May 12 2013

Formula One 2013: Circuit de Catalunya

I really can’t think of anything I’d like less to do this weekend than write about Formula One.  I could be getting a good nap for instance, the insides of my eyelids miss me.

Frankly the only new news is tires (again) and I’m tired of them.

The developing story line is that Pirelli has strengthened the steel belts in its steel belted radials (remember when those were going to save the world from random boards with nails sticking out?)  to the point that under stress huge chunks of rubber fly off leaving you to drive on square wheels and rims.  So they’re forced to re-formulate which throws out all your testing (which was done at this very race track by the way).

It’s mildly amusing that the silver arrows (f1 hip speak for Mercedes) are in the Front Row (Bob Uecker, which really is hip) and McLaren’s champion, Jenson Button, didn’t make it out of Q2 despite all the aero tweaks (which many teams are sporting, they must be bored).

Massa and Gutierrez both have 3 grid penalties for impeding during Qualifying.

For you GP2 enthusiasts (c’mon, there must be some)-

There’s No Clear Path for Racing Drivers on the Way Up

By BRAD SPURGEON, The New York Times

Published: May 10, 2013

Although there are probably more racing series lower down the racing ladder than ever before, these training grounds are not only inadequate, but there are far too many and they are too disparate to form an authoritative route to the pinnacle of world auto racing.

…

As a result of several recent complaints by team directors and drivers that they haven’t any time to adapt, Formula One decided to act. Starting this weekend, as the series begins its season in Europe at the Spanish Grand Prix outside Barcelona, the teams have an extra set of tires for the Friday morning practice session to allow drivers to spend more time driving on the track rather than sitting in the garage.

In fact, the rookies were not the only consideration. In the first four races this season, there was little track action in the first session of the weekend, which meant a failure to provide a show for the spectators.

…

In July, the former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger was assigned by the International Automobile Federation, or FIA, the series’ governing body, to create a clear-cut system that would take drivers all the way from karting up to Formula One.

“People are complaining that the best drivers are now all spread out and so you cannot look at the British Formula 3 Championship, for example, and say that he is certain to get to Formula One,” Berger was quoted as saying in an article in an FIA publication. “These days the best drivers are all over the place: one in Formula 3, one in GP3, one in Formula Renault and one in Formula Abarth. The system no longer does what it is supposed to do, which is to give a highly talented driver a C.V. he can use to progress to Formula One.”

…

The rookie who was probably the best prepared this season is Valterri Bottas at the Williams team, who was carefully groomed and given track time last year during Friday practice sessions when he was a back-up driver for the team.

“For how it is nowadays in Formula One, I really got the best development for my first races,” Bottas said, “and even with that I would have preferred to drive more.”

…

“Testing is one thing, the racing is another,” said Daniel Ricciardo, who is in his second year as a driver at Toro Rosso. “Testing is definitely going to help you 80 percent, and that 20 percent you can only learn on the track out there Sunday.”

Williams is no more competitive this season than it was last, perhaps less.

Pretty tables below.

Starting Grid

Grid Driver Team Q-Time Q-Laps
1 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:20.718 12
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.972 12
3 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:21.054 12
4 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 1:21.177 17
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:21.218 12
6 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:21.308 16
7 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:21.570 12
8 Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1:22.069 13
9 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:21.219 12
10 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1:22.233 17
11 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 1:22.127 14
12 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 1:22.166 12
13 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:22.346 12
14 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:22.355 9
15 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1:22.389 13
16 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1:23.260 9
17 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1:23.318 9
18 Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1:24.661 6
19 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:22.793 15
20 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1:24.713 6
21 Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1:24.996 6
22 Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1:25.070 6

Driver Standings

Rank Driver Team Points
1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 77
2 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault 67
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 50
4 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 47
5 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault 32
6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 30
7 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 26
8 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 20
9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 14
10 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 13
11 Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 10
12 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 6
13 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari 6
14 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 5
15 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari 1

Constructor Standings

Rank Team Points
1 Red Bull Racing-Renault 109
2 Lotus-Renault 93
3 Ferrari 77
4 Mercedes 64
5 Force India-Mercedes 26
6 McLaren-Mercedes 23
7 STR-Ferrari 7
8 Sauber-Ferrari 5

rustymancuso581

66 comments

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  7. McLaren is really worse than ever.

  9. Rosberg

    Vettel

    Alonso

    Hamilton

    Raikkonen

    Massa

    Perez

    Sutil

    Grosjean

    di Resta

  20. Alonso

    Vettel

    Massa

    Raikkonen

    Rosberg

    Webber

    Perez

    di Resta

    Ricciardo

    Hamilton

  25. Alonso

    Vettel

    Raikkonen

    Massa

    Rosberg

    Perez

    Ricciardo

    Webber

    Hamilton

  28. Who needs ’em anyway?

  31. Raikkonen

    Alonso

    Massa

    Rosberg

    Vettel

    Webber

    Gutierrez

    Button

    di Resta

    Hulkenberg

  34. Alonso

    Massa

    Vettel

    Raikkonen

    Webber

    di Resta

    Hulkenberg

    Rosberg

    Perez

    Ricciardo

  35. Alonso

    Massa

    Raikkonen

    Vettel

    Webber

    diResta

    Hulkenberg

    Rosberg

    Ricciardo

    Perez

  46. Alonso

    Raikkonen

    Massa

    Vettel

    Webber

    Rosberg

    Gutierrez

    Button

    di Resta

    Perez

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