F1 So Far

Q1) Throughout the season several drivers have added slight adaptations or had radical design changes to their helmets. Do you think that drivers should stick to one distinctive design, and then just adapt their design slightly for special occasions to keep a consistency, or do you like seeing the constant changes?

A: Couldn't help but giggle at this question when I first read it! The regular Fan Formula crew will know why, especially @AilishCatherine, @squiffany and @PAGIE03. #F1Smut. I'll say no more ;)

But being childish aside, I really don't mind what the drivers do with their helmets. Yes it's a pain trying to figure out who's driving what car when they change their designs constantly, some being worse than others (yes Mr Pointy Finger, I'm looking at you). But a racing driver's helmet is their identity, and a person's identity is ever-evolving, so I've no problem with them doing as they please with them.

This may be a slightly biased view, seeing as I'm entering a certain helmet design competition...


Q2) Which driver has disappointed you through their performance the most this season and why?

A: Jean-Eric Vergne. When you look at his performances compared to Daniel Ricciardo, he really hasn't done that badly (JEV's average finishing position has been 12th, compared to Ricciardo's 11th), but he hasn't been as good as I was expecting him to be. All the pre-season hype, as well as the high expectations of the Red Bull young driver programme, were promising great things from him that haven't materialised yet. It's a shame really, as despite him not looking very good at the moment I think the car is holding both of the Toro Rosso drivers back.

Q3) [as suggested by @F1_Fans_Updates]) We've had seven races and seven different winners, but what was your favourite race win and why?

A: I have two. Sorry for being awkward!

They're both for drivers that got their first wins. Nico Rosberg's victory in China is one of my choices as it was brilliant to see everyone willing him on to win. The outpouring of affection and congratulations for him on Twitter was lovely and I'll remember it for some time.

The other is Pastor Maldonado's win in Spain. Not because I'm a fan of Maldonado, but because it was wonderful to see Williams finally get a win after the torrid time they've endured of late, and it was their first win in eight years! It was long overdue and the best reward for the Williams crew, who will have worked very hard over the winter to deliver what's turned out to be a decent car up to now. It was quite emotional!


BONUS) This weekend saw a break for Formula One but a variety of other motorsport races taking place. Did you watch any of them and if so, which ones and why? If not, why not?

A: I didn't watch the MotoGP race at Silverstone as I'm not really into bikes. Although, kudos has to be given to Cal Crutchlow for racing with a broken AND dislocated ankle, and finishing the race in 6th after starting last. What a man!

My main focus for the weekend was the Le Mans 24 Hours. I wanted to make an effort to watch it despite not knowing the faintest thing about endurance racing, and I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed it, despite being a wooss and going to sleep at 1am. So much so, that a couple of the Fan Formula crew want to go next year! It's only a pipe-dream at the moment, but I've met many great people through Twitter and I'm sure a Fan Formula holiday would provide more of the same, so it'd be a weekend I'd definitely be up for. Just need to get saving the pennies now...

Crazy Canada

Firstly, apologies for this being nearly a week late. Things happening at home meant that I couldn't get this entry ready in time to publish it in conjunction with the video going online. I've published it as a double-bill with this week's answers though, so enjoy!


One of my favourite races of the year certainly lived up to expectations. Realistically it wasn't going to top last year, and it did lull a little in the middle of the race (maybe we should start calling this phase of the race "no-man's land"?), but the end more than made up for it. And I must admit, I did get emotional when I saw Lewis driving back to parc ferme with the Union flag in his hand...

© LAT Photographic

Q1) With Grosjean and Perez both claiming spots on the podium this weekend, do you believe that they are the best of the new crop of young drivers?

A: Up to now, definitely. Grosjean especially has really impressed me - I thought Kimi would be whipping him this year, but he's proven that when he can stay out of trouble he's got brilliant pace. Perez, meanwhile, seems to be the only driver on the grid that can make the Pirelli tyres work to his liking to some extent, letting him gamble with the conservative strategies that he's become famous for. If Grosjean can become more consistent with his results and Perez can improve his qualifying performances, people are going to take even more notice of them.

Having said this, there's new drivers further down the grid that haven't got the cars to be able to show their true potential. Jean-Eric Vergne, Daniel Ricciardo and Charles Pic in particular could be very talented for all we know, but the Marussia and Toro Rosso won't let them showcase their true potential.


Q2 [as suggested by @domcovkid]) Why, if Lewis Hamilton is repeatedly consistent with the McLaren, has Jenson Button been so poor in recent races when they both have the same car?

A: I think Jenson needs a much more stable car to suit his smoother driving style, unlike Lewis, who can really drag the car around the track as he's so aggressive. His performances have gone downhill quite dramatically since McLaren have used the modified, slightly curved nose... maybe that has something to do with it?


Q3) SKY viewers - what did you make of Jacques Villeneuve working for SKY this weekend?

A: Quite interesting actually! One thing you're guaranteed with Jacques Villeneuve is that you're going to get a straight answer - you may not like it, you may disagree with it and you may not like the man for it, but you have to have some respect for him for not being afraid to say what he truly thinks. For that one race I think he added a bit of something different, but I don't think I'd like him as a permanent pundit, à la Johnny Herbert. It's his new Dr Eggman look he's rocking. It scares me a little. All he needs is a pair of fancy goggles, a massive moustache and he'd be sorted:

BONUS) Who would you have liked to see join Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in the river after the Grand Prix?

A: My favourite moment of the weekend, hehe! Judging by his many and lovely photo shoots, maybe Bruno Senna? Though that may have been a bit too much - just Seb and Mark in there was enough to get me, @Thrinne1 and @Sammybingo giggling like little girls!

Monaco Mania

To be totally honest, I only partially agree with this week's title as I found the race a bit boring. It got to the point that I was even yawning at some points... but there was plenty of mania before the race and Webber won after *finally* getting a good start off the line, meaning Red Bull have now got a hat-trick in Monaco. So I really can't complain all that much!

© Daily Mirror Sport

Q1) In FP3 we saw Pastor Maldonado bump tyres with Sergio Perez, and in response was awarded a 10-place grid penalty. What was your view on the incident and the resulting penalty?

A: Maldonado has garnered quite a reputation for being hot-headed, and the incident with him and Perez hasn't done anything to try and rebuff that. He said afterwards that he 'lost the car' due to being on cold tyres, but from what I've seen from replays of the incident, there's nothing to suggest that he had oversteer or any other problem that could have caused him to swipe across Perez in the way that he did. With the confines of the track being so tight in Monaco it's incredibly difficult for cars that have been blue-flagged to move over, and to be fair to Perez he did his best to move over as much as he could, slowing down significantly. Maldonado could see this and had enough space to go around the outside of him going into Portier, so I don't understand why he chose to stay on the line he took. 

Looking at it like this, I think it was right for the stewards to give Maldonado the 10-place grid penalty. Although this incident was fairly minor compared to the one with Lewis Hamilton in Belgium last year, it was still a dangerous piece of driving that would have been completely avoidable had he kept his head and just backed off a little. With him being on cold tyres and on his first lap it wouldn't have been that detrimental for him to do this, as he could have created a gap and pushed again on the next lap. Also, with it being the second time of him doing something like this, the punishment needed to be harsher to act as a deterrent to Maldonado and the rest of the drivers. If he were to do something similar again in the future, I'd expect him to be starting from last or DSQ'd from the race as a third strike.

Q2) Qualifying saw Sebastian Vettel not set a lap time, and through this benefiting from the choice of tyres in the race. Do you think that this rule should be changed, with penalties enforced if a driver/team do not set a time in Q3?

A: You can't give the teams/drivers penalties when all they're doing is maximising their chances of getting a good result - Formula 1 would be a very funny sort of sport otherwise. The rule saying that the top 10 have to start on the tyres they set their Q3 times on will mean that teams will gamble with not setting a time, in order to start on fresh rubber. And when it works, like it did for Sebastian, then it will make it even more of an incentive, so I think we'll see it a lot more as the season progresses. The above rule hasn't really done anything to alter the running in the early stages of races, which it was designed to do, instead ruining Q3 and making it anti-climatic, even dull in some cases, for those of us watching. In an ideal world the rule would be scrapped and teams would be given a slightly larger allocation of tyres to accommodate for it, or even be given special qualifying-only tyres. But with Formula 1 trying to cut down on its environmental impact this won't be happening, so I'm afraid drivers sitting out Q3 will be a regular occurance. Which is sad, as we're not getting to see the cars' true capabilities when on the edge.

Q3) A slow pitstop, being hit on the head by numbers falling off pit boards, and a lack of communication regarding Vettel's pace left Lewis Hamilton frustrated with the race. Do you think this will affect his upcoming contract renewal, and what do you think his options would be aside from McLaren?

A: Lewis, bless him, doesn't seem to having much luck this season! And it isn't his fault, as he seems to have got himself together psychologically after his worst ever season last year. You can't blame him for being frustrated with everything that's happened at McLaren in these first six races. The car is capable of winning,  as Jenson Button proved in Australia, but it's been mistakes from the team like poor pitstops and the fueling problem in Spain that have caused them to now be lagging behind. If McLaren don't get their act together soon, I think Lewis will start to consider looking for a ride elsewhere. Where at is another matter...

On the face of it, his options are broad - at the time of writing Ferrari, Lotus, Mercedes and Red Bull all only have one driver contracted for next season, with Williams, Sauber, Force India and Toro Rosso having no-one confirmed for 2013. But assuming he wouldn't want to move to a midfield team and taking other factors into account, Lewis' opportunities are soon narrowed:

Ferrari - appears to be a no-no as the history between Lewis and Fernando Alonso isn't great, with the two having had some controversial incidents while together at McLaren in 2007. Add to that an uncompetitive car, and Sergio Perez being widely accepted to be taking the seat if Felipe Massa doesn't improve sufficiently, the door at Maranello seems firmly closed for the moment.

Lotus - personally I couldn't see Lewis going to Lotus and I think it would be a risky move, as historically Lotus have been poor at developing a car throughout the season (a key strength of McLaren's). Despite this they've built a strong car this year, regularly fighting for podiums, so wins aren't out of the question. But Kimi Raikkonen is doing well despite his few years out of the sport and seems motivated and happy, while the close relationship between Romain Grosjean and Eric Boullier means that I think he'll be given another season to assess his performance.

Mercedes - Mercedes and McLaren have a close relationship through their engine deal and the team are now proven race-winners after their victory in China. If everything can come together, as this season has shown, then Mercedes have the potential to be regularly competing for wins and this will be a big incentive for Lewis. Michael Schumacher has struggled on his return to the sport and question marks have already been raised about his future, while Lewis and Nico Rosberg have a very good relationship, having competed against each other through the lower formulae. If Mercedes continue to show good pace and Red Bull keep Mark Webber on, a move here can't be ruled out.

Red Bull - probably the place where Lewis would have his eye on first. Although not as competitive this season, they've proven that they still have what it takes to win, and constructors' and drivers' championships for the last two seasons will make Red Bull a very attractive move. I think Lewis would relish the challenge of having Sebastian Vettel as a team-mate and they would push each other hard, so it would be very interesting to see how they performed together. This is all dependent on Mark Webber leaving - at 35, he's nearing the end of his career and rumours of his retirement, along with a move to Ferrari, crop up around this time of year. He's also made it no secret about his unhappiness with certain events in the past, with his 'not bad for a number two driver' comments in 2010. But he's proven that he still has the talent and experience to win races and seems happy in the team for the moment. Depending on what Mark decides to do, I could really see Lewis making the switch here.

BONUS [as suggested by @joshbohnf1]) Do you think we should still be racing at Monaco when overtaking is clearly important in modern Formula 1?

A: There's lots of arguments for and against Monaco still being on the calendar. Of course the narrow and twisty nature of the circuit makes overtaking extremely difficult, resulting in often boring races as well as maybe making the race more dangerous than the rest. But that's what makes Monaco unique - it provides a unique test for the drivers, and the history and prestige (as well as the glamour) that surrounds it makes it a thrill for both drivers and fans. Having said that, Spa-Francorchamps has a lot of these qualities, but its future in Formula 1 has been under threat for a couple of years now. It's interesting to hear everyone's viewpoints on the subject but the fact is that Monaco will be staying with us for the forseeable future.

© Mark Thompson/Getty Images

The Twitter-Powered Formula 1 Drinking Game

Cheers! via pinnacle racing @ Autosport forums

Everyone likes a good drinking game, and there's plenty of material in Formula 1 to make up some creative challenges. So with the help of Twitter, we have this extensive set of rules for you to enjoy your race-viewing that little bit more*. Many thanks to @F1Ellen, @RobTsintas, @Sibutch, @wtf1couk, @graemefowler, @jimbobbydazzler and many others for their contributions. Feel free to comment with your own suggestions below, or on Twitter, with the hashtag #F1DrinkingGame. Enjoy!

*Standard disclaimer: this is just for fun. Of course we encourage everyone of legal age to drink sensibly and responsibly

One shot

1) Any mention of 'for sure' from drivers, team personnel, TV presenters etc.

2) Sebastian Vettel says 'obviously' during an interview, or gives 'The Finger' if he wins a pole or race

3) Jenson Button complains about having no grip. Same for Michael Schumacher criticising the Pirelli tyres

4) Lee McKenzie says 'you must be bitterly disappointed' when interviewing a driver

5) David Coulthard says 'well, indeed'. Last one to shout 'och aye tha noo motherf***er!' takes a shot of Scotch whiskey

6) Ted Kravitz says that he's 'down at the McLaren/Red Bull garage'

7) Williams reserve driver Valtteri #BOTTAS is mentioned or shown on-screen

8) Each position Fernando Alonso finishes ahead of Felipe Massa (caution advised here, could get very messy!)


Two shots

1) David Croft and/or Martin Brundle use a strange similie to describe a driver's performance (e.g. 'hugging the apex like it's your favourite granny')

2) Kimi Raikkonen answers a detailed, in-depth question with 'it was OK', 'not really', or words to this effect

3) Simon Lazenby mentions how you can watch Formula 1 'in glorious 5.1 Dolby surround sound'

4) Christian Horner performs his famous 'Horner Jig' foot-tapping on the pitwall

5) Tequila if Sergio Perez goes for a conservative strategy, by staying out on prime tyres or one-stopping

6) Any joke about Eddie Jordan's shirts, or David Coulthard's chin or white jeans

7) Kamui Kobayashi successfully pulls off a crazy overtaking move. Must be done while shouting 'BANZAI!'

8) Eddie Jordan questions Michael Schumacher's decision to come out of retirement


Down your drink!

1) Heikki Kovalainen makes it into Q2

2) The BBC and Sky F1 teams are visible together in one TV shot

3) Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa crash into each other

4) A bottle of San Miguel if a HRT qualifies within 107%, or the stewards allow them to race. Extra shot if both make it

5) Lewis Hamilton gets any sort of penalty. Last one to shout 'it's an absolute friggin' joke!' takes an extra shot

6) Martin Brundle and Tanja Bauer 'bump into each other' on the grid

7) Mark Webber or Vitaly Petrov become airborne as the result of an off or crash


Race-specific Rules

Australia - if it's the first race, down a Fosters if a commentator says the first race is like the first day back at school


Malaysia - one shot each time FOM cuts to a picture of a weather radar. Down your drink if a red flag comes out for rain


Monaco - a sip of champagne, or other expensive drink:

1) Each time a celebrity tries to sound knowledgeable about Formula 1, and fails miserably, during the grid walk

2) If any of Monaco's prestige, glamour, history, difficulty to overtake, or how every driver wants to win it are alluded to


Spain - one shot each time a commentator mentions how the Circuit de Catalunya isn't good for overtaking


Canada - down your drink if:

1) A driver crashes into the Wall of Champions any time during the weekend

2) Groundhogs are spotted! Extra shot if they cause a yellow flag or the safety car to be brought out

3) The track surface starts to break up, bringing out the marshals. Should a marshal fall over, the last person to laugh at them takes an extra shot


Europe (Valencia) - one shot each time there's an overtake, it'll help ease the boredom


Belgium - one shot each time a driver's thrown into the gravel because of rain, and when a driver locks up going into the Bus Stop chicane


Japan - one shot each time FOM cuts to Japanese fans in crazy Formula 1-themed outfits

25%

Can't believe we're already a quarter of the way through the season. It's going much too quickly! 6 weeks today and I'll be setting off to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, which if last year was anything to go by, will be an amazing long weekend. I'm planning on buying a sm*rtphone for the weekend so I can still blog while I'm there, and post pictures and videos etc. to give a sort-of-real-time idea of what it's like to attend a Grand Prix - will be interesting to see how that works out. Tickets have started shipping out today, so I'm writing this sitting at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for the postman to arrive...

Monaco - the capital of glamour © Rainer Brunotte

Q1) The tight and twisty nature of the Monaco circuit is known for difficult overtaking. Do you think we will see drivers take more risks like Hamilton did in 2011, or will it be more about strategy and pitstops?

A: I think we'll see both, but it'll be more skewed towards strategy and pitstops. With Monaco being the prestigious race that it is, drivers will be more willing to take risks to try and move up the order and with overtaking being so difficult, gaining even one position during the race would be an achievement. However, with the way the Pirelli tyres have been this year I think teams may want to be a little more conservative. This of course all depends on whether there's going to be a safety car and the weather, which going by current reports isn't looking too good for practice and qualifying at the moment.

Q2) What is it about Monaco that makes it so special, or do you not feel the excitement for Monaco?
A: One answer always seems to crop up - 'it's Monaco!'. No other race on the calendar has so much behind it to create its unique buzz; the history, the prestige, the glitz and glamour, the skill that goes into the preparation of the drivers and teams for the event, the celebrities trying to sound knowledgeable when they're being interviewed for Martin Brundle's gridwalk (and failing miserably - yes, I'm looking at you Nicole Scherzinger and Geri Halliwell):

Q3 [as suggested by @AilishCatherine]) What is your favourite corner on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit and why?

A: There's a couple that stand out from the rest, like Casino Square, as it looks like a real challenge for the drivers coming into it from the top of the hill. The Lowes hairpin is always cool for seeing the cars so close together and snaking slowly and carefully through the streets. And The Tunnel needs no introduction. But I like all of them - the whole track flows brilliantly despite overtaking being impossible, so I guess they're all my favourite.

BONUS) Which Monaco race that you have watched is your ultimate Monaco Grand Prix and why?

A: I'm having to work from word of mouth here as I don't remember watching it myself, but from what I've seen of it now that I'm older, the 1996 race was immense. A real survival of the fittest battle in very tricky conditions, showing just how tough Monaco is on the drivers and their machinery - and Olivier Panis won in a Ligier, with the three drivers on the podium being the only ones to actually finish the race. What's not to like?

*Rainer Brunotte has taken some stunning photographs of Monaco's cityscape, harbour and parts of the Grand Prix circuit as part of the build-up for this year's race, you can see more of his work here

Spanish Spectacular

Considering this was Barcelona, which is usually a right bore-fest, I'd say this year's race was pretty epic! This was helped no doubt by watching it at the pub and making some new F1 friends (see F1 in Pubs for more details on where you can watch in the UK). 5 different winners, from 5 different constructors, in 5 races just shows how crazy the 2012 season has been up to now. Also, big happy birthday to Fan Formula's founder @GraceF1Fanatic, hope you have a lovely day!


Q1) Qualifying saw Hamilton's penalty and Karthikeyan qualifying outside the 107% rule. What do you make of both incidents and the resulting stewards decisions?

A: It's not the first time McLaren have under-fueled one of their cars in qualifying, deliberately or otherwise. The rule saying the cars have to get back to parc ferme under their own power was tightened because of McLaren's exploits at Canada in 2010, where Lewis had to push his car back to the pits. Even though I think this time the team made an honest mistake, the FIA had to be seen to be taking action as it does create an unfair advantage. However, I thought exclusion from qualifying and being put to the back of the grid was a little harsh. If it was me, I'd have excluded him for Q3 and calculated his grid position from his Q2 time, which would have put him 11th, and maybe have stripped McLaren of constructors points for that race as it was the team's fault that he didn't have enough fuel.

As for Karthikeyan being allowed to race, it makes a complete mockery of the 107% rule. What's the point of having it if it isn't going to be enforced? It's decisions like this that are making the FIA so inconsistent and enduring the wrath of fans. In my opinion, the rule should be modified - unless you have a mechanical problem during qualifying that prevents you from setting a time, then anyone who qualifies outside 107% should not be allowed to race at all. If someone does have a breakdown, only then should the FIA look at their times in practice to assess if they have the pace to keep up.


Q2 [as suggested by @squiffany]) In the Senna vs Schumacher crash, who do you think was at fault?

A: Both drivers had part to blame, but Schumacher was more at fault. I imagine that he would have been told about Senna struggling for grip over his radio, and so a driver of his experience should have been much more aware of his closing speed. Having said that, Senna did move ever-so-slightly left just before going into Turn 1 - I don't know whether that was because of a lack of grip under braking or him trying to fend off Schumacher, but it did play a part in the accident, so in hindsight Senna maybe should have made it a little easier for him to pass if his tyres were that badly worn. A 5-place grid drop for Schumacher in Monaco was deserved though, as it was a silly accident that didn't really need to happen.

Ooops... © Mirror Sport

Q3) Maldonado took his first victory in Spain (the first win for Williams since 2004). Do you think this signals the return of Williams to the top of the grid, or is this just another topsy turvey result for the 2012 season?

A: It's hard to say, as the way the 2012 season is going it's impossible to even make a calculated guess as to what's going to happen! But Williams have clearly made a much better car than those of the last couple of seasons and now that they've won one race, I don't see why they can't win another. It'll take a lot of luck and skill to get the Pirelli tyres to work in their favour, but that's the case for all the teams this year.

Going slightly off-topic, I'm sure everyone was shocked to see the fire that engulfed the Williams garage about an hour after the podium ceremony. It made what was a brilliant and emotional result for the team so bittersweet, though it was very heartening to see such bravery and teamwork from everyone up and down the pitlane to try and help put the fire out. It's events like this that show that Formula 1 is fundamentally a team sport and that at the end of the day, we're all one big family.


BONUS) Who would you say drove the best race at Catalunya and why?

A: Now this is a hard one because no-one really had a race that stood out as being amazing, most of them making the best of a good or bad situation. In the end I've chosen three drivers - Maldonado, Vettel and Hamilton. Pastor stood up to immense pressure from Alonso all race long to produce a very mature drive to silence his critics (including myself), while Sebastian and Lewis pulled off some brilliant overtakes to shoot through the field, albeit they shouldn't have been that far back in the first place (with Lewis' penalty, and Sebastian's drive through and strange front wing problem).  But it all made for an exciting race - maybe we'll see a different driver and constructor take the win in Monaco!

© Vladimir Rys/Getty Images Europe

Gilles Villeneuve: A Reflection

There hasn't been many people, in life and in death, that have captivated the world of motorsport in such a way that they become the stuff of legend. But Gilles Villeneuve can undoubtedly be included in that category.

The son of a piano tuner, Villeneuve seemed set for a career in music, had it not been for his fascination with speed and engineering from a young age. Aged eleven, he was let loose with a pick-up truck in a field close to the family's Quebec home, with the young Gilles later taking their lawnmower engine and pieces of plywood to make a go-kart. As a teenager he 'borrowed' his father's Pontiac Grande Parisienne to test its top speed, only to skid on a wet road and crash into a telephone pole. This first taste of speed's dangers did little to deter him, however, and he was soon honing his craft in the world of snowmobile racing. It was these years of sliding on ice at over 100 mph, that he would later claim helped craft his incredible capability to control cars in wet conditions.

The transition to single-seater racing was not so smooth. Living on the breadline with his young family in a pre-fab home, Villeneuve was resorting to stealing tools from local shops to save money. Only by selling the house and converting a disused school bus into a motorhome/workshop did he raise the money to compete in Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic, which he did with gradual success. It was in the latter that he beat F1 world champion James Hunt, in a non-championship event at Trois-Rivieres in 1976, and impressed Hunt so much that he persuaded McLaren to give Gilles a Formula 1 drive at Silverstone the following year. Qualifying 9th and finishing 11th in a year-old car, he would have finished much higher up the order had it not been for a faulty temperature gauge costing him precious time. Regardless, McLaren decided not to keep him on due to his lack of experience, and was instead recruited by Ferrari. In a sport where courage, determination and downright stubbornness are standard, Gilles took these qualities to a whole new level - producing some of the best racing, and some of the most outrageous actions, Formula 1 has ever seen:

His ferocious speed and questionable sanity can be epitomised with his performance at the 1979 United States Grand Prix, at Watkins Glen. On a soaking wet track in practice, Villeneuve was setting times that were up to 11 seconds faster than his rivals, including his teammate, and that year's world champion, Jody Scheckter. While others were nursing their cars so as not to crash, Gilles was pulling everything out of the car in order to try to better it and himself. These examples of commitment weren't only confined to the racetrack, however - Villeneuve seemingly didn't understand the meaning of the word 'slow'. On public roads he would drive flat-out, incurring hundreds of speeding tickets (many of which were forgotten about with a quick signed photo, especially in Italy) and he would manhandle his speedboat and helicopter at unthinkable speeds.

But behind this recklessness he was quiet and softly-spoken, a man of strong principles that always conducted himself with the utmost honesty and expected others to do the same. Indeed, it was his teammate Didier Pironi's breaking of a team orders agreement between them, at the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix, that many say cost Gilles his life. Incensed at Pironi's lack of sanctity for a promise, he headed to the next race at Zolder with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. On 8th May 1982, while trying to improve his time in qualifying to beat Pironi, a misunderstanding with Jochen Mass over where to move over resulted in him driving into the back of Mass' March at over 120mph. The Ferrari was thrown into the air, flipped and nose-dived into the track. The force of the impact was so great that Villeneuve, still strapped to his seat but now without his helmet, was catapulted into catch-fencing over 50 metres away. He died from critical head and neck injuries later that night.

Gilles Villeneuve has become quite special to me as a fan, as he's the main reason why I've become so interested in motorsport and Formula 1 in particular. I was given a brilliant biography of his life as a gift about 4 years ago, which describes all of the above in vivid detail (and which the info for most of this post has come from). Being born nearly 10 years after his death it gave a wonderful insight into how the sport and its stars worked back then, and was the impetus for me to learn more about its history. However, Gilles' story really struck a chord with me. His dogged determination, although often bordering on the reckless and selfish, and his passion for the sport that he loved was proof that if you could set your mind to what you want to achieve, then there's no reason why you can't. Which makes it all the more tragic that he never got to fulfill his wish and that of his many fans - to win the world championship he rightly deserved.

'Magico' Malaysia

I think I've just about caught my breath back from last week! Malaysia was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions - if you ever needed proof of how great a sport Formula 1 is, you had it all in that race. A must-watch for any newbies to the sport out there.


Q1) We saw two incidents involving the HRT of Narain Karthikeyan and a 'front runner' during the race today, none of which appeared to be the HRT's fault. What is your view on the incidents? Do you think that the front runners were overconfident that the HRT would be easy to pass, and that's what caused the incidents, or was it purely just driver error?

A: Both incidents were due to overconfidence and driver error. The awful conditions at Sepang were a big influence but it should never be assumed that passing back-markers will be easy, which Button and Vettel did to some extent. They were unfortunate incidents but that's racing, it happens.

A rather different finger than what we've been used to...

On a side-note, as a big Vettel fan I was very vocal on Twitter in my disappointment with his behaviour and comments about Karthikeyan. Fair enough, it had been a tough race for him and it must be very frustrating being in a car that isn't where you want to be at the moment, but that doesn't give you the right to flip your middle finger up at someone and call them silly names (a cucumber? Really?). It made him look like a child and it certainly isn't the behaviour one would expect of a double world champion. I sympathised a lot with Karthikeyan's comments about some front-runners "bullying" back-markers into slowing down, it must be incredibly difficult to be effectively running two races at once - trying to do the best you can with your own machinery, while trying not to mess up the others' strategies. I just hope that the matter can be put to bed and that any grudges will be settled sensibly and/or forgotten about, so we can all concentrate on the racing.


Q2) With Sergio Perez completing an incredible race and battle with rumoured future team-mate Fernando Alonso, do you think this adds extra pressure on Felipe Massa and do you think we will see a mid-season driver change at Ferrari?

A: Firstly a big congratulations to Perez on such a brilliant drive, keeping Alonso honest is no mean feat! It definitely puts a heap of pressure on Massa to perform, as if he didn't have enough already. I don't know whether it's because of his awful accident a couple of years ago but he just seems to have lost something, he doesn't seem like the same guy who was fighting Lewis Hamilton for the championship back in 2008. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Perez replaced him in 2013, but coming in mid-season this year would be a disaster. Not only is Perez still young and in need of the continuity Sauber are providing, but the last time Ferrari had to make a driver change mid-season it didn't go all that well... good things come to those who wait, so I think it would benefit everyone if Ferrari waited until the end of the season to make a decision.


Q3) The mixed weather conditions really played into the midfield teams' hands, with 9 different constructors making up the top 10 in the results. Do you think this trend will continue across the season or do you think the top teams will pull away from the pack?

A: In short, no. It's tradition that the teams bring massive updates for the Spanish GP so I think we'll see the top 4 teams (McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, maybe Lotus at the expense of Ferrari this year) pull away from the rest of the pack from that race on. I hope not though, would be nice to see a season as close as the first couple of races!


BONUS) Who was your driver of the day and why?

A: It would have been Perez, had he not gone wide when it counted. I'd like to think that the radio message given to him didn't put him off, but I think it might have done in some way (I don't subscribe to the whole team orders rubbish here, though). Such a shame because without that little mistake he would have got the win, without a shadow of a doubt. So because of that, my driver of the day was Fernando Alonso, as he did what he does best - getting the absolute best out of a dog of a car. Flawless.

Well done these men! © Pirelli

Mega Melbourne

Wow, what a brilliant race we've had this weekend! There were plenty of great performances from a whole host of drivers and teams which made for a really exciting race, though I'll admit Vettel was extremely lucky with that safety car. Well done to Button for a great win, hard luck Lewis, but I'm sure he'll bounce back. Onwards with #FanFormula!

Q1) Williams appear to have come back strong with a great battle between Maldonado and Alonso. But what did you make of the 'midfield' teams today battling against the like of Ferrari and Mercedes?

A: I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It was great to see Williams fighting for those points after such a torrid couple of seasons and I was genuinely gutted for Maldonado when he had his hefty shunt, despite some questionable moves earlier on in the race. Watching the 'midfield' teams mixing it up with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes was so exciting to watch; Sauber's tussles with the likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Nico Rosberg made up half the action that went on in the race, and it was so wonderful to see them have a really good go at getting some points. The battle between Alonso and Maldonado was gripping too, kudos to Fernando for managing to stave off Pastor in the end, as it was no mean feat with that extra DRS zone this year. All in all it was just such an exciting first race, helped a lot by Ferrari and Mercedes' performances seemingly becoming the opposite of their qualifying pace.

Q2) What do you make of the rule that lets back-markers unlap themselves under the safety car? Does it just prolong the safety car period, or is it fairer on those that would be out of place due to lapped cars?

A: Let me start by saying that knowing Hamilton would be pushing for Vettel, unhindered, after that safety car today was a quite a nerve-wracking thought! It certainly makes for a much more exciting spectacle for the fans, but for sure it prolongs the safety car period by quite a distance. I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking 'just get on with it' by the fourth lap under it, but I think it'll be something we'll get used to eventually. Given more time, the positive of drivers being able to have clear runs at each other on the restart will outweigh the negative of waiting longer to see it happen.


Q3) If you watched via Sky what is your overall opinion of the new team and coverage? If you watched via BBC, how did you find watching the highlights show rather than live coverage? Did it lack the excitement knowing that the race was already over?

A: I watched both the Sky and BBC coverage as I'm still in two minds as to which provider I'm going to stick with this season.

Sky Sports F1

Sky need to be given some space for the first few races, as they're new to covering the sport and the team will need time to gel and properly understand how they'll work together. A lot of people have argued that Simon Lazenby seems to be a little 'wooden' and lacking some knowledge and charisma, but the guy is relatively new to Formula 1 and I imagine must have been quite nervous (it's shown, with him sometimes interrupting Martin Brundle and/or Damon Hill in full flow to get a word in), so I'll be giving him the benefit of the doubt for now. Getting Ted Kravitz as part of the team has been a major coup, because the money Sky have to invest in technology has allowed him to really delve deep into the technical side of the sport; I've really enjoyed him explaining about the new innovations with the SkyPad, particularly Mercedes' rear-wing 'F-duct' and the different solutions teams have come up with in trying to cope with the double diffuser ban. In the commentary box David Croft and Martin Brundle seem to be a great pairing, you can tell they get on well and both have a raft of knowledge - Crofty made a few mistakes today but it was a pretty hectic race, and you can't deny that the guy has passion.

Having said all that, up to now I've been a little disappointed with build-up and post quali/race round-ups. This may just be because I have a short attention span, but 30 minutes build-up for practice and 90 minutes for the race seems much too long, so much so that at some points Simon seemed to struggle to think of what to bring up for Martin and Damon to discuss. Keep in mind that this is being written prior to the airing of the F1 magazine show, but I can't see what Georgie Thompson is bringing to the coverage up to now, apart from being something pretty to look at. When she's presented analysis on the SkyPad it's been clear that she doesn't really understand what Anthony Davidson is saying. Again, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, but I'm sure she knows that she'll need to do her homework to keep up to speed. Overall I think Sky have made a very promising start and that given time, they'll improve even more.

BBC F1

Watching extended highlights will of course never be the same as watching a race live, but the BBC seem to have coped incredibly well with the budget cuts imposed on them. I wasn't too keen on the idea of Ben Edwards taking the lead comms helm but I take it back now - he may get a bit over-excited, but him and David Coulthard have already established a good rapport and were pretty much flawless during the race. Gary Anderson's technical input has also been a very interesting addition, while the camaraderie between Jake, DC and Eddie Jordan is still great to watch despite the shirt jokes being very old now. It's this in particular that gives the BBC a much more casual feel, which is perfect for them as the casual F1 fan is their target audience after all. It's not to everyone's taste, but they're doing a good job and I'll look forward to watching their live race coverage.


BONUS) What was your favourite moment of the weekend?

Vettel's pass on Rosberg in the first couple of laps was sublime, it was very brave of him to try that on the outside of a corner and it payed off beautifully. And who said he couldn't overtake?

When I get that feeling...

The wait is almost over everyone, tomorrow morning we get to see our first Formula 1 race of the year! We've all been whetting our appetites in different ways, whether it's been watching the 2011 season review DVD on loop, playing F1 video games endlessly, or entertaining ourselves with the stream of funny photoshops on the Autosport forums. Indeed seeing the first promos on TV is that long-awaited sign that, finally, what's felt like a very long winter is close to ending. And it will have been very hard to avoid them, especially Sky's offerings as they seek to convince us to part with our hard-earned money to get in on the experience.

There was, however, one trailer that caught my attention like nothing else:

© Sky Sports F1™

For me it's a brilliant example of how editing can create such a sense of atmosphere and anticipation. The hive of activity in the pits, the crowd on their feet to cheer their beloved drivers, all accompanied by that ever-growing undercurrent of engine revs and drum beats into a great crescendo. Then silence, as everyone anticipates the arrival of the five red lights.


It's at this particular moment when I was watching it, that 'the feeling' started to build up.


'The feeling' is a phenomenon that many can never convey. Not in any certain concrete terms, anyway. Some describe a it as a slight fizzing sensation in the pit of their stomach, while others (me included) can end up having to take very deep breaths to try and control the shivers that race through their body. And it almost always occurs when we experience a very exciting or nervous moment in our lives, as it's our body's way of preparing us for the stress that it's about to undergo. It's no wonder that the often stressful nature of following sport is such a sure-fire way of getting these experiences to surface.

But the wonderful thing about 'the feeling' is that although it's an intensely personal experience for each of us, every single human being can experience it. Everyone can feel the rush - waiting for a crucial penalty kick in a football match, waiting for the 100m runners to rise from their starting blocks in the Olympics final, waiting for those five red lights to come on and then disappear on a Grand Prix raceday. For those few agonising seconds every single person watching that moment, no matter what their allegiance, is engrossed in their anticipation to witness some of the greatest athletes in the world perform at the highest level. I don't know about anyone else, but witnessing such achievement gives me a great sense of pride in humanity and really enforces the notion that if we can set our minds on something, and be as committed and passionate as the athletes we idolise, we can do whatever we've dreamed to do. You hear so much about the negative aspects of following sport and indeed there are plenty, but every sports fan is fundamentally united in their devotion and passion for it. It's a bond between all of us that can never, ever be broken.

© www.grandprixweekly.com

So however you're watching the Grand Prix tomorrow and at every other race thereafter, remember that when those five red lights are coming on, there'll be millions of other people around the world feeling exactly the same emotions as you. And for once rivalries and controversies won't matter, because for those few seconds we'll all be united in our passion, in our love, for our sport.

And it'll be absolutely brilliant.

To 2012 And Beyond

Only 2 days to get ready for FP1 at Melbourne and I'm woefully under-prepared this year. Not even decided what's going into the midnight snackbox of chocolatey goodness yet. No matter, it's time for #FanFormula again, albeit a bit later than usual.

Q1) HRT and Marussia, with only days remaining until the F1 returns, have passed the final FIA crash tests. What do you make of their delayed start to the season and will this have an effect on 2012 and future seasons for the teams?

A: It's never nice to see teams struggling, no matter who you support. The new rules requiring teams to pass all 18 FIA crash tests have obviously taken a big toll on HRT and Marussia's pre-season programme, so much so that it will be extremely difficult for them to improve their performances from last year. Yes, the tyre data both teams collected with their 2011-spec cars will be of some help, but they can't even begin to think of moving up the order if they can't get their cars ready for testing. It's just too crucial an event to miss now that in-season testing is banned, and it's plain to see that the very modest budgets of HRT and Marussia just can't deliver at the moment. Unless they see a substantial amount of investment in the future, I wouldn't be surprised if both teams pulled out of Formula 1 in a couple of years time.


Q2) With several teams completing several 'filming days' before the season begins, should this be allowed or is it just a way for the teams to get a few sneaky test laps in without being at a test session?

A: I'm a firm believer of 'filming days' being another term for private test days! But I don't think they're a bad thing, I imagine it's good for the teams to get some mileage away from the prying eyes of their competitors. It would be nice if they had a set number of filming days in a season, to do shakedowns of new parts and give third drivers some running time. But with in-season testing banned and Formula 1 trying to cut down on costs, that won't be happening anytime soon.

Q3) 2012 is rumoured to be the last year that both Catalunya and Valencia feature in the race calendar; what is your view on this and will this bring the end of the European GP?

A: It's a shame but it's the right thing to do. We all know that Spain has suffered quite badly from the Eurozone economic crisis and hosting two Grands Prix each year just doesn't seem to make sense right now, when they have much more important issues to deal with. And let's be honest, Catalunya and Valencia are two of the more processional races on the calendar, so having one less boring race each year is a good thing! As for the future of the European Grand Prix, it's looking a little bleak. There are plenty of tracks to choose from that could host the Grand Prix on a rotation basis, but it's a question of whether they can afford the huge costs of hosting a race, which in the current economic climate seems unlikely.

BONUS) Now that all of the liveries have been revealed, which is your favourite and which one do you like the least?

A: It's been a real mix with liveries this year. The McLarens always look nice in chrome but it's starting to get really boring now, and it's the same story with the Red Bulls and Toro Rossos.

The worst though, by far, is Sauber's offering:

As they don't have many sponsors you'd be inclined to feel a bit of sympathy for them. But, like last year, it feels like they haven't even tried. In fact it looks like they cobbled it together on Microsoft Paint as an afterthought, and as such it looks a complete mess. The new addition of the black nose-cone also accentuates how blunt their interpretation of the stepped nose is, making it one of the ugliest of the 2012 cars. If only they went back to one of their earlier designs...

As for the best, Lotus' livery is just scrumptious. Despite being sponsored by a deodorant company this year and the red end-plates spoiling things slightly, the black-and-beige (doesn't look gold to me!) JPS homage has looked every bit as gorgeous on track as it did in the launch photos. Under the floodlights of Singapore and Abu Dhabi, it'll be heavenly!

© Getty Images

F1 doesn't do football chants...

... but if it did, they'd be the best in the world. Right?

While watching the Queens Park Rangers documentary The Four Year Plan the other night (which is a brilliant watch, thoroughly recommend it), a lot of the chants directed at the then chairman, ex-Renault boss Flavio Briatore, were amusing to say the least. But chants and songs are something you don't really see in Formula 1, which is no surprise seeing as at a race they wouldn't be able to be heard over the sound of the engines. Anything we do get arrives much later in the form of Youtube videos, of which there are a couple of gems:

 

So yesterday I asked Twitter to come up with some F1-style football chants and songs, mainly to see how they'd work, but more so that we could all have a laugh and make these last few days pass more quickly. The best (read: cleanest) ones are below, but you can find more on Twitter under the hashtag #F1DoesFootballChants. Feel free to comment below and on Twitter with your own suggestions, enjoy.


@hedgeryhoops: "we made your car for you! We made your car for you! (Ferrari fans to McLaren fans after spygate!)"


@domcovkid: "'you're getting sacked in the morning!' Can be used sparingly for Massa and also for STR drivers :)"


@I_am_Jamm: "the chrome, car 3, his hair is dandruff free, Jenson Button!" and "you're not going to make 107% in the morning!"


@BenF1_: "Michael Schumacher, he gets old when he wants"


@AilishCatherine: "And it's Red Bull, Red Bull Racing. We are by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen ;)"


@LHCollision: "He's short, he's red, he'll move if he's ahead, Felipe Massa!"


@Magnificent_Geof: "Chim-chiminy chim-chiminy chim chim cheroo - our cars produce much more downforce than you!"

Your Formula!

Hi everyone, hope you all had a good week because it's time for #FanFormula again. I'm writing this week's answers up just as pre-season testing has ended, with a less-than-ideal day for the Red Bull boys - Seb Vettel only got 23 laps of running, after front wing damage and a gearbox problem hindered the team's plans. A resounding 'boooooo!' from here. Still, it's best that these problems happen in testing than in FP1 in Melbourne, which is only 12 days away now. To know that this time in two weeks we'll know our first Grand Prix winner of the season... exciting times indeed.


Q1) What is it about F1 as a sport that you love and what do you hope this season will bring?

A: There's two things that make me love Formula 1 as I do. Firstly, the rate of technological advancement in the sport is just phenomenal. Even though I'm not a sciency person at all, it's hard not to appreciate the creativity, hard work and dedication each team member puts into making each hand-made car as perfect as possible, and it's great to know that some of these innovations are being applied outside the track to make a difference for those less fortunate.

The main thing that makes me love the sport so much is that no matter who you support we're all here to appreciate these drivers and team personnel, who are potentially putting themselves in great danger, to entertain us. The sport has its fanboys and fangirls of course, but the vast majority of fans treat each other with the upmost respect and can have a laugh with each other. Unlike with some sections of other sports, it's extremely rare to see drivers/teams and fans being abused for their views and performances, with any criticisms largely being conveyed in a thoughtful manner or as cheeky banter. It's this mutual respect between us that I think makes Formula 1 different from other sports and which makes it such a pleasure to be involved in. As @AilishCatherine* once said, "we're all one big, happy family united by our love for Formula 1" and it couldn't be more true.

For what this season will bring, obviously I'd love Red Bull to get the World Drivers' Championship and Constructors for the third season in a row. Though I'd like the competition to be closer this time around, as even I was getting a bit bored of Seb running off into the distance by the end of the year. If that doesn't happen then Jenson Button winning another WDC would be brilliant, just so he could prove to everyone that 2009 wasn't a fluke.

(*Ailish is a regular #FanFormula contributor who's aspiring to work in Formula 1 as a PR consultant. She's had many lucky run-ins with drivers and teams, which include work experience with Force India and various invites to the Grand Prix Paddock and testing sessions, all of which she writes about in her blog. If you're interested in this part of the Formula 1 world then take a look, it's a great read!)

Q2) What team/driver do you support and why did you choose to support them?

A: I have mentioned this before, but for those of you who are new I'm a Red Bull fan, supporting both Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. Though I've been developing a soft spot for Jenson Button lately, because he seems like such a lovely guy and I like his smooth driving style. I was quite a big Jaguar fan when I was little, at first because I liked their livery (as you do when you're a kid), but being a British team and being British myself, there's just something about us that makes us want to support an underdog. As Mark drove for the team back then, and now that Jaguar are Red Bull Racing, it just seemed natural to continue supporting both of them. I've followed Sebastian Vettel since his drive back at Indianapolis 2007, because I felt I had to keep an eye on him after scoring points in his first ever race! Nearly five years down the line and it's been a good ride up to now. Not sure how I'd cope if he ever went to Ferrari though...

Q3) If you could be in charge of F1 for the day, what three rules would you put into the sport? (This can include the removal of any rules you dislike)

A: Ban team orders, unless a driver is mathematically out of the championship and his team-mate is still in contention - this might be a controversial opinion, especially with me being a Red Bull fan. In fact having our fair share of team orders and favouritism controversy is what really annoys me when supporting them! But the fact is that I've hated team orders ever since I watched Rubens Barrichello have to give up his win to Michael Schumacher, back at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix. It was the first time that I'd ever gotten truly angry over a sporting moment and it's one that I don't think I'll ever forget. Everyone who I watched the race with just felt cheated out of seeing what would've been a great win for Rubens. Putting emotions to one side for a moment, however, Formula 1 is fundamentally a team sport and if there's a time when a driver has been mathematically ruled out of the championship, but his team-mate is still in contention, I don't have a problem with team orders then as it's for the greater good of the team. But only then.

Remove the rule making the top 10 start on their qualifying tyres - this is a particular gripe of mine. Not because of how it affects the race, but how it makes qualifying such an anti-climax for those of us watching. By definition the Q3 shoot-out should be just that - the best drivers on the day pushing everything to try and get the best out of their cars, until the chequered flag drops. As it is, too often we've seen a lot of them putting in one or two laps and then pitting to save their tyres. I can understand why the FIA brought the rule in and it does save rubber, but as a spectacle for the fans it's backfired badly! If money truly was no object I'd probably bring in special qualifying tyres, so that we could see what the cars were truly capable of and make Q3 the exciting, nerve-inducing finale it should be.

Bring back V10 engines - again, if money was no object, there'd be nothing better than hearing the V10 singing again. Here it is along with the current V8 to compare:

BONUS) If you were a team principal, which two drivers would you want to drive for you and why?

A: Wishful thinking, but if he ever got into the shape he was pre-crash Robert Kubica would definitely be in there. Despite the terrible bad luck Bobby K's had over the last few years he's shown that he's quick as well as consistent; he claimed a maiden win and fourth overall in the 2008 championship with a car that got gradually weaker as the season progressed, while he was regularly fighting for higher points and the odd podium with Renault in 2010. Here's hoping that his ongoing recovery is a speedy one and that if he ever gets back to full fitness, he gets to have a good shot at the championship one day.

The other driver I'd pick is Fernando Alonso. For those of you who know me on Twitter this may come as a shock! I do take the mick out of him a lot and I don't like the way he's gone about things in the past (qualifying at Hungary in 2007 comes to mind), but you can't deny that he's one of the best drivers on the grid at the moment. The results he achieved with Renault back in 2009 are proof of his talent, finishing in the points 8 times in a car that was nowhere near competitive, and he's achieved good results in his current stint at Ferrari despite them being off the pace compared to their rivals. How he'd cope with a fully-fit Kubica as a partner in a front-running team, however, would be interesting to see...

That's a wrap for this time, don't forget that you can always head over to the Fan Formula homepage if you're interested in getting involved. Hope anyone that comes across this has a lovely week as ever, and remember, just 12 more sleeps until Formula 1 is back. Until next Sunday, much love.