Reflections on Japan and Korea

Greetings from Seoul. It's 0800 on Monday and I'm sitting in bed with a coffee, contemplating when to prize myself out of a comfy bed and into the shower.

We are now playing the waiting game and twiddling our thumbs until we can clamber aboard the plane home. A further 12 hours and an epic fortnight in Japan and South Korea is over.

There are many wonderful pleasures attached to this job, and arriving home in the UK is certainly one of them.

After two weeks of emotional, fraught, pressurised and dramatic television - the kind I think only live sport can deliver - walking in through the front door always feels strange, and it takes a couple of days to adjust emotionally as the adrenalin melts away.

I normally help the process along by heading out to my local pub for dinner with my wife, just to really feel like I'm home. By the time you're reading this I may well already be there - pint of bitter in hand.

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In the fortnight we have been out of the UK, history has been written.

Sebastian Vettel has been crowned the Formula 1 world champion, Red Bull have defended their constructors' title, and I have turned 33.

Many thanks, incidentally, to the person on Twitter who tweeted simply, "4 months and you'll be a third of the way to 100-Happy Birthday"...

Well, perhaps using my advancing years - but, I'm glad to say, not receding hairline - as an example, let's consider how impressive the achievements of the past two weeks actually are.

Let's start with the team of the moment - Red Bull.

I think what team principal Christian Horner, chief technical officer Adrian Newey, adviser Helmut Marko and all at their Milton Keynes base have achieved is incredible.

Consider the dedication at McLaren, the blueprint for success at Ferrari, the wealth of Mercedes and the casualty rate of new teams. For Red Bull to achieve what they have in just six years is stunning.

I know they weren't a start-up like Virgin Racing or Team Lotus, they were a reincarnation of an existing team, but as an example it has been a similar amount of time since the Jordan name left F1. In that time Midland, Spyker and now Force India have operated from the same base and their achievements are incomparable to Red Bull's.

Yes, the company's commercial success in selling fizzy drinks means they are able to fund big salaries and huge budgets, but only a fool would think money alone could buy the titles.

I have been impressed by the passion in the squad. They are racers and there is a huge desire to win, true disappointment when they don't, and an ability to have a good party when things go their way. Which I also like ;-).

There is a strange ethos in F1 that you don't stop to smell the roses.

I often wonder whether Robert Kubica revelled sufficiently in his 2008 Canadian Grand Prix win, or whether Lewis Hamilton really absorbed what an incredible start he had to his career in 2007.

The thing I say most to my wife is "savour it" and I'll be the same with my children. I think that's the most important lesson a person can learn.

It was John Lennon who said "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans" and you, me, Vettel, everyone should avoid that at all costs. Life is too short - so savour it.

And on that front I'm happy to report that, having been just feet from him as he won title number two, Vettel is well aware of his achievements and just how lucky he is.

Whether you like him as a driver or not, he is very impressive as a person. Without naming names, there are a number of drivers who not only are reluctant to speak to the media, but, even worse, are quite dismissive or condescending.

I guess that the F1 paddock is just a snapshot of everyday life and so therefore it is to be expected, even if some might consider it unforgivable.

However, you can trust me when I tell you that Vettel is as impressive as anyone who currently drives an F1 car, for all the right reasons. He is approachable, accessible and, most importantly, genuine.

Those who have known him for a while say he's always been the same and so credit to his parents for bringing up a person who realises that being the fastest driver in the world is just a phase. World champion isn't who Vettel is; it's a title he wears.

On Sunday he talked about when he retires in many, many years, and he is already aware that even he doesn't possess the talent of immortality among his many skills.

When the fawning has died down, the trophies have become tarnished and the attention has turned to someone younger and faster, the man left behind is what matters. On that score, Vettel is also a champion.

My highlight of this whole trip was the F1 Forum after the Japanese Grand Prix. I remember a few grumbles at the start of the year about the new-look forum, where we move around the pit lane rather that sit in a motorhome by a big TV. Well, Japan - or Monaco - this year, are exactly why we don't do that anymore. To be in the heart of that drama, the celebrations, the rare display of emotions in the scientific world of F1 is great to see.

I loved Japan, particularly the racing history it has seen. The past couple of weeks I've been out running the tracks with a couple of members of the BBC production team, producer Tom Gent and video editor Robin Nurse.

It was great fun, particulary Japan, where we pointed out where Nigel Mansell had a couple of big accidents, and stopped at the exact places where Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had their famous incidents.

Those are just a few examples where, in those moments, the people involved thought of nothing but what had just happened on track.

It would have been all-consuming, no time to stop and appreciate the moment. Yet suddenly, here we are 20 years later. The bodywork has long been swept up, the tears of joy and happiness have dried, and all we, and they, have left are our memories and Murray Walker's wonderful voice.

With that in mind - and particularly having seen the sad events in Las Vegas on Sunday that led to the death of British driver Dan Wheldon - whatever you are up to this week, wherever in the world you are, my only advice to you is very simple - savour it.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2011/10/greetings_from_seoul_its_0800.html

Loan Max Toyota Aric Almirola JR Motorsports Chevrolet Kevin Lepage Hyatt

Vitantonio Liuzzi - classic F1

Vitantonio Liuzzi is the latest driver to choose his five all-time favourite grands prix for BBC Sport's classic Formula 1 series.

The HRT driver, who elected to stay in F1 for a seventh season this year with a back-of-the-grid team rather than look for a more competitive drive elsewhere, certainly knows his F1 history. The Italian's selection comprises five all-time classic events.

Vitantonio Liuzzi

Liuzzi decided to join HRT this year to ensure he kept his name alive in F1

The 1979 French Grand Prix

A race famous for what Liuzzi describes as the "amazing fight" between Ferrari's Gilles Villeneuve and Renault's Rene Arnoux over second place in the final three laps, as the two men passed and re-passed each other, occasionally banging wheels in perhaps the most frenetic three laps of racing in F1 history.

The race also marked Renault's first win in F1, courtesy of Jean-Pierre Jabouille, and the first for a car with a turbocharged engine - the type of power-plant that is returning to the sport in the new 'green' F1 from 2014.

The 1982 Monaco Grand Prix

This race featured perhaps the most chaotic closing stages in F1 history, with five different leaders vying for the win, and was described by Murray Walker at the time as "certainly the most exciting, eventful grand prix I have ever seen".

Long-time leader Alain Prost crashed his Renault at the chicane in a late shower of rain, leaving Brabham's Riccardo Patrese in front and on course for his first F1 win. But he, too, was caught out on the slippery track, spinning just three-quarters of a lap later than Prost, this time on the hill down from Mirabeau to Loews.

Patrese managed to bump-start his car but only after being passed for the lead by Ferrari's Didier Pironi, who then stuttered to a halt, out of fuel, in the tunnel. That should have given the lead to Alfa Romeo's Andrea de Cesaris but he, too, had stopped with an empty tank, even before he got to the site of Patrese's spin. And Williams driver Derek Daly, who could also have moved up, had stopped with a broken driveshaft. All that meant Patrese crossed the line in the lead, even though, as Liuzzi points out "he didn't know he'd won".

The 1989 Japanese Grand Prix

A familiar choice, this is a race that is central to the legend of Ayrton Senna and a key event in his bitter feud with arch-rival Prost, then his team-mate at McLaren. Prost led for much of the race but was caught by Senna in the closing stages. When the Brazilian went for a pass at the chicane, the two men collided.

Prost knew he was world champion if both men retired. But as he climbed out of the car, Senna decided to continue. He pitted to replace a damaged nose cone and recovered to pass Benetton's Alessandro Nannini for a brilliant win.

Senna was later controversially disqualified, leading to the extraordinary development of McLaren appealing against the result of a race that had given the world title to one of their drivers. The appeal was unsuccessful.

The 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix

Like Monaco 1982, another chaotic finish in the rain, with perhaps an even more extraordinary result. Heavy downpours led to the retirements of many leading drivers, including world champion Michael Schumacher. And the race was brought to a premature end when first Mark Webber crashed his Jaguar at high speed coming on to the pit straight and then Fernando Alonso's Renault ploughed into the debris.

The result hinged on who had crossed the line at the point the race was stopped. Timekeepers initially handed the win to McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen but Jordan were convinced their man Giancarlo Fisichella had won. Jordan appealed, successfully, and Fisichella was named as the winner, Raikkonen handing him the trophy at a little ceremony before the following race, the San Marino GP at Imola.

The 2005 Japanese Grand Prix

Arguably the best grand prix there has ever been - and one we dealt with when Mark Webber made his selections last week.

As always, we pick one 'feature' race, so this time we have gone for Monaco 1982. The full Grand Prix programme of the time is embedded below. Underneath it, to whet your appetites for the action in Yeongam this weekend, are links to short and extended highlights of Alonso's momentous victory in last year's inaugural Korean Grand Prix.

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CLICK HERE FOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 KOREAN GRAND PRIX
CLICK HERE FOR EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 KOREAN GRAND PRIX

Viewers in the UK can watch the classic races on digital television, where we will be showing short highlights of France 1979, Monaco 1982, Japan 1989 and Japan 2005 and extended highlights of Korea 2010.

On satellite, cable and Freeview, they will be broadcast between first and second practice on Friday 14 October from 0335-0555 BST.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/10/vitantonio_liuzzi_-_classic_f1.html

Erik Darnell 3M Ford Reed Sorenson Dollar General Toyota

The Nascar Points Rating System

Nascar uses a points and rating system of rules to award its drivers. Now the prize money is not the only thing that matters. The points also count. Let's now take a gander at the history of the Nascar points system. From 1949, when Nascar began, to 1951, Nascar awarded points on the base of the position in the race. The 1st position got 10 points, the second got 9 points, and so on. These points were increased by the 0.05 race purse. Then, from here until 1967, the winners were awarded points on a linear scale.

From 1949 to 1971, Nascar tried six different point and rating systems before they reached the current rating system. In 1972, Nascar inaugurated a new points system. Then, three various systems were tried for three various years. The systems were strange in some of the cases. Some counted mileage; some counted the finishing position as well as the mileage. There were complaints coming in from fans. The points system was not favorable. There was a Nascar champion that had won just one race in his career. The bigger races had more points. Those who won the bigger races eventually scored more points than their counterparts who had won more races.

The Current System Comes Into Existence -
It was in 1975 that the current points system was developed. Two forms of this system were again tried from 1982 to 1998. In this system, the points were awarded according to the final position and the number of laps covered during the race. There are three scales again for the number of points that a person can receive according to his finishing position. In the current system, the winner receives 180 points, the 2nd place gets 170, and so on, with 10 points separating the winner from the next position. Then, after the 2nd position, the first scale starts. In this scale, 5 points separate one position from another. This scale lasts from the 2nd to the 6th position. Then, from the 7th to the 11th position, the second scale comes into effect. Four points separate one position from another, and in the last scale 3 points separate one position from another.

Other Points -
There are other points also that come into the picture. For every lap that is completed, a racer gets 5 points. There is also an additional 5 points awarded for the most number of laps based on lap leadership. Driver points are also counted. If a driver is replaced during the race, then the points earned by the replacement driver still count toward the original driver's tally.

Owner points are also given to the owner of a car. For every car that qualifies for the race, the owner points given are the same as driver points.

This author is a HUGE fan of NASCAR licensed merchandise

Article Source: The Nascar Points Rating System

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/111187/the-nascar-points-rating-system

Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

Your F1 questions answered - part IV

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is closing in on a second world title with the rest of the field fighting over second place in the drivers' standings.

What are the reasons behind Lewis Hamilton's form; why have Ferrari struggled to mount a challenge this season and will we see former champion Kimi Raikkonen back in Formula 1?

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If you are outside the UK, you can watch the video here.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/10/your_f1_questions_answered_-_p_1.html

Kenny Wallace Jason Keller Coleman Pressley Mike Wallace

On pole but not smiling. Troubles still weigh on Hamilton

In Yeongam

It has been a while since Formula 1 has seen Lewis Hamilton smile, so it was a surprise that even after taking a significant pole position for McLaren in Korea his trademark, happy grin was still missing.

The 26-year-old stared into the middle distance as he stood alongside Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, who has been beaten just four times in qualifying this year, and his own team-mate Jenson Button.

For the record books Hamilton's pole position represented an end to Red Bull's dominance over one lap this season. For the 2008 world champion, it meant a glimmer of redemption.

When asked directly why he wasn't smiling, Hamilton answered: "I don't feel I deserve it.

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"I've had some tough races in the second half of the season but tomorrow and the rest of the races are what count, avoiding penalties and all those different things.

"[The pole] is one of the first positives. I've had some difficult races in the past and we'll try to redeem ourselves tomorrow."

Hamilton also revealed why he did not respond on McLaren's pit-to-car radio when the team congratulated him on his pole position.

"I wasn't on the radio," he said. "I hadn't heard that in a long time so it was good to hear. It was just a comforting feeling. It was satisfying to hear the guys in the background cheering so that makes me happy."

A traumatic season has seen Hamilton mix errors on track, including nearly taking out his team-mate in Canada, with off-track spats, most controversially his criticism of the stewards in Monaco.

The run of bad results have been in contrast to Button, who has soared in the second half of the season, winning two of the last five races to climb to second in the championship.

Hamilton's troubles have been played out under intense scrutiny and there have been suggestions that he lacks support as he deals with a new management company, in place of his Dad Anthony, and the stresses of a long-distance relationship with pop-star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger.

There was no escape from further scrutiny in Korea.

When he sat alongside Vettel in the first media conference of the weekend, Hamilton was asked more questions than the man who had become the sport's youngest world champion just four days earlier.

As he spoke to the media, Hamilton admitted that it would take a long time to recover.

A solitary pole may not be enough to complete the process but it could the catalyst for the start of a personal comeback, as well as proving he is back in the groove behind the wheel.

"This is just a very small step but in the right direction," Hamilton reflected. "It was important we got [pole] today and it made a significant difference."

It had been 16 months since Hamilton has been on pole and on race days he has not been on the podium since winning the German Grand Prix in July.

"Hamilton has been flying this weekend," said BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle. "Every time he's sat in the car he's look good.

"He's got the thing alive and we haven't seen that for a while from Lewis Hamilton."

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Hamilton's most immediate challenge is to convert pole into a third victory of the season at Yeongam.

McLaren have had the pace all weekend and Hamilton finished a strong second here in last year's rain-delayed race.

His chances of scoring a pole-to-flag victory could hang on tyre wear and Red Bull have opted for an opposite strategy to rivals McLaren by saving three new sets of the more durable 'soft' tyres for the race.

While Button managed his tyres to win the last race in Japan, Hamilton had to pit early when his tyres degraded badly after just eight laps and he finished a distant fifth.

But he is more optimistic that a change to his car's set-up, which he described as stiff in Suzuka, will help him nurse his tyres through the Korean race.

"The set-up that I have will definitely be easier on the tyres," Hamilton added. "The one I went to in Japan wasn't good for consecutive laps.

"I've come in a different direction which hopefully will be more beneficial in the race."

Whether Hamilton wins or not on Sunday, the embattled 26-year-old has to take this pole position as not only an opportunity to put his rivals behind him, but his troubles too.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/10/post_3.html

Elmer George Bob Gerard Gerino Gerini Peter Gethin

HRT F111 unveiled in Barcelona (photos)

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After confirming Vitantonio Liuzzi as their second starter for the 2011 campaign, and therefore completing their lineup for the new season, the Spanish team unveiled their F111 challenger in front of reporters on Friday (11th of March), in the penultimate day of testing this off-season.









(Ctrl+Click on the images for enlarged view)

Images(C) MotionCompany, toilef1.com

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/8usS4ADII74/hrt-f111-unveiled-in-barcelona-photos.html

Jason Leffler Braun Racing Toyota Elliott Sadler Stanley Ford

Williams FW33 2011 Livery pictures (24th of February)

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Williams F1 Team on Thursday, revealed the livery for its 2011 car, the FW33 during an event broadcasted online. Their interim livery had made its debut at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, on 1 February.

The Williams FW33 2011 livery was released on 24 February, adding white, silver and red to the existing dark blue in a design directly inspired by the Rothmans livery used from 1994 to 1997.

Reigning GP2 champion and rookie driver Pastor Maldonado joined Sam Michael at the event. Maldonado's co-driver, veteran Rubens Barrichello was not present at the event as he was celebrating his 14th wedding anniversary with wife Silvana.

The most visible name on the car is that of energy company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which joined the Williams F1 boat after the British squad signed Pastor Maldonado for the 2011 season. In addition, the new livery also comprises the name of temporary employment company Randstad.

Williams has also announced a new partnership for the 2011 season of Formula 1 with one of Britain's most acclaimed chefs Michael Caines (who will join the team with responsibilities in the hospitality area).

The British chef, who received 2 Michelin stars some 12 years ago and has retained them ever since, said,

"I am thrilled to be involved with the AT&T Williams team as an official partner and to help them develop their already high standards of hospitality.

(...) It is a prestigious relationship and something we are very excited about and proud of. I am a petrolhead at heart and I?m passionate about Formula One. I have followed Williams over many years so for me this involvement is just brilliant"


A touch of nostalgia!
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Williams FW33
Williams FW18 Renault

Links

Williams unveil definitive 2011 race livery (The Official F1)
"Williams? technical director Sam Michael was in attendance at the unveiling and spoke to the assembled media about the theory behind the technicalities of the car?s design. Michael drew particular attention to the compact nature of the FW33?s rear end."


Williams FW33 2011 Livery pictures









Sponsor logos on the Williams FW33






Photos © Williams/LAT

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/VDQ--D6KqpU/williams-fw33-2011-livery-pictures-24th.html

David Hobbs Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland

Stakes still high in Singapore

In Singapore

Sebastian Vettel may be on the verge of clinching his second world title, a feat he could achieve here this weekend, but the narrative thread of this Formula 1 season is a long way from complete.

In fact, in many ways, when the 24-year-old Red Bull driver finally clinches the title, it will change little - it has looked inevitable from very early on in the season.

But here under the spectacular night-time skyline of Singapore, plenty of issues remain to be resolved.

Although Vettel set the fastest time in Friday practice, one of those issues is whether he can take the win on Sunday that would make him the sport's youngest double world champion if Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is lower than third, and McLaren's Jenson Button or Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber do not finish second.

The German is, as Button said, clearly "very fast" again here - you would expect nothing else from a man who has won eight of the season's 13 races and taken 10 pole positions.

But on the evidence of Friday practice, he could face a stiff challenge from Alonso, the man who beat him to victory here last year.

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Although Vettel was 0.2secs faster than Alonso on headline times, the Spaniard looked if anything slightly quicker on their race runs late in the session.

Alonso's fastest time on these was one minute 52.160 seconds, compared to Vettel's 1:52.374, while the Ferrari's average pace was about 0.15secs a lap quicker.

Lewis Hamilton described the Ferrari as "massively quick", but all may not be as it seems.

Red Bull believe Ferrari run with slightly less fuel than them in these race-simulations runs, and with 10kg of fuel adding 0.42secs in lap time, that can make a big difference.

On top of that, Vettel's run was slightly compromised by traffic, so he may not have exploited the initial pace of his tyres as well as Alonso.

Either way, this race looks for now as if it will be a battle between these two - just as last year's was.

McLaren looked a long way off on pace on Friday. Hamilton's long-run average appeared to be nearly a second slower than Alonso's - and on top of that McLaren seem to be struggling more severely with tyre degradation.

Still, a Vettel-Alonso battle would be heavy with significance. This is a race Vettel has never won. He is well known for his fondness for ticking statistical boxes and it will smart that he was beaten here last year by a slower car as a result of a mistake in qualifying borne of pressure exerted by Alonso at a track at which he excels.

It is, too, only two weeks since Alonso edged Vettel on to the grass as the Red Bull passed him to take the lead of the Italian Grand Prix.

Vettel has played down the significance of that incident here, but it impressed him enough to mention to race director Charlie Whiting and his deputy Herbie Blash after the race in Italy how touch-and-go it had been.

Equally, Alonso is a proud man who will not have appreciated being passed around the outside there - as he was by Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber at Eau Rouge at the preceding race in Belgium.

For many people, Alonso and Vettel are the two most complete drivers on the grid. A battle between them on Sunday would only be one of many F1 will witness in the coming years, but each one is laden with a significance of its own that adds complexity and detail to the bigger story.

It was perhaps significant that, at a race many of the drivers agree is the toughest of all, the top three places on Friday were occupied by F1's 'big three'.

Like Alonso, Lewis Hamilton excels around this place - they are the only two men to have won here - and the Englishman arrives here, the first of six long-haul races that will bring the season to a close, determined to try to replace memories of what his team admits has been a difficult season with more positive recollections.

Hamilton was strangely subdued at the last race in Monza, saying he was determined just to finish after crashing in Spa. But he says he has arrived here with "massive motivation".

That befits a schizophrenic season by Hamilton, who has veered between breathtaking excellence and ham-fisted errors, from all-out attack and too much aggression in some places to excessive conservatism at others.

After Monza, team principal Martin Whitmarsh has said he wants "the old Lewis back". Which Hamilton will be on show on Sunday?

McLaren have mirrored Hamilton's up-and-down year, with Button - their best driver in the last three races - admitting on Thursday that a series of errors had prevented them mounting any consistent challenge to Red Bull.

For them, too, a strong end to the season would provide a welcome boost ahead of a renewed challenge on Vettel in 2012.

No one is more in need of that, though, than Webber.

It is becoming an ever more glaring statistic that in a season his team-mate has dominated in the best car, the Australian has yet to win a race, and lies fourth in the championship.

Webber says he is sure a win will come before the end of the season, but the situation is clearly beginning to grate a little - on Thursday, he swore at a journalist who asked him about it.

Webber's team boss Christian Horner has had his own frustrations this weekend, with the re-emergence of murmurings that Red Bull have broken the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA) that restricts the teams' spending on research and development.

Several rival teams clearly believe Red Bull have gone beyond the limitations laid out in the RRA, and Horner has found himself fending off questions about a story that we first covered on this blog back in January.

BBC Sport has seen excerpts of a report into the RRA commissioned by the F1 teams' umbrella group Fota from a Dutch auditor called Cap Gemini.

It concludes that Red Bull have "successfully implemented the processes and procedures and supporting systems of the RRA and observed the rules and regulations in their daily practices" and adds that they "have sufficient basis and inputs to answer the questions asked by Fota".

In the circumstances, it's no wonder Horner has appeared a little frustrated by this story at times this weekend.

All this intrigue and drama is occurring at what is rapidly emerging as one of the best events on the calendar.

The drivers universally praise this race, with Vettel and Button disagreeing over whether this or Monaco was a greater challenge, Hamilton describing it as a "mega fun" and Alonso and Webber agreeing it is probably the toughest race of the year.

That might sound odd to some - after all, a quick glance at the circuit map reveals an almost endless succession of slow, right-angled corners.

But go out to watch trackside here, and it becomes abundantly clear.

The cars, glistening and gleaming under the lights, buck and dance over the bumps and kerbs. The best drivers literally skim the walls. Lovely, coloured lanterns line the track. The Singapore downtown skyline provides a dramatic backdrop and the heavy heat and humidity combine with a relaxed ambience to create a heady atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the viewing for the fans trackside rivals anywhere in the world - they can wander around the circuit almost at will, and the cars are close by in all their violence and beauty.

As Button said here on Thursday, an individual grand prix victory means almost as much to a driver as a world title, so big are the emotions it unleashes.

And, for many people for many different reasons this weekend, a win in Singapore would mean more than most.

UPDATE 1900 BST, SATURDAY

After an incident-packed but somewhat inconclusive qualifying session, Vettel's chances of winning on Sunday look if anything even stronger than they did before the weekend.

Vettel is on pole, inevitably, but behind him are three drivers unsure whether they can challenge him. Webber has admitted to not being that comfortable around Singapore - although he says he feels better about the race - and the McLaren drivers in third and fourth places have deep concerns about tyre wear.

Ironically, then, the man in fifth place on the grid - Alonso - might be the man who could push Vettel closest, given the Ferrari is usually quicker comparatively in the race than it is in qualifying, and looked very pacy on Friday.

But even if that is the case he has three cars to get past before he can do so. And as Button says: "You need to have Vettel in your sights at the start of the race to have any chance of challenging him at the end."

But if a win seems locked on for Vettel, he doesn't look likely to be able to win the title on Sunday, given the make-up of the grid. But no one expects a straightforward race, at the longest event on the calendar, on one of the most demanding tracks. Even rain is a possibility.

"It's not going to be a straightforward race," Button said. "It'll be about strategy and looking after your tyres."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/09/stakes_still_high_in_singapore.html

Loan Max Toyota Aric Almirola JR Motorsports Chevrolet Kevin Lepage Hyatt

NASCAR Sprint Cup Tickets- Mark Martin Wins at 50

At the young age of 50, three months and nine days; Mark Martin became the third-oldest winner in NASCAR history, snapping a 97-race winless streak by capturing a victory at Phoenix International Raceway. The NASCAR driver poked fun of himself after the race by telling the media he had no problems keeping up with the 25-year-olds. The Phoenix International Raceway champion started from the pole and led 157 of 312 laps. However, the 50-year-old did run into some trouble when officials erased his four-second lead over Tony Stewart with only 11 laps to go in the race. Mark headed for a pit stop and was worried about his lead. Get NASCAR Sprint Cup tickets and see Martin burning some rubber as he cruises to victory lane.

He emerged out of pit road in second place. Ryan Newman had been in the lead while his teammate, Stewart was just behind Martin, with only six laps left in the race. The 50-year-old driver felt the need for speed as he shot past Newman on the restart, heading towards victory lane. It was his first win since Kansas in 2005. The last 50-year-old to win a Cup race was Morgan Shepherd in 1993 at Atlanta, but who was the oldest driver to ever win a Cup race? Harry Gant holds the record as the oldest driver to win a Cup race. He was 52 when he won at Michigan in 1992.

Before Martin headed towards victory lane in Phoenix and secured a win, only three drivers at the ripe age of 50 or older won Cup races: Gant, Shepherd and Bobby Allison. Mark was greeted by NASCAR president Mike Hilton and several of his competitors after the race. His former boss, Jack Roush, came to congratulate him. So did former teammates Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Burton. It was Mark's 36th career victory, but his first victory without Roush by his side. He spent 18 years driving for Roush and decided to retire in 2006. The driver had a change of heart and wanted to come back and work for Roush, but his former boss had already secured his seat with another driver.

Stewart, who came in second place, told the media there's no shame in losing to a guy like Mark. The second place driver also added that the 50-year-old man works harder than any driver he knew. The praise continued in the garage for Martin, who is considered by many to be the greatest NASCAR driver to never win a championship. But that all changed at the Phoenix International Raceway. The Cup winner came back to the sport he dearly loved to see if he could claim glory on the tracks he driven around so many times. This is his first full season in three years; he spent the last two years in a part-time ride for Dale Earnhardt Inc., which prepared him for a long and demanding 10-month season. Rick Hendrick offered Martin a spot on his team and the key to the No. 5 Chevrolet after the man finished second four times in Phoenix. It looks like the fifth time was the charm.

This article was sponsored by StubHub. StubHub sells NASCAR Sprint Cup tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.

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McLaren MP4-26 Launch pictures ( 4th of February)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C0-vQeDcGfc/TWDazry2paI/AAAAAAAAHIc/X3Qr7G1h9bk/s1600/jpg__MP4-26_Side-1_copie%2B-%2BCopy.jpg

McLaren launched a rather radical MP4-26 during their scheduled Vodafone media event on 4th February at Potsdamer Platz located in Berlin, Germany shortly after the first test session of the season in Valencia.

The nose of the McLaren MP4-26 features the same high design as many of the other cars this season, while its sidepods are extremely sculpted and L-shaped. In addition, the airbox tweaks have been intensively reworked, while the car's exhaust system presents a classic rear-side design.

Technical specifications

Chassis Moulded carbon fibre honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures and integral safety fuel cell
Suspension (front) Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Suspension (rear) as front, except operated by pullrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Engine Mercedes-Benz FO 108Y 2.4 L (146 cu in) V8 (90°). Naturally-aspirated, 18,000 RPM limited with KERS, mid-mounted.
Transmission McLaren Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear hand-operated, seamless shift
Weight 640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
Fuel ExxonMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)

Mobil Synergy Fuel System

Mobil 1 lubrication
Tyres Pirelli P Zero

Enkei wheels (front and rear): 13"

Links

McLaren MP4-26 - L-shaped sidepods ( The Official F1)
"There is no doubting the new MP4-26 is very different from all the other 2011 cars. Technical director Paddy Lowe has exploited to the extreme the idea of higher outer sidepods, last seen on the likes of Benetton's B195 from 1995 and Ferrari's F310 from 1996."

McLaren MP4-26 ? ?L? shaped sidepods (Scarbsf1's Blog)
"It remains to be seen if this set up works better than conventional undercut sidepods for creating rear downforce. Others team would be able to recreate the McLaren ?L? shaped sidepod inlets. Although it would require a significant change the radiators and bodywork, making it a major package upgrade and not a quick test."

McLaren MP4-26 Launch pictures






Photos © McLaren

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