Belgian Grand Prix Preview

After a three-week break, F1 circus is gearing up for the second half of the season, likewise, many of us are looking forward to see the best of the F1 season.  The 12th race of the F1 season will kick off this weekend at a historical & a scenic, Spa- Francorchamps.

The circuit is one of the most challenging & longest circuit on the F1 Calendar, located in the Ardennes Mountains. Overall it's a seven kilometres in length, running 44 laps,  have got flat-out corners & fast straights; the average speed is 230km/h.

Pirelli confirmed  its P Zero white medium tyres as primes and the P Zero Yellow soft as an options.

"With the softer option liable to be the preferred choice in qualifying due to a significant time gap. This is because of the length of the lap, meaning also that strategy is a very big factor in Spa: there is more time to be won and lost by being on the right tyre at the right time than at many other venues. It’s the sort of race where, under the right circumstances, it’s absolutely possible to go from last to first – and that always makes for a very exciting grand prix. Often it can be raining on one part of the circuit but completely dry at another part, meaning that the versatility of cars, tyres and drivers is tested to the limit as well." says Paul Hembery

 The weather is always unpredictable with heavy rainstorms and it's believed that, in the history of the Belgium GP, it has rained for 20 years in a row. And so there is always the rain threat during the race, which raises the chances of a safety car period.

Moreover, the Spa- Francorchamps circuit is all time favourite of most of the drivers on the F1 grid. The unique ups & downs reflects the track so well with it's iconic features and the history involved makes it a drivers delight.

William's Fellipe Massa "I love Spa, it's one of my favourite tracks because of the long straights and high speed corners, and it's a track we all look forward to racing at. The long straights should suit our car and we can kick the second half of the season off with some success."

 What all to look at for the second-half of the season: 1> The aerodynamic developments on the cars. 2> Teams orders. 3> The battle between the top half of the table for championship points and positions.

Above all, I reckon the Spa race will be one the interesting race to watch out. Sebastian Vettel had won the race last year, Who do you think will win the race this year? Will we see another team order between Lewis & Nico as they is only a gap of 11 points in their Drivers' standings? Have your say.

2012 Australian Grand Prix Preview

Many of us were waiting for the Formula One season to kick off and so this week for the first time in the history of Formula One, we will see 6 world champions on the grid with their massive 18’000hp.

Welcome to my blog of Formula One and I hope you all will have an amazing time this season. I bet if you will not ;)

As the first round of Formula One approaches to the Albert Park, many of the F1 teams and their respective crew members have started their way to Melbourne. The circuit itself is in the centre of the city around a lake. It is considered that the circuit is one of the first – rate circuit with the best facilities.

With the twelve days of pre –season testing, looks like all the teams are geared up for this season. HRT car failed to do more laps during the testing whereas only last week Marussia’s car successfully passed its mandatory crash tests.

I reckon Ferrari’s are still struggling to know their F2012. McLaren and Lotus car looked smoother. But yes we have to see this Saturday how these car do well in the competition level.

Red bull looks stronger but the question comes here is that: Will Red bull dominate this year too with the Newey’s design?

Sebastian Vettel: "Testing has been busy over the last few weeks and I think we have made a decent step with the car. You never really know where you are until we get to Melbourne and even then you don't really see what everyone has got until qualifying - so I'm looking forward to getting started.”

The track is clockwise with few blind corner, 90- degree corners, 58 laps, 16 turns and with two DRS activation Zone.

Pirelli, the official tyre supplier of the Formula One had announced last month that for the first race, all the teams will be supplied with the soft and the medium compound tyres.

Hence, to sum up, I would say that this GP has to be the action packed.

German Grand Prix Preview

Out of 19 races so far, it’s the tenth race of the Formula One season in Germany on this weekend at the Nurburgring circuit. Also, it will be the midway point of this season.

I know you guys are much excited as I am for the coming Grand Prix because it will have six German drivers on the grid and after all it will be Vettel’s and other fellow German drivers home GP which will make more exciting to watch and so I reckon it will action packed race as always.

Nurburging circuit is situated around the village of Nurburg and in the Eifel mountains. It has 16 turns, 60 laps and is 5.1 kilometers long.There will be a single DRS Zone. The DRS will start at turn 10 and at the exit of turn 11 the drivers will be able to activate the rear wing.

"The DRS zone has been set for the straight before the tight chicane, so we should see some good overtaking. There's always good action at the first corner: it's nice and wide, with a variety of lines, which gives drivers an opportunity to pass." Says FIA race director Charlie Whiting

Pirelli have confirmed to go for its P Zero white Medium tyre as the prime and the P zero yellow soft as an option. Unlike what we saw at the British GP where half of the circuit was dry and half was wet. So the tyre strategy will be important. It’s not yet confirmed if will see the rain during the race.

"Although they sit next to each other in our range, there is still a significant difference between the P Zero Yellow soft and the P Zero White medium tyre,"

"as we saw on the last occasion that this combination was used at the Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia." Says the Motorsport Director of Pirelli Paul Hembery.

Moreover, the circuit has less overtaking opportunities which will be a struggling point for the drivers. The weather here is not so favorable.

The last race was held in Nurburging was in 2009 and in 2010 the race was held in Hockenheim. Similarly like Spain who enjoys two grand Prix per year in Valencia and Barcelona, Germany had two grand prix per year. But due to excessive hosting fees, it has been a struggle to host the race at the both of the circuits.

Unlike British GP where we see a real passion from the Home crowd, will see the same craziness from the fans of the Germany. After all the two World champion drivers will be racing across the circuit and most important part is that they will have their own home team too Mercedes which will make the atmosphere more cheerful.

British GP which was two weeks back from now, we saw the action packed race. Notably the
following-
• Teams order, bad pit stop error of Redbull.
• Wheel nut problem with the Jenson’ MP4-26 car.
• Force India had a error in the Pit stops.

and offcourse many things to add on. However, the luck was with the Prancing Horse. Alonso did a great job. He drove well .They upgraded their car before the start of the British GP but this doesn’t really clear that it was a new upgrade on their car or it was of because blown-diffuser regulations??

“We have a few more updates coming for this weekend at the Nurburgring and then one further update for Hungary the following week. We are keeping the pressure on to develop as much as we can before the summer break,” says Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali.

Well last year it was Ferrari’s who had one-two finish by a Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa and in 2009, Redbull had a one-two finish by a Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. But this year we have been seeing how the Redbull is dominating in many of the races and so it will be a real fight between bulls, Prancing Horse, McLaren and Mercedes.

Although Force India did not gain any point at the British GP but so far the team is doing a great job. The performance is getting better and better. “a total of 21 points separates it from what would be an improved sixth” says Force India Chairman and team principal Dr. Vijay Mallya

I hope we get to see some fantastic performance by Adrian Sutil as he will be racing at his home GP.

McLaren had a bad time at the British GP. Two drivers have defiantly a strong car to compete and also they have been always closer to the Redbull. But this weekend will a tough one.

Apart from the top teams, I reckon Renault looks more competitive this weekend as they too have upgrades on their cars for the Germany Grand Prix.

So what do you think will McLaren have a tough time considering that Ferrari’s are back in the competition through the mid point season? Will the home crowd for Vettel will be a bonus for him to win the race? Or you think Mercedes drivers will have enormous pressure to show their best performance at the Germany Grand Prix or may be a surprise win from Schumi?

Canadian Grand Prix preview

The seventh championship round of the Formula one Season is on this weekend at the Montreal. Gilles Villeneuve is very popular race track, has panoramic view and one of the tough circuits for the drivers, with the esse into the first corner, two hairpins, high bumpiness, and the low down force.

The first ever Grand Prix was held at year 1978. The circuit is situated on the narrow island in the St Lawrence River.

With this year new regulations, the race will be more interesting to watch. Especially with the KERS, Pirelli tyres and two Drag Reduction System (DRS) zone which will be good to see how teams cope with the breaking temperatures and minimum three pit stops.

However, the supersoft and soft tyres will be used in the Montreal. Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery said “the reason we are going super soft and soft is that you want to have grip from the tyre, if you go with something too hard then you end wheel-spinning, tyres grain and they get consumed even quicker.”

So far this year Redbull’s Sebastian vettel has won 5 races out of 6 races. I reckon this time he can win the race too but then that Lewis being a close competitor has got enormous chances to win at the Canadian Grand Prix.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has won twice, been on pole three times. His first Grand prix win was in year 2007 and then in year 2010. It’s one of the favourite tracks for Lewis. “Montreal is a very special place for me," says Lewis.

Apart from Redbull’s and McLaren’s there are chances that Renault, Force India can gain some points. Moreover, Ferrari’s is not to behind of Redbull’s and McLaren. Fernando Alonso has shown his great driving talent staying right behind Vettel at the Monaco Grand Prix. He had won in year 2006 when he drove for Renault.

Well just two days to go for the Friday’s first free practice. We will see one more amazing race of this season. So enjoy the weekend.