Sunday, 27 March 2011

Animating the rules

Found this on the net recently. Another animation from Red Bull (narrated by World Champ Sebastian Vettel) explaining the new rules for 2011, about moveable rear wings and KERS, time will tell if this helps the racing from last year, which was great. But, another great 3D animation from Red Bull.



End of blog for now, new blog soon. Bye.

Australian Grand Prix Review, And how to solve a problem like Hispania

A quick review of the race, and as the title says how to solve a problem like Hispania?

Good points

  • Sebastian Vettel (pole to win he was dominating)
  • Lewis Hamilton (started 2nd finished 2nd,)
  • Vitaly Petrov (finished 3rd, best result for the Russian)
  • Sergio Pérez (would have finished 7th, only one tyre stop on the new Pirelli's!)
  • Sébastien Buemi (finished 8th)
  • Paul di Resta (finished 10th in his race debut for Force India)

Bad points

  • Mark Webber (finished 5th, at his home crowd)
  • Filipe Massa (finished 7th)
  • Sauber (Sergio Pérez would have finished 7th, Kamui Kobayashi would have finished 8th, but DSQ because of rear wings problems)
  • Mercedes GP (M. Schumacher DNF, Rosberg DNF)
  • Williams (Barichello DNF, Maldonado DNF)
  • HRT (Luizzi DNQ, Karthikeyan DNQ)

Overall a good race (not as good form last years race), as I said above Sebastian Vettel was dominating throughout the weekend, also using no KERS in his Red Bull car, so first blood for the Champ and Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton had a good race weekend, when you thinking that McLaren was in trouble a few weeks back, with the updates worked well for McLarens' this weekend. Also, impressed with Vitalty Petrov performance this weekend (started 6th, finished 3rd) who looks like he has stepped up from last season performances already, he needs to continue this season.

And as I said in the title says how to solve a problem like Hispania? beacause both Hispanias' didn't qualified under the 107% rule, which is reintroduced this season.

So who is to blame? I don't thinks its the drivers fault ( Vitantonio Liuzzi nor Narain Karthikeyan fauilt), mechanics: no. I personally believe that the fault of this at the top end of Hispania; José Ramón Carabante (who owns Hispania) and Colin Kolles (Team Principal) . These are my questions to them:

  • Why they dropped out the Toyota deal (or didn't pay them) to build their cars this season?
  • Why haven't they bring out the car (this years car F111) this season car early on in the testing? (and not waiting till last day at Barcelona, where they couldn't do this because of Spanish Customs) Why it take this weekend at Melbourne to do so (to me they look like bring back the old car what I've seen this weekend)?
  • How much budget have they got (rumoured they had approx $25 million last season as budget) will they finished even this season?
  • Why they haven't bought in sponsorship (only sponsorship on the car this season is Tata and Pirelli stickers)

If they do this again in Sepang (Malaysia) in two weeks time, don't bother finishing the season Hispania. I know a few people who are fans of Formula 1 thinks this team is a complete utter joke. Even Bernie Ecclestone believes this as well. So prove the world wrong Hispania and kick your stuff into gear ASAP.

End of blog for how, new blog soon, that is all. Bye.

Monday, 21 March 2011

Formula 1 2011 Season preview (tweeting), Motogp Qatar (tweeting) and Australian Grand Prix predictions

Today post is a F1 preview, Prediction via by tweeting 140 characters for each team on Twitter (note I've extended a bit on Virgin Racing) last week on my Twitter site jonnyh5onracing, this will be interesting to write about each team. Starting off with Red Bull Racing.

Red Bull: car looks like evolution from last season, looks fast in testing, Vettel needs to defend his title, Webber needs to take it away.

Ferrari: looks much of a strong car this season, Alonso is strong favourite for the Drivers world championship, Massa looks fast in testing

McLaren: looks like another bad car to start with, but can McLaren turn around. Can Button and Hamilton can win the drivers world championship

Mercedes: car started slow in testing, looking much faster, can M. Schumacher needs to improve from last year, Rosberg need to start winning

Williams: looks really fast in testing, best of Cosworth teams, Barrichello looks fast as usual, Maldonado a rookie with lot to prove in 11.

Lotus Renault: great car one problem? No Kubica, don't know when he be back. Hiedfied good replacement how fast is he? Petrov needs to improve

Sauber: looks fast in testing, will they bring it to races, Perez has got nothing to lose as a rookie, looks fast, Kobayashi exciting to watch as usual

Force India: unknown to guess it's either a fast or slow F1 car with FI. Sutil will be points taker for FI. Di Resta touch rookie year ahead

Toro Rosso: looks Like a very fast STR since Vettel won a race in 2008, Make or brake year for both Buemi & Alguersuari if not in firing line

Team Lotus: Renault engines and Red Bull gearboxes will help Team Lotus, Trulli and Kovalainen will take Team Lotus into points this season

HRT: could be still the worse team on the grid, no testing with the new car (bad luck), signing Liuzzi is big help for HRT, Katherthikeyan ?

Marussia Virgin Racing: looks like a much better car overall than last season in every single way, Virgin will rely more on Glock than usual, D'Ambrosio unsure?

Prediction time, Who gonna win the world drivers championship? I wouldn't be big surprise Sebastian Vettel doing back to back championships. Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso will be touch challengers for Vettels title.

Constructors title: either Red Bull or Ferrari, I probably predict for Ferrari to win the constructors championships. I personally think Ferrari has got the pace to win the championship this season (Red Bull too), I doubt that Mercedes, McLaren or Renault will be challenging the top two for pace.

Predictions for Australian Grand Prix: Vettel to win from pole, Alonso second and Hiedfied third. Don't forget Webber, Massa, Mercedes drivers and McLaren drivers as well to surprise.

Oh by the way last nights Motogp race in Qatar: Honda was dominating in that race, four Hondas in top five, great race for Stoner on the Honda debut, touch Ducati debut for Rossi.

So that is all, Bye.

Monday, 14 March 2011

Predictions for this season MotoGP (intresting Post 34 like Kevin Schwantz race number 34 I Just notice)

Hi guys, in this post I will discussed this seasons MotoGP Championship, only focusing MotoGP Championship rather focusing on Moto 2 or 125cc. Oh by the way I won't review next weeks Qatar race, due to I'm writing up F1 preview. So here is my thoughts of this seasons MotoGP Championship in different sections and predicting them.

Top British driver - Cal Crutchlow, Tech 3 Yamaha

HIs is only Brit in the premier class. I Personally think Cal needs another season in World Superbikes with Yamaha. But, lets see what will Cal do this season. Main challenge will be his Tech 3 team mate Colin Edwards and not being last in races for Cal this season. Lets wait and see.

Big Surprise - Karel Abraham, Cardion AB Motoracing

A big surprise his on a MotoGP bike this season. He was in Moto 2 last season (finishing 10th, best race wining at Valencia at the end of last season). Also, his riding a Ducati, which is a touch bike to handle. But, it will be a big surprise if he finished in a Top 7 in a race this season.

Biggest Disappointment - Valentino Rossi, Ducati Team

If you expecting Valentino Rossi to win this seasons championship, I doubt it. He ain't looking good on the Ducati, like the last few seasons on a Yamaha M1, which was his bike. Ducati isn't his style yet. So expect wins later in the season, don't expect another world championship from the nine times champion.

Best Improver (1) - Marco Simoncelli, Gresini Honda

I have chose two drivers for this section. First driver, Marco Simoncelli. His on a semi-works Honda. He got better at the end of last season (three straight top six in Australia, Portugal (almost a podium at the end of the race) and Valencia). So expect a few podiums this season from Marco

Best Improver (2) - Ben Spies, Yamaha Factory Raicng

Second Driver, Ben Spies were last season a rookie, he was great (a pole at Indy and top 8's in each race last season). Now on a works Yamaha this season you gonna see improvements from Ben, possibilities wins, despite being team mates to current champion Jorge Lorenzo.

Don't forget these drivers as-well:

Andrea Dovizioso, Repsol Honda

His on a works Honda, despite two better in talent team mates don't be surprise he might give you a odd win this season if the Honda works well.

Nicky Hayden, Ducati Team

Despite having Rossi a team mate and on a Duke (Ducati), Nicky will give you a drive that you will not expected this season. Such as Aragon last season, were he finished on the podium a head of Jorge Lorenzo. And he gives the team top six's each race last season.

Driver to beat this season, at this moment it ain't current champion Jorge Lorenzo on a works Yamaha, I do believe he wants to defend his championship he won last season, also believe will be in the top three in the championship at least. Just as Best Improver I've got two for drivers to beat.

Driver to beat (1) - Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda

If he ain't injured, if the Honda is the best bike, it could be the best time for Dani to win his first MotoGP Championship in the Premier Class this season. Bike been great in pre-season testing, driver to beat? only one problem his new team-mate.

Driver to beat (2) - Casey Stoner Repsol Honda

New team after leaving Ducati for the past four season were he won a championship with them. But, new channelling to win a divers title for Honda since Nicky Hayden in 2006. Same as Dani, not injured and his Honda is best on the grid, there will be no stopping for Casey for wins and championship. If i'm going to pick a driver to win the championship it's Casey.

End of the Motogp predictions. I'm going some were interesting on Wednesday, which I tell you guys later in the week (not sure I'm going yet). Next week F1 Preview in a tweeting kind of way. End of blog now. That is all. Bye.

Monday, 7 March 2011

Rally Mexico and Ken Block

Not the biggest post this week, but here goes, here's the blog.

A quick mention about Rally Mexico (I know I shouldn't be discussing about it from a pervious post), with seven times World Rally Champion Sebastian Loab winning in his Citroen DS3 car and his first win this season and the DS3 too. But sad to see Sebastian's team mate Sebastian Ogier crashing on Day 3 in the lead as well. Also, sad to see Ken Block having a bad weekend at Rally Mexico last weekend (finishing 13th, having to retiring three times). He mention he could have finished 6th, if he didn't retired those three times, which I agree with Block (find the footage on Ken Block's Facebook page).

But what I found on DC shoes Youtube channel, extra footage from his Gymkhana Three from last year, which was quite interesting to watch with different Camera angles unknown for the Original Gymkhana footage what I've seen (Original Gymkhana film below the extra footage). So enjoy watching the extra footage.





End of blog for now. New blog soon. That's all. Bye.

Friday, 4 March 2011

Need For Speed Shift 2: Unleashed and Rally America

Sorry I haven't written one for a while, Internet troubles and work comments. But here's a new post, I found the audio track from the Dakar Post video called Extraball by Yuksek ft Amanda Blank. So thanks anyway.

Also, changing the game for this post, there is a new Need for Speed game coming coming out called 'Shift 2:Unleashed', game footage below shows contain series from FIA GT1 World Championship, FIA GT3 European championship, Time Attack and Formula Drift and new cars such as Pagani Huayra and tracks including new circuits such as Suzuka and Dubai. I loved the first Shift game, hopes the second game is great with added night races as well. Hopes the game will great as Gran Turismo 5.



Also, found another video from the latest round of Rally America at the 100 Acre Wood Rally. Where current champion Antoine L'Estage in his 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, won the event (usually Ken Block wins this Rally) contracts to L'Estage. And a return from four time Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana in a 2007 Subaru Imperza, where he crashed on the first stage, shame.



End of blog for now, see ya soon, Bye.