Yeah yeah first day already happened. I thought this was set to post but apparently I just saved it instead. So now I will update it to include today’s events.

RAIN.

LOTS OF RAIN.

TRAFFIC.

LOTS OF TRAFFIC.

So much rain and traffic, up to 30,000 people might not be allowed in for qualifying if they have passes to park on grass lots at the circuit. Though because F1 fans are the best kind of people, there is an effort underway to get people to rideshare and get less cars on the road outside the circuit.

Grosjean was fastest in the first drenching practice, and Hamilton fastest in the second. Thankfully the cars went out on track unlike other times it’s raining, well, because here it’s never going to stop raining.

Everything else then!

Saturday July 7
Final Practice Session: 5:00am
Qualifying: 8:00am

Sunday July 8
Race: 8:00am**

All times Eastern. In the US, you can watch the second practice session and the qualifying session on SPEED, and the other two practice sessions on their website.

**THE RACE WILL NOT BE SHOWN LIVE but on a tape delay on Fox at 2pm on July 8.

Last year’s winner: Fernando Alonso

What to expect: Rain.

Weather: See above.

Tires: We should probably just expect wets.

DRS: Same as last year, though there’s no telling it’ll ever even be used. Because rain.

I figure this is a good article to have every Monday post-race. There’s always something after a race. Someone’s mad at someone else, someone’s mad at something that happened, Jarno Trulli is ranting in his newspaper column…

BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION
This time around I will agree with Trulli, unlike his previous complaints regarding everyone finishing the European Grand Prix. Yes, once again, it’s the silly blown diffuser argument. He says, “Even our engine guys couldn’t figure out what was allowed.” That is somewhat problematic.

It was fascinating though, considering Christian Horner and Martin Whitmarsh were the only two to really talk incessantly about the issue. Horner’s Red Bull Racing team is one of three teams using Renault engines, and Whitmarsh’s McLaren team is one of three using Mercedes engines.

But whatever. It’s done, hopefully.

ORDER ME SOME WHINE
Mark Webber says it was unnecessary for the team to tell him to maintain the gap to teammate Sebastian Vettel, rather than fight him for position. Webber argues that if Alonso failed to finish, they’d be fighting for P1. Christian Horner takes the “what if you idiots crash into each other like you did last year, huh?” route. Honestly, I can’t blame him after the McLaren drivers bumped each other last month.

Team orders are legal, but Horner claimed he would never take a part of them after last year’s use by Ferrari. Mark, you should just probably do what your team asks. I just want to slap both of them.

Oh, Horner hopes that Webber will still be signing a one year contract extension for next season. I would go elsewhere and let them give that seat to some newbie who gets it that he’s second fiddle to Mr. Vettel.

OTHER BITS
Williams says they are looking to keep both Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado for next season. It will be Barrichello’s 20th Formula 1 season.

Lotus Renault is working on rear exhausts for the German Grand Prix, as they feel their current forward facing ones are not helping them out. Cool concept, but they’ve really fallen back lately. The whole diffuser thing most likely did not help them either.

Ferrari are claiming that their first win of the season will lead them to not “getting carried away.” Well, that’s good to know, as it was just one win. On the less snarky side of things, I will be nice and say it’s good to see some team making improvements to the car rather than hurting it (see above.)

Finally, an exciting race, complete with drivers not finishing!

The race started with everyone on intermediate tires on a wet track. It did not rain again, but everyone needed to spend at least 10 laps on the inters before Michael Schumacher became the first to try slicks. Everyone quickly jumped on those as his lap times fell.

Sebastian Vettel took his usual immediate lead, however his second pit stop involved a rear jack failure, and Fernando Alonso was able to take the lead. Vettel fell to third, as Lewis Hamilton also passed him. It wasn’t the only pit stop fail of the day: Kamui Kobayashi was released as Pastor Maldonado was headed to his pit area. He took out an air hose at the Force India garage and was handed a 10 second stop and go penalty.

Sebastian Vettel could not get past Hamilton, so Red Bull brought him in for a pit stop. When Hamilton stopped on the next lap, he was able to gain P2 by putting in an extremely fast lap.

» Continue reading “British Grand Prix Race Recap”

The FIA better watch their backs. If anything happens to a Red Bull tomorrow, I don’t imagine Christian Horner could be a very friendly guy.

Here’s how everything has gone down in the past day. If your head hurts after reading this, you understood.

Blown diffusers were supposed to be banned this race. All teams were going to be allowed 10% of engine throttle when braking. Yesterday, both Renault and Mercedes were given exceptions based on how their engines work. Renault was told their engines could use 50% throttle, as they say it is necessary for engine reliability. Mercedes had been given a concession that allowed them to run on half the engine’s cylinders.

Today, suddenly the exception given to Renault engines was taken back half an hour before this morning’s practice session. There was a meeting held between practice and qualifying, but the decision stands. However, the exception made for Mercedes engines still stands. Surprise, the claim is Renault asked too late. If Red Bull wasn’t powered by Renault, I’m sure it would have been just fine.

Anyway, Sebastian Vettel was fastest in the final practice session. It was still a bit rainy, but much better than yesterday. Vettel was fastest with a 1:31.401, with Fernando Alonso right behind him…just .063 seconds back. Mark Webber, Felipe Massa, and Pastor Maldonado round out the top five.

Click below to read about qualifying and find out who will be starting on pole!

» Continue reading “British GP Blown Diffuser Blowout, Saturday Practice, Qualifying”

Some teams might not want the rain to go away, but with Red Bull’s overall showing, I bet they want it gone.

First Practice

The first driver out on track was Jerome D’Ambrosio…at 20 minutes into the session. There were spins, as there always are in the wet. Kamui Kobayashi’s was the worst, as he put his Sauber into a wall.

Mark Webber was first overall in this session, his 1:46.603 lap was the fastest in the typically British weather. Of course, one of the first things anyone wants to say is, “blown diffusers, WHAT?” but considering Christian Horner attacked the changes today and Renault is somewhat angry about it, I am thinking this is going to suck for Red Bull Racing.

Michael Schumacher finished second, half a second behind Webber. Rubens Barrichello, Sergio Perez, and Felipe Massa round out the top five. Daniel Ricciardo finished dead last, but completed 24 laps, compared to an average of about 18 by the front runners.

Second Practice

Guess what? More heavy rain! Glad I went back to bed, as it was 51 minutes into the 90 minute session before anyone braved heading out on track to get things done.

Sauber was able to get Kobayashi’s car back together, and he was out for this session, finishing third.

Felipe Massa finished on top with a time of 1:49.967 once conditions started to slightly improve. His time was .777 seconds faster than second place Nico Rosberg. Kobayashi, Lewis Hamilton, and Jenson Button make up the rest of the top five.

Where’s Red Bull, you may be wondering, considering Webber’s earlier dominance. Heikki Kovalainen was faster than both of them. Mark Webber finished 14th, Sebastian Vettel finished 18th (he did only complete 4 laps compared to Sebastien Buemi’s 21). Not a good sign, although Fernando Alonso was also below Kovalainen, finishing 15th.

Hopefully that’s it for the rain, although I’m sure plenty of drivers would appreciate it for the race.

Silverstone Circuit

Friday July 8 - First Practice Session: 4:00am

Second Practice Session: 8:00am – live on SPEED

Saturday July 9 - Third Practice Session: 5:00am

Qualifying: 8:00am – live on SPEED

Sunday June 26 - Race: 8:00am, will not be shown live, but at noon on Fox with about 3 minutes of pre-race coverage – check with your local affiliate’s listings please!

All times eastern. Practice sessions 1 & 3 livestream on SPEEDtv.com

» Continue reading “British Grand Prix Preview”