Planet-Warming Pollution Reaches Record Highs as Fossil Fuel Use Persists

[Basil B]

To be fair to Nico he was having an issue when within one second of Lewis but at the time it was 2 seconds, if he wanted Lewis to go faster the all he needed to do was speed up himself I am sure Lewis would have speeded up.

This race was all about tire conservation, Lewis was out in front and doing a good job of that.

In the end the best driver on the day won, and the second best came in second, I know it hurts to be second best but the only way he do it is for him to improve his game instead of hoping something bad will happen to guy in front.

[mania]

Semi boring Bahrain race albeit a few good passes.

Sauber is really perking up with what ever Ferrari has given them.

Cannot say the same for Renault though...

Shame about Button & I feel bad for Alonso when I see so many normally backmarker types blow by but it was Alonso's choice

albeit timed poorly

Edited April 20, 2015 by mania

[mania]

Nico on Pole....This could be an exciting race if he keeps it thru turn 1

[Basil B]

Well it will be exciting, edge of the seat suff, all the way... until LH overtakes him.

[mania]

Well I wouldn't say that was an exciting race

Nico start to finish...

Highlights were mainly watching Kimi fight for fourth

Well I guess watching Alonso plow his front jack man was kind of exciting

Poor Mclaren having its teething problems.

Must be kind of hard for Alonso this year watching his old team have such a great car/package

[Basil B]

Lewis signs 3 year contract with Mercedes, could be worth £27million.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/32812577

http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/latest/headlines/2015/5/lewis-hamilton-signs-new-deal-with-mercedes.html

[Basil B]

Pole for Monaco, very predictable...

Car 44 followed by NR & SV.

Barring any mishaps that will probably be the order on the podium at the end of the race.

[ignis]

Lewis signs 3 year contract with Mercedes, could be worth £27million.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/32812577

http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/latest/headlines/2015/5/lewis-hamilton-signs-new-deal-with-mercedes.html

maybe was good that the deal was done, maybe less sparks will fly after this race ?? what a disaster

Edited May 24, 2015 by ignis

[Basil B]

Sorry for Lewis, and nice to hear Lewis and Nico shook hands on the podium, Lewis can not blame Nico for this one and I am sure Lewis will come back hard for the next race.

seems the problem was on the race wall... someone made a wrong split second decision, cost the team 6 points (lost 3 points and gave their nearest rivals an extra 3 points).

[farmerjo]

I agree with the commentators about scratching the blue flag rule for passing.

[Basil B]

I agree with the commentators about scratching the blue flag rule for passing.

Which commentators? first I have heard of that.

What Max did was perfectly legal, may be a bit cheeky but he was able to keep up with Seb, unfortunately his inexperience cost him 2 points on his licence and a 5 grid place penalty for the next race.

[farmerjo]

I agree with the commentators about scratching the blue flag rule for passing.

Which commentators? first I have heard of that.

What Max did was perfectly legal, may be a bit cheeky but he was able to keep up with Seb, unfortunately his inexperience cost him 2 points on his licence and a 5 grid place penalty for the next race.

It was the sky sports commentators.(Johny Herbert?)

Sorry didn't explain well,still have the blue flag to let cars know faster ones are coming,but the rule to let the leaders thru.

.

[Basil B]

Did try to watch it on sky but Graham Hill and co just seemed so incomprehensible compared to Suzie, Eddie & David...

[naboo]

Canadian Grand Prix, Vettel out in Q1 with power problems. Massa also out....

[Basil B]

But a predictable 1.. 2..

looks like tomorrow will be Lewis keeping Nico behind him and Valtteri racing Kimi for 3rd

Rumour to add to Vettel's woes he has been invited to chat with the stewards about passing under a red flag in FP3.

[Basil B]

With 3 driver vying for the back row of the grid, Verstappen 15 (5 + 10) grid place penalty down from P12 to P19, Vettle 5 grid place penalty down from P16 to P18, and Button who did not qualify who is racing at the stewards discretion at P20. should not unspent grid penalty places of Verstappen and Vettle be carried over to the next race?

Today's race the provisional starting order will be:

1. Hamilton
2. Rosberg
3. Raikkonen
4. Bottas
5. Grosjean
6. Maldonado
7. Hulkenberg
8. Kvyat
9. Ricciardo
10. Perez
11. Sainz
12. Ericsson
13. Alonso
14. Nasr
15. Massa
16. Merhi
17. Stevens
18. Vettel
19. Verstappen
20. Button

Edited June 7, 2015 by Basil B

[naboo]

should not unspent grid penalty places of Verstappen and Vettle be carried over to the next race?

It was mentioned in qualifying that Verstappen will serve a time penalty during a pit-stop in the race as he did not qualify high enough to serve the full grid penalty.

From here:

• If a grid place penalty is imposed, and the driver’s grid position at said event is such that the full penalty cannot be applied, the remainder of the penalty will be applied in the form of a time penalty during the race. Depending on the number of grid penalty places untaken this can range from a 5-second time penalty to a 10-second stop-go penalty.

and from here:

Last year if a driver could not take a complete grid penalty – due to qualifying well down the grid – the remaining places carried over for one race.

However, this season any penalty places not taken translate into penalties in the current race. If one to five places are not taken, the driver will have a five-second-time penalty at his first pit stop, and if it's six to 10 places, that becomes a 10-second-time penalty. Anything between 11 and 20 places not taken leads to a drive through penalty early in the race.

So Verstappen will have a 10 second penalty and Vettel 5.

Edited June 7, 2015 by naboo

[naboo]

I've always thought scrap the qualifying and the grid order is the reverse of the previous race finishing positions.

[uksomchai]

Years ago when I dabbled in stock car racing back home the winner started from the back in reverse order. It made for some great racing as the fastest drivers had to get past the slower and less experienced ones. For me they have nearly killed F1 with their desire to slow it down and in some way try and make it " Green " If you want Green then go watch the F1E racing. I tried it but gave up after a few laps as with silent cars there was no atmosphere at all.

For me I think Hamilton has this season in the bag. He has got the mental edge over Rosberg who just seems to lose it when he tries to push it to keep up. Lets hope this is only a glitch for the Ferrari drivers as they looked to be set to fight the Mercedes drivers for the front.

Hopefully we will get to see some action with the back few cars fighting through the pack for points.

[Basil B]

I was aware verstappen had a 10 second penalty but was unsure about Vettel, still feel it not a fair way to go, still think carry over the remainder to the next race, even better have a maximum grid penalty of 10 places rest have to carry forward other wise we are going to end up with teams changing engines a race or to before they have to as their driver is already serving penalties, it is going to be farcical if Vettel our Verstappen come in for new boots, take the penalty, come out and the real safety car is deployed... this would wipe out their penalty.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Basil B

[Basil B]

Still plenty of action behind the Mercedes.

Bad enough driving a under preforming, unreliable Honda but Alonso gets shirty when told to conserve fuel, must have been the last straw, he must have seen red when Vettel overtook in his old car...

[ignis]

Wonder if every car should be a different colour ? or as they use to have in DTM different coloured wing mirrors..?

Marshall's again waving blue flags at cars/drivers, the following cars on the same lap, NO leader anywhere in sight ..... or just do away with the blue flags ?

[Basil B]

Blue flag, Warns a driver that he is about to be lapped and to let the faster car overtake. Pass three blue flags without complying and the driver risks being penalised.

[ignis]

Blue flag, Warns a driver that he is about to be lapped and to let the faster car overtake. Pass three blue flags without complying and the driver risks being penalised.

flags-guide.jpg

Good if there waved at the right car, not the 1st Race that the blue Flag has been waved a few times at a car and the following car/cars are on the same lap, the leading cars still around the other side of the track..

my point was 2 cars the same colour one in position 3 the other at the back of the grid, the flag waver has a split second to try to work out if the car is a leader or coming up from the back.

It is nothing new it has been going on for years... also happens when a car pits, another car unlap s himself = is on same lap, but often he will get the Blue Flag when the car that pitted catches up again..

[Gulfsailor]

Funny video of rookie F1 driver Max Verstappen scaring his dad and former F1 driver Jos Verstappen.

At the start of the lap Jos warns Max to act normal or he will be slapped, hahaha. During the lap there are some tense expressions on Jos' face. Also incredible to see how cool and relaxed Max is the whole time. Seems like it totally comes natural. But judging Jos' reaction and his comment at the end -you did that on purpose didn't you?!- he was driving on the limit.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Gulfsailor

[dominique355]

These engine rules are just STUPID!

I really fail to understand the logic behind imposing super expensive new engines and then penalize further development of them, all with the explanation that this will reduce cost. It's utter BS.

If teams should save cost, keep the same engine formulas and rules. And if you want new and expensive new engines, allow the engineers to properly develop them and at the same time make the races interesting by allowing other teams to catch up and have a chance to win.

[naboo]

Fantastic qualifying session. Round 1 on a drying track, Kimi Raikonnen out as times tumbled and he made an error on his final lap, Hamilton scraped through. Round 2 it was clear Hamilton was having huge downforce issues and was never even close to Rosberg. Final round and Hamilton somehow completed the fastest lap of the weekend, tyres were taking a while to warm up, then on his second set of tyres he hadn't gone fast enough to get them up to temperature and he spun out on corner 1. Rosberg then found himself in the gravel on the final corner.

Lots of grid penalties, the below is before they are applied.

1 HAM Mercedes 1:08.455

2 ROS Mercedes 1:08.655

3 VET Ferrari 1:08.810

4 MAS Williams 1:09.192

5 HUL Force India 1:09.278

6 BOT Williams 1:09.319

7 VPN Toro Rosso 1:09.612

8 KVY Red Bull 1:09.694

9 NAS Sauber 1:09.713

10 GRO Lotus

11 MAL Lotus 1:10.374

12 ERI Sauber 1:10.426

13 SAI Toro Rosso 1:10.465

14 RIC Red Bull 1:10.482

15 ALO McLaren 1:10.736

16 PER Force India 1:12.522

17 BUT McLaren 1:12.632

18 RAI Ferrari 1:12.867

19 MER Manor 1:14.071

20 STE Manor 1:15.368

Edited June 20, 2015 by naboo

[Basil B]

These engine rules are just STUPID!

I really fail to understand the logic behind imposing super expensive new engines and then penalize further development of them, all with the explanation that this will reduce cost. It's utter BS.

If teams should save cost, keep the same engine formulas and rules. And if you want new and expensive new engines, allow the engineers to properly develop them and at the same time make the races interesting by allowing other teams to catch up and have a chance to win.

This is getting stupid, the McLaren boy's might as well do the drive through penalty and retire, save the engines for the next race.

[ignis]

These engine rules are just STUPID!

I really fail to understand the logic behind imposing super expensive new engines and then penalize further development of them, all with the explanation that this will reduce cost. It's utter BS.

If teams should save cost, keep the same engine formulas and rules. And if you want new and expensive new engines, allow the engineers to properly develop them and at the same time make the races interesting by allowing other teams to catch up and have a chance to win.

Watch F1 for many years, also many other motor racing..

Somehow F1 appears to be less about racing these days, all these rules, penalties etc, what are the races about these days ? save the tyres, save fuel, the days of all out racing have long gone in F1

was nice to watch the 24 hrs of flat out racing on the limit, as is the DTM, WTCC and WRC even the Super V8's racing is more interesting, now there is 'e' racing and there they get penalize for using to much power !!!! + get penalize if a second to fast in the pits.

to me Motor Racing is racing flat out start to finish.

[Basil B]

With so many grid penalties, I was wondering if Will Stevens who finished 20th and now starts P17, seems that even if he collected a 5 grid penalty he would start P18...