Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo (Race 6, 2014) - Race

Rosberg holds on to win Monaco Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg managed to hold off a feisty Lewis Hamilton to win the illustrious Monaco Grand Prix. It was another perfect race weekend for Mercedes who dominated from start to finish. Despite a hard-fought challenge, Hamilton had to settle for second and still looked decidedly unhappy with his German team-mate after yesterday's controversial qualifying result. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo made it back to back podium finishes after crossing the line in third. Sebastien Vettel only lasted five laps before retiring from the race whilst Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in fourth. The race result means that Nico Rosberg replaces Lewis Hamilton at the top of the driver's standings and has taken a 4 point lead over his team-mate. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Rosberg (Winner), Hamilton (2nd). Mercedes have dominated five out of the first six races this season but it was Rosberg who held on to win the race today. Their was some bad blood between the two drivers after yesterdays controversial result and it spilled over today. Hamilton gave it a real go to pass Rosberg but it just wasn't meant to be. The German now takes a minor lead over Hamilton in the standings and it could start the beginning of a very frosty team atmosphere. 
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (dnf - 5 laps). Mixed emotions at Red Bull as Ricciardo finished on the podium for the second time in two races but Vettel only lasted five laps of the race before retiring. It could have been a much better weekend for the team had Vettel finished in the top four as well but Monaco belonged to Ricciardo who continues his great season so far. 
Ferrari - Alonso (4th), Raikkonen (12th). Alonso improved his position by one place after finishing in fourth but it was a really disappointing race for Raikkonen whose car suffered technical faults early on in the race. He couldn't recover the situation and failed to bring home any points. Ferrari are still a work in progress but they surely can't keep settling for sub-par results throughout the season.
Force India - Hulkenberg (5th), Perez (dnf - 0 laps). A mixed result for Force India who will be delighted that Hulkenberg climbed six places up the grid to equal his best finish of the season in 5th. However, Perez's day was over before the first lap ended after a crash with Maldonado. Things are looking optimistic for the team and they should continue to enjoy a good season. 
McLaren - Button (6th), Magnussen (10th). Decent result in the end for McLaren as both cars finished inside the top ten. Button impressively moved up six places to finish in sixth but Magnussen lost two places and fell down to 10th. Still, it was a decent result considering their car but McLaren want to achieve podiums. 
Williams - Massa (7th), Bottas (dnf - 55 laps). After a torrid day of qualifying yesterday, it was at least a little more positive after the race. Massa managed to move into the top ten and restore some of the teams pride but Bottas failed to finish a race for the first time this season. Despite lasting 55 laps, the car let Bottas down and forced him into retirement from the race. I'm sure we will see a much better result in Canada. 
Toro Rosso - Vergne (dnf - 50 laps), Kvyat (dnf - 10 laps). It was a really strong qualifying result for the team but it was a horror show in the race. Kvyat only managed 10 laps whilst Vergne was out there until the 50th before both cars retired from the race. A massively disappointing result in the end after what could have been a very strong result for the team. 
Lotus - Grosjean (8th), Maldonado (dnf - 0 laps). Lotus equalled their highest race finish of the season as Grosjean made up six places to finish in 8th. However, Maldonado was involved in a crash on the first lap which ended his race early on. 
Marussia - Bianchi (9th), Chilton (14th). Jubilation for Marussia who scored their first ever points in Formula 1. It was a real fight between Bianchi, Magnussen and Ericsson for those last couple of points but the Frenchman held on in what was a historical day for Marussia. Chilton was the last car to cross the line in 14th.
Sauber - Gutierrez (dnf - 59 laps), Sutil (dnf - 23 laps). A poor qualifying result turned into a terrible race weekend as both cars failed to finish the race. Sutil was out after 23 laps whilst Gutierrez retired after 59 laps in what was a truly torrid Grand Prix for Sauber. 
Caterham - Ericsson (11th), Kobayashi (13th). Caterham came so close to scoring their first ever points in Formula 1 but just missed out as Ericsson was beaten to 10th by Magnussen. Still it was an impressive performance from the team whilst Kobayashi claimed his best result of the season so far after crossing the line in 13th. 

Race Result:
Winner: Rosberg (Mercedes) 25pts
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) 18pts
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 15pts
4. Alonso (Ferrari) 12pts
5. Hulkenberg (Force India) 10pts
6. Button (McLaren) 8pts
7. Massa (Williams) 6pts
8. Grosjean (Lotus) 4pts
9. Bianchi (Marussia) 2pts
10. Magnussen (McLaren) 1pt

11. Ericsson (Caterham)
12. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
13. Kobayashi (Caterham)
14. Chilton (Marussia)

15. Gutierrez (Sauber) DNF 59 laps
16. Bottas (Williams) DNF 55 laps
17. Vergne (Toro Rosso) DNF 50 laps
18. Sutil (Sauber) DNF 23 laps
19. Kvyat (Toro Rosso) DNF 10 laps
20. Vettel (Red Bull) DNF 5 laps
21. Perez (Force India) DNF 0 laps
22. Maldonado (Lotus) DNF 0 laps

Fastest Lap of the Race: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1.18.479

Driver of the Day: Jules Bianchi moved up ten places to take Marussia's first ever points in F1. 

Team of the Day: Mercedes dominated the race and sealed the top two positions.

Driver Standings
1. Rosberg (Mercedes) 122pts
2. Hamilton (Mercedes) 118pts
3. Alonso (Ferrari) 61pts
4. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 54pts
5. Hulkenberg (Force India) 47pts

Constructor Standings
1. Mercedes 240pts
2. Red Bull 99pts
3. Ferrari 78pts
4. Force India 67pts
5. McLaren 52pts

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Monaco Grand Prix: Monte Carlo (Race 6, 2014) - Qualifying

Rosberg claims controversial pole position in Monaco

Nico Rosberg will start the Monaco Grand Prix at the front of the grid after controversially taking pole position ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg posted the fastest time on his penultimate lap but stopped his car towards the end of his last lap on track after misjudging a turn. This meant that a yellow flag was brought out and Hamilton's hopes of stealing pole was diminished. The Red Bulls will start right behind the two Mercedes on the second row whilst Daniel Ricciardo outshone Sebastien Vettel and will start in 3rd ahead of his German team-mate.



My Opinion: 

Mercedes - Rosberg (Pole), Hamilton (2nd). Mercedes have locked out the front grid for the second race in a row but Rosberg controversially claimed pole after stopping on track right at the end of the final qualifying session. Hamilton was faster in the first section and could possibly have snatched pole for himself. However, it was not to be and it will be a very interesting spectacle to see how the two drivers opt to play it during the race. I expect the two Mercedes to finish in the top two positions but I doubt Hamilton will find a way past Rosberg throughout the race. 

Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (4th). It certainly is no shame to finish behind the Mercedes but I'm sure Red Bull will be disappointed they couldn't get a car on the front row. Ricciardo outshone Vettel once again and is proving himself to be the real deal. Getting past a Mercedes looks unlikely but a podium should be a certainty for one of the Red Bulls. 

Ferrari - Alonso (5th), Raikkonen (6th). Ferrari proved to have the third fastest package on track today and it was Alonso who was the quicker of the two drivers. However, Raikkonen took 6th to equal his best result of the season. Anything higher than 5th would be a bonus for the team but holding onto their positions will be their aim for tomorrow. 

Force India - Perez (10th), Hulkenberg (11th). More of the same for Force India who only managed to see one car through to Q3. A disappointing result on the whole but I would expect points from one car whilst points from both cars may prove more challenging.
Williams - Bottas (13th), Massa (16th). Disastrous day of qualifying for Williams who had an absolute nightmare. Both cars were knocked out in Q2 which must have come as a surprise to the team. Massa and Bottas endured their worst results in qualifying this season as it was a real struggle for the team to get the most out of their cars. I can't see Massa getting into the points from 16th but Bottas may be able to move upj into the top ten if the race goes in his favour.
McLaren - Magnussen (8th), Button (12th). It's still not quite right at McLaren who only saw one of their cars progress into Q3. This time it was Magnussen who qualified 8th but Button will be disappointed that he could only manage 12th. I would expect to see Magnussen take some points home but Button could find it extremely tough to move up into the top ten.
Toro Rosso - Vergne (7th), Kvyat (9th). It was Toro Rosso's best qualifying result since the opening event in Melbourne. Both cars will start inside the top ten Vergne impressively took 7th. Consequently, I would be surprised it Vergne didn't finish inside the top ten tomorrow but Kvyat may fall down the order if he's not careful.
Lotus - Grosjean (14th), Maldonado (15th). Lotus have struggled terribly thus far this season and it didn't get too much better today. Grosjean and Maldonado had to settle for 14th and 15th respectively and it will take a massive effort from both drivers if they are to score any points this weekend. I don't hold out too much hope for them this time around.
Sauber - Gutierrez (17th), Sutil (18th). Sauber have achieved better results this season and it may prove to be a tough weekend for them as they failed to impress in qualifying. Gutierrez was the quicker of the two drivers but they were both knocked out in Q1. Points look out of the question and it may just be a race where data is collected from which they can hope to improve their package.
Marussia - Bianchi (19th>21st), Chilton (20th>19th). The Marussia's were faster than the Caterham's in qualifying but a penalty sees Bianchi drop two places and will see him start the race on the back row. Chilton will be hoping to win the battle at the back.
Caterham - Kobayashi (21st>20th), Ericsson (22nd). Caterham were the slowest team on track in qualifying but Kobayashi will start ahead of Bianchi. Ericsson was the slowest and will start at the back of the grid. 

Qualifying Grid and Starting Grid:

Q3

Pole: Rosberg (Mercedes)

2. Hamilton (Mercedes)

3. Ricciardo (Red Bull)

4. Vettel (Red Bull)

5. Alonso (Ferrari)

6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)

7. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

8. Magnussen (McLaren)

9. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)

10. Perez (Force India)

Q2

11. Hulkenberg (Force India)

12. Button (McLaren)

13. Bottas (Williams)

14. Grosjean (Lotus)

15. Maldonado (Lotus)

16. Massa (Williams)

Q1

17. Gutierrez (Sauber)

18. Sutil (Sauber)

19. Bianchi (Marussia) - Will start in 21st

20. Chilton (Marussia) - Will start in 19th

21. Kobayashi (Caterham) - Will start in 20th

22. Ericsson (Caterham)

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Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona (Race 5, 2014): Race

Hamilton wins the Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won for the fourth straight race in a row after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg finished second but saw his championship lead taken by Hamilton who now leads by three points. Daniel Ricciardo finished third and took the final spot on the podium whilst Sebastien Vettel impressively moved up the grid and finished 4th after starting all the way back in 15th. It seems that Red Bull are getting closer to challenging Mercedes but the German constructors are proving to still be the top dogs on the grid. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Hamilton (Winner), Rosberg (2nd). Perfect race result for Mercedes who claimed yet another one-two finish. Hamilton wins for the fourth time on the bounce which has taken him to the top of the championship and he currently looks unbeatable. Rosberg finished second but will most likely be gutted that he couldn't pass Hamilton to take the win. It is going to be a fascinating battle between the pair throughout the season but Hamilton has the edge right now. 
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (4th). Red Bull enjoy their best race result of the season so far. Ricciardo finished on the podium for the second time this season although this time I would expect him to keep that result. Vettel was mightily impressive and climbed eleven places up the grid to finish behind his team-mate in 4th. That was more like it from Red Bull but they just can't seem to give Mercedes a proper challenge yet. They are the second best team on the grid and that result just confirms it. 
Ferrari - Alonso (6th), Raikkonen (7th). Average result for Ferrari who aren't able to give Alonso and Raikkonen a fast enough car to challenge for a podium finish. Alonso managed to finish ahead of Raikkonen to finish in 6th but the team are not where they want to be. 
Force India - Perez (9th), Hulkenberg (10th). Decent result for Force India as both cars pick up points. Perez was the more impressive driver after moving up three places into 9th but Hulkenberg can be satisfied with his drive which saw him move up one place and take the final point on offer. The team have enjoyed better results than this but I'm sure they will just be glad that both cars finished inside the top ten.
Williams - Bottas (5th), Massa (13th). Mixed result for Williams. Bottas has finished inside the top ten in every race so far this season and continued his brilliant form with a fifth place finish. Very impressive stuff which will get the attention of the bigger teams. However, Massa was unable to take advantage of a good day of qualifying after falling four places and finishing 13th. Disappointing for Massa who knows that he has a car capable of a top six finish.
McLaren - Button (11th), Magnussen (12th). Poor result for McLaren who failed to claim a single point. Button dropped three places to finish 11th whilst Magnussen climbed three to finish 12th. McLaren expect their cars to score points and today will be seen as a failure. The car is in desperate need of some upgrades as it just isn't up to scratch. Hopefully, better results are ahead for McLaren.
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (14th), Vergne (DNF, 24 laps). Poor result for Toro Rosso who endured a tough day of it. Kvyat fell one place to finish 14th whilst Vergne only lasted 24 laps out on track before retiring from the race. The team are capable of scoring a few points so the result will come as a disappointment to them. However, their fate had been pretty much sealed after their sub-par qualifying result. 
Lotus - Grosjean (8th), Maldonado (15th). Points at last for Lotus. Grosjean converted a great qualifying result into finishing the race in 8th. Three places were lost from the start of the race but I'm sure a top ten finish would have improved the mood in that garage. Maldonado finished 15th which was a pretty average result for him this season. Encouraging signs ahead for the team and I'm sure they will score plenty more points this year.
Sauber - Gutierrez (16th), Sutil (17th). Disappointing day for Sauber. There were no improvements from qualifying as Sutil maintained 17th whilst Gutierrez fell two places to finish one place ahead of his team-mate. It hasn't been going well for Sauber since Melbourne so they will be desperate to have a strong result soon.
Marussia - Bianchi (18th), Chilton (19th). Marussia beat Caterham. Chilton failed to hold onto 18th place after being passed by Bianchi who finished ahead of his team-mate for the second time in a row. 
Caterham - Ericsson (20th), Kobayashi (DNF, 34 laps). Caterham were the slowest team on the grid. Ericsson was the last car to cross the finish line whilst Kobayashi retired from the race after 34 laps. 

Key Moments during the Race:

Start: Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas (up 1), Ricciardo (down 1), Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa (up 1), Hulkenberg (up 1), Gutierrez (up 3).
Lap 1: Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Hulkenberg, Perez (up 1). Contact between the cars of Magnussen and Vettel.
Lap 8: Kvyat moves into 11th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 9: Button moves into 12th after passing Gutierrez. Vettel moves into 13th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 10: Maldonado receives a 5 second stop and go penalty for causing a collision with Ericsson.
Lap 11: Maldonado moves into 18th after passing Bianchi.
Lap 14: Magnussen moves into 13th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 15: Vettel moves into 19th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 16: Ricciardo moves into 9th after passing Button.
Lap 17: Ricciardo moves into 7th after passing Kvyat. Grosjean moves into 13th after passing Sutil.
Lap 18: Ricciardo moves into 4th after passing Perez.
Lap 19: Hamilton makes a pit stop which means Rosberg takes the lead of the race.
Lap 22: Rosberg makes a pit stop which means Hamilton retakes the lead of the race.
Lap 23: Gutierrez moves into 17th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 24: Vergne OUT.
Lap 25: Raikkonen moves into 5th after passing Grosjean.
Lap 26: Alonso moves into 6th after passing Grosjean.
Lap 30: Maldonado moves into 15th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 34: Kobayashi OUT.
Lap 37: Alonso moves into 7th after passing Magnussen. Vettel moves into 9th after passing Massa.
Lap 38: Vettel moves into 8th after passing Magnussen.
Lap 41: Massa moves into 8th after passing Magnussen.
Lap 44: Hamilton makes a pit stop which means Rosberg take the lead of the race.
Lap 46: Rosberg makes a pit stop which means that Hamilton retakes the lead of the race.
Lap 52: Magnussen moves into 12th after passing Kvyat. Perez moves into 9th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 57: Vettel moves into 5th after passing Raikkonen.
Lap 64: Alonso moves into 6th after passing Raikkonen. Vettel moves into 4th after passing Bottas.
Lap 66/Finish: Hamilton wins the Spanish Grand Prix. Rosberg finishes second and Ricciardo claims third.

Race Result:
Winner: Hamilton (Mercedes) 25pts
2. Rosberg (Mercedes) 18pts
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 15pts
4. Vettel (Red Bull) 12pts
5. Bottas (Williams) 10pts
6. Alonso (Ferrari) 8pts
7. Raikkonen (Ferrari) 6pts
8. Grosjean (Lotus) 4pts
9. Perez (Force India) 2pts
10. Hulkenberg (Force India) 1pt

11. Button (McLaren)
12. Magnussen (McLaren)
13. Massa (Williams)
14. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
15. Maldonado (Lotus)
16. Gutierrez (Sauber)
17. Sutil (Sauber)
18. Bianchi (Marussia)
19. Chilton (Marussia)
20. Ericsson (Caterham)

21. Kobayashi (Caterham) Retired after 34 laps.
22. Vergne (Toro Rosso) Retired after 24 laps.

Fastest Lap of the Race: Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull) 1.28.918

Driver of the Day: Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull)

Team of the Day: Mercedes

Driver Standings:
1. Hamilton (Mercedes) (+25) 100pts
2. Rosberg (Mercedes) (+18) 97pts
3. Alonso (Ferrari) (+8) 49pts
4. Vettel (Red Bull) (+12) 45pts
5. Ricciardo (Red Bull) (+15) 39pts

Constructor Standings:
1. Mercedes (+43) 197pts
2. Red Bull (+27) 84pts
3. Ferrari (+14) 66pts
4. Force India (+3) 57pts
5. Williams (+10) 46pts

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Spanish Grand Prix: Barcelona (Race 5, 2014) - Qualifying

Hamilton in pole position for Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fourth pole position of the season and will start the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg on the front row. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was the quickest car behind the Mercedes and will start ahead of Valteri Bottas on the second row. Sebastien Grosjean claimed Lotus' best result in qualifying this season after qualifying fifth but it was a disappointing day for Sebastien Vettel who surprisingly could only manage to qualify 10th. Mercedes continue to dominate but the battle between Hamilton and Rosberg only becomes more intriguing. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Hamilton (Pole), Rosberg (2nd). Another perfect day of qualifying for Mercedes who locked out the front row for the Spanish GP. Hamilton took his fourth pole position of the season whilst Rosberg qualified right behind him in second. I would expect Hamilton to win from pole but I'm sure Rosberg will push him all the way. A top two finish is looking good for the team in tomorrow's race.
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (10th, starts15th). It was a mixed bag for Red Bull who will be pleased to see Ricciardo right behind the Mercedes but extremely disappointed with how Vettel got on after only managing 10th. It gets worse for Vettel who has to take a five place penalty which means he will start the race from 15th. Ricciardo should be looking to be on the podium in third whilst Vettel will just be trying to make up as many places as possible. 
Force India - Hulkenberg (11th, starts 10th), Perez (12th, starts 11th). Disappointing result for Force India as both cars just missed out on making it through to Q3. Hulkenberg proved to be just that little bit quicker than Perez but it wasn't the result the team were looking for after a decent start to the season. Both cars should be expecting to take home points but anything above 5th may be out of their reach. 
Ferrari - Raikkonen (6th), Alonso (7th). Standard result for Ferrari who just can't seem to find that raw pace to challenge Mercedes or Red Bull. Raikkonen was the faster of the two drivers and equalled his best qualifying result with 6th whilst Alonso will start from 7th. Points should be taken from both drivers but I would really like to see them both give a good chase to the leaders if they can keep up. 
McLaren - Button (8th), Magnussen (15th, starts 14th). Mixed result for McLaren as only Button made it into Q3. The team are still a long way off from where they wish to be but Button was on good form after qualifying 8th. Magnussen will have to work hard tomorrow after only managing 15th. McLaren are a team who should be taking points away with both cars but I think Button may be the only car to do so here. 
Williams - Bottas (4th), Massa (9th). Strong result for Williams as Bottas equalled his best performance of the year, qualifying 4th whilst Massa will start from 9th. Bottas has been very good so far and this is another great chance for him to shine. A podium finish may be possible but to finish in 4th would be a great result. Massa should bring home some more points but may struggle to ascend the order into the top five.
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (13th, starts 12th), Vergne (16th, starts 22nd). Disappointing result for Toro Rosso as both cars failed to progress into Q3. Kvyat was the faster of the two drivers and will start from 12th whilst Vergne will begin the race from the back of the grid after receiving a penalty. I don't think the team will take any points home but if they do, Kvyat is the man who will do it. 
Lotus - Grosjean (5th), Maldonado (22nd, starts 21st). Signs of improvement at Lotus. Grosjean managed to produce the teams best qualifying result by an absolute country mile after putting his car 5th on the grid. It demonstrates that there are encouraging signs ahead for the team and it will be very interesting to see if they can convert that great result into a lot of points. However, Maldonado is still really struggling and failed to post a time. He will start on the back row alongside Vergne but all hopes of points from this race lie with Grosjean. 
Sauber - Gutierrez (14th, starts 13th), Sutil (17th, starts 16th). Standard set of results for Sauber. Gutierrez proved himself to be faster than Sutil and will start from 13th whereas Sutil starts from 16th. There are faster cars than Suaber in front of them which makes points seem unlikely even though Gutierrez is only three places away. 
Marussia - Chilton (18th, starts 17th), Bianchi (19th, starts 18th). Decent day of qualifying for Marussia who saw Chilton oust Bianchi. Chilton will lead the battle of the Marussia and Caterham cars ahead of Bianchi and they should both finish ahead of the Caterham's in the race. 
Caterham - Ericsson (20th, starts 19th), Kobayashi (21st, starts 20th). Caterham were the slowest cars on track today but Ericsson equalled his best result with 20th. He will start ahead of Kobayashi who endured his worst qualifying result of the season. 

Qualifying Grid and Starting Grid:

Q3
Pole: Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Rosberg (Mercedes)
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull)
4. Bottas (Williams)
5. Grosjean (Lotus)
6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
7. Alonso (Ferrari)
8. Button (McLaren)
9. Massa (Williams)
10. Vettel (Red Bull) - 5 place penalty, will start 15th.

Q2
11. Hulkenberg (Force India)
12. Perez (Force India)
13. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
14. Gutierrez (Sauber)
15. Magnussen (McLaren)
16. Vergne (Toro Rosso) - 10 place penalty, will start 22nd.

Q1
17. Sutil (Sauber)
18. Chilton (Marussia)
19. Bianchi (Marussia)
20. Ericsson (Caterham)
21. Kobayashi (Caterham)
22. Maldonado (Lotus)

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Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir (Race 3, 2014): Qualifying

Rosberg takes pole in Bahrain

Nico Rosberg will start in pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix as Mercedes dominated qualifying at the Sakhir circuit. It is the German's first pole position of the season and will start the race on the front row alongside Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo qualified third but will start in 13th due to a ten place penalty which means that Valteri Bottas will start ahead of Sergio Perez on the second row. Sebastien Vettel surprisingly failed to make it into Q3 after just missing out in 11th. However, due to Ricciardo's penalty, the German will start the race in 10th.



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Rosberg (Pole), Hamilton (2nd). A brilliant day of qualifying for Mercedes who locked out the front row. Rosberg acquired his first pole position of the season and will be hoping to come away from tomorrow's race with his second win of the year. Trying to score two race wins in a row will be Hamilton, who was beaten to pole position for the first time this year. It should be a great battle between the two Mercedes drivers and I fully expect them to finish first and second.
McLaren - Button (7th), Magnussen (9th). It was a decent day of qualifying for Mclaren as both drivers will start in the top ten. Button claimed his best qualifying result of the season so far and looks set for a strong race in 7th whilst Magnussen endured his worst result from qualifying but should be looking to ascend the order from 9th. Points from both drivers look set to be taken.
Ferrari - Raikkonen (6th), Alonso (10th). Ferrari had an average day of qualifying and will probably be disappointed with where their cars will star the race. Raikkonen out-qualified his team-mate for the first time this season after qualifying in 6th but Alonso had a tough time of it after struggling for pace and could only manage 10th. Despite an average Saturday, I'm sure Ferrari will pick up the points tomorrow but a driver on the podium looks doubtful.
Williams - Bottas (4th), Massa (8th). It was Williams' best result in qualifying this season as but Bottas was the star man. It was Valteri's best qualifying result by a mile and will really fancy his chances of making the podium. Meanwhile, Massa enjoyed his best result in qualifying and should back Bottas up by providing Williams with a strong result in the race tomorrow. 
Force India - Perez (5th), Hulkenberg (12th). Another mixed result for Force India as only one of their cars manages to make it into Q3. Perez was quite brilliant and completely turned his fortunes around by qualifying 5th. The Mexican will be delighted with that and will surely have a shout in making the podium. Hulkenberg has normally been pretty good in qualifying this season but couldn't manage to pull it off today after being knocked out in Q2. Disappointing result for him but I'm sure he will be in the hunt to take some points away from the race. 
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd-13th), Vettel (11th). Despite Ricciardo qualifying third, his 10 place penalty means that Red Bull have failed to put a car in the top ten for the start of the race. Who would have believed that after their recent era of dominance? Ricciardo was actually pretty impressive and outshone Vettel one again this season but will have to fight it out in the middle order to come away with points. Vettel struggled for pace, and not for the first time this year, after failing to make it into Q3. I'm certain the Red Bulls will climb up the order tomorrow but they need to sort out their performances on Saturdays. 
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (13th), Vergne (14th). That was Toro Rosso's worst result in qualifying this year and they keep falling further down the field at each event. Kvyat was the faster of the two drivers for the first time this season but to be without a driver in the top ten will be a huge disappointment for the team. I'm not entirely convinced about their credentials for picking up points from the race as their are faster and better teams out there. 
Sauber - Gutierrez (15th), Sutil (18th-22nd). Sauber's struggles continue. It was a tough day out there for Sauber as only one driver made it into Q2. Gutierrez will start from 15th but points seem out of the question. Sutil failed to make it into Q2 and could only qualify 18th but a penalty means that he will start from the back of the grid. Looks like it could be a long old race for Sauber who don't have much to look forward to. 
Lotus - Grosjean (16th), Maldonado (17th). It was the same result that they achieved in Malaysia for Lotus who continue to fall short of expectations. Grosjean managed to make it into Q2 but that's really all that can be said for his efforts. Meanwhile, Maldonado was knocked out in Q1 for an early finish to his qualifying. Things are looking pretty down in the dumps at Lotus who haven't built a competitive car as yet and will most likely struggle through the race. 
Caterham - Kobayashi (19th), Ericsson (21st). Caterham will be pleased that they were the faster team compared to Marussia as Kobayashi was the quickest out of the four drivers at the back of the grid. Ericsson was second slowest around the track today but will fancy his chances of beating the Marussia's to the finish line. 
Marussia - Bianchi (20th), Chilton (22nd). Marussia endured their worst qualifying result of the season as they found themselves to be the slowest cars out on track. Bianchi split the two Caterham's but Chilton clocked the slowest time around Sakhir today. 

Qualifying Result and Starting Grid:

Q3
Pole. Rosberg (Mercedes) 1.33.185
2. Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 10 place penalty - will start in 13th
4. Bottas (Williams)
5. Perez (Force India)
6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
7. Button (McLaren)
8. Massa (Williams)
9. Magnussen (McLaren)
10. Alonso (Ferrari)

Q2
11. Vettel (Red Bull) 
12. Hulkenberg (Force India)
13. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
14. Vergne (Toro Rosso)
15. Gutierrez (Sauber)
16. Grosjean (Lotus)

Q1
17. Maldonado (Lotus)
18. Sutil (Sauber) 10 place penalty - will start in 22nd
19. Kobayashi (Caterham)
20. Bianchi (Marussia)
21. Ericsson (Caterham)
22. Chilton (Marussia)

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2013 Race 19 - Brazilian Grand Prix (Interlagos): Race

Vettel wins final race of the season
Sebastien Vettel capped a championship winning season in style by winning the final race of the 2013 Formula 1 season. Things did not go to plan at the start of the race for the German as a slow getaway allowed Rosberg to take the lead of the race during the first lap. However, it only took until the second lap for Vettel to claim back first place and from then on the German never looked back. Mark Webber ended his Formula 1 career in second place which was well received amongst the motor racing community. Fernando Alonso held onto third place and took the final spot on the podium to end a tough year for himself and Ferrari.

My Opinion:
Red Bull: Vettel (winner), Webber (2nd). It turned out to be a great and dominant season from Red Bull. Vettel became the runaway champion during the second half of the season whilst Webber proved to be a strong second driver for the team. It will be interesting to see how the team does with the rule and engine changes next year. Additionally, I am sad to see Webber leave the sport and he will be missed amongst the fans.
Mercedes: Rosberg (5th), Hamilton (9th). Mercedes held onto second place by six points in the constructors championship after both drivers scored vital points in the last race. The team were a strong force but were never close enough to the Red Bulls to mount a competitive challenge. Hamilton will feel justified with his move to the team whilst Rosberg proved his credentials.
Ferrari: Alonso (3rd), Massa (7th). Not the season Ferrari were hoping for but third place amongst the teams is still a good achievement. Ultimately, poor qualifying sessions throughout the season were to blame for the lack of success but Alonso showed guts and determination to fight his way to the top of the grid on multiple occasions. Massa was a decent second fiddle driver for the team and his commitment to the team will be hugely valued. 
Lotus: Kovalainen (14th), Grosjean (DNF). Lotus should be pleased with their efforts this year although a sour taste will be left after the fiasco with Raikkonen. Grosjean showed glimpses of his potential to finish on the podium whilst Raikkonen was back to his best earlier in the season. 
Mclaren: Button (4th), Perez (6th). Mclaren had a really disappointing season. As a fan of the team I was really gutted that the team couldn't challenge for podium positions this year. Button achieved the teams highest finish this season with 4th but that is not what the team set out to achieve. Perez can feel upset about losing his drive for the team next year as he did a decent job with the car he had. Hopefully, next season will be more prosperous for Mclaren.
Force India: Di Resta (11th), Sutil (13th). Force India's season was summed up well with the their result in this race. They were always near the points but often came up short. Di Resta had a difficult season with a number of retirements whilst Sutil coped in a satisfactory fashion.
Sauber: Hulkenberg (8th), Gutierrez (12th). It was an up and down season for Sauber. There were some very promising results but there were also some races to forget. Hulkenberg proved he was a strong driver whilst Gutierrez often had an average day. 
Toro Rosso: Ricciardo (10th), Vergne (15th). Toro Rosso's triumphs came during the qualifying sessions where they were often competing in the top ten shootout. However, they may have had a fast car during qualifying but it was often not the case during the race where they frequently fell down the order. One shining light for the team was Ricciardo who managed to provide the team with valuable points on multiple occasions and rightly deserves his place alongside Vettel next season.
Williams: Maldonado (16th), Bottas (DNF). Williams endured a tortuous season. Nothing went well for the team and they will be glad to see the back of the season. There ended up being a nasty rift with Maldonado which will now come to an end but Bottas managed to provide some points for the team along the way. 
Caterham: Van Der Garde (18th), Pic (DNF). Caterham were the faster of the two slowest teams on the grid. Although they didn't achieve a single point, they can take pride in the fact that they did their best with the limited funds available to them.
Marussia: Bianchi (17th), Chilton (19th). Marussia were the slowest team on the grid but will have learnt vast amounts of knowledge from their experience throughout the season. It was good to see another Brit on the grid and I hope Chilton gets a seat for next year too. 



Race Guide and Key Moments:
Start: Rosberg (up 1), Vettel (down 1), Hamilton (up 2), Alonso (down 1), Webber (down 1), Massa (up 3), Grosjean (down 1), Hulkenberg (up 2), Ricciardo (down 2), Bottas (up 3).
Lap 2: Vettel takes the lead after passing Rosberg. Alonso into 3rd after passing Hamilton. Webber into 4th after passing Hamilton.
Lap 3: Button into 10th after passing Bottas. Grosjean OUT after engine bursts into flames.
Lap 4: Alonso into 2nd after passing Rosberg. 
Lap 7: Webber into 3rd after passing Rosberg. Gutierrez into 11th and Perez into 12th after both passing Sutil. Button into 8th after passing Ricciardo.
Lap 11: Hamilton into 4th after passing Rosberg. 
Lap 13: Webber into 2nd after passing Alonso. Perez into 10th after passing Bottas. Button into 7th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 15: Massa into 4th after passing Rosberg.
Lap 19: Kovalainen into 18th after passing Bottas.
Lap 20: Kovalainen into 17th after passing Vergne.
Lap 22: Button into 7th after passing Ricciardo. Button into 6th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 24: Vettel makes a pit stop and retains the lead. 
Lap 26: Webber into 2nd after passing Alonso.
Lap 32: Massa receives a drive through penalty after crossing the line at pit entry.
Lap 37: Maldonado into 14th after passing Bottas.
Lap 42: Sutil into 14th after passing Kovalainen.
Lap 46: Massa into 9th after passing Di Resta.
Lap 47: Bottas OUT after contact with Hamilton causes him to spin off track due to a rear tyre puncture but Hamilton manages to make it back to the pits.
Lap 48: Vettel makes a pit stop and regains the lead.
Lap 51: Drive through penalty for Hamilton for causing contact with Bottas.
Lap 54: Drive through penalty for Van Der Garde for ignoring blue flags.
Lap 58: Hamilton into 9th after passing Ricciardo.
Lap 61: Pic OUT after suspension damage.
Lap 64: Sutil into 13th after passing Kovalainen.
Lap 71: Vettel wins the Brazilian Grand Prix. Webber finishes second whilst Alonso claims third.

Brazilian Grand Prix Result:
1. Vettel (Red Bull) 1.32.36.300
2. Webber (Red Bull)
3. Alonso (Ferrari)
4. Button (Mclaren)
5. Rosberg (Mercedes)
6. Perez (Mclaren)
7. Massa (Ferrari)
8. Hulkenberg (Sauber)
9. Hamilton (Mercedes)
10. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

Fastest Lap: Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1.15.436

Driver Standings:
1. Vettel (Red Bull) 397pts
2. Alonso (Ferrari) 242
3. Webber (Red Bull) 199
4. Hamilton (Mercedes) 189
5. Raikkonen (Red Bull) 183

Constructor Standings:
1. Red Bull 596pts
2. Mercedes 360
3. Ferrari 354
4. Lotus 315
5. Mclaren 122

Performance of the Day: Jenson Button (Mclaren) pulled off a great race to climb 10 places from his starting grid position to finish in Mclaren's highest spot of the year in 4th.
Most Overtakes of the Day: Jenson Button (Mclaren) with 9.
Shock of the Day: Mclaren's incredible performance. 

2013 Race 19 - Brazil Grand Prix (Interlagos): Qualifying

Vettel takes final pole position of the year
Sebastien Vettel will start the final race of the year on pole position after beating Nico Rosberg's time by half a second. Fernando Alonso finally showed some raw pace in qualifying to sit alongside Mark Webber on the second row.

My Opinion:
Red Bull: Vettel (pole), Webber (4th). No surprise to see Vettel claim the final pole position of the year but it does represent his dominance of the second half of the season. Webber will begin on the second row and will be hoping to finish his final formula one race of his career on the podium.
Mercedes: Rosberg (2nd), Hamilton (5th). Mercedes will be pleased with their last qualifying result of 2013. Rosberg will start in second whilst Hamilton will be hoping to push for a podium spot.
Ferrari: Alonso (3rd), Massa (9th). Ferrari have struggled all year in qualifying but were given some late hope for next season after Alonso claimed a position on the second row. Massa will be hoping to finish his final race for Ferrari in style and put on a show for his home fans.
Lotus: Grosjean (6th), Kovalainen (11th). Not the best result but certainly not the worst for Lotus. Grosjean continued his consistent run of form whilst Kovalainen will be hoping to pick up a few vital points for the team.
Mclaren: Perez (14th), Button (15th). A disastrous session for Mclaren saw both drivers fail to make the top ten shootout. Perez outshone his team mate but it does reflect the terrible season Mclaren have suffered this year.
Force India: Di Resta (12th), Sutil (16th). Not the way Force India would have liked to have ended their qualifying year outside the top ten but a decent race could make all the difference.
Sauber: Hulkenberg (10th), Gutierrez (18th). Sauber have had mixed success this year which is summed up nicely by their final qualifying result. Hulkenberg will be pushing for points although Gutierrez will find it a much harder task.
Toro Rosso: Ricciardo (7th), Vergne (8th). A brilliant way to finish the year in qualifying for Toro Rosso. Both cars will start in the top ten and if both cars score points then it would really help towards finishing ahead of Sauber. 
Williams: Bottas (13th), Maldonado (17th). Williams have had a season to forget and it did not get any better here. Bottas and Maldonado will have to dig deep to claim any points for the team.
Caterham: Pic (19th), Van Der Garde (20th). Caterham placed themselves above Marussia and for the final race with Pic just quicker than Van Der Garde. 
Marussia: Bianchi (21st), Chilton (22nd). Marussia have been the slowest team on the track this year and fill the last row on the grid. However, Bianchi can take some pride in beating team mate Chilton to avoid starting in last place. 



Qualifying Result and Starting Grid:
1. Vettel (Red Bull) 1.26.479
2. Rosberg (Mercedes)
3. Alonso (Ferrari)
4. Webber (Red Bull)
5. Hamilton (Mercedes)
6. Grosjean (Lotus)
7. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)
8. Vergne (Toro Rosso)
9. Massa (Ferrari)
10. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

Performance of the Day: Fernando Alonso for putting that Ferrari on the second row.

Shock of the Day: Team Mclaren having a very poor day and one to forget quickly. 

2013 Race 18 - USA Grand Prix (Circuit of the Americas): Race

Vettel wins US Grand Prix
Sebastien Vettel continued to dominate the season with his eighth consecutive victory after winning the US Grand Prix. Romain Grosjean drove impressively during the race and climbed one spot to finish second. Mark Webber claimed the final podium position after dropping down to third place.

My Opinion:
Red Bull: Vettel (winner), Webber (3rd). A very good weekend for Red Bull with both drivers finishing on the podium. No surprises that Vettel won the race but it was to see Webber drop a place to third.
Mercedes: Hamilton (4th), Rosberg (9th). A decent race for Mercedes as both drivers took points. Hamilton drove well to climb one spot whilst Rosberg managed to rise three places into the top ten. 
Ferrari: Alonso (5th), Massa (13th). Mixed day for Ferrari as only one car managed to take away some points. Alonso was strong in the race as you would expect, rising one place to fifth but Massa struggled and failed to make any headway up the order.
Lotus: Grosjean (2nd), Kovalainen (15th). Another team who had a mixed day. Grosjean was the star of the day to finish second but Kovalainen fell seven places and out of the points.
Mclaren: Perez (7th), Button (10th). A decent effort from both the Mclaren drivers who each claimed valuable points. Perez maintained his position in seventh whilst Button jumped five places to take the final point. 
Force India: Di Resta (16th), Sutil (DNF). A terrible day for Force India. Di Resta really struggled and fell five places whilst Sutil crashed out in the early stages of the race. 
Sauber: Hulkenberg (6th), Gutierrez (14th). A good day for Sauber. Hulkenberg picked up some meaningful points and only fell two places whilst Gutierrez climbed six places but finished outside of the points.
Toro Rosso: Ricciardo (11th), Vergne (12th). So close for Toro Rosso. Frustratingly for the team, both cars narrowly missed out on the points with Ricciardo losing one place and Vergne not able to improve from 12th.
Williams: Bottas (8th), Maldonado (17th). Mixed fortunes for Williams. Bottas rose one place to climb some rare points for the team whilst Maldonado failed to improve his low position.
Caterham: Van Der Garde (19th), Pic (20th). The Caterhams were consistent but Van Der Garde proved to be the quicker driver for the team this weekend.
Marussia: Bianchi (18th), Chilton (21st). Bianchi won the mini team battle and finished ahead of both the Caterhams but Chilton was the last car to cross the finish line. 



Race Guide and Key Moments:
Start: Vettel, Grosjean (up 2), Hamilton (up 2), Webber (down 2), Hulkenberg (down 1), Perez (up 1), Alonso (down 1), Bottas (up 1), Di Resta (up 2), Ricciardo.
Sutil OUT after crashing into the barrier, contact with Maldonado. Safety car deployed.
Lap 4: Safety car returns to the pits.
Lap 13: Webber into 3rd after passing Hamilton. 
Lap 20: Rosberg into 10th after passing Ricciardo.
Lap 23: Kovalainen into 11th after passing Di Resta and Rosberg.
Lap 26: Gutierrez into 7th after passing Vergne. 
Lap 27: Perez into 8th after passing Vergne.
Lap 28: Vettel makes a pit stop, Grosjean takes the lead of the race.
Lap 29: Alonso into 6th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 30: Grosjean makes a pit stop, Vettel takes the lead of the race.
Lap 31: Perez into 7th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 32: Rosberg into 11th after passing Kovalainen.
Lap 34: Rosberg into 10th after passing Di Resta.
Lap 35: Bottas into 8th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 45: Ricciardo into 10th after passing Di Resta. Alonso into 5th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 49: Pic receives a drive through penalty.
Lap 55: Button into 10th after passing Ricciardo.
Lap 56: Vettel wins the US Grand Prix. Grosjean second and Webber third.

US Grand Prix Result:
1. Vettel (Red Bull) 1.39.17.148
2. Grosjean (Lotus)
3. Webber (Red Bull)
4. Hamilton (Mercedes)
5. Alonso (Ferrari)
6. Hulkenberg (Sauber)
7. Perez (Mclaren)
8. Bottas (Williams)
9. Rosberg (Mercedes)
10. Button (Mclaren)

Fastest Lap: Vettel (Red Bull) 1.39.856

Driver Standings:
1. Vettel (Red Bull) 372pts
2. Alonso (Ferrari) 227
3. Hamilton (Mercedes) 187
4. Raikkonen (Lotus) 183
5. Webber (Red Bull) 181

Constructor Standings:
1. Red Bull Racing 553pts
2. Mercedes 348
3. Ferrari 333
4. Lotus 315
5. Mclaren 102

Performance of the Day: Romain Grosjean (Lotus).
Most Overtakes of the Day: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) with 3.
Shock of the Day: Felipe Massa (Ferrari) stayed in 13th.