Ot f1

I don't imagine that Tony is missing this sort of Caterham F1 action at Hockenheim - problems in practice, and only Kobayashi made it to qualification...usual result though....just more $'s flushed down.

I imagine he wishes he had pulled the plug earlier?

20 K Kobayashi Caterham
21 M Chilton Marussia
22 M Ericsson Caterham

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Kamui Kobayashi (left) assists the marshals in extinguishing the flames on his Caterham

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Here's another shot of Kamui Kobayashi in action. Presumably, he's practising how to use a fire extinguisher because the gravel certainly wasn't on fire...

Kamui Kobayashi's Caterham - with green covers shielding its burnt body - is wheeled into the pits. Lots of work to do to repair that car.

But in better news for the team, Marcus Ericsson is back out after his problem in the opening minutes of the session when he stopped on track.

F1: Caterham cut more than 40 staff as new owners cut costs

The Caterham Formula 1 team have laid off more than 40 staff as their new owners seek to reduce costs. Among the departures are deputy technical director Jody Eggington and head of track operations Gerry Hughes.

Caterham refused to comment on the development, which is expected to be the first of several moves to cut expenditure at the struggling team. Earlier in July, owner Tony Fernandes sold to a consortium of investors, whose identity is yet to be revealed.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/28327774

 

Another salutary lesson for TF, how many hundred millions did he throw at it?...

 

Perhaps he should have put Cesar in one of those cars?

 

Today's race was quite exciting. I had a £10 bet on Ricciardo. Unfortunately I took the 11/4 'without Mercedes' rather than the 20/1 or so that would have been available on an outright win. Still, a win's a win.

 

I just can't get in on it anymore with those weedy sounding engines. They sound like Go Karts

 

Yes, an exciting race - I see Ericsson cracked up another Caterham car - bet TF is glad to be out of that F1 game - ching, ching for that consortium.

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Today's race was one of the best in living memory! Amazing driving from the three on the podium. It had it all, changing conditions, safety cars, plenty of overtaking, competing team-mates, various strategies, brilliant defending, and an epic finish. More of the same please F1.

Still fancy Hamilton to win the WC myself - and today is a perfect example of why.

 

Belgian GP: Hamilton dominant in second practice at Spa

Lewis Hamilton set a stunning pace in second practice at the Belgian Grand Prix to lead team-mate Nico Rosberg to a Mercedes one-two.
Hamilton was 0.604 seconds quicker than the German, who is 11 points ahead in the championship heading into this race, the first after the summer break.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was a shock third ahead of Williams' Felipe Massa and McLaren's Jenson Button.
But the Spaniard was 0.741 seconds adrift of Hamilton's lap.

Read on at http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/28901447

 

I will post the grid positions here tomorrow for any F1 fan on our forum.

Lets just hope QPR can pull off a unexpected win at the lane this weekend. That and a good race with a Hamilton win would be just the tonic for me.

 

sorry I have messed up.

Back soon...

 

Ok, so Nico Rosberg sitting on poll ahead of his team mate Lewis Hamilton while Sebastian Vettel sits in third.

Full spa qualifying results can be found here http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/2014/belgian-grand-prix/results/qualifying

I'm looking forward a few good battles tomorrow.

 

Set up to be a great race now, especially as the team will now let them race. Can't wait! Will be multi-screening with the rangers game.

 

Lewis Hamilton claims Singapore F1 Grand Prix pole from Nico Rosberg
• Briton nicks pole by 0.007sec from title rival and team-mate
• Mercedes’s German shouts: ‘Damn it!’ over his radio

Full story at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/20/lewis-hamilton-singapore-f1-grand-prix-pole-nico-rosberg

Qualifying results

1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes, 1:45.681; 2. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes, 1:45.688; 3. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull, 1:45.854; 4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull, 1:45.902; 5. Fernando Alonso (Sp) Ferrari, 1:45.907; 6. Felipe Massa (Br) Williams, 1:46.000; 7. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:46.170; 8. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Williams, 1:46.187; 9. Kevin Magnussen (Den) McLaren, 1:46.250; 10. Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Toro Rosso, 1:47.362; 11. Jenson Button (GB) McLaren, 1:46.943; 12. Jean-Eric Vergne (Fr) Toro Rosso, 1:46.989; 13. Nico Hülkenberg (Ger) Force India, 1:47.308; 14. Esteban Gutiérrez (Mex) Sauber, 1:47.333; 15. Sergio Pérez (Mex) Force India, 1:47.575; 16. Romain Grosjean (Fr) Lotus, 1:47.812; 17. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Sauber, 1:48.324; 18. Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Lotus, 1:49.063; 19. Jules Bianchi (Fr) Marussia, 1:49.440; 20. Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Caterham, 1:50.405; 21. Max Chilton (GB) Marussia, 1:50.473; 22. Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Caterham 1:52.287

 

Congratulations to Lewis
Rosberg was a bad loser

 

Lewis does it again in a cracking race punctuated with safety car interventions. Rosberg looked like he was sucking on a lime at the presentation ceremony.

 

Lewis Hamilton wins his third F1 World Championship

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton won a thrilling United States Grand Prix to seal his third World Championship.

Hamilton pressured team-mate Nico Rosberg into a mistake during a frantic last 10 laps after a safety car and swept by to take his 10th win of 2015.

It was an exciting climax to a race of fluctuating fortunes, lead changes and superb racing in changing conditions.

Hamilton becomes only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to win three Formula 1 drivers' titles.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel could have kept the race open until Mexico next weekend had he finished second, but could manage only third place behind Rosberg.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/34633569

 

Top stuff!

 

In contrast to Rosberg's sour faced expressions for finishing second, Vettel looked genuinely pleased with his third place.

 

The difference is Hamilton is a true racer, Rosberg is a more functional driver. I'd always back Hamilton all things being equal...

 

Congratulations to Hamilton, a real achievement and it's not his fault that F1 has become so predictable and frequently dull. These drivers still deserve huge respect for their skill and courage.