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

Japan Grand Prix: Alonso Wins Second Consecutive Race, Hamilton Has a Bad Day

With just 3 races remaining in the world championship, and Hamilton 7 points clear at the top, there was all to play for in Japan early this morning.

With Hamilton on pole following his near perfect qualifying lap on Saturday, he was more than favourite to extend his lead over Massa in the drivers’ championship. 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

Singapore Grand Prix: Hamilton Finishes Third and Moves 7 Points Clear in Championship Race

Sunday, 28th September 2008, the date of the first ever night race in Formula 1 history. With such a build-up, it would have been a travesty if the race itself proved to be non-eventful. Thankfully for all concerned, there was to be no disappointment.

Title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa started alongside each other on the front row, with the Brazilian edging it in qualifying. 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.

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

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