Sauber F1

If Felipe Massa asserts ownership of Istanbul Park, then McLaren surely must do the same of the streets of the Principality. Over the past 10 years, a McLaren driver has tasted (and Kimi Raikkonen has gulped) the winner’s champagne five times.

Hakkinen won in ’98 and even Coulthard held off the relentless challenge of Schumacher and Montoya to win brilliantly in 2002. Raikkonen, building from a miraculous qualifying lap where he outpaced nearest challenger Alonso by half a second, won in 2005 without relinquishing the lead even for pit stops.

Of course, Alonso himself spearheaded the drubbing of Ferrari last year with Hamilton in (famously) close attendance. Ron Dennis has often said that waking up on the Monday morning after a Grand Prix weekend not involving a 1-2 for the Silver Arrows, is pain. Not much fear of that in Monaco.

However, could things be about to change? This time, it seems the relentless Kimi Raikkonen could be the one to unseat his old team. The World Champion was, by his own standards, muted in Turkey.

At a track often touted as tailor-made for teammate Massa’s driving style, the Finn was always half-a-tenth off the Brazilian, even before his prospects of winning were scuppered at the first corner as Heikki Kovalainen cruised tentatively into his front wing.

This caused him (albeit minimal) damage, but it lost him two places and perhaps 5-8 seconds to Kubica’s BMW.

But Turkey and Monaco are polar extremes. Massa, whilst massively quick at certain circuits, lacks the precision that marks Raikkonen out as a truly great driver. Even before his clumsy (and completely uncharacteristic) whack into the kerb last year, Kimi was half-a-second quicker than the Brazilian.

Massa has never fared well here; a first lap crash in 2006 and a distant third place a year later are not results of a man with serious championship aspirations.

The difference this year is the Ferrari has far better traction that last year’s car. The F2007 was a radical design with the longest wheelbase in the paddock. It was well-suited to fast, flowing circuits like Silverstone, Spa and Turkey by dint of its superior aerodynamics.

It was less impressive in the tighter confines of Monaco or Montreal, which placed a heavy premium on traction and low-speed mechanical grip. This year, the problem appears to have been more or less remedied. If anything, it’s been even stronger at lower speeds than the McLaren.

Raikkonen was quickest in the twisty final sectors of both Istanbul Park and Cataluña and both Ferraris have been starting consistently well off the line; a definite improvement on last year. Both ITV commentators James Allen and Martin Brundle remarked that the Ferrari appeared to have the best traction from the slow hairpins, particularly during the Malaysian and Bahrain Grands Prix.

BMW also appear to have made gains. Kubica, it seems, has banished the gremlins of his disappointing 2007 and for the last two or three races has comprehensively outpaced Nick Heidfeld. His precocious talent appears to be transcending a perhaps knife-edgier car than last year’s model, so maybe he is more able to extract the car’s maximum potential than the German. He could threaten a win this weekend, particularly in a car with obviously excellent low speed stability and traction such as the BMW.  

As for the others, Alonso has always gone well around the streets. After a quiet race in Turkey he will be another looking to challenge for high points or even a podium. Certainly—judging by his epic qualifying performance in Spain—he has a much-improved Renault at his disposal.

Webber could be another threat, and maybe qualifying specialist Trulli (a winner in 2004) could spring a surprise in the Toyota. It’s going to be too close to call, but ultimately I believe, unless McLaren have a clear car advantage, that the battle is between two of the best: Hamilton and Raikkonen. With the prospect of rain showers always looming large, it could well be an epic.  

Roland.

I'm going to take a brief look at what is now known as the third team in Formula One, and their journey which has taken them to brink of real success in this competitive sport.
 

The title race for the 2008 Formula One World Championship has kicked into full gear after four races, and the prospects for the main contenders, McLaren and Ferrari, are the same as predicted before the season began.

Now, with BMW-Sauber beginning to put themselves in a position where they can interfere with strategies, the championship becomes slightly trickier.
 
Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica have both already been on the second step of the podium this year, and Kubica spectacularly planted his car on pole at Bahrain. The big test has yet to be achieved, getting that BMW power across the finish line before anyone else.
 
Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, and Felipe Massa have all taken chequered flags this season so far, while BMW have been an ominous presence. With double world-chamion Fernando Alonso back at Renault, and beginning to build momentum folllowing that heroic P2 at Catalunya, time may be running out for the German/Swiss squad. Kubica continues to maintain a consistency worthy of a potential title contender.
 
Upcoming tracks like the Hungaroring are said to be more favourable for BMW, but that race doesn't take place until August, and there's a whole heap of racing to be done betweeen now and then.
 
Much has been said about the likes of Raikkonen, Hamilton, and Alonso, but the BMW drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica are something of a different nature.

Heidfeld is the quiet man in the grid, who gets his head down and produces impressive results. Kubica on the other hand, has clearly stated his intent, moving from test driver to full race seat. In testing, he often topped the sheets in practice sessions, and replaced the outgoing Jacques Villeneuve in 2006.
 
In terms of racing prospects, both drivers have been rumoured to have been sought by McLaren and Ferrari. Heidfeld, now in his 30s, may be considered the elder statesman in this sport, which is quickly gaining younger and younger talent, but the speed is still there. Germany certainly has certainly a strong track-record in producing quick drivers.
 
Kubica is in the same age range as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and is as equally talented as those guys. He's bounced back from a massive crash in Canada last year, more competitive and more determined to win. You knock him down, he comes back faster and stronger.
 
What was formerly the Sauber team has evolved into a real prospect, and a potential hinderence to McLaren and Ferrari, with that fighting spirit and driven determination.

All I can say is that I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

Approaching the age of 27, Fernando Alonso is in his prime.

Yet, the former world champion finds himself in, by his standards, uncompetitive machinery. He is proving his worth, however, forging commendable results in unlikely circumstances, just as he managed driving for Minardi in 2001.

With Ferrari, McLaren, and BMW so dominant at the top, it seems that only a substantial slice (or several!) of luck or those three teams robbing each other of valuable points will see Fernando finish any higher than ‘best of the rest’ this season.

In addition, the greater the gap between Renault and Ferrari this season, the harder it will be for Renault to even maintain such a gap next season.

However, there is hope. The relative performance of teams is set to be equalised somewhat (in theory) in time for the 2009 season.

New aerodynamics regulations and the fact that tyres will have to be ‘slick’ (smooth) should make the cars rely more on mechanical grip, making overtaking and close racing a greater possibility.

As all the teams adjust to these significant rule changes, Renault will begin 2009 on more of a level playing field. All this is perhaps irrelevant, however, should Alonso choose to leave Renault, if he has the option…

Alonso has demonstrated negative traits in the past, most dramatically with his handling of competitive teammates, and not just most famously whilst at Mclaren with Lewis Hamilton.

When he believed Fisichella held him up in Montreal in 2005, he ranted and raved to the team over the radio, before proceeding to lose concentration and then control, breaking his suspension in the process.

He has always believed himself to be more important than his team. Some teams may not have him for such attitudes.

The undeniable quality of Fernando’s driving should dictate that he will be able to haul himself into title contention eventually, even staying with the Renault team, perhaps reconstructing Ferrari around him like Michael Schumacher did.

He must be careful, however, that he doesn’t run out of years in the process should he commit to an uncertain long-term future there.

Looking at the hard facts, Fernando Alonso is a double world champion, the man who ended Michael Schumacher’s dominance, and the most successful driver currently on the grid.

It would take an unfortunate series of events to prevent Alonso from at least challenging for the title again before the end of his career.

With teams and drivers more closely matched than has been the case for a while, it will be difficult for Fernando, even if he does manage to produce a fully competitive season again, to rise to the top of the pile again.

However, his levels of ability and determination dictate he will not remain in the doldrums forever. Be it as soon as 2009, or later, he will indubitably be in the fray once more.

Turkey is going to be the most important race thus far in the 2008 Formula 1 season. With so much at stake for so many teams and drivers, it will be a race which decides the attitude for the next three to four races. Looking at what each of the top-performing teams need at Turkey is crucial in understanding why this is true.

Ferrari

Ferrari had a one-two finish at Istanbul last year, and will come looking for another. A win here will cement their lead, and insure that they have a buffer zone for the next couple of races, at which they have typically not performed so well recently (Monaco, Canada).

Kimi believes that the car is more capable and faster than the rest of the field, and he proved this in Spain. A win for Kimi will put him far in the lead, and put that much more pressure on drivers like Kubica and Hamilton, who are finding themselves duking it out for the podium.

A win for Massa leapfrogs him to second place over Kubica and Lewis, putting him into title-contention. A 12-point lead in the Constructors is good, but it is not nearly enough to relax. They will be working 110% to keep what they have gained so far.

BMW Sauber

If BMW is going to comeback and reassert their presence as a top-field team, Turkey will be the time to do it. They are 12 points under to Ferrari, and really cannot afford to have mediocre finishes, like Heidfeld taking ninth in Barcelona.

What BMW needs here is one driver on the podium and the other taking at least fourth or fifth. If this does not occur, they could find themselves in a state such as they did last year, sandwiched between McLaren and Ferrari, and the rest of the pack. Even more importantly, the rest of the pack is looking more competitive.

Look at the spread in qualifying times for the Spanish Grand Prix. Less than a second from pole to tenth divided the drivers. Williams-Toyota, Toyota, Red Bull, Renault, and even Honda are looking ready to pounce on any mistakes the top three teams make. Spinning, pit-lane penalties, and errors on hot laps during qualifying could smash hopes for a podium for BMW. They need a reliable, super-quick race.

McLaren-Mercedes

McLaren is desperate for performance coming into Istanbul. Lewis' third-place podium finish was good, on the right track even, but not enough to bring him back into the title hunt, especially when he is finishing behind two Reds. He needs a win to put him back into the hunt. If he gets it, he will feel confident going into the next two races (Monaco, where he finished second last year, and Canada, where he won his first GP in F1). If not, the next two races will be just what Spain was, another opportunity where the pressure is on to get the podium.

Heikki, his new teammate, is in an even more dire position. Filling Alonso's shoes is no small task, but right now he is behind both BMW and Ferrari drivers, and also his teammate. He needs a podium as well. If he does not finish in the points or lower down in the points, and Mark Webber or Jarno have a great race (which is completely possible), we could see a McLaren driver behind a Red Bull or a Toyota.

People are asking what the deal is at McLaren this year. In two words, SET UP. They lost one of the best set-up drivers in Formula 1. Without Alonso's crucial experience and advice, younger, inexperienced drivers like Lewis and Heikki are having to make recommendations on the set up of the car.

So far in qualifying, this has turned out to be disastrous. When an off set-up and a tiny mistake on the hot lap combine, you get a race with Lewis and Heikki scrambling to get through the pack, unable to establish a good pace, and ending with mediocre finishes.

Well, those are the top three teams heading into Turkey, and as you can see, six drivers need one spot desperately, to hold on to title contention in the next few races.

If Kimi wins, he will have a comfortable lead for awhile. If Lewis, Kubica, or Massa, get it, they will be right back in the hunt, and the suspense will continue. If it is Heikki or Heidfeld, we could see some very interesting new standings. In the next few days, I will be looking at Williams-Toyota, Renault, Red Bull, Toyota, and Honda to see what importance Turkey has for them.

Kimi Raikkonen was the fastest driver through two of the three practice sessions leading up to today's qualifying session. He used that experience to take the pole position for Sunday's Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Telefonica 2008 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.

The day did not start good for Raikkonen as the best he could manage in the morning practice was 13th. This after topping the timing charts during both practices on Friday. Things didn't seem to be quite right again for the qualifying round although he was the fastest car by far in Q1 and 3rd fastest in Q2. The car seemed to have some serious under steer and it was only the quality of the driver that put the car that high on the chart.

With time expired on the clock, hometown favorite Fernando Alonso appeared to have created a miracle as he went P1. Alonso had not had his troublesome Renault near the top in qualifying yet this year so his topping the timing charts was a fantastic feat. His spell at the top was short-lived however as Raikkonen pipped his time by 0.091 to grab the coveted pole. In 18 races at this track, the pole sitter has won 14 times.

Raikkonen's Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa had a struggle at times this weekend. After going P2 in the first practice session, he took a backwards slide down the charts in the next two sessions going P5 and P9. During Q1 he continued the slide as his time was only 12th quickest. The team made some adjustments before Q2 and that seemed to be the right thing as he led the charts during the second qualifying session and then was only beaten by his teammate and Alonso in the final session. This leaves Massa starting right behind Raikkonen and if recent races mean anything it could again be Ferraris one and two into the first corner.

The sophomore problems continued for both McLaren teammates Hamilton and Kovalainen. After a good start to the season, the two McLaren drivers again had problems this weekend. After a decent first practice session where Hamilton was third and Kovalainen was fifth, neither car was able to crack the top ten in the second and third practice session. Although both cars showed better in qualifying, the best they could do was a fifth place start for Hamilton and sixth for Kovalainen.

BMW Sauber, who leads the constructor's championship, had their drivers both qualify in the top ten with Kubica going P4 and Heidfeld P9. Jarno Trulli again made the top ten for the fourth straight race although his eighth place is his worst qualifying position of the season. Mark Webber, with his second time in the top 10, this time seventh and Nelsinho Piquet with his first top ten (10th) qualifying position round out the top 10.

It will be interesting to see the starts tomorrow as several drivers have had problems as they adjust to life without launch control. Lewis Hamilton was the most notable driver with a problem in the respect last race. It will also be interesting to see if the Renault of Alonso was shorted on fuel in hopes of getting him the pole in his home race. The Renaults have not been that quick all season so either he is short filled or the team made some great improvements to the car in the last three weeks.

After three flyaway races and three weeks off after those races, Formula One makes its gallant return to Europe this weekend with the first of three races being held in Barcelona before flying off to Montreal in June.

As it stands, Ferrari driver and world champion Kimi Räikkönen leads the championship with 19 points over Nick Heidfeld of BMW-Sauber, who has 16. McLaren-Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton rounds out the top three with 14 points, on level with Robert Kubica and McLaren teammate Heikki Kovaleinen.

One of the biggest surprises so far is BMW-Sauber leading the constructor's championship with one point over Ferrari and two over McLaren. Of course, with the upcoming Grand Prix, BMW hope to retain their lead in the constructors for the first time.

After a bad race in Bahrain almost three weeks ago where Lewis Hamilton netted zero points for only the third time in his career, he intends to come back strong in Europe.

He said he wants to "make sure what happened at the beginning of the race never happens again," in reference to his shunt with his former teammate Fernando Alonso back in Bahrain.

On the other hand, Kimi Räikkönen is rather upbeat about going to Spain as the leader of the championship. On his personal website, Räikkönen says, "Obviously I prefer being the leader from the chaser I used to be (in) almost every season. Keeping all the others behind me in the race would mean keeping them behind me in the championship too."

Of course, testing was performed in Barcelona by all but Super Aguri, who have been having financial troubles ever since the Magma Group's Dubai backing did not go through as planned. However, it seems like there is a renewed interest in the team again, according to F1-Live.com, so we cannot fully discount the Leafield-based team from Formula One just yet.

All in all, Formula One is in full swing, and with its return to Europe, this can only be a sign that summer is just beginning. Enjoy the race on Sunday.

Dr. Mario Thiessen and Team BMW Sauber are happy campers after their better-than-expected results in Bahrain that landed Poland's Robert Kubica his first-ever pole position on the starting grid and a solid third-place at the winner's podium. His win secured BMW as the leader in the in the points for the constructors' championship.

Kubica's teammate Nick Heidfeld, whose race-rhythm was quite decent, was right behind Kubica for a fourth-place finish pushing him up to second in driver's championship points

Ferrari drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa were the top-2 finishers of this race. Race winner Massa and his determined driving style gave way to no mistakes while Räikkönen's patience and stamina delivered him to the second-step of the winner's podium.

The mandated absence of automatic launch and traction control is looking like the Great Equalizer this season, as these processes must be executed manually, a task failed by Lewis Hamilton, one of the most impressive performers of last season.

Hamilton, who was in a good starting position at fourth on the grid, acknowledged that he "let the team down" at the start of the race by not manually engaging into launch mode in time.

He was passed at the start by those behind him, and then soon after ran up the backside of Fernando Alonso's Renault. This resulted in the loss of the McLaren's front wing and I'm guessing a few choice Spanish cuss-words from the front-end of Alonso.

Renault's second driver, Heikki Kovalainen, finished 5th and gave us the fastest lap of the race at 1:30.193.

Judging by the closeness in championship points so far, I'm guessing that this season may be similar to last -- another nail-biter where the champion remained undecided until the very last race.

The next race can be seen live 4:30am PST on Speed TV  April 27th. It is the fourth race of the season and takes place in Spain. Word on the street is that Max Mosely is planning to attend providing his bondage gear is back from the cleaners.