RACE OF THE SEASON SO FAR...

F1 is now in its summer break and I know it's a trying time for all of us fans. The next race that awaits us is the irreplaceable, exciting (and every other superlative you can think of) Spa! However, there is still a long wait before we reach Spa with the race weekend beginning on the 31st August. I don't know why the FIA/ FOM/ Bernie Ecclestone do this to us!

We have enjoyed a grand total of eleven Grands Prix so far and, as you know, 2012 has not failed in providing thrill after thrill and surprise after surprise. The last time I did this feature I only had a few races to pick from meaning my decision was a fairly easy one to make. F1 then went on to deliver 7 different winners from the first 7 races and plenty of other amazing moments. The season has not been free of controversy and gossip but then what season has? One of the things that sets F1 apart from other sports is how important the non-sporting environment is to the fans, the drivers, the media and the public. And now we're in the summer break that doesn't mean the gossip will stop! As drivers begin contract negotiations and so on I'm sure the rumour mill will still be as active as ever. 

So now the moment you have all been waiting for; just what is my personal race of the season so far? I'm going to have to go with, rather shockingly I admit, the European Grand Prix in Valencia. It was a race so exciting and full of action and things to talk about that I actually had a second part to my race review! It is quite hard to describe why a race excites you so much but you all probably watched it, and if not read my review, so you'll know why Valencia this year was a far cry from Valencia's past. I was even struggling to put my excitement into words in the review and this was my opening sentence; "The race finished a couple of hours ago now but I'm still in a state of shock as to how incredible it was!" 

Fernando Alonso won the Grand Prix after a shock retirement for Sebastian Vettel. This means Vettel lost a total of 32 points in the Championship; the figure is 32 because Vettel would have an extra 25 and Alonso would have a further seven less! It is clear that this Grand Prix will be one with lasting effects for the championship. Had Vettel's engine not failed on him he would be very much right on Alonso's tails in the standings and life would not be quite as relaxed as it currently is for the Spaniard. 

This race was also the one with probably the most controversial Pastor Maldonado-related incident of the season so far; his infamous clash with Lewis Hamilton towards the closing stages of the race. This of course attracted many strong opinions but if you look at it from a neutral view, which can be hard I know, you'll be thinking "my God, that upped the excitement and shock factor by about 10" or something along those lines...

I just don't think that Valencia has yet been topped by the other races we've had! Some have come close like Silverstone, of course, and Canada but it definitely had to be my pick! So tell me, do you agree? Is Valencia also your race of the season so far? Or do you think I'm completely mad for picking a race that many think should be taken off the calendar? I want to know your opinions so please do comment or tweet!

We have many treats in store for us when F1 resumes for the second part of the season. I am obviously looking forward to all the races but the stand-out ones would have to be; Spa, Monza, Singapore, Japan, THE USA (can not wait!), India and Brazil! Oh wait, that was nearly all of them... 

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

F1 MOMENTS #1

Time for a new regular feature on Aqsa's Formula and it's called F1 Moments. I'd just like to add that I know we are now much closer to the British Grand Prix now than we are to the European GP, and a preview to Silverstone will be posted tomorrow, so adding posts about the race in Valencia might seem a bit outdated now but this will be my last post on this race specifically.

Let me begin with explaining the new feature. It's just where I will pick my one favourite moment from the race. You know that 'OMG' moment when you jump out of your seat and you need a second to take in whether it really happened? Yeah, that moment! It will be hard to pick just one, my absolute favourite, but I will give it a go and sometimes there may be a tie between two but I'll try not to let that happen. This is different from 'Setting the Scene' as that is a feature when I pick one picture to sum up a whole race.

The European Grand Prix was an incredible race with many awe-inducing moments. There were quite a few shocking events and retirements that changed the entire outcome of the race but I have managed to pick just one; the Hamilton and Maldonado crash! It certainly took me a while to realise what had happened and I watched replay after replay trying to establish who was at fault and how two race winning drivers could allow an easily avoidable collision to occur towards the closing stages of a race. It was definitely the moment in the race that got the Twittersphere talking and heatedly debating.

Everyone had an opinion on it, as is always the case with such F1 Moments, and that is why it has to be my moment of the race. Lewis Hamilton was very mature about the incident after the race and Maldonado was clear that, as far as he was concerned, it was all Lewis' fault. The stewards disagreed and subsequently awarded Pastor with a 20-second time penalty meaning he lost the single point he won in the race. Considering it's been almost two weeks since the race and this collision is so vivid in my mind, there was no doubt that this had to be my pick as F1 Moment for the European Grand Prix.

What was yours?

Aqsa, @aqsasformula

AQSA'S PODIUM

It's time for a new regular feature on Aqsa's Formula and, as you've probably worked out, it's called Aqsa's Podium. This is something I will do after every Grand Prix and the idea behind it is quite simple; I'll choose my top 3 drivers of the day and rank them in order of who impressed me the most during the race. My podium will differ from the race's as I don't think you need to be on the podium in order to have had a great race.

So let's get the first ever Aqsa's Podium started for the European Grand Prix.

3. Fernando Alonso

I've put Alonso 3rd because he did drive a great race and pull off many great overtakes to climb to 1st place after starting 11th on the grid. The reason he isn't higher up is because he was definitely helped by the misfortunes of others, particularly Sebastian Vettel.

2. Kimi Raikkonen

Raikkonen did well to take his second 2nd place finish of the season. He'd qualified in 5th and so he too had to overtake in Valencia to get on the podium; the pass on Lewis Hamilton was very impressive. Raikkonen entertained during the race and a win for him this season is imminent, in my opinion.

1. Mark Webber

Qualified in 19th and finished in 4th. Need I say more?

Who were your top 3 drivers for the European Grand Prix?

Aqsa

(Image 1, 2, 3)

SETTING THE SCENE.

Now if you've read my 2 part review on the European Grand Prix you'll know how many different talking points there were. This means there were several images that I could choose from as my 'Setting the Scene' pick; this is both a blessing and a curse. However, when I thought about it, there was only ever one picture I could have possibly chosen.

The podium for Valencia 2012 was made up of Alonso, Raikkonen and Schumacher. Three world champions sharing the podium and probably not the ones you would have picked on Sunday morning. This is even more special because the last time this happened, in exactly the same order, was in 2005 at the French Grand Prix. This also shows how well F1 drivers age; not a lot has changed! This just made me smile and I hope it made you smile too.

Aqsa

P.S. I know I've technically chosen two pictures but they've been combined to make one so it's all fine!

MORE THOUGHTS ON VALENCIA...

In my race review of the European Grand Prix I promised to add more thoughts on the race to the blog. I didn't get a chance to look at Jenson Button's race in my review so that'd be a good place to start. 


Jenson finished the race in eighth place after qualifying in ninth. It is no secret that the 2009 world champion has been struggling as of late and his championship hopes have taken a bit of a bruising; he's won six points from the last five races. He hasn't been consistently finishing in the points; something that will be key in the outcome of this season. When he has finished in the points, he has been towards the lower end of the top 10. McLaren told us that they have understood what Jenson's problems with the car were and have taken steps to resolve it. Qualifying wasn't as hard for him as it has been for the last few races and he reached Q3 fairly comfortably. I'm sure 9th wasn't what he would have wanted but it may be a stepping stone to better Qualifying results. Jenson had a fairly uneventful race. He wasn't involved in any collisions etc... But it was clear that he still wasn't at one with the car. Tyre degradation was still a problem for him and he was also suffering from locking up. His position in the points was helped by the retirements of Hamilton, Vettel and Grosjean but I'm sure he thinks it's about time he had some luck.

The British Grand Prix is next up on the 2012 calendar and I'm sure it will be the one that means the most to Button. If his problems were to continue into this race his title hopes would be on some sort of metaphorical life support machine. Every driver wants to perform well and, at the very least, get on the podium at their home Grand Prix so Jenson's woes wouldn't be limited to his championship dreams. The fans will also be hoping there is a significant improvement in Button's performance. Can he and McLaren deliver the goods in a fortnight's time? They've had quite a few races to sort his problems out so Jenson may need a bit more luck.

Force India also stood out for me in this Grand Prix. Both of their drivers capitalised on their top 10 qualifying and won a good amount of points in Valencia. Most impressively, they gained more points than their rivals Williams and Sauber. Hulkenberg finished in 5th with Di Resta in 7th and the team will be aware that they must now bring the updates necessary to change this strong result into a podium in the near future. Both Sauber and Williams have finished on the podium so Force India will be eager to share some of that glory. Paul Di Resta said that he could have qualified higher up and felt he could have gotten a lot closer to the Lotus'. Had they succeeded with that, they may well have got a podium stop in such an eventful race. He is another driver who will want to impress at Silverstone and I'm sure he won't want to be beaten by his teammate again. The Force India drivers make a very interesting pair and I'm sure they will act as a motivation to each other as they are both young, ambitious and talented drivers who know that beating their teammate is their most important challenge. They're not exactly challenging for the Drivers' championship so the inter-team rivalry is what means the most to them.

That's the end of the brief extension to my European Grand Prix review and it just covered the two main points from the race results that I personally found interesting. They're also the most relevant for the British Grand Prix when Button and Di Resta, along with Hamilton, will be the main figures of attention.

My 'Setting the Scene' feature and thoughts on the penalties handed out after the race are still to come... I will also start adding new features to the blog, which is always exciting!

Aqsa

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VALENCIA THRILLS TO SILENCE CRITICS

The race finished a couple of hours ago now but I'm still in a state of shock as to how incredible it was! So much was going on and in Valencia of all places. I told you yesterday that I was really excited for the race because Qualifying showed us the potential it had to be a really great one.Valencia attracts a lot of negativity but it certainly silenced its critics today and it was, in my opinion, the most exciting race of the season so far. I hate to say I told you so, but...

Let's start with the winner of the race. Fernando Alonso won in front of his home fans to become the first double winner of 2012 and he ended the historical run of different winners. His win also means that he now leads the championship by a staggering 20 points from second-placed man Mark Webber. Yesterday, I said Alonso is in danger of falling behind Vettel and Hamilton following his poor 11th-position qualifying. Obviously Alonso read my review and was on a mission to prove me wrong... So let's look at just how Alonso won the race after starting in 11th.

A typically great start from the Spaniard meant that he was able to jump a few places straight off the line. Jenson Button was one of his victims as his woes continued. Then he pulled off some stunning overtakes to reach 4th at a track where we do not usually see a lot of overtakes. With a comfortable 4th position reached and seven places climbed a safety car was deployed. Taking this opportunity to make pit-stops for fresher tyres Alonso followed Lewis Hamilton in to the pit lane. However, despite strong first stops for both Button and Hamilton, McLaren returned to old ways and encountered yet another problem in the pits. This meant that Lewis was stationary for over 14 seconds and Ferrari were able to release Alonso ahead of the Brit. So Alonso was now up into 3rd and, with the pack bunched up again, Romain Grosjean was next on Alonso's hit list. Immediately after the restart Alonso got the job done and the Frenchman had no answers to Alonso's skill and experience. Sebastian Vettel, I'll look at him in more depth later on, got a comfortable getaway from the rest of the drivers but only a couple of corners later he came to a sudden stop. Alonso drove past him and that was it... He controlled his tyres and his pace to take the win with no one presenting a real challenge to him. So 11th to 1st and 111 points in the Drivers' championship. He must be pleased with that. He is also now the only driver to have finished in the points at every race so far. Showing consistency pays off, Alonso had been outperforming his car at the beginning of the season but the team seem to have made significant progress. However, contrasting Alonso's performances with Felipe Massa's shows that he is just a genuine racer and, many would argue, the most complete! He described this win as the most special of all his wins and I expect it means even more in a season like this one. This has been great weekend for Spanish sports fans, that's for sure. Of course, this Grand Prix shows just how, and this is becoming the most used word on my blog, unpredictable this season is so Alonso may have a comfortable lead right now but everything could change in just a short space of time.

Sebastian Vettel will be hoping that this is the case. He is now 26 points off the lead but has underlined that everything can change every fortnight. He also said that he takes confidence in Red Bull's updates and progress away from this weekend rather than anger. He had a "sensational" start, in his own words, and was significantly faster than everyone else before the first round of pit stops. Not only did he pull out of the DRS zone but he built a lead of approximately 10 seconds in a matter of laps. After he pitted, he retained the lead and went on to pull out a 20 second lead over Grosjean, who was running in second. The German clearly had pace in Qualifying and he had it in abundance again today. The news of a safety car deployment must have hurt considering how hard he had worked to pull out such a lead. Even at the start he pulled out a huge lead but didn't hurt his tyres any more than his competitors. Nevertheless, he used the opportunity to pit and he controlled the pack well behind the safety car. He also got a good restart and there was every possibility of him reopening the lead he had. Then, as I mentioned above, he had to immediately stop his car on the side of the track and watch as all of his championship rivals passed him. It is thought that a problem with the alternator was what ended his race prematurely but Red Bull are still investigating the cause. In a season so tight, consistency and finishes in the points will be the deciding factor and this is now Vettel's second no-points result. He is still in the hunt for the title but he will have to hope that he has had his share of bad luck this season and that Alonso's is yet to come.

Adding insult to injury, Vettel is now also behind his teammate Mark Webber in the Drivers' championship. Vettel is fourth and Mark second. Webber started the race in 19th and, with this being Valencia, many had written his chances off. His start wasn't that sensational but he was surrounded by cars that he was obviously significantly faster than. Despite this he spent a lot of the race out of the points positions but the safety car and some special overtakes helped him to climb through the pack. He finished in fourth and this high finish was helped by a few DNFs for those in front of him. Regardless, Webber drove a great drive and I think he is definitely in my top 2 for driver of the day. Climbing 15 places is no mean feat at any track but at Valencia, I think it will mean more for his confidence; especially considering Mark's history with this track. Beating Vettel in the championship will also be a nice comfort for him even if it is only by 6 points. Now, honestly, who had written him off for the title? *raises hand*

So whose misfortunes helped Webber? His teammate's for one but Romain Grosjean also lent a hand. After Vettel's retirement Grosjean was second behind leader Alonso. However, he then experienced a similar fate to Sebastian. Lotus have confirmed that his problem was with the alternator. Lotus were faster than Ferrari yesterday so had Grosjean not had this issue he could very well have become the eighth different winner from eight races. I'm sure he would have settled with second place though if it meant he could add to his podium tally. Even after this big disappointment, to know what you have done all you could but your car let you down, Grosjean was still smiling as he spoke to the media after his race had ended. I am really glad he has been given a second chance in Formula 1; not just because of his happy and humble personality but also because he has been giving world champions of the sport a run for their money. As the season goes on, his experience and confidence will increase so I expect big things to come from him in future races.

Kimi Raikkonen went on take 2nd place instead of his Lotus teammate. Grosjean's retirement meant Hamilton was now in 2nd and for a number of laps he defended well against the man we call the Iceman. At one point he even extended the gap between himself and Kimi as it seemed the Finn's tyres were wearing away. However, this breathing space only lasted a short while. A few mistakes from Hamilton, including running wide on the last corner twice, meant Raikkonen got very close once again and this time was able to pull off a clean and tidy pass against Hamilton to claim position. This is Raikkonen's second second-place finish, the first came in Bahrain, so his comeback is going strong. He still looked a bit downcast after the race as he basically said he wouldn't be happy unless he won. Could he go one better in the coming races? Lotus have looked capable of winning on several occasions now but have not yet managed to clinch the top-step on the podium. Should they win, will it be Kimi or Romain to do it for them? I think it is looking more likely to be the Frenchman right now but Kimi is more than capable also. Oh and I said above that Mark was in my top 2 drivers of the day. Kimi shares that position with him...

Michael Schumacher took the final podium spot and it was a really special moment for him. To say he's had a poor season would be an understatement so to finish so high up in the points, especially after Qualifying 12th, is a great achievement. And we can now say that the comeback is officially on. We know Mercedes are able to win races so could that be next on his return to his former glory? I genuinely hope so. I have been  slightly critical of him this season and doubted for how much longer we can put his form down to bad luck but I have wanted him to do well. Luck was on his side today. In a field of a handful of DNFs he did not fall victim to any incidents and finished ahead of his Chinese Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for the veteran driver and not merely a 'one-off' incident.

Now on to Lewis Hamilton's race. He didn't get as good a start as Vettel but it wasn't bad. He was unable to get anywhere near Sebastian so DRS was out of the question. His focus had to be on retaining second as opposed to gaining on Vettel. He was unable to do so and lost position to Grosjean. He was shocked at his Qualifying performance indicating that McLaren didn't have a lot of pace so to see him losing out to a Lotus was not a huge surprise. Pit stops followed and it was a tidy one from McLaren. Lewis' tyres were off and on in a mighty impressive 2.9 seconds. I've already told you what happened to Lewis during the safety car phase, and I doubt McLaren fans will want it repeated, but his second stop cost over 14 seconds. Just as everyone was talking about how the practice McLaren put into stops seems to have paid off, they went and effectively ruined Lewis' race. That may be slightly harsh... This meant he was behind Alonso and any hopes of a win were gone. He was also closer to Pastor Maldonado. As the race went on he lost a place to Raikkonen and then Maldonado advanced on the 2008 champion. He came very close to passing him but Lewis retained the driving line and Maldonado was pushed off the race track. As he moved back onto it he collided straight into Lewis; sending Lewis into the barrier and out of the race. This was a golden opportunity for Hamilton to gain an advantage over Vettel but his lead remains at 3 points and he is now 23 off the lead. The stewards analysed the Maldonado incident and decided Pastor was at fault. They chose to give him a 20-second penalty. This means that he loses the one point he won by finishing 10th. His Williams teammate Bruno Senna now holds that point instead. Usually opinions on penalties really do vary but with regards to this one, it seems to me, that most fans are in agreement; it was not harsh enough. Maldonado's reckless driving here cost him and Lewis a lot of points. He had more pace than the McLaren and could have easily passed him before the end of the race. Raikkonen was gone by that point so he only needed to make one pass for a podium finish. Lewis definitely lost the most as a result of the incident and he may feel that the penalty is unjust.

A lot happened at this circuit; that much is clear! It was an extremely interesting and exciting race. The thrill of Valencia 2012 was thanks to, in no small part, the Pirelli tyres and if I see further criticism of what they've 
offered I will be shocked. Do we need further evidence of the positive impact they're having on Formula 1? So Valencia has been the race of the season so far, in my opinion. Would you agree? Get it touch and let me know.

There is honestly so much more that happened in the race that I haven't even covered. Just like yesterday, I could double this review in length but that will make for much longer reading for you. Therefore, I promise to add more posts all about Valencia and previewing what today's events mean for the British Grand Prix, which will take place in a couple of weeks' time. I will also add a 'Setting the Scene' for the race so look out for my choice; there are many events from the race that would be worthy as my pick!

So we have our first double winner of 2012 in Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari that was heavily criticised at the beginning of the season. I guess they are showing why they have the reputation that they do in Formula 1. Alonso now has a nice lead, can he continue to build on it or is his share of bad luck still to come? Can Vettel and Hamilton move onwards and upwards from their misfortunes today and keep Alonso on his toes? Everything is still to play for and everything could change instantly. Well not instantly but in a fortnight... As for the Constructors' championship, Red Bull have somehow increased their lead thanks to the performance of Mark Webber. Is everything still to play in this particular championship battle? We may be able to answer some of this questions after the British Grand Prix as the 2012 F1 season draws closer to it's halfway point.

Aqsa

P.S Jean-Eric Vergne has been given a 10 place grid-drop for Silverstone and a 25,000 Euro fine! More on that to come...

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SEB'S BULL REIGNS IN SPAIN

Sebastian Vettel pulled out a spectacular Q3 performance to take his 33rd career pole; putting him 3rd in the all-time list alongside the legends Jim Clark and Alain Prost. At just 24 years old this is a remarkable achievement and even if he may not have 8/8 poles this season, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the Qualifying king in the current generation of F1. His pole position in Valencia today also meant that he now has a hat-trick of poles at this circuit and he will be hoping to make that a hat-trick of wins tomorrow as well.

I described Vettel's performance as 'spectacular' and it was fully deserving of that accolade. After not really setting the timing screens alight during Q1 and Q2, it seemed that he would only run once in Q3. That was what he went on to do but his one lap was more than enough to guarantee his pole position. A few other drivers crossed the line after Sebastian but none of them could come close to his time. He eventually beat 2nd placed man Lewis Hamilton by 3 tenths of a second when the rest of the top 10 were separated by only 5 tenths. It really was astonishing to see how he did it and he put in a pretty much perfect lap to pull out this margin. Q2 was incredibly tight so I still can't fully comprehend how Vettel managed to do what he did in such a fashion. He himself said it was a "surprising gap". Vettel looked strong in practice yesterday but no one expected for him to be so strong today, especially as he was right in the middle of the pack during Q1 and 2. His pole position also means that, in an extremely competitive field, Red Bull now have three poles in a row; Mark in Monaco and Sebastian in Montreal and Valencia. But are we really surprised?

Sebastian's Red Bull teammate Mark Webber did surprise everyone with his Qualifying display but it was for all the wrong reasons. The Australian failed to make it through to Q, wait for it, TWO and starts in 19th for the Grand Prix tomorrow. He had extremely limited running in FP3, he only got to do 4 laps, due to hydraulics and brake problems. The team had been working on the car from FP3 to Qualifying but it seems Mark was still ridden with problems. Going out on the soft tyres straight away was an immediate indication that Red Bull and Webber weren't feeling too optimistic about the session. They would have, naturally, expected this move to at least take them through to the top 17 but it wasn't to be. So the season gets crazier; Heikki Kovalainen's Caterham outqualified a Red Bull. Wow... I'm sure Mark Webber will give us something to watch tomorrow as he has a lot of cars ahead of him that a Red Bull really should be eclipsing in terms of performance and pace. So, despite Valencia being a circuit not really famed for its overtaking possibilities, Webber will definitely be making up some places tomorrow and he has a choice of tyres to start the race on. If he can use tyre strategy to maximum effect, he can salvage this race weekend.


Lewis Hamilton qualified in 2nd but he said that he didn't actually expect to finish so high up. This means that the front row will be Vettel-Hamilton for three races now and for the other two Sebastian got a better start than Lewis. He will need to repeat this tomorrow and pull out of the DRS zone in time to avoid the McLaren getting the chance to overtake in what is a very long DRS straight in Valencia. He will be hoping that there isn't a repeat of Montreal and Red Bull must choose the correct strategy this time round. As I have said, Valencia is not really famous for overtaking so should Sebastian get his start and strategy perfect, this race is his to lose. McLaren have not brought updates to Valencia whilst Red Bull have made key developments to the RB8. Can this play in their favour tomorrow? If Lewis were to win he will open up a comfortable championship lead for himself so the pressure is on Messrs Vettel and Alonso to really optimise their performance and get the best result possible!

This will be more of a challenge for Alonso and he could find himself much further behind Hamilton and Vettel after the race tomorrow. This is because he, along with his Ferrari colleague Felipe Massa, failed to make it to Q3 and starts in 11th. Michael Schumacher is just behind him in 12th as his 'bad luck' continues. Fernando was only 0.2 seconds off the pace in Q2 again underlining how narrow the margins are and how there is no room for mistakes in the 2012 F1 season. Massa starts in 13th but was only 0.4 seconds away from Alonso. So he shouldn't feel too disheartened by this. Of course there will be some head-scratching going on at Ferrari. They looked to have made significant steps forward with their car but this seems to be a set-back. They still have a shot at winning some points, particularly with Alonso but it will be a challenge. The start is, therefore, crucial!

Capitalising on the misfortunes of Ferrari, Schumacher and Webber were the likes of Force India's Paul di Resta and Hulkenberg, they start 10th and 8th, and Kamui Kobayashi, who starts in 7th. And even Jenson Button who made it through to Q3 and will start from 9th. Force India and Kobayashi were very impressive today and looked strong throughout the session. For these teams making it through to Q3 despite the tight margins and minimal room for error is a huge achievement and the midfield battle is shaping up to be a very interesting one. Lotus are the midfield team that seem to be running away with that particular battle. There was high expectation from them today but, once again, the success on Saturday failed to materialise. Even when they do look very strong they can't seem to pose a consistent front-row challenge. Nevertheless, Grosjean did enjoy some time at the top of the timesheets today but ultimately starts in 4th; one place ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. It is quite exciting to think about which Lotus driver will be the first to get pole if the car is capable of it. Well, I think it's exciting...

Maldonado and Williams' Spanish success continued today as he rounded off the top 3. It may not be as high up as where he started in Barcelona but it is still an achievement. They start ahead of both Lotuses, both Mercedes' (Rosberg is starting from 6th), both Ferraris and a Red Bull. A very nice position to be in, I'm sure. However, they must ensure that this isn't just a rare occurrence and they need to become more consistent with their top 10 qualifying. Also, Maldonado can be an aggressive, slight understatement there, driver so he needs to keep a cool head and not get mixed up in all the traffic at the start. He needs to maintain his form today for tomorrow as well so that he can pick up a good batch of points for Williams. He fell from hero to zero within the space of one race weekend, Barcelona to Monaco, and was criticised for his aggression and slight immaturity. It is up to him to prove that he isn't just a one-race wonder!

So that sums up the main parts of Qualifying but, if I'm honest, this review could probably double in length if we looked at the performances of Toro Rosso, Mercedes, Perez and Senna. It was a dramatic and exciting session in Valencia and I have no qualms about the fact that the race will also be a good one. Valencia does get a lot of bad press but there is a lot to keep an eye out for tomorrow and there are a fair few drivers who will be looking to right some wrongs from today. Many will have chances to overtake and I'm sure there are places to be made, even in Valencia. I am really looking forward to the race and it may have a big impact on the two championships as well. Mark Webber's misfortunes are a positive for McLaren's Constructors' hopes and Alonso has given Vettel and Hamilton a golden opportunity to ensure that the title battle is a two horse race. So enjoy it, I know I will, and then join me back here to review it all.

See you then...

Aqsa

(Images: dailymail.co.uk)

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

Before I start talking about the day's action in Valencia I'd just like to say "I'm baaaack!" It feels like I've been away from the blog for a very long time and I hope you haven't felt neglected. As I mentioned in my last post, I have had my A-Level exams for the past fortnight but I am finished now and excited to be able to devote myself to my blog. So expect more regular posts and new features as well, not just race reviews and F1 news.

Now let's get down to business...

The Friday of a race weekend (usually) means we have 2 practice sessions to enjoy and today it was the turn of Valencia to host FP1 and FP2 as it is the European Grand Prix this weekend, of course! As has been the case all too often this season the practice sessions don't really give us much of an indication as to what will happen during Qualifying and even less so for the race. Teams' form doesn't only vary between Grands Prix; it can even change within the space of a couple of days. As we don't know what programmes teams are running during the sessions it is difficult to determine where their strengths lie. However, I think it's safe to assume that most teams will, at least, try to set a few fast, timed laps so that they know what to expect from Qualifying. That being said I doubt they even know what may happen...

I'll begin with looking at this Grand Prix's reigning champions Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull. The two-time Valencia winner, 2010 and 2011, went 2nd fastest in FP1 and fastest of all in FP2. Teammate Mark Webber was 3rd and 9th in FP1 and FP2 respectively. Judging by these positions it is clear that Red Bull will be strong this weekend. FP2 was very mixed up, which I'll get to later, but, despite this, it seems that Red Bull's updates have been successful ones. They have made modifications to their car for this race that are designed to increase the downforce at the rear of the car; something the team used to maximum advantage in 2010 and 2011 with their exhaust-blown diffuser. As this has been banned for 2012 the team have struggled with recapturing the same level of dominance and race wins they previously enjoyed. Could the new updates mean that the Red Bull team we are used to seeing is back? They have still performed well so far this season and during a lot of unpredictability and instability they still lead in the Constructors' championship. Vettel stated, after practice, that the team had a strict programme which they stuck to and that lap times are not yet allowing them to make any conclusions regrading their "new bits". 

Now let me get back to how crazy FP2 was, which I mentioned above. First of all, Force India's Nico Hulkenberg was second fastest in the session but I highly doubt that we'll see a Force India so high up in the rankings in Qualifying tomorrow. Paul di Resta was sixth and both Force India drivers have already proven that they can get in to Q3. They are just more used to being in the lower part of the top 10. The car clearly has pace so I think we can expect to see them in Q3 tomorrow. They will face stiff competition from fellow midfield runners Sauber. 

Out of all the midfield teams it is safe to say that Lotus and Sauber have definitely made the most progress. With 2 podiums already under their belt this season, Sauber will be looking for more of the same this weekend in Valencia. Kobayashi was 3rd in FP2. Lotus may be looking to go a step higher than Sauber and take a race win. They have looked likely to do so for a few races now but the highest they've ever managed is 2nd place. The higher temperatures in Valencia will favour Lotus. They have performed well in these conditions before because they are so easy on their tyres. Should they pull off the win, we will have 8 different winners from 8 races after Lewis became the 7th man to win a race last time out. I'm getting a little ahead of myself now, we have Qualifying to deal with first and Valencia is a track, unlike Montreal, where pole position is very important for eventually taking the win so Lotus will have to pull some pace out of the bag and grab their first pole of the 2012 season to increase their chances of a race win. Grosjean and Raikkonen were only eighth and eleventh fastest in the afternoon session but as I said, FP2 was very mixed up so I wouldn't look at these results as realistic expectations for Qualifying. The team know that they can make up a lot more positions for both drivers. 

McLaren will probably share these beliefs. A more than disappointing FP2 led to their drivers finishing 12th and 14th with Jenson Button ahead of Canadian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton. In the morning Button and Hamilton were fourth and eighth respectively. Button's struggles for the past three or four races have been well-documented but he was looking much more comfortable today. With getting through to Q3 being Button's main priority as of late, whilst Hamilton has a shot at pole, Jenson will be hoping he doesn't have it quite as hard tomorrow and McLaren have said that they understand what his problems were and have tried to solve them. Only time will tell whether they have been successful but, with the way this season is going, we will probably see him leading the championship at the end of the weekend...

So Qualifying tomorrow will be a very exciting one and there will be a lot to look out for. Have Button and McLaren ironed out their issues? Can Lotus present a strong challenge for pole position? Which of the midfield teams can make it to Q3? I should mention that Pastor Maldonado was the man who beat Vettel in FP1. Williams clearly like driving in Spain, so can they pull off another shock pole position? With the Qualifying position in Valencia being notoriously important for the eventual race outcome, everyone will be giving it their all tomorrow. I don't want to put a downer on the race already, especially as I've been looking forward to it as the light at the end of my metaphorical exam tunnel, but I have a feeling that Qualifying will be more exciting than the actual race. That being said, I can't wait for this entire weekend to kick off so bring on the European Grand Prix weekend! Oh and England vs. Italy in Euro 2012; what a great time to be a sports fan! Even if you don't like football I think you can appreciate the significance of this match! Anyway, I digress... 

I'll see you back here tomorrow afternoon, after Qualifying, to digest everything that happens!

Aqsa