Penalties: Petrov 5 places for crashing out Hulkenberg at Suzuka.
Q1: It was the Force Indias who struggled to qualify today. Heidfeld kept having to pull himself out of danger, but as Liuzzi failed to get a fast-enough lap right at the end of the session, he ended up out in eighteenth. Senna failed to qualify ahead of Yamamoto for the first time, but the Japanese's time was very close to the Virgin of Di Grassi. The two ex-Toyota drivers, Trulli and Glock, were best of the new drivers, with Glock just behind his old teammate, while Kovalainen was further back.
Q2: No real surprises. The BBC commentators predicted that the McLarens, Red Bulls, Ferraris, Mercedes, Barrichello and Kubica would go through, and they were right. Alguersuari outqualifies Buemi for the third race in a row. Petrov qualifies fifteenth, dropping him down to twentieth after the penalty.
Q3: After some tense racing, the two Red Bulls get it together. Vettel, who had in past races been uncomfortable with his car, scrapes P1 by less than a tenth of a second, with Webber next to him on the front row. Alonso is P3 with a disappointed Hamilton in fourth. Button only manages seventh behind Rosberg and Massa.
It might rain tomorrow, so if that happens everything could change. There's also plenty of opportunity for overtaking early in the race.
22/10/2010
Formula 1 Race Seventeen: Preview
Red Bull can't quite get ahead
The inaugural Korean Grand Prix started today. The initial predicted times of 1 minute 44 seconds turned out to be false, with faster times coming up in practice 1 and 2.
It was hard for the Red Bulls to take advantage of the sectors of the track that really suited their car – the bendy sectors two and three – because they lost out a lot on sector one's two long straights, which suit the McLarens.
Hispania had the worst of the weekend, with Senna out in practice 1 after some kind of car failure that Hispania will not confirm as a suspension failure. Yamamoto also had problems, losing control of his car into a 360 degree spin and stalling in practice 2. The session was red-flagged. However, Hispania did get both cars going again, although Senna only managed a few minutes right at the end of the second practice session.
The track started slippery because of its freshness, but rubbered up over time. There was a lot of dust on the track, and especially in the pit lane, that was making visibility difficult for some teams. Tyres were wearing out quickly on the new tarmac, so if this continues we could see a lot of tyre changes in the race... except for the 60% chance of rain on Sunday thanks to a typhoon heading China's way.
Jenson Button, on this Grand Prix, is now joint with Nigel Mansell as England's most experienced Formula One drivers with 187 races. In the whole of Britain, David Coulthard is the most experienced on 246.
The inaugural Korean Grand Prix started today. The initial predicted times of 1 minute 44 seconds turned out to be false, with faster times coming up in practice 1 and 2.
It was hard for the Red Bulls to take advantage of the sectors of the track that really suited their car – the bendy sectors two and three – because they lost out a lot on sector one's two long straights, which suit the McLarens.
Hispania had the worst of the weekend, with Senna out in practice 1 after some kind of car failure that Hispania will not confirm as a suspension failure. Yamamoto also had problems, losing control of his car into a 360 degree spin and stalling in practice 2. The session was red-flagged. However, Hispania did get both cars going again, although Senna only managed a few minutes right at the end of the second practice session.
The track started slippery because of its freshness, but rubbered up over time. There was a lot of dust on the track, and especially in the pit lane, that was making visibility difficult for some teams. Tyres were wearing out quickly on the new tarmac, so if this continues we could see a lot of tyre changes in the race... except for the 60% chance of rain on Sunday thanks to a typhoon heading China's way.
Jenson Button, on this Grand Prix, is now joint with Nigel Mansell as England's most experienced Formula One drivers with 187 races. In the whole of Britain, David Coulthard is the most experienced on 246.
20/10/2010
FIFA/Coca-Cola Rankings Adjustment October 2010
Armenia are amazing!
There is only one team in Europe that really stands out as improving, and one team that have really lost places. Here's the summary of what happened:
1. Armenia: +45 places following their two victories. They're up to 60th, and only just behind Scotland. This is their highest ever FIFA ranking!
2. Russia: +15 places thanks to their defeats of Israel and Macedonia. Up to 10th!
3. Montenegro: Montenegro: +14 places to 26th. They did fantastically well in group G, having defeated all their opponents except England. Once England have played against Wales then they should be equal top of the group.
4. Azerbaijan: They defeated Turkey, and so deserve an 11 place improvement to 91st. Turkey, meanwhile, fall 8 places to 29th, as they gained no points over the qualifiers.
5. France and Italy: France finally start to rise in rank again. They've stopped losing, and that's helping change their average points back where they should be. Italy have dropped points after a draw with Northern Ireland, and the abandoned match gives no points.
6. Greece: This team seems attached to twelfth. They have not moved at all since I started keeping track of the ranks, and the last time they changed position was in June when they came up one place from thirteenth.
7. Scotland: They were the UK's second team, but luck for Northern Ireland has lost the Scots position. It's entirely unfair for them to be drawn against Spain, and they played a good game. But playing well doesn't count for any points, so they remain third in the UK (fourth including Ireland).
8. Wales: At least Scotland aren't Wales, who finally start losing position. They're down into the 100s now, having lost 20 places to go 105th.
9. Israel: They've gone down 20 places as well. Israel have strange form, sometimes being better and sometimes worse. Their home league isn't that bad, so it's hard to know what's up internationally.
10. Cyprus: Who knows what is happening with Cyprus? They drew 4-4 with Portugal, but now have such bad form they drop 45 places to 88th! Their performance is even less understandable than Israel's.
11. Central African Republic: Not a European team, which is why I saved them till last. I predicted they'd rise, but not by this much! Sixty places up to 112th makes them the fastest-rising team in the world. Fellow Africans Niger also rose well, with 54 places, to go 100th.
There is only one team in Europe that really stands out as improving, and one team that have really lost places. Here's the summary of what happened:
1. Armenia: +45 places following their two victories. They're up to 60th, and only just behind Scotland. This is their highest ever FIFA ranking!
2. Russia: +15 places thanks to their defeats of Israel and Macedonia. Up to 10th!
3. Montenegro: Montenegro: +14 places to 26th. They did fantastically well in group G, having defeated all their opponents except England. Once England have played against Wales then they should be equal top of the group.
4. Azerbaijan: They defeated Turkey, and so deserve an 11 place improvement to 91st. Turkey, meanwhile, fall 8 places to 29th, as they gained no points over the qualifiers.
5. France and Italy: France finally start to rise in rank again. They've stopped losing, and that's helping change their average points back where they should be. Italy have dropped points after a draw with Northern Ireland, and the abandoned match gives no points.
6. Greece: This team seems attached to twelfth. They have not moved at all since I started keeping track of the ranks, and the last time they changed position was in June when they came up one place from thirteenth.
7. Scotland: They were the UK's second team, but luck for Northern Ireland has lost the Scots position. It's entirely unfair for them to be drawn against Spain, and they played a good game. But playing well doesn't count for any points, so they remain third in the UK (fourth including Ireland).
8. Wales: At least Scotland aren't Wales, who finally start losing position. They're down into the 100s now, having lost 20 places to go 105th.
9. Israel: They've gone down 20 places as well. Israel have strange form, sometimes being better and sometimes worse. Their home league isn't that bad, so it's hard to know what's up internationally.
10. Cyprus: Who knows what is happening with Cyprus? They drew 4-4 with Portugal, but now have such bad form they drop 45 places to 88th! Their performance is even less understandable than Israel's.
11. Central African Republic: Not a European team, which is why I saved them till last. I predicted they'd rise, but not by this much! Sixty places up to 112th makes them the fastest-rising team in the world. Fellow Africans Niger also rose well, with 54 places, to go 100th.
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