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

The Return Of In-Season Testing

A pretty quiet week in Formula 1, but there's been tonnes of other motorsport on today (Sunday) - British Touring Car Championship, World Touring Car Championship, DTM, Formula Two, MotoGP and IndyCar. Too much sport!


Q1) In-season testing returns this year after being banned in 2009. Are you glad to see an official in-season test return to F1?

A: Yes and no. Yes because the fans have even more time to see the cars on track and teams have more opportunity to develop updates, but it doesn't send out a very good message about a sport which has publicly committed to cut costs. The reaction to the return of in-season testing has also been mixed - Fernando Alonso has stated that the Mugello test will be important for Ferrari to try and gain some ground on the front-runners, while others, such as McLaren's Paddy Lowe, have admitted that they don't need an in-season test and that holding one is just another burden on the team's budget and logistics. He even went as far to suggest that he didn't think there would be another in-season test after this year. Doesn't bode well...

Day One washout at Mugello © FIA

Q2 [as suggested by @cwhite90999]) Do you think it is a mistake for HRT to not attend the test?

A: A month or so ago I said that the 'new' teams, HRT and Marussia in particular, can't even begin to dream of catching up to the others if they can't attend testing and I still stand by that. However for a team like HRT, who have so little money compared to the likes of outfits such as cash-strapped Williams, attending a test in which they're not going to gain much in terms of performance or data-gathering would be a big strain on their already limited resources. So in that sense it seems like a sensible decision to miss out on the test, and one where they could divert the money saved into development for next year's car.


Q3) Do you think that having the test after only 4 races makes the test slightly less effective than it could be if it were later along in the calendar?

A: If anything I think it makes it more effective. Having the Mugello test 10 or so days before the Spanish GP will allow the teams to trial some of their big updates for that race, and with the way this season has unfolded up to now this could either bunch up the pack even more or give us a slightly better idea of a front-running order.


BONUS) What do you make of the Young Drivers test potentially being brought forward and being held at Silverstone this year?

A: I think it's a great idea. Even with the clause allowing all teams to go to Abu Dhabi at short notice due to bad weather, and Red Bull and Toro Rosso preferring to go to Abu Dhabi in the first place, I'd like to think that the huge following Formula 1 has in the UK would mean the test would be very well attended by fans. If there was some sort of discount or special offer for those of us going to the British Grand Prix, that would be perfect (are you listening Bernie?)

Silverstone or Abu Dhabi? © Andrew Hone/Getty Images

'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

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