In this piece, I will be assessing ten key features from each Grand Prix weekend from the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Round seven brought the teams to Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix. In a country where East meets west, there was plenty of intrigue, if once again the lack of overtaking was severely highlighted. Plus a controversial collision that could have severe implications for the front running team in Grand Prix racing at the moment. Time to look back then at the seventh event of 2010, which turned into an unlikely triumph for some, and an utter catastrophe for others.
Red Bull Racing Play The Blame Game – And Produce The Perfect Crime!!
It was looking all so perfect for Red Bull Racing once again. Okay, their dominance which had been shown in the previous two events had been nullified, by a McLaren upgrade, but nevertheless the team were heading for another 1-2 finish. Then on Lap 41, Sebastian Vettel slipstreams Mark Webber down the backstraight at Istanbul Park. Webber gives his German team-mate minimal space, but enough to stay on the track. Vettel pulls ahead approaching Turn 12, but then inexplicably turns right into a left-hand bend, connecting with Webber. It was an embarrassing own goal for the team, and with it, 43 points going straight down the drainpipe. Vettel spun into retirement, lucky not to take Webber out, who needed a new front wing, before resuming, finishing on the podium. After the race, the drivers played the blame game, both blaming the other for the unnecessary incident. To be honest, both are stupid enough to get involved in such a needless shunt, but having the incident several times afterwards, I’m firmly putting the blame at Vettel’s door. In Formula One, the first golden rule is never to collide with your own team-mate. Sadly on Sunday for Red Bull, their drivers forgot that rule and produced the perfect crime.
Sebastian Vettel – The Real Darling of Red Bull
After the embarrassing incident between his two drivers, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner spoke in private to Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. Later, he told the BBC that the accident was caused by ‘not enough space being given!’ His view was backed up firmly by Red Bull senior boss, Helmut Marko, firmly putting the blame squarely at Webber’s door. I find this absolutely ridiculous to believe, as Webber didn’t do much wrong. This proves that Sebastian Vettel is the real darling of Red Bull Racing. On Sunday, Vettel blotted his copybook big-time, and if I was his team boss, I probably would have shouted at him, swore at him, attempt to get the message across that everything is not your own way. Instead, he got the arm-around-the-shoulder technique, firmly not deserved. This incident must leave Mark Webber seething and rueful that he hasn’t received the fair support he deserves. Sure, he may have extended his championship advantage, but the relationship with his team may well have gone beyond repair. Maybe it is a sign that all things aren’t well with Webber’s contract negotiations. Either way, if Ferrari is interested in Mark, snap Webber up now I think would be the message.
McLaren – Once Again Taking Full Advantage Of Others Own-Goals!
So, as Red Bull Racing shot themselves in the foot, McLaren took full advantage of others own-goals once again. As in Melbourne and Shanghai, they cashed in with reaped rewards. Plus, they showed Red Bull that an inter-team battle can be done fair and square, without the need to bash each other’s cars all over the place. Less than ten laps after ‘that’ incident, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button went wheel-to-wheel in a fantastic scrap for the victory. Lewis edged it, to claim his first win of 2010. It was a lucky success for Hamilton, but he managed to split the Red Bulls in qualifying and lady luck hasn’t smiled on him too much this season, when you think of the botched pit strategy in Australia, and the tyre explosion in the closing stages of the Spanish Grand Prix. Consequently, it was about time that he received some good fortune. Istanbul was a good weekend for the world champion too, who had gone off the boil in Barcelona and Monte Carlo. Jenson Button was a fraction behind Hamilton all weekend, but back at the sharp end, which will give him full encouragement. McLaren are now a very dangerous player in the championship battle.
Ferrari – The 800th Race Turns into a Flat Pancake
The Bahrain 1-2 must seem a decade ago for Ferrari, as their season continues to unravel alarmingly. At Istanbul, a track where the team has had a lot of success in the past, the pace of the cars was absolutely nowhere. The Scuderia may well have been celebrating their 800th race in Formula One, but the party turned into a flat pancake. Fernando Alonso failed in Q2, starting a frustrated 12th, admitting it was ‘the best he could do!’ Three-time Turkey winner Felipe Massa wasn’t much better, back in 8th. In the race, Massa only improved to 7th, thanks to Vettel’s DNF, whilst Alonso needed to use excessive force on Vitaly Petrov’s Renault in the dying moments to earn 8th place. However, these aren’t the results expected, and the pressure on Stefano Domenicalli must be growing after this mediocre weekend. Ferrari are now struggling to hold off Renault for 4th best team in Formula One at the moment, and they are in severe danger of being out of both championship battles before mid-season for the second successive campaign.
Michael Schumacher – The Renaissance Continues
The great renaissance of Michael Schumacher continues to become one of the major talking points in 2010. He had his strongest weekend of the season in Turkey, though still miles off the pace of the pacesetters, Red Bull and McLaren. He qualified 5th, even chucking his car at the Turn 8 scenery, trying to find that extra tenth. An aggressive start saw the German pass his new nemesis, Jenson Button off the line. Critically for Button, he got back ahead before the end of lap 1, and raced away from Schumacher. However, Michael had no problems from behind, now beginning to overshadow Nico Rosberg’s efforts on a regular basis. 4th place was a fitting reward for a fine weekend. Mercedes are in no shape this season to be championship contenders whatsoever, but if they keep improving, don’t be surprised to see Schumacher back on the top step before the end of the season.
Kamur Kobayashi – Answering Some of the Doubters
Until Turkey last weekend, we had seen very little of Kamur Kobayashi in 2010, apart from destroying his car half the time against Toro Rosso’s and Williams’. In Istanbul, he answered some of the doubters, with a fighting performance to 10th, Sauber’s first championship point of what has been a depressing campaign so far. Kobayashi was a little star on Saturday, overcoming the likes of Fernando Alonso and Adrian Sutil to make the top ten. He then endured a race-long scrap with Sutil, which he ended up losing bravely to the Force India driver. However, Petrov’s late puncture allowed him back into the magical point’s positions. It will put a monkey off his back, and answer some of the doubters, who must have been questioning whether his stunning drives for Toyota at the back end of 2009, were just a fluke. Now, he needs to take the next step forward, and become a regular point’s threat. However, this is a solid start.
Hispania Racing – Moving Off the Back, Genuinely!
The Hispania Racing cars still look all over the place, but there was a step forward last weekend for the team. Bruno Senna managed to genuinely out qualify someone else, other than team-mate Karun Chandok for the first time this season. The unlucky fellow was Virgin’s Lucas di Grassi. Then in the race, Senna managed to keep up with di Grassi, and then overtook his fellow countryman around the outside of Turn 12, in a classy move. Sadly, both cars ended up retiring, as reliability issues continue to halt the progress of the new teams. However, this was a positive weekend for Hispania, their first since the end of their tempestuous marriage with car chassis, Dallara. Can they move off the back on a regular basis, only time will tell?
Formula One Heads Stateside Again – Positive Or Negative?
Before F1 arrived in Istanbul, news broke of the return for the Grand Prix circus to America. A new circuit in Texas will breakthrough on the calendar for the 2012 season, after agreeing a deal with Bernie Ecclestone and circuit designer, Hermann Tilke. The last time Formula One was in the US, was back in 2007, when Lewis Hamilton charged to victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a welcome return for America to the sport, but another traditional race is bound to disappear. With India due for next year, 2012 could have upto twenty-one races. Currently, Turkey, Japan and China do not have contracts for 2012, and you can’t see the teams agreeing to too many more races on a yearly calendar. It is a positive for America to be back in F1, hosting a race, but if a star circuit like Istanbul or Suzuka disappears as a result, then it will turn into a massive negative.
Pirelli On The Verge – Are They The Right Supplier?
Another battle in the paddock, behind the scenes is the competition to become F1’s tyre supplier for 2011. Japanese giant Bridgestone is pulling out at the end of the season, due to cost-cutting measures. Favourites seem now to be Pirelli, though Michelin are interested in creating the tyre war again. Pirelli were last in Formula One in 1991, when they supplied the Benetton team amongst others. Will they be the right supplier for the sport? Well, Bridgestone will be missed, having given great service to the sport in the last fourteen years. However, Pirelli are likely to give a great deal of passion and commitment to the sport, so I would back them over Michelin any day, especially when the 2005 ‘Indygate’ tyre scandal springs to mind.
Vitantonio Liuzzi – Losing the Battle for His F1 Future
The pressure is increasing on Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi and he is losing the battle to hold onto his drive. As Scot Paul di Resta continues to impress on Fridays for the team, and in DTM, Liuzzi’s performances continue to dwindle. Whilst Adrian Sutil has scored points in four of the last five races, Liuzzi has only managed a 9th placed result in Monaco, and in Turkey, was hopelessly off the pace. Despite running the f-duct, whereas his team-mate did not, Liuzzi was knocked out in Q1 for the second time this season. A first-lap clash with Sebastian Buemi put an end to a decent race effort, but 13th place is simply not good enough for a team that wants to break out of the midfield. Changing a driver mid-season is always a risky element, but Vijay Mallya may have to consider this as an option if Tonio continues to underachieve in the coming races.
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