Sunday, 22 July 2012

German GP - "Tonight we will party"

It seems where one driver triumphed this race, his team mate disappointed.  Massa continues his concerted efforts to lose his seat at Ferrari, holding up Alonso during qualifying and finishing 12th.  Grosjean felt that the rain came quicker on his car than any other, Raikkonen beginning to show little glimpses of his former self.  Hamilton drove his 100th grand prix and celebrated in his traditional manner of throwing his toys out of the pram, whinging and then finally remembering his PR training for when his helmet comes off.

There was a five second spread over the top ten on the grid, which seems so unusual now.  It didn't seem to make for a topsy turvy race though.  It finished with some on-podium tension between Vettel and Button badly masked through champagne japes and glitter.

German GP Charts

Chart of Lust

1. (new entry) Head to head pitstops - some more old-fashioned F1 excitement
2. (new entry) Platitudes - enjoying "coulda, woulda, shoulda doesn't count" from Webber
3. (new entry) Jubilee chic - a Union Jack tacked on to Webber's helmet design and a half Vodaphone, half flag offering on Jenson's cap
4. (new entry) HRT cream and gold overalls - 70s classic styling for the boys at the back
5. (new entry) Rosberg - for his "go faster tablets" quip during Brundle's track guide.  Try that at the Olympics and they'll have you urinating in a cup faster than McLaren can change a set of tyres.

Chart of Loathing

1. (re-entry) Whinging - displayed firstly by Schumi about the rain (!) then the usual "tyres not working" from Button then Hamilton in-car about his puncture
2. (new entry) Sky race guide with the McLaren drivers - like the Virgin media ads for those that haven't seen it, lots of pointing and swiping at nothing.  Pretty much like their driving.
3. (new entry) Fan blowers - cooling the drivers.  I think they should return to using large palm leaves.
4. (new entry) Jubilee chic - ubiquitous, enough already
5. (new entry) Not-quite-pink-enough - a la Papa Button's shirt.  Not quite lucky enough for a win.

German GP Results

1. The Pitstop Princess - 538
2. Wyld Stallyns - 519
3. Beauty & the F1 Geek - 515
4. White Jeans - 482
5. Better the Vettel you know - 480
6. KAMIKAZE KOBAYASHI! - 478
7. Still Chewing - 473
8. Sebastian Vettel's High Flying Turds - 421
9. La Pic di Resta - 417
10. Push Pete's Button - 397
11= Hippy F1 - 387
11= Ferrari Fanatic - 387
13. Crash of the Titans - 382
14. Put the Vettel on (push the Button) - 371
15. Parkes Winners - 358
16. The Lord of the Wings - 346
17. Asda Equivalent Energy Drink Racing - 314
18. AbeFromanRacing - 260

Nb. These results are now altered following Vettel's penalty.

Monday, 9 July 2012

GB GP - "Great stuff. Another great day for us"

On the Saturday it looked like the race was going to be an cracker: wet weather forecast and Button qualified 18th, going out in Q1, so will be overtaking through the pack.  And didn't we go on and on about the weather.  I would like to point out that Wyld Stallyns and myself sat through a whole race of that weather!  Did anyone give us a medal?

It turned out to be my most disappointing race of the season, which is fairly damning criticism when you consider we have had Valencia.  All you folk who thought Petrov was a bargain, if it looks to good to be true and it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Maldonado is turning into the bullied child of this year's class.  I was going to say that he is the new Kobabashi...And Lee MacKenzie, what a stirrer! 

Ultimately McLaren were nowhere and I'm not fully sold that Red Bull deserved that victory.  Webber is definitely being ditched by Red Bull though.  If Ferrari had a better second driver, where would they be right now?

The only person who truly triumphed out of the race is The Pitstop Princess!  I've never led the FF1 league before, although I feel like Alonso, out front right now but for how long can I hold the pack off?

British GP Charts

Chart of Lust

1. (new entry) Wet qualifying - God's sprinkler system works again
2. (new entry) Ferrari's revival - all looking good at long last for Fernando
3. (new entry) Fall of the Regenmeister - the old has-been proves he is just that in qualifying
4. (new entry) New podium format - I think I liked it - what do you think?
5. (new entry) Senna - putting in some overtaking moves at last

Chart of Loathing

1. (new entry) Austrian national anthem - for the team based down the road in Milton Keynes
2. (new entry) DRS - the biggest player in this race
3. (new entry) The new Muddly Talkers - Eddie Jordan: "He is absolutely up there on his ability".  Alonso: "professionality".  Alonso gets lets off as he is making up words in a different language, Eddie's Colmanballs have no excuse.
4. (new entry) Wet qualifying - let them race
5. (new entry) Clapping ladies - freshley recruited from your nearest Santander branch