Spanish GP: Race ***Spoilers***

Spain is typically a procession, so the attrition at least made it somewhat interesting. The 1 second/lap advantage by Red Bull at this point does not bode well for the others.

Hambone dropping of 2 laps from the finish and Alonso moving to 2nd was nice though! It will be very interesting to see the team dynamics now that JB is leading the championship and his teammate by 21 points.

Great to see Schumi steadily improving! I wonder how Nico feels now that the team has changed the car to favor his lesser performing teammate.

I thought Algasauri continued to show a strong performance.

Can't wait for Monaco!

 

Yep.

I was actually betting on Alonso. A podium is nothing to sneer at but somehow I'm really disappointed in Ferrari, the team still seems so mediocre and not a real threat. Massa is probably a much better indicator of where they really are than Alonso.

I still maintain that he doesn't know how to pass. But then again he got stuck behind Roadblocker. It took Mika in his prime to slap him back in line.

When BBC got stuck on the Roadblocker/Button/Massa train, I started the breakfast tortillas knowing that nothing interesting would ever come out of it.

 

At one point, Nico was lapping faster than MSC. Wouldn't be surprised if had fastest lap of the 2.

During the initial MSC Button battle... the McLaren had a glaring advantage in straight speed! Button was catching MSC with ease! AND- the Red Bulls were checking out on the McLarens!! That's just scary!

Ferrari seems to have made up some ground to the McLarens with their straight speed- but Merc still seems way off! Seams like a great fight is brewing between Ferrari and McLaren but Red Bull is just in a different zone - reliability being the only thing keeping them among the mortals.

As much as I'd like to see Alonso, Hamilton and Schumi battling it out, I just don't think there on equal footing, and their all well behind RB.

 

1 Jenson Button GB McLaren-Mercedes 70
2 Fernando Alonso Spa Ferrari 67
3 Sebastian Vettel Ger Red Bull-Renault 60
4 Mark Webber Aus Red Bull-Renault 53
5 Nico Rosberg Ger Mercedes GP 50
6 Lewis Hamilton GB McLaren-Mercedes 49
7 Felipe Massa Brz Ferrari 49
8 Robert Kubica Pol Renault 44
9 Michael Schumacher Ger Mercedes GP 22
10 Adrian Sutil Ger Force India-Mercedes 16
11 Vitantonio Liuzzi Ita Force India-Mercedes 8
12 Rubens Barrichello Brz Williams-Cosworth 7
13 Vitaly Petrov Rus Renault 6
14 Jaime Alguersuari Spa Toro Rosso-Ferrari 3
15 Nico Hulkenberg Ger Williams-Cosworth 1
16 Sebastien Buemi Swi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 0
17 Pedro de la Rosa Spa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 0
18 Kamui Kobayashi Jpn BMW Sauber-Ferrari 0
19 Heikki Kovalainen Fin Lotus-Cosworth 0
20 Karun Chandhok Ind Hispania-Cosworth 0
21 Lucas di Grassi Brz Virgin-Cosworth 0
22 Bruno Senna Brz Hispania-Cosworth 0
23 Jarno Trulli Ita Lotus-Cosworth 0
24 Timo Glock Ger Virgin-Cosworth 0

 

Then you must have been betting it was going to rain.....

Webber destroyed the field and Alonso was luck defined.

Let's see what Ferrari's engine upgrades are going to yield, but Red Bull is their own worse enemy.

 

You have to wonder? Take a week old baguette and run it over with a bulldozer and you have a facsimile of the Nico that drove today.

 

thought you'd be pretty happy after lap 65...

 

Button is more than capable of making passes however he does it when he really has to IMO, trying to pass MS on this track, well if he was on suicide watch he would have probably have had a go.


This track stinks with the present format.

 

Enough of this Alonso was lucky stuff. He was in a position to take advantage when it counted. There is nothing wrong with letting the race come to you.
Lewis may have overdriven his car and ended up nowhere. Vettle nearly the same.

 

So was it a tire or wheel failure that cost LH? IF it was tire related, then I'm inclined to think he (yet again) mismanaged his tires but I will withhold judgement until I know the full story.

 

IMO Jensen is racing with the championship in mind and will take the points available instead of risking crashing out and getting none.
With Jensen, Michael and Alonso we saw mature (and fast) drivers playing it smart and benefiting. Sorry if its not exciting enough for some, but its how championships are won.

 

Actually I have: When I made my pick for Jack's pot (TM) I took a look at the forecast which at that point still had rain in the picture.

That said I'm hugely disappointed in Button already playing it safe. Then again, he won a title this way once already...

Anyway, as long as the old Shoe is not on the podium, it is a good day.

 

Please enlighten me. I was making breakfast and lost count of the details.

 

+one hundred billion

 

+1 !!!!

 

Was it a boring race? I walked after 15-20 laps i think. Just when jense was battling MS. This track is nothing but a parade under normal circumstances. Monaco will definitely be better.

Speaking of Monaco, was it true that Bruno lapped slower than a GP2 car for qualifying yesterday?

 

I don't know, but he shouldn't be in F1. It is no surprise it took him so long to find a cockpit.

 

You call that a cockpit?
Given today's events involving back-markers I think there will be a call for the disparity in speeds to be addressed. Minimum Qualifying speed would be a good start.
Thanks Max

 

yes...GP2 practise was 1.27.1xx, same as Senna in a bloody F1 car. Unbelievable...

I agree. He was never that good in GP2 and we don't even need to mention his F1 'career'.

 

I like rolling chicanes. They might negatively influence the outcome of a race.

Barcelona could have used a lot more erratic driving from the back markers. Only Bahrain was more boring.

A "career" solely based on his last name. Like Sheckter, Lauda, Andretti and a bunch of others.

 

They add interest but are looking a bit too dangerous. Monaco where there's scant room to pull over might be a bit of a horror show.

 

I'm shivering with Anti-ci-pa-tion!

 

May I suggest a wee dram?

 

Yup. Don't forget Piquet.

rosberg is the only one who is doing ok. I count Jacques villeneuve out because he won the WDC with a car that was much better than any of the other competitors.

 

True enough D.

I don't blame a driver for holding station when its near impossible to overtake, the track and rules are the problems, think about the 2 dry races we have had, its as good as counting sheep to get to sleep.
Maybe I'am being a little harsh and I did pick the winner in Jacks pool, so all is not lost..