This time, for the first time for me I get to look at a new circuit for the first time: The Building site looking, damp, oily, sligtly mental 3.5 mile Korean International Circuit.
To start off with the track itself is good for entertainment. Overtaking chances, places ready to catch out those not paying attention and a couple of genuinely challenging sections such as the bump on pit entry and the barrier's at turn 18. However despite the generally positive feedback we don't know what a race in the dry could end up. It could still be a good one or it could turn into a Tilke bore track which would be sad considering the spectacle we were given in this event.
Despite the stupidly delayed starting the race had many talking points, including Webber's spin:
It was unfortunate for him to have the spin, and doubly unfortunate to take up the quick looking Merc of Nico Rosberg. His momentum has gone and the last chance i think Mark Webber has of winning the world title is an Alonso DNF at either of the last two races. Then there was Button's poor race, losing all his confidence after the graceful, text book overtake of 'The Silver Baron' Michael Schumacher and was unlucky to drop to 17th after his stop but after a poor attempt to come back, via being pushed off the road by Sutil and spinning in the last few laps he has near as damnit lost his chance of retaining his championship.
Then we come to Vettel. He drove a nearly perfect race, holding of Alonso's Ferrari and Hamilton's Mclaren until a moment where there was another one of Brundle's all important game changing soundbites, 'Something sounds sick out there', and the huge failure of his Renault V10. This has saved a bit of face for Webber and now leads Red Bull (and based on Button's race Mclaren) to think about making the decison to make Vettel and Button No.2 drivers to help Webber and Hamilton in the fight against the one man team which Alonso has with Ferrari. There was a great picture of Vettel walking through the pit lane and went through Renault's pit box. I would like to think that he was saying something along the lines of this:
'OH MY GOD YOU B*******!!! WHY HAVE YOU SOLD MY TEAM THAT PIECE OF S**T YOU CALL AN ENGINE YOU HALF-WITTED W***ERS. CHRISTIAN, KILL SOMEONE AT RENAULT!!!!'
Perhaps.
Speaking of Hamilton he was never going to win the race. He was marmalising the Mclaren in order to keep up with Alonso and Vettel all race after Webber's accident and despite coming up into second at the last safety car thanks to Alonso's wheel nut he would not have won the race based on the way he lost pace towards the end of the race. However he did well overall minus that slip and brought himself back into the picture for the title. Then we move onto to my least favourite contender. Fernando Alonso drove a faultless race and was in the perfect place to capitalise on the sick Renault engine to put himself at the head of the title race with the momentum to become the favourite and maybe, in 3-4 weeks the 2010 World Formula One Champion.
Other noteable drivers (for better or worse) come from various sources:
Michael Schumacher came from under the radar on 9th on the grid to finish nicely in 4th, his joint best finish of the season and solidifying a return to form, which bodes well with Rosberg driving his best and maybe a better car to challenge for wins again. It may not be quite the full fat Michael Schumacher that dominated the sport for 12 years but it is a driver regining his mojo and thinking well (if his study of the racing lines behind the safety car while lining up Kubica and Button is anything to go by) we will have a committed, hopefully faster Schumacher taking the Silver Arrow back to the front.
Liuzzi stayed out of trouble while his teammate (more on him later) hit everything in sight. His 6th place might go some way to saving his carrear if Nick Heidfeld is on the market and problem with Williams second seat.
Kubica's 5th was lucky (much like his P2 at Australia) but then again shows his ability to keep his car on the road with pace while all around him is completely insane. BBC F1 collumist Mark Davies recently wrote an article in which he seriously put forward the idea that Robert Kubica is the best driver in F1. I agree to an extent and am one of the biggest believers of the theory that give the bumblebee (my nickname for him in the Renault) a car that has a whiff of the title he will go ahead and do it.
Sutil did a very stupid thing by not saying he had a brake issue in the race. It lead to some daring moves (largely on the Sauber's and the brutal move on Button) and a hairy accident with Kobayashi. The gird penalty and the 5 place grid drop was the best thing that could have happened and it is an unfortunate race for a driver who I rate very highly and should either join Renault with Kubica or be with Nick Heidfeld in Force India dragging that team closer to Renault and Mercedes.
Buemi did not have a great race either but the focus of his stupidity was the new teams. Accidents with both Kovalinen's Lotus and Glock's Virgin also earned him a 5 place grid drop along with Sutil which was deserved because he was being an idiot with those two moves and Kovalinen was lucky to get to the end, being taking his customary place at the head of the new teams war. In my view Kovalinen has earned a drive at a better team but he is probably going to stay at the Renault engined Lotus next year and credit to him for wanting to take the team forward along with Glock and Virgin.
Coming up is Brazil, on the Interlagos track which never fails to provide tension since Schumacher's chase in 2006. A terrible but atmospheric paddock and a track as old school as it gets we're looking to see a good race that I predict will lead to a 1 on 1 fight in the championsip between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso for the world title. Which will be appropriate seeing as in the top 3 teams they are the 2 best drivers.
Next up, a review of Iron Maiden's new album, my long overdue blog on why Jeff Hardy is a better Heel than John Cena and more on the F1 title picture before the Brazlian Grand Prix but before I go i'll leave you with another one of my thoughts:
Massa is coming home, for the first time in a car since he nearly won the World Champion after a strong performance he has always been good at Interlagos and that Ferrari is genuinely a quick car.
Ciao
Nick
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