Mexico GP - "Tough race but stuck in there"

Most F1 news and results these days comes outwith the actual racing.  Renault were disqualified from the Japan race and the results below reflect the changes.

The highlight of qualifying was a big crash for Bottas. Was this team orders from Mercedes, intending that Bottas stay 15 points away from Hamilton so he could clinch the driver's championship.  Verstappen then gave a cocky press conference confessing that he didn't slow down when he saw Bottas' shunt.  This cost him and he was given a penalty.

This must have left Verstappen angry as he immediately tangled with Hamilton in the race.   Which gave him a puncture.  There were lots of tyre problems during the race.  Mercedes failed to put a tyre onto Norris' car.  Giovanizzi then LeClerc also suffered botched pit stops.  Otherwise it was a fairly boring race.  Ricciardo's do or die move towards the end was good fun.  Kvyat put Hulkenberg in to the wall on the final lap.  He was given a penalty for this.

Other people's favourite part of the race was Hamilton and his car rising up on to the podium.  Mine was Vettel radioing in: "At the moment, everything is peachy." Peachy? 

Mexico GP - Results (including revised Japan GP)

1. Evel Marque - 974*
2. Je suis Charlie - 967*
3. PickedInAHurry - 922*
4. BottHaas - 888*
5. The Hope Fulls - 859*
6. Jack the Lad - 774*
7. The Pitstop Princess - 706*
8. Hippy F1 - 639*
9. Ferrari Rocher - 573
10. Francesco Bernoulli - 487*

*Home track played

Japan GP - "You are the man"

With the hurricane postponing qualifying until race day, the pressure was on the drivers.  It seemed like it would be shoo in for the more experienced drivers like Vettel and Hamilton.   Indeed Vettel scooped pole position.  Inexperience showed up when LeClerc hit Verstappen on the opening lap, with the debris hitting Hamilton.  He refused to come back to the pits to be fixed which ultimately cost him points and Max a race finish at all.

Old dog Bottas made a fantastic start off the grid: "all his Christmases at once", as Webber said.  This move gave him the win.

Rookies Albon and Norris had a come together on Lap 4.  Old school team orders came into play on Lap 45 when Renault gave Ricciardo the chance to overtake his team mate Hulkenberg and get on with the race.  The closing laps showed us some getting closer and closer battles, with LeClerc taking fresh tyres to try for fastest lap (and failed) and Hamilton catching Vettel.

We didn't see much of the winner Bottas at all.  This was a race I watched the highlights of and I could really see that editorial decisions had been made about the stories shown in the race.  I was surprised more wasn't shown of Bottas or LeClerc or more made of Mercedes securing their sixth consecutive constructors championship.  The hurricane hit both broadcasters hard with most of the star pundits not making it to Japan.  Wasn't Lee McKenzie good though?

After the race LeClerc was given a couple of penalties and the race was classified at Lap 23 due to problems with the chequered flag. 

There are plenty of drivers who could win the final races this season and plenty who could win the championship next year.  Bodes well.

Japan GP - Results

1. Evel Marque - 923*
2. PickedInAHurry - 871*
3. Je suis Charlie - 846
4. BottHaas - 840*
5. The Hope Fulls - 830*
6. Jack the Lad - 685*
7. The Pitstop Princess - 670*
8. Hippy F1 - 604*
9. Ferrari Rocher - 522
10. Francesco Bernoulli - 463*

* Home track played

Russia GP - "P1 and P2 for the Silver Arrows...that's exactly what we needed"

It was every teachers' disaster for Anthony Davidson pre-race, his smartboard failed.

Francesco Bernoulli has been on and on at me to mention the hilarity that is Lewis Hamilton riding around the paddock on his scooter at every race.  Scooter mentioned.  Will we mention that he doesn't wear a helmet either?

For the first half of the race, there was a virtual argument on the radio between Vettel and LeClerc over who should be given the lead of the race.  It turned out that it wasn't Ferrari's to give away, as they  made a poor pit stop strategy.  Vettel was straight out with a KERS problem too.

Something broke on Russell's car, which sent him into the barrier.  Williams decided to retire Kubica's car, just in case.  It would look bad if you were the one to finally finish the Pole off.

It was another race where Bottas trundled around behind Hamilton.  It makes you wonder why Mercedes didn't roll the dice and try someone else for the next season.

A mediocre race all in all.