Club Arnage

Contrary to expectations, this mornings F1 race  was actually very good, obviously I am quite biased due to the result, but even without the Button/Maclaren win it was a good race, plenty of overtaking and incidents to keep me a wake. I thought Webber drove an awesome race and it was a shame he was trying just a bit too hard at the end and took him self out and cost Hamilton his well deserved second place. Button played a blinder in his timing for slicks (probably learnt well from Brawn) although he had a small off and had to drive really carefully for the first couple of laps. I thought Scumi was going to storm through after his stop at the beginning of the saftey car period, it just did not seem to happen, has the Rainmaster lost it?? I might even watch the next race, you never know, it might be worth while.

It was a great improvement on Bahrain wasn't it.  Rather than compulsory pitstops perhaps they ought to water the track before every race and randomly through them!

Even the Safety car was a gorgeous Mercedes.  At last someone there has a clue about styling.

Hamilton had a bad weekend, but did anyone ever think that Button would be the quicker of the two, and Button managed to put both Ferraris to the back.  Class act.

And as for Schumaker,  We expected more.  I don't think he's past it yet, but he's lost his magic.

And as for Vettel - what luck.  First a spark plug robs him of a win and then a brake disc. These are both more or less standard parts for all F1 cars, and they don't break for anyone else

Slept like a baby while the recording was running at night. Could be the amount of alcohol and the lack of sleep the night before though.  :P

I vowed to switch it off after 10 laps if it was to be another car nival like Bahrain, but it had a bit of excitment as expected of the first bend and a bit of strategy to boot so watched the lot.
Lets not forget Kubica, who would of put a guess he would of been on the podium, even he told his mate not to put a 100e bet on that.
Not bad, but there could be more boredom to come as Malaya is not fantastic for overtaking.

Only watched the 15 or so laps so can't say too much about it in general. but what I did find amazing that even though Hamilton hauled in the ferrari's by just under 2 seconds a lap he could not get past.
If an F1 car can't get past another car 2 seconds a lap slower something is wrong ie too much aero (Mint of course  ;D)

Compared to Bahrein, this was a super race.   Rain, safety car, big hit on the opening laps, nice to see some overtaking ...  Button deserved the win by making the tire call himself, Kubica had a great drive in his Renault, Lewis was fastest of them all but lost a podium finish or even the race with his second stop.   What worries me most is the fact that Hamilton, although 2 seconds a lap faster, couldn't get passed the slower Ferrari's; with the current aerodynamics, there could be lots of boring races coming to us ...

Also very nice to see Schumi got passed by a Virgin at a certain point and then struggled to get past a Torro Rosso  ;D

Malaysia is another boring Tilke-track ... not a chance this will be an interesting race I'm afraid ...

I can't understand why Button is so underrated - he won six out of the first seven races last year and took the title in a car that wasn't the best across the season. He also made very few mistakes all season, unlike golden boy Vettel, who blew it in turkey and Monaco. I've got a tenner on him for the title at 15-1.

I'll be the first to admit it, Button drove a brilliant race, as did Kubica.  I still don't think, under most ordinary circumstances, Button is as quick as Hamilton, and Australia is always kind of a oddball event, but Button's decision to go to slicks as soon as he did was the race clincher.  But it could have just as easliy bit him in the ass, but that's a coulda, woulda, shoulda.  In the end he had a great drive, his colleague at McLaren had a train wreck of a race.  Schumacher continues to be a huge disappointment, two races in a row now being out-qualified and out-raced by Rosberg.  As Nordic said in another thread, these things (coming out of retirement) don't usually end well and at this point it doesn't look like this will be a happy return for Michael.  Red Bull's won't keep falling apart, and once they hold togther no-one will see which way Vettel went, likewise Kubica if Renault can manage to put a decent car under him.
Radar, I think alot of people (myself included) thought the second half of Button's season last year took some of the shine off of his title, he looked VERY ordinary, being consistantly out-qualified and raced by Rubens.  Good thing he had a helluva first half of the season.
Fax

Blimey... ;D I think fax has seen a glimmer of light in F1!

Kubica I think is probably the fastest driver in F1 at the moment in terms of raw pace - give him a couple of years I reckon he'll be world champ.

Hamilton and Button are different types of racers in my eyes - Hamilton is aggressive, likes the car to move under him, and is a master of control.  Button is silky smooth, and drives with precision style - both are great talents which Britain (I think at least) can be extremely proud to have produced - equally, personality wise, they're both actually quite interesting - both a bit playboyish, but both are accessible to the general public if you can catch them in the right circumstances.

Vettel - I can't decide on though - he's either super fast and really unlucky, or lucky and completely average. I think he might be the former, but his inconsistency is what lets him down - he has the potential to end up in a Mansell situation, where he gets SO close to the championship two or three times, but always has something give up on him - give him a very quick car, that's reliable and I'm sure he'd walk it - but then so would I.......

All in all though - I was worried after the first race, that the season would be dull.  More races like that, and I'll be hooked for the whole season.

Don't get me wrong Brad, I still think F1 in its current incarnation is a steaming pile of pooh...
But I've watched enough of it to form an opinion of this years team & driver pairings.
Don't get your hopes up on many more races like that this year, they'll mostly be like Bahrain.
Fax

I think the way the Button/Hamiliton Schumacher/Rosberg battle pays out will depend on who gets the team behind them.

Both McLaren and Brawn/Merc have the ability to put cars under there drivers as good as Ferrari or redbull but as nether team has a pair of drivers who like the same set up, one is going to loose out.

I thnk Button is more likey to have the mechanics onside and like wise Rosberg, but the team owners may have other ideas.

Button will have seen how easy it was to rattle Hamilition and will bait him into overdriving at every race. this will clearly shag his tyres faster than he already does, Hamilition needs to settle down and let his driving do the talking.

Schumacher has not really had the start he wanted, but as Jackie Stewart is quoted as saying, 'the one thing we know for sure is that he wont be better than he was'.

Renault will fade as the season goes on I fear, and Kubica will be a ferrari driver next year.

Dottore seems like John Hindhaugh agrees with us about Hamilton not being able to pass the Ferrari's. he's been talking about it on the Radio Le Mans mid week motorsport podcast  ;D

Completely agree Nordic, I think Massa is already looking over his shoulder, waiting for Kubica to take his seat next year.
Fax

Seems like we're in good company then  ;D.

Weather forecast in Sepang is rain/showers on Saturday and Sunday, might have to change my opinion on the track ... it could be an interesting weekend.
Just booked flight and hotel for Barcelona in May, hope we'll see a great race over there !

Up to a point - his qualifying was pretty dire, but in the races (Spa and Valencia excepted) he was still very good, and carried out some stunning overtakes. If his season had been the other way round, with the results coming in the second half, would anyone be asking questions about his ability?

Snap !! I've also just booked for Barcelona, grandstand at the first corner so I'm expecting a barnstorming race . Should be a good five days I hope !!







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Radar, at the end of the day, its unlikely history is going to remember his 2009 title as a "vintage year".
It was a season where his team enjoyed a significant technical advantage over his rivals during the first half of the season, and Jensen did just enough in the second half to keep from coughing up the title to his journyman teammate, among others.  But all said & done he's the defending champ, so well done.
Jensen reminds me a lot of DC, if the cars perfect he's there in the fight, if the cars not spot on, he's nowhere to be seen.  He's never been one of those seat of the pants drivers who can drag a reluctant car along faster than it really should be going. I doubt in twenty years when they talk about the pantheon of GP greats, Jensen Button's name is going to come up, but I suspect Lewis will.
Fax

I got tickets for the west area, between turn 7 and 12, should be able to walk around a little bit and snap some pictures.  Decided to keep it a bit low cost, means more budget for other races.

In terms of outright speed I suspect your right, Hamilton is a class above and of the current batch I would rank him with only Alonso and Vettel.

Kubica could be on the verge of joining that 3 if he can pull more more drives out the bag, there is not alot wrong with the Renault motor that he has, the merc and ferrari may just shade it but Red bull dont seem to find it a handicap, so if the chassis is there abouts he will grow, but I feel that unless the car is 100% he will give up.

Buttons ability is not outright speed, (but he was blinding in a FF, F3 and he is no slouch in F1 ), rather the way he drives. Ross Brawn, says he was the smoothest he ever had and took very little from his car. That is what this seasons cars need.

I think Button will often find himself at the head of a q of cars on fresher rubber, he also seems alot more relaxed than almost ever other driver out there, I like that.

Tomorrow's race is shaping up to be interesting.

Both the McLarens and the Ferraris made a big tyre mistake in Q1, Jenson made it through to Q2 but as he had found himself stranded in the kitty litter he only managed 17th.  Hamilton, Massa and Alonso are BEHIND him!

Webber pulled off a Button-like tyre choice, went for intermediates and stole pole quite convincingly.  Vettel only 3rd.

Rosberg is 2nd on the grid, but Schuey is only 8th.  Why he evens bothers I don't know, arrogant big-chinned twat.

The questions are: What time will the rain start? How heavy will it be?  On which lap will the race be called off?

bloody hell whats going on? another good race. Hamiliton drove a masterful race after cocking up his tyre choice again.

Button held his nerve and kept it all together for another victory, he also leads Hamiliton in the Q stakes as well as the drivers champs.

Red Bull have only themselves to blame for once again failing to bring it home.

I think MS must start to think about his future. Its not pretty and he is being shown the way by too many others now. That was the sort of race he used to dominate.

This season is so far one of the best of recent years - some great racing today. I suppose the rain is playing it's part but I'm only getting short catnaps during the races instead of the full 90 minute snooze.

Yes, elecelent Strategy and drive by Button, Hamilton had to work hard to get 2nd and get any respect from the other drivers. Alsonso resorted to trying to cheat by jumping the start, and his barging Massa out of the way to get into the pit lane nearly took them both out. I can't believe Ross Brawn will keep backing MS he must  be embarrased, Rosberg just kept his head down and got on with it, he had a great race and proved it's not the car that is MS's problem.

(In a German accent :- 'Ouch. My neck is still sore from my old motorcycle injury')

MS - simple answer for him being there, brings in the sponsers and the german fan base.

Roseberg, is going to get better and better.

Button - rear tyres worn out, he was in front most of the time not much to over take, but a good call on his tyres.

Hamilton - Front tyres - worn out, sh#t he had to weave around eveyone to get 2nd and that was with 4 stops!, can see him getting better

neil - to much wine to make sense  ;D, but at least he does not to have to get a plane anywhere

Overall, good race, but will be fun when back in Europe, maybe.

+ side, did not see much of the dwarf on TV.

The big lad interviewed him before the race. Questions were mainly around what if the teams cannot ship back to Europe in time for Spain, what would F1 do about the Spanish GP? Bernie said maybe we'll hold it here, which I found mildly amusing. I hope he was trying to be amusing!!

I think Mercedes Benz - like every other big manufactorer - did not join F1 for the racing, for them I assume the priorities are as follows:

1. Marketing
2. Marketing
3. Marketing
...
36. some racing

Based on their priorities they definitely signed the best driver contract of all teams, since MS is around again they have a enourmous media coverage - not only in Germany. As far as the driving is concerned his days on top are over because the very first thing you need to do when you want to get to the top is to beat your team mate. If things develop like they were in the first 4 races, I doubt that MS will do another season.

Can you imagine how upset Mr Alonso would be he would have a right old tanrum at missing his hero worship.