13.6.11

Gradually more information has leaked out about exhaust blown diffusers. Some teams have mapped the engine to keep the exhaust gases flowing even when the throttle is closed, thus providing downforce. The FIA plans to ban this on the grounds that the function of the exhaust system is to remove gases from the engine and when the throttle is closed it's not, it's providing more downforce as a sort of a driver-controlled aerodynamic device.

Off track F1 has been as controversial as ever with News Corp/EXOR stating that they are looking into taking over F1's commercial rights from CVC. Now everyone has heard of News Corp, but EXOR SpA is an Italian holding company controlled by the Agnelli family. Exor have a significant holding in Fiat and Fiat own Ferrari! Voila, Ferrari to own F1? Luca di Montezemolo says Formula 1 teams would be open to the idea of forming their own championship from 2013 after the contract with CVC expires. Bernie Ecclestone has said there has been no approach, but those are clearly very serious organisations and, unlike CVC with Bernie (82 at the end of 2012), look to have a succession plan.

There was also a kerfuffle going on over the re-instatement of the Bahrain GP (or not) and the introduction (or not) of the 1.6 litre 4 cylinder turbo engines for 2013, but there is so much of this stuff it gets very tedious and is probably infused with lots of mischievious misinformation. Such is F1.

Chinese GP - April 17th

Sebastian Vettel took his third pole in three races by a massive seven tenths of a second from Jenson Button. In previous years, barring accident or breakdown, that would have been it for the weekend; but this is a brave new world and third place qualifier Lewis Hamilton had saved a set of new softer option tyres for the race. This proved crucial and four laps from the end Hamilton scythed past Vettel on fresher tyres to take the lead and the win. Vettel was second and Webber third - after qualifying 18th! He had no KERS and did not warm his prime tyres up enough to get through Q2. The leading teams all attempt to get as far as possible in qualifying on the harder tyres to save the softer ones for the race - and Webber had lots. It seems that tyres and DRS have made qualifying, once absolutely vital, almost into a sideshow.

Jenson Button was fourth for McLaren after one stop in the Red Bull pit box! Rosberg led the race for Mercedes and came home fifth. Felipe Massa was first Ferrari home in sixth with Alonso seventh. Alonso made a bad start and Massa got past. The Brazilian led briefly as the pit stops unfurled, whilst Alonso seemed to spend the entire race fighting Schuey. Running the hard tyre for their final stint, both Felipe and Fernando were experiencing some significant degradation which meant the Brazilian had to see other cars come flying past him, while the Spaniard hung on to that seventh spot.

Both Ferrari drivers two-stopped but felt that they would not have done any better three-stopping. Alonso blamed the aerodynamic performance of the 150° Italia. Ferrari were reported to be struggling to correlate wind tunnel and on-track data and free practice has seen the drivers going along at constant speed to help sort this problem out. There has also been extensive use of paint which shows the airflow, a fairly primitive procedure but it shows the grimness of the aero problems which so concern Ferrari. Extensive private testing was one of Ferrari's advantages in previous years and it looks like the testing ban may be hurting them more than the other leading teams.

Schuey was eighth and Petrov (Renault) and Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) took the final points scoring-positions.

Click here for FIA lap chart.

Turkish GP - 8th May

Onto Istanbul Park where rain in Practice 1 gave most teams their first proper experience of the Pirelli wet tyres and Vettel bashed his Red Bull. The rain went away for the rest of the weekend and his shunt didn't stop Vettel from maintaining his 100% qualifying record. His dominance was such that a second run in Q3 was not necessary - thus saving a set of soft tyres. He led throughout the race (but for one lap after his first pit stop) and took a comfortable victory.

Webber was second and Alonso third for Ferrari - on the podium for the first time and the Scuderia's best result of the year. After another difficult Saturday qualifying, Fernando found himself as usual in fifth place on row 3 of the grid, whilst Felipe was two rows further back in tenth spot. When the lights went out Fernando got up to fourth. On lap 7 he took third place from Rosberg and on lap 29 took second from Webber, holding the place until lap 51 when Webber was able to re-pass him.

Hamilton was fourth for Mclaren after driving an aggressive race which was to be an increasing tendency as the season progressed. Rosberg (Mercedes), Button (McLaren), Heidfeld (Renault), Petrov (Renault), Buemi (Toro Rosso - Ferrari) and Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) were the other points scorers. Felipe Massa was 11th for Ferrari after good early race pace but two poor pitstops into traffic and a driving error spoiled his race.

Click here for FIA lap chart.

Spanish GP - 22nd May

In the past Barcelona was an aero track where overtaking was nearly impossible, but no more! Qualifying saw a Red Bull on pole but this time it was Mark Webber, spoiling Vettel's perfect record. Hamilton was third and Alonso ecstatic to be fourth by just three thousandths of a second with a "perfect" lap in front of his adoring home crowd. Felipe was eighth.

As the lights went out second placed Vettel was all over his pole-starting team-mate. With the two Red Bulls fighting and thanks to a great getaway off the line, Alonso was able to jump into the lead, to huge cheers from the partisan crowd. The Ferrari led the first two stints of the race, meanwhile Vettel got past Webber for second.

As expected the DRS was not so effective here as in Turkey, which helped Fernando keep the others behind him. Vettel then tried to get ahead by pitting one lap earlier but it was not enough to get past the Ferrari, while Fernando and Webber came in at the same time, maintaining that order as they left. It was not until the second stops, on lap 18 for Vettel and 19 for Webber and Fernando, that the German took the lead. Alonso's heroic efforts were not enough to overcome the 150°'s lack of consistent downforce and he battled home to finish fifth. The downforce issue was mentioned by both Stefano Domenicali and Alonso in their post-race remarks. Two days later it was announced that Scuderia Ferrari Technical Director Aldo Costa was stepping down...

Lewis Hamilton ran fourth for the early part of the race. He pitted later in session 1 and ran longer in session 2 to take second where he finished, a mere sixth tenths behind Vettel. Button was third after dropping to tenth after a poor start. Webber was fourth, jumped by Alonso at the start and trapped behind him for much of the race. He then lost out to Button who took one less pit stop to pass him. Fifth was Alonso, sixth Schuey ahead of his team mate Rosberg. Eighth was Heidfeld for Renault and ninth and tenth the Sauber pair of Sergio Perez and Kobayashi. Massa fought around the lower points positions before retiring with a broken gearbox.

After Spain Vettel had scored 94.4% of all the points available to him and opened up a 41 point lead in the Drivers' title. Alonso and Massa were fifth and eighth Red Bull were 47 points ahead in the constructors', Ferrari third.

Click here for FIA lap chart.