Bleacher Report - Articles by Billy Sexton

Spa Francorchamps 2009: Anybody's Race?

Billy Sexton — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:49:23 -0400

Yesterday we saw Brawn GP return to the front of the grid, with Rubens Barrichello this time taking victory—his first of the season.

Pre-race favourites, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen came in second and fourth, showing they still aren't on par with the Brawns.

Kimi Raikkonen got a second consecutive podium in his Ferrari whilst championship leader, Jenson Button, languished down in seventh with the two Red Bull's scoring zero points between them.

Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso put in another decent showing, finishing fifth and sixth respectively, showing McLaren and Ferrari that they are certainly worth the money.

So this all sets up nicely for an exciting and unpredictable race in Spa Francorchamps next week.

The temperature in Belgium is unlikely to be what it was like in Valencia yesterday and this means that the Brawns could suffer like they did in Silverstone and also at the Nurburgring and the Hungaroring.

With this in mind, Red Bull could jump at this opportunity to strike when the iron's hot, but with a poor showing yesterday, and multiple engine troubles for Sebastian Vettel, who knows what's going on at Red Bull.

So step forward McLaren Mercedes.

Since a massive update at the German Grand Prix, McLaren have been consistently challenging for podiums and the top grid slots.

However, Spa is a high speed, flowing circuit; the type of circuit McLaren have been struggling with all year. Who knows how the new aero package will fare come next weekend?

With the top three teams looking set to struggle, that leaves us three drivers who could take a shocking victory at the Belgian Grand Prix next weekend.

First up is Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari. Everybody knows he loves Spa, he dominated there in 2007 (the year he won the championship) and was two laps from reigniting his championship push last year.

And in 2009, the Ferrari is getting better and better. Could it be a first win since Spain 2008 for Kimi?

Another contender for the race could be Nico Rosberg. It mat not have been the fastest car in 2009, but the Williams FW31 has certainly been the most consistent—Rosberg has scored in most races.

He is eager to get on the podium this season, and a good performance at this time of year (drivers signing contracts, moving teams, etc.) could really help him out if he wants the second seat at McLaren.

Also, Fernando Alonso could pull out a shock victory at Spa, setting the scene nicely for Monza, as it is rumoured that Ferrari will announce that he is driving for them in 2010.

Alonso has also been consistent this season, and if it wasn't for a pit stop error in Hungary, he could well have been on the podium.

With all the above mentioned in mind, Spa is setting up to be a great race, and I wouldn't dare put money on any driver. With five winners in the past five races, 2009 is finally shaping up to be exciting as previous seasons.

Is Heikki Kovalainen Being Shown to the Exit at McLaren?

Billy Sexton — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:55:40 -0400

With contracts being signed and deals being made for 2010, new breaking news has emerged that Heikki Kovalainen could well be on his way out of McLaren Mercedes.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh has revealed that although McLaren would like to keep the Finnish driver, his results must improve.

"He hasn't raced as well as he would have liked, and we would have liked him to, this year," said Whitmarsh.

It is Whitmarsh's desire for Heikki to follow through on his qualifying performances on Sunday afternoons and start getting on the podium and winning races, now that the car has the ability.

When asked about who could replace Heikki, if results do not improve, Whitmarsh said the following; "In terms of nationality, some nationalities from a marketing perspective are obviously more convenient."

So you'd like a German driver in the team than Martin?

This comment has caused a huge amount of speculation that either Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld, or Adrian Sutil could be on the way to the number two car at McLaren. From Lewis Hamilton's perspective, Nick Heidfeld would be ideal.

You may be wondering why I say Heidfeld and not Rosberg, but let's look at it carefully. Lewis will want to remain number one. That's for sure. If Rosberg or Sutil came into the team, that might not happen.

Both are young drivers with a career ahead of them, and will want to do the best they can to mount a championship challenge should the car allow them to. This obviously would be a threat to Hamilton, who wants to carry on winning championships after this 2009 blip is over.

So Heidfeld would be perfect. He is out of a team for 2010. He has a lot of experience and is consistent with points in a good car...and he also isn't that great—no disrespect, but zero wins from 160 starts, it speaks for itself.

And McLaren could give him that chance of a win whilst also keeping Lewis at number one. Perfect, from a Lewis Hamilton point of view that is.

Moving back to the main topic, Heikki looks to be on his way out, unless he pulls something out the bag.

However, I don't really see why he is facing the sack.

Sure, his 2008 campaign wasn't great, finishing seventh whilst his teammate was world champion, but he got a few podiums and a win. Very consistent with points.

2009 has been disastrous though. But that isn't just for Kovalainen, Hamilton has had a terrible run as well; before Hungary, the world champion had nine points from nine races. Kovalainen had five points from nine races. Not that much of a gap, considering one driver has had all major upgrades first and drives the number one car of the whole grid.

So what will be will be, but this is guaranteed to be an exciting story to follow over the coming months.

Romain Grosjean Takes Over for Nelson Piquet at Renault

Billy Sexton — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:23:02 -0400

It has been announced today that French driver Romain Grosjean will take over for Nelson Piquet at Renault for the rest of the 2009 season.

This comes after news that Piquet had been dropped from the team after failing to produce sufficient results.

Grosjean was the favourite to take over the spot. He has been the team's third driver for the past two seasons and has an impressive record in the GP2 junior series. Had Grosjean not made the move to Formula One, he was one of the favourites for the driver's title.

After successfully appealing against their one-race ban, Renault has decided to approach the second half of the current season "aggressively."

Grosjean is determined to do his best for the team and is looking forward to racing alongside the double world champion, Fernando Alonso.

"I'm very proud and looking forward to helping the team get the best results," said Grosjean. "It is an honour to be Fernando's team-mate and to make my Formula One debut alongside a double world champion is especially motivating."

The European Grand Prix takes place this coming weekend, Aug. 21-23.

Michael Schumacher Cancels Formula One Return

Billy Sexton — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:19:50 -0400

Michael Schumacher has pulled out of his Formula One return due to neck injuries.

The seven-time world champion had previously stated that he would stand in for the injured Felipe Massa, but this is no longer possible due to the injuries he sustained to his neck whilst racing motorbikes back in February.

"I am disappointed to the core," Schumacher said. "I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans which crossed fingers for me.

"I can only repeat that I tried everything that was within my power. All I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed for the whole team for the coming races."

As expected, many fans across the globe are devastated that Michael will not be making a return to his beloved sport.

Schumacher was undergoing some serious and intense training to get himself as fit as possible before the European Grand Prix on the 23rd August. He was unable to test the Ferrari F60 because three teams blocked the idea that he should be exempt from all others and have one day of in-season testing.

This leaves Ferrari with very little option of who to select to race Massa's car. With Schumacher failing to make a come back, it is expected that either Marc Gene or Luca Badoer, both of whom are current Ferrari test drivers, will get the seat.

Renault Sack Ends Nelson Piquet Junior's Formula One Career

Billy Sexton — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:08:01 -0400

Nelson Piquet has been told by Renault that he will not race for them again this season. The news comes after a string of poor results and Piquet failing to score any points this season.

Piquet released a statement on his own website slamming team boss Flavio Briatore, claiming he had been treated unfairly.

"I always believed that having a manager was being a part of a team and having a partner.

"A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities. In my case it was the opposite—Flavio Briatore was my executioner."

"I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in F1."

Piquet also reported details of being threatened by his Renault team.

"On numerous occasions, 15 minutes before qualifying and races, my manager and team boss would threaten me, telling me if I didn't get a good result, he had another driver ready to put in my place."

Piquet intends to stay in motorsport but is unsure of his future in Formula One.

Renault have not announced a replacement yet, but it is expected to be either Roman Grosjean or Lucas Di Grassi.

Is This the End of the Road for Toyota F1?

Billy Sexton — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:10:17 -0400

Last week, giant car manufacturers BMW Sauber pulled out of Formula One due to poor results and spiralling costs.

Whispers around the paddock suggest that other big car manufacturers such as Renault and Toyota are in trouble because of the current state of the economy and its effect on the car industry.

However, Renault seem to be picking up the pace with their development and they look to be safe, but Toyota have slowed down, with results not coming as they did during the earlier parts of the season. Could this be due to a plan to pull out of F1?

Toyota stated at the start of the season that they wanted the new car, the TF109, to win at least one race this coming season. Podiums came at the start of the season, but Toyota have just gone off the boil in recent races.

Their true pace was shown at the start of the season in Melbourne. After receiving a penalty, the cars started from 19th and 20th and came in third and fourth after the two Brawns.

The same result came in a rain soaked Malaysia and in the Bahrain desert, Jarno Trulli took pole ahead of teammate Timo Glock to make it an all Toyota front row. They were serious contenders for the title.

A shocking result came in Monaco. The Toyota's were just about the slowest cars on the grid and scored no points whatsoever. Since then, they haven't even touched the podium.

Now is this due to other teams catching up with Toyota in the continuous development race? Or is it due to a total slowdown in development from Toyota because they know they are going to pull out?

Practice sessions rarely indicate true pace, however qualifying sessions often do. So let's compare the qualifying performance of the Toyota's and the McLaren's for the first three races and the most recent three races. Stats won't include penalties.

Australia- Toyota- 6th and 8th
McLaren- 14th and 15th

Malaysia- Toyota- 2nd and 5th
McLaren- 13th and 14th

China- Toyota- 6th and 14th
McLaren- 9th and 12th

Great Britain- Toyota- 4th and 8th
McLaren- 13th and 19th

Germany- Toyota- 14th and 19th
McLaren- 5th and 6th

Hungary- Toyota- 12th and 14th
McLaren- 4th and 6th

So there are the stats. Decide for yourself whether or not Toyota have simply been overtaken or a planning a pullout. I personally think the latter.

Michael Schumacher Makes Return to Formula One

Billy Sexton — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:53:09 -0400

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will make a return to Formula One for the European Grand Prix next month.

Schumacher retired at the end of the 2006 season, but will return to the cockpit after Felipe Massa was seriously injured at the last Grand Prix in Hungary. It has been confirmed that Schumacher will stand in for as long as it takes for Massa to heal or for Ferrari to find another replacement.

Being an advisor to Ferrari, Schumacher has kept in close contact with the team since 2006 and has become a special adviser since 2008. He also tested regularly last season.

However, the in-season testing ban that is in place for 2009 means that Schumacher hasn't driven an F1 car since April 2008.

With this in mind, Schumacher has an intense training program in place for the next three weeks to get himself back up to full fitness.

Schumacher said, "For team loyalty reasons, I can't ignore this unfortunate situation."

"This afternoon, I met with team principal Stefano Domenicali and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, and together, we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.

"As the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge."

Ferrari chose Schumacher over current test drivers Marc Gene and Luca Badoer. Many sports columnists believe this is because Schumacher is the man that can deliver the best results for the team, who are chasing third place in the constructors' championship.

If he can win all seven races and Jenson Button doesn't score, Schumacher could still make history and win the championship. Obviously, this is highly unlikely, but a few podiums from Schumacher could add some real spice to the championship.

Also, fans can look forward to a battle between Schumacher and current world champion, Lewis Hamilton, an event that many thought would never happen as Hamilton entered the sport when Schumacher left.

The multiple record holder will also be able to pit his skills against the likes of Sebastian Vettel, the supposed heir to Schumacher. He will also race alongside Kimi Raikkonen as a teammate for the first time.

Should KERS Be Abandoned for 2010?

Billy Sexton — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:51:12 -0400

Yesterday, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton drove the first KERS car to win a Formula One race, 10 races after its baptism into F1.

During winter testing most teams tried out a KERS system but several struggled with its development and many teams have given up on installing KERS onto their car. Ferrari and McLaren are the only two teams still to race the device after Renault and former KERS enthusiasts, BMW Sauber, decided to scrap the regenerative braking device.

In June this year, FOTA announced that they had come to an agreement to abandon KERS altogether from 2010 onwards despite it providing a extra 80bhp for six to seven seconds every lap.

Prior to the race yesterday, there existed a consensus that KERS was good for an exciting race start only and that if three or four cars have the device then it provides more unpredictability to the race but this was not enough to keep it in the sport.

However, with Lewis Hamilton winning yesterday, the first time a KERS equipped car has won a race, is the decision to scrap KERS the right one?

We'll have to look at all aspects of the system to decide whether or not it should be scrapped or not. Can small, independent teams afford the device? Is it worth carrying extra weight if it doesn't give that much of an advantage in the long term? Is there any point in KERS at all if all 20 cars on the grid carried the device?

The cost to develop, install, and race a KERS system costs millions, and when the benefit is 'just' between 0.1 and 0.3 seconds, one would wonder what is the point in KERS, when aero updates can provide an extra 0.8 seconds per lap (as proven by McLaren in recent races).

On the other hand, the grid is ever so close this year (the top 15 in Saturday's qualifying were separated by just over a second) any benefit should be taken and used to the advantage of the driver and the team.

Also, for heavier drivers, to install KERS on their car could prove to be a huge mistake. The device weighs between 25-35kg, which seems relatively light but, on average, teams have around 70kg of ballast to play around with once the weight of both car and driver have been taken into account.

This means, for a heavy driver, the amount of ballast available to improve the balance and feel for the car could potentially half.

Another disadvantage of running the KERS system is that although it is a step in the right direction of making F1 a more environmentally friendly sport, is that if all cars were to run KERS, there would be no advantage at all, as all drivers would be able to push the button when the lights go out.

However, we all like the start of races with the, now traditional, KERS versus non-KERS run down to the first corner don't we?

For this reason, I remain a fan of KERS and think it should be kept for 2010, but not as KERS as we know it.

As I mentioned before, if all 20 cars had KERS, there would be no advantage and no added excitement.

That's why I've come up with an idea of a KERS rota system. I haven't gone into the complications and technicalities of this idea as, admittedly, it is slightly far fetched.

The rota system would involve KERS independently made (which saves on developing and installation costs) systems that would be shared around the teams throughout the season. So one week, McLaren, Ferrari, BMW and Renault could have KERS and the next week Brawn, Red Bull, Toyota and Williams would have the systems on their cars.

So what about chassis differences? Surely this would mean standard chassis regulations?

Well, initially the systems will be on every car, but if it is not the turn of the driver or team to use the device, it will be switched off for that weekend. Simple as. The team won't be able to cheat and turn it on as KERS will be controlled by the FIA.

With this idea we still have the KERS versus non-KERS start. We still have a greener sport. We still manage to cut costs with standard systems.

Roger Federer Becomes a Father To Twin Girls

Billy Sexton — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:16:18 -0400

World number one, Roger Federer has become a father for the first time.

This comes after news that his wife, Mirka, gave birth on Thursday.

Federer released statements on his Facebook page and personal website which said the following:

"I have some exciting news to share with you: Late last night, in Switzerland, Mirka and I became proud parents of twin girls! We named them Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and they are both healthy and along with their mother, they are doing great. This is the best day of our lives!"

Roger met his wife in 2000 when they were both at the Sydney Olympic Games. They married in April.

I would like to, on behalf of Bleacher Report, congratulate Roger and Mirka on the birth of their children and wish them all the happiness that parenthood and family life brings.

Do Red Bull Have the Best Two Drivers on the Grid?

Billy Sexton — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:18:31 -0400

Earlier today during the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed that in-form Red Bull Racing have the best drivers on the current F1 grid in the shape of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber who lie second and third in the drivers championship respectively.

After two consecutive one-two finishes Horner said, "I think we've the best driver line-up in F1 at the moment."

But is he right?

After recent performances in both qualifying and the races, Red Bull have dominated, taking 52 points from a possible 54 in the past three races. So in that context, Horner is indeed correct.

But what do the statistics have to say?

I'm going to calculate the total number of points scored from 2007 by Brawn GP (previously Honda), Red Bull (the main contenders for the 2009 championship) and the total number of points from McLaren, Ferrari, and BMW, who were the main contenders in the championship last season and in 2007 also.

I am aware that teammates have changed, so to avoid major confusion, I will only use the points of current members of the team. For example, I won't include Fernando Alonso (McLaren '07) and David Coulthard (Red Bull '07, '08) in the statistics.

Now we will really see who has the best lineup on the grid (or half grid).

Brawn GP (previously Honda), points total for 2007, 2008, and 2009: 132
Red Bull Racing points total for 2007, 2008, and 2009: 164.5
McLaren Mercedes points total for 2007, 2008, and 2009: 304
Scuderia Ferrari points total for 2007, 2008, and 2009: 408
BMW Sauber points total for 2007, 2008, and 2009: 243

It is clear that Ferrari statistically have the best team on the grid. But is this because they have a huge cheque book and can afford the best drivers? Or are Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa really the best out there?

This is certainly an interesting topic and I would like to hear your thoughts on whether or not Horner is right. And if he is, he has got himself a very good deal for two top class drivers compared to the millions Ferrari, McLaren, and BMW dish out each year to obtain their drivers.

Which Teams Should Follow In Toro Rosso's Footsteps?

Billy Sexton — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:05:42 -0400

Toro Rosso has recently sacked Sebastian Bourdais from the team after he failed to produce satisfying results. The question I am asking is which teams should follow suit and get rid of their underperforming driver?

First, and probably the one name that springs to mind when speaking of poor performance, is Nelson Piquet.

Nelson has been given a season and a half in a top team with a respectable budget. He has consistently failed to deliver on race day. To be perfectly fair to Nelson, his teammate, Fernando Alonso, is making the Brazilian look pathetic.

After being gifted a drive thanks to his surname, Piquet has out-qualified his Spanish teammate just ONCE in 27 races. I make that a three-percent success rate, which is unacceptable.

If that isn't even proof to Flavio Briatore that Piquet needs to go, let's compare the stats of Piquet and teammate Alonso from Australia 2008 onwards.

Points: Alonso—74
Piquet—19

Top 10 qualifying: Alonso—22
Piquet—4

Finishes in the points: Alonso—17
Piquet—5

With drivers such as Roman Grosjean and Lucas Di Grassi waiting in the wings, Piquet should be watching his back. I predict that he'll be out before the end of the season.

The second driver that appears to have been underperforming is Kazuki Nakajima of Williams.

Despite improved performance this year due to all round better machinery, Nakajima is still lagging behind his teammate, Nico Rosberg.

Kazuki was introduced into F1 at the end of the 2007 season in Brazil when he was given his debut. Since then, he hasn't really performed well at all.

Some could make allowances for the 2008 campaign as the Williams FW30 really wasn't up to playing with the big boys in the playground. However, in 2009, Williams has really made a leap forward, so there should be no excuse for poor results.

With Rosberg lying in seventh place in the championship with 20.5 points, Nakajima still hasn't scored any points this season and is 20th in the standings.

Lets compare stats for these two drivers (from Brazil 2007 onwards):

Points: Rosberg—42.5
Nakajima—9

Top 10 qualifying: Rosberg—16
Nakajima—3

Finishes in the points: Rosberg—13
Nakajima—5

Again, the statistics seem to speak volumes against Nakajima. If performances and points don't come soon, I think we'll be seeing the last of Kazuki at Abu Dhabi, with a new driver coming in for 2010.

The final driver who could potentially get sacked before the season is out is Rubens Barrichello. This is a controversial choice, I know, but after his post-race interview at the German Grand Prix, his future has come into question.

Rubens was angry with the Brawn team and said, "It was a good show from the team of how to lose a race. I did all I had to do, I was first to the first corner. They made me lose it."

"I don't want to talk to anybody in the team because I don't want to understand; there will be a lot of 'blah blah blah' and I don't want to hear that."

Earlier on in the season, Barrichello criticized his team again and threatened to walk out if he found out if championship leader, Jenson Button, was being favoured over him.

I don't think any stats are needed for these two drivers because it isn't Rubens' performance that may get him sacked, it is his attitude. If both Rubens and the team can put last weekend behind them and get on with getting back to the podium and the front of the grid, I don't think Rubens will be a problem for Brawn.

However, bad attitude or not, I think Rubens will be out of Brawn GP and they will have a new driver for 2010. In my opinion, they only kept him for 2009 because of his experience.

Jaime Alguersuari Lands Seat at Scuderia Toro Rosso

Billy Sexton — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:40:09 -0400

Jaime Alguersuari has filled the vacant seat at Toro Rosso, much to the suspected rumours.

It came to light at the German Grand Prix earlier this month that Sebastian Bourdais could be on his way out of the Italian team after failing to produce satisfying results and being constantly out performed by rookie team mate Sebastian Buemi.

Bourdais was sacked a few days ago and Toro Rosso announced today that Alguersuari will try his hand at the steering wheel.

The young Spaniard will become the youngest ever Formula One driver when he makes his debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix this coming Sunday. He is truly grateful for the drive at Toro Rosso, who are the sister team to in-form Red Bull Racing, a team with a glowing record of bringing up drivers from the junior ranks, Sebastian Vettel being their crown jewel.

Alguersuari is grateful for this opportunity and said, "I would like to thank Red Bull forgiving me this great opportunity to race in Formula One."

"Coming into Formula One is never easy, coming into Formula One in the middle of a season is even harder. I am getting great support from the team, who have quite a reputation for looking after rookie drivers."

So lets take a look at Mr Alguersuari's track record, many of us, myself included, had never heard of him before the German Grand Prix.

In 2004 Jaime became the youngest ever driver to win the Spanish Karting Championship and in the same year he took fourth place in the Italian Open Master and finished seventh in the overall European championship.

Trying his hand at single seater racing in 2005, Alguersuari finished third in Renault's Formula Junior 1.6, taking two victories along the way. This achievement earned his a place on the Red Bull young driver programme and in the next two years he competed in the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 series and the Formula Renault Eurocup and success in each allowed the talented young driver to make the jump to British Formula Three, his biggest challenge yet.

Alguersuari made this challenge look like a walk in the park. With five wins, twelve podiums and six pole positions he became the youngest ever champion of the series.

Into 2009 and after just six races in Formula Renault 3.5 he was called up as reserve driver for Red Bull and one race weekend later the Spaniard finds himself in a Formula One race seat, one of the most glamourous and exhilarating sports on the planet... second only to golf of course!

With a lot of "youngest ever" records, the future looks bright for this young superstar and this break could either make him or break him. My opinion? I think it'll make him. I tip him to bring his success into Formula One and make his track record even more illustrious.

The Doctor Produces Magical Medicine To Win Spanish MotoGP

Billy Sexton — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:46:51 -0400

Valentino Rossi, aka 'The Doctor', put in a stunning performance earlier today to win the Spanish MotoGP in Jerez.

The current world champion scored his first win of the season after coming from fourth on the grid to beat home favourite and Repsol Honda rider, Dani Pedrosa.

Casey Stoner got his first Jerez podium and proves that he is still the only man who can ride the Ducati bike, with team mate Nicky Hayden languishing down in 15th and only scoring a single point.

Pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo had a bad afternoon prior to his 22nd birthday. He was leapfrogged by fellow country man, and also arch rival, Dani Pedrosa off the start line and was overtaken by both Stoner and Rossi to drop to fourth.

Things went from bad to worse for the former 250cc World Champion as he came off his bike whilst chasing down Stoner for the final podium place, he later retired, relinquishing his lead in the championship.

The afternoon really belonged to Valentino Rossi though. He overtook three rivals and highly talented riders to glide over the finish line in first place.

The Doctor always puts fans into a state of shock and awe because when it seems he is dropping off the pace a few laps later he is all over the back of his next, albeit unfortunate, 'patient'.

This was the case today, when Valentino hunted down Dani Pedrosa. He was roughly 1.2 seconds down on the Spaniard when he suddenly tore 0.6 seconds out of the Honda man. There was then no doubt that Rossi would go on to win after a textbook overtaking manoeuvre at turn 13.

Other notable performances on race day include Randy de Puniet on the works Honda bike, bringing it home in a respectable fourth place. Just behind was Ducati refugee Marco Melandri on the Hayate (Kawasaki) bike, after a difficult winter, it was a good result for the Italian.

Those who performed badly include James Toseland and Nicky Hayden. Both former champions (both Superbikes and MotoGP) only just got into the points... and if it wasn't for Jorge Lorenzo's retirement, Hayden wouldn't have scored points at all. The pair must start putting in better performances to match their team mates, otherwise the will be job hunting come November.

Spanish MotoGP race result

1 V Rossi (It) Yamaha
2 D Pedrosa (Spn) Honda
3 C Stoner (Aus) Ducati
4 R de Puniet (Fr) Honda
5 M Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki
6 L Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki
7 C Edwards (US) Yamaha
8 A Dovizioso (Ita) Honda
9 T Elias (Spn) Honda
10 C Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki
11 S Gibernau (Spn) Ducati
12 Y Takahashi (Jpn) Honda
13 J Toseland (GB) Yamaha
14 A de Angelis (SMR) Honda
15 N Hayden (US) Ducati

The Hits and The Misses Of The Chinese Grand Prix

Billy Sexton — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:41:25 -0400

After an amazing race at Shanghai earlier today, I have decided to pick out three drivers who have impressed me over the course of the weekend, from first practice to the chequered flag. I'm also going to name and shame drivers that really should do, and in some cases, can do, a lot better.

Starting off on a positive note, my first and best performing driver, has to be Sebastian Vettel. First and foremost, what a great drive from the young German to take victory. A mesmerising performance from start to finish which saw the Red Bull driver show true class in treacherous conditions.

Crossing the line 10 seconds before your teammate is some feat, but to annihilate the Brawn team by over 40 seconds and most of the (more experienced) field by over a minute is really spectacular.

A star well and truly in the making, Sebastian Vettel earns my choice of driver of the day.

A second driver who impressed me, particularly in qualifying, is the only rookie of 2009: Sebastian Buemi.

The Swiss managed to get his Toro Rosso into the final part of qualifying, and although he ended up tenth on the grid, nobody can knock his efforts...especially since his teammate fell at the first hurdle.

In the race it looked like Buemi wasn't going to get into the points despite a strong start, however, he kept his head down and his powder dry and snatched a single point and finished ahead of two former world champions; Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

I'm really pleased Buemi is having some early success in Formula One. Being the only rookie must be really difficult and scoring points in a car that, to be honest, isn't really expected to is a real lift for both himself and the team.

My final 'Hero' of Shanghai is McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen.

After not completing a single lap in the first two Grand Prix of 2009, many pondered whether or not the Finn should be privileged enough to have a seat in a team like McLaren.

I must admit, I was beginning to doubt Heikki, especially after qualifying where he failed to get into the top 10 alongside his teammate.

But I think he's proved me wrong for the time being after climbing seven places throughout the race to score some decent points, and beating Lewis Hamilton in the process...we must remember Kovy wasn't carrying the same updates on his car that Lewis was.

I would really like to see Heikki do well this season, score a few more podiums and wins when McLaren get back to the sharp end of the grid and provide a real challenge to his team mate.

Now for the three drivers that really should be doing better.

Robert Kubica is the first on my hit list, after a dismal performance in qualifying and an equally poor showing in the race. He knows he has what it takes to do better and for a driver of his quality, he should be wringing the neck of that BMW and challenging for points...not driving up the back side of Jarno Trulli and finishing a lowly 13th.

Nelson Piquet is second to be slated, this kid really disappoints me in terms of performance. I'll accept that having Fernando Alonso as a team mate could be fairly difficult, but to qualify in 17th whilst he's on the front row is plain unsatisfactory.

If he carries on like he is doing, I wouldn't be surprised if Flavio brings in a replacement young driver, Lucas di Grassi for example.

Another regular non-scorer, Sebastian Bourdais, also put in a second rate performance this weekend. Out qualified and out scored by rookie team mate shows that Bourdais is really not up to scratch.

Again, I doubt he'll keep his drive for 2010, especially now that Nico Hulkenburg and Co. are competing in GP2 and have a real chance of getting a seat in Formula One.

Casey Stoner Wins Opening Round Of 2009 MotoGP Season

Billy Sexton — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:43:54 -0400

Casey Stoner, the 2007 MotoGP world champion, made it a hat-trick of wins at the Losail Circuit in Qatar earlier this evening.

Stoner, who started from pole, steamed away at the start of the race, and with rival Valentino Rossi slipping down to fourth, it was easy cruising for the Australian.

But as always with The Doctor, he clawed his way back upto second position and put Stoner under pressure as the race reached half distance, cutting the lead to just 1.9 seconds.

Tyre usage took away any chance of a Rossi win though, and he fell off Stoner's pace rapidly toward the end of the race.

Furthur back on the circuit, Rossi's team mate, Jorge Lorenzo, and Honda new boy Andrea Doviziosohad a good scrap for third place, both reliving memories of their days in the 250cc class.

Having improved greatly over the winter and pre season testing, Suzuki's shine was smudged when Loris Capirossi came off his bike on lap 14 of the race when he came under increasing pressure from Colin Edwards, who had a good race to fourth place. His British team mate, James Toseland suffered though; he finished outside the points in 16th place, a result of going into the gravel at turn one.

Other riders who had bad days were Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa. Nicky had suffered a big crash in Saturday's qualifying session where he was flipped over the handlebars and wasn't feeling 100 percent.

Pedrosa has been suffering from pre season injuries to the wrist and knee... which wasn't helped when Alex de Angelis ran into him whilst scrapping for position. Both riders are under investigation.

Despite a Ducati win, Yahama lead the constructor championship with a quality two-three-four finish. After Stoner, 8th place Mika Kallio was the second Ducati to cross the finish line: an impressive debut.

Many expect to see Nicky Hayden running closer to the front when he's back to full fitness, however 12th place was a good result considering the circumstances and he still remains my tip for the championship.

Full result from Qatar:

1. Casey Stoner (Aus) Ducati
2. Valentino Rossi (Ita) Yamaha
3. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa) Yamaha
4. Colin Edwards (US) Yamaha
5. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita) Honda
6. Alex de Angelis (Smr) Honda
7. Chris Vermeulen (Aus) Suzuki
8. Mika Kallio (Fin) Ducati
9. Toni Elias (Spa) Honda
10. Randy de Puniet (Fra) Honda
11. Dani Pedrosa (Spa) Honda
12. Nicky Hayden (US) Ducati
13. Sete Gibernau (Spa) Ducati
14. Marco Melandri (Ita) Kawasaki
15. Yuki Takahashi (Jap) Honda
16. James Toseland (GB) Yamaha
17. Niccolo Canepa (Ita) Ducati
DNF. Loris Capirossi (Ita) Suzuki

I hope you liked this report guys and girls, if we have enough interest, maybe we could get a specific Moto GP section put on the site. Join me soon enough for some more Moto GP editorials and reports.

Lewis Hamilton Hits an All-Time Low, but I Am Proud of Him

Billy Sexton — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:04:07 -0400

World Champion Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton called a press conference in Malaysia today after hitting an all-time low in his career.

Hamilton answered a number of questions about the incident in Melbourne last weekend, including how and why he lied to the race stewards. If you haven't seen the press conference, click here.

After two years in Formula One, Lewis has been part of nearly every controversial issue. The "spygate" scandal of 2007 seriously upset team relationships that were tense to begin with, and the pressure got to Lewis: He panicked and missed out on a rookie championship.

In 2008, his reputation took a serious battering as he was involved in pit lane pileups, chicane cutting sagas, and some outrageous overtaking. He bounced back from it all. McLaren helped him along the way, and he took the title crown.

But one could not help but wonder if there was more to Lewis Hamilton than what the eye could see. He was extremely robotic, answering questions always in favour of the team, almost as if he was being controlled.

The British public cast this suspicion aside, but yesterday, the press hurt him like never before. They called him a liar.

This may sound a little childish, with all the "he called me," but personally, there is one thing I do not like, and that is being called a liar.

Lewis has come out and justified his reasons, and, after watching the press conference, he really spoke from the heart. I saw him after Spa and Fuji, and it really doesn't compare. After the incident in Japan, he said, "We'll win the next two races, not at any cost, but we will win." I cannot help but feel now that McLaren was speaking there, not Lewis, and was trying to show they were all-powerful almost.

McLaren wasn't speaking today, however. Lewis spoke with dignity, realising his mistakes, and realising that what you do off the track DOES matter. He has realised that winning all the races in the world won't make him an honest person, and it won't gain him respect.

So, to Lewis Hamilton, I am proud of you after what you did today, and I will always be a loyal fan. Whether you finish in P1 or P20, it doesn't matter, so long as you are yourself.

Formula One 2009: Who Has What It Takes to Be World Champion?

Billy Sexton — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:57:44 -0400

Mohammed Ali once said, "To be a good champion, you have to believe you are the best."

The Best: Surpassing all others in excellence, achievement, or quality; most excellent: the best performer; the best grade of ore.

There are few drivers in Formula One at the moment who believe they are the best, despite having a fast car, high standards, or maybe even the most luck. However, there is one.

Kimi Raikkonen is, by a slight margin, the favourite to re-take the championship crown this season. He has claimed he will bounce back from a lacklustre season and that he is fully motivated.

The Iceman won't win the championship though; he doesn't believe, in his heart of hearts, that he is the best driver.

He is afraid of his team mate. Massa has finally proven himself and not only was he beaten by the Brazilian in 2008, but two other drivers in the shape of Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica.

How about his team mate then? Felipe Massa had a strong 2008 campaign, just missing out on the title. He proved that he can perform on all types of circuits, as well as maintaining a fast race pace.

He won't win the championship though. In his mind, somewhere, he will know that he wasn't quite good enough to take the championship last season; somewhere in his mind is the knowing that there is one other driver on the grid who is better than he is.

So what are his chances, the better driver? Lewis Hamilton will be booming with confidence after last season when he finally got that first championship secured.

He performed magnificently at Monaco, Silverstone, Hockenheim and Shanghai and held his nerve to take the championship.

But he won't win the championship, either. He is fully aware that the McLaren Mercedes MP4-24 isn't fast enough at present, and he also knows, deep down, that he was slightly lucky last season. He doesn't believe he is the best.

Robert Kubica may be silently optimistic about the forthcoming season, with BMW showing impressive testing form. He knows that once BMW are fully focused, he may have a decent shot at the championship, bearing in mind he still had the chance in Shanghai last season when BMW were focusing most of their efforts into 2009.

Kubica won't become the first Polish world champion, though. He only won his race last season because others crashed out and sometimes, BMW were well off the pace.

He may keep close friends at the F1 Poker Table, but he won't have friends in the F1 Hall of Fame in 2009.

Speaking of that poker table, who attends this club?

Bernie Ecclestone is one, Flavio Briatore the next.

And Fernando Alonso.

After a mad charge at during the second half of the season in 2008, Alonso scored more points than anyone from Hockenheim onwards and finished a decent fifth in the final standings.

He became the first winner of an F1 night race and proved he still had the speed and tactics in Fuji.

Another important factor about Alonso? He believes he is the best, as shown in F1 Racing, Issue 150.

F1 Racing: Wherever you end up, do you still believe you're the best guy out there?

Fernando Alonso: Yes.

Say no more, Fernando Alonso will become a triple world champion in 2009.

FOTA: Points Change Is Invalid

Billy Sexton — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:50:39 -0400

In a shocking statement, FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) have claimed that the points change for the 2009 is invalid.

FOTA themselves proposed the 12-9-7-5-4-3-2-1 points change suggestion, only to have it rejected by the World Motorsports Council on Tuesday.

They now claim that the "wins decide champion" system cannot be legally implemented for the 2009 because not all teams agree on the change. In a statement they said that;

"...was not performed in accordance with the procedure provided for by Appendix 5 of the Sporting Regulations and...it is too late for FIA to impose a change for the 2009 season that has not obtained the unanimous agreement of all the competitors properly entered into the 2009 Formula 1 Championship."

We also learn that a statement for rule changes has to be published at least 20 days before the closing date for season applicants; this is clearly not the case with the new points system change.

Although FOTA are willing to work in partnership with the FIA in suggesting and applying a new points system for the 2010 season, they are adamant that the change cannot be applied for the, upcoming, 2009 season.

Formula One 2009: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Billy Sexton — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:49:25 -0400

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness." - Charles Dickins, A Tale of Two Cities.

The best of times, the age of wisdom

Its only 10 days and a few more hours until the lights go out in Albert Park, Australia and from what we have witnessed over the past two seasons of Formula One, it looks like we're in for an exciting season.

It is a little different this time, though. F1 isn't going to be exciting because nothing can separate Ferrari and McLaren in testing—F1 is going to be exciting because there is little separating about five or six teams in testing.

The new regulations have already appeared to have shaken the grid around a little, with the biggest surprise in testing coming from the McLaren courtyard, where the car is, at best, a full second off the pace.

Now, you may be wondering why, coming from me particularly, this is classed as being part of the 'best times.'

I am of course, a little concerned that my favourite team are lacking somewhat, but I'm remaining optimistic and hoping they claw their way back to the leading pack throughout the season by using their wisdom and experience, but for the time being I'm seeing the advantages of a topsy-turvy grid.

Its going to be more exciting for us fans to see three or four cars going for the win instead of two. Its going to be better for the supporters of Toyota, Red Bull and Renault as they are looking to have more success than in recent seasons.

I see the new regulations not only benefiting the teams in a way that they are more competitive, but also the cost cuts will save some teams from pulling out of F1 as well. The international community is looking forward to the exciting and unknown season of Formula One that awaits us, a season that will have a full 20-car grid and a season that promises to be one of the greatest.

The worst of times, the age of foolishness

Yesterday, the FIA announced some radical rule changes for Formula One. The main headline was that the number of wins that would decide who the world champion would be, not the number of points.

Personally, I see a lot of foolishness in this idea. First, the points system was changed a few years ago in an attempt to prevent the championship being won fairly early on in the season. With this new system, we could have a world champion before the summer break, 2009 would be a far less exciting season than 2004.

Also, consistency has been thrown straight out the window and also the feeling of excitement, and maybe even fear, when a driver crashes out. For example, when Hamilton messed up in Japan in 2008, there was a big discussion on whether or not he had the right mentality to win the championship.

If the new points system was in place there would be no discussion and everyone would be saying, "Not to worry, he's already got four race wins, that's as much as anybody else," and people like Robert Kubica would know they have no chance at the championship, despite being the most consistent driver

I just feel as though this number of wins idea is a huge mistake and that the FIA are shooting themselves in the foot here, and perhaps even destroying the chance of a really exciting season.

Is Kimi Raikkonen Up To The Challenge?

Billy Sexton — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:50:13 -0400

2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen has been pretty quiet over the winter. His only press coverage has been either him stating that he is fully motivated or his name being mentioned on a testing report.

Kimi stated that he wanted to get back to a winning form after a lackluster 2008, where he only won two races, despite a strong start.

However, the question is: Can Kimi Raikkonen get back on form, and is he up to the challenge?

The challenges that face him are fairly tough. He has to re-establish himself as team leader, win races again after a good 10 months, and also fight off competition from what looks to be a closely-matched grid.

Re-establishing himself as team leader at Ferrari must be done with immediate effect if Raikkonen wants the 2009 crown. Ferrari may have looked back on 2008 and thought "Darn, if only Kimi had let Felipe through here...", which could mean that to avoid disappointment like that of last season, they will support one driver for the majority of the season.

Obviously, Kimi wants that driver to be himself, as he doesn't like the No. 2 role. Throughout his career he has been No. 1 (except in a few races toward the end of 2008), and I doubt he wants this to change.

To fight off Massa, he has to do one thing, and its a lot easier said than done: Win races.

Having not won since the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix (although harsh luck prevented a win in France), Raikkonen will have to push really hard in the opening races. If he reminds Ferrari and the global audience what he is capable of, Felipe will fall by the wayside.

So, Kimi has too objectives so far, both closely intertwined: Win over his teammate and win races.

The third challenge might not be so easy.

It sounds obvious, but the Iceman has to beat the whole grid if he wants to challenge for the crown. A lot of people are hungry for the 2009 trophy, one reason being that all the cars are looking to be as close as they have in a long time.

I hear from fellow Bleacher Report writers that the new car design is suited to Kimi's driving. If this is true, he won't have to fight both the car and other drivers, just other drivers.

Alonso has been consistently fast in the Renault and he wants the championship, Kubica and Heidfeld will both see the upcoming season as an opportunity to win races, Vettel has said that he wants to stand at the top of the podium again, and, of course (if his car is up to it), Lewis Hamilton won't let his crown slip away from him so easily.

Those of us who can remember the days of 2005 and 2007 will realize that most of these drivers aren't much of a threat to Kimi when he's on song, not even Hamilton. The guy is dangerous when he's fast but the only one to laugh in the face of danger is Fernando Alonso, and beating him will be Raikkonen's biggest challenge.

So, is Kimi up to the challenge? Yes, he has said himself that he is more motivated than 2008. Can he re-establish himself as the top driver over Felipe Massa? Yes, by winning races early on.

Can he win the 2009 championship? Yes, but it will be difficult to beat Fernando Alonso.

If you think that the Hamilton-Massa title fight was epic, then just wait for a Raikkonen-Alonso showdown. Roll on, 2009!

Is There Actually Cause for Concern at McLaren Mercedes?

Billy Sexton — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:54:19 -0500

A McLaren Mercedes car hasn't been at the top of the testing time sheets this week, nor has Lewis Hamilton had very productive days.

The world champion is continuing to run with a 2008-spec rear wing, whilst other drivers are testing a full 2009-spec vehicle. An interview with the BBC and a huge crash into the tyre wall on Thursday leaves us fans thinking if there is actually cause for concern at McLaren.

The uncompetitive lap times and the running of an '08 rear wing can be down to three things that we will explore in this article.

Firstly, the running of an '08 rear wing is down to the fact that Lewis is struggling to get to grips with the 2009 model. The fact that other McLaren drivers, both de la Rosa and Heikki Kovalainen, have run a full 2009 spec car also backs this theory up.

If this is the case and Hamilton is struggling then he could be pushed harder to defend his championship, he needs to sort the problem out, and fast.

Another factor could be that McLaren are doing some downright dangerous (and maybe even stupid) 'sand-bagging.' For those who are unaware of what this term means allow me to explain; Sand bagging in Formula One is where a team/driver goes slow on purpose to lure their rivals and press into thinking they are struggling and will not be as competitive as expected.

Maybe in some simulation, Lewis has performed amazingly with the, albeit simulation, feel of the new car and the team have therefore taken a huge gamble on trying to make other teams think they are struggling.

I, personally, think that sand-bagging would be too dangerous and that Lewis is no exception when it comes to getting experience of the new car and how it works. However, wouldn't it be a surprise to Felipe Massa and Co if, in Australia, Hamilton obliterates the field after performing so poorly in testing. Extremely unlikely, but not totally out of the question.

Finally, McLaren could be telling the truth. Simple as.

They claim to be using a 2008 spec rear wing to experience change in down force levels. Also, they said that a problem with fitting the parts on Lewis' car yesterday prevented him from running when the track was at its fastest which could be the reason Hamilton was second slowest.

There clearly isn't a problem with the car because both Pedro and Heikki have used the narrow rear wing and both have completed a decent number of laps during the test and the reason McLaren are running Lewis with an '08 rear wing is because they know he could probably adapt quicker than Heikki.

In the whole scheme of things, I think McLaren are telling the truth. It's unlike Lewis to have major problems and sand bagging just seems a bit too far fetched, but, we'll just have to wait and see!

Is Felipe Massa A Top Class Driver Or A Man In Good Machinery?

Billy Sexton — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:07:51 -0500

Felipe Massa is the driver most say has improved the most over the past few seasons. As most of you are aware, the Brazilian was a championship contender in the 2008 Formula One season and was runner up by just a single point.

Finishing second has been his best championship finish to date and many are tipping Felipe to win at least one championship in the next few years, Bernie Ecclestone being one.

So is Massa a top class driver who has the ability to reign supreme on the Formula One grid? Or is he a driver who is lucky that his team can build a fast car?

To make this article as unbiased as possible I will sum up the arguments on either side and present my own opinion at the end of this piece.

Top Class Driver

Since joining Ferrari in 2006, Massa has steadily improved his driving. After a shaky start to his debut season with the Mugello based team, Massa started to score points and podiums consistently and secured his first win in Turkey after qualifying on pole position.

He finished the championship in a respectable 3rd place, behind team mate and seven time world champion, Michael Schumacher, and the greater experienced Fernando Alonso.

In 2007, Massa continued to shine, winning three races and only out of the points on three occasions. Dominant performances such as those in Bahrain, Spain and Turkey is clear evidence that Massa has got what it takes to win championships.

Despite all of this though, Massa finished 4th in the standings, with team mate Raikkonen taking the championship.

2008 was Massa's year to shine. He won six races throughout the course of the season, more wins than he had previously scored in his whole career. Dominant wins occurred again, and now, more often.

He took his third win in three years in Turkey as well as easing to victory at the European Grand Prix and in the final race of the season, he produced a professional and sophisticated performance in changing conditions to make the rest of the grid look like amateurs.

Also in 2008, Felipe was on pole position at all three street circuits, despite not being the favourite to do so as he himself had said he wasn't a big fan of these particular circuits.

By dominating his team mate, being victorious on six occasions and challenging for the championship are all reasons why Massa in considered a top class driver.

A Man with Good Machinery

On the other hand, Massa has performed poorly throughout races and entire seasons.

He only managed to score four points in his rookie season but this could be because of inexperience or the machinery provided as Nick Heidfeld only scored seven points in the Sauber. Nevertheless, Massa was dropped from the team for the 2003 season after a large number of mistakes.

Felipe was back at Sauber in 2004 after a season's testing with future employers Ferrari. He scored 12 points that season and missed out on a podium at Spa, but was still out paced by team mate Fisichella who was in the points much more consistently.

The fact that Massa was barely matching Heidfeld and Fisichella, both drivers who have never won a championship, suggests that if it wasn't for his little red car, he wouldn't be where he is today.

You could say that I am being unfair here and only mentioning mistakes from Massa's days at Sauber, but he has made a fair few at Ferrari as well.

All of you should be able to remember him driving off with the fuel hose at Singapore and he was also disqualified at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix for failing to notice a red light at the entrance to the pit lane, yet less experienced Kubica stopped at the red light and was praised for doing so by the FIA.

Spinning at Malaysia and smashing into the wall on the first lap in Australia are other pieces of evidence that Massa is not that skilled a driver and his team is the reason he wins.

As you may have already guessed, I believe that Massa is just a man with good machinery. My opinion comes not from all his mistakes because all drivers make mistakes, but the fact that Heidfeld and Fisichella are fairly uncompetitive and were once his team mates tells me that Felipe would be in the same position had he not been signed by Ferrari.

The Five Funniest Moments in Formula One

Billy Sexton — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:40:19 -0500

After receiving an e-mail from Bleacher Report management, I have decided to write an article that lists the top five funniest moments in Formula One.

5. Jean Alesi Forgets Michael Schumachers name

After the 1994 Canadian Grand Prix, Jean Alesi forgets Michael Schumachers name in the press conference. He probably never forgot it once Schumacher took his place at Ferrari in 1996.

To see the video, click here.

4. James Allen goes crazy after Jenson Button wins

British commentator James Allen was very estatic after Jenson Button won his first Grand Prix in 2006, unfortunately, Button hasn't won a Grand Prix since.

See it here.

3. Juan Pablo Montoya in the Imola 2004 press conference

After seeing footage of the race, Montoya has a little joke with Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button.

Watch the footage here.

2. Montoya has some things to say about Kimi Raikkonen...

Juan Montoya shouts down the radio after Raikkonen brake tests him.

Warning: This video contains language some may find offensive.

1. Nelson Piquet and Salazar crash. Piquet isn't happy...

Piquet Snr. is very angry when he is taken out of the race by a back marker. That karate kick is legendary though!

See the funniest moment in Formula One here.

Reader's Suggestions

Kimi Raikkonen at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix

Martin Brundle interviews Kimi Raikkonen in his legendary pre race grid walk.

Warning: This video contains language some may find offensive.

Are Formula One Drivers Right to Complain About the Cost of Super Licences?

Billy Sexton — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:02:27 -0500

Some more breaking news has emerged about the situation regarding the amount of money Formula One drivers have to pay for their "super licenses" that allows them to race in the category.

Back in June, Max Mosely increased the price of the license from £1,354 plus £357 per point won to £7,858 plus £1,570 per point. That means Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, would have paid around £180,000 instead of £40,000 for his license and Rubens Barrichello would have paid just £7,858 seeing as he scored no points in 2007. Now that's a bonus of having a slow car.

Several driver's were furious back in June, Fernando Alonso included who said, "We should pay a reasonable price. It cannot change 1,000% in a year."

The latest update we have is that the price of the super license has gone up yet again. BBC report that the price is now £9,798 plus £1,978 per point scored meaning Hamilton and Massa have to cough up something around £200,000. There is also a £2,564 insurance cost which drivers have to pay.

For Lewis Hamilton, this means he is set to spend about £380,000 on a license in the past two seasons.

Drivers are reported to delay their payment, in the hope that the GPDA can compromise with the FIA and lower the cost a little.

But do the drivers really have an argument?

Top class drivers like Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso are reported to be earning base salaries of around £15 million. On top of this they have all their sponsorship deals. Also, the fact they live in tax-haven Switzerland mean that the fee they have to pay for their license is a very small percentage. 1% in fact, if you say they earn £20 million a year. If the likes of these top drivers complain about the cost, then all I can say about them is that they are greedy.

Midfield drivers such as Jarno Trulli earns a base salary of £6 million plus, lets say £2 million sponsorship. Also, Trulli lives in his home country of Italy that has an income tax of 43% for high earners like Jarno. Once he's paid his £3.5 million income tax, Jarno is left with £4.5 million to play with. The cost of his license will be around £70,000, which is 1.5% of his £4.5 million. The money Jarno has left over is certainly substantial enough to support his family. Again, if he complains, I will see him as greedy also.

Drivers at the back end of the grid like Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima have a base salary of around £1 million plus around £500k sponsorship. The cost of his license will be just below £30,000, that's about 2% of his earnings.

From my calculations we can see that no driver, no matter what car they drive and how many sponsors they have, can really complain about the cost of the super license. The FIA put the money toward improving safety in the sport, so for Robert Kubica to lash out at the costs after what happened to him in Montreal 2007 shows that he too is greedy. Or maybe he wants a little more dollar to play poker with.

Ferrari Struggling With The F60

Billy Sexton — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:17:09 -0500

Ferrari are having major problems with the F60, a German magazine reports.

Auto Motor und Sport experts have examined the car and have declared that the rear exhaust ports are illegal as they go against the new regulations regarding aerodynamic add ons.

The magazine says that exposing the ports as Ferrari has done is totally unacceptable with regard to the new rules for 2009. The fact that all other cars that have been launched have their exhausts mounted inside reinforces the statement.

Of course, this error shouldn't be too hard for Ferrari to make right.

Auto Motor und Sport also hints that the reason Ferrari withdrew from the multi-team test this week, is not because of the weather, but because of significant front wing problems. With these problems in mind, it is suggested that Ferrari want to remain as close to its base as possible.

So at the moment it isn't looking great for Ferrari, they have admitted they are behind with KERS and now two problems within a week of the F60's launch isn't what they had planned at all.

Do We Class Formula One Drivers as Something They Are Not?

Billy Sexton — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 11:57:10 -0500

What do we class as "successful"? What do we see as "good" or "a class apart"?

Formula One drivers are considered to be an elite class of race car drivers. This is a statement I totally agree with. To get that perfect lap must be so difficult, the exact line, go off an inch and not even luck will save you.

We've seen so many flawless races by Formula One drivers. Sebastian Vettel's win at Monza is probably the most recent that has been hailed as an outstanding drive.

Jenson Button's charge from 14th to first at the Hungaroring in 2006 was seen as something special.

But are those drives special? The ones that take place in extreme conditions, where the likes of Vettel and Button are the only ones who can keep it on the island, are they special drives and class as "The Drive of the Season"?

My answer is no, they are not special. They are, of course, special to the driver, but compare it with other wins in that season and you will see that the driver is better than the others.

Kubica won in Canada, and ITV said that "a star is well and truly born." For the rest of the season Kubica only had three more podiums, the same number he had before his win in Montreal.

He was, of course, consistently in the points and rarely outside the top ten in qualifying, but it is clear that Kubica was lucky.

He was lucky that Hamilton crashed into the back of Raikkonen and put him out the race because Kimi was about to win that race, not Hamilton.

He had leapfrogged both Lewis and Robert at the pit stops and had the car behind him to bring it home.

Vettel was compared to Michael Schumacher after his win in Monza, a win that only occurred because the heavens opened. Do you really think that a Toro Rosso could romp home in first place, at Monza, if it was a dry day?

Do you really think that Vettel could match the pace of Lewis Hamilton or Felipe Massa if qualifying had gone well for them? Now, I know what you're thinking right now.

Your thinking that Vettel won, not because Lewis and Co. made mistakes but that he didn't make any mistakes. If this is so true, why didn't Vettel win in Singapore or Brazil, both places where he didn't make any mistakes all weekend?

He didn't win because people like Felipe Massa didn't mess up.

Of course, a win is a win, but until Vettel can win a race or even get on the podium from his usual third/fourth-row gird position, he isn't a "star."

A star is a driver who wins, and then carries on winning. Lewis Hamilton liked the taste of the winner's champagne so much he went out a week later and earned himself some more.

Michael Schumacher realised at the 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix that he had the ability to win most of the season's races.

I want to see if Kubica, Vettel, and those alike can win consistently. If they can, my hat will go off to them, but until then, I will not get caught in the trap set by the media.

That trap means we will be disappointed by future performances.

The Fourth Bleacher Report World Championship Is Launching

Billy Sexton — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:43:53 -0500

The Fourth Bleacher Report World Championship is launching on BATracer.com

Most of you now are already aware of this racing simulation website, where you join a Formula One team*, set up your car and then send it racing under your name.

Last season, rookie Adam Flinn stormed to the drivers championship ending on 110 points after a very consistent season in a Ferrari F2008. Sheiban Shakeri was runner up in a Toro Rosso.

The constructors championship was won by McLaren Mercedes, with Ryan Wood and Billy Sexton scoring over 90 points a piece in an excellent season of racing.

You now have a chance to be part of this fun and addictive game.

To join the Fourth Bleacher Report Championship you must do the following:

Register with BATracer.com (click here to register)
Once registered, click on the "Games" tab and select "private game"
Enter the game ID into the space provided. The Game ID is "36106"
You then need to enter the game password at the bottom of the next page. The password for this game is "hamilton"
Once you've successfully done that, it's time to choose your team. Will you remain loyal to the team you support, or go for glory? It's entirely up to you. All cars are able to win races, so don't hesitate to join Force India or Honda.

How easy is that?! Join today and don't miss out!

Also at BATracer, Bleacher Report has it's very own clan. Once you've registered you will also have the chance to join (L J Burgess is the clan leader, any clan matters must be taken up with him).

*2008 Formula One teams

Sebastian Buemi To Drive For Toro Rosso In 2009

Billy Sexton — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:51:47 -0500

20 year old Swiss Sebastian Buemi has been confirmed as a 2009 race driver by Formula One team Toro Rosso.

He will come to the Formula One grid as the youngest driver and is expected to perform as previous GP2 rookies have in the form of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Timo Glock.

The news comes as little surprise to avid Formula One fans, especially after STR team boss Dietrich Mateschitz was previously quoted saying that Buemi's chance at a race seat is "very likely."

Buemi himself is eager to prove himself as a talented driver whilst amongst the best. He said, "I will do all I can to bring home the best possible results and to show Red Bull that the confidence it has shown in me is justified."

Filling the boots of rising star Sebastian Vettel will be no easy task, especially after the German won at Monza and has been dubbed the new Michael Schumacher but former driver and team co-owner Gerhard Berger has a lot of confidence in the young Swiss describing him as a "good and fast driver."

Buemi will make his first outing as an official Toro Rosso driver at the Portimao test later this month.

Formula One WAGS: Who's the Prettiest?

Billy Sexton — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 08:15:43 -0500

This is just a short slide I put together for the boys (and girls if you like) bringing into the limelight the prettiest partners of the current F1 drivers. In this slide is the wives and girlfriends of five top F1 drivers. If you feel like mentioning who you think is the prettiest, feel free to comment.

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Formula One 2008: The Season In Pictures (Part I)

Billy Sexton — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:47:17 -0500

Welcome to the first half of the season review of Formula One. This slideshow covers everything that happened in the first nine rounds of the epic championship race last season. The slideshow is fairly long, with 27 slides altogether, but I think its worth taking a look at, especially if you are not a huge fan of Formula One. Enjoy!

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