7

Well what a season so far, 7 different winners in 7 races. This is opening up to be the best F1 season yet and we are not half way through. This is not the normal way in F1, we seen Red Ball running off to win the Championship and teams in the past, year after year .

I have not see such a unpredictable race season sins the 80's or even gonging back to the Senna days.

Is this due to the new FIA rules or is it the new cars? The drivers are the same, the tacks are the same too a point. DRS is the same on the cars (which gives boost), KERS have always been the same, so is it the FIA rules that seem to change each week?

The new tyres have plagued the teams from the start ,with tyre degradation a big problem to drivers as well as pit teams. Some can go with two or three pit changes or even going with just one.

It seams to me that you can’t go to a track set up the car to that track with the data from over the years and drive like the old days, you almost have to take the track one by one.

All the tracks so far have caused the teams headaches with under steer or over steer. Tyres fall off the cliff a lot sooner then expected and drivers having to re-learn how to use them to the full.

All in all this F1 season will go down to the last track and only the team that learns the secret to the tyres, track and car will be the winner.

With the Europe Valencia Street Circuit next weekend and the teams first big up dates to the cars, will we see a 8th new winner or will a team come out and have the answer to the season?

And Silverstone after this, home crowd to the McLaren boys, always Jenson & Lewis favourite.   

Picture from Bostonherald.com

Looking to the future

Felipe Massa says he will wait until August to make a decision about his future in Formula One.

Now aged 31 he admits his future is unassisted after poor start to this season he doesn't seem comfortable in the race car, has he lost the fight or is it that Ferrari can't offer him any more? Is it time to move to a new team?

The whispers have started flying about with names going around such as Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber and Paul Di Resta rumoured to have spoken to Ferrari to wear the red suite next season.

But with this comes problems which team would be best for him to go too, redball if mark moves? McLaren if lewis? Or Force India if Paul Di Resta?

Are these the only teams with cars reputaion too push him and help him win the championship.

But with the history between Hamilton and Alonso, would this be good for Lewis?

The friendship between Webber and alonso is strong, which is surely what you need in a team?

As for Force India, they are a new team and still building their team and cars, Massa would have a valued input to the team, with his knowledge and experience the team could be a force to be reckoned with next year.

In turn this would help the up and coming Paul Di resta. So far he's been in the top 10 since the start of the race season. In a red suite and the backing of Ferrari, I think this would bring something out of Paul, he could be world champion one day with their help …

but is this all fantasy….?

Could it mean we lose another knowledgeable and talented race driver from the sport.

Photo from http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1074169_formula-1-australian-grand-prix-preview

Keep it fair

So the FIA say now that Red Bull's car is illegal with the holes in the floor at the rear of the car, and have told Red Ball to change it.

So why have they not given them a penalty or removed points from their constructors points?

Is this fair to the other teams? Especially as McLaren had to drop to back of the grid for not having enough fuel in the car so stopping on the race track. And Mr Schumacher's crash resulting in a 5 grid drop for dangerous driving (which was fair for dangerous driving).

But FIA seem to have a rule book that is so vague that its open to interpretation by the teams

that you can build a car at the start of the year but will be illegal 6 races in!

They Should by now have a book that is clear and fair for everyone as the FIA have been going since 1904.

How is it Red Ball don’t get a penalty for being illegal? Is it their fault or is it FIA's?

The McLaren Problems

Founded Back in 1963 Bruce McLaren won his first Grand Prix,  form then on McLaren have gone on to win constructor 8 times and drivers 12 times . McLaren have won 149 pole positions with 176 race victories since their debut in 1966 Monaco grand Prix.

This sort of experience does not come over night neither can it be learnt at college. It comes with years of amazing drivers and technicians passing on their knowledge and passion form the old to the new. Computers can make a car go fast, but its the drivers, technicians and the support of crew and fans that brings the wins.

Yes they have good races and bad races, and the papers will say bad and hurtful things about the drivers and the team, but this McLaren family have been through its ups and downs through 4 decades. All they need is one Good race to re-start the fire and passion and to keep the fight going.

The passion is still strong with the men and women at McLaren and will be always.

They have had difficult start to 2012 with only one win from Jenson buttons at the Australia opener race, then with pit stop problems and changing the nose on the car.

Combined with problems with tyre changes and the new wheel nut which was made out of aluminium which if put on slightly wrong, the lock thread would then not lock on properly.

Then with the mix up with fuel going in to Lewis Hamilton car which turns out to be a maths problem and communication mix up with the Wong switch pulled . Which suck fual out of the tank and maths that meant not enough to finish the race with enough fuel in the tank.


All this adds up to human mistake in a difficult  and stressful hot environment . People are human we all make mistakes, but we learn from them and move on . 

But with passion from the fans is still strong, McLaren will come back fighting! With the skill and determination from the two drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, and with the the men and women of the pit crew and the teams behind the scenes, plus the team principal Mr Martin Whitmarsh's  excellent leadership skills ….... McLaren will shine again !

McLaren 1963 – still Going Strong !

Image from www.mclaren.com