Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir.
So Predictions for the race, and for the win I predict Lewis Hamilton for the race win in the Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas second in the other Mercedes, and Sebastian Vettel third in the Mercedes. Don't forget Charles Leclerc, Kimi Räikkönen, Red Bull drivers, the Renault drivers, and the Haas drivers as well for a podium place.
Friday, 29 March 2019
Monday, 25 March 2019
Top six Worse Honda F1 race cars (Redux)
With Honda join forces with Red Bull Racing this season for the 2019 season, so far Red Bull-Honda already got a podium from last weekends Australian Grand Prix with Max Verstappen. Meaning Honda pace and reliability problems looks set to be over and with Red Bull-Honda partnership looking at race wins this season this post will be Top six Worse Honda F1 race cars that have been in Formula 1! revisited.
Starting with number 6:
Number 6: 2016 McLaren MP4-31
Story: McLaren MP4-31 was designed by Matt Morris, Tim Goss amd Peter Prodromou, the McLaren MP4-31 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren MP4-31 best results was two fifth place finishes for Fernando Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix. The McLaren MP4-31 did better than last season with 76 points, the McLaren MP4-31 took McLaren to sixth place in the constructors standings that season.
Number 5: 2018 Toro Rosso STR13
Story: Toro Rosso STR13 was designed by James Key, the Toro Rosso STR13 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The Toro Rosso STR13 best results with just one fourth place finish for Pierre Gasly at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Toro Rosso STR13 only took 33 points that season, the Toro Rosso STR13 took Toro Rosso to a ninth place in the constructors standings in 2018. The results was enough for sister team Red Bull to use the Honda power-units for the next two seasons going into 2019.
Number 4: 2007 Honda RA107
Story: Honda RA107 was designed by Shuhei Nakamoto and Mariano Alperin-Bruvera, The Honda RA107 used the Honda 2.4 litre V8 engine underneath. And despite Honda won a Grand Prix the season before with the RA106, the Honda RA107 was no where near as its predicator as it was a very slow car. Best result was a wet fifth place finish with Jenson Button at the Chinese Grand Prix. Overall RA107 took Honda to eighth place in the Constructor standings, with just 6 points in 2007.
Number 3: 2017 McLaren McL32
Story: McLaren McL32 was designed by Matt Morris, Tim Goss amd Peter Prodromou, the McLaren McL32 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren McL32 best results with just one sixth place finish for Fernando Alonso at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren McL32 only took 30 points that season, the McLaren McL32 took McLaren to another ninth place in the constructors standings. Due these results, this resulted a break up from Honda and McLaren going into 2018, McLaren using Renault power-units while Honda went to Toro Rosso for 2018.
Number 2: 2008 Honda RA108
Story: Honda RA108 was designed by Shuhei Nakamoto, Jörg Zander and Loic Bigois, The Honda RA108 used the Honda 2.4 litre V8 engine underneath. And just like the 2007, the Honda RA108 was still a very slow car. Best result was a wet third place finish with Rubens Barrichello at the British Grand Prix. Overall RA108 took Honda to an even worse position then in 2007 with a ninth place in the Constructor standings, with just 14 points in 2008. After that season, Honda withdrew from Formula 1 for third time in their history.
Number 1: 2015 McLaren MP4-30
Story: McLaren MP4-30 was designed by Neil Oatley and Tim Goss, the McLaren MP4-30 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren MP4-30 best results with just one fifth place finish for Fernando Alonso at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren MP4-30 only took 27 points that season, the McLaren MP4-30 took McLaren to their worse finish since 1980 with a ninth place in the constructors standings. Due to new power unit from Honda which was underpowered and unreliable, even Alonso compared the power unit to a GP2 engine on Honda's home Grand Prix at Suzuka.
The 2015 McLaren MP4-30 is the worst McLaren F1 car ever in their history its also the Worse Honda F1 race car ever!
Starting with number 6:
Number 6: 2016 McLaren MP4-31
Story: McLaren MP4-31 was designed by Matt Morris, Tim Goss amd Peter Prodromou, the McLaren MP4-31 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren MP4-31 best results was two fifth place finishes for Fernando Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix. The McLaren MP4-31 did better than last season with 76 points, the McLaren MP4-31 took McLaren to sixth place in the constructors standings that season.
Number 5: 2018 Toro Rosso STR13
Story: Toro Rosso STR13 was designed by James Key, the Toro Rosso STR13 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The Toro Rosso STR13 best results with just one fourth place finish for Pierre Gasly at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Toro Rosso STR13 only took 33 points that season, the Toro Rosso STR13 took Toro Rosso to a ninth place in the constructors standings in 2018. The results was enough for sister team Red Bull to use the Honda power-units for the next two seasons going into 2019.
Number 4: 2007 Honda RA107
Story: Honda RA107 was designed by Shuhei Nakamoto and Mariano Alperin-Bruvera, The Honda RA107 used the Honda 2.4 litre V8 engine underneath. And despite Honda won a Grand Prix the season before with the RA106, the Honda RA107 was no where near as its predicator as it was a very slow car. Best result was a wet fifth place finish with Jenson Button at the Chinese Grand Prix. Overall RA107 took Honda to eighth place in the Constructor standings, with just 6 points in 2007.
Number 3: 2017 McLaren McL32
Story: McLaren McL32 was designed by Matt Morris, Tim Goss amd Peter Prodromou, the McLaren McL32 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren McL32 best results with just one sixth place finish for Fernando Alonso at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren McL32 only took 30 points that season, the McLaren McL32 took McLaren to another ninth place in the constructors standings. Due these results, this resulted a break up from Honda and McLaren going into 2018, McLaren using Renault power-units while Honda went to Toro Rosso for 2018.
Number 2: 2008 Honda RA108
Story: Honda RA108 was designed by Shuhei Nakamoto, Jörg Zander and Loic Bigois, The Honda RA108 used the Honda 2.4 litre V8 engine underneath. And just like the 2007, the Honda RA108 was still a very slow car. Best result was a wet third place finish with Rubens Barrichello at the British Grand Prix. Overall RA108 took Honda to an even worse position then in 2007 with a ninth place in the Constructor standings, with just 14 points in 2008. After that season, Honda withdrew from Formula 1 for third time in their history.
Number 1: 2015 McLaren MP4-30
Story: McLaren MP4-30 was designed by Neil Oatley and Tim Goss, the McLaren MP4-30 had the 1.6 litre Honda V6 power-unit underneath. The McLaren MP4-30 best results with just one fifth place finish for Fernando Alonso at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The McLaren MP4-30 only took 27 points that season, the McLaren MP4-30 took McLaren to their worse finish since 1980 with a ninth place in the constructors standings. Due to new power unit from Honda which was underpowered and unreliable, even Alonso compared the power unit to a GP2 engine on Honda's home Grand Prix at Suzuka.
The 2015 McLaren MP4-30 is the worst McLaren F1 car ever in their history its also the Worse Honda F1 race car ever!
2018/19 Formula E - Sanya ePrix - Round 6 Recap
Review of Round Six of the 2018-19 Formula E season held at the Haitang Bay Circuit in Sanya, south of China.
The race was won by DS Techeetah Formula E Team driver and Current Formula E Champion Jean-Éric Vergne took the race win in his Spark-Citroën. Second was Nissan e.dams driver Oliver Rowland in his Spark–Nissan, he was seventeen tenths of a second behind Vergne in the end. Meanwhile, third was BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver António Félix da Costa in his Spark-BMW, he was three seconds behind Vergne in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Seven of the 2018-19 Formula E season at the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR for the Rome ePrix in three weeks time.
The race was won by DS Techeetah Formula E Team driver and Current Formula E Champion Jean-Éric Vergne took the race win in his Spark-Citroën. Second was Nissan e.dams driver Oliver Rowland in his Spark–Nissan, he was seventeen tenths of a second behind Vergne in the end. Meanwhile, third was BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver António Félix da Costa in his Spark-BMW, he was three seconds behind Vergne in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Seven of the 2018-19 Formula E season at the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR for the Rome ePrix in three weeks time.
Monday, 18 March 2019
2019 Sebring 12 Hours Review
As the title says a Sebring 12 Hours Review of the race. Review of Round two of the 2019 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season at Sebring International Raceway and the second round of the Michelin Endurance Cup.
Whelen Engineering Racing team won the race overall and Daytona Prototype international class too of Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran and Pipo Derani in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8.
While, Konica Minolta Cadillac team finished in second place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Jordan Taylor, Matthieu Vaxivière and Renger van der Zande; they were a second behind the leaders. Meanwhile, Mustang Sampling Racing team finished in third place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Brendon Hartley,Filipe Albuquerque and João Barbosa; they were four seconds behind the leaders.
In GT Le Mans Class, Porsche GT Team team won GT Le Mans Class and finished in tenth place overall in their Porsche 911 RSR; with the drivers of Frédéric Makowiecki, France Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy; they were eighteen laps behind the leaders.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Performance Tech Motorsports team of Kyle Masson, Cameron Cassels and Andrew Evans in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in seventeenth place overall and they were twenty-six laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In GT Daytona Class, GRT Grasser Racing team won GT Daytona Class and finished in nineteenth place overall in their Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo; with the drivers of Mirko Bortolotti, Rik Breukers and Rolf Ineichen; they were twenty-eight laps behind the leaders.
Highlights of the 2019 Sebring 12 Hours below.
Next Stop Long Beach in four weeks time for round three of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Whelen Engineering Racing team won the race overall and Daytona Prototype international class too of Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran and Pipo Derani in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8.
While, Konica Minolta Cadillac team finished in second place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Jordan Taylor, Matthieu Vaxivière and Renger van der Zande; they were a second behind the leaders. Meanwhile, Mustang Sampling Racing team finished in third place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Brendon Hartley,Filipe Albuquerque and João Barbosa; they were four seconds behind the leaders.
In GT Le Mans Class, Porsche GT Team team won GT Le Mans Class and finished in tenth place overall in their Porsche 911 RSR; with the drivers of Frédéric Makowiecki, France Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy; they were eighteen laps behind the leaders.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Performance Tech Motorsports team of Kyle Masson, Cameron Cassels and Andrew Evans in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in seventeenth place overall and they were twenty-six laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In GT Daytona Class, GRT Grasser Racing team won GT Daytona Class and finished in nineteenth place overall in their Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo; with the drivers of Mirko Bortolotti, Rik Breukers and Rolf Ineichen; they were twenty-eight laps behind the leaders.
Highlights of the 2019 Sebring 12 Hours below.
Next Stop Long Beach in four weeks time for round three of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
2019 1000 Miles of Sebring Review
Review of Round Six of the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship at Sebring International Raceway on the outskirts of Sebring, Florida, U.S.A.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team won the race overall and the LMP1 class too of Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6. While, second place was the other Toyota Gazoo Racing to complete a Toyota one-two finish, with the team of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were a lap behind the leaders at the end of the race. Meanwhile, third place was the SMP Racing of Mikhail Aleshin, Vitaly Petrov and Brendon Hartley in their BR Engineering BR1, AER P60B 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were eleven laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Jackie Chan DC Racing team of David Heinemeier Hansson, Jordan King and Will Stevens in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in fourth place overall and they were fourteen laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Pro class, was won by Porsche GT Team of Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz won in their Porsche 911 RSR. They finish in tenth place overall and they were twenty-seven laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Am class, was won by Dempsey-Proton Racing team of Matt Campbell, Christian Ried and Julien Andlauer in their Porsche 911 RSR. They finish in twentieth place overall and they were thirty-two laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
Highlights of the 1000 Miles of Sebring below, enjoy.
Next Stop 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in seven weeks time for round seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team won the race overall and the LMP1 class too of Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6. While, second place was the other Toyota Gazoo Racing to complete a Toyota one-two finish, with the team of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were a lap behind the leaders at the end of the race. Meanwhile, third place was the SMP Racing of Mikhail Aleshin, Vitaly Petrov and Brendon Hartley in their BR Engineering BR1, AER P60B 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were eleven laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Jackie Chan DC Racing team of David Heinemeier Hansson, Jordan King and Will Stevens in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in fourth place overall and they were fourteen laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Pro class, was won by Porsche GT Team of Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz won in their Porsche 911 RSR. They finish in tenth place overall and they were twenty-seven laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Am class, was won by Dempsey-Proton Racing team of Matt Campbell, Christian Ried and Julien Andlauer in their Porsche 911 RSR. They finish in twentieth place overall and they were thirty-two laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
Highlights of the 1000 Miles of Sebring below, enjoy.
Next Stop 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in seven weeks time for round seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
2019 Australian Grand Prix Review
2019 Australian Grand Prix of the first round of the F1 season at Albert Park on the outskirts of Melbourne.
The race itself was a good race to watch. Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton was on pole for the Australian Grand Prix. However, it was the other Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas had a lighting of a start and never looked; lead all but two laps and the fastest lap to win this seasons Australian Grand Prix for Valtteri Bottas's first race win of the season.
While, Bottas's team-mate Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished in second place in the other Mercedes to give the team its first one-two finish of the season, Hamilton was twenty-one seconds behind Bottas at the end.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen finished in third place in the Red Bull to complete the podium to give Honda their engine partner their first podium since their return to Formula 1, Verstappen was twenty-two seconds behind Bottas at the end of the fifty-eight lap race.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 8 (pole, finished second)
Valtteri Bottas - 9 (race win, fastest lap)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 7 (finished fourth)
Charles Leclerc - 7 (finished fifth)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Max Verstappen - 9 (finished third)
Pierre Gasly - 5 (finished eleventh, lap down)
Renault - 6
Daniel Ricciardo - 5 (DNF, Damage)
Nico Hülkenberg - 7 (finished seventh, lap down)
Haas - 9
Romain Grosjean - 8 (DNF, Wheel)
Kevin Magnussen - 10 (finished sixth)
McLaren - 5
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 5 (DNF, Engine)
Lando Norris - 6 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Racing Point - 6
Sergio Pérez- 5 (finished thirteenth)
Lance Stroll - 7 (finished ninth, lap down)
Alfa Romeo - 6
Kimi Räikkönen - 7 (finished eighth, lap down)
Antonio Giovinazzi - 5 (finished fifteenth, lap down)
Toro Rosso - 6
Daniil Kvyat - 7 (finished tenth, lap down)
Alexander Albon - 5 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Williams - 3
George Russell - 4 (finished sixteenth, two laps down)
Robert Kubica - 2 (finished seventeenth, three laps down)
Next stop Bahrain International Circuit, for the Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks time.
The race itself was a good race to watch. Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton was on pole for the Australian Grand Prix. However, it was the other Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas had a lighting of a start and never looked; lead all but two laps and the fastest lap to win this seasons Australian Grand Prix for Valtteri Bottas's first race win of the season.
While, Bottas's team-mate Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished in second place in the other Mercedes to give the team its first one-two finish of the season, Hamilton was twenty-one seconds behind Bottas at the end.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen finished in third place in the Red Bull to complete the podium to give Honda their engine partner their first podium since their return to Formula 1, Verstappen was twenty-two seconds behind Bottas at the end of the fifty-eight lap race.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 8 (pole, finished second)
Valtteri Bottas - 9 (race win, fastest lap)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 7 (finished fourth)
Charles Leclerc - 7 (finished fifth)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Max Verstappen - 9 (finished third)
Pierre Gasly - 5 (finished eleventh, lap down)
Renault - 6
Daniel Ricciardo - 5 (DNF, Damage)
Nico Hülkenberg - 7 (finished seventh, lap down)
Haas - 9
Romain Grosjean - 8 (DNF, Wheel)
Kevin Magnussen - 10 (finished sixth)
McLaren - 5
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 5 (DNF, Engine)
Lando Norris - 6 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Racing Point - 6
Sergio Pérez- 5 (finished thirteenth)
Lance Stroll - 7 (finished ninth, lap down)
Alfa Romeo - 6
Kimi Räikkönen - 7 (finished eighth, lap down)
Antonio Giovinazzi - 5 (finished fifteenth, lap down)
Toro Rosso - 6
Daniil Kvyat - 7 (finished tenth, lap down)
Alexander Albon - 5 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Williams - 3
George Russell - 4 (finished sixteenth, two laps down)
Robert Kubica - 2 (finished seventeenth, three laps down)
Next stop Bahrain International Circuit, for the Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks time.
Friday, 15 March 2019
Charlie Whiting 1952-2019
Charlie Whiting, Formula 1 race director, has passed away at the age of 66 on Thursday morning (13/3/19). Condolences goes out to the family and friends of Charlie Whiting.
A statement from the FIA announced that he died from a pulmonary embolism in Melbourne, on the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Whiting had been present in the Albert Park paddock on Wednesday.
Whiting first worked in Formula 1 for Hesketh Racing in 1977. But, Writing moved to Brabham in 1978, became best known working at Brabham to become its chief mechanic, helping Nelson Piquet to the world drivers' championship in 1981 and 1983 and would stay at the team until it was sold by then owner Bernie Ecclestone in 1988.
He moved to a position as FIA technical delegate in 1988 and safety delegate from 1997.
His role included overseeing track and car safety, technical and procedural matters on Grand Prix weekends plus starting the race itself.
Whiting was instrumental in pushing for improved safety standards in F1, and was a driving force behind the introduction of the halo at the start of last year.
This is one of the guys that made Formula 1 and Motor-racing in general safer so that is why we celebrate his life and legacy in this sport today and remember that.
R.I.P. Charlie Whiting
A statement from the FIA announced that he died from a pulmonary embolism in Melbourne, on the eve of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Whiting had been present in the Albert Park paddock on Wednesday.
Whiting first worked in Formula 1 for Hesketh Racing in 1977. But, Writing moved to Brabham in 1978, became best known working at Brabham to become its chief mechanic, helping Nelson Piquet to the world drivers' championship in 1981 and 1983 and would stay at the team until it was sold by then owner Bernie Ecclestone in 1988.
He moved to a position as FIA technical delegate in 1988 and safety delegate from 1997.
His role included overseeing track and car safety, technical and procedural matters on Grand Prix weekends plus starting the race itself.
Whiting was instrumental in pushing for improved safety standards in F1, and was a driving force behind the introduction of the halo at the start of last year.
This is one of the guys that made Formula 1 and Motor-racing in general safer so that is why we celebrate his life and legacy in this sport today and remember that.
R.I.P. Charlie Whiting
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