British GP - "Lovely job"

It's July, it's the British Grand Prix, it's time to find the keys to the crypt and drag out Murray Walker.  Talking of "blast from the past": Louise Goodman!

Qualifying for this race was just as interesting as the race really.  Red Bull's problem with reliability continues to dog them; they can't even get both cars through Q1 (it says a lot when Horner predicts Vettel or Hamilton to win).  The huge cheer from the crowd as Alonso made pole in Q1 was brilliant too.

There was much excitement as Cars 3 was trailed in the paddock, although it had petered out by the time Owen Wilson took to the podium.

There were other disappointments.  Bedward said: "You have to feel for Palmer.  He doesn't have all the upgrades Hulkenberg has." or the skills.  Both Toro Rosso cars went out on lap 2.  I'm sure this would have been big news if they were further up the pit lane and excited montages about "The Rivalry" compiled but who gets worked up about Kvyat these days?

One of the enjoyable parts of the race isn't what you saw but what you heard.  The crowd cheering is great and there was some good radio too.  From Bottas': "minimal talking" to Grosjean's "so stupid, unbelievable" at his own mistake.

It got more confusing towards the end.  Raikkonen's tyre shredding three laps from the end avoided any awkwardness when he would have been asked to move over for Vettel.  Then Vettel punctured his tyre, just as he passed the pit lane entrance.  Still, it's tight at the top and I think we're set for some more close racing this season...

British GP - Results

1. No Vices Now - 661*
2. Evel Marque - 584*
3. Bernie is a hobbit - 583*
4. Two World Champions, two future World Champions and, um, two other guys - 564
5. Moneyball - 537
6. The Pitstop Princess - 535
7= Hoping for an Indian Summer - 533
7= Torque of the Devil - 533
9. Even more hopeful - 532*
10. Jenson's Whinging Legacy - 486
11. Burn After Racing - 427
12. BOT-RAI-PER - 414*
13. Beauty & the F1 Geek - 397
14. Hippy F1 - 361*
15. Slightly Slower Racing - 343

* Home track played

Correction from Austria GP

Hello

As Mr Pitstop Princess would say: "the BBC is all propaganda and factually inaccurate and up Hamilton's backside".

If you visit this link you will see that Massa and Stroll are listed as starting 10th and 11th on the grid, thus giving Hamilton the most places made up from grid.

The results of the British GP will reflect this correction.

Austria GP - "Thank you. That was good."

I have seven lines of comment in my jotter for this race which saw first, second and third on the grid finish in that order.  Really, I'm glad I put off watching the end of the race in order to see Muller beat Nadal.

Horner tried his best to beef up the Austrian race by wearing lederhosen; they dampened the atmosphere unlike the rain we were promised.  Sky couldn't even manage an interesting grid walk: Palmer and Kvyat.  Verstappen foresaw it all and went for an early bath (I assume with duckies and extra bubbles), as his lap one, turn one exit made it five retirements out of seven races.  Alonso tried to jolly up the radio transmission with: "They cannot play bowling."  Magnussen tried harder by dropping the F bomb, FoM must have thought the excitement which only swearing on daytime TV brings was needed as they failed to bleep it out.

The only person who seems genuinely excited by the race was Ricciardo, as he grinned like the proverbial Cheshire cat to have third  place on the podium.  I can only imagine it was because he beat Hamilton to it.  FYI Hamilton scores both fastest lap and most places made up (three) for this race.  If Hamilton is bringing the action, it's a dull race.

Austria GP - Results

1. No Vices Now - 542
2. Evel Marque - 526*
3. Two World Champions, two future World Champions and, um, two other guys - 519
4. The Pitstop  Princess - 477
5= Hoping for an Indian Summer - 474
5= Torque of the Devil - 474
7. Moneyball - 472
8. Bernie is a hobbit - 467
9= Jenson's Whinging Legacy - 440
9= Even more hopeful - 440
11. BOT-RAI-PER - 381*
12. Beauty & the F1 Geek - 369
13. Burn After Racing - 366
14. Hippy F1 - 319
15. Slightly Slower Racing - 310

*Home track played