Diary of F1 weekend: Turkey

So Turkey this weekend.

One of the more interesting tracks. Mainly for the fact that if you say your going to the Turkish grand prix. Your easily spotted in the crowd because normally... there is no crowd.

But it's also the scene of the aftermath of a three week Formula One break.

So now I have bored you slightly with a bit of guff, here's my diary of an F1 weekend.

Friday.

Now I was at work on Friday afternoon but with FP1 on at 8am. My usual habit would be to watch FP1 and then miss FP2 to go to work but... on Friday night I was going out. So I spent my Friday morning trying to find my outfit and get everything prepared ready for the one hour timeslot I had to get dressed and back out the door in.

Although I did manage to see Vettel's crash in the rain though. Only because my twitter feed was ready prepared with a Vettel crash video. So I got to watch it on the bus. Mobile technology for the win there.

Saturday.

Again work made me miss qualifying but thanks to the red button. I watched it all just an hour later. So I wasn't as far behind as normal. Qualifying didn't throw up much really. The main news was that Kamui Kobayashi's car failed and so was at the back of the grid for the race. This piece of information alone made the anticipation of the Turkish race more exciting.

Because has anyone who watches F1 knows, Kamui Kobayashi is the master of the overtake and with 23 cars to overtake.

That's a race in itself, never mind the front runners of Red Bull and McLaren.

Sunday

So I'm off today and in even better news because the Turkish race is actually at a decent hour of 1pm. I actually get a lie in. Double result.

Like China three weeks ago. The Turkish GP was a great dry race. Lots of overtaking (Especially by Mr Kobayashi), team mate rivalry and dodgy pit stops (I'm talking to you Ferrari and McLaren)

The things that made the race personally great for me have to be.

• Martin Brundle talking Toblerone etiquette (I didn't even think there was any) with Sebastian Vettel pre race.
• EJ moaning that the overtaking because it was easy made the race dull. That man really needs new glasses or a nap.
• OQN and Petrov fighting for dominance in the Renault team
• The pit stop incidents. It just shows one small mistake can really cost you places
• And Michael Schumacher pretty much showing he is actually related to Ralf. Bad times.

So in two weeks we're off to Spain. Alonso country.

It's usually the place where all the upgrades come on to all the cars.

Can anyone make any improvements to really catch Vettel?

Who knows, but I know it's going to be unmissable.

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Diary of a F1 weekend: China

Hey bloggers

Hope you enjoyed the Formula one this week.

So here is my post about the Chinese Grand Prix.

Here's a clue.

I didn't miss it all. Apart from some practices.

:)

Friday

Now I was at work at 9am. So I knew that I wouldn't get the chance to see first practice. I had done a 10 hour shift the day before and a 3am start wasn't on my list of things to do.

Luckily second practice was on at 7am and I have to get up at 6am. So I managed to catch a little of OQN losing another front wing.

Saturday.

Was a carbon copy of Friday. Third practice was missed so I could catch up on my sleep but I managed to watch qualifying because I was up ready for work.

I loved that Quali two was like a miniature race due to Petrov's car breaking down.

In fact Petrov should break down every quali so we can have more exciting qualifying.

(Now I'm starting to sound like Crazy Bernie and his sprinkler system, Of course I don't want Petrov to break down every week. It was just nice to have a more panic, rushed and strategic qualifying)

Sunday

I was off work on Sunday so I managed to watch the whole of the race including the build up. The race on Sunday was one of the most exciting all dry races we have had in a long time. We had no idea who was going to win the race and even though my bet on Rosberg to be on the podium went down the toilet. (One pound I'm never seeing again. )

This sadly didn't happen :(:(:(

It was amazing to just for once,to plan your loo breaks because you didn't want to miss a single second.

Also on a complete side note. I loved the graphics about the race in Malaysia. About the Driver strategy, the number of pits stops and what they thought won each driver the position in there race.

Also what was nice to see was a great amount of reliability.

Jaime Alguersuari was the only retirement, that was only due to the wheel he lost in his poor pitstop. If he hadn't of lost that and damaged some suspension. We could of seen every car finish.

One day that will be the dream. :)

Feel free to comment below.

Would Kubica have been better?

So after last weekend's race.

Several comments were being mentioned time and time again.

Would Kubica of done a better job then Petrov?

If Kubica was here?
How much Kubica feel seeing Petrov do so well?

Etc etc...

Now most F1 fans know that in the 2010 season Kubica was amazing, picking up podium positions, whilst Petrov was languishing in mid-field trying to pretty much keep on the road.

Petrov wasn't that great.

From the mid season the rumour mill kept banding about that Petrov was going to be replaced.

This didn't happen.

It was to be Petrov and Kubica at Renault for 2011.

Then in the first week of February, Kubica went rallying in the off season.
Something he has been doing for years.

When he crashed badly and had to be cut out of the car.

Kubica sustained injuries to his hand, arm and leg.

His right hand suffered the most damage, being partially severed.

So after days in intensive care and countless surgeries.

Kubica's doctor said he could be out of F1 for up to a year.

Then that meant a huge decision for Renault.

Who would take the lead seat?

After having loads of reserve drivers testing for the seat including Senna, Grosjean and Fauzy.

Renault decided to go for a driver who had lots of experience.

My favourite Occasionally Quick Nick

Or Nick Heidfeld to everyone else.

Now with Nick leading the team and his vast experience surely it would only be a matter of time before Petrov would probably be replaced, then the first race in Australia happened.

And Petrov shone.

Not because Heidfeld was poor in Australia, not because Kubica wasn't there.

But because Petrov had matured over the winter.

People forget that it was Petrov's rookie season last year.

It always takes time to familiarize yourself with tracks and with the machinery.

So when Petrov had an amazing race.

I struggled to comprehend when pundits and members of the F1 community were talking to and about Petrov, about how if Kubica was in the Renault how everything would be different.

It was just all about Kubica.

Now it's true it could of been different but it's all what if's.

You can't lead a life on what ifs especially in F1

Now I know that me, F1 fans and the team are going to miss Robert.

He is a great driver and if he returns to F1. I can say with all honesty I can see him with a world championship in a few years.

But it was Petrov's day.

Petrov's race.

Why take that away from him?

Hopefully he will keep on proving everyone wrong and people will be mention Vitaly Petrov more.