Monday October 23, 2006

The Brazilian GP

Mclaren have released Paffett to persue a full time drive but saying if he finds nothing he can resume testing for them in 2007. He is being linked to the second Spyker seat. However Monteiro is claiming he has all but signed up for 2007. Hill has warned Alonso, Schumi has not really given up on the championship remember- 1994 and.. It also seems likely that Davidson will drive for Super Aguri. Heidfeld/Kubica are confirmed for 2007. Williams have signed AT T as their title sponsor which should top up their piggy bank, next year they will be known as AT T WilliamsF1 Team

A few rules changes for 2007; the two-race engine regulations will now only apply to the second day of practice and the day of the race. When the Safety Car is deployed no car will be permitted to enter the pits until all are bunched up behind the Safety Car. This is to remove all incentive for cars to be driven quickly back to the pits for refuelling when the Safety Car is deployed. Teams may only use two cars in any one practice session. A nominated third driver or either race driver can use these cars in the session. The two free practice sessions on the first day of practice have been extended from one hour to ninety minutes each.

For the qualifying ITV decided not to bump Ant and Dec off the TV screens to show it live; I do not know why they did not use on of their other channels ITV2-4. Schumi and Massa dominated the final practice with Button in P3. However in the qualifying round Button had car problems that put him near the end of the grid and Schumi did not set a time in Qualifying three, so is in P10. If he has to change his engine before the race he is at the back of the grid.

 1.  6  MASSA        Ferrari           B   1'10"680  219.474 Km/h  
 2.  3  RAIKKONEN    McLaren Mercedes  M   1'11"299  217.568 Km/h  
 3.  8  TRULLI       Toyota            B   1'11"328  217.480 Km/h  
 4.  1  ALONSO       Renault           M   1'11"567  216.754 Km/h  
 5. 11  BARRICHELLO  Honda             M   1'11"619  216.596 Km/h  
 6.  2  FISICHELLA   Renault           M   1'11"629  216.566 Km/h  
 7.  7  R.SCHUMACHER Toyota            B   1'11"695  216.367 Km/h 
 8. 16  HEIDFELD     BMW Sauber        M   1'11"882  215.804 Km/h 

Before the race Schumi was presented with a trophy by Pelle. All the drivers were in attendance except Kimi who was interviewed just afterwards. Where had he been? I took a s$%^ man he replied! The start was a clean one and Schumi breezes past the squabling BMW's. The William's drivers tangle and Webber is out after loosing his rear wing. Schumi soon passes his brother for seventh. Rosberg spins off the track possibly after damage after his tangle with his teammate. With both those cars out William's torrid 2006 comes to an end. The Safety car is deployed to pick up the bits off the track.

With 66 laps to go the SC comes in and the race restarts. Fisi is keeping the fast charging Schumi behind for now but with 63 to go Schumi gets past him but soon slows - he has picked up a puncture. He gets back to the pits before the flailing rubber damages his car. Soon afterwards both Toyotas retire with the suspension problems. Button has got himself up to P6. 59 to go and Massa is seven seconds ahead of Kimi. Schumi is running last. DC then retires. 51 to go Rubens, Fisi pit and nearly bang wheels on the pit exit. A Super Aguri is running in P12! 48 to go Massa pits ad two laps later Button does so - he has leapfrogged Rubens and Fisi. Alonso pits on the next lap. He is now ahead of Kimi.

43 to go Button passes Kimi and now starts hauling Alonso in. 41 to go Kubica and Speed tangle meaning Kubica has to come in for a new nose. 37 to go Schumi is in P10 on a one stop strategy. De Rosa is holding a train of cars up behind him. 35 to go Schumi passes Heidfeld for P9 which becomes a new P8 after someone else stops. He then passes Kubica for seventh. He then goes wide and looses the place but retakes it soon afterwards. Button is right up with Alonso but cannot find a way past him. Schumi despite just pitting starts posting fastest laps he has amazing confidence in his car. He soon finds his way past Rubens.

18 to go Schumi is now behind Fisi who unlike the other drivers puts up some kind of defence but goes wide on the grass and Schumi is past him. 4 to go and Schumi is behind Kimi who defends his place well until Schumi squeezes past him. The race finishes and Massa is the first Brazilian since Senna to win this race.

 1.  6  MASSA        Ferrari           B   1h31'53"751  199.732 Km/h  
 2.  1  ALONSO       Renault           M   +  0'18"658  199.058 Km/h  
 3. 12  BUTTON       Honda             M   +  0'19"394  199.032 Km/h  
 4.  5  M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari           B   +  0'24"094  198.863 Km/h  
 5.  3  RAIKKONEN    McLaren Mercedes  M   +  0'28"503  198.705 Km/h  
 6.  2  FISICHELLA   Renault           M   +  0'30"287  198.641 Km/h  
 7. 11  BARRICHELLO  Honda             M   +  0'40"294  198.283 Km/h  
 8.  4  DE LA ROSA   McLaren Mercedes  M   +  0'52"068  197.863 Km/h

So Alonso takes the first F1 record off Schumi the youngest driver to win back to back championships. Schumi gets to keep the car he drove on his last F1 race. I think most people would agree that Schumi showed off his sublime talent on Sunday and his tenacious never give up attitude. He could so nearly have won it. If Button/Alonso had tangled and took each other off Massa would have done the slowest lap ever to let his teammate past and grab his eighth championship.