Monday 19 September 2016

Singapore GP - "Brilliant drive"

Another fantastic qualifying session delivered this season.  An interesting addition was the inclusion of interviews with Ocon and Wehrlein as Sky had to fill the time whilst they rebuilt the safety barrier somehow.
I think that was the earliest crash in a race I have seen.  As Hulkenberg went out it was good news for Williams, then Massa got a puncture, then Bottas' seat came undone, then Massa had a slow stop, then... then... then...
There was a marshal on track during Lap 3, preceded by a giant lizard in FP3.  Singapore is always a funny race.
Hamilton's frustration at being in third couldn't be hidden: "I need a strategy I can overtake".  In response they gave Rosberg a slow pit stop.  Where's the bias now?
The best scrap of the race was Kvyat versus Verstappen.  Was that message about Alonso being Kvyat's real target a coded message for the Toro Rosso driver to move out of the way for the Red Bull?
There was much whooping when Raikkonen overtook Hamilton for a podium place on Lap 33.  Only for Ferrari to give it away and then Raikkonen gave up, as usual.
It was a procession but quite an interesting procession.  And looked stunning too.

Singapore GP - Results

1. Weak End of Bernie - 878*
2. The Pitstop Princess - 844
3. Merc-redible Hulk - 817*
4. Halo, it's me - 810*
5. Hippy F1 - 765*
6. Claire has to type this sentence out each time as my team name - 752*
7. BogOffBernie - 742*
8= Beauty & the F1 Geek - 736*
8= Three teams, one dream - 736*
10. The Hopefuls - 649*
11. No Vices Now - 626*
12. The Maranello Marvels - 588*
13. Marian's Marvels - 493
14. British Racing Green - 463*
15. Indiana Walker & the Tyres of Doom - 388
16. Put out to Pastor - 281*

*Home track played

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Italy GP - "Really good job on that first stint"

Sad (?) news to start the weekend with Massa and Button retiring.  Button may come back in 2018.  I imagine he will be snapped trying to get into his car in a wet suit and then charged with drunk driving.  Will we see the Massa family in hospitality most weekends?  Will he be the new Jean Alesi?
What to write about qualifying?  Dull, dull, dull.
Then on to the race.  A good start with Bottas telling DC where to stick it on the grid.  Then a slow start by the Mercedes, or at least one Mercedes.  Hamilton told the team: "Don't worry about the start, it was my fault."  The words he is looking for is "sorry".
And I have no notes after that.  I spent the race quietly cursing Verstappen and Massa for not getting more points/not starting lower down the grid and working their way up/not getting fastest lap as I thought this was my home track.  It's not.
Finally, the podium. Jordan got to show off the four words of Italian he knows.  Then Vettel had a go with his standard Italian phrases of "grazie" and "grazie mille".  Rosberg went next and interviewed for a seat at Ferrari, which was quite funny until he started singing Seven Nation Army.

Italy GP - Results

1. Weak End of Bernie - 826*
2. The Pitstop Princess - 794
3. Merc-redible Hulk - 775*
4. Halo, it's me - 768*
5. Hippy F1 - 739*
6. Claire has to type this sentence each time as my team name - 712*
7. BogOffBernie - 701* (looks like it's going to happen!)
8. Three dreams, one team - 696*
9. Beauty & the F1 Geek - 694*
10. The Hopefuls - 629*
11. No Vices Now - 586*
12. The Maranello Marvels - 550*
13. Marian's Marvels - 452
14. British Racing Green - 436*
15. Indiana Walker and the Tyres of Doom - 357
16. Put out to Pastor - 255*