F1 2012 - Races discussion

[Iceman]

It's Back :amazed:

I reckon Merc have a great chance of wins this year....also wouldnt write off mclaren, Ferrari and Lotus. Still think Vettel is gonna win it but I dont mind.

Who are you backing?

[Niamh.]

Any place to watch online if you don't have the new sky channel?

[Iceman]

Have you got Setanta Ireland? it's free for Irish customers if you have setanta it'll be all on that live for free.

[Niamh.]

No, we don't have that

[Iceman]

erm im not sure, I know BBC will show coverage at 1 or 2pm as if it were a live race but only something like 80-90% of the race....

[Niamh.]

That's not too bad I suppose, would be good to get it live streamed somewhere though

[Iceman]

im sure there will be loads, I think the channel itself launched tonight so dig round and you might get a stream then bookmark it and hope it doesnt get taken down.....i think i'll have to miss the first GP :shocked: im going away for Paddy's Day/Weekend.... :(

[Niamh.]

Yeah, so's Gav, he's off to Newcastle for my brothers stag but my other brother Gav will have a place found to watch the GP no doubt

[Iceman]

Yeah, so's Gav, he's off to Newcastle for my brothers stag but my other brother Gav will have a place found to watch the GP no doubt

Is there any earl houses nearby? you might luck out and get it on the TV there.....apparently the new 'f-duct' style thing on Mercedes car is giving them an extra 18kph.....Could this be a Brawn year all over again????

[Niamh.]

Is there any earl houses nearby? you might luck out and get it on the TV there.....apparently the new 'f-duct' style thing on Mercedes car is giving them an extra 18kph.....Could this be a Brawn year all over again????

Nah, not where we are no, we're outside the city.

It'd be good to see a not so dominated by the usuals season (as much as I like Vettel)

[Marc]

Thought the original post said 'Marc' :amazed:

VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

[Iceman]

Nah, not where we are no, we're outside the city.

It'd be good to see a not so dominated by the usuals season (as much as I like Vettel)

Id love Kimi to something special actually id love a 7 or 8 man battle for the season.....im sure there will be streams though....

also here's the first lot of preview quotes.

After months of preparation and weeks of testing, it is almost time for the 12 teams and 24 drivers that make up the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship to show just what they can do. The Formula One fraternity looks ahead to next weekend’s season opener in Melbourne’s Albert Park…

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 1st, 2011 Race - 1st
“Testing has been busy over the last few weeks and I think we have made a decent step with the car. You never really know where you are until we get to Melbourne and even then you don’t really see what everyone has got until qualifying - so I’m looking forward to getting started. Australia and Malaysia are different circuits so they are hard to compare. Australia is not a permanent race track, it’s quite bumpy and it’s tough for the car. Malaysia is smoother, as it’s a permanent race track with fast corners, but both are good tracks and Australia is one of the best places we go to. It’s good to know we’re going racing again, I can’t wait to get on the flight and get down under.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
2011 Qualifying - 3rd, 2011 Race - 5th
“This will be my eleventh Australian GP and I can’t wait to get started. The Grand Prix is one of the best sporting events that we have in Australia. It’s great to see the support and Australian flags in the crowd. I’ve incorporated more of an Australian theme into my helmet, which I’ll be using for the whole year, not just in Australia. It’s been an extremely intense few months for the whole team and it’s incredible when you count up how many sleep-deprived hours have gone in to preparing the car as best we can - from pit stops to reliability to driver comfort in the cockpit - you name it, we’ve always been looking to improve. There’s always a huge amount of interest in the first race; this year is no different and there’s no better place to have it than Australia.”

Jenson Button, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 4th, 2011 Race - 6th
"My first Grand Prix was here way back in 2000 - it was just a buzz to be in Formula One: it was pretty intense, the whole weekend just flew past pretty quickly. I had pole here in 2006 - another good memory. But I think the two most significant memories for me were, in 2009, winning from pole for Brawn GP. It was a momentous race for the entire team and it felt so sweet to give them such a reward. And winning here in 2010… just an incredible day. Going early for the dry tyre, then almost losing the car at Turn Three, putting the others off following my example, and then finding a rhythm and having a fantastic car underneath me. That was my first win for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - it was completely unexpected, but a really significant result for me personally. It is a special race - you step off the plane after a long, cold European winter and it’s usually very sunny and the people are incredibly welcoming. I think the circuit is a nice challenge too - it’s not a particularly technical track, but the surface is always rubbering in across the whole race weekend, and it’s a place that encourages nip-and-tuck racing. For a street track, it’s got a really good flow, you can really find a good rhythm - and it’s got some fast corners too, which is unusual for a road course.

"I think the new rules have definitely made it a more competitive place - it’s easier to pass here now than it ever was. And I think the potential of a second DRS zone will be a real benefit -last year, along the start line wasn’t quite enough for overtaking - I think we’ll get more benefit from a second zone. Finally, the walls around here are close enough to keep your mind focused. I can’t remember a race here that wasn’t eventful or surprising in some way - so it’s the perfect place to kick off the season. I’m happy with our preparations. You always want more laps and more time in the car, but, unlike last year, we’ve had a very solid start to our pre-season. It’s been very difficult to read pace over the winter because a lot of teams have been playing their cards close to their chests: I think it’s going to be extremely close, and I can’t wait to find out where we sit in the pecking order.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 2nd, 2011 Race - 2nd
“Melbourne is a city that has sport running through its veins - and the crowd lives and breathes it. It’s a great place to start the season. For me, Melbourne means sunshine, smiling faces, a great paddock - a bit compact but very friendly, a great city with a really positive vibe - and a racetrack that’s really made for racing. A place where you can really get the back-end of the car moving around quite nicely yet still feel like you’re fully in control of the car. The track has got a nice flow to it - I love the fast sweepers behind the pits, it’s awesome when you get them right - and it’s a place where, the more you can attack, the faster you go. My kind of place! I actually feel more relaxed and ready for the new season than I think I’ve ever done. Everything has gone smoothly with the car - which is more than we can say for last year! - and it just seems to be a responsive and reliable package. My final day in the car - with the aero package we plan to run next weekend - also felt good: the car was a useful step forward. Of course, we haven’t tested it in competition yet, but there’s plenty to feel optimistic about. It’s a bit weird to have driven the car for a whole month and still not done a really fast lap - I guess we’ll really find the limit next Saturday. Obviously, this is always the time of year when you’re feeling positive, but we’ve got plenty to look forward to. I’m going to get off the plane in Australia with a big smile on my face.

“I have a realistic aim: to score some useful points and use the race to kickstart our challenge for the world championship. That might sound like we’re aiming low - we’re not - but, at this time of year, it’s good to remember that it’s going to be a very long season. There’s no point putting all your eggs in one basket - I’d love to win in Melbourne, sure, but there are 19 races afterwards, so it’ll be important to get some points on the board. As long as I can leave Australia feeling confident that we have a car that’s able to fight for the title, then I’ll feel happy. It’s as simple as that.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“I’ve never lost my enthusiasm, optimism or motivation for the start of each new Formula One season - and this year is no exception. As is often the case, you can complete thousands of kilometres of testing, analyse hundreds of thousands of lines of performance data and read pages of web and magazine editorial and still not have a clear idea of overall form going into the first race. I think that’s an intrinsic and fascinating aspect of Formula One: the resetting of the bar at the end of each season and the relentless, and often invisible, quest to emerge on top at the start of a new year. I think Australia will be fascinating: the winter’s testing has been so finely balanced that it’s particularly difficult accurately to judge who’ll be the quickest. And that’s fantastic for Formula One fans across the globe. At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we’ve had an extremely productive winter - I’ve never seen Jenson and Lewis looking so healthy, committed and prepared for a new season. There’s a real hunger within the whole organisation - I’ve witnessed it in conversation with our heads of department, our engineers and our mechanics: we want to win more than ever and we’ve left no stone unturned in our quest for performance. Make no mistake, this will be a long, arduous and difficult campaign, and I’m naturally reluctant to stick my neck out and make any predictions, but my greatest hope is that we go to Australia and put on a world-beating show to demonstrate to the world that Formula One is back, and back with a bang!”

Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 19th, 2011 Race - DNF
"After three pretty solid weeks of testing we're heading to Melbourne in good shape. We've clearly moved on from where we started in 2011, and are a long way ahead of where we were in 2010 but we're still all staying very realistic about what we can do this season. Apart from a few issues in the second test, which were all sorted out for T3, our reliability has been good, and both Vitaly and I put in laps that showed we are close to the pace we want to be. But as everyone knows the tests don't really tell you anything about where you are against everyone else, so we won't really know anything until Saturday in Melbourne. Whatever happens when we get there, I just want it all to start right now. I've had a great winter, worked hard and am heading into 2012 feeling fitter than ever. I've made a couple of changes off track that will help me focus even more on my job with the team and with the step forward we've taken with this year's car, I'm more keen than ever to get out on track and see how we've progressed again this year."

Vitaly Petrov, Caterham
2011 Qualifying - 6th, 2011 Race - 3rd
"Melbourne is obviously somewhere that will always be very special for me. Last year I scored my first F1 podium there and was given a really good welcome by all the Australian fans so I'm sure it will be the same again this year. I think it's pretty clear we won't be in a position to fight for a podium again but I think the goal will be to push the midfield teams as hard as we can and who knows what could happen.... Usually there are quite a few retirements in Australia, and there are a couple of areas of the track that don't leave any room for error, so I hope we're there at the end of the race and able to take advantage of whatever's happened ahead. It will also be a good weekend for me generally as I'm really enjoying life with my new team. It's still early days, but I've been given a great welcome by everyone and I'm starting to build a good relationship with my engineer, so i think we have a good year ahead of us, whatever happens. We spent quite a lot of time in Barcelona looking at how to fine tune the setups specifically for me, and while we do have more work to do in Australia we definitely made some real progress at the last test which puts me in as good a position as we could hope for when we get to Melbourne."

Mark Smith, Caterham technical director
"The Melbourne event poses the usual challenges of a race held on a circuit using public roads which are used once a year for the Grand Prix. This means that the circuit grip evolves significantly throughout the weekend and can therefore make it tricky to target the optimum balance in advance of the race. The tyres being used this year are the soft and medium compounds which we gained some useful insights into during pre-season testing, albeit in very different conditions on a different type of circuit. The ambient temperature in Melbourne can be expected to be somewhere between the high teens and the low twenties, so not that far off what we saw in Spain in February, but the nature of the circuit is different and places reasonably high demands on the brakes and consequently on entry stability. Equally, maximising traction out of the lower speed corners is generally an area of focus. Whilst the cars will have a high average speed at this circuit the aero setup will still be relatively high downforce. Overtaking here is difficult so KERS and DRS will be valuable tools and of course for Caterham F1 Team this will be the first opportunity to use KERS in a race environment. In terms of updates since pre season testing we will have a new front wing and bodywork cooling option available to us. The front wing is simply a logical step in aerodynamic development and has been an integral part of the aero package for a while, but will be introduced for the first time in Melbourne. The cooling option gives us more opportunity to optimise cooling requirements versus aerodynamic performance which is a further step forwards from the package we ran in Barcelona last week and gives us more options to work with at the first race."

Tony Fernandes, Caterham team principal
"Melbourne 2012 is a very important race for us and one I am possibly more excited about than any race we have participated in our two short years in F1. We shed the new team tag at the start of 2011, but for most of last season we were racing in what felt like no-mans-land. We were comfortably ahead of the two teams that made their debuts at the same time as us in 2010, and for a large part of last year we were what felt like inches away from the teams just ahead. Now it is time for us to take our place as a midfield team, and we have everything in place to do just that. If we do, and find ourselves racing teams like Williams, Toro Rosso and Sauber I think that will be an incredible achievement, from a starting point of an empty factory in September 2009 to racing teams who have decades on us in terms of establishment and development. If we are not quite there at the start of the season it will not be for lack of effort, and we will keep fighting all year to bridge the gap to what will be a very tightly packed group of teams just in front."

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
2011 Qualifying - DNQ, 2011 Race - n/a
"I’m feeling positive ahead of the Australian Grand Prix after having completed 10 laps with the new F112 last Monday. Of course this was only a first contact and we didn’t push it to the limit but the important thing was to get the ball rolling. It’s not ideal to miss testing but we must look forward now. The new management have done an incredible job putting everything together and we’ll do the best we can to continue progressing. We’re in the right direction. Last year we only managed to complete five laps in the third practice session and failed to qualify for the race, so I’m looking to etch out that memory.”

Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
"After a long winter of hard work, we’ve finally made it to Australia and are really looking forward to trying the car out and continue learning. We need to try and make the most of our time on Friday and Saturday morning to make it to qualifying and the race in the best possible conditions. We would have liked to have come with more mileage but I think it’s an achievement to have made it with a 100 percent new car and a practically new team. Our aim is to do things well, with seriousness and patience. Albert Park is a circuit I like a lot because there are many overtaking opportunities and hard-braking areas, besides various chicanes. It’s a track where you have to drive aggressively and know how to ride over a lot of kerbs. The most important aspect of the car is braking, traction and its top speed, which is why the DRS will play an important role.”

Luis Perez-Sala, HRT team principal
"It doesn’t seem true but the first race of the season is already upon us. We’ve spent three months working relentlessly, but the team and the car are ready for the great task ahead of us. We have done a lot of things since the last race of 2011 in Brazil and I’m very proud of the entire team but, without a doubt, the hardest part comes now. We know where we are but also where we wish to be and with the team spirit and sacrifice that we have shown, I’m convinced that we can achieve it.”

Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 9th, 2011 Race - DSQ
“I am very much looking forward to what will be my third season in Formula One, and at the same time my third season with the Sauber F1 Team. We had promising pre-season testing with the C31 and the car feels pretty good. This, together with the experience I gained last year, makes me a lot more confident now. For me the main target is that we are more consistent this year. In 2010 we had a difficult first part of the season, and only recovered in the second half. In 2011 it was vice versa - we had a great start but struggled later in the season. If we can consistently display our best potential, we could score consistently. It must be like this. Personally I did a lot of training during the winter break and feel very fit now. Melbourne is a great place to start the season because the people there really like racing and Formula One. The city is very much alive and, as soon as you get there, the atmosphere tells you: Yes, here we go again, it’s time to start! I hope the weather will still be nice and warm during the Grand Prix weekend, as there the summer is almost over. The Albert Park Circuit itself has a very nice lay-out. The fact it isn’t a permanent race track, and therefore very slippery at the beginning of the weekend, doesn’t make the set up work for the first Grand Prix any easier, but to adapt to the improving grip level is a challenge for everyone.”

Sergio Perez, Sauber
2011 Qualifying - 13th, 2011 Race - DSQ
“I just can’t wait to go racing again. My feelings ahead of this season are quite different to last year, when everything was entirely new to me. Now, with one season in Formula One under my belt, I feel physically and mentally capable of doing the job. One year of experience isn’t that much, but even this will allow me to focus more on performance than I was able to last year. I got used to a variety of circumstances which come along when you are a Formula One driver. This goes for procedures and communication inside the team, but it also includes that I found a good personal life balance with all the travelling. My target for 2012 is to make the most of the car in every given situation and to fully establish myself in Formula One. We have made really good progress during testing and learnt a lot about the new car. Nevertheless, the track in Melbourne can still come up with surprises. Last year, for example, we would never have expected it was possible to get away with only one pit stop for the race distance because testing suggested higher tyre wear. So we will see how we manage the first Grand Prix and, although the track in Melbourne is a special one and not that representative, we will get a first indication of where we are with the C31 in terms of performance.”

Peter Sauber, Sauber team principal
“This coming season is the 20th for the Sauber F1 Team. Having said this, you might expect that the first race of a season would be routine by now. But this is by no means the case. I even have the feeling that this year the excitement is special. The winter tests left the impression that the competition could be tighter than ever before. Apparently the midfield teams have reduced the gap to the top teams. I am really pleased with the progress we made during testing and I think we are well prepared. We have to be because we have set ourselves quite high targets for 2012. We want to score points on a regular basis and significantly improve our position in the constructors’ championship. We are well aware that this sounds very ambitious, but this is what we are working on.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
“Following the three pre-season tests, everybody in the team is excited to start racing and keen to see where we really stand compared to our competitors. As a team we feel well prepared. Sergio is not a rookie anymore, and both drivers will continue to work with their race engineers from last year, which will enable us to start from a higher level. The Albert Park track features mostly stop start corners and changes of direction, so good traction and braking stability are needed. Since Albert Park is not a permanent race track it changes its grip level considerably during the weekend. This is something to consider when setting up the car, as well as the fact that this circuit tends to be harder on the rear tyres than the tracks where we have been testing prior to the season. Track temperature will also be important, but can vary quite significantly depending on the weather. Historically overtaking has been difficult in Melbourne, but this time there will be two DRS zones. With regard to tyres, Pirelli is supplying the medium and soft compound. Both versions are more aggressive compared to last year which will result in a higher number of pit stops. Technically we will basically use the same specification car which we were running during the last test in Barcelona with just some minor refinements. Looking at the results from the final test, we are confident we can have a strong start to the new season.”

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 11th, 2011 Race - DNF
"Finally, we can stop trying to read the tea-leaves from testing and actually go racing. Melbourne is a perfect location, and the ideal place to start the season. The city loves Formula One, the fans create a great atmosphere and obviously, as drivers, we feel that too. And because we've already got a buzz about what's to come, it just makes you want to get out there and start driving. During winter testing, we completed lots of miles and built up a really complete set of data, which should put us in a good position for the first race and to develop the car even further in the right direction. We're ready for the 2012 season to begin..."

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 7th, 2011 Race - DNF
"I'm really looking forward to the start of the new season in Australia next weekend. I had a perfect winter break with plenty of rest, a good training camp and a successful pre-season test programme where we were able to put a lot of mileage on our F1 W03 car. So we are really ready for the first race. I always love the atmosphere in Melbourne; it's a great city and the fans are fantastic. After all of the hard work, and all of the speculation, it will be really interesting to see where we are on Saturday afternoon after qualifying. Before heading to Australia, I will be in New Zealand for a bike training camp to help me adjust to the time difference and the climate 'Down Under'."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"The build-up to the start of a new season is always an exciting time, no matter how many times you have experienced it, and everyone at the team is looking forward to the action getting underway in Melbourne next week. We are well prepared, both at the factory and on track, as a result of our structured development and testing plan, and I am confident that we are in a good position. How this translates to our performance relative to the competition is, of course, the key question and it will be interesting to see how it all shapes out next weekend. My thanks to all of the team at Brackley and Brixworth for their hard work and dedication over the winter months and I hope we will be able to reward them with a strong season. Melbourne has always been one of the atmospheric races on the calendar, and certainly one of my favourite cities to visit, so I look forward to a good week ahead."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"It's only a little over 100 days since Formula One was in Brazil for the final race of the 2011 season, but now we are ready for the 2012 season to begin and to get back to what we love best: going motor racing. Starting the third season with our Silver Arrows works team, we think we are better prepared than the two years before, which indicates that our learning process is heading in the right direction. The Mercedes F1 W03 has run reliably since its first run on 16 February, completed 4,450 km during pre-season testing, and achieved an average daily testing mileage of 472 km: this equates to an average of more than one and a half Grand Prix distances during each of the nine test days. Nico and Michael are both excited about the new season and highly motivated, while our team members back at base in Brackley and Brixworth and on track are working extremely hard to deliver both performance and reliability at the opening race. The whole team has done a good job in both areas this winter. After testing, we know we have a solid basis to work from and a good platform for development. Understandably, there is much speculation about the pecking order of the new season, and finally we will get a first answer on Saturday afternoon during qualifying in Melbourne, when everybody has to put their cards on the table. Before the first race of this long season, I would like to thank all our team members who have worked so hard and with dedication during the past months, with our clear target which is making the next step in improving our performance compared to our competitors. We aim to show that we have taken this step forward as the first part of a continuous process of improvement."

[Marc]

dats a long post

[Iceman]

Thought the original post said 'Marc' :amazed:

VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Aw you thought you were wanted......how sweet. You weren't.

[Marc]

Aw you thought you were wanted......how sweet. You weren't.

:bawling: Eoin F1 sucks s*it

[thesheriff443]

off topic,just watched the film about senna's death,

[Niamh.]

off topic,just watched the film about senna's death,

I watched it just recently as well, it was really good and really sad

[Iceman]

off topic,just watched the film about senna's death,

Great film. I read recently that Prost said he would not watch it.....

[thesheriff443]

yea its a great film, ithink he knew he was going to die,

[Niamh.]

Great film. I read recently that Prost said he would not watch it.....

Oh really? He was alright in the end of it though :laugh: My brother (who would have been watching the GPs while the feud was going on) defended him and said, it was mainly Balestre(sp) who was the bad guy

[Niamh.]

yea its a great film, ithink he knew he was going to die,

It seemed like it from the footage of him on that weekend, didn't it?

[Iceman]

yea its a great film, ithink he knew he was going to die,

Yeah the movie definitely gives that impression, watching it knowing whats coming was sickening.

[thesheriff443]

it was a bit weird knowing the outcome,but what made laugh was him on the moped with a helmet and his girlfriend without one,

[Iceman]

it was a bit weird knowing the outcome,but what made laugh was him on the moped with a helmet and his girlfriend without one,

Yeah he's like bitch please.....:laugh:

Let's hope Bruno can do something good this season.

[Novo]

Hamilton 1st
Button 2nd
Di Resta 3rd

[Legend killer]

I rekon Button will win this race. Looks again like Ferrari have ANOTHER poor car can't remember the last time they had a good car tbh

[Iceman]

I rekon Button will win this race. Looks again like Ferrari have ANOTHER poor car can't remember the last time they had a good car tbh

http://www.coinflip.com/resources/images/raikkonen.jpg

when he was there:spin:

[Iceman]

Whether Mercedes has done enough to propel Schumacher into a fairytale ending to his career is uncertain though unlikely. Whether the season-ending Brazilian GP will be his last race is another unknown.

“That’s just totally unimportant at the moment, I don’t even think about it now,” Schumacher said. “Now, it is all about focussing and concentrating on understanding our car, so that we will have a positive season. I will certainly not be nailed down now.”

People thinking to November already :o

[Iceman]

So close to start of season but Sunday seems ages away

[Iceman]

Practice will be tomorrow morning :D

[BBfanUSA]

GP Austraila is this weekend right? I better record it on my DVR. Most of the races are on at absurd times here in america.

[Iceman]

GP Austraila is this weekend right? I better record it on my DVR. Most of the races are on at absurd times here in america.

same here well not too bad 6am race

[Iceman]

2 hours until practice :worship:

[King Gizzard]

Rosberg's going to win this

[Iceman]

Rosberg's going to win this

I reckon it could happen, merc look super strong. Im just waiting to see what Red Bull have been hiding all winter

[Novo]

Should be an F1 prediction game not enough people watch it on here though i suppose, i usually watch half the races a year going to try and watch nearly all this year though

[King Gizzard]

Can we have a quick sweepstake

[Novo]

Good idea that

[Iceman]

Should be an F1 prediction game not enough people watch it on here though i suppose, i usually watch half the races a year going to try and watch nearly all this year though

We can enetr people we know watch it but we need to get it done before 1.30.....

[Iceman]

actually yeah sweepstake sounds good.

[Iceman]

how and who will do it?

[King Gizzard]

For the sweepstake Don't suppose it matters about doing it for tonight if its only the practice and you don't actually do anything anyway

[Iceman]

okay well sort it out tomorrow or something.....

[Iceman]

Schumacher was 3rd in practice 1 and 1st in Practice 2 why cant this be Qualifying :sad:

[Iceman]

http://www.oddschecker.com/motor-sport/formula-one/australian-grand-prix/winner

Schumacher and Buttons odds shortening.....Schumi was 9th fav to win 2 days ago....

[Novo]

Great each way bet at 16/1

[Iceman]

do you wanna organise a sweepstake or anyone for that matter? last time i did it i got given out to...

[Novo]

Yeah alright, would it be better to do a draw before every race so people get different drivers for each week if you get what i mean? rather then set a driver for each person for the whole championship.. people might get bored of that after a bit, think the way i am thinking off will keep the interest going knowing that you'll get a different driver each week

[Iceman]

Yeah seems fine, should have done that last year to be honest....

[Novo]

I'll sort it out now

[Iceman]

grand ill go hassel people to sign up when its up lol

[Iceman]

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps
1 4 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.800 1:25.626 1:24.922 14
2 3 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.832 1:25.663 1:25.074 15
3 10 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:26.498 1:25.845 1:25.302 21
4 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:26.586 1:25.571 1:25.336 18
5 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:27.117 1:26.297 1:25.651 17
6 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:26.773 1:25.982 1:25.668 18
7 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:26.763 1:25.469 1:25.686 16
8 18 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1:26.803 1:26.206 1:25.908 20
9 12 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:27.464 1:26.314 1:26.451 18
10 16 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 1:27.024 1:26.319 No time 16
11 17 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 1:26.493 1:26.429 12
12 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:26.688 1:26.494 12
13 14 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:26.182 1:26.590 12
14 19 Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 1:27.004 1:26.663 16
15 11 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1:27.469 1:27.086 16
16 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:27.633 1:27.497 16
17 15 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1:26.596 11
18 9 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 1:27.758 9
19 20 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1:28.679 7
20 21 Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1:29.018 8
21 24 Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1:30.923 10
22 25 Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1:31.670 9
DNQ 22 Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1:33.495 6
DNQ 23 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1:33.643 6

[Iceman]

Merc looked super strong including Rosberg, think Button will take lead tomorrow and Lewis down to 4th

[Iceman]

Karthikeyan, Ricciardo and Kovalainen are being investigated by the stewards for allegedly hindering Alonso, Schumacher and de la Rosa respectively. And suggesting that it could yet be a long night, there is talk that Red Bull and Lotus may decide to protest the much-talked-about 'F-duct rear wing' on the Mercedes.

[Iceman]

Merc say confident wing is legal as was approved already, no chang methinks, Schumi starts 4th

[michael21]

Iceman made his F1 return in the Australian GP qualifying :amazed: but did not do well going out in Q1he will start from 18th Lewis Hamilton got pole :dance: with Jenson Button 2nd making it a all McLaren-Mercedes & Brit front row :dance::dance::dance:

[BBfanUSA]

same here well not too bad 6am race

it said 2am and i forgot to record it. Fortuanatly the station in the states that had it reran it about 1 PM but there was NASCAR in the way and so I just decided to record the F1 race.

Found out who won though GJ Button

[Wildcat!]

Good to see Raikonnen out there. I EVEN FORGOT HE WAS coming back.
Great race from Button today, hats off. My two guys Michael, and Lewis did not do so well. U nlucky Michael, Lewis just got beat by Button at the start.
Looking fwd to next race. :)

[Iceman]

Cant believe that Schumi was doing so well, I think you can count him as contender this year from the little we saw of him all weekend.

[Iceman]

Hopefully this thread will be used if anyones watching...

anyway heres how sky did compared to BBC.

Over two million fewer people witnessed the climax to Sunday's thrilling season-opening race in Australia - the first grand prix to be screened exclusively on Sky Sports - than in 2011.

Jenson Button's victory was watched by 1.02 million fans, compared to the 3.1 million of us who tuned in to see Sebastian Vettel take the chequered flag in Melbourne last season.

Sky's audiences were always going to be down on the ten-year high figures pulled in the by the BBC last season, but they'll be quietly pleased with the results given the early nature of Sunday's 2012 curtain raiser.

The race itself attracted an average audience of 874,000 viewers, which is impressive when you compare it to the 1.2 million averaged for Arsenal's Champions League clash with AC Milan earlier this month.

The BBC were also proclaiming a moral victory after 3.2 million fans tuned in for their highlights package on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, their press office were quick to deliver the news on Monday morning, pointing towards a 100,000 audience increase in comparison to last season's live brodcast.

Inevitable with the start time but still good to see BBC are up on last year.

[Iceman]

9 hours until P1.

Everyone reckons Merc have Pole already :o

[michael21]

9 hours until P1.

Everyone reckons Merc have Pole already :o

McLaren onetwo :hmph:

the race sch out in lap9

[Iceman]

Mark my words.... Merc have an extra 18KPH on straights....

[michael21]

Mark my words.... Merc have an extra 18KPH on straights....

but can they keep the car on track it would be good to have a new team fighting for pole and the championships

for pole

Nico Rosberg @ 12/1

Michael Schumacher @ 14/1

go to bookee :laugh:

[Iceman]

but can they keep the car on track it would be good to have a new team fighting for pole and the championships

for pole

Nico Rosberg @ 12/1

Michael Schumacher @ 14/1

go to bookee :laugh:

A fluke gearbox problem for Schumi....Rosberg just hasnt got it together yet.

10 euro on Schumi....

[Iceman]

Mclaren and Mercedes look the strongest here judging by practice.

[Iceman]

hamilton = 1
button = 2
Schumacher = 3 :worship: finally, been waiting for a good Qualifying from him for 2 years!

[Iceman]

Worldwide trends · Change
#FenerbahceliOlmak
#HappyBirthdayUjfalusi
#celebritainshouldbeatvshow
GREY and TAY
McLaren 1-2
Hamilton and Button
In a Long Distance Relationship
Schumi
Raikkonen
Vettel

[Novo]

Reckon it's going to be another win for Button

[Iceman]

Reckon it's going to be another win for Button

Dont think anyone could have predicted todays race, exciting though, 2 different winners in the first 2 races........

[Novo]

Alonso was 50/1 to win the race and Perez was 250/1

[Iceman]

Alonso was 50/1 to win the race and Perez was 250/1

I think Perez's 'mistake' was due to the radio saying back off..... Alonso was mighty all day though, Kimi doing well again so soon is shocking. Sebastian vettel who??????:conf:

[arista]

Amazing

On SkySports F1HD


I had a Quad four screen mix
& Sound in 5.1


Utter Quality.

[Iceman]

Practice 1 Fri 03:00
Practice 2 Fri 07:00
Practice 3 Sat 04:00
Qualifying Sat 07:00
Race Sun 08:00


Early starts need to bugger off

[Iceman]

And there is one good omen that might boost the chances of it happening — Schumacher's 91st and last win to date came in Shanghai, when he was with Ferrari in 2006.

:o 6 years without a win.....

[Iceman]

http://i44.tinypic.com/s3psp0.png

[Iceman]

Odds for pole.

[Iceman]

Lewis Hamilton’s prospects for this weekend’s 2012 Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix have taken an early hit with news that McLaren are to change the gearbox on his car, thus incurring a five-place grid penalty.

Hamilton, who revealed the transmission issue in the Shanghai paddock on Thursday, has already endured a frustrating start to his season. The 2008 champion qualified on pole for both of the first two rounds, but has yet to finish higher than third.

The China penalty means Hamilton will now start Sunday’s race no higher than sixth. He lies second in the driver standings, five points behind leader Fernando Alonso, and five ahead of third-placed team mate Jenson Button.

[Iceman]

Schumacher looks hot for pole.

[Iceman]

Rosberg gets his first pole :o
Schumacher is second :o
Kobayashi is third :o
Raikonnen is fourth :o
Vettel is eleventh :o

[Iceman]

Also its a mercedes 1-2 :crazy:

[James]

Should be a good one. Chinese Grand Prix was the best last year, in my opinion.

I can watch this one live on the BBC. :thumbs:

[Iceman]

Should be a good one. Chinese Grand Prix was the best last year, in my opinion.

I can watch this one live on the BBC. :thumbs:

I get Live BBC coverage of every race on Setanta Ireland..... but yeah will watch on BBC, cant see the mercs staying ahead for long though....

[James]

I get Live BBC coverage of every race on Setanta Ireland..... but yeah will watch on BBC, cant see the mercs staying ahead for long though....

Yeah, was going to say that. They have the best DRS apparently which they can take advantage of more in qualifying.

Should be a pretty open race.

[Novo]

http://img2.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/d/u/duv3egdup3x6e3dd.jpg

Come on Lord Rosberg

[Novo]

http://img2.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/d/u/duv3egdup3x6e3dd.jpg

Come on Lord Rosberg

[Mystic Mock]

Well I like it that Vettel isn't dominating it this year.

And come on Lewis Hamilton.

[Novo]

Rosberg like a boss

[Mystic Mock]

Hamilton went from 7th at the start of the race and ended up finishing 3rd at the end of the race.

What a hero and driver.:dance:

[Iceman]

Rosberg like a boss

What a performance from him, 24 seconds ahead is crazy....

[Iceman]

Practice 1 Fri 08:00
Practice 2 Fri 12:00
Practice 3 Sat 09:00
Qualifying Sat 12:00
Race Sun 13:00


Thank **** for Normal Times again :worship:

[Iceman]

Still not sure about this race, seems to me that fighting has ramped up a bit since last weekend....

[Iceman]

Reckon it'll be cancelled tomorrow.

[Iceman]

Force India will leave Practice 2 early.

[Iceman]

Force India withdraw from Practice.

[Iceman]

Somethings happened Sauber too

[Marc]

:suspect:

[michael21]

:bawling::bawling::bawling: what going on :suspect:

[michael21]

as long as there all take part in tomorrow Qualifying it should be OK :dance:

[Iceman]

Okay so if theres huge unrest tonight it might get cancelled......

anywho cant see past Merc for pole.

[Iceman]

Okay so if theres huge unrest tonight it might get cancelled......

anywho cant see past Merc for pole.

[Iceman]

Schumacher out /facepalm

[Iceman]

Vettel on pole......admittedly this will be Mclaren, mercedes, ferrari and Lotus worst track of the year...

[Iceman]

Terrific race

[arista]

Terrific race


Yes in 5.1 Sound
on SkySportsF1HD

With Quad Screen Option.


Bliss

[Novo]

Thought Kimi had it won before him and Vettel went in the pits

[Iceman]

Thought Kimi had it won before him and Vettel went in the pits

its just crazy 4 races, 4 different winners, 4 different teams.

[Iceman]

Qualifying is normal times again :D

[Iceman]

Normal times again :dance2:

Schumi has a 5 place penalty also.

[michael21]

Normal times again :dance2:

Schumi has a 5 place penalty also.

so he be starting 29 then :laugh:

[Iceman]

so he be starting 29 then :laugh:

ha yes.

[Novo]

think this will be Grosjean's race

[Wildcat!]

Pole for Schumacher, that was brilliant!
Pity the penalty, but it was vinage! :)

[Iceman]

That was ****ing outstanding. he needed this big time, the merc has super pace so things look good for tomorrow,.

[thesheriff443]

hardest race track in the world!

[michael21]

That was ****ing outstanding. he needed this big time, the merc has super pace so things look good for tomorrow,.

i new you would make this thread :idc:

it because he called Michael :hmph:

[Novo]

Schumacher to make it 6 different winners from 6 races?

[Iceman]

i new you would make this thread :idc:

it because he called Michael :hmph:

yeah because ive missed loads for the past 3 years :idc:

Ultimately a great race. Delighted webber won, 6 different winners from 6 races, just insane, then theres the potentials:

Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Kimi, Grosjean, Perez.

[Iceman]

race is on Sunday Evening at 7PM clashing with the Ireland match. :bored: silly football people, dont they know this is my favourite Grand prix on the calendar!

[Iceman]

Schumacher got blocked on his last lap by Massa. ****

vettel gets pole

[Shanna]

Eeek! Should have known better than to look. Haven't watched the qualifying yet. I'm a huge fan, have been since I was a teen. This is the one Grand Prix I actually don't much like. Truly would rather watch the football than this one, and that's saying something :P

Which Team and Driver are you keen on?

[Novo]

Massa has really gone downhill

[Iceman]

Eeek! Should have known better than to look. Haven't watched the qualifying yet. I'm a huge fan, have been since I was a teen. This is the one Grand Prix I actually don't much like. Truly would rather watch the football than this one, and that's saying something :P

Which Team and Driver are you keen on?

Iceman = Kimi

I also had the username Schumacher for a bit :D

[Iceman]

Vettel on pole but everyone looks super close. Starts in 1.30 mins.

[Iceman]

amazeballs

ICEMAN second, SCHUMACHER third

[Wildcat!]

Dont post here often these days, but had to congratulate Iceman today. Soo happy for schmmi's podium. :)
Gutted for Lewis, Maldonado should be banned! :mad:

[Legend killer]

2 things i would like to say

Firstly if Michael had a bit more luck this year he could easily be at the top of the standings at the mo

Also i personally think that Alonso is the only driver of the modern group that comes close to a Prime Michael

[Novo]

Looks like Schumacher is going to have it took of him

[Wildcat!]

Why? :(

[Iceman]

He apparently used DRS under yellows. I reckon a time penalty possibly 20-25 seconds.

[Iceman]

http://www.vivaf1.com/penalties.php

Just keep track of here, they should update soon.

[Iceman]

if it stands Schumacher will extend his lead of all time podiums to 155.

Also the last time these three shared a podium was Canada 2006 :o

[Iceman]

Ross Brawn is confirming that Michael Schumacher's DRS was turned off!! #F1 #Valencia. It was Mark Webber who claimed it was open. #F1 #Valencia.

[Iceman]

Worldwide trends · Change
#WhatReallyTurnsMeOn
#ReplaceTitleSongWithBEHA
Fernando Alonso
Hamilton
Maldonado
Ferrari
Matador Yaşar
Schumacher
Vettel
Swedish House Mafia

F1 dominating the trends.

[michael21]

amazeballs

ICEMAN second, SCHUMACHER third

its just like the old days :bawling::bawling::bawling:

[Iceman]

like stepping back in time 10 years LOL

He's still under investigation.....even if he loses it im not too pushed he had such a strong race, the overtaking and chasing down of cars at the end was immense.

[Iceman]

Breaking News: Kimi Raikkonen under investigation for using DRS under yellows. #f1 #Valencia

[michael21]

like stepping back in time 10 years LOL

He's still under investigation.....even if he loses it im not too pushed he had such a strong race, the overtaking and chasing down of cars at the end was immense.

Breaking News: Kimi Raikkonen under investigation for using DRS under yellows. #f1 #Valencia

just deduct 20 point from them both :dance::dance::dance:

[Legend killer]

PMSL anyone watching on the red button it is unreal how funny eddie Jordan is i really would love to meet this guy

[Iceman]

Todays podium was also the one with most championships...... Alsonso (2) Kimi (1) and Schumacher (7).

[Legend killer]

BBC coverage is so much better then Sky's

[Iceman]

Michael Schumacher's podium finish in the European Grand Prix is under investigation after the German was summoned to see the stewards to explain why he used his DRS in a yellow flag zone at the end of the race.

Schumacher secured the first top three finish since he returned to F1, but he may not keep the result if the stewards deem that he was wrong to have used the DRS in the closing stages of the race while yellow flags were out.

Sebastian Vettel was penalised for using DRS under yellow at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year.

Mark Webber, who finished right behind Schumacher on the road, complained about his Mercedes rival's actions - and Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner said he hoped the stewards would take action over the matter.

"I am sure the stewards are having a good look at it, because if you look at it, it is pretty clear," explained Horner. "Mark was very vocal on the radio that Michael had used the DRS and there is very clearly a yellow flag on the right hand side once Michael had it open.

"We know from bitter experience that you are not allowed to use it. Seb had a drive through in Barcelona, so it is really up to the stewards."

Although video evidence suggests that Schumacher's DRS was open when yellows were out, sources suggest that the German driver had actually slowed for the warning flags as is requested by the regulations.

still waiting

[Iceman]

they're currently doing the investigations......no idea what'll happen, think Kimi being under investigation was a mistake though...

[Iceman]

Maldonado gets 20 second penalty for collision with Hamilton. Senna gets P10.#F1

[Iceman]

any second now...

[Iceman]

Stewards room still busy. Schumacher called to defend allegation from Webber, that he used DRS under yellow flags. If proved, could lose 3rd

[Iceman]

@adamcooperf1 #F1 No action against Michael Schumacher for DRS incident

#**** yeah

[Iceman]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m64nnv6Ss21qjx0uxo1_500.jpg

[Iceman]

Next Sunday!

[michael21]

i going to restart the season now

[Iceman]

Qualifying results.

1. Alonso
2. Vettel
3. Schumacher

Best start this year for Schumi (after he got pole taken away)

[Iceman]

http://www.vipbox.tv/watch/57997/1/f1---german-grand-prix-race-live-stream-online.html

Stream, as far s I know theres none for UK fans unless you have SkyF1

[Iceman]

Michael Schumacher is hoping for a strong result to mark his 300th grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps next weekend.

Schumacher started his career at the Belgian circuit back in 1991 when he was drafted in to replace Bertrand Gachot at Jordan. He went on to take his first victory at the circuit a year later before going on to win a further five Belgian Grands Prix in his career.

Next weekend's race will see Schumacher become only the second driver (alongside Rubens Barrichello) to take part in 300 grand prix weekends and the seven-time champion is hoping for a good result.

"Spa is like my living room; for me, it's clearly the number one race track in the world," he said. "It's uncanny how I always seem to have special moments there - my debut, my first win, a world championship victory and many great races.

"The fact that I will also take part in my 300th grand prix at Spa was somehow almost inevitable and we will have to celebrate it in the right way. I'm proud to be just the second driver in the history of the sport to reach this milestone and there's no question that we are looking to have a particularly nice weekend. We delivered a good performance in Spa last year; I'll be doing everything possible to drive a strong race."

Last year Schumacher drove from last on the grid to fifth in the race at Spa and Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn is hoping for another strong weekend this year.

"For the second year in succession, Spa will be a special occasion for Michael and the team as we follow his 20th anniversary last year by celebrating his 300th Grand Prix this time around," he said. "It is a fantastic achievement which has so far only been matched by one other driver, and we look forward to celebrating with him, and hopefully a strong weekend."

And here's Michael preppin for his first ever race 21 years ago :pipe:

http://en.espnf1.com/PICTURES/CMS/11300/11369.jpg

[Iceman]

Cant wait for this race..... Schumacher saying he doesnt think he'll make it to 400 :laugh:

[Iceman]

Webber already has a gearbox penalty, so even if he gets pole, it's back to 6th for him. keep an eye on Kimi and Roman.....reckon they could be snatching pole.

[King Gizzard]

Jake Humphrey's left BBC to front BT's Premier League coverage

[Iceman]

thank **** for that.

Hamilton is on the brink of signing with merc? I think.

[BBfanUSA]

watching Singapore GP live in America. (7 AM about here)

NASCAR doesn't have a night road course race. I would love to see that someday happen.

[Iceman]

Schumacher gets 10 place penalty for next race.....On Wednesday we'll know his future. :bawling:

[BBfanUSA]

Next year F1 will be on NBC (4 races, Brazil, Austin and two other neither Manhattan) and NBCSN in the US. Since NBCSN also has indycar, for the American GP races, I'd imagine they will be using the indycar team but other than that, It'll be sky. Also expect most of the races to be tapedelayed. But they'll be leading into some of the indycar races so Yay for me, I don't have to get up at absurd times.

The reason why Manhattan will be on NBCSN is because NBC is contracted to show the final 2 round of the US Open which is on the same Weekend.

[Legend killer]

I think we can all agree Alonso is in a different league to Vettell. When both had somewhat the same level of car Alonso was tapping that ass with ease sadly as usual Vettell is driving a car many leagues ahead of anyone else's

[Legend killer]

I really feel sorry for Alonso quite clearly in a different league to Vettel but just does not have the same luck. Not only does he have a car light years ahead of any other on the grid but even when he crashes it never seems to do any serious damage.

[Niamh.]

Go on Kimi woo hoo!!

[James]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm doing all of that. You don't have to remind me every single time.

:joker: That was very funny.

[Niamh.]

:joker: That was very funny.

He's hilarious, his interview with David was funny as well The last time the team gave me s**t for not smiling enough :laugh:

[James]

I've merged the 2012 races threads together.

[Iceman]

Iceman winning = everyone winning, so proud of kimi what a comeback year......