tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42397539756950738332011-11-28T00:59:40.575ZFormula One News, Opinion, and DiscussionChristopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-43780835235559277522007-10-03T10:27:00.002Z2008-02-25T20:17:34.914Z

2008 SeasonWilliams poised to bounce back in 2008Analysis: The day F1 went tabloidHow much can fans read into Raikkonen's testing pace?". Can Red Bull deliver on their ambitious 2008 target? Honda recovery will take time2007 SeasonDon't despair RonRaikkonen well poised for title battleVictory by 0.070 seconds?Alonso favourite for championship

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-71043266079562387402007-09-08T21:09:00.001Z2007-09-08T21:12:48.074Z

Alonso well and truly silenced the Hamfosi today. Whatever Mclaren’s problems off the track, on it at least, the team performed faultlessly; the silver cars looked absolutely beautiful. Alonso was on blinding form and if his fist punching was anything to go by after grabbing pole, he knew it too. I don’t for a minute pretend to understand the underlying dynamics of an F1 car but you could

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-37356980227651913262007-09-01T14:47:00.001Z2007-09-01T14:52:37.560Z

I apologise for the lack of entries recently; I have been pretty snowed under at work. Some thoughts on Turkey. Ferrari quashed Mclaren with a 1-2 finish but I think there will be some dissatisfaction – or at least a sense of missed opportunity – with the result. Why? Because just as in 2006 when a safety car situation allowed Massa to get the jump on Michael Schumacher, so again this year, the

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-68742483567216449092007-08-18T14:32:00.000Z2007-08-18T14:36:44.243Z

I stumbled across this a while ago but forgot to put it on the site. An interesting chat between Ron Dennis and Michael Schumacher at a Fashion Event in 1995. Dennis tried to schmooz the world champion into a Mclaren seat for 1996. I wonder how Schumacher would have fitted into Dennis' equalities agenda.

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-53200270267023175282007-08-18T11:58:00.000Z2007-08-18T12:00:07.077Z

There is a definite lull in the F1 world at the moment as the paddock takes it’s annual respite. If anyone needs a break it’s going to be Ron Dennis. He really did look dreadful at Hungary and it was clear the Hamilton-Alonso row was taking its toll.While Mclaren are recovering from the events of Hungary, or at least preparing themselves for their appeal hearing - now confirmed for the 19th

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-70716077953282607302007-08-16T18:44:00.000Z2007-08-16T18:57:56.743Z

ITV-F1's Mark Hughes has written a very interesting and balanced analysis of Hungary's "pitlanegate" (see HERE. Well worth a read. After essentially concluding that it was six of one half a dozen of the other he goes on to argue that the Ron Dennis' overpowering desire for control was partly to blame for the shenanigans. “Of Dennis’ current drivers, neither Alonso nor Hamilton share Raikkonen’s

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-3868146836503550392007-08-11T13:19:00.001Z2007-08-11T13:24:24.511Z

There is an awful lot of wishful thinking optimism coming out of the Ferrari camp at the moment following Luca di Montezemolo’s visit to the team. The very public outcome of these “discussions” between the president of Ferrari and the team’s senior management was a series of motivational statements along the lines of “we’ve screwed up but we are still in with a shout”.“We can win all the

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-4535367672832606212007-08-10T20:24:00.000Z2007-08-10T20:27:14.029Z

I notice today that Torro Rosso have signed three-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais at the expense of poor Tonio Liuzzi. This is a big coup for the sister Red Bull team and makes for quite a strong line-up for next year what with young Vettel also at the helm.“It has been a long time coming, but here we are!” said Bourdais. “I would like to thank everyone at Red Bull for believing in me

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-14299883620869697082007-08-05T19:38:00.001Z2007-08-05T19:39:42.353Z

We had a strange race today that somehow allowed itself to be overshadowed by the off track politics. Not surprising you might say given the scale of the Ferrari-Mclaren row and the shenanigans – from both Mclaren drivers – in yesterday’s qualifying. But in the past the grid lights have always had a way of silencing and making irrelevant such events as the drivers storm down to the first corner

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-41608979610085873242007-08-05T10:02:00.001Z2007-08-05T10:19:28.828Z

Alonso has been given a five place grid penalty for impeding Lewis Hamilton during yesterday's qualifying session. Mclaren have also been docked in advance of any constructors points that they might pick up. Full FIA Statement:During the final minutes of Qualifying, the car driven by Fernando Alonso remained in its pit stop position at the completion of his pit stop notwithstanding the fact that

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-47089944142405548162007-08-04T21:13:00.001Z2007-08-04T21:19:03.159Z

Session Winners:Toyota seem to be on the up. For the third time in a row the team have got both their cars in the top ten with Ralf Schumacher a solid sixth fastest and Jarno Trulli lining up ninth. "It was our best qualifying so far this season so we can only be happy with how it went. For the first time one of our cars went into Q3 with only one flying lap in Q2 so clearly we are in good shape

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-71707944905476707892007-08-04T14:22:00.000Z2007-08-04T14:25:21.106Z

I thought I’d post a quick reflection on the Alonso incident while my blood is up before making a more measured response on the rest of qualifying later on.A career in politics beckons for Alonso after he retires I think. No one spins events quite like him.“The team was holding me back in the pit stops and we tried to have a bit of space on the track, especially to the Ferrari ahead of us," he

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-50550787077425183102007-07-30T20:00:00.001Z2007-07-30T20:07:47.402Z

Big big huge news: Damon Hill, easily the greatest driver ever to grace a Formula One cockpit in the entire history of motorsport, is to stand in for Martin Brundle at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.This is a huge coup for the Hillites – that ever diminishing breed of F1 loyalists who, if you’re very very lucky, can occasionally be spotted lingering around the grandstands at Silverstone

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-53010062116850949082007-07-29T11:33:00.000Z2007-07-29T11:38:26.295Z

I have really got into the Tour de France this year thanks to access to digital television. I absolutely love it, especially the team strategy element. There is something quite admirable about the way the ‘domestiques’ sacrifice their entire races for their team leader.The whole doping scandal surrounding this year’s tour – which I think is more to do with tougher regulations than increasing drug

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-88830929761960692322007-07-25T19:59:00.000Z2007-07-25T20:07:03.488Z

TTS looks back at the European Grand Prix and responds to my “Alonso Storms to Chaotic Nurburgring Win” post.After reading Chris Hayes recent blog entry, “Alonso Storms to Chaotic Nurburgring Win”, and after a brilliant European Grand Prix, I felt the need to respond. An opinion is like a head, everybody’s got one. I have to admit that I’m not a fan of Murray Walker. I met him at the Hungarian

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-82231861909971596122007-07-24T20:57:00.000Z2007-07-24T21:05:45.923Z

There is a lot that doesn’t smell right about the Stepneygate-Coughlan affair but the Honda connection is something I find particularly fishy.The mysterious three-way job interview between Nick Fry and the troublesome duo seems to have been put on the backburner amidst the legal proceedings but it remains deeply suspicious in my view.True, Honda are currently headhunting just about anything that

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-30699254123782855652007-07-22T18:05:00.000Z2007-07-22T18:08:11.303Z

If ever there was an indication of just how dramatic today’s race was going to be it was BBC Five Live’s decision to bring Murray Walker back to the helm. What a race to have the old boy back.I was a bit unsure at first as to whether to put ITV on mute but it was worth it if only for the start. Without any disrespect to James Allen – and I think he has taken a lot of unfair stick from fans,

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-4798869561306204982007-07-21T17:22:00.000Z2007-07-22T10:55:19.051Z

Lewis Hamilton has been provisionally cleared to take part in Sunday’s European Grand Prix pending a final medical check before the race. Precautionary scans revealed that he had sustained no injuries from his crash. [UPDATE: Hamilton has been given the final clearance from the FIA]In a statement Mclaren Mercedes said: “Vodafone McLaren Mercedes are very happy to confirm that Lewis Hamilton is

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-57252691527226663972007-07-21T15:30:00.000Z2007-07-21T15:32:44.180Z

Just saw this on the TV and had to post a copy. Looks like Hamilton's legs had already taken a battering before his crash if that fall in the corridor is anything to go by.

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-39334580825121191282007-07-21T14:57:00.001Z2007-07-21T15:01:11.664Z

Lewis Hamilton is a lucky boy. It was a pretty big impact and the car even looked to be slightly airborne when it dived into the middle of the tyre wall. He was lucky the bump or whatever it was that caused the elevation didn’t lift him any higher.I have to say I am slightly sceptical about the news being fed to the public. There seems to be a general feeling that he will be ok to start tomorrow’

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-73692287825006786062007-07-15T18:38:00.000Z2007-07-15T18:59:12.366Z

It’s Sunday evening and I thought it would be good to spend half an hour or so taking stock of the last fortnight. Stepneygate aside, the last couple of races have been good for the sport and good for the championship fight.Firstly we have the resurgence of Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen in particular. The Scuderia have bought radical new aerodynamic packages to both the French and British Grand Prix

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-8193847319897248232007-07-14T19:16:00.000Z2007-07-14T19:27:44.521Z

It’s amazing how much we rely on the internet for our news and information. I’ve been out of the loop for about a fortnight for various reasons and one of the biggest stories of the F1 season breaks. According to my RSS reader I have some 215 F1 blog entries and 1027 news stories to wade through. A large number of these seem to be dedicated to the Stepney-Coughlan espionage saga. F1 journalists

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-91090957994507680882007-07-09T21:14:00.000Z2007-07-09T21:29:00.259Z

I apologise for the lack of activity on this blog lately. A broken monitor on my laptop (which still isn't sorted out) and a new job among other things have prevented me from updating as much as I would like. In addition, this weekend I made my first visit to Silverstone, a trip that I didn't know that I was making untill a rude awakening at 6.16am on Saturday morning. I hope to do a write up of

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-14107333546864121712007-07-02T19:00:00.000Z2007-07-02T19:05:14.321Z

Kimi Raikkonen led a reinvigorated Ferrari squad to dominant 1-2 at the French Grand Prix this afternoon after coming out on top of a race long battle with team-mate Felipe Massa.It was a disappointing day for Mclaren. Lewis Hamilton was unable to make any inroads on the leaders after switching to a three-stop strategy and Fernando Alonso – who was forced to start tenth after a gearbox problem in

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-83725203597705089822007-06-30T21:38:00.000Z2007-06-30T21:41:59.984Z

Felipe Massa pipped Lewis Hamilton to pole position for the French Grand Prix today much to the delight of a rejuvenated Ferrari squad. Fernando Alonso’s chances of taking the top spot were severely compromised after a gearbox problem put an end to his qualifying session – he will start the race from 10th on the grid.Disaster for Alonso. Mclaren have had such fantastic reliability this year so it

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-20564869652396567452007-06-29T21:00:00.000Z2007-06-29T21:08:07.083Z

It looks as though Ferrari are back in the hunt. Fantastic. If the 2007 season needs anything it’s a renewed fight for the constructors title.Mclaren have been dominating for too many races. Regardless of whether or not they have been using team-orders we have certainly been robbed of a duel – both tactical and on-track – between the red and silver cars. Ferrari seem to be sporting just about a

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-34507680472875398032007-06-25T12:59:00.000Z2007-06-25T13:03:39.877Z

It seems Honda have discovered a performance advantage over their B-team Super Aguri. There have been mixed reports about the size of the gap however.Following an extensive test at Jerez which saw the introduction of Honda’s B-spec RA107 technical director Shuhei Nakamoto said:“We made some good progress at the three-day test in Jerez this week where the excellent weather allowed us to fully

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-1993400001396370972007-06-22T22:17:00.000Z2007-06-24T11:43:28.552Z

The new safety car regulations raise a lot of questions. Primarily do the benefits outweigh the costs? In my opinion the regulations were introduced without consideration being given to the consequences.I was glad to see that Chris has raised the issues surrounding the new safety car regulations.When I first hear about this new regulations, I was slightly confused. I couldn’t understand the logic

TTShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17095098788944412227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-78994681199102023192007-06-22T10:47:00.000Z2007-06-22T10:53:54.022Z

TTS's ‘Exposing the Hamilton Myths’ post yesterday raised an interesting question over the 2007 safety car rules: do they encourage teams to bring their cars in earlier than expected?At Monaco, Canada and Indianapolis, Mclaren have felt the need to factor in the safety car in their strategies, bringing their cars in early to avoid a safety car situation. Arguably, this has prevented a straight

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-76568659986627325662007-06-21T15:06:00.000Z2007-06-21T15:21:56.109Z

I thought I would post this interesting and welcomed criticism from my friend – an avid Coulthard supporter – in a bid to counter the Hamilton bias that pervades this blog. In this post he explores the issue of driver favouritism at Mclaren, assess the true impact of the ‘Hamilton effect’ and looks at the use of team tactics at the US GP.Alonso vs. HamiltonYou made reference to the fact that

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-81133442143589024342007-06-18T13:55:00.000Z2007-06-18T14:00:04.698Z

Lewis Hamilton stormed to his second career win at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday after a merciless duel with team-mate Fernando Alonso.“It just keeps getting better and better – what an amazing week this has been. I can’t believe that I have won and am so incredibly grateful to the team who have worked to hard to continue the development which has seen us taking one-two here

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-57588606307592337122007-06-17T21:27:00.000Z2007-06-17T21:30:48.644Z

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-42554359904214636492007-06-16T22:07:00.000Z2007-06-16T22:22:25.027Z

Lewis Hamilton grabbed pole position for the second time running this afternoon after he edged out team-mate Fernando Alonso by just under two tenths of a second. Once again Mclaren got the better of rivals Ferrari with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen making up the second row of the grid for tomorrow’s US Grand Prix. How about that then? Huge psychological blow to Alonso; he really needed to send

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-85320903398272445462007-06-16T15:17:00.000Z2007-06-16T15:19:16.354Z

Sebastien Vettel, the stand in for BMW’s Robert Kubica, put in a strong performance in final practice this afternoon ending the session in second place just over a tenth of a second behind Fernando Alonso. No time for any analysis I’m afraid but here are the times. [Cont...] 1. ALONSO McLaren 1m12.150s2. VETTEL BMW 1m12.321s3. HAMILTON McLaren 1m12.378s4

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-47549627981665168182007-06-16T14:03:00.000Z2007-06-16T14:07:17.723Z

What is Michael Schumacher’s role at Ferrari? How much does he get paid? Is he having F1 withdrawl symptoms or is he just lonley?Stefano Domencicali fuelled further speculation about the seven world champion’s purpose in life with these comments in today's press conference:"Michael is part of our team. You have seen sometimes that he is at the races but that is not the main role and the main

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-18714833363670784822007-06-15T21:57:00.000Z2007-06-15T22:25:03.050Z

We’ve got a real race on our hands this weekend at Indianapolis if today’s practice times are anything to go by.Once again its advantage Mclaren after Fernando Alonso finished both sessions at the top of the timesheets closely followed by Lewis Hamilton in second practice.But the gap over Ferrari was much less than it was at Monaco and Canada. Felipe Massa went third quickest in P2, less than

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-90618573217258443542007-06-15T13:51:00.000Z2007-06-15T13:53:54.880Z

Lewis Hamilton heads to Indianapolis this weekend as the favourite to win the US Grand Prix following his spectacular victory at Montreal.Bookmakers are offering odds no longer than 19/10 for while Fernando Alonso has been priced at 2/1.The Mclarens are followed in the market by the Ferrari’s of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen who can be found priced - somewhat generously given Ferrari’s form at

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-75945685261341116952007-06-14T11:02:00.000Z2007-06-14T11:08:48.700Z

In a further twist over the row about Mclaren favouritism it has emerged that Lewis Hamilton will become the first Mclaren driver to keep an original trophy following his maiden win at Montreal last week.As part of a Mclaren tradition that even the likes of Senna and Prost had to adhere to, drivers are contractually obliged to give up their podium trophies so that the originals can be displayed

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-28973792598702904202007-06-13T12:14:00.000Z2007-06-13T12:19:18.224Z

I owe Fernando Alonso an apology I think. Reflecting my post HERE I think I was a bit too harsh in my analysis of his comments to the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. Ron Dennis has since moved to diffuse the row over perceived favouritism at Mclaren after the Spanish press seized on Alonso’s comments. Dennis said:“It is completely understandable that the results of each Grand Prix are going to

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-80993899802244455442007-06-12T16:30:00.000Z2007-06-12T16:39:59.711Z

I just sat down to listen to Sidepodcast.com's Canada Episode and to my amazement they gave me a free plug. I couldn't let this go without returning the favour so please go and listen to their excellent and very funny take on all things Formula One at Sidepodcast.com.Episode 21 which covers the Canadian Grand Prix can be found HERE. I haven't had the chance to listen to it yet but I'm informed

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-3614944947886234882007-06-12T16:00:00.000Z2007-06-12T16:07:54.410Z

So much for Mclaren’s communications clamp down. Fernando Alonso has gone on record this week with comments that effectively accuse the Woking-based outfit of favouring Lewis Hamilton. “I am with a British teammate in a British team – and everyone knows that all of their support and their help is for him,” he told the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.“But I have always understood this and I do

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-66958788804499204982007-06-11T12:50:00.001Z2007-06-11T12:55:12.959Z

And the award for accurately summing the Canadian Grand Prix in the fewest words possible goes to Alexander Wurz:"It was hell."ENDS

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-4106238820475409122007-06-10T22:02:00.000Z2007-06-10T22:11:20.078Z

Lewis Hamilton kept a clear head to take his first ever F1 victory today in a bizarre Canadian Grand Prix which saw the safety car deployed no fewer than four times, including in response to a horrific accident involving BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica. It’s a bit too late to do a news write up covering all of today’s drama (see HERE and HERE for comprehensive race overviews) but here are some of my

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-31123840821966676622007-06-10T13:24:00.000Z2007-06-10T13:30:32.768Z

When are BMW going to get their act together and sign up Nick Heidfeld for 2008? Its madness. How much more convincing do they need?Yesterday’s qualifying performance from ‘quick Nick’ – he went third quickest – was absolutely sensational. His effort in Q2 was particularly special. Having had his hot lap deleted due to cutting the final chicane the German was under serious pressure in the dying

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-20743859427040719982007-06-09T20:44:00.000Z2007-06-09T20:50:01.131Z

Lewis Hamilton has secured his first career pole position in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix this afternoon after his team-mate and chief rival for the front spot Fernando Alonso made a costly mistake in the final stages of his flying lap.The Britain stormed to pole going some four tenths faster than Alonso’s existing benchmark lap. Alonso was unable to respond after he got out of shape

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-14482766407575187832007-06-08T21:34:00.000Z2007-06-08T22:34:38.031Z

Alonso established himself as the man to beat for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix after he dominated the second 90 minute practice session with a time over half a second quicker than his competitors.Ferrari’s Felipe Massa posted a late flying lap to split the Mclarens but was unable to match the pace of Alonso. Without reading too much into the times here are a few of my session winners and

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-15627701735884385342007-06-08T18:40:00.000Z2007-06-08T21:34:33.211Z

Mclaren led the way in opening practice for the Canadian Grand Prix today after Fernando Alonso topped the timesheets with a lap some two tenths faster than his team-mate Lewis Hamilton and four tenths faster than the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.It is always notoriously difficult to gauge anything meaningful from practice alone. But a quick glance down the timesheet reveals a

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-43996266775915784902007-06-07T19:44:00.000Z2007-06-07T20:05:05.995Z

Such is ITV's obsession with Lewis Hamilton that the broadcaster has chosen to air a documentary about about the Britain in place of live qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix, my radio times informs me. Live qualifying will instead be shown on ITV4. This really does take the biscuit. Is this a contractual issue or is the digitial incentive funding too lucrative for ITV to miss? As I cannot

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-77654982707017174732007-06-07T17:35:00.001Z2007-06-07T17:41:55.373Z

Kimi Raikkonen is under serious pressure in North America. Do the maths. Say the Finn fails to win either race and finishes second to current leader Alonso. He will return to Europe some nineteen points adrift. With ten races remaining that would put Alonso in a commanding position; almost at the point where he could win the championship on second place finishes alone.Raikkonen has been quick to

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-6404667430758729612007-06-06T22:19:00.001Z2007-06-06T22:24:27.313Z

Jacques Villeneuve’s criticism of Lewis Hamilton’s aggressive racing tactics off the line – he likened the Britain’s behaviour to that of Michael Schumacher’s chopping moves – seems to have caused a bit of a stir on the F1 blogosphere.While the general consensus at F1 Fanatic was that the Canadian was, as one commentee put it, “talking his usual bollocks”, over at Downforce32, Sven Schindler has

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-62289916581511828682007-06-06T12:10:00.000Z2007-06-06T12:29:07.395Z

Fernando Alonso is the bookies favourite to secure victory at the Canadian Grand Prix this week despite wide expectation that the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen will have a performance advantage over the Spaniard at the Montreal circuit.Alonso, who won the race last year and is currently leading the world championship, has been tightly priced with odds of no longer than 9/4 by UK's

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-56365431894808258292007-06-05T21:58:00.000Z2007-06-05T22:02:10.212Z

I’ve just been re-watching some of the footage from last year’s Canadian Grand Prix (HERE). I had forgotten just how much chaos was caused by those wretched tyre marbles off the racing line. Alonso, Raikkonen, Schumacher, and most notably Villeneuve, all got caught out by them at some point in their races. Bring on the Marbles of Montreal!

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-9350090081075663252007-06-04T11:23:00.000Z2007-06-04T12:59:27.369Z

As the F1 circus gears up for its annual pilgrimage across the Atlantic for back-to-back races at Montreal and Indianapolis, Christopher Hayes reflects on the key stories of the season so far. In Part 1 he assess the Hamilton hype and asks if the young rookie has the edge on his team-mate Fernando Alonso.The golden rule of journalism: begin with that which is most newsworthy and ignore everything

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-28445144876484485762007-06-04T11:12:00.000Z2007-06-04T12:16:24.189Z

In the second instalment of Christopher Hayes’ season review, Hayes assesses the battle at the top between Ferrari and MclarenAs the rivalry between Alonso and Hamilton intensifies, the other battle front making the 2007 championship one of the most exciting in recent times is that between Mclaren and Ferrari. The Scuderia got off to a solid start after Kimi Raikkonen romped home to victory at

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-47280690934695727542007-06-04T10:58:00.000Z2007-06-04T12:07:05.743Z

In the final part of Christopher Hayes’ season review, Hayes takes a look at the teams vying it out behind Mclaren and Ferrari for third place.BMW Sauber have been quick to get their hands on the ‘best of the rest’ title this season after a Nick Heidfeld put a string of fourth place drives together in the season’s opening three races. A stunning overtaking manoeuvre on Fernando Alonso at Bahrain

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-50082919538027777272007-06-03T22:00:00.000Z2007-06-03T22:01:36.171Z

Links Make Money Online With Dosh DoshA Viral GardenConnected InternetBlog-OpCan I Make Big Money OnlineBlogtrepreneurBlogging to FameMillion Dollar Experiment heads Down UnderKumiko’s Cash Quest Calico Monkey Internet BazaarShotgun Marketing BlogBrandSizzlebizsolutionsplusCustomers Rock!Being Peter KimPow! Right Between The Eyes!Billions With Zero KnowledgeWorking at Home on the

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-44074604189351790912007-05-31T12:10:00.000Z2007-06-04T12:13:17.554Z

I am currently reading Tim Rubython’s excellent and comprehensive biography of Ayrton Senna: The Life of Senna (ISBN 0-954687-3-3). I came across an interesting quote from Ron Dennis last night. The year is 1993, a time when the Mclaren, which Senna was driving, was struggling to compete with the far superior Williams’ of Alain Prost and Damon Hill. The comments were made in the build up to the

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-89692248333392854852007-05-30T15:52:00.001Z2007-06-04T12:26:28.284Z

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, has cleared the Mclaren Mercedes team of any misconduct in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.An investigation was carried out after it emerged that Mclaren had ordered their drivers not to race each other in the second half of the race.The FIA concluded that Mclaren's actions were "entirely legitimate" on the grounds that asking drivers to slow down when they have

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-78138808343014695782007-05-30T09:39:00.000Z2007-05-30T10:00:46.169Z

Oliver White has posted an interesting article (HERE) at F1Blog.co.uk discussing whether the argument that ’F1 is boring’ is justified. Here is a brief snippet:For sure, some races can be very monotonous, and even I have commented about this in some race reports. Generally speaking, when people say “it’s just a bunch cars going round, and round, and…” they’re not too far from the truth. It isn’t

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-62862181295224469512007-05-29T20:59:00.000Z2007-06-04T12:40:35.480Z

F1 enthusiasts will be able to get a little bit closer to the action at this summer’s British grand prix as Red Bull racing launch their ‘faces for charity’ initiative, a chance for fans to put their photos on the Red Bull livery.Fans will be charged £10 to upload their picture with profit going to Wings for Life, a charity which supports those affected by spinal cord injuries.Both cars, driven

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-43113268590702797442007-05-29T11:45:00.000Z2007-05-29T11:56:53.505Z

Team principle of Mclaren, Ron Dennis, has admitted that he “sleeps easy” after races where team orders have been implemented.Responding to the launch of an investigation by Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, into Mclaren’s tactics in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, Ron Dennis said:“We do not and have not manipulated grands prix, unless there were some exceptional circumstances, which occurred in

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-15659824560800397102007-05-28T16:44:00.000Z2007-05-29T10:22:54.683Z

The FIA is investigating Mclaren for implementing team orders in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. “The FIA has launched an investigation into incidents involving the Mclaren Mercedes team at the 2007 Monaco Grand prix in light of a possible breach of the International Sporting Code. The relevant evidence is under review and a further announcement will be made in due course,” said the sports governing

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-5034780283386947872007-05-28T12:56:00.000Z2007-05-28T13:01:04.873Z

Okay. Not the best of starts to this blog. Two outrageously wrong predictions (see below): (1) that Hamilton was lighter than Alonso; and (2) that Massa might spring a surprise. I must admit that I was surprised to see Alonso peel off into the pit lane before his rookie team-mate. Given Hamilton’s qualifying pace I genuinely thought he was running the more aggressive strategy and had simply

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-60896099581668034042007-05-27T20:03:00.000Z2007-05-28T11:58:45.207Z

Fernando Alonso delivered a psychological blow to team-mate Lewis Hamilton this afternoon after he secured victory at the Monaco Grand Prix in what was a dominant showing by the Mclaren outfit. The Spaniard dominated the race from pole position putting in some blistering lap times when he needed them to keep a somewhat inconsistent Hamilton at bay. The win means that Alonso now leads the

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-22732800419729034002007-05-26T20:41:00.000Z2007-05-26T20:47:05.959Z

In what is something of a tradition, two questions circulate my household on the eve of a grand prix: who do you think will win and who do you want to win – although the former usually ends up getting repeated and prefixed with an expression along the lines of “no, seriously”. The plight of F1’s British competitors in recent years – and a corresponding sense of increased family loyalty – has

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4239753975695073833.post-1252990445159698522007-05-26T19:29:00.000Z2007-05-26T20:59:16.285Z

I am not a huge fan of Massa. He is super quick, as his dominant wins from pole in Bahrain and Barcelona have shown, but he has yet to impress under pressure. The true mark of a world champion is his ability to deliver in the face of adversity, to win in spite of inferior machinery, to pull something out of the bag when the chips are down. On this front, lacklustre performances from Massa in

Christopher Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17550598841434855420noreply@blogger.com0