Formula One 2016: Circuit de Catalunya

I don’t feel compelled to add Barcelona despite the City sponsorship.

Among other peculiarities this is the official Formula One test track so everyone knows it with their eyes closed. It’s pretty abrasive so we have Hards (useless and slow, everyone hates them and is carrying a set only because the rules say they have to), Mediums (the preferred tire), and Softs (only good for 5 or 6 laps). It’s been raining at night so it’s not as sticky as it might be, though they are running a GP 2 prior to the main race and that will rubber it in some.

All the teams except for Haas have made improvements they say will increase their speed by about half a second per lap. This simply means, as Hamilton points out, a faster train not more passing and better racing.

Hamilton shouldn’t have to worry about that, he qualified on pole and unless he has a typical Hamilton start (meaning terrible) will drive away from everyone else in clean air and his only competition will be his team mate Rosberg who is currently leading the Driver’s Championship by a ton. Unlike the Hamilton fan boyz of the commentariat (amazing how they magically switch allegiances to whoever is the defending Champion) I don’t much care who wins as long as it’s not Red Bull or Ferrari.

Speaking of, rows 2 and 3. Odd for Ferrari this year since they’ve been looking pretty racy and Red Bull has… well… not. Red Bull did a Driver shake up, sending Kvyat (a rolling wreck waiting to happen) to the B Team Torro Rosso and promoting Verstappen (der vunderkind) to the big show. Ultimately it won’t matter against Mercedes, though it poses problems for Maranello (hello- 3rd row) and Williams (a mere 6 points behind Red Bull for 4th). Also Haas (a remarkable 5th for essentially a new team) a mere 5 points up on Toro Rosso because Kvyat now has something to prove which will either motivate him to better finishes (eh) or cause him to work out his frustrations on nearby competitors (far more likely) or both.

Welcome to Turn Left racing. I would have turfed him long ago if only to save on replacements for the stuff he broke.

A quiet weekend on the macro front. Maybe someone finally succeeded in putting a pillow on Ecclestone’s mouth. Not his nose, I don’t wish to actively suffocate him, a DNR or some naked sunbathing on a melting Arctic ice flow would suit me fine.

And allow me to mention I hate the European part of the schedule the most. Just late enough to tempt me to take a nap without writing first from which I invariably wake up late and have to scramble. Next Race Monaco, the most glamorous and boring of the season, unless someone crashes or something in which case it’s just like Talladega. It’s fun!

You and I have very different memories of Budapest.