RACE OF THE SEASON SO FAR...

We've had four incredible races to start the 2012 season and it is really difficult to pick a favourite. Looking ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix, I just hope that it gives us plenty more talking points and areas of deliberation. The teams are closer together this year, as I'm sure you've heard many times by now, so the outcome of races is harder to predict. A far cry from last year when you'd have been foolish to bet against Sebastian Vettel winning.

As for my favourite out of the four, I would have to choose the Chinese Grand Prix. It's hard to totally explain why but there was just so much more excitement surrounding this race, for me anyway. We'd had time to settle down from the season-opener in Australia and rain-hit Malaysia and the extent to which this season would be so different from those we've seen in the past few years was becoming clearer. No one knew who would win and all the teams has made improvements from Malaysia; which took place 3 weeks prior to Shanghai. Mercedes were stronger than ever and qualifying the day before the race was full of action.

The race itself had action throughout the field. The legendary (it really does qualify as legendary for me because four world champions and then some were involved) battle for 2nd place was definitely the highlight for me and it was also impressive to see Sebastian Vettel right in the thick of it after he'd qualified in 11th position.

A lot of the talk during this Grand Prix was about Bahrain and there just happened to be a Grand Prix on, that many media and press types ignored. China, however, was not to be ignored and when we look back on it in races to come, I'm sure we will all look back with fond memories of tight battles, wheel-to-wheel action and a first-time Grand Prix winner in Nico Rosberg.

Many people got in touch with @JackLeslieF1 on Twitter to tell him their favourite race of the season so far and it seems the majority of people agree with me- China was the clear favourite out of the first 4 races! Read his article here for a comprehensive review of the four races and fans' opinions.

Who knows whether we'll get a race as exciting as China again during this season? I think we will as the F1 calendar is yet to reach some amazing tracks that always offer great racing so watch this space. I'll do another 'Race of the Season So Far' once the European leg is over, by which time we'll have an idea in regards to title favourites and so on... But for now we can just enjoy all the great racing the European leg has to offer and it all begins with the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

(Image 1: BBC Sport, Image 2: dailymail.co.uk)

WINNING STATE OF MIND.

Following Nico Rosberg's historical win in Shanghai the F1 world moves to the Middle East and with three different drivers having won the three Grands Prix we've had so far, it will most definitely be thrilling to see who can clench the win in Bahrain. Rosberg will be a contender with him and Mercedes considered to be the pacesetters of the season so far. Sure, it was the first time we saw a performance worth mentioning from the team but because the weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix was the only one that had stable conditions throughout, from practice to the chequered flag, it is the only one that has given us any indication as to where the teams relatively are in terms of performance. Jenson Button echoed this sentiment when he said "I'm sure this won't be Nico's first and last win".

It took the 26 year old 110 races before he was able to enjoy the sweet taste of victory meaning that he has only won 0.9% of the races in his Formula 1 career. However, there are other honours that he can enjoy. Not only did he give his team their first win since 1955 but he also became the first German driver in 73 years to win a Grand Prix in a German car. Whilst these facts don't define a driver's career, I'm sure they're nice accolades to have. 


So, it took Nico a while to get on to the top step of the podium but he is someone who has proven that he has the ability to win and I can't think of any better motivator to keep winning than actually experiencing a victory. World Champion Jenson Button took slightly longer than Rosberg to get his first win. He raced in 112 Grands Prix before that big moment. Button won in Hungary in 2006 and didn't win again until 2009 but he didn't have a capable car. With a much tighter season this year, Rosberg's Mercedes certainly has the capability of winning. Combining this with the extra confidence he has I wouldn't be surprised to see him grabbing more wins in 2012 and years to come.


Aqsa


(Image taken from BBC Sport website)

RED BULL GIVES YOU WINGS...

...not quite!

SETTING THE SCENE.

This will be a regular feature where I will pick just one picture that sums up a particular Grand Prix for me. Today, as you know, was China's turn to host the F1 circus and here is my choice.

I had to go for this picture of the three podium-finishers! Only one man was ever going to win this race and it is great to see him enjoying his first ever Formula 1 win. The two McLaren boys also drove incredibly today to get second and third. Both of them performed some magnificent overtakes and Jenson managed to recover from an unusually long pit stop. A well deserved podium for all three drivers!

Aqsa

P.S. I promise the picture won't always be of the podium, in case you were worried...

(Image from dailymail.co.uk)

SHANGHAI DELIVERS, AS DOES ROSBERG.

As far as I'm concerned there is only one word to sum up the Chinese Grand Prix: Wow! I'd say that applies more to the second half of the race as the first half saw the cars pretty much staying in position and there wasn't as much overtaking as was expected from this circuit. But there are still plenty of talking points...

Let's begin at the start, naturally! Nico Rosberg got away from the rest of the pack incredibly and wasn't put under any pressure from those behind him on the grid. There wasn't too much action in the rest of the top 10 except for the fact that Button got himself in to third position behind the Mercedes of veteran driver Michael Schumacher. Elsewhere, Sebastian Vettel is clearly being affected by starting right in the middle of the pack because he lost about four places immediately after a slow start. He admitted to not waking up early enough after the lights went out. 

Rosberg gets off to a flier

As I mentioned the first part of the race was fairly uneventful as no one was pulling any extraordinary overtakes and positions didn't change around too much. Following Mark Webber's first pit stop it looked quite clear that many would follow a 3 stop strategy and we began to see a lot more action on the track as new tyres breathed some life into the racing. Rosberg managed to maintain a gap at the front of the pack but unfortunately for his team-mate a problem with his front-right wheel nut, after his very first pit stop, meant that he had to retire from the race. I'm sure this was more than just frustrating for Schumacher as it seems that he's just not getting any luck on Sundays. How long will it be before he can follow up a strong qualifying performance with a good amount of points on race day? So, for the remainder of the race, the hopes of an entire Mercedes team were placed on the 26 year old German, Rosberg.

I'll move on now to that battle for 2nd place between Raikkonen, Vettel, Button, Hamilton, Webber and for some part Grosjean and Senna. Now wasn't that something? After Vettel finally made a move on Raikkonen it seemed the Finn had lost all grip in his tyres and tumbled a further seven places in the space of one lap. This gave Button a chance to have a go at Vettel (who was on a 2 stop strategy) and, with the benefit of newer tyres, he finally clawed back second place on Lap 51. Lewis Hamilton was next up to add to Sebastian's woes and add to them he did when he passed him going into the hairpin only three laps after Button. Despite Vettel's attempts to regain position, Hamilton clung on to his third third-place of the season. Fast forward by one lap and the two Red Bulls were wheel-to-wheel when the double world champion's tyres succumbed once again to the newer tyres of Mark Webber. That rounded off the top 5 and they all contributed to one of the most exciting race ends we've seen for a while.

Vettel is "satisfied" with a 5th place finish

Romain Grosjean took his Lotus over the line in sixth position and it was the first time he'd seen the chequered flag in 2012. This will no doubt be a boost to him, especially because fellow Lotus driver Raikkonen finished well out of the points in 14th. Williams picked up a cool 7th and 8th finish and I am so glad to see this team, with the history they have, get off to a great start this season considering a woeful 2011.

China didn't disappoint in providing some great talking points and due to the stable conditions, it allowed us to see what the cars are really capable of, although no clear pecking order has yet emerged. If there were any doubts that this season is going to be a lot tighter than we have been used to in recent times, let the fact that there have already been six different drivers (Hamilton, Button, Alonso, Rosberg, Vettel and Perez) on the podium in only three races this season compared to the seven in eighteen races last year. 

Rosberg celebrates his first ever F1 win

The attention now refocuses on Bahrain and, considering it is highly unlikely that the race won't go ahead, it's sure to be another amazing race. Many drivers will be trying to go one better than they managed this time round and many will be imagining themselves on the top step of the podium. 

And the best news? The excitement all starts in less than a week.

Aqsa

(Image 1: dailymail.co.uk, Image 2: redbull.com, Image 3: telegraph.co.uk)

ON YOUR MARKS...

Well, what a qualifying session that turned out to be! Any predictions anyone, including myself, had before the session began were thrown right out of the window and rendered useless as Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix didn't fail to shock and stun audiences everywhere. And I have no idea where to begin...

With the usual line up not progressing through to Q2 there isn't much to say about the first part of Qualifying, except for the fact that teams were opting for the soft, option tyre much earlier on than anticipated, with those that set their times on the medium tyre just hovering above the drop-out zone.

On to Q2 and the main talking point is most definitely the fact that Sebastian Vettel failed to get to Q3! After enjoying all of 2011 as the man to beat on Saturday, 2012 must come as bit of an unwelcome surprise to him as his highest qualifying position so far this season has been sixth. As China has a circuit notorious for overtaking Sebastian does have the chance to move up through the grid and he also benefits from the fact that his main rivals aren't starting too far ahead of him. Adding the fact that he will be able to start the race on a fresh set of tyres I don't see any reason to write him off just yet. I do, however, think that Sebastian better get used to seeing plenty of cars around him on the grid as it doesn't seem like the RB8 will be a pole contender for a while.

(All images in this post taken from BBC Sport website)

Lewis Hamilton also benefits from the strange fortunes of others as, despite his five place grid penalty, he starts right behind his McLaren team-mate and the Red Bull of Mark Webber. This means the start will be very interesting indeed as these cars, and Vettel and Alonso not far behind them, will be aiming for the best start possible in the run down to the first corner. And then there will be plenty of position swapping in Turn 1 and Turn 2 as well...

Of course you can't talk about Qualifying without mentioning who got the coveted pole position. That honour belongs to Nico Rosberg. He won his first pole ever and finished about half a second ahead of his nearest challenger, despite only setting one timed lap. Nico will enjoy starting at the front of the grid next to his team mate Schumacher as the pair give Mercedes their first front row lockout since 1955. The question now is whether they can convert strong grid positions to world championship points. Mercedes only have 1 point in the Constructors' Championship and it will be a bitter disappointment if this figure doesn't significantly increase tomorrow.

Rounding off the top 3 is Kamui Kobayashi. He adds to the joys of Sauber who followed up a solid second position in Malaysia perfectly with a very strong qualifying in China. I am sure that we can expect big things from the team tomorrow and for the rest of 2012 as they get stronger and stronger.

I am not going to even bother making any predictions for tomorrow because I know that the race will be just as impossible to call as qualifying was. What I can predict is that the Chinese GP is going to be a thriller and my heart rate will dramatically increase as a result; especially at the start of the race when there will be action throughout the pack.

I'll be back tomorrow to discuss the best parts of the race. That is if I manage to digest them all...

Aqsa

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

With FP1 AND FP2 completed over in China we can see how hard teams have worked since Malaysia to improve their packages but what have we actually learnt?

It seems to me that McLaren are still the frontrunners with their cars- particularly Lewis'- posting times right at the top of the leader board. Lewis was second fastest overall but Jenson experienced a slightly different practice session. He complained of "way too much understeer" and said he was struggling with his tyres whilst trying to find a good set-up. So Lewis may go faster on Saturday but due to his grid-place penalty may not start in front of Button on the grid.

Also fast were Mercedes and Michael Schumacher went fastest overall. Their controversial DRS-activated W-duct (/F-duct/whatever we're now calling it) no doubt helps them with flying lap pace but Mercedes have struggled on race day despite positive qualifying sessions. Nico Rosberg only managed fifth fastest so it will be interesting to see whether he can close the gap to Michael tomorrow.

(Image taken from automobilsport.com)

Red Bull have certainly made improvements to their car and Vettel and Webber were running on different exhaust systems for both practice sessions. Vettel feels "a bit more comfortable" driving his exhaust package so maybe some of the problems he was encountering at the start of the season have been addressed. We can only find out tomorrow as it was mainly qualifying where Red Bull looked to be seriously behind both Mercedes and McLaren.

Elsewhere, Ferrari could only manage tenth fastest with Alonso but remember that despite never having qualified higher than eighth, Alonso is still leading the world championship. Ferrari are in a strange position and even though Alonso won in Malaysia I'd say that was more due to the man and the conditions rather than the car. It won't be until the beginning of the European leg that we can think of the Ferrari as a big contender in qualifying.

(Image taken from ca.sports.yahoo.com)

Another point of interest; Kamui Kobayashi was faster than Perez but the young Mexican will be the centre of a lot of attention this week after claiming his first podium three weeks ago. A confident driver and a confident Sauber team will certainly be fancying their chances at another one in a couple of days time.

(Image taken from riotengine.in)

I can not wait for qualifying, I think I might enjoy it more than the race itself. Ok, that was a bit of an exaggeration but it's always exciting and even more so now that the man sitting on pole is not a safe bet. However, if I was a betting person, I'd go with Lewis fastest in Q3 but Schumacher starting at the front. There is also the Red Bull battle to look out for as Vettel has been out-qualified by Mark both times this season.

It will definitely be worth the early start, so enjoy it and expect a little piece from me tomorrow on what the grid positions may mean for the race...

Aqsa

CLASH OF THE TITANS.

So this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix marks the first time the BBC and Sky go head-to-head with their live coverage and it's a battle the media will be talking about just as much as the one on the race track. So what exactly are the main pros and cons of each and which one should you (in my opinion anyway) go for?

BBC pros

(Image taken from tenniswood.co.uk)

• Jake, EJ and DC- the three musketeers! They have great banter between each other and the drivers and all three are able to lead a great interview.
• Lee McKenzie- asks the right questions before and after the race. Lee is a great journalist and is representing women in Formula 1.
• Original programming- the Beeb's features are always original, entertaining and innovative.
• Humour- I've already mentioned the banter between the main presenters of the coverage but there's something about the BBC's coverage that is light-hearted and humorous!
• F1 forum after the race gives viewers an even deeper insight into the paddock.
• No adverts during the build up!!! (Yes, this is worthy of three exclamation marks!)

BBC cons

• Betrayal- abandoning 10 races but paying millions for shows like 'The Voice'? That hurt!
• No Ted Kravitz- loved how he could make complex, technical F1 language understandable! But Gary Anderson's doing a great job, no?

Sky pros

(Image taken from duncanblog.dailymail.co.uk)

• The F1 Show- takes viewers one step closer to the sport as we get to see what happens on a Friday before the race weekend.
• Ted Kravitz- see above.
• Martin Brundle's great commentary- although, to be honest, I think Ben Edwards is also doing a stellar job and let's not forget Brundle doesn't even have the role of lead commentator.

Sky cons

• Adverts during build up!!!
• Costs £££
• Simon Lazenby does not yet have the ease of presenting that Jake does but I guess that will come with experience so I can't be too harsh! 

So, that's my personal list and guide to the F1 TV coverage and I will be reverting back to the BBC for this race because it just feels natural and comfortable for me. (No disrespect to Sky, I think they're doing an ok job with their first season in F1.) After all, it was the BBC that nurtured and encouraged my love for Formula 1 and to it I remain loyal. I was very impressed with their highlights packages for the first two Grands Prix and I'm excited to see what they're going to be adding to their live coverage in order to compete with Sky. 

So who will you be watching? BBC or Sky?

Aqsa

OH LEWIS.

Poor Lewis Hamilton's frustrations this season are set to increase due to a 5 place grid penalty he will suffer because of a gearbox change. After two third place finishes in both Australia and Malaysia it seems he will have to wait at least another round for that elusive win. It is unlikely, assuming that there are no major external factors like the red flag in Malaysia, that Lewis will be able to charge through the pack to take the win (Wouldn't it be something if he proved me wrong?). This does not however rule out a podium finish and a great bunch of world championship points.

(Image taken from topnews.in)

The news will be great for Jenson Button as we know that the McLaren has been the fastest car on a Saturday but Lewis the fastest driver. If Red Bull have not made considerable improvements to their single, hot-lap pace, Jenson Button could finally be starting on pole position for the first time since 2009 and for the first time with McLaren.

This certainly adds some extra excitement to Saturday's qualifying session and Button and the Red Bulls will all definitely be fancying their chances at starting at the front of the grid for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

UPDATE: You can watch this video, Lewis says he's still feeling positive despite the penalty. In all fairness, he does have a great track record at China so it'll be exciting to see what he can do.

Aqsa

CHINA- ONLY A WEEK AWAY

Today's Monday meaning there is less than a week until the Chinese Grand Prix- 3rd of the season! Three whole weeks separate Malaysia and China and that means the F1 withdrawal is getting pretty much unbearable! I even referred to Richard Hammond as Hamilton the other day. Imagine what I'm like in August...

So looking ahead to China, it certainly promises to be an exciting one! Weather and tyre degradation will all play an important role in a race that has a lot to live up to following the excitement of Malaysia. Two title favourites failed to score any points, Alonso won, a Sauber finished 2nd (and had a mighty shot at 1st) and there was even a cucumber on the grid!

After the race many commentators started speculating on Vettel and Red Bull's title chances after only two races- the first of which Vettel finished in an impressive second place! I think it's all too soon to be talking about the title and who's won it. We all know that 2012 is going to be a much closer season and everything could change by the summer break, which is still 3 months away, so I wouldn't start placing any bets right now! Sure, Red Bull have fallen behind McLaren, particularly in qualifying, but that doesn't mean that they won't bring upgrades to Shanghai and in Newey, Horner and Vettel they have a team that likes the taste of winning and doesn't plan on giving it up.

Lewis Hamilton has spoken of how he plans to try a different strategy this season by aiming for consistency rather than always going for the win (he had the same amount of DNFs as he did race wins in 2011). I think this will be key in how the season plays out because there's no doubt that Lewis' often foolish mistakes last season scuppered his chances of second place in the championship (first was never an option, realistically). But could this new-thinking Lewis risk his position as one of the most exciting drivers on the grid? Hamilton always gives fans something to shout about, be it during the race or his comments after it, and by going for a more 'boring' approach he risks alienating the fans that love him for his sometimes reckless driving. Nevertheless, he has chosen the wiser approach and only time will tell whether this will win him the championship.

I personally can't wait until the cars take to the grid for qualifying in only 5 days time and there will be a lot to look out for! A Red Bull 'comeback'?, a stronger Mercedes on Sunday?, a wiser Lewis?, another podium for Perez? and the first live BBC coverage of the season. It's going to be a cracker...