My trip to Malaysian GP 2010

As some of you might have known, I was away during the weekend to watch the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix 2010. For those who failed geography, the Malaysian GP is held every year at the Sepang International Circuit, which is approximately around 350km from Johor Bahru, which is where I am from.

The trip started out on Friday morning. This year I did not travel up north alone. Wandi was kind enough to keep me company so at least I won't get too sleepy while driving and ended up getting a speeding tix, which what always happened every year.

The original plan was to go to Sepang Circuit on Friday to pick up my tickets for the weekend however since Wandi has some work related matter that he has to attend, the plan was canceled and we proceeded with plan B which was to send Wandi to Times Square. We arrived just in time for his presentation. Thank goodness for my driving skill? LOL

Wandi and I parted ways as I went to my sister's house and he to his sister's. We won't meet again until Sunday for the race. I spent my Friday night catching up with my friends in Kuala Lumpur.


I have to make a short trip to KL Sentral on Saturday too get the parking ticket for the weekend entrance the race track. This was the first time I was so freaking messed up with my itinerary. Ended up late for the date with my old flame but we weren't too late to arrive at the circuit for Heidfeld's interview. That made my day. I have missed him and totally forgot that he was the third driver for Mercedes Petronas. Thanks Farhana for reminding me. After some serious shopping (I am dead broke now. I appreciate anyone who wants to support me XD), we proceeded to our seats at the Tower for the qualifying. And whadda ya know... it was raining!! I was happy with the condition coz it threw off the grid positions, like rain always does. McLaren and Ferrari ended up at the back of the grid while Webber, Rosberg and Vettel occupied the top three position for tomorrow's race. Schumacher was 8th.

Hamilton sliding in the wet

I was wet for a whole lot of different reasons that day ^_^

On Sunday, I met up again with Wandi and went to pick up my bestfriend and her husband at Putrajaya. The five of us (she brought her bro-in-law) head over to the track. We were already late as it was.

We came just in time for the air show but we missed the drivers' parade. Goddammit not again! The same thing happened the year before last. *sigh*

I also managed to meet up a couple of fellow anime bloggers from Malaysia: Misao and Linkin. It was nice to finally put a face to the name ^_^

The race itself started at 4pm after the national anthem. Speaking of national anthem, there were these three assholes who were sitting in front of us. When everyone stood up to show their respect (even the foreigners, God bless them), these three assholes did not make an attempt to stand up. We were furious. I am sure the rest of the Malaysian who saw these three morons felt the same way too. I am -> || close from kicking their heads. I hate people like that /rant.

the guy with the Ferrari cap in front of me was one of the morons

The race was okay, plenty of over taking and car's problems too. Michael was one of the earlier retirement that day. The most intense battle was between Alonso and Button for seventh place. Unfortunately, with just 2 laps to go, right after Alonso attempted to overtake Button, his engine gave out and he was out of the race. I am glad to report that Hamilton only finished 5th. Vettel was the champion that day with his team mate came in second. Rosberg secured the 3rd place and what a popular third place it was since he's driving for Mercedes PETRONAS. What a long way to go for Petronas, since its debut with Sauber. Me is so proud.


My favorite driver: Felipe Massa finished 6th and secured the top of the list for WDC. I left the racing track with a big smile on my face. I was contented. And happy, for a whole lots of different reasons too XD


Just as planned, Wandi and I decided to head straight back home and we arrived around 1am. As I write this, I am a pinch darker and still sore from all the walking and traveling and what not ;)

Oh but what a great weekend it was!

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Bahrain GP 2010

It has been a while since I get up-to-date with Formula 1. I totally lost interest for the sport after Massa crashed last year. The race was a bore-fest. The steady incline of my passion towards Formula 1 however is the result of my hatred for Loser - I mean Lewis Hamilton. Him winning the Driver Championship in 2008 was the last straw. He won because Renault cheated and Glock helped him. I don't buy the lies.

I quit my job as an editor for F1 web magazine last year because I have lost the spark that I once had for the sport.

However, after watching the Bahrain GP last night, I realized that the spark has been rekindled. I still hate Lewis but I don't let him ruined the race for me last night. I also realized that I am out of the loop and totally dislike the feelings. I can't recognized the driver behind some of the cars. That kinda sucks because I have always been able to tell who is who. I don't even know that Nick Heidfeld is no longer driving for Formula 1 or the existence of Hispania Racing Team *cries*

But enough of me being over-dramatic. The first race of the season last night provided some good entertainment. I think they did a good job replacing Australia as the season opener.

The race started with Vettel at the front, leading from pole position. This kid is a force to be reckon with. I have a good hunch about him when I saw him driving for BMW few years back. Man, how he has matured! Alonso and Massa were second and third respectively till until only 14 laps left when Vettel's car suddenly lost power which allowed Alonso, Massa and Loser to overtook him. I feel for the kid. The race should have been his yesterday but hey, I am not gonna complained. Ferrari won 1-2!! Alonso's first race with Ferrari and he won it. I would preferred Massa to be on top of the podium but I'm just glad that he's fit enough to finish second. I really missed him last year.


Rosberg wins ahead of his veteran team mate, Schumacher. Heh that must blows for the former world champion. Having said that I am happy that my home team (Mercedes Petronas GP) managed to gather 18 points.


Kudos to Malaysia second team, Lotus Racing for finishing the race although Trulli has to retired at the last lap because of hydraulic problems. At least they beat their rival, Team Virgin that saw both of their drivers retired.


Oh yeah, they changed the point system this year. The winner no longer get 10 points. Now the winner for each race will received 25 points followed with 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 for the top 10. I personally like the new point system. It will increase rivalry and consequently promised entertainment plus drama on the track. Ultimately that's what the fans want to see.

By the way, I want to complain about one thing that kinda tick me off: BMW Sauber F1 Team's choice of drivers. Kobayashi and De la Rosa? WTF? I was/am a fan of Sauber since the very beginning but this pairing imo is lackluster. Also, they change the color of Sauber? I almost did not recognize the car on the track!

It still looks good though

But hey I look forward to Australia! *dance*

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Sauber first win!

It was a historical day for Sauber fans around the world. Not only the team wins their first race today, it was a 1-2 too!

I have been a fan of Sauber for 14 years so yeah, I have all these emotion welling up insides me atm. I have tears in my eyes, stupid smile plastered on my face.

Immediately after Kubica crossed the chequered flag, my phone was rained with calls and text messages from people who knew of my affection towards this Swiss-based team. All are genuinely happy.

It was so worth it losing sleep watching the race at 1am and continue with work till morning.

I refused to be British and say the win is due to Lewis stupid mistake (what a n00b) because it was not. Kubica drove superbly all weekend and drove out of his skin during the second stint to make sure he gets in front of Heidfeld, at the same time securing the maiden victory for BMW Sauber F1 Team, for Poland and for his F1 career.

I was hoping for Heidfeld to score Sauber's first win but it just so happened that Kubica driving style suited the car better than him so I'm not going to take anything away from Kubica. The Pole has done a damn good job all season so far. I will pat him on the back when I see him.

I am a proud Sauber fan.

Thank you Peter.

I am so gonna wear my Sauber and BMW Sauber attire for the whole week! *craze*

Note: Mario deserved a mention too. He has done a lot for Sauber and has done magnificently for the team to reach this far after only three years taking the team over from Peter.

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Turkish GP

Grand Prix Turkey pasti menjanjikan perlumbaan yang mencabar selepas sessi kelayakan yang sengit antara Ferrari dan McLaren semalam, dengan Felipe Massa merampas posisi pertama dari Lewis Hamilton. Kimi Raikkonen dan Fernando Alonso masing-masing akan memulakan perlumbaan di grid kedua.

Pasukan BMW Sauber tidak kurang hebatnya dengan Robert Kubica di tempat ke lima dan Nick Heidfeld di tempat ke enam. Heikki Kovalainen cukup memberangsangkan di tempat ke tujuh di hadapan Nico Rosberg dan Jarno Trulli.

Di hujung grid, kedua-dua pemandu Honda akan memulakan perlumbaan di grid terakhir selepas masing-masing menukar enjin.

Pasukan akan menggunakan kompaun tayar Bridgestone keras dan medium namun kompaun tayar keras dijangka akan digunakan lebih untuk perlumbaan ini.

Cuaca agak panas di Istanbul dengan suhu 35 darjah Celcius dan suhu ambien gi gird, 52.

Lampu merah mula menyala dan perlumbaan bermula di Turkey!

Di selekoh pertama Massa mendahului dari Raikkonen, Hamilton dan kedua-dua BMW. Alonso jatuh satu posisi di tempat keenam. Webber naik dua posisi untuk tempat kesepuluh. Permulaan Coulthard juga baik dan beliau naik ke posisi ketiga belas. Fisichella dan Davidson masing-masing kehilangan posisi namun Trulli adalah pelumba yang paling malang di permulaan perlumbaan ini apabila beliau jatuh dari tempat kesembilan ke 21 apabila kereta beliau dilanggar oleh Fisichella di selekoh pertama. Barrichello pula naik dari tempat terakhir ke 16. Sato pula dari tempat ke 17 ke tempat terakhir.

Massa mencatat masa terpantas pertama dalam cubaan beliau menjarakkan diri dari Raikkonen.

Alonso mencuba sedaya upaya untuk memintas dua kereta BMW di hadapannya.

Di pusingan ke-4, tiga pemandu teratas saling bertukar catatan masa terpantas dengan Hamilton paling pantas ketika ini.

Raikkonen mencatat masa terpantas untuk mengejar teman sepasukannya untuk P1.

Kovalainen mula ketinggalan dari enam pendahulu di hadapannya di pusingan ke-7. Trulli pula memintas Button untuk posisi ke 17 di pusingan ke-8. Sutil pula semakin menghampiri Vettel untuk posisi ke-19 sementaa Wurz dan Fischella berjaya memintas Webber untuk posisi ke-10. Kereta Webber kelihatan menghadapi masalah.

Di pusingan ke-11, Alonso hanya setengah saat di belakang Heidfeld namun masih tiada peluang untuk memintas kereta BMW Sauber itu. Massa dan Raikkonen kembali bertukar catatan masa terpantas dan kereta mereka yang menggunakan tayar medium semakin berjaya menjarakkan diri dari Hamilton.

Kubica masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-13 dan menggunakan kompaun tayar keras. Satu pitstop yang begitu awal.

Trulli melakukan kesilapan membenarkan Button memintasnya kembali. Belakang kereta beliau diluar kawalan di selekoh sembilan.

Strategi dua pitstop lebih digemari di litar ini.

Di pusingan ke-15, Raikkonen adalah pemandu pertama mencatat masa di bawah 1m 28s.

Button memberikan saingan yang sengit kepada teman sepasukannya Barrichello untuk P15 dan Button berjaya memintas di selekoh pertama.

Heidfeld masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-18 dari P4. Rosberg dan Coulthard juga masuk ke pit. Heidfeld kembali ke pit di hadapan Kubica.

Giliran Raikkonen masuk ke pit dari P2 dan kekal menggunakan kompaun tayar medium.

Alonso juga masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-18 dan kekal dengan kompaun tayar keras di pusingan ke-19. Wurz juga masuk ke pit.

Massa masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-20 dan kekal menggunakan kompaun tayar medium. Beliau kembali ke litar dan mengekalkan kedudukan di hadapan Raikkonen. Alonso juga kembali ke litar di hadapan Heidfeld. Hamilton masuk ke pit dan Massa kembali mendahului perlumbaan.

Kovalainen keluar dari pit di pusingan ke-21 di hadapan Kubica. Satu keputusan yang baik bagi pemandu Finland ini.

Di pusingan ke-24, Alonso telah merapatkan jurang antaranya dengan Hamilton, kini hanya 14 saat.

Vettel masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-29. Beliau mungkin hanya melakukan satu pitstop sahaja hari ini.

Alonso mengambil 30 saat dari Hamilton di pusingan ke-30 namun jarak antara mereka masih besar.

Ferrari kelihatan seperti tiada tandingan dengan Hamilton yang tidak terdaya untuk merapatkan jurang antaranya dengan mereka.

Button dan Sutil masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-37. Barrichello pula di pusingan berikutnya. Kedua-dua pemandu Honda akan melakukan stint terakhir yang panjang untuk perlumbaan ini.

Di pusingan ke-38 Kubica masuk ke pit dari P7 dan kembali menggunakan kompaun tayar medium. Yamamoto turut masuk ke pit.

Raikkonen pula tanpa sebarang amaran kini memberi saingan yang hebat keada Massa. Walaubagaimanapun, Massa kembali mengawal keadaan di pusingan berikutnya.

Raikkonen masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-41 dan menggunakan kompaun tayar keras.

Heidfeld juga masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-42 dari P5 dan bertukar dari kompaun tayar keras kepada medium diikuti oleh Massa. Pitstop yang cepat untuk Massa dan beliau berjaya mengekalkan kedudukan di hadapan Raikkonen dengan margin yang selamat.

Tayar kanan hadapan Hamilton pancit di pusingan ke-43 dan beliau kembali ke pit untuk menukar tayar tersebut dalam masa 10 saat. Alonso telah berjaya memintasnya sementara beliau masih dalam perjalanan ke pit.

Alonso kini di tempat ketiga, Heidfeld di P4 dan Hamilton di P5.

Vettel dan Wurz masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-45. Trulli masuk ke pit di pusingan ke-46 dari P13.

Hamilton hanya 1 saat lebih perlahan dari Heidfeld di pusingan sebelumnya. Di pusingan ke-47, pusingan terakhir Hamilton jauh lebih perlahan dari Heidfeld.

Petang yang agak mengecewakan buat Kubica yang kini di tempat kelapan selepas dipintas oleh Rosberg pada pitstop kedua beliau.

Di pusingan ke-49, Hamilton mula menunjukkan peningkatan pada pusingan beliau namun mampukah beliau memintas Heidfeld untuk P4? Kereta beliau mempunyai kerosakan kecil di bahagian front wing tetapi itu tidak dapat memperlahankan beliau buat masa ini.

Trulli memintas Barrichello untuk P16 di selekoh pertama pada pusingan ke-50.

Dengan baki perlumbaan lagi 7 pusingan, Kubica mula memberi saingan sengit kepada Rosberg untuk P7.

Sementara itu Kovalainen semakin menghampiri Hamilton tetapi beliau mungkin kesuntukan masa dengan baki perlumbaan 5 pusingan.

Di hadapan grid, Massa nampaknya tiada masalah untuk memenangi Grand Prix Turkey untuk dua kali berturut-turut.

Raikkonen mencatat masa terpantas perlumbaan di pusingan ke-57.

Pusingan terakhir dan Massa melintasi garisan penamat di tempat pertama dengan Raikkonen 2 saat di belakangnya. Ferrari menang 1-2 di Turkey.



Alonso mengakhiri perlumbaan di tempat ketiga dan mengurangkan jarak antaranya dengan Hamilton untuk kejuaraan pemadu yang kini hanya tinggal 5 mata.

Heidfeld di tempat keempat dengan Hamilton yang hanya nyaris-nyaris kehilangan tempat keempat kepada Kovalainen.

Rosberg dan Kubica mengutip mata terakhir perlumbaan.

Keputusan yang sangat baik bagi pasukan Ferrari. Kini pasukan dari Itali ini hanya 11 mata di belakang McLaren dalam kejuaraan pengeluar.


Kembali bersama saya untuk perlumbaan seterusnya yang akan berlangsung di Itali pada 9 September kelak.

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Hungarian GP

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro moved to within 19 points of Championship leaders McLaren Mercedes after Kimi Raikkonen scored eight points for Ferrari at the Hungarian Grand Prix yesterday and McLaren failed to score. This followed a stewards' ruling against McLaren after they were judged to have imposed orders which cost Lewis Hamilton the chance of a second qualifying run in the third session of qualifying. The team is appealing.

Fernando Alonso and Hamilton had set the two fastest times, but the Spaniard was penalised five places on the grid for his part in the affair. Hamilton went on to win, challenged all the way by Raikkonen, while Alonso scored a close fourth place behind Nick Heidfeld. Felipe Massa, destined to start 14th after a mistake by the team in the second session of qualifying, failed to scored points so that the Ferrari are pair are 20 points behind championship leader Hamilton.

As ever, on a circuit as difficult to overtake on as the Hungaroring, much was decided in qualifying - perhaps more than usual. Hamilton inherited Alonso's pole position with Heidfeld starting alongside. Raikkonen lined up third behind Hamilton with Nico Rosberg's Williams in fourth place. Ralf Schumacher was fifth from Alonso sixth. Then came Robert Kubica and Jarno Trulli.

The start was obviously one of the best opportunities for place changes and Raikkonen took full advantage, overtaking Heidfeld off the line and into the first corner. Rosberg remained fourth from Schumacher, then Kubica and Mark Webber and Alonso in eighth, having lost two places.

Hamilton drew away during the opening stint, having a 3.9s lead on lap 18 before the leading pair both made their pit stops. Heidfeld slowly dropped away before stopping first on lap 17, and Rosberg also dropped away. Schumacher, however, stayed close to the Williams driver, pushed throughout by Alonso who stopped, like Heidfeld and Rosberg, on lap 17.

Hamilton came out of the pits with a two second lead, and within eight laps, Raikkonen was on his tail, but there he would remain. The pair were now over 10s clear of the rest of the field, led by Heidfeld. Behind Rosberg, Kubica had leapfrogged ahead of the Schumacher-Alonso duel and when Rosberg made a second of three stops, he moved up to fourth.

The BMWs were also on three stops, making the second just after the forty lap mark. Raikkonen came in on lap 46 which was four laps ahead of leader Hamilton, and when the McLaren emerged from the pits, he was 4.4s ahead. But both drivers were now on the softer of Bridgestone's tyres, and the Ferrari seemed to be better suited to them, with Raikkonen now the quicker driver. Within six laps, the 4.4s gap had largely disappeared, and now Raikkonen was on Hamilton's tail.

But there, again, he would remain for the final 13 laps of the race, setting fastest lap on the very last of the 70 laps, and finishing 0.715s behind the McLaren. Heidfeld finished a distant third place, while Alonso got the better of Schumacher in their final pit stops and then closed on the BMW Sauber, shadowing it all the way to the chequered flag. Kubica finished fifth from Schumacher and Rosberg.

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European GP

Massa finished second in the surviving Ferrari, and Mark Webber gave the Red Bull Racing team its first podium of the year with third place. The rain played a major role in the outcome of the race, and for the first time in several years the grand prix was red-flagged!

As the 22 cars lined up on the grid threatening clouds loomed over the circuit. The track temperature fell below the 30°C mark and in the air it was only 19°C. Rain was imminent.

When the lights went out Massa surged from third place and passed Alonso as the cars funnelled into the first corner emerging in second spot behind Raikkonen. Heikki too had made a good getaway and was up to fourth. The first drops of rain began to fall.

As the cars were coming up to complete their first lap the heavens opened and the majority dived pitwards to put on rain tyres except Raikkonen (Ferrari), Wurz (Williams), Trulli (Toyota), Sato (Super Aguri), Fisichella (Renault), Winkelhock (Spyker) and Kubica (BMW-Sauber). It was pouring down and Marcus Winkelhock who had started on rain tyres went into the lead! Fisichella had an off-course excursion but continued.

Raikkonen stopped at the end of lap 2 while Button went off in his Honda in Turn 1. He was not alone. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Adrian Sutil (Spyker), Nico Rosberg (Williams), Scott Speed (Toro Rosso) and Anthony Davidson all slid of in the same place. Just as the tractors intervened to remove the cars Liuzzi in his Toro Rosso also spun off nearly hitting one of them! Track conditions were dreadful and at the end of this very eventful lap out came the safety car. Lewis Hamilton managed to rejoin after being given a helping hand by one of the tractors! The first 8 were: Winkelhock, Massa (+33.5s), Alonso (+35.2s), Webber (+44.2s), Coulthard (+47;6s), Kovalainen (+49.6s) and Raikkonen (+55.1s). The clerk of the course decided to red-flag the race as the marshals were in a very dangerous position.

The restart was given at 14:35 behind the safety car. It did 3 laps during which Heidfeld, Trulli and Hamilton refuelled. Only the latter took the risk of putting on dry weather tyres. When the safety car pulled off Massa and Alonso shot past Winkelhock and finished their first lap (no.8 in the race) ahead of 3 Renault-powered cars: Coulthard, Webber and Kovalainen. A lap later the Red Bulls swapped places.

Raikkonen and Wurz stoppd at the end of lap 11 and shod dry tyres while Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race so far. Next time round Massa, Alonso and Webber also came in followed by Kovalainen, Fisichella, Schumacher, Kubica, Sato and Trulli. On lap 13 Coulthard and Heiefeld also changed rubber.

While Heikki gradually pulled in Wurz (0.3s between the two) Raikkonen closed the gap to Alonso. On lap 18, the Renault passed the Williams putting Kovalainen into fifth. The second placed McLaren and its pursuing Ferrari were now separated by only 1.2s. Behind, Heidfeld tried to pass Schumacher who closed the door and spun off into retirement. Heikki was really pushing and by lap 22 he was all over Mark Webber’s Red Bull but could not find a way past. The team brought him in on lap 27 and Fisichella stopped 3 laps later.

On lap 33, came the first major twist when Raikkonen’s Ferrari suddenly slowed and he retired. This allowed Webber into third position. Two laps later Alonso refuelled for the last time as did Wurz (4th) and Heidfeld (7th). Massa came in thirty-eighth time round.

When the final refuelling stops were over Heikki gained several places but Wurz managed to stay ahead of the Renault by a mere 2 seconds. Webber now had the podium in sight.

With 10 laps to go to the finish came the final twist when it began to rain again and the ING Renault Team decided to take a risk and called Kovalainen in for rain tyres. He rejoined in eighth place just in front of Fisichella who overtook him on lap 52 as the track was still too dry for wet rubber.

A lap later the rain started to pelt down. Massa and Alonso stopped and went back out in that order but the Spaniard began to up the pressure on his Brazilian rival. There were 5 laps left and they went at it hammer and tongs. When Alonso finally forced his way past the Ferrari the cars banged wheels. Fernando pulled away and there was nothing Massa could do about it.

On the last lap Lewis Hamilton passed Fisichella into ninth while Heidfeld slipped past Kubica to take sixth place. Finally, Kovalainen took the remaining point for eighth, a poor reward for a hard-charging drive

Fernando’s victory brings him to within 2 points of his team-mate in the title battle with Massa in third 11 points behind Hamilton.

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British GP

Kini kita beralih ke perlumbaan ke-9 dalam kalendar Formula One di Silverstone, Britain. 7 daripada 11 pasukan Formula One berasal dari Britain maka perlumbaan di Silverstone dianggap sebagai perlumbaan di ‘rumah’ sendiri oleh kebanyakan pasukan ini. Begitu juga untuk empat orang pemandu Formula One iaitu Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Davidson, Jenson Button and David Coulthard.

Namun semua harapan diletakkan di atas bahu Hamilton . Beliau berjaya mendapatkan petak pertama untuk pertama kalinya bagi pemandu Britain sejak 11 tahun yang lalu. Orang tempatan mengharapkan Lewis untuk memenangi perlumbaan hari ini dan jika beliau berjaya melepasi garisan penamat di tempat pertama, beliau akan mencipta sejarah sekali lagi sebagai rookie yang memenangi perlumbaan di ‘rumah’ sendiri pada tahun pertama dalam karier Formula One beliau.

Walaubagaimana pun beliau terpaksa berhadapan bukan sahaja teman sepasukannya Fernando Alonso yang jelas menunjukkan kepantasan beliau di sessi kelayakan semalam apabila mendahului pada sessi pertama dan kedua, malah kedua-dua pemandu Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen dan Felipe Massa. Ferrari terutamanya Kimi Raikkonen telah mendominasi sepanjang minggu ini pada sessi latihan yang berlangsung kecuali pada sessi latihan pertama di mana Hamilton mendahului.

Perlumbaan di Silverstone juga terkenal dengan ketidak tentuan cuacanya yang memungkinkan satu perlumbaan yang sukar diramal. Jika hujan turun ketika perlumbaan, ini bermakna strategi pasukan terpaksa diubah dan pastinya keadaan ini menjanjikan perlumbaan yang lebih menarik untuk penonton.

Namun perlumbaan di Silverstone bermula di bawah keadaan cuaca yang cerah dan baik. Selepas pusingan formasi yang pertama, kereta Massa menghadapi masalah mekanikal dan beliau terpaksa memulakan perlumbaan di tempat terakhir dari pitlane. Ini adalah berita baik bagi pasukan McLaren.

Selepas kelima-lima lampu merah dinyalakan, perlumbaan bermula tanpa sebarang insiden dan kedudukan keempat teratas tidak berubah dengan Hamilton mendahului diikuti oleh Raikkonen, Alonso dan Robert Kubica dibelakangnya. Heikki Kovalainen, Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld dan Ralf Schumacher pula melengkapkan kedudukan lapan tempat teratas.

Massa pula mengakhiri pusingan keenam di tempat ke-13. Hamilton dan Raikkonen merekod masa terpantas dalam perlumbaan bersilih ganti ketika ini menunjukkan betapa sengitnya perlumbaan antara dua pemandu ini.

Webber mangsa pertama perlumbaan apabila beliau kembali ke pit untuk bersara di pusingan kelapan.

Pasukan Ferrari masih bimbang dengan keadaan kereta Massa jika keadaan di grid permulaan akan berulang apabila Massa masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin beliau, Namun ketika ini Massa tiada sebarang masalah untuk memintas Nico Rosberg dan David Coulthard untuk tempat ke-11 di pusingan kelapan. Selepas pusingan kesebelas beliau telah memintas Trulli untuk tempat ke-9. Dalam 12 pusingan sejak perlumban dimulakan, Massa telah memintas 12 kereta. Beliau juga hanya lebih kurang 25 saat dibelakang Hamilton.

Dari pusingan ketiga belas, Raikkonen mula cuba untuk memintas Hamilton. Alonso masih kekal di tempat ke-3. Kelihatannya beliau mempunyai strategi tersendiri untuk perlumbaan ini dan masih merapatkan jurang antaranya dengan Raikkonen.

Hamilton masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin pertama beliau di pusingan keempat belas membenarkan Raikkonen mendahului perlumbaan. Ini bermakna kereta beliau adalah yang paling ringan di antara empat pemandu teratas. Hamilton melakukan kesilapan kecil ketika di pit menyebabkan beliau kehilangan sedikit masa. Hamilton keluar dari pit dibelakang Massa. Raikkonen pula tidak membuang masa untuk menambahkan jurang masa antaranya dengan pemandu McLaren. Alonso kini mendahului perlumbaan.

Raikkonen masuk ke pit pada pusingan kelapan belas dan beliau keluar dari pit di hadapan Hamilton.

Alonso masuk ke pit pada pusingan seterusnya dan ternyata jumlah minyak yang berlebihan yang dibawa oleh beliau pada sessi kelayakan semalam berbaloi apabila beliau berjaya kembali ke litar dan mengekalkan kedudukan beliau di tempat pertama.

Adrian Sutil terkeluar dari perlumbaan apabila enjin beliau mengalami masalah sementara Schumacher yang buat pertama kalinya mendahului Jarno Trulli dalam sesi kelayakan semalam terpaksa menamatkan perlumbaannya pada pusingan ke-22. Kelihatannya seperti kereta beliau mempunyai masalah suspensi. Beliau pasti merasa sangat kecewa kerana ini adalah perlumbaan terbaik beliau pada musim ini. Beberapa pusingan selepas itu, Trulli turut mengalami nasib yang sama dan kedua-dua kereta Toyota kini terkeluar dari perlumbaan.

Berbanding dengan pemandu Toyota, nasib Massa adalah lebih baik. Perlumbaan belum pun sampai separuh daripada 59 pusingan lengkap, beliau telah memintasi lebih 14 kereta untuk berada di tempat ke-7 selepas menyelesaikan pitstop rutin pertama beliau tanpa sebarang masalah.

Alonso tidak begitu gembira apabila melepasi Scott Speed untuk melengkapkan satu pusingannya. Selepas itu Speed dilanggar oleh Wurz sebaik saja Alonso memintasnya menyebabkan suspensi kereta STR2 beliau gagal berfungsi. Perlumbaan ini telah tamat untuk Speed. Sementara itu Davidson kembali ke pit untuk bersara pada pusingan yang ke-30.

Alonso kehilangan banyak masa untuk melepasi ‘backmarkers’ dan ini menyebabkan Raikkonen berjaya mencuri beberapa saat darinya untuk merapatkan jurang antara tempat pertama dan tempat kedua.

Kini giliran Alonso pula masuk ke pit lebih dahulu dari Hamilton pada pusingan ke-37. Beliau kembali ke litar di belakang Hamilton di tempat ketiga. Hamilton masuk ke pit pada pusingan seterusnya dan beliau keluar dari pit di tempat kelima.

Raikkonen kini mendahului perlumbaan dan beliau tidak melepaskan peluang untuk menambah jurang masa antaranya dengan Alonso bagi memastikan beliau akan menamatkan perlumbaan ini ditempat pertama.

Giliran Raikkonen masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-42 dan strategi Ferrari meletakkan minyak yang lebih pada kereta Raikkonen pada pitstop rutin pertama beliau berjaya meletakkan Raikkonen di hadapan Alonso apabila beliau kembali ke litar.

Massa masuk ke pit tiga pusingan selepas teman sepasukannya untuk pitstop rutin terakhir beliau dan kembali ke litar di belakang Kubica di tempat kelima.

Pemandu di tempat kesepuluh teratas selepas pitstop rutin kedua didahului oleh Raikkonen ialah Alonso di tempat kedua diikuti oleh Hamilton, Kubica, Massa, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Fisichella, Rubens Barrichello dan Jenson Button.

Kedua-dua pemandu kereta Ferrari menunjukkan prestasi yang begitu baik. Jika Massa tidak mempunyai masalah selepas pusingan formasi pertama kemungkinan beliau akan turut sama bersaing dengan Raikkonen dan Alonso untuk bergelar juara di litar Silverstone ini. Pemanduan beliau pada perlumbaan ini adalah antara yang terbaik sepanjang kareer beliau.

Dengan baki lapan pusingan, Raikkonen telah berjaya meletakkan jarak hampir 8 saat antaranya dengan Alonso. Ferrari kini hampir boleh mulai menghela nafas lega untuk Raikkonen kerana kelihatan beliau sudah menguasai perlumbaan ini sepenuhnya.

Liuzzi mangsa terakhir yang terpaksa bersara dari perlumbaan pada pusingan ke-55.

Raikkonen berjaya mengekalkan kedudukan beliau untuk memenangi perlumbaan ini. Ia merupakan kemenangan pertama bagi Raikkonen di Silverstone. Alonso kemudian melintasi garisan penamat di tempat kedua. Hamilton hanya berjaya mengakhiri perlumbaan di tempat ketiga, sekali lagi di atas podium untuk kali ke-9 musim ini. Ini adalah perlumbaan yang dimenangi oleh Ferrari dek kerana susunan stategi yang begitu baik berbanding aturan strategi untuk Alonso oleh pasukan McLaren.

Cuaca kekal cerah disepanjang perlumbaan .

Hamilton kelihatan sedikit kecewa kerana gagal memenangi perlumbaan ini seperti yang diharapkan manakala Raikkonen dan Alonso nampak lebih tenang selepas perlumbaan. Alonso merupakan pemandu terpantas untuk pasukan McLaren sepanjang minggu. Beliau turut merapatkan jurang kejuaraan kepada hanya 12 mata. Sementara itu Raikkonen mula mencabar untuk gelaran juara secara serius dan jika prestasi baik beliau berterusan tanpa sebarang masalah dengan kereta F2007 miliknya, Raikkonen pasti boleh melakukannya. Kecekapan Massa juga tidak boleh diperlekehkan. Ini bermakna dengan baki 8 perlumbaan, dunia bakal menyaksikan saingan sengit antara empat pemandu dari dua pasukan besar Formula One.

McLaren mendahului Kejuaraan Pengeluar dengan 128 mata. Ferrari kurang 25 mata di belakang mereka sementara BMW Sauber F1 Team masih kekal di tempat ketiga dengan 56 mata. Renault mempunyai 31 mata di tempat keempat dan AT&T WiliamsF1 Team di tempat kelima dengan beza 2 mata.

Bagi Kejuaraan Pemandu pula, Hamilton masih mendahului dengan 70 mata, Alonso di belakangnya dengan 58 mata, Raikkonen ditempat ketiga dengan 56 mata dan Massa di tempat keempat dengan beza 1 mata sahaja.

Perlumbaan seterusnya akan berlangsung di Nurburgring, Jerman dalam masa 2 minggu yang akan datang. Jumpa anda kelak!

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France GP

Publish Post

Selamat datang ke perlumbaan ke-8 dalam kalendar Formula 1 di Magny-Cours, Perancis. Ini mungkin perlumbaan terakhir untuk litar ini kerana ada ura-ura yang mengatakan Bernie Ecclestone tidak akan memasukkan litar ini untuk perlumbaan-perlumbaan Formula 1 pada tahun-tahun akan datang bagi memberi laluan kepada litar-litar baru seperti litar Turkey dan Singapura.

Ferrari kembali menunjukkan taring mereka di sessi kelayakan semalam apabila Felipe Massa berjaya merampas menduduki petak pertama untuk perlumbaan hari ini sementara Kimi Raikkonen berada di tempat ketiga. Lewis Hamilton memisahka pemandu Ferrari di tempat kedua. Kereta MP4-22 milik Fernando Alonso mengalami masalah mekanikal. Beliau hanya akan memulakan perlumbaan hari ini dari tempat ke-10. Ini permulaan yang kurang baik untuk pemandu Sepanyol ini bertekad untuk merapatkan jurang mata antaranya dengan Hamilton. Robert Kubica kembali beraksi untuk pasukan BMW Sauber F1 Team selepas beliau berehat untuk perlumbaan di Indianapolis dua minggu lalu berikutan kemalangan yang dihadapinya ketika di Montreal. Nick Heidfeld pula hanya di tempat ke-7 selepas berhempas pulas dengan masalah sakit belakang yang dihadapinya sejak sessi ujian di Silverstone minggu lalu. Kedua-dua pemandu Renault, Jarno Trulli dan Nico Rosberg masing-masing melayakkan diri di tempat sepuluh ke atas.

Perlumbaan bermula dengan lancar tanpa sebarang insiden yang serius. Massa mendahului perlumbaan dari garisan permulaan. Hamilton kehilangan posisinya kepada Raikkonen. Alonso memintas dua kereta di hadapannya untuk tempat ke-7 pada akhir pusingan 1. Robert Kubica dan Giancarlo Fisichela mengekalkan kedudukan masing-masing sementara Nick Heidfeld dan Nico Rosberg naik satu posisi. Heikki Kovalainen berlanggar dengan Jarno Trulli memaksa kedua-dua pemandu ini kembali ke pit untuk memperbaiki kerosakan. MalangnyaTrulli tidak dapat meneruskan perlumbaannya. Begitu juga dengan Vitantonio Liuzzi dan Anthony Davidson yang turut berlangar di selekoh 1.

Alonso cuba memintas Nick Heidfeld untuk tempat ke-6 sejak pusingan ke-2 dan hampir-hampir berjaya pada pusingan ke-4 namun Heidfeld kembali memintasnya semula pada selekoh seterusnya. Kedua-dua kereta pemandu ini menggunakan tayar yang berlainan. Kereta BMW F1.07 milik Heidfeld menggunakan tayar ‘hard compound’ manakala kereta MP4-22 milik Alonso menggunakan tayar ‘soft compound’. Ini menyukarkan Alonso untuk meminta Heidfeld.

Hamilton pemandu pertama masuk ke pit utnuk pitstop rutin beliau diikuti oleh Alonso pada pusingan ke-16. McLaren arif mereka perlu memanggil masuk kedua-dua pemandu lebih awal untuk pitstop rutin mereka kerana kedua-duanya tidak dapat memintas pemandu dihadapannya. Hamilton kembali ke litar di belakang Rosberg di tempat ke-7 manakala Alonso di tempat ke-9.

Ferrari memberi tindak balas yang sepatutnya apabila Massa masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutinnya di pusingan ke-18. Massa kembali ke litar di tempat ke-2. Kini Raikkonen mendahului perlumbaan. Beliau mencatat masa terpantas dalam perlumbaan di pusingan ke-19. Beliau tahu ini peluang terbaik untuk beliau memintas Massa untuk menjuarai perlumbaan kali ini dan beliau tidak membazirkan peluang yang ada namun jarak masa yang dilakukan olehnya masih tidak mencukupi untuk mengekalkan kedudukannya. Beliau kembali ke litar di belakang Massa selepas pitstop rutinnya di pusingan ke-22.

Fisichella kembali ke litar selepas pitstop rutinnya di hadapan Alonso. Ini membenarkan Heidfeld mengekalkan kedudukannya di tempat ke-6 selepas pitstop rutinnya. Nampaknya strategi McLaren memanggil Alonso masuk ke pit lebih awal dengan tujuan untuk memintas Heidfeld tidak menjadi. Heidfeld melakukan tugas yang baik menyukarkan kerja Alonso di litar.

Christijan Albers terpaksa menamatkan perlumbaan dek kerana kesilapan yang dilakukan oleh dirinya sendiri. Beliau tidak menunggu isyarat dari lollipop man untuk keluar dari pit. Hos minyak yang masih belum dikeluarkan tersangkut pada kereta beliau dan memaksa beliau menamatkan perlumbaan beliau.

Alonso akhirnya berjaya memintas Heidfeld pada pusingan ke-33 selepas hampir 11 pusingan tersekat dibelakang pemandu Jerman tersebut. Kini Alonso perlu merapatkan jurang kedudukannya antaranya dengan teman sepasukannya.

Hamilton dan kemudian Alonso kembali ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua masing-masing bagi mengelak trafik pada pusingan ke-37. Hamilton hampir sahaja kehilangan kedudukannya kepada Kubica apabila beliau kembali ke litar namun beliau tiada masalah memintas Kubica. Alonso pula kelihatan tidak selesa apabila kembali ke litar dengan melakukan beberapa kesilapan.

Massa masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin keduanya pada pusingan ke-43. Raikkonen kini sekali lagi mendahului perlumbaan. Jarak masa antaranya dengan Massa ketika ini adalah 22 saat dan ia jelas mencukupi untuk memintas Massa. Massa mungkin menghadapi trafik pada pusingan outlap nya. Kini ia adalah perlumbaan antara kedua-dua pemandu Ferrari ini iaitu samada Massa atau Raikkonen yang akan berjaya memenangi perlumbaan di Magny-Cours kali ini.

Sekali lagi Alonso terpaksa berhadapan dengan Heidfeld apabila Heidfeld kembali ke litar selepas pitstop rutin kedua beliau di hadapannya. Kemudian Fisichella pula memintas Alonso apabila pemandu Renault itu kembali ke litar dari pitstop rutinnya.

Hamilton menggunakan strategi 3 pitstop dan beliau masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin terakhir beliau pada pusingan ke-51. Beliau kembali ke litar di belakang Massa di tempat ketiga.

Ketika ini Raikkonen memandu kereta Ferrari F2007 beliau tanpa belas untuk menjarakkan jurang antaranya dengan Massa bagi memastikan beliau akan kekal mendahului perlumbaan ini sehingga ke garisan penamat. Ketika ini kedua-dua pemandu Ferrari mempunyai jarak lebih kurang 30 saat antara mereka dengan Hamilton. Mereka sudah boleh mulai relaks dan mengekalkan kedudukan mereka tanpa perlu risau cabaran dari Hamilton.



Raikkonen menjuarai perlumbaan buat kali kedua dalam kareer beliau bersama Ferrari. Kebelakangan ini persembahan beliau tidak begitu membanggakan jika dibandingkan dengan teman sepasukannya Massa. Kemenangan kali ini sangat bermakna bagi membina semula jati diri beliau. Ini adalah kemenangan satu-dua pertama bagi pasukan Ferrari musim ini dengan Massa ditempat kedua. Hamilton sekali lagi mengakhiri perlumbaan di atas podium di tempat ketiga.

Pasukan BMW Sauber turut melakukan tugas yang baik dengan Kubica dan Heidfeld masing-masing menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat ke-4 dan ke-5. Alonso gagal memintas Fisichella dan terpaksa berpuas hati dengan tempat ke-7 sementara Button mengutip mata akhir untuk perlumbaan kali ini.

Adakah ini kemenangan kali ini bakal berkekalan dan menunjukkan kekuatan Ferrari telah kembali untuk memecahkan dominasi McLaren sejak dua perlumbaan yang lalu? Bagaimana pula dengan Alonso? Mampukah beliau mengejar rakan sepasukannya untuk memenangi kejuaraan pemandu pada akhir musim ini setelah semakin jauh ditinggalkan. Massa dan Raikkonen juga mula mencabar untuk merebut juara tersebut dari tangan beliau.

Jumpa lagi di perlumbaan akan di Silverstone dalam masa satu minggu. Jangkakan satu lagi dominasi daripada Hamilton di litar negaranya sendiri.

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United States GP

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen finished a solid third and fourth in the heat of Sunday's US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, seventh round of the FIA's Formula One World Championship. The pair finished 11.3s behind the all-powerful McLaren Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso who were just as close as the Ferrari pair for most of the 73 lap race.

The McLaren duo shot off the front row of the grid at the start in front of a noisy and enthusiastic crowd, and although Alonso challenged, it was Hamilton who held onto the lead in the first corner. Massa slotted into third place but Raikkonen lost two places off the grid, the only front runner on the harder Bridgestones.

At the end of first lap, Hamilton led from Alonso, with Massa in third, followed by Nick Heidfeld's BMW fourth and Heikki Kovalainen's Renault. Raikkonen came round sixth, with Jarno Trulli seventh and Giancarlo Fisichella in eighth.

However, Fisichella went off on the next lap at turn four, handing his place to Mark Webber. Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard were all eliminated when they tangled at the first corner.

Over the first 20 laps, the gaps generally opened up: the McLaren were 3.9s apart, 3.1s ahead of Massa. Heidfeld managed to stay in touch with the Ferrari, but left Kovalainen behind, the Finn being pushed hard throughout by compatriot Raikkonen. This pair were nearly nine seconds ahead of Trulli and then Webber.

Hamilton, Massa and Heidfeld were the first to pit on lap 21, followed by Alonso on lap 22, Raikkonen came in on lap 24 and Kovalainen on lap 27. That left the McLarens in the lead, ahead of Trulli and Webber who hadn't yet stopped. Massa was now fifth, ahead of Rosberg and Raikkonen, who had overtaken Heidfeld after the pit stops. When Trulli and Webber stopped around the 30 lap mark, Raikkonen was up to fifth place but stuck behind Rosberg who was on a one-stop strategy.

The McLarens had a tremendous middle stint, with Hamilton suffering tyre graining, so that Alonso got very close, the pair even running side-by-side on one lap down into the first corner. Massa was 11s further back but only about five seconds ahead of Rosberg - still yet to stop on lap 40 - and Raikkonen.

But when Rosberg made his stop, Raikkonen was soon gaining strongly on his teammate. By the second stops, he was just 1.7s behind Massa. Alonso stopped first on lap 50, then Hamilton and Raikkonen, and Massa on lap 52. At the end of the stops, the McLarens were just 1.7s apart but the pair were 14s ahead of the Ferraris who were 1.2s apart with 20 laps to go.

During the final stint, the McLarens were never more than a couple of seconds apart but 13s ahead of the Ferraris. The Ferraris were inseperable in the final stint and finished a sound third and fourth, while Kovalainen had another solid showing in fifth place. Rosberg should have been sixth but suffered an oil leak and fire just four and a half laps from the flag, which handed sixth to Trulli, seventh to Webber and eighth place to BMW Sauber rookie Sebastien Vettel, whose teammate Heidfeld retired with 18 laps to go with a hydraulic problem.



Massa stays in third place in the Drivers' series but now nine points behind second placed Alonso, while Raikkonen is a further seven points behind. McLaren have a lead of 35 points over Ferrari in the Constructors' series.

source: Ferrari Press Office

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Canadian GP

Perlumbaan Grand Prix Kanada bermula tanpa sebarang kemalangan. Cuaca yang baik menyambut pemandu-pemandu Formula One di litar Gilles Villeneuve. Hamilton memecut laju untuk mendahului perlumbaan. Alonso melakukan kesilapan pada awal permulaan apabila beliau cuba untuk memintas Hamilton lalu membenarkan Heidfeld untuk memintasnya. Massa pula berada ditempat keempat. Raikkonen kehilangan tempatnya kepada teman sepasukannya dan juga Rosberg. Dengan Heidfeld di tempat kedua, Hamilton tiada masalah untuk menjarakkan jurang antaranya dengan Alonso.

Button tidak dapat memulakan perlumbaan apabila keretanya tidak dapat meninggalkan petak permulaannya. Beliau merupakan pemandu pertama yang terkeluar daripada perlumbaan Grand Prix Kanada.

Speed terpaksa keluar dari perlumbaan pada pusingan ke-9 apabila Wurz melanggar beliau menyebabkan kerosakan kepada pada bahagian depan keretanya. Wurz turut mengalami kerosakan di bahagian rear wing.

Kedudukan sepuluh pemandu teratas pada pusingan ke-10 ialah Hamilton, Heidfeld, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Fischella, Kubica, Sato dan Trulli. Hamilton mendahului dengan beza masa 7.7 saat diataranya dan Heidfeld.

Kesilapan yang dilakukan Alonso akan menyebabkan kerugian besar untuk beliau dari segi Kejuaraan Pemandu. Kemungkinan Alonso mula merasakan tekanan daripada Hamilton. Beliau tahu jika Hamilton memenangi perlumbaan ini ia akan menaikkan jati diri Hamilton. Oleh itu ia akan menjadi sukar untuk beliau untuk mengawal keadaan kelak. Namun ironinya untuk jangka panjang, kesilapan hari ini akan menghantui Alonso untuk perlumbaan-perlumbaan akan datang terutamanya Grand Prix USA, litar yang paling kurang Alonso gemari. Beliau pasti tidak dapat memaafkan dirinya sendiri ketika ini atas kesilapan tersebut.

Alonso melakukan kesilapan yang sama dilakukannya di selekoh pertama pada awal permulaan beberapa kali sekaligus membenarkan Massa untuk memintasnya untuk tempat ketiga pada pusingan ke-17.

Seperti yang dijangka Heidfeld adalah pemandu pertama masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-20 untuk pitstop rutin pertama beliau. Beliau kembali ke litar dihadapan teman sepasukannya Kubica.

Hamilton masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin pertama beliau pada pusingan ke-21 dan kembali ke litar di tempat ke-4 di belakang Massa, Alonso dan Rosberg.

Safety Car dikeluarkan pada pusingan ke-22 apabila Sutil melanggar dinding di selekoh empat bagi membenarkan marshal membersihkan debris dan mengalihkan keretanya dari litar. Alonso dan Rosberg masing-masing masuk ke pit untuk pitsop rutin mereka sebaik sahaja Safety Car dikeluarkan.

Ini peluang yang baik untuk Alonso menebus kesilapan beliau. Hamilton pasti berasa kecewa kerana jurang masa yang dikumpul beliau hilang begitu saja. Perlumbaan kembali kepada sifar dan terbuka untuk memberi peluang kepada Hamilton, Massa dan Alonso memenangi perlumbaan ini

Hamilton masih mendahului perlumbaan dengan Heidfeld ditempat kedua apabila Safety Car masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-25.

Kubica mengalami kemalangan besar pada pusingan ke-26 dan Safety Car kembali dikeluarkan. Pasukan keselamatan segera bergegas ke tempat kejadian.


Kebanyakan pemandu masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin masing-masing akibatnya kedudukan pemandu kucar-kacir.

Alonso dan Rosberg dikenakan hukuman 10 saat dalam pit kerana masuk ke pit ketika Safety Car pertama dikeluarkan. Nampaknya hari ini bukan hari Alonso untuk memenangi perlumbaan Grand Prix Canada.

Safety Car kedua kembali ke pit pada pusingan ke-33. Hamilton dan Heidfeld masih kekal di tempat pertama dan kedua. Kedudukan seterusnya ialah Alonso, Rosberg, Davidson, Schumacher, Webber, Massa, Fisichella and Raikkonen. Davidson dan Schumacher masing-masing masih belum masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin mereka manakala Alonso dan Rosberg masih belum menjalani hukuman penalti mereka.

Alonso dan Rosberg masuk ke pit untuk penalti mereka pada pusingan ke-36.

Kedudukan lapan pemandu teratas pada pusingan ke-40 ialah Hamilton, Heidfeld, Webber, Massa, Fisichella, Sato, Raikkonen dan Kovalainen.

Alonso memintas Kovalainen untuk tempat kelapan pada pusingan ke-42. Massa dan Fisichella pula disiasat oleh stewart kerana mereka keluar dari pit ketika lampu pit masih merah.

Kubica dihantar ke hospital besar berhampiran namun beliau dalam keadaan sedar dan stabil. Menurut laporan perubatan, Kubica tidak mengalami sebarang kecederaan serius dan akan dikeluarkan pada hari Isnin. Walaubagaimanapun, ada kemungkinan beliau tidak dapat memandu untuk Grand Prix USA yang akan datang. Jika begitu, BMW Sauber perlu mencari pengganti sementara untuk beliau.

Pusingan ke-48 melihat Heidfeld kembali ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua beliau. Beliau kembali ke pit di tempat ketiga. Hamilton pula ke pit pada pusingan berikutnya dan kembali mendahului perlumbaan.

Giliran Albers pula melanggar dinding pada pusingan ke-49 menyebabkan Safety Car sekali lagi dikeluarkan.

Massa dan Fisichella pula dikenakan bendera hitam kerana melanggar lampu merah di pit ketika keadaan Safety Car pada pusingan ke-51. Keadaan yang sama berlaku beberapa tahun lepas apabila Montoya melakukan kesilapan yang sama. Berita buruk bagi Ferrari dan Massa dari segi Kejuaraan Pengeluar dan Pemandu namun berita baik bagi Alonso dan McLaren untuk memaksimakan kutipan mata.

Alonso dan Raikkonen masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua mereka pada pusingan ke-53 dan Alonso berjaya memintas Raikkonen ketika di dalam pit.

Safety Car kembali ke pit pada pusingan ke-54. Hamilton masih mendahului namun sebelum sempat beliau menamatkan satu pusingan, Safety Car sekali lagi dikeluarkan ke litar kerana marshal perlu mengalihkan kereta Liuzzi. Alonso pula kehilangan tempat ketujuh beliau kepada Raikkonen dan Schumacher apabila beliau sekali lagi terbabas di selekoh pertama. Kemudian Trulli pula melanggar hadangan tayar diselekoh pertama pada pusingan ke-58.

Safety Car masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-60 dengan Hamilton masih mendahului dan Heidfeld di tempat kedua. Barrichello di tempat ketiga dengan Wurz dibelakangnya. Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Schumacher dan Alonso melengkapkan tempat kelapan teratas.

Alonso segera memintas Schumacher pada pusingan ke-60 untuk tempat ketujuh.

Pusingan ke-63 giliran Barrichello untuk pitsop rutin terakhir beliau. Wurz kini berada ditempat ketiga dan menaikkan Sato ke tempat kelapan untuk memungut mata terakhir perlumbaan.

Sato berjaya memintas Schumacher untuk tempat ketujuh pada pusingan ke-66 dan kemudian memintas Alonso untuk tempat keenam pada pusingan ke-68.

Hamilton melepasi garisan penamat ditempat pertama selepas mengharungi perlumbaan yang sukar dengan kemalangan demi kemalangan berlaku sepanjang perlumbaan. Heidfeld turut melakukan tugas dengan baik untuk mengakhiri perlumbaan di tempat kedua sementara Wurz ditempat ketiga walaupun dengan kerosakan rear wing pada keretanya. Kovalainen berada di tempat keempat dengan Raikkonen dibelakangnya. Sato mengutip 3 mata di tempat keenam, Alonso ditempat ketujuh dan Schumacher mengutip mata akhir perlumbaan ditempat kelapan. Hanya 12 kereta daripada 22 kereta berjaya menamatkan perlumbaan ini.

Ini merupakan satu perlumbaan yang baik dan bersih dari Hamilton Kini Hamilton mendahului 8 mata daripada Alonso dalam Kejuaraan Pemandu. Dengan hanya 6 perlumbaan dalam kariernya, British rookie yang hanya berusia 22 tahun ini telah mencipta sejarah baru dalam Formula One.

Selepas mengakhiri 5 perlumbaan berturut-turut di tempat kedua, akhirnya beliau berjaya memenangi perlumbaan pertama beliau. Tidak ramai yang menyangka kemenangan pertama datang begitu cepat untuk anak didik Ron Dennis ini. Namun yang pasti akan ada lebih banyak kemenangan menanti beliau untuk masa yang akan datang.


Heidfeld memulakan dan mengakhiri perlumbaan ditempat kedua. Ini adalah podium pertama untuk pasukan BMW Sauber tahun ini, dan podium keenam untuk Heidfeld sepanjang karier Formula One beliau. Podium ini adalah keputusan terbaik bagi pasukan BMW Sauber setakat ini. Hari ini adalah hari yang masam manis untuk BMW Sauber dengan keputusan baik Heidfeld sementara Kubica masih dirawat dihospital.

Pusingan ketujuh Formula One akan berlangsung di Indianapolis, USA minggu hadapan. Alonso mempunyai tugas yang berat untuk mengejar teman sepasukannya. Kejuaraan kini semakin sukar diramal.

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Monaco GP

McLaren Mercedes drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton scored a dominant one-two in Sunday's mainly sunny Monaco Grand Prix, but Felipe Massa was happy to salvage third place - and the only other unlapped runner - to keep his and Ferrari's championship hopes alive.

The McLaren pair were in a class of their own, finishing a whole minute ahead of their rivals. In a largely processional race of just three retirements, the McLaren pair were content to claim first and second, even though Hamilton suggested that he had the quicker car at the start of the third stint. But then he pointed out that he had number two on his car, and was thus the second driver. Ferrari's second driver, Kimi Raikkonen, was handicapped from the start after hitting the barrier in qualifying, starting sixteenth on the grid, and claiming a single point with eighth place at the end.

At the start, the two McLarens shot straight into the lead which is where they would stay, as would third place Massa and fourth place Giancarlo Fisichella. But Nick Heidfeld picked up two places to head Williams's Nico Rosberg, while Rubens Barrichello also picked up two places to hold seventh from Mark Webber who lost two places in comparison to his grid position. Raikkonen moved up four places on the first lap to hold 12th.

The opening stages were marked by Alonso leaving Hamilton behind, the British driver being mainly shadowed by Massa, who pulled away from Fisichella. These four were left on their own as Heidfeld desperately held up Rosberg and Button found Webber and Kubica queueing up behind him

Webber became the second retirement when he lost third gear which cost him eighth place. That was just before the first fuel stops. Fisichella was the first in from fourth place on lap 23. Alonso and Massa pitted on lap 26, the Brazilian changing to the softer tyres and taking it easy early on as they had showed a tendency to grain. Hamilton came in on lap 29, having expected a five lap advantage over teammate Alonso, but found that it was only three.

It meant that Alonso's lead was still 4.2s over his teammate when they rejoined. Massa, however, was 21s behind and would lose more time in traffic. Heidfeld was initially fourth, ahead of Fisichella, until his one pit stop just before half distance, which left Barrichello fifth, pushed by Kubica, until the Honda driver pitted on lap 37.

Massa's only drama had come on lap 30 when he missed the chicane at the swimming pool exit which cost him a couple of seconds, but he was still losing time to the McLarens. He was over half a minute behind when Alonso pitted on lap 51, followed two laps later by Hamilton. Massa came in a couple of laps after that, as did Fisichella.

Now came the only real threat to Alonso's lead, as Hamilton closed onto his tail, but he dropped away again with 18 laps to go, and the pair cruised to the chequered flag. Massa's deficit grew by 15s at the pit stop, so that he emerged 47s behind Hamilton, a margin with again grew to 65s by the end.

Fisichella was a lapped fourth, while Kubica was fifth and Heidfeld sixth. Alexander Wurz scored his first points of the year with seventh, while Raikkonen scored a single point with eighth, ahead of Scott Speed and the Hondas.

The result means Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are equal on 38 points in the World Championship although Alonso has two wins to Hamilton's zero. Massa has 33 points, with Raikkonen another ten points behind.

McLaren Mercedes have 76 points in the Constructors' series, twenty ahead of Ferrari, while BMW Sauber are another 26 points behind.

source: Ferrari Press Office

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Spanish GP

Sessi kelayakan yang berlangsung semalam adalah antara yang paling mengujakan apabila peminat Formula One dihidangkan persaingan yang sengit antara pemandu McLaren dan Ferrari. Massa mencuri perhatian penonton tempatan daripada Alonso apabila beliau mencuri petak pertama dari genggaman dua kali juara dunia itu. Alonso terpaksa berpuas hati di petak kedua. Raikkonen dan Hamilton pula berkongsi barisan grid kedua.

Perlumbaan terpaksa ditangguhkan selepas pusingan pemanasan apabila kereta Toyota Trulli menghadapi masalah di grid. Beliau akan memulakan perlumbaan daripada pit.

Sebaik sahaja kelima-lima lampu marah padam, Massa meluncur laju menuju selekoh pertama dengan Alonso rapat dibelakangnya. Alonso terbabas apabila beliau cuba untuk memintas Massa sekaligus memberi laluan kepada Hamilton dan Raikkonen untuk memotongnya. Kubica, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg dan Barrichello melengkapi tempat kesepuluh teratas pada pusingan pertama.

Terdapat insiden di belakang grid antara Wurz dan Schumacher. Kedua-dua kereta mengalami kerosakan dan memaksa mereka kembali ke pit. Malang bagi Wurz beliau tidak dapat meneruskan perlumbaan.

Pasa pusingan 7, kereta Red Bull Webber menghadapi masalah hidraulik. Beliau mangsa kedua Grand Prix Sepanyol.

Pusingan ke 9, kereta Raikkonen pula menghadapi masalah enjin pada kereta F2007 beliau manakala tayar belakang kiri kereta Speed meletup sebelum selekoh pertama memaksa kedua-dua pemandu ini bersara dari perlumbaan. Kini Alonso mempunyai laluan bebas dihadapannya untuk mengejar Hamilton dan Massa.

Kedudukan 10 pemandu teratas pada pusingan ke 11 ialah Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Barrichello dan Button.

Barrichello pemandu pertama yang masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin pertama beliau di pusingan 18 kemudian diikuti oleh Massa dan Alonso.

Massa kehilangan beberapa saat di pit apabila kereta beliau terbakar seketika dek kerana tumpahan minyak berlebihan semasa pengisian semula. Massa kembali ke litar di tempat keempat.

Pusingan 19 giliran kereta Liuzzi pula mengalami masalah dan beliau masuk ke pit sebelum bersara dari perlumbaan. Coulthard memasuki pit untuk pitstop rutin pertama beliau di pusingan ini.

Pusingan 22 giliran Hamilton untuk pitstop rutin beliau. Walaubagaimana pun beliau tidak dapat memintas Massa apabila kembali ke litar dibelakangnya.
Kereta Heidfeld mengalami masalah di pit apabila salah satu nut tayar kanan hadapannya tidak dipasang dengan betul. Salah lollipop guy kerana mengangkat lollipop terlalu awal sebelum segala kerja pit selesai. Sayang sekali kerana strategi pasukan BMW Sauber untuk Heidfeld adalah baik sekali untuk pelumbaan ini.

Kedudukan 10 pemandu teratas selapas pitstop rutin pertama ialah Massa ditempat pertama diikuti oleh Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Barrichello, Fisichella dan Sato.

Kovalainen pemandu pertama masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua beliau di pusingan ke-30. Sebelum itu beliau bersaingan dengan Coulthard untuk tempat ke-5. Kereta Renault ketika ini jelas sekali lebih pantas dari kereta Red Bull Coulthard.

Christijan Albers melunaskan penalti kerana memandu melebihi had laju di pit pada pusingan ke-34.

Kedudukan 10 pemandu teratas pada pusingan ke-44 ialah Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Coulthard, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Barrichello, Fisichella dan Sato.

Massa masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin terakhir beliau pada pusingan ke-41 dan kembali ke litar dibelakang Hamilton. Selain daripada Massa, Barrichello, Coulthard dan Fisichella juga masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin masing-masing. Walaubagaimanapun Fisichella terpaksa masuk semula ke pit kerana Renault tidak mengisi minyak yang mencukupi untuk menamatkan perlumbaan ini pada pitstop rutin kedua beliau.

Schumacher mangsa keenam Grand Prix Sepanyol apabila beliau terpaksa bersara di pusingan ke-45. Kedua-dua pemandu Toyota tidak dapat menamatkan perlumbaan kali ini.

Hamilton mendahului perlumbaan Grand Prix Sepanyol sehingga beliau masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-46 untuk pitstop rutin terakhir beliau. Tempat pertama kembali diserahkan kepada Massa. Sementara itu Heidfeld masuk ke pit untuk bersara sebaik sahaja Kubica selesai pitstop rutin keduanya.

Pusingan ke-48, giliran Alonso melakukan pitstop rutin keduanya dan kembali ke litar seperti sebelumnya di tempat ketiga.

Kedudukan 8 pemandu teratas selepas pitstop rutin kedua ialah Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Coulthard, Rosberg, Kovalainen and Fisichella. Fisichella bagaimanapun masih belum masuk ke pit untuk pitstop terakhir beliau.

Fisichella akhirnya melakukan pitstop ketiga beliau dengan baki 6 pusingan perlumbaan. Beliau kembali ke litar di belakang Sato. Fisichella akan bersaingan dengan Sato sepanjang baki perlumbaan untuk memintas Sato bagi memungut mata terakhir perlumbaan. Walaubagaimanapun usaha beliau tidak membuahkan hasil.


Massa berjaya menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat pertama dari petak pertama. Sekali lagi beliau menunjukkan kematangan beliau sebagai pemandu. Ini adalah kemenangan kedua berturut-turut untuk beliau dan Ferrari musim ini dan empat kemenangan peribadi sepanjang karier Formula One beliau. Hamilton di tempat kedua manakala Alonso terpaksa berpuas hati menamatkan perlumbaan di hadapan peminat tempatannya di tempat ketiga.

Kini rookie dari Britain, Hamilton mendahului Kejuaraan Pemandu dengan 2 mata di hadapan teman sepasukannya Alonso dengan 30 mata. Massa pula memintas teman sepasukannya Raikkonen untuk tempat ketiga dengan 27 mata.

McLaren pula mendahului Kejuaraan Pengeluar dengan 58 mata sementara Ferrari ketinggalan 9 mata dibelakang mereka. BMW Sauber masih teguh ditempat ketiga.

Pusingan terpantas semasa perlumbaan dicatat oleh Massa dengan catatan masa 1m22.680 saat pada pusingan ke-14.

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Bahrain GP

Grand Prix Bahrain merupakan perlumbaan yang sempurna buat Felipe Massa apabila beliau berjaya mendapat tempat pertama selepas mendahului perlumbaan dari mula hingga akhir dari petak pertama. Ini ialah kemenangan pertama beliau untuk pasukan Ferrari sejak musim baru 2007 bermula dan kemenangan ketiga untuk sepanjang karier beliau dengan Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton menamatkan perlumbaan sekali lagi di tempat kedua dengan Kimi Raikkonen terpaksa berpuas hati dengan tempat ketiga.

Massa mendahului perlumbaan sebaik sahaja kelima-lima lampu merah padam namun bukan tanpa persaingan yang sengit dari Hamilton. Raikkonen, Alonso, Heidfeld dan Kubica kekal di tempat masing-masing. Heikki Kovalainen merupakan pemandu yang paling banyak berganjak ke tempat ke-9 dari petak ke-12.

Di belakang grid, Takuma Sato dan Adrian Sutil menyebabkan Jenson Button dan Scott Speed terkeluar dari perlumbaan. Insiden ini memaksa Safety Car keluar pada pusingan yang pertama. Adrian Sutil kemudian kembali ke pit untuk memperbaiki keretanya dan mengambil bahagian semula 2 pusingan selepas itu.

Safety Car kembali ke pit pada pusingan ke-3 dan perlumbaan bermula semula. Massa tidak mempunyai sebarang masalah untuk mengekalkan kedudukannya dari kedua-dua pemandu McLaren. Raikkonen pula kelihatan tidak bersedia untuk memulakan perlumbaan selepas Safety Car masuk ke pit dan ketinggalan agak jauh di belakang Alonso apabila mereka melepasi garisan permulaan. Namun beliau segera bangkit dan mula mencatat masa terpantas untuk mengejar Alonso dan selepas satu pusingan beliau mula bertindak untuk memintas juara dunia tersebut.

Nico Rosberg dan Alex Wurz masing-masing mengejar Jarno Trulli untuk kedudukan kesepuluh pada pusingan ke-6. Persaingan ini berlanjutan untuk beberapa pusingan. Pada pusingan ke-9 Rosberg kehilangan tempatnya pada Coulthard apabila hampir-hampir melanggar teman sepasukannya.

Selapas 10 pusingan kedudukan 10 teratas ialah Massa, Lewis, Raikkonen, Alonso, Heidfeld, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Kovalainen dan Trulli.

Pada pusingan ke-15 Jarno Trulli berjaya memintas Kovalainen untuk ke-9 dan Coulthard telah memintas Wurz untuk tempat ke-10.

Pusingan ke-17 Wurz, Coulthard dan Schumacher antara yang pertama masuk ke pit untuk pitstop. Coulthard keluar diharapan Wurz.

Lewis masuk ke pit untuk pitstop pada pusingan ke-19. Beliau antara pemandu 10 ke atas yang pertama masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin beliau. Seperti yang dijangkakan, kereta beliau lebih ringan dari teman sepasukannya Alonso pada sessi kelayakan semalam.

Pusingan ke-21, giliran Massa untuk pitstop rutin beliau. Ferrari mengisi kurang minyak pada kereta Massa untuk memastikan beliau keluar ke litar di hadapan Lewis dan strategi mereka membuahkan hasil.

Pusingan ke-22, Alonso masuk ke pit dan Raikkonen mendahului perlumbaan ini. Liuzzi pula terpaksa memberhentikan perlumbaan apabila pasukan Toro Rosso mendapati kereta STR02 beliau mempunyai masalah.

Pusingan ke-23, Raikkonen dan Heidfeld masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin masing-masing dan Ferrari sekali lagi berjaya dalam strategi mereka apabila Raikkonen kembali ke litar dihadapan Alonso untuk memintas pemandu Sepanyol itu untuk tempat ke-3. Heidfeld pula masih kekal di tempat ke-5 dan segera memberi cabaran kepada Alonso.

Selepas pusingan ke-30, 10 tempat teratas ialah Massa, Lewis, Raikkonen, Alonso, Heidfeld, Kubica, Coulthard, Fisichella, Webber dan Trulli.

Heidfeld berjaya memintas Alonso pada pusingan ke-31. Ia merupakan pintasan terbaik buat musim 2007 setakat ini dan Dr Mario Theissen sedia maklum tentang kenyataan ini apabila beliau dan anak-anak buahnya tersenyum gembira di kotak pit BMW Sauber. Kereta MP4-22 yang dipandu Alonso nampaknya tidak memberi tindak balas seperti yang diharapkan beliau.

Enjin kereta Sato gagal berfungsi sebaik sahaja beliau melintas garisan permulaan pada pusingan ke-34 dan memaksa beliau terkeluar dari perlumbaan. Beliau adalah mangsa ke-4 yang gagal menamatkan perlumbaan Grand Prix Bahrain. Dihadapan grid pula Raikkonen mula mengejar Lewis untuk tempat ke-2.

Coulthard adalah mangsa ke-5 perlumbaan ini apabila enjin kereta beliau pula gagal berfungsi disebabkan ‘over-heating’ pada pusingan ke-37.

Massa masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua beliau pada pusingan ke-40. Beliau kembali ke litar di belakang Alonso namun pemandu-pemandu dihadapan beliau masih belum masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua mereka.

Raikkonen dan Heidfeld pula masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua sepusingan selepas Massa. Lewis kini mendahului perlumbaan Grand Prix Bahrain.

Pada pusingan ke-42, giliran Webber pula terkeluar dari perlumbaan maka berakhirlah perlumbaan buat pasukan Red Bull Racing seperti mana pasukan ‘adik’ mereka Toro Rosso.

Pusingan ke-43 Alonso masuk ke pit untuk pitstop rutin kedua beliau dan kembali ke litar di belakang Heidfeld. Teman sepasukannya pula masuk ke pit pada pusingan ke-44 dan Massa kembali mendahului perlumbaan ini. Beliau keluar dihadapan hadapan Raikkonen di tempat ke-2.

Massa tidak melakukan sebarang kesilapan sepanjang perlumbaan. Ini dapat menebus kesilapan besar beliau di Sepang minggu lalu apabila beliau terleka pada permulaan perlumbaan dan seterusnya terbabas apabila cuba memintas Hamilton.

Davidson adalah mangsa ke-enam Grand Prix Bahrain apabila enjin beliau mengeluarkan asap dan minyak pada pusingan ke-52. Kedua-dua pemandu Super Aguri mengalami masalah yang sama dengan kereta mereka.

Hamilton dan Fisichella tidak akan hanya menerima nasib mereka tanpa mencuba untuk memintas Massa dan Trulli. Dengan 3 baki pusingan, Hamilton mengejar Massa dan kurang 4 saat memisahkan beliau dengan pemandu Ferrari tersebut. Alonso juga tidak berputus asa untuk memintas Heidfeld untuk tempat ke-4. Massa yang pada pusingan ke-10 mula yakin yang beliau akan memenangi perlumbaan ini mula merasa bahang dari cabaran Hamilton dan memberi tindak balas yang sepatutnya.

Massa berjaya mengekalkan kedudukan pertama beliau dengan Hamilton terpaksa berpuas hati di tempat ke-2. Kimi Raikkonen tidak dapat mengejar Hamilton dan menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat ke-3. Heidfeld sekali lagi mengakhiri perlumbaan di tempat ke-4 dengan Alonso tidak jauh di belakangnya. Kubica berada di tempat ke-6 sementara Trulli kekal di tempat ke-7. Fisichella mengumpul mata terakhir perlumbaan di tempat ke-8.

Alonso, Hamilton dan Raikkonen kini berkongsi 22 mata dan mendahului Kejuaraan Pemandu. Massa ketinggalan 5 mata di belakang mereka.

Dengan kemenangan ini, kini Massa membuktikan bahawa beliau adalah setanding dengan teman sepasukannya Kimi Raikkonen dan persaingan antara mereka berdua akan menjadi lebih sengit lagi selepas ini. Seperti kata Massa diakhir perlumbaan: “Fantastico!”

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Malaysian GP

The trip to Sepang as always is something to remember specially this year I spent a lot of time hanging out with Leah. Too bad my friends refused to join me for the fun.

Anyway this year I didn't go to the circuit on Friday, instead I went to KLCC with Alea. The plan was to catch the BMW Sauber Pit Lane Park but after we arrived, there were too many people and I learn that the event was taking place at the KLCC parking which was actually required us to walk more than 500m. As we were both lazy bums, we decided to went straight home instead, but not before we had lunch!

I went to Sepang on Saturday with my mom and my aunt. Both of them used Abang Nizam's tix to get into the circuit since he hadn't arrived yet. Why would I want to go alone when I can promote the event to my family right? Thank god my mom is hooked. She'll be joining us next year for sure. Now I just have to convince my dad...

Massa was on pole, beating Alonso to it. I got a big grin plastered on my face for the rest of the day.

Oh btw did I mentioned that we were all seating at the Turqouise grandstand this year?

I got another free tix on Sunday and I offered it to Nadeem and this kid was so excited to go to the GP that he actually woke up at 6 and expected us to made a move at 7am! lol...

It was a nice race except for the fact that Massa screwed up big time during the race. He was too overzealous to make a pass on Hamilton that he went off track! But at least I got something to cheer about because Alonso won the race with Heidfeld finished at 4th place. BMW Sauber is a genuine number third team on the grid at the moment.

As opposed to last year, I did not went straight back to Johor after the race. This time we spent another night at Bukit Jelutong.

On Monday we all went to Ikea first. Shopping jangan tak shopping... Only afterwards baru we all went back to Johor. I am the designated driver from Friday to Monday. My back is killing me!!!

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Australian GP

Kimi Raikkonen of Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro wins the Australian Grand Prix from pole today on his debut race for the team. Fernando Alonso finished second place with gap of 7.242 seconds behind the Finn. The rookie Lewis Hamilton finished third after his stunning race debut and finish on podium for his first outing for McLaren. Nick Heidfeld’s finishes third for BMW Sauber F1 Team. Felipe Massa was unable to pass Giancarlo Fisichella and has to be satisfied with sixth place behind the Italian. Nico Rosberg got 2 points for WilliamsF1 and the last point of the race belongs to Ralf Schumacher of Panasonic Toyota Racing.

It was a clean start of the race with Raikkonen leading with Heidfeld second. Alosno was cut off by Heidfeld as the five red lights went off which allowed Hamilton to get in front of the Spaniard. Kubica hold on to fifth place. Fisichella in 6th place, Webber 7th and Schumacher 8th. Felipe Massa who started at the back of the grid after he had an engine changed moved up to 18th place after the first lap.

After lap 5 Barrichello started to feel frustrated. He feels Button who was at 13th place held him back. Massa moved up to 15th place.

Heidfeld who was the only driver on soft compound tyres holding up nicely on second place but brought the gap between him and Raikkonen bigger up to almost 7 secs after 9 laps. But the two McLarens were not really catching up on him either.

Christijan Albers made contact with the barriers at turn 6 at lap 11 which put him out of the race. He is the first casualty of Australian Grand Prix.

Heidfeld went to the pit for schedule pitstop at lap 14 to fill in the fuel. The soft tyres compound stayed at least for the first round of his pitstop. This promoted Lewis to second place and Alonso third. Heidfeld get back on the track behind Webber in 7th place. Barrichello managed to pass Button on lap 15 and put him on clear air to catch up Nico Rosberg.

Massa passed Button on lap 16 and he’s concentrating to close the gap to the top ten drivers.

Raikkonen leads to 15 second off both McLaren. The Finn made his schedule pitstop on lap 18, earlier than everyone expected which put Lewis as the race leader on his race debut for McLaren. He came out behind Kubica on 4th place.

McLaren ready for Alonso’s pitstop on lap 22 and Hamilton on lap 23. It was an impressive run from Hamilton who ran for qualifying with more fuel than Alonso. Its was pretty nip and tuck between those two. With both McLarens went in the pits, Raikkonen lead the race once again.

After the first round of pitstop the placing for top eight were: Raikkonnen, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Schumacher and Rosberg.

Speed who had problems with understeer and went wide on lap 28. He was the third casualties of the race.

Button gets a drive through penalty because he was speeding in the pitlane when he made his first pitstop on lap 30. This put him at the back of the grid and was once again has to fought his way up the grid.

Kubica slowed down on track on lap 37 and went limping to the pit garage. He evidently went out of the race. It looked like he got problem with his gearbox. This put Heidfeld behind him to 4th place.

Raikkonen went for his final pitstop on lap 41. Hamilton once again led the race from Alonso. 3 laps later Hamilton went for his second pitstop, but was badly held up by Sato in the Super Aguri. This cost him the second place for the race and just have to settled for third.

At lap 51, Coulthard had an accident with Wurz. The Austrian didn’t saw the Britton coming and the inevitable happened putting both of them out of the race.

Massa, the only driver who opted the one stop strategy, finished 6th. His car however was not as fast as his team-mate Raikkonen.

Fastest lap of the race goes to Kimi Raikkonen in Scuderia Ferrrari Marlboro with 1:25.235 seconds.


p/s: There will be no report for Malaysian GP as I'll be covering the event first hand.

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Part Two: 2007 FIA Formula One Championship Preview

In Part Two of the 2007 FIA Formula One Championship Preview, I will introduce you to the teams and the drivers that are contesting for the Championship this year. Without further a due, let us take a look at the challenges that we can expect on the grid.

Fernando Alonso has been settling pretty well in his new team as showed during the pre-season winter testing where he almost always topped the testing sheet. His transition so far had been seamless. He immediately goes down to work to start his campaign to defense his title. If McLaren managed to solve their reliabilities issues, Fernando has a very good chance to score a hat-trick and we all know he is capable of it. However he might needs to look on his rear mirror more often for his team-mates Lewis Hamilton than on both Ferrari drivers. Lewis Hamilton is a long-time protégé of McLaren and its shows that he got real talent when the team trusted him to run alongside the Spaniard for the Championship campaign. It has been a long time since the team hires a rookie to fill in the race seat at McLaren. From the pre-season testing, McLaren MP4-22 is looking good for the championship. Their only worry would be the Ferrari…

There is no number one driver status at Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro which is a very significant difference after the post-Schumacher era. The team had been said that both drivers are given the chance to prove themselves and earn the status. During winter testing, Felipe Massa frequently swapped places with Fernando Alonso topping the testing sheet while Kimi Raikkonen has been not as quick as people predicted he would be in the new F2007. These two are immense rivals. Pundits had been quick to say that Kimi Raikkonen might find a harder task to win the championship than he had anticipated if he did not familiarized to his new team soon. I just think that he was sand bagging. On the other hand, Felipe Massa is highly motivated and his experience with the team has paid off extremely well. With Michael Schumacher out of the picture he does not have to make way for his team mate on the track. He is one of the favorites for the World Drivers Championship title beside his team mate and Fernando Alonso. With two strong drivers, and their long and fruitful relationship with Bridgestone, I put my money on Ferrari to snath the World Title from Renault.

After the departure of Fernando Alonso, the World Champion ING Renault F1 Team is sticking with their Italian driver, Giancarlo Fisichella for continuity and stability. Another new rookie on the grid, Heikki Kovalainen will be his partner. Heikki has been impressive in GP2 and his results in testing convinced Flavio Briatore that he is ready for Formula One debut. No one doubts that Renault has a fast engine underneath their machine R27. It is their drivers that people have little faith in. Giancarlo Fisichella was destroyed by Alonso for the past couple of years which should not have happened with his abundance experience. Although the Finn is highly rated and might possibility be the next big thing, it is still not proven that he can be Alonso successor. Lets all agree, it is quite a darn big shoe he is filling in for. They will be lucky if they can finish third in the Championship.

Honda Racing F1 Team has been struggling in pre-season testing. They are sticking with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello as their race drivers and hire a former Red Bull driver Christian Klien as their third driver. With Button finally score his first elusive win at Hungary last season, the team must be hungry for another such feat but judging from the RA107, which mostly lacks the aerodynamic grip, they need to do a lot more improvements before they can start challenging for the front spot. Barrichello does not set the world on fire either on his first year with Honda last season. He was frequently outpaced by his team mate and if things remain status quo at Honda this season, he might find it hard to find another team that is willing to hire him. Honda is supplying engine for the Super Aguri or also known as the Honda B team but since pre-season testing, the Super Aguri had been doing surprising well. Sometimes they even managed to out run the Hondas. Focus is now on the Honda team and many are scrutinizing them. Some even question, which is the real B team?

Through out pre-season testing, BMW Sauber F1 Team had been performing extremely well, quicker than expected. It also makes few pundits predicting the team to be up there challenging for the title. Why not? With the state-of-the-art windtunnel, the world fastest computer and two very good and capable drivers who will be driving the BMW F1.07, the World Title definitely is not completely out of their grasp. Nick Heidfeld is still driving and fully committed to the team. The German’s experience and expertise are very valuable assets. This could be the year he scores his first win especially with the team looking so promising in the pre-season testing. Robert Kubica who replaced Jacques Villeneuve for the last remaining six races of last season will be Heidfeld’s team mate. His impressive performances on his debut and a podium later on secure him the race seat. He is the most talk about rookie at the moment. Some even says that he will breathing down Nick’s neck and snatch the first win for the team. With him in the team, Nick certainly has up his game and the inter-rivalry between these two drivers is one of the exciting things we should look out for through out this season. As for the team itself, they are certainly has their eyes on the top three spots for the championship. The only setback at the moment is their reliability issue with their gearbox. If they can overcome that, we might see the BMW Sauber F1 drivers regularly on the podium, or challenging for the win.

This is the fifth year Panasonic Toyota Racing contested in the FIA Formula One World Championship and basically we expected more from them especially with their unlimited resources. Last season was not a good season for the Toyota team. This year they hope to recuperate and start their challenge on the big boys. Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher remain to help the team achieving their goals in the TF107. Jarno Trulli had just signed a three-year contract with the team and his long-term commitment will definitely help Toyota progress in team of experience and continuity. Ralf Schumacher on the other hand is eager to prove himself as his contract will end at the end of this season. He will push to his limit and if the results are anything like the Toyota had hope for, he might be looking at a contract renewal deal. I am sure Toyota does not have any difficulty to pay his ridiculous amount of salary. The team is eager to make sure the team they supplied their engine to, WilliamsF1, will not finish ahead of them in the Championship. The task is actually harder than it looks.

WilliamsF1 team finished the Championship at seventh place last season. It was the worst results in their F1 history. Probably the absent of BMW engine were hurting them more than they are willing to admit. Now, with Toyota engine at the back of FW28, the whole team is fire up to make sure it will never happen again. With Mark Webber now moved to Red Bull Racing, Nico Rosberg will be partnering Alexander Wurz who had been promoted from the third driver status. Rosberg was one of the rookie that disappoint me last year after so much promised and hype that had surround him before he enters the Formula One scene. The only highlight of his season would be the fastest lap that he set at the Bahrain GP. Other than that his performances were pretty much forgettable. This season he have to make sure to up his game and proved not only to the world but as well to himself that he truly earn his race seat. If he can do this, I believe the German will improve tremendously. As for Alex Wurz, he has a lot of work to do. Racing and testing are two different things and if he can conquer the racing part, WilliamsF1 team definitely would not be in the slump for much longer. They definitely will be satisfied if they can beat Toyota to the Championship.

Red Bull Racing will be running the RB2 with a Renault engine at the back of the car. RB2 much anticipated car that was designed by the former McLaren guru, Adrian Newey. This car is believed to be the key for the team to challenge for the Championship. How much truth is it, we just have to wait and see. From what I have seen so far, I think Newey has lost his magic touch. David Coulthard is still leading the team with Mark Webber as his teammate. Both have been very enthusiastic about the prospect of the new season but realistically they probably will be fighting with the like of Toyota and Williams to claim the fifth spot in the Championship.

Spyker F1 Team is relatively a new team after they bought the Midland F1 Team last season. They will be running Christijan Albers and a rookie from Germany, Adrian Sutil. Their main focus for the Championship would be not to finish last in every race weekend. Also, I would not be surprised if they sold this team to a new owner before the season ends. This team has changed two owners since it was bought from Eddie Jordan back in 2004.

Scuderia Toro Rosso will be using a Ferrari engine. STR2 is using the same chassis as Red Bull. Many are disputing this issue as it is contra to the regulation which stated that every team needs to build its own chassis. Of course the Toro Rosso claimed they built their own chassis but even the blind can see the uncanny similarity between the chassis. So far the issue has settle down but we will hear about it again if the Toro Rosso starts outrun the other teams. Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed are staying as their race drivers for this year. The announcement of the drivers were hold off until just before the season start which made both Liuzzi and Speed shed some sweats, worrying about their future in Formula One. Toro Rosso’s goal for the Championship is to beat their big brother Red Bull Racing team and if they can do this, it can prove one thing: Ferrari is the faster engine than the Renault.

Last but not least, let us take a look at Super Aguri. This team could be the surprise of the year. They will be running with Honda engine at the back of SA07 whose chassis was handed down by Honda. This mean the Super Aguri is using last year’s Honda chassis. Nonetheless the chassis were rebuilt by Super Aguri and this made it pass the FIA scrutiny. SA07 first run at the Australian GP were more than impressive considering it was never run before beating both the Honda cars in practices. SA07 was launched couple of days before the GP and had zero miles on its track record. Takuma Sato even managed to put the Aguri in top ten for the qualifying. There are already talks of dissatisfaction among other teams and if Aguri impressive performance continues, we might see a law suit to be brought up. I bet my 2 dollars that Super Aguri will win the case if there is happen to be one. Anthony Davidson is the other driver in the race seat. He had done brilliantly in pre-season testing and his performance last Sunday has put him back on the racing map. Jenson who?

My predictions for the World Constructors Championship in order would be Ferrari with McLaren coming in close second. BMW Sauber will take the third spot and Renault finishes behind them. Fifth spot is a toss between Toyota, Williams, Aguri and Honda. Then in ninth place it will be Red Bull while Toro Rosso and Spyker F1 battle it out not to be in last place.

As for the World Driver Championship, I predict either one of the Ferrari drivers to win it because Ferrari are the most dominant team out there on the grid but at the same time I am not discounting Alonso. The Spaniard had won two titles in not the fastest car underneath him so I certainly think he can do it again.

That is all for my 2007 season preview. Till next time...

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