2010 formula 1 Grand Prix season

[Admin]

As the end of the season approaches, the F1 circus again goes halfway around the world -- to South America. The Brazilian Grand Prix is one of the toughest on the F1 calendar. The four point three kilometre circuit 'between the lakes', as Interlagos means when translated, demands everything of the drivers' skills.
Experience the track out the drivers' perspective!

[John the Traveller]

I know there is one more race after Brazil however I think that this is it for the main players. No skulduggery or stupidity should be ruled out! Brazil traditionally shows which non contender drivers are prepared to back a contender mate. For instance should Alonso find himself near Michael Schumacher then he should be very wary. MS is a great mate of MW and they share a common allegiance through Mercedes. Mercedes owe MW a great deal for his silence over the two time debacle at Le Mans. I am sure we remember MW flying above the trees TWICE!! Well bring it on............shame it's at such a silly broadcast hour
Cheers,
John

[John the Traveller]

I smell a rat! I think MW may have been told!
John

Mark Webber has declared himself an inconvenience to his Red Bull team, who he feels are emotionally behind team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

Despite still being firmly in contention for the Formula One World Championship, Webber delivered his latest damning appraisal of life behind the scenes at a team where battle lines remain drawn.

In many respects, Webber's media gathering ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix was often more about what he did not say than his actual comments.

At times the Australian wore an air of resignation, sat slumped in his chair, shrugged his shoulders and there were a number of lengthy silences before he answered questions.

For a man only 11 points behind Championship leader Fernando Alonso with two races remaining, Webber appeared more akin to someone who had just lost the title rather than being firmly in the hunt.

Asked whether it was a fair assessment that he felt the team was still not fully behind him, there was a long pause before Webber said: "Technically everything's been very, very good."

Pushed as to the personal, emotional side of the coin, Webber made his feelings clear, adding: "It's obvious isn't it?

"I'm an old stager and when young, new chargers come onto the block that's where the emotion is. That's the way it is, which is absolutely fine.

"I've had a great opportunity and a great car to go and do some great things this year, and I have done that.

"I have a chance of winning the Championship, I've won four races, I've had nine podiums, it's been a sensational year for me.

"I can still put the icing on the cake and I'd love to be able to do that. If we don't, the sun still comes up on Monday morning.

"But I've favourites in life. I've got people I like to be with. That's how it is. It's human nature."

Webber was referring to Vettel's close association with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz and his right-hand man Helmut Marko, who on occasion this year has not hidden his sentiment towards the young German.

Asked if he was the people's favourite, Webber added: "I think I wasn't supposed to be in the hunt at all, so it's been maybe quite inconvenient, but I've enjoyed every minute of it."

One of the major talking points is whether Vettel, who is 25 points down on Alonso, should now play the supporting role.

Webber was asked if he would support Vettel if the situation was reversed.

His reply, after yet another lengthy pause and a deep sigh, further underlined the division which exists between them.

"It's a tough question and a tough situation to know how you would do things," Webber added.

"There's a lot of really good people at this team and there's no getting away from the fact we would love to win some Championships this year.

"We're at different parts of our career as well, so it's not as easy as some might imagine. I'd need to think a lot further about that.

"For different reasons here and there, Seb's never led the Championship this year and I have.

"Whatever the best way we go about trying to win the Championship, we'll see on the Monday after Abu Dhabi if it was the right way."

Asked to respond to Webber's comments, team principal Christian Horner said: "It's not been inconvenient at all.

"He's had tremendous support from the whole team, not just this year, but in all the years he's been with Red Bull.

"He's probably referring to the support of Helmut to Sebastian, but that doesn't influence the way the team operates or the way it supports its drivers.

"We've given both drivers a great car and we've given Mark the tools to get the job done."

[TBWG]

Hi F1 Bums



Well Red Bull firmly in control after practice 1.  With Ferrari languishing mid field.  Another engine gone pop for monobrow, humm s'pose that means hope for the best with his stash of used engines or a grid drop. Oh dear, what a shame, never mind!

Anyway still a long way to go before the fat dude sings! However it does seem that the teams have now appointed their chosen ones

Myself i'd like to see a wild card come in and stir things up a bit say Kubica or Rosberg!


Times for practice 1




Pos.   Car   Driver   Car   Best lap   Gap   
1   5   Sebastian Vettel   Red Bull-Renault   1’12.328      
2   6   Mark Webber   Red Bull-Renault   1’12.810   0.482   
3   2   Lewis Hamilton   McLaren-Mercedes   1’12.845   0.517   
4   1   Jenson Button   McLaren-Mercedes   1’13.267   0.939   
5   11   Robert Kubica   Renault   1’13.370   1.042   
6   4   Nico Rosberg   Mercedes   1’13.516   1.188   
7   9   Rubens Barrichello   Williams-Cosworth   1’13.546   1.218   
8   3   Michael Schumacher   Mercedes   1’13.643   1.315   
9   22   Nick Heidfeld   Sauber-Ferrari   1’14.000   1.672   
10   23   Kamui Kobayashi   Sauber-Ferrari   1’14.004   1.676   
11   10   Nico Hülkenberg   Williams-Cosworth   1’14.155   1.827   
12   8   Fernando Alonso   Ferrari   1’14.246   1.918   
13   14   Adrian Sutil   Force India-Mercedes   1’14.259   1.931   
14   12   Vitaly Petrov   Renault   1’14.370   2.042   
15   7   Felipe Massa   Ferrari   1’14.395   2.067   
16   15   Vitantonio Liuzzi   Force India-Mercedes   1’14.487   2.159   
17   17   Jaime Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1’14.618   2.290   
18   16   Sebastien Buemi   Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1’14.734   2.406   
19   18   Jarno Trulli   Lotus-Cosworth   1’15.603   3.275   
20   24   Timo Glock   Virgin-Cosworth   1’15.860   3.532   
21   19   Heikki Kovalainen   Lotus-Cosworth   1’16.057   3.729   
22   25   Jerome d’Ambrosio   Virgin-Cosworth   1’16.707   4.379   
23   20   Christian Klien   HRT-Cosworth   1’16.839   4.511   
24   21   Bruno Senna   HRT-Cosworth   1’17.360   5.032   

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix

Practice 2 to follow providing I can stay awake! 

TBWG

[nookiebear]

But can they handle the pressure??

[TBWG]

2nd Practice

Pos  Driver         Team                     Time              Laps
 1.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault         1:11.968            28
 2.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault         1:12.072  + 0.104   34
 3.  Alonso         Ferrari                  1:12.328  + 0.360   36
 4.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes         1:12.656  + 0.688   33
 5.  Massa          Ferrari                  1:12.677  + 0.709   19
 6.  Kubica         Renault                  1:12.882  + 0.914   37
 7.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes         1:13.206  + 1.238   33
 8.  Heidfeld       Sauber-Ferrari           1:13.222  + 1.254   40
 9.  Rosberg        Mercedes                 1:13.333  + 1.365   34
10.  Schumacher     Mercedes                 1:13.346  + 1.378   36
11.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth        1:13.520  + 1.552   37
12.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari           1:13.610  + 1.642   41
13.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth        1:13.725  + 1.757   39
14.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes     1:13.741  + 1.773   32
15.  Petrov         Renault                  1:13.818  + 1.850   26
16.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes     1:14.045  + 2.077   37
17.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari       1:14.304  + 2.336   33
18.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari       1:14.578  + 2.610   37
19.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth           1:14.984  + 3.016   47
20.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth           1:15.101  + 3.133   43
21.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth          1:15.433  + 3.465   35
22.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth             1:16.070  + 4.102   42
23.  Klien          HRT-Cosworth             1:16.082  + 4.114   38
24.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth          1:16.150  + 4.182   35

TBWG

[F1ART]

Is there anywhere screening the Brazilian race late on sunday?

[TBWG]

Yup   11.00 pm at Paddys Irish bar!

Open until race finished!

TBWG

[F1ART]

Well i guess i'll see you on sunday then!

[TBWG]

Hi F1Art

I'll be there!

Robert Kubica was fastest in a wet final practice session ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.


Pos.   Car   Driver   Car   Best lap   Gap   
1   11   Robert Kubica   Renault   1’19.191      
2   5   Sebastian Vettel   Red Bull-Renault   1’19.500   0.309   
3   2   Lewis Hamilton   McLaren-Mercedes   1’19.536   0.345   
4   7   Felipe Massa   Ferrari   1’19.735   0.544   
5   8   Fernando Alonso   Ferrari   1’19.791   0.600   
6   12   Vitaly Petrov   Renault   1’19.887   0.696   
7   16   Sebastien Buemi   Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1’20.009   0.818   
8   4   Nico Rosberg   Mercedes   1’20.056   0.865   
9   1   Jenson Button   McLaren-Mercedes   1’20.164   0.973   
10   9   Rubens Barrichello   Williams-Cosworth   1’20.320   1.129   
11   6   Mark Webber   Red Bull-Renault   1’20.337   1.146   
12   3   Michael Schumacher   Mercedes   1’20.421   1.230   
13   23   Kamui Kobayashi   Sauber-Ferrari   1’20.452   1.261   
14   10   Nico Hülkenberg   Williams-Cosworth   1’20.535   1.344   
15   17   Jaime Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari   1’20.541   1.350   
16   15   Vitantonio Liuzzi   Force India-Mercedes   1’20.546   1.355   
17   14   Adrian Sutil   Force India-Mercedes   1’20.613   1.422   
18   22   Nick Heidfeld   Sauber-Ferrari   1’20.985   1.794   
19   18   Jarno Trulli   Lotus-Cosworth   1’22.326   3.135   
20   24   Timo Glock   Virgin-Cosworth   1’22.449   3.258   
21   19   Heikki Kovalainen   Lotus-Cosworth   1’22.874   3.683   
22   25   Lucas di Grassi   Virgin-Cosworth   1’23.194   4.003   
23   21   Bruno Senna   HRT-Cosworth   1’23.358   4.167   
24   20   Christian Klien   HRT-Cosworth   1’23.650   4.459   

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix


TBWG

[John the Traveller]

Phenomenal job by Nico Hulkenberg........................but as Patrick Head said " there is no champagne for Saturday". 
Cheers,
John

[TBWG]

Hi Fans

Wow ~~~ that was not expected!


Rookie Nico Hulkenberg judged damp-but-drying conditions to perfection to claim a sensational maiden pole position – and Williams’s first in more than five years – in a nail-biting qualifying session at Interlagos.

On a tricky, greasy track that called for a switch from intermediate to slick tyres halfway through Q3, Hulkenberg trumped all the championship contenders in the biggest qualifying turn-up since Giancarlo Fisichella put Force India on pole at Spa last autumn.

He did it in emphatic style, too – producing two laps quick enough for pole, the final one leaving him more than a second clear of compatriot and qualifying king Sebastian Vettel, who edged out team-mate Mark Webber for second place.

Championship outsider Lewis Hamilton took fourth and was disappointed not to have missed a rare opportunity to out-qualify the usually dominant Red Bulls, while points leader Fernando Alonso was content enough with fifth.

Jenson Button’s dwindling title hopes took another blow after he failed to make the cut for Q3. The reigning champion will line up 11th, two spots behind Ferrari number two Felipe Massa.

The track was damp throughout, drying only slowly and fitfully through the first two knockout sessions, which were headed by Alonso and Webber respectively.

But by the time Q3 began, the lap times on intermediate tyres were approaching the ‘crossover point’ at which a change to slicks became profitable – and all the remaining 10 drivers were soon back in the pits again for dry rubber.

Williams had made the switch earlier than most, but surprisingly it was Hulkenberg rather than his vastly more experienced team-mate Rubens Barrichello who began lighting up the timing screens.

His initial benchmark of 1m16.373s was soon eclipsed by Hamilton and then Alonso in the improving conditions, but Hulkenberg had found a fine rhythm and kept moving the target as he reeled off an error-free sequence of laps.

His next effort of 1m15.462s proved too good for all the big names on their final runs – and, having crossed the line a few seconds before the chequered flag fell on the session, Hulkenberg had another lap in his pocket.

This one stopped the clocks in a stunning 1m14.470s – leaving the whole paddock suitably impressed and prompting whoops of delight in the usually low-key and businesslike Williams garage, even if team co-owner Patrick Head was quick to point out that the prizes are handed out on Sundays.

Webber’s sequence of laps was interrupted by an off-course moment at the final corner, which compromised not only the lap he was on but the following one too – but the Australian was happy to have outqualified his principal title rival Alonso.

Barrichello completed a banner day for Williams by taking sixth on the grid ahead of Renault’s Robert Kubica, whose Renault looked a handful on the slippery track.

Michael Schumacher took a solid eighth, five places ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who blamed his Q2 exit on an obstructive Sebastien Buemi.

Massa and Petrov rounded out the top 10, while Adrian Sutil was an unexpected casualty of Q1 and will start from the back row once a five-place grid penalty carried over from the Korean GP takes effect.


Brazilian Grand Prix starting grid

1  HULKENBERG    Williams
2  VETTEL        Red Bull
3  WEBBER        Red Bull     
4  HAMILTON      McLaren     
5  ALONSO        Ferrari     
6  BARRICHELLO   Williams     
7  KUBICA        Renault     
8  SCHUMACHER    Mercedes     
9  MASSA         Ferrari     
10 PETROV        Renault     
11 BUTTON        McLaren     
12 KOBAYASHI     Sauber       
13 ROSBERG       Mercedes     
14 ALGUERSUARI   Toro Rosso   
15 HEIDFELD      Sauber       
16 LIUZZI        Force India   
17 GLOCK         Virgin       
18 TRULLI        Lotus   
19 BUEMI*        Toro Rosso     
20 KOVALAINEN    Lotus         
21 DI GRASSI     Virgin
22 KLIEN         HRT
23 SUTIL*        Force India         
24 SENNA         HRT   

* five-place grid penalty for dangerous driving in Korea



TBWG

[John the Traveller]

Life is hard in Brazil !

Jenson Button has escaped unharmed after the car he was travelling in was the subject of an armed attack as he left the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo.

The reigning F1 Champion and his father John were being driven away from the venue of Sunday's Brazilian GP when their car came under attack.

Button's manager Richard Goddard and trainer Mike Collier were also in the vehicle as they left after Saturday's qualifying session.

Button, who was being driven in an armoured vehicle with a police driver at the helm, escaped the assailants before returning to his hotel.

A statement issued by Button's McLaren team read: "On Saturday, armed assailants made an attempt to approach the car carrying Jenson Button.

"Neither Jenson nor the other occupants of the car were hurt. McLaren provided Jenson and team-mate Lewis Hamilton with reinforced armoured vehicles.

"The police driver of Jenson's vehicle reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson away from any danger.

"The Sao Paulo authorities have acted efficiently and will provide additional security for Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix."

Button said: "We were going back from the track and were outside a shanty town and moving slowly on a busy road.

"I saw a dog come out, which was very cute. The next thing I saw was a man with a gun. I said 'isn't that a gun?' and as soon as I said that, the driver angled the car and floored it.

"That's when we saw six men, all of them brandishing machine guns. My driver was a legend. He bounced off about five cars. We were driving over the top of them. It was very scary."

[Admin]

Vettel wins in Brazil!!

Sebastian Vettel wins Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix
The Associated Press

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/07/2404542/sebastian-vettel-wins-formula.html#ixzz14fhmRrVs
SAO PAULO, Brazil | Sebastian Vettel won the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix Sunday as the Red Bull team sent the circuit championship battle against Fernando Alonso down to the wire.

Alonso, a Ferrari driver, failed to secure a third career title on the Interlagos course but finished third on the day in taking an eight-point lead into next Sunday’s season-ender in Abu Dhabi.

Alonso has 246 points, Webber 238 and Vettel 231 as the remaining three realistic championship contenders, while Lewis Hamilton has a mathematical chance at 222 points. A victory is worth 25 points.

It is the fourth time in five seasons that the world title will be decided in the final race.

The one-two finish from Vettel and Webber allowed Red Bull to clinch the constructors’ title for the first time in team history with 469 points to McLaren’s 421.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/07/2404542/sebastian-vettel-wins-formula.html#ixzz14fhi5hOl

[nookiebear]

It will be an intersting climax to the season,,,,,,,lets see if any dirty tactics come into play