencia.

Massa led from pole and cruised to a comfortable victory after a challenge from Lewis Hamilton failed to materialise.  Hamilton pitted one lap later than Massa on lap 16 and did not have enough time to overcome the Brazilian’s Read more

Kovalainen Takes Maiden F1 Victory In Hungary

F1 2008’s unpredictability continued in Hungary today as Heikki Kovalainen scored his debut victory in Formula One after Felipe Massa retired from the lead with three laps remaining.

Lewis Hamilton was expected to dominate the race after a strong performance in yesterday’s qualifying, but was overtaken around the outside of the first corner by a fast-starting Massa and did not regain the lead on the twisty Hungaroring Read more

Hungarian GP Qualifying round-up

Lewis Hamilton’s F1 world championship campaign has gathered further momentum as he qualified on pole for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

McLaren secured both front-row positions with Heikki Kovalainen starting second and are in a strong position for tomorrow’s race.

Hamilton used the harder Bridgestone compound in the in the searing seat of the dusty Hungaroring circuit to good effect. Ferrari could not match the pace of McLaren, leaving Massa and Raikkonen in third and sixth respectively. Kubica hinted that his mid-season slump may be over with a strong fourth place. Toyota once again had a good session, with Timo Glock out-qualifying Jarno Trulli. They will start fifth and ninth. Alonso will start behind Raikkonen in seventh.

The spoilt-brat events of McLaren’s 2007 Hungaroring weekend were still fresh in the mind of the F1 circus. Alonso was demoted from pole to sixth place on the grid last year after he was deemed to have held Hamilton up in the pits during qualifying. During the same weekend, Alonso allegedly tried to force Ron Dennis to give him number one status within the team with email evidence that proved that he and Pedro de la Rosa were aware that McLaren were spying on Ferrari.

Dennis, told BBC Sport today “There was a lot of activity here last year, all of it unpleasant … They can fight here as long as they emerge from the first corner in first and second and don’t get egg on their faces.”

And what of Alonso in 2008? No wins, or podiums. Rumours gather pace of him joining Ferrari in 2010. How much have McLaren missed his input this year? Kovalainen has been picked up by McLaren for next year, but will need to improve dramatically if he is going to challenge Hamilton consistently. McLaren will not win this year’s constructor’s title on Hamilton’s points alone…

Coulthard retires from F1

David Coulthard will retire from racing in Formula at the end of his 18th season this year.
In the announcement, Coulthard said “my decision was taken earlier this year and is based on a desire to stop while I am still competitive”. “I’m still enjoying the immense challenge that Grand Prix driving represents. I also have the desire to look for new challenges within the sport”.

Coulthard started in Formula One in 1994 with Williams at the Spanish Grand Prix, after Ayrton Senna was killed in San Marino. Whilst Hill struggled in 1995 against Schumacher and Benetton, Coulthard had a strong full season, with five poles and a win the Portuguese Grand Prix, finishing third in the championship. His season came to an embarrassing end when he crashed in the pitlane whilst leading the Australian GP.
Would Coulthard have been 1996 world champion if Williams had not replaced him with Jacques Villeneuve? Damon Hill won eight races to take the title, but Villeneuve was clearly the faster driver by the season end. Coulthard may have been as quick from the start of season.

Coulthard ended up at McLaren alongside Mika Hakkinen in 1996. 1997 was arguably his best season in F1. He was competitive throughout and faster than his team-mate, winning 2 races in a fragile and unreliable McLaren.

Over the next three seasons, Coulthard would be little more than wing-man to Hakkinen as the fight was brought to Schumacher and Ferrari. Hakkinen’s performances were occasionally breathtaking, but Coulthard rarely had the same pace and often struggled if the car was difficult to set up. As a result, Hakkinen was favoured for the drivers championships by the McLaren team. Coulthard leapfrogged a disillusioned Hakkinen in 2001 to finish runner-up, but was no match for a dominant Schumacher, regardless of what the history books may say.

Juan Pablo Montoya replaced Coulthard in 2004, and he joined the new Red Bull Racing team. In the final years of his career Coulthard provided a steady and experienced hand against his young team-mates. Red Bull valued his ability to develop the car and the knowledge he brought from Williams and McLaren. Coulthard himself still looked determined to succeed, but Red Bull rarely rose from the very middle of the mid-field.

He will move to a consultancy role for Red Bull, and will offer advice on testing and development in a role similar to Michael Schumacher’s at Ferrari.

Wimbledon Centre Court round-up

CLD Sport watched the men’s semi finals from Wimbledon centre court today. On the walk to the club we were handed various freebies, only for all these products to be confiscated by Wimbledon security as we approached the grounds. This was very embarrassing for the drinks and toiletries companies who clearly hadn’t bothered to check that their handouts complied with the security rules of the club.

The atmosphere within centre court was one of expectation – people knew that Sunday’s final was going to be a Federer/Nadal affair, and were almost expecting the men’s singles matches to be exhibitions. Somewhat unusual for the most famous tennis tournament in the word at its semi-final stage.

First up was Federer against Marat Safin. Whilst Federer had cruised to the semis without dropping a set, the unseeded Safin was made to work somewhat harder, coming up against the number 3 seed Djokovic (causing the upset of the tournament) in the second round, with three of his games going to four sets with five tie-breaks on the way to this match.

Federer was in total control of the first set, breaking Safin’s serve once to win 6-3. The second was a much closer affair with Federer winning the tie-break 7-3. Safin became increasingly frustrated by the sheer quality of Federer throughout the set but was in contention right through to the end. The crowd appeared to be cheering for Safin in the second set, if only so they could watch Federer win in four instead of three.

The third set was more one sided as a tired and distracted Safin was unable to find a way past Federer. Safin did a marvellous job of entertaining the crowd, with several screams and bouts of racquet abuse, even sitting down whilst challenging a line call. Federer, meanwhile, displayed flashes of his best play, but was simply not required to display it often enough by Safin. He must start as favourite on Sunday.

Nadal came onto centre court to rapturous applause, possibly a warmer reception than for Federer. His opponent was the unseeded Rainer Schuettler, who won his quarter-final against Arnaud Clement in the longest singles match in Wimbledon history. Nadal destroyed Schuettler in the first set to win 6-1. Schuettler broke Nadal in the second after the Spaniard appeared to begin cruising a little too slowly. At times he appeared more concerned about his recurring wedgie than his tiring opponent. Schuettler was cheered on – in German – by a few excited members of the crowd. The last match had clearly taken its toll on the German, however, and he eventually lost in straight sets.

It was amazing to see the two styles of Federer and Nadal back-to-back. Federer’s occasional net play was a bit patchy but his controlling and elegant approach contrasted with the more brutal, attacking style of Nadal. There’s no doubt that both players have found their extra gear in preparation for Sunday, and will rise to the occasion.

Finally, it didn’t rain all day. Not a drop.

French GP – Massa gifted win, Ferrari dominate

Felipe Massa has won the French Grand Prix after Kimi Raikkonen suffered mechanical failure and gifted the Brazilian his third victory of 2008.

Raikkonen finished second but was in total control of the race until his Ferrari suffered a cracked exhaust, burning away the bodywork and part of the airbox. Massa had no answer to Raikkonen’s pace until he passed the limping lead Ferrari on lap 39. He carried Read more

Licence Too Expensive? Get a Paper Round!

In 2007, a superlicence cost F1 drivers €1,725, with an extra charge of €456 per point scored in 2006. In 2008 this is risen to €10,000 and €2,000 per point from 2006.

A few of the drivers, including Alonso, have been complaining. What he failed to mention was how much his salary has increased in the same period.

Raikkonen earns an estimated Read more

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