Brazil

The #2011 season of #F1 is over with a Mark Webber winwho would of thought....no one that's who with Vettel taking charge in the last lap of qualifying. I'm sure everyone was under the impression that Vettel would take a final victory at interlagos. But alas problems abound as Vettel ended p having gearbox trouble along with Hamilton who had to leave the race which was surprising for the Vodafone team. Button ran a great race, show that he was quicker than the Ferraris on the harder tyre, solidifying his place as second in the drivers championship, which was well deserved.

The most amazing thing to note is that Massa and Hamilton drove next to each other for several laps for the race and some how there cars unlike in other races where they were more like magnets, stayed off one another. Which seemed as odd as Vettel not winning the race.

Abu Dhabi in such.

Who on the planet #earth wouldofthought that Seb would be out after the second turn of the first lap. #Hamilton got to lead almost the entire race and after making a critical pit stop to get past Alonso won the race. Hamilton looked in top form finally after troubles in his house and for some reason speculation from others about Button extending his contract, there should of been no worries there to begin with even if there were some.

On another note go figure that Massa would be running into people, it was great that earlier in the week the topic of he and Hamilton Running into each other over the season was continually brought up. That he actually believes none of the incidents involving him were his fault is unfathomable. That Brazilian at least could look better by owning up to his own mistakes. Keeping the driving line while someone is right beside you is just ignorance as shown today when he and Rosberg touched. It is great to know that Ferrari will keep him around securing the fact that more people will be in danger with him on the track.

Ferrari and Formula1?

Of course what what Montezemolo said last week was a veiled threat, what else could it possibly be #Ferrari is in this sport to make head way with their product or money in some fashion whether they have been with sport since the 1950's makes no never mind to them and of course all the fans they have had made since. Having the largest following in the sport should have nothing todo with what they do with Formula 1.

I'm glad aerodynamics plays no role in how they design their cars and is of little or no importance to them, maybe they could get better readouts from things if someone on the team could keep his car on the road.

It was nice that he came back out and said that it wasn't a threat WTO leave the sport, but he still left it out there that he wants to see major changes in the sport. I'm saddened by the fact that Ferrari would even consider leaving.

Buddh International Circuit... yeah that happened

The inaugural Grand Prix of #India happened this past Sunday with mishaps abound but had nothing to do with the track or officials or ill preparedness of the host country. Like in races earlier in the year people in the back of the pack just seem to not understand what to do at the start of the race. it being a new track and slippery as hell not withstanding, but having Williams Rubens Barrichello to run into not one but two people just seems like a calamity.

Kamui Koboyashis' car up until this point seemed almost indestructible with all of the collisions he has had in the past couple races, but yet India was the track to do him in after having problems at the start had to retire during the first lap after he saw smoke.

Felipe Massa had one hell of a weekend, Ferrari brought 3 new front wings with them to test this weekend and Massa got the one that happened to flex a ridiculous amount. Spark flying everywhere as it scraped along the straight away's then during Saturday's Qualifying missed the chicane on one of the turns had his right front wheel almost come off which led him running into the wall. All of that and for it to only happen to the left front wheel during the race, it most likely;y didn't help that not a lap or two earlier he had a run with his old friend Lewis Hamilton and had gotten a drive through penalty from the stewards.

Timo Glock seemed to have some luck with him at first as he couldn't finish q1 in the 107% time requirement due to mechanical problems and the stewards ended up letting him race. Only to be run into by Kamui and taken out of the race after getting back to the pit lane.

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Qualifying in INDIA....and Seb's on top.

What do you know Seb up top go figure its turning out to be a ridiculous season with the already crowned champion with these 3 races left in the 2011 season.I would like to see Hamilton, Alonso, or Button be able to get up there and put some pressure on him like in Canada, I think hes a great driver but to have him lead  races from 8-15 seconds and at some points up to 25 and have him at the end say it was a good race, makes it more like a field day then a race. I want to see more of Canada or Japan where conditions and team made a huge difference in the out comes of the races.

India being a brand new track and the pressure off of Seb to need to win is one thing but the youngster has said he wants to win for the rest of the season and his consistency proves that he, his team, and his car are on the path to doing just that.


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For those that do not know Formula 1.

This is the biggest event in all of racing and it goes almost all year long all around the world.

Twelve teams in the mix right now each with two cars, one driver per car of course.

Races lap length depend upon track size but that is also due to the fact that races are kept to around 2 hour timeline. So it is not an all day drag out event with cars going around and around.

It may sound odd but drivers in Formula 1 have to obtain a super license from the FIA to even race. To even qualify for this you must be the reigning champion in a lower series race, Euroseries, British, Italian, or Japanese Championships, Indy car is a bit different, to qualify  from Indy you have to be in the top four of the drivers championship at the end of the year. SO in other words only top drivers even get to compete or test F1 cars.

Stiff competition, if drivers in qualifying don't complete a lap in the final qualifying with in 107% of the time of the best lap in the first qualifying they don't get to race.

Drivers can take up to 5gs in turns during a race.

These are some of the highest paid professional athletes in the world with the exception of a few from other sports.

The top 4 teams each spend something like 400 million dollars in a race year.

and for the time being there is no American team or driver. Personally I would love to see something happen with that.

Blown diffusers....out of the picture?

They are trying to keep team from blowing there exhaust over the back wings of the cars to create down force by moving the exhaust ports on the cars to the side or up and away from the wing. But to say this will keep from trying to accomplish some of the same results from something that powerful would just be ridiculous, I would love to see what the designers come up with for getting some of the down force  back into the cars. With all the rules and regulations I hope they find loopholes in tons of them, these cars have been my favorite ever the look is amazing.

 Thank god they don't look like Indy cars and the comparisons people give between that sport and this one.

India is almost here.

Not that it ever went anywhere but we have this brand new track waiting in the wings to be raced on and its only 4 days away. Simulations have been run, testing, comparing, and it comes down to a practice on Friday, Hell yeah.  This has got be the most important event of the season for Force India, specially with a new owner in tow.
Although that statement seems sort of odd when every race there is, is important to every team for tons of reasons so it should go without saying, but it didn't.

India, India, INDIA, NEW DEHLI

Brand new track OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG, I can't wait to see this thing open up, no ones driven on it. It's going to be crazy the track shape looks amazing we have an completely untested field, I can't wait to see what the top 6 do on it  and whatever changes they need to make shape wise I think its gorgeous track. You have several straights before what looks like you go back into hell turn wise. G wise there should be some high ones pull on the track as some of swooping curves are long.

3 Count them 3!

Races left in this season, and brand new track at the end of this month the Buddha Circuit. Should be fun as long as the farmers don't come out of the woodwork complaining about the track.Practices at the end of this week and qualifying. It's India i really don't know what to say about other than the fact that I can't go..

Button is number One? Oh wait no that's Vettel.

Button did great right along side of him his whole team did fantastic getting him in the pit at the right time and fast enough to get out In front of Vettel not once but twice. What an outstanding race at Suzuka, tons of people fighting for position, many a pit stop timed properly, only one car out and it wasn't even due to a wreck sadly it was poor work by the pit crew as Sebastian Buemis' right front tire came off in the 12th lap of the race.

Nico Rosberg did well after having no qualifying time as he had hydraulic problems starting from 23rd he finished 10th. Of course the favorite in town was Kobayashi placed 13th. I would say he is strictly the favorite there being his home country but the Japanese seem to be crazy about who ever they root for as many teams were represented by the crowds at Suzuka today.

Vetted secured his place today as champion barring that the FIA revels nothing mischievous was going on all season. Leaving only 2nd and the Constructors Championships left as we head into the last 4 races left this season and the first ever race in India. Hopefully everything with the farmers and towns folk surrounding the raceway will have settled down, though Bernie seems to have no worries about it.

Vettel 1 point

Seb's got one point to win everything and who doesn't think it's going to happen with how hes dominated most of the races this season and saying it was a good race when no was behind him has been interesting to say the least. The main battle has become who is going to take 2ND place, what an interesting turn of events has taken place there, with Hamilton being out of the past few races his teammate Button has taken it with Alonso right behind.

All attentions for the most part have been turned to next year as Redbull has clearly dominated this season in Drivers championship and the Constructors Championship with Webber placing as many podiums as hes got . If Teams haven't turned to next year I'm not exactly sure what they are still paying attention to other then the fights  top team driver.

I still can't wait for Suzuka and all the fan fare that go along with the rest of the season.

Drivers Meeting

So we supposedly have everyone who drives in Formula  1 is mad at Lewis Hamilton for the way he has been driving in the race this season. He has been to aggressive , he overtakes to often. If this is the case what is the point in being a race car driver and instead being paid to just be a driver . The costs for such a thing would go down drastically as it would be a huge game of follow the leader. All of these reports that people were mad at him and yet left and right people are saying Hamilton won't be the main issue at this meeting in Suzuka. Massa one of his biggest detractors says he won't make an issue of it and he and Hamilton have been going at it since the beginning of the season. That's just one example of what is coming out other drivers have stepped forward as well so where did all this bad press for Hamilton come from or has he just been hated this entire time?

Who really knows what they're thinking in doing all this but I wish a lot of the talk would stop and just let these guys do what they're paid to do and race an F1 car

Back to Business.

Since my last post we have had 5 race, Great Britain - Alonso, Germany - Hamilton, Hungary - Button, Belgium - Vettel, and Italy - Vettel again. The last two continue a some what of a reoccurring theme with this race season as Vettel has now taken First place in now  eight of the thirteen races to date. Still getting podium places in the few he did not quite get. Only a handful of people even have a chance at beating Vettel and it is unlikely that will happen as he needs  to almost knocked out of every race left in this season.

We have Singapore coming up and I love a good night race and one on a tight track should be a fun morning where I live.

Austin 5-2!

Austin city council has voted 5-2 in favor of agreeing to spend money that was already promised on the Formula 1 racetrack. 25 million annually for 4 years, personally I'm glad this is the decision they came to, to have this worldwide sport back in the U.S. is fantastic. I already cannot wait to see this track finished and in such a large and bustling state as Texas.

I know typical race fans in the U.S. are not as big a fans as they used to be but this I the first big step in bringing it back over here again I cannot suggest it enough but to have home team as well would be another big boost to the sport.

F1 and Texassss

I only thought it be proper that the first post I do on this blog be one about my home country and a sport I have most recently fallen in love with. The city of Austin Texas is set to hold it's F1 race in June of 2012 and it's funding or part of it is already under fire. 25 million dollars over the next few years is in danger of being cut and ruining a project that is currently under way.

I cannot possibly understand how something of this size and scope being an issue to taxpayers who are ultimately funding this 25 million, for something that will bring in huge amounts of foreign investment and people who genuinely love the sport.

I agree that Formula  has lost some of it's appeal here in the U.S. but without a team who can blame most Americans. I for won have picked a team I truly enjoy watching, and let be said if there were an American team I would get behind them with everything I had.

Back to the topic at hand, for the moment the vote for the funding has been delayed until the end of week. I would like to see the council move forward on this issue and agree to let this purpose built track continue.