Support NeoGAF

[Leunam]

In stark contrast to 2009, no one driver emerged as dominant in the early stages of the 2010 season. Fernando Alonso won the opening race of the season in Bahrain after Sebastian Vettel's engine misfired, with Alonso becoming just the sixth Ferrari driver to win on debut for the Italian team. Reigning World Champion Jenson Button claimed victory in Australia for the second year in succession, whilst Vettel won in Malaysia, setting up a unique situation that would last for the rest of the season whereby no driver would win a race while leading the World Championship.

Button became the first driver to win more than one race with victory in China, but Mark Webber would be the first to take back-to-back victories with wins in Spain and Monaco. Webber was leading the Turkish Grand Prix when team-mate Vettel attempted a pass on lap 40 that ended with the two Red Bulls colliding; Vettel retired whilst Webber recovered to finish third behind eventual race winner Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Hamilton would match Webber's feat of back-to-back victories by claiming first place in Canada.

The middle of the season saw controversy, starting at the European Grand Prix in Valencia following a disputed safety car ruling. Mark Webber collided with Heikki Kovalainen at the fastest point on the circuit, the collision destroying Webber's front wing and launching Webber into a somersault. The safety car was deployed immediately, joining the circuit behind race leader Vettel, but ahead of then-second placed Hamilton and the Ferraris of Alonso and Felipe Massa. Hamilton overtook the safety car as it emerged from the pit lane but after it had crossed the safety car control line. It took the race stewards twenty minutes to pass verdict on the infringement, and while Hamilton was issued with a drive-through penalty for his actions, it had little effect as he was already well clear of the rest of the field.

The British Grand Prix marked the halfway point of the season and was the source of further controversy, this time in the Red Bull garage as the "Red Bull Civil War" spilled over into open hostilities when team principal Christian Horner removed the team's Silverstone-spec front wing from Mark Webber's car and placed it on Vettel's for qualifying and the race after the German driver damaged his in the final practice session. Webber won the race after Vettel developed a puncture on the first lap and was forced to pit.

The German Grand Prix saw a return to form for Ferrari, with both Alonso and Massa quickest over the course of the race meeting. On the anniversary of his accident, Felipe Massa led most of the race before a message from the Ferrari pit appeared to be a coded instruction telling Massa to move over and let Alonso through, granting Alonso seven extra World Championship points for his ultimate win. Ferrari were fined US$100,000 for the use of team orders to deliberately alter the outcome of a race and faced further sanctions at a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in September where they face charges of bringing the sport into disrepute, though the hearing would ultimately acquit Ferrari on the grounds of a lack of evidence.

After finishing sixth in Germany, Webber won again in Hungary after Vettel broke an obscure safety car rule and was issued with a drive-through penalty that demoted him to third, while Lewis Hamilton won a wet Belgian Grand Prix from Mark Webber and Robert Kubica while Vettel was involved in a collision with Button that eliminated the incumbent World Champion whilst Vettel was handed his second drive-through penalty in as many races. Fernando Alonso retired after an uncharacteristic mistake in the wet. The European season ended in Italy, with Alonso claiming his third victory of the season and adding a fourth to his tally – and his first Grand Slam – in Singapore.

The 2010 season also saw the debut of three new teams, Virgin, Lotus and Hispania. The teams were often more than three seconds per lap slower than the established teams. After fighting reliability issues early in the season, the three teams soon established themselves with Lotus leading the way, their best result being a twelfth place for Heikki Kovalainen in Japan. Virgin struggled after discovering their fuel tank was too small, forcing them to push their development schedule back five races in order to build a car that could finish the race. Hispania were the slowest of the three, and by mid-season were rotating their drivers on a regular basis, but a pair of fourteenth places by Karun Chandhok in Australia and Monaco put the team ahead of Virgin in the Constructors' Championship for most of the season.

Red Bull reasserted their dominance in Japan, with Vettel winning comfortably from Webber and Alonso third. They were prepared to continue their performance in a rain-delayed Korean Grand Prix, but an early accident eliminated Webber and a late engine failure for Vettel handed the victory to Alonso. Nico Hülkenberg claimed his maiden pole position for Williams by over a second in changing conditions in Brazil, but Red Bull went on to claim their fourth one-two finish of the season, claiming enough points to be declared World Constructors' Champions in just their sixth year of competition.

In the week leading up to the final race of the season, Red Bull repeated their intentions not to use team orders, a decision they were widely criticised for as allowing Mark Webber to finish ahead of Sebastian Vettel would have meant he trailed Fernando Alonso by just one point ahead of the race in Abu Dhabi. However, the Australian struggled to find speed across the weekend, qualifying behind Alonso and unable to find a way past the Ferrari driver for most of the race. Like Webber, Alonso had opted for an early pit stop in his tyre strategy, but emerged behind Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov. Taking into account the cars ahead of them that had yet to stop, this meant that Alonso would be running sixth on the road when he needed to finish fourth to claim the title.

McLaren's Jenson Button took the lead of the race when Sebastian Vettel pitted, the 2009 World Champion attempting to extend his lead enough to avoid a costly encounter with Robert Kubica after Lewis Hamilton got caught behind the Renault driver; passing Kubica would give him a chance to catch Vettel, who would resume the lead when Button pitted. Button needed a lead of twenty-two seconds to rejoin the circuit ahead of Kubica and Hamilton, but Kubica was able to match him on lap times and McLaren were forced to pit Button, who rejoined fourth behind his team mate, becoming third when Kubica pitted. While Kubica was expected to rejoin somewhere behind Mark Webber, Vitaly Petrov had held Webber and Alonso up enough that when Kubica completed his stop, he joined the circuit ahead of them, adding his name to the list of drivers Alonso needed to pass in order to win the World Championship. Sebastian Vettel won the race, with the McLarens second and third. Alonso was unable to find a way past Petrov and so finished seventh, handing the title to Vettel by four points. Abu Dhabi was the first time Sebastian Vettel had led the 2010 World Championship.

2011 Season Schedule

Initially, this season was scheduled for a massive 20 races. However, due to circumstances that are far bigger than motorsport, the season, for now, has been trimmed down to 19 following the delay of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the season opener. The FIA is scheduled to make a decision on when to have the race, assuming the conditions allow it. Other changes include Brazil and Abu Dhabi switching places, which promises a far more exciting track for the season closer. This season also sees the addition of a new circuit and Grand Prix, the Indian Grand Prix, towards the end of the year. For now, construction has been going smoothly, so we may expect less of a possibility of that race being canceled, as was almost the case with the new Korean Grand Prix of last year.

CANCELED Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir - 13 March​

1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix

Australia Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne - 27 March​

2 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix

Malaysia Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur - 10 April​

3 UBS Chinese Grand Prix

People's Republic of China Shanghai International Circuit - 17 April​

4 Turkish Grand Prix

Turkey Istanbul Park - 8 May​

5 Gran Premio de España

Spain Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona - 22 May​

6 Grand Prix de Monaco

Monaco Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo - 29 May​

7 Grand Prix du Canada

Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 12 June​

8 European Grand Prix

Spain Valencia Street Circuit - 26 June​

9 Santander British Grand Prix

United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit - 10 July​

10 Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland

Germany Nürburgring - 24 July​

11 Eni Magyar Nagydíj

Hungary Hungaroring, Budapest - 31 July​

F1GAF Mid-Season Review Part 1/Part 2

12 Belgian Grand Prix

Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa - 28 August​

13 Gran Premio Santander d'Italia

Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza - 11 September​

14 Singapore Grand Prix

Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit - 25 September​

15 Japanese Grand Prix

Japan Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka - 9 October​

16 Korean Grand Prix

South Korea Korean International Circuit, Yeongam - 16 October​

17 Indian Grand Prix

India Jaypee Group Circuit, Greater Noida - 30 October​

18 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit - 13 November​

19 Grande Prêmio do Brasil

Brazil Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo - 27 November​

To no ones surprise, the top teams retained their pairings from the previous year. Without a doubt the biggest news is the hopefully temporary loss of Renaults Robert Kubica, who was heavily injured in an horrific rally crash between F1 testing. Fortunately for Robert, recovery seems to be coming along well, with doctors very positive about his progress, but unwilling to provide any forecast on his return. Until then, Nick Heidfeld, a former team mate, and worthy stand-in, will take his place with Renault.

This years GP2 graduates include GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado for Williams, Sergio Perez for Sauber, and Paul di Resta who comes in as reigning DTM champion. Most of the drivers that lost their seat from the 2010 season (Hulkenberg, Senna, Chandhok, Yamamoto and De la Rosa) have landed in testing or reserve driver roles. Vitantonio Liuzzi, who had his contract cut short with Force India, will partner up with Narain Karthikeyan for HRT.

Current Driver Lineup

Red Bull Racing Renault
1 Sebastian Vettel (GER)
2 Mark Webber (AUS)

McLaren Mercedes
3 Jenson Button (GBR)
4 Lewis Hamilton (GBR)

Ferrari
5 Fernando Alonso (SPA)
6 Felipe Massa (BRA)

Mercedes
7 Michael Schumacher (GER)
8 Nico Rosberg (GER)

Renault
9 Nick Heidfeld (GER)
10 Vitaly Petrov (RUS)

Williams Cosworth
11 Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
12 Pastor Maldonado (VEN)

Force India Mercedes
14 Adrian Sutil (GER)
15 Paul Di Resta (GBR)

Sauber Ferrari
16 Kamui Kobayashi (JPN)
17 Sergio Perez Mendoza (MEX)

STR Ferrari
18 Sebastian Buemi (SWI)
19 Jaime Alguersuari (SPA)

Lotus Renault
20 Jarno Trulli (ITA)
21 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)

HRT Cosworth
22 Narain Karthikeyan (IND)
23 Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA)

Virgin Cosworth
24 Timo Glock (GER)
25 Jerome D'Ambrosio (BEL)

Without a doubt the biggest change for this year in terms of tech is the return of Pirelli. Replacing Bridgestone, Pirelli may have accomplished exactly what people have been asking for. Perhaps too well. Drivers have mentioned the fact that prime tires simply aren't lasting as long as they should be, with perhaps one or two great laps before a massive drop off in performance. Most teams believe races will require at least three or four stops for tires, and even then, that may not be enough.

The huge array of controls for the modern F1 car have become even more complicated this season, with the return of KERS and the addition of the movable rear wing. It seems the drivers are split as to whether the controls are an issue. Some say this is to be expected of a driver but other feel that it may pose a danger on the track. We will certainly see soon enough.

2011 Technical Revisions

Farewell to F-ducts and double diffusers
Two of the most overused technical watchwords of the past two seasons will be made redundant next year, as both double diffusers and F-ducts are banned. Indeed any system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited from 2011.

The return of Pirelli
Following Bridgestone’s decision to withdraw at the end of this season after 13 years, the Italian company will take over as the sport’s sole tyre supplier from 2011. The Italian company, last part of F1 in 1991, will provide all teams with rubber for the next three years, in compliance with existing F1 sporting and technical regulations.

Adjustable rear wings
Under new moveable bodywork regulations for next season, drivers will be able to adjust the rear wing from the cockpit, with the current moveable front wing due to be dropped. The system’s availability is expected to be electronically governed and under initial proposals it would only be activated when a driver is less than one second behind another at pre-determined points on the track.

A comeback for KERS
A badge of honour for some, a bugbear for others on its debut in 2009, KERS is to be reintroduced next season after the teams mutually agreed to suspend its use in 2010. KERS - or Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems - take the waste energy generated under braking and turn it into additional power. This is then made available to the driver in fixed quantities per lap via a steering wheel-mounted ‘boost button’.

On top of the laundry list of changes brought on by new and returning tech, this years team launches have raised eyebrows on every fan, technology literate or not. One of the first things to catch peoples attention was Renaults forward exhaust, which has been emulated with little success since its discovery. McLaren surprised people with its L-shaped side pods, which were intended to emulate Le Mans series cars. Williams got everyones admiration with its impossibly neat rear packaging, the envy of every team around. Its fragility, however, remains to be tested.

Just like last year, our humble group of Gaffers will fake-race every race. Register with F1RaceManager.com under our league, NeoGAF, password, gaffers. It's all for fun, of course and the top six members of the top worldwide league will win bragging rights and HATS HATS HATS. We won last year, we can do it again this year. Remember to answer the trivia questions and place bets on the races for extra millions which can make a major difference when starting out for that big boost in standings.

since i did pretty well in the fantasy league last year here are some pointers for new players:
first of all, if you want to change your team after a weekend, there is a selling penalty called Broker Fee. The percentage depends on how high you are in the rankings, but generally it gives a pretty big penalty. Which means: PLAN LONG TERM! if you switch up your team from race to race the broker fee will eat up any extra winnings you make by the switch up plus a good amount extra.

If you invest in your team your priorities should be Chassi/Engine/Fuel first and the drivers last. This is because Fuel will count double or triple for BOTH drivers and all teams included, and Engine/Chassi will count double for both drivers in the team.
You can look up the scoring table here:
http://f1racemanager.com/faqrules.asp

Also don't forget to answer bonus questions between the race weekends and bets before the races for a little extra cash.

How does the subleague competition work?
Last year the subleague score was calculated by the average of the top six scorers after a race; so it is pretty much impossible to sabotage subleagues in the competition by deliberately playing poorly

SEASON WIN-COUNT FINGER STYLE

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

 

[Leunam]

This season has been a million times better than last year already, and were just at the half of the season. I love vettel like most of F1 gaf i think he has a lot to prove. The last 2 races were pretty mediocre performances from him. If he does not improve in the overtaking department, i can see alonso and hamilton making it much harder on him than he should let them. I think alonso will do what he did last year, continue finishing on the podium and make the gap smaller and smaller to vettel.

With the summer break signalling the second half of the 2011 F1 Season, I thought I'd collect some stats for the first 11 rounds as well as some brief thoughts from some of our members.

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1st with 234 points - 6 Wins - 10 Podiums - 8 Pole Positions - 1 Fastest Lap
2. Mark Webber - 2nd with 149 points - 6 Podiums - 3 Pole Positions - 4 Fastest Laps

Qualified ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 8/Mark Webber - 3
Finished race ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 10/Mark Webber - 1
Laps spent ahead: Sebastian Vettel - 616/Mark Webber - 65

Best car in the first half, but they will need to respond to recent 'weak' form after summer break[On Vettel]He can win from front row. Even from 2nd place if his teammate is in front![On Webber]"I think that team is happy with the result today" /Glass smash.

[On Sebastian]He's obviously quick when he can run at his own pace, but we've seen repeatedly that he's prone to cracking under pressure. It's hard to bet against him considering the points lead he has, but with Ferrari and McLaren catching up we'll see how he copes with being the man to beat.

Fuck you finger fanboys, calling off Webbsy! They've been so smug. I need an engine explosion from Vettel.[On Mark]LEARN TO FUCKING START A RACE.

We all remember his first pole lap and victory in Monza 2008, the year after he moved to Red Bull. A young team that became dominant in F1, with an Adrian Newey designed car. He won his first championship in 2010 and is on track to win again this year. People have been discussing Vettel’s overtaking abilities since last year and again after last race at the Nurburgring. Not being a good overtaker isn’t a shame, every top driver has his weakness, but I don’t think it’s only his overtaking ability. Vettel doesn’t seem to be able to bounce back mentally as Hamilton and Alonso can. When everything goes his way, Vettel is unstoppable, but when things seem to go wrong and not according to plan during a race, he seems to lose his edge.

[On Sebastian]Obviously amazing at qualifying and winning from the front, Germany showed that he may not be so flash at racing from down the order. Will this chink in the armour be enough to cause doubt in a back-to-back WDC? This Webber fan hopes so.

Mark Webber is still the most handsome man walking the Earth and probably beds Lee McKenzie every night.

The pinnacle of Newey's genius carrying over the best updates from its 2010 WCC car. Its downforce advantage (lower top speed) and KERS weakness means it may not be unbeatable this season.[On Sebastian] flawless from the front, time will tell if he can pull it off when Red Bull has an off-day.

[On the RB7]The class of the field, what more can be said.

What on Earth is this team doing? I mean really, why do you continue to dribble out the rubbish that you don't have team orders, that you let your drivers race, when you quite clearly don't. 'Team Vettel' might as well just hire the cleaner from down my road as their second driver. It's painfully obvious that they're only interested in one of their two drivers.

As much as I respect and support both Webber and Vettel, it makes my life increasingly harder to support Vettel when the team so obviously refuses to ignore Webber as a number one driver. The now infamous "Mark, you need to maintain the gap." comment by Horner during the closing stages of the Silverstone GP, eerily brought back memories of 2002, when Barrichello was ordered to pull over and let Schumacher take the victory, when there was no threat of Schumacher losing the title at that stage of the season.

I have absolutely no doubt that Red Bull will stay at the sharp end of the grid until 2014 at the earliest, but until then I would like to see the team handle their PR a bit more, responsibly. I'll be honest, if it wasn't for the fact they're in the sport to sell energy drinks, I probably wouldn't have as much of a problem with them.

[On Sebastian]Above average. Exposed when he's forced to race other drivers, but has proven so far this season that he has good speed and consistency. Tends to drive off into the sunset when he's on the front row of the grid. If McLaren and Ferrari eventually catch up with Red Bull, we will finally be able to gauge his talent. [On Mark] A solid driver. But one that tends to falter under pressure. He's been held back by the team dynamic so far his season, making it hard for him to finish in front of his team-mate.

Might be going to pull a Brawn and make winning the championship as difficult as possible after dominating that start of the season.[On Sebastian] Still can't pass![On Mark] Manliest jaw of all time.

1. Lewis Hamilton - 3rd with 146 points - 2 Wins - 4 Podiums - 2 Fastest Laps
2. Jenson Button - 5th with 134 points - 2 Wins - 5 Podiums - 1 Fastest Lap

Qualified ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 8/Jenson Button - 3
Finished race ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 5/Jenson Button - 3
Laps spent ahead: Lewis Hamilton - 378/Jenson Button - 202

Car made with EBD exploit in mind and it works well in cold. They need to do something with tyre wear in hot weather.[On Lewis]Maybe too aggressive, but he can race and win even without the best car [On Jenson] Light on tyres, but not aggressive enough

The almighty McLaren, one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 history, has failed to win the constructors trophy for twelve years running now. On top of that, they have failed to produce a WDC winning car from the start of the season for two years running, 2009 and 2010. The 2011 winter testing held a lot of hope, and hype over the MP4-26, the car was 'innovative' through and through. Unfortunately, for one reason or another the car was a failure in winter testing. After covering a shameful amount of miles and numerous reliability problems McLaren changed their exhaust design, ironically copying that of Red Bull.

The car was deemed a failure before the season was underway. Fortunately for McLaren, Bah'Rain was postponed from the calendar, I've no doubt those extra two weeks proved invaluable in their championship efforts. Fast forward to free practice 1 at Albert Park and I think it's fair to say that everyone was blown away. All of a sudden the car had gained over a second and a half from what we had seen in winter testing. The icing on the cake was the second place Hamilton managed to secure.

What has happened to the once almighty McLaren? The answer, I don't know. Regardless of the last twelve years, I believe we're seeing a new Resurrection of McLaren. We've all been under the same technical regulations for two and a half years now, obviously Red Bull managed to grab those regulations by the horns, but it would appear McLaren, and even Ferrari, are catching the raging Bulls. With by far the quickest race pace in Catalunya, Monaco, Montreal and Nurburgring we may well see another McLaren WDC in the next couple of years.

[On Jenson]Classy. It's a shame he's been hampered by issues with the car. And strange that someone as consistent as Jenson is having such a mixed season. [On Lewis] The fastest driver on the grid. Montreal aside, whenever McLaren have been close Red Bull this season he has won the race. Has incredible confident, which often leads to some questionable decisions both on and off the track. Still shows signs of immaturity, best demonstrated by his comments in Monte Carlo.

McLaren needs a strategist. [On Lewis] This first half has been like witnessing a parent taking care of their child. The FIA and Hamilton are positive at the start of the year, then Hami sees another one of the kids get all the shiny toys and throws a tantrum when he can't have it too, so now he's been told to calm the fuck down and he's been rewarded with a lollipop.

Obviously, there is are a lot of different opinions about Lewis Hamilton for various reasons. When he is not in a real championship winning car (which McLaren haven't really had since 2008) he tends to take more risks then the average driver on the grid. This works both ways, he managed to be a championship contender at the end of last season, but he also lost valuable points in Singapore and Monza when going for a gap that wasn’t really there. That doesn’t mean Hamilton isn’t a good driver, as far as I’m concerned he’s the complete package. He can overtake, he is a great driver in the wet and he has the raw pace which he demonstrated at the Nurburgring. His only downside is that he sometimes takes uncalculated risks, but mostly it only adds to the spectacle.

[On Lewis]Seems to have matured more than previous years for the 2011 season. Aggression is more focused and drives less recklessly.

Lewis Hamilton is proving that good, attacking racing can sometimes end in contact, but it's more fun than tippy toeing around.

The bi-polar team with a bi-polar driver. When its good, the car and Hamilton pull off amazing results. When things don't work out, both team and driver are strangely off-key.

[On Jenson]One race - best driver in the world. Next race - drives like Orgun.

1. Fernando Alonso - 4th with 145 points - 1 Win - 6 Podiums - 1 Fastest Lap
2. Felipe Massa - 6th with 70 points - 2 Fastest Laps

Qualified ahead: Fernando Alonso - 10/Felipe Massa - 1
Finished race ahead: Fernando Alonso - 6/Felipe Massa - 2
Laps spent ahead: Fernando Alonso - 476/Felipe Massa - 117

Costa made it, Fry unlocked its potential. [On Fernando]can't stand him [On Felipe]Playing the fifth trombone in Ferrari, he lost it after close encounter with bouncing spring two years ago

still shit at pit stops.[On Fernando]Has the worst fans. Still.

Oh dear. Ferrari is Formula 1, and Formula 1 is Ferrari. Regardless of your opinion of Ferrari, this is a team that should be on the front row of every single race. For the last three years now, Ferrari have failed to build a decent car.

2008 was the last time we truly saw a solid Ferrari, 2009 was a shambles for both McLaren and Ferrari, and 2010 saw Ferrari start off the season in horrible form, but later come back to dominate the podium with a certain Spaniard, and miss out on the championship due to their 'excellent' strategy team. This year, we're seeing a mixed repeat of 2009 and 2010. One driver has stormed away in the first half of the season, as in 2009, and Ferrari has made a massive comeback, as in 2010. Will Ferrari manage to challenge for any championship this year? I doubt it, but they've got to attack attack and attack for the rest of the season.

I fully expect Ferrari, likewise with McLaren, to have caught up the Bulls by the European leg of the season in 2012. Otherwise Domenicalli is going to end up with a long, unpleasant talk with Montezemolo.

Love them or hate them, Ferrari will never settle for mediocre. They've made a tradition recently of surging midseason, and if they continue to push at the pace they've shown they could really shake things up for the second half of the year.

[On Fernando]Needs to get a haircut. Has a gigantic neck

Like Lewis Hamilton, Alonso managed to stay in the running for the world championship in 2010 until the last race where Ferrari made a dubious pit stop call and Alonso got stuck in traffic. Even though he didn’t become a world champion last year, he seems to have kept his form this year. The Ferrari has definitely become better and the gap to Red Bull is closing, but Alonso manages to get something extra out of that car. If Ferrari can deliver a championship winning car at the beginning of the season, Fernando Alonso will be there to use it to its full potential, instead of playing catch-up with the competition.

Ferrari: Carbon copy of 2010 season without learning from the mistakes of last year. Middle of the road car, no massive flaw or advantage versus the top teams who as the season advances seem to get stronger and stronger.[On Fernando] Ultra consistent driver who will deliver the best possible every weekend.

[On Fernando] He is so much more likeable when he is not whinging and winning everything.

[On Fernando] Probably the best all round driver on the grid. Is getting better and better as the season goes on (as is his car). A perfect blend of consistency, raw speed and intelligence. The most legitimate threat to Vettel's Championship bid.

1. Michael Shchumacher - 10th with 32 points
2. Nico Rosberg - 7th with 48 points

Qualified ahead: Michael Schumacher - 1/Nico Rosberg - 10
Finished race ahead: Michael Schumacher - 3/Nico Rosberg - 5
Laps spent ahead: Michael Schumacher - 176/Nico Rosberg - 372

Only good thing on this car is their DRS, otherwise second failed attempt from Ross Brawn and his team[On Michael]Retirement callin'[On Nico]Britney could be better, but this is maximum that he can achieve with this car

Biggest disappointment of 2011. No progress made since last year, have a car on the grid lacking downforce and destroying rear tyres. Was the Honda designed Brawn a once off fluke? 2 drivers who can't get results, no outstanding drivers from either except for Schumacher in Canada.

[On Michael]I think Schumi hit a realization some time this season that he'll never relive his glory days, and he seems alright with it. With no expectations and nothing really to prove, he's racing now for the pure joy of it. Don't look for him to pick up an eighth title, but do expect some incredibly entertaining performances from him.

[On Michael]As entertaining to watch as he has been in the past, he seems to be more humble in 2011 and his racing is better for it. Being in a lesser car than when he was at Ferrari has made for some great mid-field scuffles for points with far younger drivers.

[On Michael] The legend continues to falter, albeit much improvement in his race pace, he continues to be pounded into submission by his compatriot in qualifying. This hampers the once impervious master, as he continually finds himself embroiled in incidents down in the midfield. Must improve or should be shown the door.

1. Nick Heidfeld - 8th with 34 points - 1 Podium
2. Vitaly Petrov - 9th with 32 points - 1 Podium

Qualified ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 3/Vitaly Petrov - 8
Finished race ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 5/Vitaly Petrov - 2
Laps spent ahead: Nick Heidfeld - 237/ Vitaly Petrov - 313

Being too radical (front facing exhaust) is not always the best way. Drifting towards midfield.[On Nick]Replacement gettin' replaced soon. Only 2 points more than Petrov? Not enough.[On Vitaly]His manager is creepy.

Leaderless.. On a massive downward slope since Kubica got injured. No leadership from drivers or management with later taking to blame game in the last few weeks. Started very strongly based on Kubica's pre-season testing but unable to develop car due to poor technical feedback or progress on front exiting exhaust.

The Renault team got rebranded Lotus-Renault for the 2011 season, keeping its drivers from the 2010 season. The wintertesting looked promising, and people were keen to see how their exhaust solution would work. Sadly, Kubica had a rally crash that severely severed his hand, so Renault had to find a replacement. Heidfeld was a logical choice, given his experience he could replace Kubica and take over his leading and development role while Petrov started his second season. However, since the season started Lotus-Renault has been going backwards slowly and Petrov ironed out the errors he made during his rookie season and is pretty much on par with Heidfeld. Considering Bruno Senna is getting a practice session, it’s going to be interesting to see if Heidfeld is going to finish the season. Lottus-Renault best hope at the moment is Kubica’s recovery before testing next year, because they really seem to need more input.

[On Robert Kubica] Can't wait for him to be back, I hope he is still fast, and still ridiculous looking.

 

[Leunam]

1. Kamui Kobayashi - 11th with 27 points
2. Sergio Perez - 15th with 8 points

Qualified ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 5/Sergio Perez - 6
Finished race ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 5/Sergio Perez - 2
Laps spent ahead: Kamui Kobayashi - 372/Sergio Perez - 162
*Note: Stats for Perez include Pedro de la Rosa

slowly losing form after great start, best midfield car in this moment[On Kamui]Driver that deserves seat in one of the top teams.[On Sergio]his first season, so we must be merciful. Far better than Maldonado.

[On Kamui] I can't get enough of watching Kobyashi drive. He's just fun to watch. I'd be surprised if a faster team doesn't come knocking at his door sometime soon.

Kind of disappointing to be honest. Kobay has been great as always, but he needs a quicker car. Kobayashi, read: best.

[On Kamui] Can pass, but can't get a result!

1. Adrian Sutil - 12th with 18 points
2. Paul di Resta - 16th with 8 points

Qualified ahead: Adrian Sutil - 4/Paul di Resta - 7
Finished race ahead: Adrian Sutil - 5/Paul di Resta - 4
Laps spent ahead: Adrian Sutil - 287/Paul di Resta - 349

slowly gaining momentum, they should be better in second half[On Adrian]He is ok, he likes dolphins, just do not show him Renault banner [On Paul]Another rookie, good start but he is quite lost right now.

[On Adrian] Never judge a book by its cover - the most dangerous man on the grid.

[On Paul]As a relative unknown in the F1 field, has lifted his game and boosted the profile of Force India with some solid finishes, almost all just outside the top 10. Very entertaining to watch!

The Force India is still dominating the grid by having the sexiest car in F1.

Di Resta has looked really strong as well as the team as a whole the last few races. It's too bad Sutil kept his seat, Hulk deserves the drive.

[On Paul]Rookie of the year so far, has thoroughly exceeded expectations and has put his much vaunted team-mate into the shade. A bright future ahead of him and could be the next British World Champion.

I was going to write a piece of a bunch of drivers, but in the end I decided to go with teams instead, but I'll cover the one driver that interests me the most for the future.

Di Resta has more than enough motorsport achievements behind him, he beat Vettel in the same team & car in Formula 3000 (please correct me if I'm wrong) and he won the DTM series with Mercedes in 2010. In my opinion, going to Mercedes to replace Schumacher would be a terrible move. It's painfully obvious that Mercedes is going no where unless they throw more money at it, which isn't happening any time soon. They bought out a team under the false illusion that they would be able to perform to their 2009 standards once again. If anything, Di Resta needs to get into McLaren as soon as possible to replace Button. At Red Bull, Webber will only be replaced by Ricciardo and Perez already has Massa's seat lined up at Ferrari. Di Resta needs to get himself into a team where he can either be the solid number one driver, or on equal terms to his team mate (McLaren hoy!).

One of the least charismatic teams in F1, they seem to have slipped quite a bit after a few breakout races a couple of years ago. Seemingly unable to compete with Renault and Mercedes, and facing stiff competition from Sauber and Toro Rosso, they're at serious risk of being forgotten in the back of the field.

[Vijay Mallya] needs to shut up about the other Indians in F1 and focus on his under performing team. They have not progressed very well from their good start to the season.

1. Sebastien Buemi - 13th with 12 points
2. Jaime Alguersuari - 14th with 10 points

Qualified ahead: Sebastien Buemi - 8/Jaime Alguersuari - 3
Finished race ahead: Sebastien Buemi - 5/Jaime Alguersuari - 3
Laps spent ahead:Sebastien Buemi - 340/Jaime Alguersuari - 247

Only visible when rallying over sandpits. Very mediocre season for both drivers, they are both prone to errors

1. Rubens Barichello - 17th with 4 points
2. Pastor Maldonado - 21st

Qualified ahead: Rubens Barichello - 5/Pastor Maldonado - 6
Finished race ahead: Rubens Barichello - 6/Pastor Maldonado - 1
Laps spent ahead: Rubens Barichello - 331/Pastor Maldonado - 187

another failed season, they scored 4 points in 10 races. [On Rubens] Retirement callin' #2 [On Pastor] Sponsored by Hugo Boss...em, Chavez

[On Rubens]I hope some day my grandchildren and I can watch Rubens make the start for his billionth GP.

1. Heikki Kovalainen - 23rd
2. Jarno Trulli - 19th

Qualified ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 10/ Jarno Trulli - 1
Finished race ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 3/ Jarno Trulli - 2
Laps spent ahead: Heikki Kovalainen - 265/ Jarno Trulli - 177
*Note: Stats for Trulli include Karun Chandhok

They are trying to catch midfield, but progress is slow[On Jarno]"Where is my power steering?" He is no longer locomotive for Trulli trains [On Heikki] He is more like Slowalainen

[On Heikki]Consistently showing he's the best backmarker.

Karun Chandhok deserves a seat in a good car just for being a top bloke.

[On Heikki]His may be seen as a failure because of his stint at McLaren, but the Finn has had a thoroughly good season so far in the Lotus. He continues to out qualify his team-mate, who's known as a one-lap specialist and his race pace is not to be disregarded either. He'll certainly benefit if/when Lotus start progressing up the grid.

1. Vitantonio Liuzzi - 20th
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 26th
3. Narain Karthikeyan - 25th

Qualified ahead: Narain Karthikeyan - 0/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 10/Daniel Ricciardo - 0
Finished race ahead:Narain Karthikeyan - 1/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 5/Daniel Ricciardo - 1
Laps spent ahead:Narain Karthikeyan - 125/Vitantonio Liuzzi - 307/Daniel Ricciardo - 65

well, someone needs to be last![On Vitantonio] Fighting for 2nd place from behind! [On Narain] born winner in reverse dimension!

[On Narain]Total beast. You know he wouldn't bog down off the line from pole.

1. Timo Glock - 24th
2. Jerome D'Ambrosio - 22nd

Qualified ahead: Jerome D-Ambrosio - 2/Timo Glock - 9
Finished race ahead: Jerome D'Ambrosio - 2/Timo Glock - 5
Laps spent ahead: Jerome D'Ambrosio - 88/Timo Glock - 445

maybe their cooperation with Mclaren will bring some results...in 2013[On Jerome]Is he racing? [On Timo] sold his racing career to the devil with long term contract with Virgins

[On KERS]I know it was popular to hate the idea, but I really like it, I just wish the designers had more freedom with the system. It is hard to argue it is high tech when it is a spec system. It certainly seems to be one way to maintain speed while reducing engine size.[On DRS] A joke. Utter contrived rubbish. Just free up the aero rules while mandating maximium downforce limits if you want to achieve overtaking. Saying 'No moveable aero devices... except this one we will mandate' is rubbish. It has certainly increased overtaking, but in a way I find meaningless and artificial.

DRS and KERS have definitely made overtaking easier and it doesn't feel half as artificial as I thought they would. Although I do like racing to be very much about the cars and drivers without too much technology, these two innovations are definitely making the sport more exciting. Pirelli tyres are also a great improvement over the previous years as strategies are more important than ever and a race can be won or lost in the pits. At times it can be slightly too hard to follow who has and hasn't pitted, but I hope the rumours of Pirelli making the tyres last longer aren't true because it would be a step backwards in terms of entertainment for the sport.

------

There you have it gents, a summary of the season so far provided by your own friendly F1-GAF. Fuck, I'm tired. I need food.

Thanks to everyone who was able to contribute. Special trophy for DrM, who managed to come up with something for every team and driver!

------

Don't you dare give up the broadcasting rights to F1. Since 2009 the BBC's coverage of Formula 1 has continued improving, time and time again. This year above all years is the greatest Formula 1 season of all time. Why? Because Brundle & Coulthard are the best commentating duo I've ever heard. Nothing is missed out during the race, and us F1 junkies get more than our fair share of techie talk whilst the race is airing.

Oh, and no adverts.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Oh God. I didn't know you were going to add a review... D:

 

[Xun]

Hell yeah! Great OP.

 

[Adamm]

New thread woo!

 

[Sleeplessnights]

You broke the thread's flow!

 

[Omiee]

EPIC thread and OP!!

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

You broke the thread's flow!

The look he gives suits the flow... :lol

Spoiler

Mod will fix it...

 

[moojito]

Ohai, new thread! Good job on the OP.

 

[navanman]

Awesome sauce!! Great OP.

 

[Ark]

What a brilliant race today. Dominating drive by Button, I started to get worried towards the end there with Alonso catching, I was convinced DC had given Button the 'commentators curse' but fortunately, proved wrong!

Unfortunate race for Hamilton & SuperKK though.

Been calling it since winter testing, Vettel wins his second title in succession.

Great OP yet again Leunam

 

[Omiee]

Great work!!

we should have some more gifs from shuhilegend

 

[Shaneus]

Wooo! New thread for the rest of the year post-WDC decider.

Great work!!

we should have some more gifs from shuhilegend

Yeah, let's try to kill my browser.

 

[Sleeplessnights]

The look he gives suits the flow... :lol

Spoiler

Mod will fix it...

"Hey, what's going on here?!"

 

[Stop It]

Yey, awesome OT2. Well, the WC is over but the racing continues. Korea next, and I hope it rains a bit, should make for a bit of fun at least!

 

[Leunam]

Well what more can be said. Congratulations are in order for Sebastian Vettel as he clinches his second title. And what a better place to do so than in Japan, a place where championship showdowns have been legendary over the years. Setting all sorts of records and breaking nearly every single one in the book, Vettel has clearly set his mark in Formula 1 history as one of the greatest drivers ever, and may continue to do so as his career goes on.

As I had done for the mid-season review, I'd like to collect some thoughts from our community so I can put together one last season wrap up by the Brazilian GP. Give me your opinions on drivers, teams, technology, races, or share your most memorable moments and I'll find a place for them.

Oh God. I didn't know you were going to add a review... D:

Ha, it's cool. I think the .gif fits nicely to be honest.

 

[rockman zx]

Amazing stuff by Alonso with the 5th faster car of the grid, this guy is pure talent and deserves a better car, Ferrari wake up!.

Class act by Button again destroying Hamilton and Vettel not much to say, youngest driver to win 2 driver titles.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

Even though my Spanish family hate this, Vettel is damn good driver in a damn good car.

 

[Adamm]

Awesome ending by BBC as usual

 

[DrM]

Yay, new thread

Button mopping the floor with Lewis and this is clear signal for 2012 - IF they produce awesome car, Button will be the man to watch. He surprised me this season.

Congrats to Vettel, but I think that he drove very reserved in last 20 laps, not risking contact with Alonso.

Korea next weekend, but now we will see, how are top teams 'eager' for 4 last wins. There will no new upgrades on cars, only if they will opt to use them in 2012.

 

[Adamm]

Yay, new thread

Korea next weekend, but now we will see, how are top teams 'eager' for 4 last wins. There will no new upgrades on cars, only if they will opt to use them in 2012.

Last 4 races will all be testing sessions for 2012

 

[Edmond Dantès]

Congratulations to Seb, it was a thoroughly well deserved world title.

Sebastien Vettel, I salute you.

 

[SunhiLegend]

 

[navanman]

The 2nd drivers in each team have had a poor season.

Webber,Massa & Hamilton now are being dominated.

The key to next year is Ferrari & McLaren being as fast as RBR out of the box. By the time they were on pace with RBR, the championship was all but over.

 

[DieH@rd]

Four races left, hopefully we will see a tons of great racing till the season is over.

 

[Ark]

Yay, new thread

Korea next weekend, but now we will see, how are top teams 'eager' for 4 last wins. There will no new upgrades on cars, only if they will opt to use them in 2012.

I imagine McLaren will be going for all the wins they possibly can with RBR picking them up as they come.

This is probably a good thing for next season, because it means the top teams have got an extra four races to build a car that will beat RBR.

It's just a shame that next year F1 goes to Sky..

 

[Dead Man]

Nice thread! Shagg you overeager fool! Looks okay though actually. Nice work Leunam.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

LOL!!

 

[DrM]

Last 4 races will all be testing sessions for 2012

New FW/RW with 2012 parts, minor bodywork modifications. Could prove very useful to teams, that are using this year's car for base of 2012 contender.

 

[Sloane]

Vettel has clearly set his mark in Formula 1 history as one of the greatest drivers ever

Really? I found this year's championship much less impressive than last year's. He hasn't been under any pressure the whole season, he had the fastest car, no mechanical failures, could start almost every race from the pole position and just drive away, his teammate is an unlucky bum... Vettel deserved to win the WC, no question, he's been dominating, but all you can really say about him this season is: He was very consistent and made no meaningful mistakes. I don't know if that qualifies him as one of the greatest ever.

 

[SunhiLegend]

Amazing stuff by Alonso with the 5th faster car of the grid, this guy is pure talent and deserves a better car, Ferrari wake up!.

Ferrari need to up their pace, Mclaren have won 5 races this year, RBR have won 9 and Ferrari have only won 1. Very poor season for them. Hopefully they have a better car next year because from todays example I'm confident Mclaren will be up their with Red Bull at the start of the season.

 

[Ark]

Final posting numbers for the OT1, sorry about the blue tint, that's my Fraps not recognising that F.lux is actually orange.

Really? I found this year's championship much less impressive than last year's. He hasn't been under any pressure the whole season, he had the fastest car, no mechanical failures, could start almost every race from the pole position and just drive away, his teammate is an unlucky bum... Vettel deserved to win the WC, no question, he's been dominating, but all you can really say about him this season is: He was very consistent and made no meaningful mistakes. I don't know if that qualifies him as one of the greatest ever.

Michael Schumacher did that for four years in a row, Senna did that in '89, etc etc. It's fallacy to say that Vettel didn't deserve this years title, or that he isn't one of the up and coming greats. Last year the thought of Vettel winning the title made me sick, but this year I'm the polar opposite. Although to be fair, we didn't see Vettel out of his comfort zone this year (other than Germany).

 

[Leunam]

Really? I found this year's championship much less impressive than last year's. He hasn't been under any pressure the whole season, he had the fastest car, no mechanical failures, could start almost every race from the pole position and just drive away, his teammate is an unlucky bum... Vettel deserved to win the WC, no question, he's been dominating, but all you can really say about him this season is: He was very consistent and made no meaningful mistakes. I don't know if that qualifies him as one of the greatest ever.

Chalk it up to me being overly enthusiastic.

http://i.imgur.com/SQSy1.png[img]

Final posting numbers for the OT1, sorry about the blue tint, that's my Fraps not recognising that F.lux is actually orange.[/QUOTE]

Ya bunch a monsters.

 

[wonderkins]

:bow:bow Vettel :bow:bow

Worthy world champ. Great guy, amazing driver.

And really happy for Jenson and Fernando. Two awesome drivers. Jenson's driving style paired with the Pirellis is a great combo. And Fernando once again makes an "ok" car look like a winner.

edit: oh, and glad the stewards left Lewis alone. Keep it up; let him drive.

 

[Omiee]

Well what more can be said. Congratulations are in order for Sebastian Vettel as he clinches his second title. And what a better place to do so than in Japan, a place where championship showdowns have been legendary over the years. Setting all sorts of records and breaking nearly every single one in the book, Vettel has clearly set his mark in Formula 1 history as one of the greatest drivers ever, and may continue to do so as his career goes on.

As I had done for the mid-season review, I'd like to collect some thoughts from our community so I can put together one last season wrap up by the Brazilian GP. Give me your opinions on drivers, teams, technology, races, or share your most memorable moments and I'll find a place for them.



Ha, it's cool. I think the .gif fits nicely to be honest.

Congrats to Vettel for winning his second world championship, and being the youngest ever to do so. Doing so in japan, where i have watched so many drivers fighting it out for the last few points in the championship like shumi and mika is just amazing.

It Says alot about how trully amazing and perfect this guy was this year. Time after time when people were doubting them, he came back and suprised them.

He did it after germany with wins at spa italy and singapore, and he did it with overtaking alonso in italy.
This year is a clear example how a team can be so good by having all the right parts. Having an amazing lead tech in newey, brilliant strategy by horner, and an amazing driver like vettel.
They have been so fast this year, its just unreal. Really looking forward to 2012 to see what they can bring to the table again.


Pirelli tires, are the second best thing about this year to be honest. Its made this season so much more exciting than last year. The undercut is actually something to look forward to and strategy is ever so important now.

DRS and KERS, are the sole reasons why we had so much overtakings this season. i love it in f1 2011 game and i love it in the races. This together with a much more closer grid next year should make 2012 a season to look forward to.

Button has to get the most improved player award if it were to me. The guy really prooved to me and others that he is a force to be reckoned with. He has had an amazing season. If it werent for his retirements he would have been much closer to vettel in the championship race. Im really looking forward to seeing him race vettel next year. With the both of them being my two favorite drivers, i cant lose next year.


Hamilton has had highs and lows this season, when he is in form he can be a great driver to watch. But his attitude and mistakes made this a season to forget for him. He better look back at this year and try to learn from it. He needs to find the right balance between aggressive and clean. i think this year has to be a wake up call for him.





i will give you more thoughts off the grid tomorrow, i wanna go back to my bed lol

 

[Ark]

Hamilton has had highs and lows this season, when he is in form he can be a great driver to watch. But his attitude and mistakes made this a season to forget for him. He better look back at this year and try to learn from it. He needs to find the right balance between aggressive and clean. i think this year has to be a wake up call for him.

Just like everyone said after 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. There appears to be a pattern emerging :lol :lol

DRS worked really well here imo. I'd probably say that the DRS in Japan was probably the best DRS zone & effectiveness we've seen all season, I'm still supporting of DRS.

 

[Sleeplessnights]

Eddie Jordan <3

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

JENSON!!!

 

[Omiee]

Just like everyone said after 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. There appears to be a pattern emerging :lol :lol

DRS worked really well here imo. I'd probably say that the DRS in Japan was probably the best DRS zone & effectiveness we've seen all season, I'm still supporting of DRS.

I think its different this season. This might be the first time he is beaten by his team mate. That should be a wake up call for him to really improve it all for next season.

 

[Sloane]

Pirelli tires, are the second best thing about this year to be honest.

Agreed, let's hope they don't "improve".

 

[Shaneus]

The 2nd drivers in each team have had a poor season.

Webber,Massa & Hamilton now are being dominated.

The key to next year is Ferrari & McLaren being as fast as RBR out of the box. By the time they were on pace with RBR, the championship was all but over.

Yeah, #2s all around were a disappointment. Very frustrated with Webber. Flashes of brilliance marred by pathetic starts and occasional bad luck. Hate to get stuck behind him at an intersection.

Bravo to Vettel for a WDC that none of us would have picked last year and Button for a great win and giving us hope for a tighter WDC race in 2012.

 

[Psychotext]

Nice job Jenson, excellent race.

Congratulations on your 2nd championship Vettel, you've been pretty much flawless all season.

 

[S. L.]

*subscribes*

 

[SunhiLegend]

What the hell is Eddie doing?

 

[navanman]

Jesus, Eddie your a legend!!

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

LOL @ Jordan

 

[Stop It]

Haha, did EJ just steal an iPhone that belonged to the RBR team? Hilarity!

 

[Omiee]

eddie is hilarious at times