Been trying to keep it together and start this post since Monday. But, I've been busy and just can't muster the strength to put together a post about what happened on the tracks in India last Sunday, 28th of October. And now, we're only a day away from the first practice session in Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi. Bugger! Anyway, here I am now; trying to recall what happened in the Airtel Indian Grand Prix. By the way, this is my first time to actually write a post about Formula 1; please bear with me. :)
So what happened at that track? Plenty of celebrations for the Red Bull Racing-Renault team and plenty of headaches for other teams.
From the first day of practice sessions, it was evident that the Red Bull Racing-Renault was the team to reckon with for the Indian GP. By the time qualifying's done, RBR has solidified its claim on the Airtel Indian GP trophy. Sebastian Vettel qualified P1 while fellow RBR driver Mark Webber qualified P2. It was 2011 all over again. Remember, during the inaugural race in New Delhi last year, Vettel also dominated on the track and bagged a win that's became the key to his 2011 World Championship crown.
Meanwhile, McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button qualified P3 and P4 respectively. Hamilton can be recalled saying he was happy and that's the most realistic position that they could achieve. Button's understeer problems caused him his chances of quialifying higher than P4 and he's had problems with the soft.
Come race day, it became clear that Red Bull is indeed in their own league. Sebastian Vettel has owned the race and led most laps even with a minor sparks problem. He now has a 13-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the driver standings. But, such was not the case for Webber who ended up giving the P2 position up to Fernando Alonso. After only 20 laps, Webber ran into KERS failure which compromised his brake balance.
Alonso's fellow Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa finished P6. He was told to conserve fuel and just managed enough to stay ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who finished P7. The McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, finished P4 and P5 respectively. Hamilton encountered a downshift problem and Button had a problem with a left rear getting stuck. All these problems happened while both McLarens were driving with soft tyres. They were all good once they got on the hard; but it was too late to get a podium finish.
As for the Lotus drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, their cars just don't have the speed needed to ace past the Red Bull and Ferrari cars; even the McLarens. They finished P7 and P9 respectively. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta finished P8 and P12. Williams drivers, Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado finished in P10 and P16. The two actually showed good speed; Senna even posting the second fastest lap. However, Maldonado ruined his chances at finishing higher than P16 when he got involved in a tyre-ripping clash with Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber.
It's not a great day for Mercedes, though. Nico Rosberg managed to snag a P11 finish. Michael Schumacher was not so lucky. At Lap 55, he had to retire his car because of a gearbox trouble. Toro Rosso's drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, finished P13 and P15. Both were in a mishap; Ricciardo was tagged by Perez in Turn One while Vergne had a brush with Schumacher.
Now, that brush off with Ricciardo cost Sauber's Sergio Perez a promising night. While fending of Hulkenberg for P8, he brushed with the Toro Rosso car and had to retire at Lap 20 because of suspension damage. Kamui Kobayashi managed a P14 after his own mishap; a minor brush with Pastor Maldonado.
Caterham drivers, Vitaly Petrov finished P17 while Heikki Kovalainen had a P18 finish. The latter had to deal with a KERS problem. Marussia's Charles Pic and Timo Glock finished P19 and P20. Meanwhile, Narain Karthikeyan of HRT finished P21. Fellow HRT driver Pedro de la Rosa was not so lucky. He retired at Lap 42 due to brake failure.
That's it. Congratulations Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the guys from Red Bull Racing-Renault team! Good job, you guys!
Next up is the 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. From what I've read, it's going to be a battle between the Ferraris and the Red Bulls. If you're in Abu Dhabi, head on to Yas Marina as 1st practice is in 18 hours.
For full details and results of the Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix, check out the Formula 1 website.
*Image Credits:
Sebastian Vettel Facebook Page
Jenson Button Facebook Page
Yahoo! Sport
Formula 1
Meanwhile, McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button qualified P3 and P4 respectively. Hamilton can be recalled saying he was happy and that's the most realistic position that they could achieve. Button's understeer problems caused him his chances of quialifying higher than P4 and he's had problems with the soft.
Come race day, it became clear that Red Bull is indeed in their own league. Sebastian Vettel has owned the race and led most laps even with a minor sparks problem. He now has a 13-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the driver standings. But, such was not the case for Webber who ended up giving the P2 position up to Fernando Alonso. After only 20 laps, Webber ran into KERS failure which compromised his brake balance.
Alonso's fellow Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa finished P6. He was told to conserve fuel and just managed enough to stay ahead of Kimi Raikkonen who finished P7. The McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, finished P4 and P5 respectively. Hamilton encountered a downshift problem and Button had a problem with a left rear getting stuck. All these problems happened while both McLarens were driving with soft tyres. They were all good once they got on the hard; but it was too late to get a podium finish.
As for the Lotus drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, their cars just don't have the speed needed to ace past the Red Bull and Ferrari cars; even the McLarens. They finished P7 and P9 respectively. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta finished P8 and P12. Williams drivers, Bruno Senna and Pastor Maldonado finished in P10 and P16. The two actually showed good speed; Senna even posting the second fastest lap. However, Maldonado ruined his chances at finishing higher than P16 when he got involved in a tyre-ripping clash with Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber.
Now, that brush off with Ricciardo cost Sauber's Sergio Perez a promising night. While fending of Hulkenberg for P8, he brushed with the Toro Rosso car and had to retire at Lap 20 because of suspension damage. Kamui Kobayashi managed a P14 after his own mishap; a minor brush with Pastor Maldonado.
Caterham drivers, Vitaly Petrov finished P17 while Heikki Kovalainen had a P18 finish. The latter had to deal with a KERS problem. Marussia's Charles Pic and Timo Glock finished P19 and P20. Meanwhile, Narain Karthikeyan of HRT finished P21. Fellow HRT driver Pedro de la Rosa was not so lucky. He retired at Lap 42 due to brake failure.
That's it. Congratulations Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the guys from Red Bull Racing-Renault team! Good job, you guys!
Next up is the 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. From what I've read, it's going to be a battle between the Ferraris and the Red Bulls. If you're in Abu Dhabi, head on to Yas Marina as 1st practice is in 18 hours.
For full details and results of the Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix, check out the Formula 1 website.
*Image Credits:
Sebastian Vettel Facebook Page
Jenson Button Facebook Page
Yahoo! Sport
Formula 1
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