Tag: Qualifying
Racing or Swimming in Sepang
by Chris on Mar.31, 2009, under F1
The circuit is 5.543Km or 3.444 miles in length, 10 right hand corners and 5 left. The lap record is held by Juan Pablo Montoya with a time lap time of 1:34,223. The Ferrari’s had a one-two position on the grid in 2008 and Kimi Räikkönen won the race with Robert Kubica and Heikki Kovalainen second and third respectively.
The circuit is of course Sepang, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and at this stage we could be in for a storm……NO!!!! I actually do mean a storm. The weather forecasts for Saturday and Sunday show thunder showers so this link will help you monitor the situation. However, we have a new team and they do not seem interested in the weather or taking prisoners and want to win. I am referring to Brawn GP and they could repeat their Australian performance in Sepang if the car handles well in the wet.
I do not really want to speculate about this because the cars are completely different from last year but we know that Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams have an advantage with their respective aero-packages. I am however tempted to say that Brawn GP will feature in the top 5 this weekend. Looking at the results of 2008 in which Räikkönen won, followed by Robert Kubica, Kovalainen, Trulli, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Webber and Alonso. To these I would gladly add the names of Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa as potential front runners.
Nick Heidfeld still holds the fastest lap at this circuit but he will have to make sure he qualifies well. It would have been great to see Sebastian Vettel in this pack but with the penalty he received in Australia it will be a hard day’s work in the “office” for the young man. Looking at this picture of Nick and Robert I do wonder what it is with F1 drivers and the “fluff” on their faces? We really need Wilkinson to add some sponsorship to this formula.
Looking at comments made by team and driver previews on the official F1 site it would appear that they have not looked at the weather forecast and this includes Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development because they are all concerned about the heat in Sepang. Granted Hirohide did mention the later start time and rain.
I believe the decision to start later at these circuits were wrong as the changes in track temperature and the setting sun were commented on in Australia by several drivers. It does make the race more exiting though.
A1 GP Kyalami South Africa
by Chris on Feb.24, 2009, under A1 GP
I must state that the performance of the South African Team was not what I expected. Adrian Zaugg should know this track like the back of his hand since he raced here so often in his early career. I know pre-race statistics for A1 GP did not exist but his performance for the weekend was poor and even during the race it would appear that his heart was not in the racing. Adrian should have taken lessons from China who tried to overtake at corners where it just would not work but he did try to pass. Could it be that Felipe Massa who support a “Nation against Nation” concept and shook Adrians hand brought some bad luck? Surely not….however he did support Brazilian Felipe Guimaraes and he did not do too well….?Brazilian Felipe Guimaraes crash in the “esses” in the final few laps of last qualifying round again highlighted the risk drivers and their teams take just to get some advantage of the track after most cars have laid down rubber and would thus allow them to get that last thousands of a second benefit in posting good qualifying times.
