Finally its a race weekend....Preview from PF1

From Planet F1....Enjoy

Spanish Grand Prix Preview
Thursday 24th April 2008

In theory the Spanish GP should provide the fewest surprises of any race on the F1 calendar. The teams test here so often that all the gear ratios are known, all the downforce levels calculated, all the grip mapped out. The only unpredictable element is the evershifting wind that can upset the delicate aero sensibilities of a modern F1 car.


So really, we ought to see a 2 x 2 x 2 grid at the Circuit de Catalunya with teams qualifying in formation and each driver getting the maximum possible out of his machinery. This won't necessarily happen, but it's the most likely place to happen.


This is the race where Max Mosley was going to launch his very important 'F1 Against Racism' campaign, but that story has been comprehensively overtaken by the 'F1 Against Kinky Sex FIA President' story. Or as Max now likes to describe it "eccentric sex". (My father-in-law's an eccentric, but I don't think he'd characterise it as whipping a trussed up hooker whilst shouting in German.)


The campaign is an over-the-top reaction to some no-brain Fernando Alonso fans' behaviour in winter testing. Alonso didn't help matters by saying that he could understand their frustrations, when what was needed was an unequivocal condemnation of their stupid (but not sinister) actions.


Right now Fernando Alonso has a few more pressing matters to attend to with a frankly rubbish car. The Naomi Campbell of F1 has already been muttering that he's staying at Renault, "but as we saw last year, contracts can be flexible", while an incensed Flavio Briatore made it clear that he would be with them right until the end of the 2009 season.


Luca Montezemolo has also come out this week and said he doesn't see Alonso at Ferrari while Raikkonen is there - and Raikkonen is delivering.


A year ago Fernando arrived at his home race with all the possibilities of delivering a third World Championship in a row. This year he'll struggle to make a podium. And he can't really say it's of anybody's making but his own. That 0.6 of a second he allegedly took to McLaren last year has clearly been left behind in his rush to leave.


This weekend Ferrari will look to consolidate their position as clear title contenders and it should be a question of which red car takes the spoils. Massa was convincingly faster than Raikkonen in Bahrain and the two circuits are similar. Last year Massa managed to shrug off an unwise challenge from Alonso going into Turn 1, but this year it's more likely to be his team leader or Robert Kubica vying for that position.


BMW-Sauber will look to maintain their ability to mix it with Ferrari and McLaren. Ron Dennis believes that now the teams are back in Europe, the pace of development will see the top two of last season edge out a gap. Certainly Sauber's history has always been about strong starts tailing off through the season. But that was in the days before Mario Theissen strapped BMW's supercomputers to the programme.


As for the mid-grid teams, it's a tough call to see which of Red Bull, Toyota, Williams and Honda will get the bragging rights and in qualifying they could be covered by less than half a second. So it's likely that the better drivers i.e Webbo, DC, Trulli, Rosberg and Button will be fighting to get into Q3.


Further back, Sebastian Vettel will be keen to get in some proper racing mileage having lastest just a few corners in both Australia and Bahrain. Similarly, Super Aguri will be keen just to be able to open their garage doors given the parlous financial state of the team.


Ferrari's Luca Montezemolo and Jean Todt may be quick to support Max Mosley and the way he has handled F1, but it was Mosley who came on strong about the future of F1 being customer teams. Super Aguri duly became a customer team for Honda and have found it difficult (make that impossible) to survive on the money paid by Bernie Ecclestone.


Max won't be in Barcelona to see two of his big ideas hit the pan, even though the president of the FIA normally attends the first European race of the season. He'll be taking refuge in Jordan to watch the prestigious Jordan round of the WRC. Given the intrinsically dull nature of the Barcelona circuit and the inability to overtake, it might actually have been a wise move.


Nothing of course to do with the potential presence of King Juan Carlos.

Andrew Davies

 

DF1 & PF1...

 

Very kind Brian...I never noticed the similarity!! I do tend to post a few of their articles here. A decent site and the forum has some interesting view points much like Fchat. Have a great weekend and enjoy the race.